Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

BariatricPal

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Join BariatricPal free

  • Ask your own questions
  • Reply and follow topics
  • Message other members
  • No cost, no spam

What did everyone take to work with them that first week back at work? (food wise)

Hi!

Not sure what to take with me when I go back to work. Protein shakes and water? Gatorade? Pureed soup I guess wouldn't be hard to take with you.

  • Replies 12
  • Views 1.8k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Featured Replies

I'm looking forward to some answers here too. I was thinking chicken/tuna/egg salad in a small bowl. Cottage cheese and fruit and some greek yogurt too.

Not back to work yet but I was thinking some little containers of ricotta bake. Protein shakes, Refried beans blended into consume, Home Made Vegetable soup pureed. I will still be in the mushy stage when I go back to work. It will have been longer than 4 weeks but they could not fit me in at the Dr. so I have to go over 4 weeks until I am advanced to solids.

Khy

Greek yogurt and iced coffee for me. Really, at that point, 1 container of yogurt was like 4 meals, so I was set for the day. Other ideas: You can take your shaker cup with Protein powder already measured in there and just add Water or milk and ice and shake; I can't tolerate the shakes, but if you can, that's a simple thing to carry.

Now, when I go back to school in a couple of weeks, I'll be taking my 4-months-out food, which is anything that sounds "safe" and will go down easily. For me, that's still dairy (yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese) with some fruit and definitely my iced coffee. I'm also stocking up on soup, which I can take in a little microwaveable container. I know I'm allowed to eat whatever I want, but this is food that I can enjoy AND that my sleeve will tolerate on stressful work days--I can't imagine having to be sick at school, and I am actively planning to NOT have that happen. Reintroducing foods sometimes leads to rejection (as I found out a couple of days ago), and I just am over the whole food rejection thing. That's the one thing I hate about my sleeve--if it doesn't like something, it just forces it right back out, even if I haven't overeaten or eaten too fast--it's just SOOOO picky!!!

Anyway, simple, easy-to-tolerate foods are the way to go for me. Happily we've stocked up on portable containers; they do make individual servings of most stuff nowadays, but it's a lot cheaper to carry your own--I have a lunch kit with an ice block that is reusable, too.

  • Author

Thanks!!! I'm still clueless when it comes to the AFTER part of surgery. Thanks again. :)

I bought those little snack packs of tuna, and some mayo and/or cottage cheese to mix in.

I also brought peanut butter (tread carefully here - it's pretty thick).

I made a batch of egg custards (you can do either sweet or savory) - one lasts me two days for breakfast. Also, Chobani makes a childrens greek yogurt now with no fruit chunks, that's a perfect size. I love the strawberry flavor.

Pack lots of protein shakes - baggies work. Make sure you have extras - there's nothing like the day you discover you forgot to pack lunch. :-(

I was off for 3 weeks so when I returned I was eating pretty well. I took Starkist tuna kits, peanuts, and Austin peanut butter crackers. I would snack on a little of each when I had time. I am addicted to lunchables right now. I eat half for a snack and the other half for lunch. They are easy and quick to eat. I throw in a banana occasionaly. Wishing you the best!

I return to work next week going into my 6th week....here's my plan. I plan on taking a Starkist Tuna pouches, small bottle of mayo, homemade chili, boiled eggs, yogurt, protein shakes and/or protein bars, crystal light or something similar for my water, small container of fruit. I can't think of anything else at the moment.

  • 3 weeks later...

That's funny, I wondered if I was the only one who had become addicted to lunchables! They have had them on sale at WalMart for $1 each, so I grab 5-6 everytime I go in, and snack on it throughout the day at work. It's worked out great so far... or at least until I burn out on them. I have found that I burn out on foods quickly. I can't stand protein shakes anymore. I'm hoping that staying off of them for a little while will help me get back to being able to tolerate them a little later on.

I was off for 3 weeks so when I returned I was eating pretty well. I took Starkist tuna kits, peanuts, and Austin peanut butter crackers. I would snack on a little of each when I had time. I am addicted to lunchables right now. I eat half for a snack and the other half for lunch. They are easy and quick to eat. I throw in a banana occasionaly. Wishing you the best!

  • 3 weeks later...

I stocked up a cupboard in my office. I have some of my Iron pills there since I'm supposed to take them in the middle of the day. I also have some pouches of the bariatric food: Soups and Fruit drinks. This is something I can make quickly if I find I am working late or forgot to bring something. It is also shelf stable, and I don't have to worry about it going bad. I also brought in about 6 Water bottles and about 6 Sobe waters.

Every day, I bring in Protein shakes with me. I put them in a fridge until lunch time. I've found the liquid stuff works best for me since I don't always have a lot of time for lunch. I teach, and if I'm not done with my lunch when it is time for class, I can take my Protein shake in with me. I can't do that with cottage cheese or Soup.

I also have some hot chocolate mix there. In the past, I would end up working longer than expected and find myself at the pop machine or coffee pot. Those aren't options for me anymore, so I wanted both hot and cold drink options available.

I think I mostly took chicken noodle soup (small stars) and chewed it really well. Just remember whatever you try......try it first at HOME. Mayo did weird things to my stomach at first (diarrhea) but now is fine. You don't want to spend the day in the bathroom at work!! If you are at the cheese stage, string cheese travels well and yogurt. It takes some getting used to much smaller containers for everything......not eating the junk crap in the cafeteria......I put Protein bars in my purse just in case. Whole new world but it does get easier!

I need to change my ticker.....lost two more lbs....rolleyes.gifrolleyes.gif

I went back to work on day 7, so I was still on full-liquids. I would have brought protein drinks and yogurt, grits,pudding, applesauce and creamed-strained soups.

So glad those days are over!

Kelly ;)

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.