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



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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.

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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

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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.

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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. :-(

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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