windfaerie

Way to go! I am impressed.

It was weird going out with husband and a large group of friends the other night for happy hour and ordering dinner. My husband and I got a plate of fish tacos to share. It came with two tacos and a side of black Beans. We ate the insides of one of the tacos and a bit of the black beans that were on the side. That was actually too much for me. The shells and the other taco we took home. The beans were too difficult to transport. My husband took the inside of the leftover tacos for lunch at work and I made the kids Breakfast with the leftover corn tortilla shells. Before we both would have ordered something and eaten it all. It is amazing the difference in what and how much we eat. It also interesting how large a what I considered normal plate of food pre op looks now. It was hard to find something we could eat on the menu also. He is not cleared for raw veggies so we had to ask for them to cook the cabbage on the tacos. Most the food was fried or had bread or another starch or sugar. What have been your experiences with going out with friends or to a restaurant? Do you find that there are less healthy choices than you thought there were presurgery?

I do the nausea sweating thing with any kind of Protein drink. The carbs in mashed potatoes can cause dumping. I would avoid. Try non fat refried Beans with cheese melted on top. For a nacho like taste add some salsa and a spoonful of plain greek yogurt to that. Pea Soup is good too at that stage. It should pass or you have to try other foods but talk to your DR to rule out a stritcher.

I eat those ostrich Protein meat protein sticks. They come in the health food section of HEB by all the Protein drinks and bulk foods. I also do protein shots. The drinks make me sick too. I try to get through them most days. Pasteurized eggs mixed with OJ, vanilla and a drop of honey or monk fruit sweetener is good. I use egg/ or unflavored Protein powder in Soups. Making a ball out of PB2, a scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder and a bit yogurt in good. You want it to be stiff like a refrigerator cookie. If they are loose I add almond flour.

I wish I could eat lettuce but not yet. Lettuce and lunch meat or anything dry is a no go still.

Ricotta cheese and Protein powder pancakes are a great low carb alternative to bread. A lot of recipes call for a couple tablespoons of pancake mix I used soy flour and coconut meal instead for a little added protein. All you have to do is add baking powder and soda to help it be fluffy. I made these the first time the other day so that I could send my husband to work with a tuna sandwich. One small pancake had 14 grams protein. I used two pancakes smeared on some tuna. Cut it into quarters. Half was his half was mine. A quarter of a sandwich filled me up. I ate the other quarter later as a snack.

Only the Hernia repair portion of my surgery was covered by insurance. My DR. includes 90 days of insurance on the self pay portion.

If you turn out to be a person like my husband and I who want to gag from the sight of a Protein shake at one month out from surgery you want more bang for your buck so to speak. I want it to have more protein so I do not have to force myself to drink as much. That is a lot of drinks to reach goal on the liquid stage with only 10 grams. Also something to keep in mind. I really liked some drinks and textures pre surgery after it was no go on those items. Gritty may not be a good texture on new tummy but then again may be perfect for you. Protein Drinks are very individual what you like everyone around you may hate. My husband and I drink very different things. I would not invest in huge quantities of anything and save samples to experiment with after as well as before to help with tastebud changes.

Have you had your thyroid levels checked? Are you taking a good probiotic with live enzymes? You may have an overgrowth of yeast in your gut. whey natural is good and through my Dr office I get Medi Pro meal essentials. You may need to switch to an egg or soy Protein. If eggs I would just buy pasteurized ones and add them to soy milk, almond milk or juice with vanilla or carob and fruit. Also watch your ingredients on soy milk they add a lot. The only one I have found with not sugar and not a lot of additives is Westsoy organic unsweetened. Only ingredients are soy Beans and Water. It is found at Randall's/Safeway in the coffee aisle. I stay away from all prepackaged foods, breads or Pasta. By making yourself you know what is in it. If you like bread or pasta make your own using non wheat flours. If you have kids get them to make it they think it is fun.

I am good with life saving GMOs. Science has come up with some wonderful things. I am also good with crops that are made stronger through modifications that do not have any negative environmental or health impact. It is the ones that the plant has round up or includes pesticides. Some that kill bees. Some that GMO crops have traces of pesticides and other not good for you things show up in the food items produced that I have a problem with. I know these things are to help them grow and produce more but the price may be too high if we poison ourselves with our crops. Other countries have outlawed these kinds of modifications but not the US. I am also good with sustainable for meat sources. Meaning a herd of animals can have a medication or antibiotic i ill but not constantly as a preventative. I am anti growth hormones too.

Lots of great things to look into. thanks

The main thing I want is no artificial sweeteners or no sweeteners at all natural or not as I cannot have most of them.

Hi I would love A copy of the list please. Thanks in advance. My address is soannwill@gmail.com

It will get better soon. hang in there.

I have water and thyroid meds at 5:30-6. I usually do not start my shake until 7:30. Today I had a cup of hot tea before breakfast and started the shake at around 9. It took me until 11 to finish it and still made me nauseous and very dizzy. I guess I just have to get used to it.

I put 1/4 cup of cheese in my V-8 and heat it like a soup. Melt cheese on fat free beans. Page O% greek yogurt has a ton of protein I mix it with simply fruit jam or siggi's yogurt. the Label on Siggi's is pretty high in grams of sugar but it is almost all from fruit so it has not caused me a problem with dumping. I also eat chicken soup sometimes with unflavored protein powder added. A good soup I have found also is healthy living split pea. Add more water than it says to add and it is easer to eat.

I think my new baby stomach hates eating in the morning. Any other time of day I am fine. That first meal or shake gets me everytime. I have tried five different kinds of protein shakes and a variety of flavors. I got samples from all over the place. I cannot have anything with aspartame so I have to be careful of ingredients. I have tried with milk, with water, with juice with unsweetened almond milk. Soy protein, whey protein, pea protein, egg protein. I even tried adding the unflavored powder to broth. No matter what combo I use I always feel dizzy and nauseous for an hour or so after my morning shake. This morning I decided to go with cottage cheese for breakfast and have a shake later. Thinking maybe that would be a better option. No go. !/4 cup of cottage cheese is usually no problem at all. I could not eat more than half and promptly got sick. It must just be my tummy does not like the first meal of the day. Anyone else having this problem or having a certain time they cannot eat?

Way to go!

BTW my husband and I tend to be the only severely overweight people at these gatherings. But not for long. He gets sleeved on June 2.

I am really curious what other people would bring. Would you bring something to feed the masses at the party or yourself? It does not have to be a fish dish. What do you bring to event? Do you try to stay healthy or go with something super easy or both?

I know our friends would forgive breaking the rule of must be fresh and homemade, down to the bread, but I am not sure I can bring myself to do that. I have been cooking for my family and not tempted. I just strain the broth or use the juice from what they are eating to make broth every day. The food in front of me is not a bother. You have to understand my husband used to be a head chef for a famous chef in New Orleans. We have plans in the future to open our own all organic, locally sourced, fresh made daily only mediterranean/tapas style restaurant. We are in Austin local and organic is the thing to do. We catered our own wedding for 100 which is crazy. I will have plenty of help with prep from my husband. Logically I know I should wait to do such a big dish but I do not think I can bring myself not to cook. We are always expected to bring something amazing.

I love spaghetti squash as a Pasta alternative.

Yep. Tofu Shirataki noodles. They have almost no calories. They are made from a dried japanese yam which is not a starch but a vegetable and dried tofu. Interesting I may need to try it one day. http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Shirataki-Noodles-Fettuccine-Shape/dp/B000AQFQC6

Ewe! But made me laugh. Really ewe because every time I try to drink a chocolate Protein Shake I get sick. Curious if there is a way to actually make tofu noodles. I think I will google it.

The pasta is mainly so that it serves 20 more easily. But the pasta will be on the side. I love zucchini pasta but since most in attendance are normal eaters I am cooking for them. I just do not want to sit with nothing in front of me so the broth. I do not want my friends to be uncomfortable or the hostess to feel rude because I do not have anything.