Question:
would it be too much salad?

I am 7 and a half motnhs post op. My days of food consist of a protein shake for breakfast and a salad at 1 and another at 5:30 ish. would it be too much if I ate another salad at around 8pm? would that be too much food and too many calories? Also... I can eat 2-3 cups of salad is that normal?    — Sabrina H_NC (posted on June 16, 2003)

June 16, 2003
Sabrina, I wouldn't worry too much about the salad. If I were you I would be much more concerned about the serious lack of protein from your day. Vegetables are carbs and while they are good carbs and we should eat them, your first choice in food should always be protein. At 7.5 months post-op you should be getting between 60-120 grams of protein a day and I don't see how you can be anywhere near that if what you posted above is all you are eating. Why not skip one of the salads and have a piece of chicken, fish, cheese, an egg, anything that has some protein in it.
   — StephN1966

June 16, 2003
Sorry Original poster here... I forgot to add there is a 2-3 ounce piece of chicken in that salad. and I forgot about the protein shake I drink at night I get about 75 grams of protein a day.
   — Sabrina H_NC

June 16, 2003
Another thing you need to consider is the choice of greens that you use in that salad. Iceburg lettuce is the worst since it has virtually no nutricional value. Use other forms of greens to add value as well as some form of protein,(eggs, cheese, chicken, tuna, shrimp, beans, etc.)
   — Sabra_D

June 16, 2003
salad is one of those great foods we can order when we go out cause it we can eat so much of it and appear "normal" :>) I don't think it's too much in one sitting, and the fact you add meat to it is great. Do you get very active bowels from eating it two or three times a day though? That would be my only concern...too much fiber :>)
   — [Deactivated Member]

June 16, 2003
Oh I am regular as day now. Yes it is iceburg lettuce. But I dont eat the lettuce really. I stick to the tomatoes onions and hot peppers and chicken. And I dip it in vinegar. This is a daily thing for me? Would having 3 be too many calories?
   — Sabrina H_NC

June 17, 2003
Why don't you add up your daily calories and see? At your stage, it should come to close to 1000. Its pretty easy to figure out the chicken, protein drinks and some of the other salad ingredients. Using vinegar is a good way to keep off the regular salad dressing calories. It looks to me like you are doing great. As to 2-3 cups, remember salad munches down to nothing so that is not alot. I love salads too and like to add egg, kidney beans, cucumbers, carrots,tomatoes and onions to mine, along with the chicken or steak. Wish I could learn to like vinegar, as I love that full fat ranch dressing...
   — Cindy R.

June 17, 2003
And don't forget, poor old iceberg lettuce may be short on other nutrients, but it's high in one major nutrient that's very important for us posties: water!
   — Martha L.