Question:
Newbie needs help - would you please tell me what you were eating at week 3?
I had the RNY on July 23 and have lost 22lbs so far. My concern is I am eating too "normally" too soon. Tomorrow will be my 3rd week, but I've been on SOFT SOLIDS for almost a week. My primary diet consists of baked fish (tilapia and salmon) and fruit (melon, oranges and grapefruit). Is this weird? I've tried tolerating the scrambled egg and ground turkey as outlined in my diet from the nutritionist - hits my tummy like a brick. Also plain water makes my tummy cramp, but diluted fruit juice (which I do not like) or iced tea with Splenda goes down smooth. I also eat rice chex or cheerios with fat free milk. Realizing that everyone progresses at their own level, but just really interested to know how others have done it. If you see a red flag here please let me know. Thank you SO much. — cake (posted on August 12, 2008)
August 12, 2008
I'm so glad you said this. I had RNY on July 3rd and I've been eating
fairly "normal" also. At week 3 I was eating edamame and felt
guilty, so I called the doctors office. They said well you aren't really to
the point of edamame yet, but I guess if you're fine then it's fine. So I
think we all have to gage it for our self a bit. Baked fish is pretty soft
if you ask me and eggs are totally making me gag, also. Eggs are pretty
much the only food I've had a problem with so far. For some reason I also
can't tolerate plain water, I've been doing record amounts of ice with
water and just a dash of Crystal Light mix and then occasional ice teas. I
try to limit the tea to one a day. For some reason that makes all the
diff. Good Luck!
— Jaskarper
August 12, 2008
I don't see a red flag here. Everybody is different and can tolerate and
not tolerate different foods at different times. Plus you've lost 22 lbs.
so that tells you something.
Just keep monitoring your weight to make sure you keep going in the right
direction. Don't try to eat too much...always stop when you START to feel
full.
Get exercising or keep at it if you already are.
Good luck.
— cjjordan
August 12, 2008
hi there - as you will discover- there are as many eating plans as there
are WLS surgens, and Nuts. As wih anything, not all Nuts are savvy in the
latest methods and plans for post op WLS. The eating plan my surgeon put
me on is tops. believe me. Nothing by mouth, not even water or ice chips
immeditely post op for 48 hours- still in he hospital.
weeks 1,2,3, full liquids, with the times of day to eat them. Weeks 4,5,6
puried foods, no lettuces, no nuts, onions, broc, cabbage etc. Weeks 7,8,9
soft foods. you are eating things now we werent allowed for several
months. It is still at 4 1/2 yrs post op, half a cup of food 3 times a
day, no deviations. I still cannot get my calorie intake over 800 a day,
but thats ok, I lost 230 lbs, and because of following orders,. have kept
it off. Also, I have not been allowed any more than 3 grams of sugar per
serving. That leaves out most salad dressings. Don't use us as the last
word, but your surgeon and Nuts, but you might want to get a comprehensive
list from them. Good Luck Cindi -230#
— DollyDoodles
August 12, 2008
To be very honest, I suspect you are eating "normal" foods
wayyyyyyy too soon. At 3 weeks out, I was instructed to eat things like
(sugar free) puddings, jello, pureed baby food. Certainly not fish and
oranges. I am not an expert and am only giving my opinion to try and be
honest and helpful, but I feel you are sabotaging yourself early on, and
need to get on baby food and so on... But perhaps your surgeon and
nutritionist can best advise whether or not someone should be eating fish
and fruits at 3 weeks. All I can do is relay what I was told when I was 3
weeks out.. Best wishes!
— Gina S.
August 12, 2008
Nicole, I remember feeling the same way the first few weeks out...no
knowing how certain foods were going to be tolerated...worrying about
trying new foods, etc. The fish is certainly fine on a soft diet. I worry
about your fruit choices though...oranges and grapefruit are very acidic.
Maybe softer choices like peaches and pears would be better for your
still-healing pouch right now. Also it is probably too soon for the
cereal...too many carbs. How about soups and mashed potatoes? Have you
tried corned-beef hash? I hated hash before my surgery, but found it to be
DELICIOUS during the soft diet stage. Continued good luck to you and
congrats on your weight loss so far!
— gclark918
August 12, 2008
Hi, I'm 3 weeks post-op and the nut said that soft foods are okay at this
phase. I don't think that I'll ready for all of the food choices on the
menu yet. I stayed on the pureed food for two weeks to be sure,and still
use some baby food. I had tuna with light mayo and my stomach didn't like
it. The nut said try fat free mayo and no salmon right now because of the
fat. This ready is a lifestyle change for me. The doctor said that this
is not a race and everyone progress at levels.
— Toby2
August 12, 2008
I had surgery on July 17 and have lost 22lbs so far. So for that you are
ahead of me. My nutrionist told me that when I got home from the hospital
to stay on soft foods for a week then slowly introduce one item at a time,
make sure it was chewed very well and not to drink with the meals. I am
eating pretty much anything that I want only reallllllllllllly small
portions. I eat turkey deli slices, Cheerios for breakfast sometimes. I do
use UNJURY protein shakes to help supliment my protein. I loved eggs before
my surgery but for some reason I cannot tolerate them now. If I try to eat
an egg I might get about half of a scrambled egg down. I really think it
depends on what you and YOUR doctor says. Not mine or anyone elses. Your
doctor knows you best. My doctor gave us the rule if it upsets your stomach
dont eat it.
— gypsea47
August 12, 2008
I would stop the oranges and grapefruit. They are very fiberous and seeems
a bit too much at this stage. As for the water, it's perfectly fine to have
flavorings like Crystal Lite in it. If you don't like the diluted fruit
juice...don't drink it!
— Jen R.
August 13, 2008
My surgeon starts all his patients on regular food from Day 1. My first
night home from the hosptial (Day 4) I had Baked chicken, mashed potatoes,
carrots and gravy...That's what i made my family...But mine was totally
pureed to a mush. (Individually) I took I T Chicken with gravy mush...
1/2 T of pureed carrots and 1/2 T of potatoes. I made certain to finish
the chicken and could not finish the rest. I had no raw fruit or veggies
for 3-6 months. The chicken was hard to go down...Protein is harder to
eat...Carbs are so easy, this is why so many gain weight. CARBS are
comfort. Limit your cereal. Make sure EVERY meal is mainly protein. Milk
is protein , but the cereal is all carbs. Special K has a Protein Cereal
out that you might try in place of RICE Chex or Cheerios. I could not eat
cereal for...Well, I still cannot handle cereal at almost 5 YEARS out. It
swells and gives me a belly ache every single time. I couldn't eat eggs
for over a year...(The cholesterol in eggs is too much fat for the RNY)
Egg Beaters are leaner and mostly egg whites...You can try omelets with
those. The only thing I'd watch is the cereal. Cereal could trigger old
habits by leading to pretzels and breads and those things are just comfort
foods that make you crave sugar (cakes and cookies) and more carbs. Limit
the cereal to just a tiny bit and make your meals mainly protein.
Eating fruit and cereal for breakfast is eating almost all carbs.
Eat fruit with cottage cheese...skip the cereal that day. Milk with cereal
(look for one with a higher protein and fiber content) Add some protein
powder to the milk...I made oat meal with protein powder and cinnamon often
when I was newly post op. These days I have to watch my carbs, They can
take over! But I think KNOWING this and knowing how I am, makes it easier
to battle the urges to eat carby things! So that's why I am warning you
now, just be careful. When the carbs start replacing the protein, you know
you have to get back on track!...22lbs is awesome! So you are doing fine.
Just chew chew chew....and don't give up totally on foods you can't seem to
handle...Most likely you will be able to handle them later. Somethings
you'll never quite like again. Oh..and watch those super sweet fruits
too...All the ones you mentioned are high glycemic foods...meaning they
spike your blood sugars! Try eating more berries and lower glycemic
fruits....You can doa search for a Glycemic index chart and see for
yourself what foods are likely to spike your sugar and insulin. These are
the foods we want to always avoid throughout the rest of our lives as WLS
people. No it won't kill you to spike it once in a while...You just don't
want to make it a habit...that becomes a craving again...That's when your
food becomes a drug again....
— .Anita R.
August 13, 2008
I'd get rid of the diluted fruit juice. There are many different brands of
flavor "sticks" (meant to be dumped into a 16oz water bottle, but
you can dilute to suit your taste) that taste good and are sugar free. You
can even find them with vitamins, fiber, electrolytes, etc. added in.
Crystal Light is what everyone seems to know, but other brands to check out
include Propel, Fulfil, Replenish, Spark, and Vita-Splash. And if iced tea
with splenda works for you, great. I put 2 giant or 4-6 small decaf tea
bags in a pitcher every night with water and stick it in the fridge... when
I get up in the morning, I've got a pitcher of perfect iced tea. Splenda
makes big packets--the equivalent of 1 cup--meant for making koolaide, but
they work great for pitchers of iced tea.
Good luck!
— mrsidknee
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