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Is there any savings on food after surgery ?



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I don't even order food when I go out anymore.. I eat off of one of my kid plate. My family's dine out bill has been reduced by $25.. because I'm no longer having 15 oz steaks and drinks. I'm loving it.

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My husband had a gastric bypass 9 months ago and our food bills really went down. We eat out less, and it costs less to eat out. We eat way more casseroles which are cheaper. I am 7 days post sleeve now and I think we will be able to always share a 'normal' size meal from now on. I know my personal pocket money will be going on new clothes instead of chocolate and chips and I feel great about that!! On the flip side we have 2 insatiable beasts aka teenage sons so they eat plenty!

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@@shaqkhi

Yes!

I don't eat much now so there is a savings and I don't really eat out mainly because it is too hard to log the calories. Before surgery I would eat maybe 2 fish fillets in a day. Now I have one for the day and split it into 2 meals. Before surgery I spent $10-40 a day on food (more on days out of the house, and I am counting my coffee and fiji Water habits) I have spent over $200 on Protein powder and bars in the past 8 weeks. Over a whole month I would guess my savings is probably 1/2. I don't really track my spending that closely. Unless I am going to a sit down restaurant daily, it is hard for my food spending to get out of control as a single person. My Whole Foods and trader Joe's bills are cut to about 1/3.

I wasted some money pre-op and in the beginning of post op buying things on my approved foods list. Yogurt? Still hate it. Nothing is going to make it taste good, and the nutritonal value is crap now matter how people try to spin it. Still I tried it because it was on the short list of things I could have. I thought maybe my tastes would change after surgery but they haven't. I have enough broth to last me through the winter. I purchased low carb Popsicle knowing I don't like Popsicle or ice cream, I never got desperate enough to eat them. I bought sugar free Jello and pudding. Gross, made one box of each. Going to toss the rest. All these items are low cost alone, but it adds up, trying things.

tl;dr I used to spend $10-40 a day on food and I probably top out at $6 a day now.

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I had a dinner meetup with friends at a place that has a full menu all day. I ordered one scrambled egg. My total with tip was under $2. Previously it would have been $20 to $30 with drinks and dessert.

I'm on week 5 postop, which means I'm not on full meats yet. I have one scrambled egg with one triangle of laughing cow cheese for breakfast; 1/3 cup tuna with a little mayo for lunch; and 1/2 avocado with a little mayo for dinner or 1/3 cup mashed sweet potatoes or 1/2 greek yogurt. I drink crystal light.

My surgeon wants his patients to keep Protein powders and supplements at a minimum.

My food bill has definitely gone down.

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I'm saving a lot of money. Like, ridiculous amounts. My food budget went from 400-500/month (I was a HUGE binge eater who would order 2-3 meals at a time) to under 100 bucks. And honestly, if I wasn't "experimenting" with buying things, trying a bite, then feeding it to the dogs because I hate it, it would be even lower.

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My wife and I definitely spend less. We buy a lot of packaged meals meant for two and make three meals for both of us out of them. Same for restaurants, we can usually order an entree split it, and take enough leftover home for another meal for both of us.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
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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. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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