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One more can of tuna or chicken and I'm gonna puke! Need lunch ideas.



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I have eaten tuna salad or chicken salad every day for the last 4 months and if I have to eat it one more day I am going to puke. I am almost 6 months out and find myself snacking on crackers because I can't stand the Protein anymore. This has slowed my weight loss down (only lost 10 pounds in the last 3 1/2 months). I don't want to fall into the trap I did before and start going out for lunch everyday. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

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A lack of variety is on of the most difficult things about the post-op diet. I know how you feel. I have been doing egg salad and chicken salad. I have done some grilled cheese and some shrimp. I've also done a lot of Soups - clam chowder, chicken enchilada and some chicken noodle. And of course fish - salmon, mahi mahi, and catfish (grilled of course)!

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I hate tuna so I never have it. I like canned chicken but only have it occasionally. What about cheeses, eggs, deli meats, other types of meats that you can prepare ahead and portion out for lunches, like ground beef, Italian sausage, turkey, etc?

I'm a carnivore and love meat. If I have a steak I can make three meals out if it. I don't hesitate to eat it for Breakfast if my band cooperates. Do you like hummus? That's a new favorite for me with celery or carrots.

Good luck getting out of the food rut.

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With what has been said about some being sick of the same Proteins, I have decided to invest in a bariatric cook book.

One of the recipes I have seen bandied about on WLS websites is the ricotta cheese bake. I am surely going to try that. There are also so many bariatric recipes on Pinterest. Good luck. You might want to invest in a recipe book especially for WLS patients. Good luck to you in your endeavors.

Edited by Arlene G

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I'm a big fan of leftovers. If I go out to dinner, I have the second half (or third, depending) for lunch the next day. Other non-cooking ideas: rotisserie chicken, refried Beans with cheese, deli meat, Protein Shake or pudding, steak, omelets. I'm lucky that I can eat most things but boredom has never been a huge issue.

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I tried two crazy ideas to get away from tuna and chicken salads - canned oyster salad, and... wait for it... canned escargot. Like I said, crazy! The canned oysters with mayo and relish were truly disgusting! I heated the escargot in the office microwave with some spray butter, garlic, salt, and parsley, and believe it or not, they weren't bad. I even gave one to a workmate and she thought it was pretty good. It's something I might do once every couple of months, but I'd saute them at home and reheat them at work. I shared this mostly for a laugh, to show the extremes we'll go to to change it up a bit. Actually i find that leftovers make a great lunch -- grilled chicken breasts, homemade Soups, Beans (kidney/black/black-eyed, etc.), steak, and one that I haven't seen mentioned, Jenno-Extra Lean Turkey Ham. A hearty slice (4 oz.) cut up into cubes and dipped in my favorite mustard is 120 calories with 16 grams of Protein. And if all else fails, there's always a [shudder] Protein shake. Good luck!

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"heated the escargot in the office microwave with some spray butter, garlic, salt, and parsley"

You didn't. Snails and garlic heated up at WORK?

Omg. I thought it was bad having to smell my coworker's sandwich loaded with onions every day.

Sorry. I'm on two days of liquids after a band adjustment and I'm hungry and crabby.

*drinks her Protein shake and waits for 5pm when she can have food again*

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"heated the escargot in the office microwave with some spray butter, garlic, salt, and parsley"

You didn't. Snails and garlic heated up at WORK?

Omg. I thought it was bad having to smell my coworker's sandwich loaded with onions every day.

Sorry. I'm on two days of liquids after a band adjustment and I'm hungry and crabby.

*drinks her Protein shake and waits for 5pm when she can have food again*

Hah! Actually it didn't have much of a smell, at least that I could tell....

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My Protein has been hamburger pattie on George Forman ( 1/2) eggs ham thick sliced with hidden valley flavored greek cream cheese rolled in it , greek yogurt and almonds

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I slow cook turkey drumsticks, flavor chicken very well and have cheese. Not super exciting but it works. I had a bad reaction to seafood. I have so much in my freezer I just want to give away but it's hard to explain handing out frozen foods.

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I have frozen dinners for lunch. Lean cuisine, Atkins, Weight Watchers Smart Ones. A different one every day. They are approved on my plan and its cheaper for five in a week than one lunch out. I may not eat the entire thing, but the convenience is great.

If you like lunch meats, why not do a roll up with a piece of ham and swiss or turkey and cheddar? They are super easy for when you are on the go. If you cook something for dinner like a roast chicken, make yourself your own TV dinner for the next day.

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Thank you all for the suggestions! Many of the things noted here I have tried for dinner. I guess I just need to plan better for lunch. Running out to get my escargot and oysters now! LOL NOT!!!!!!!!!

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Thank you all for the suggestions! Many of the things noted here I have tried for dinner. I guess I just need to plan better for lunch. Running out to get my escargot and oysters now! LOL NOT!!!!!!!!!

Hah! Love it!!!

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I never plan in advance for lunch. I'm just not that organized! Lately I have been eating P3s for lunch. They are in the lunch able section. They have 3 proteins......turkey/ham/chicken bites, almonds or cashews, and cheese bites. They are the perfect amount of food with 14 g of Protein. And best of all...easy to grab as your running out the door!

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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.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        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.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

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

    • CaseyP1011

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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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