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Tasting foods

I was wondering when people who got the gastric sleeve done were able to eat certain foods. I have been craving a few things and I was wondering when I could have a taste of them. Namely potatoes, pizza, tortillas, and bread. Before anyone goes off and talks about how you're supposed to change your habits and all of that, I have. I've lost 177 pounds in 15 months, 117 of it before the surgery. My eating habits are great now. Every once in a while you just want a taste of something to satisfy a craving. I'm even open to alternatives to those foods if anyone has suggestions.

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The only bad things about cravings is that they could possibly cause you to crave more. You have done so awesome!! Why go back at this point?

  • Author

I personally don't think having a bagel, a slice of pizza, or some potatoes is "going back". I ate those things occasionally when I was losing the weight before the surgery, and I still lost weight because I made it a rarity and I worked out and ate healthy the rest of the time/

I have found that post-op, any of those things make me sick. Anything heavy or doughy sits in my new tummy like a brick and I regret it for hours.

The other issue I have with starchy and wheat products is that any time I eat it, I have gained weight overnight and then it takes a long time to get it back off. Also, the carbs are not worth it. At almost two years out, I am still at 1,000 calories a day. It is hard for me to get complete nutrition if I eat 150 calories of potato chips with 1/2 tuna salad sandwich on sourdough bread. I am better off eating tuna salad and sliced cucumbers and using those calories for fresh fruit.

All of those things you mentioned tickle the tastebuds, but my tastebuds are no longer in charge. Miss Tummy is the boss of me forever. There is a category of foods called "slider foods" that throw us off track so quickly. Over time you will experiment and learn what your personal sliders will be. Mine are ice cream and potato chips. I can eat them mindlessly before realizing how much I have eaten, so I just don't eat them.

You will find your balance, but take it from a veteran, you are walking into a dark woods and can get lost from your focus on health and a better quality of life. These things you mentioned should go on your "rare treat" list. With Thanksgiving coming up, I suggest that you will do fine with turkey and veggies and deviled eggs. Besides, you can only eat so much without it coming back up to haunt you.

My new substitute for pumpkin pie is a custard I made with canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) and ricotta mixed with yogurt. I added a little sweetener and some pumpkin pie spice. I even threw in some pumpkin spice whey Protein. I spooned it into muffin tins and froze them. Now if I feeling like something desserty, I grab a pumpkin pod and thaw it out. I have even blended them with milk and a little extra Protein powder for a shake.

I was told to not even try bread until three months out. So, I waited but found out the pain and discomfort were not worth it. I wish you the best of recovery. Listen to your tummy, not your taste buds. food is only fuel for the human container that the essence of you lives in. Just as you would not put Pepsi in your car's gas tank, you will learn that you feel much better and have more energy and a better attitude when you put foods with nutritional value in your body.

Here is what helps me when I feel like stepping back into old ways. I think of foods made in a factory as "edible crap". I think of the drive-throughs as McPoison, Poison King, Poison Bell, etc. Just be careful. I wish you the best.

  • Author

I am treating them as rare treats, I am asking more for safety reasons than anything. My girlfriend had bypass 10 years ago, so she gives me some info, but the sleeve is different from the bypass. Trust me, I am listening to my stomach. I am not a big fan of unnecessary pain.

If you are aware that eating them may set you up for more cravings and are prepared to deal with that in a healthy way, I don't see a problem with having something occasionally. Especially if you are past about six month's post op. As long as you are getting in your protein, track what you eat, and planning for it, I can't see where it would doom your weight loss or recovery. What does your NUT advise?

I am a year out and I have eaten potatoes, bread and pasta, but very rarely. I don't ever want to get to the point of craving them again and since my diet is plant based my carbs are already high. I make healthier exchanges. I make pancakes using flax powder and protein powder, I buy black bean or edamame pasta. I get the same taste and mouth feel, but it doesn't trigger my carb addition.

I waited until I'd lost 75% of my excess weight to implement that stuff in preparation for maintenence. My focus was protein and veggies the first 8 months. If I needed pizza, I would just eat the toppings. That seemed to satisfy the craving for it :) I would say you're safe with potatos and pizza toppings now. Bread and tortillas seem to sit badly with some people as far out as a year, but you'll have to see how it feels.

I am mobile and can't tell when you were sleeved. You just have to go small and slow and experiment.

The visual is to put a slice of bread or tortilla in some water and notice how it swells. ????

You probably have to super chew to the consistency of baby food.

I eat a small corn tortilla probably once month when I make tacos at home. Bread gives me go upset.

This is just my opinion so take it for what it is worth.

I have a slice of pizza every once in a while, but I choose pizza that has a super thin crispy crust. I can only eat a very small amount but it is delicious and so far hasn't caused me to have any crazy cravings.

I eat potatoes maybe once a week and have no problems gaining weight or cravings. I also eat sweet potatoes and have since almost the beginning, again maybe once a week.

Bread for me is very difficult. My tummy will only tolerate it if is toasted well. I cannot eat bread, buns or anything like it. Cake.....these items almost feel like they get all gummy in my tummy and once I have even a bite or two I am done and cannot eat anything further which meNs my Protein gets lost along the way. I simply stay away from bread and bread like products such as cake or quick breads.

Pasta, I have had twice in the last year. This too does not sit well in my tummy, it used to be my very favorite dish. I am Italian so pasta was a twice weekly meal at my house before surgery. Now, I could care less if I ever have it again.

Rice, every once in a while I will eat one or two bites of rice because I love rice. I do ok with rice but honestly I try to limit my carbs to veggies and fruit.

I think your tummy will tell you what will or won't work. As far as timing, I was probably 8 months post op before I even thought about trying these foods. I am a bypass patient though so the sleeve might be different

Good luck!

I have tasted the things I have cravings for and we had surgery around the same time. Trust me...your body will tell you whether or not it is a good idea. I had RNY and had Indian the other night...it was also the first time I threw up after surgery. Some foods will not sit well and you will know it pretty quick. Your surgery is another tool that definitely helps you control what and how much you eat. I am looking forward to birthday cake today...of course it will be a bite and not 3 pieces, but I will be satisfied and it is the best feeling ever.

I guess the key is, like any food post-op, is to try it and see if your new stomach can tolerate it. If you try those foods and you can tolerate it, then you're golden. If not, maybe try in future.

I've had a little bit of potato since my surgery and it's been fine. My NUT said no bread unless toasted, I can only manage half a slice and it goes down fine, but because I'm limiting carbs I only have bread maybe once a week. I haven't tried tortillas or pizza. If you're really craving pizza and don't want to worry about the carbs, there's a great recipe for chicken crust pizza on the internet -- I need to try making it myself!

I made a pizza with a soy flour crust. Low carb low fat and tasty as all get out. The total pizza was 600 calories and 60ish grams of Protein. I cut it into three slices and ate just one. I didn't crave anything else I used homemade pepperoni made from 91% lean ground pork(turkey pepperoni would probably work but I like cooking). I used skim mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce instead of pizza sauce which almost always contains sugar. I added the seasoning to the crust. Half the protein was in the crust and half from the toppings. I'm having a hard time eating anything but I did manage to get through one of the slices. I don't have the crust recipe, my Aunt was being helpful and recycled it.

  • 2 weeks later...

It's so individual - what one person can tolerate will make someone else sick. I think you have to experiment and see how each food affects you personally. I haven't found a food that has made me sick and can tolerate anything. The only problem food for me is bread because it takes forever to digest and I hate the feeling of it just sitting there. I eat high carb foods very rarely and I track everything I eat every day. I think you will just have to experiment with trying these foods.

  • 3 weeks later...

Has anyone tried the yumly app on your phone it has so many lo carb recipe...they have a pizza that you make the crust out of cauliflower. ..i cant try any yes only a week out but just maybe take a look...

I have the yummly app and use it frequently because it gives great alternative recipes for my favorite foods AND a nutrition breakdown! Also my fav website is " TheWorldaccordingtoeggface has fantastic healthier low carb versions of things lehich normally would not have a place in my diet. Her ricotta pancakes are the bomb!!

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