Prior to surgery and the months following, our diets are so restricted and very planned out for us. A question I get asked a lot is what do you eat now that you are a ways out from surgery? So I decided to make a list of recipes and snack/meal ideas I use now at almost 4 years out. Remember, I eat six meals/snacks a day.

Breakfast:

• Frittatta with Ricotta and Mixed Greens- omelet
• Nonfat greek yogurt with fruit and granola.
• oatmeal (old fashioned oats) with cinnamon and banana
• One piece of whole wheat or 9 grain bread with Almond/Peanut butter
• Turkey bacon with egg whites and salsa
• Special K Protein Cereal with almond milk, or 2% milk
• Any kind of Breakfast smoothy with protein powder
• Protein shake

Morning Snack:

• Apple Slices and Almond/peanut butter
• Apple sauce
• Fruit- bag or grapes, orange, pear, banana, etc.
• Protein Bar
• Homemade protein bites- meat and low fat cheese and wheat thins and a cookie.
• dinner left overs.
• Grilled chicken Cesar Wrap (homemade)
• Tuna fish with low fat mayo, apple and pickle relish with wheat thins.
• Grilled chicken salad over spinach and kale with veggies and lite dressing.
• Turkey Meatball sub with heart smart marinara sauce, low fat Parmesan cheese and whole grain/wheat hogey roll.
• Grilled chicken fajitas and veggies on a low carb, wheat tortilla.
• Quinoa with black Beans and corn- Jerky
• Low fat string cheese
• Sunflower Seeds
• Protein bar/shake
• Sweet Snack
• Rice Cakes
• Low Fat Popcorn (Smart Pop)
• Celery and Almond/Peanut butter
• Veggies with lite ranch
• Hard Boiled eggs
• Sliced avacado

Dinner:

• Turkey Chili- pizza Frittatta- pineapple juice and cayenne pepper, served with a slice of grilled pineapple and steamed or grilled veggies.
• Any type of grilled fish with mango salsa.
• Baked pork chops over apple pie filling with roasted new potatoes and asparagus

Evening Snack:

• Low fat greek yogurt with honey or fruit
• Cottage cheese and fruit
• chocolate milk
• Sweet treat
• Peanut Butter Spoon
• Protein Shake
• Fold over peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat or whole grain bread.

By no means is this all I eat, but this is a list of my favorites and most used. If you have any questions about recipes or preparation or possible calorie and protein amounts just let me know. Hope this helps.

What's your daily protein goal? I don't think I could get my 100 grams in with so much bread and fruit and such.

I go for 80, and if I have something with bread I only have it once that day I also buy high Fiber with a few more grams of Protein bread. I also have a protein shake at some point everyday which is 30 grams.

When I eat meat I am able to eat roughly 4-6 ounces and I always eat protein first.

Okay, That sounds pretty similar to me in the amount you can eat at one time. I'm supposed to be getting 100 grams a day and I don't do shakes, so that's probably why I have less room for bread and such. Not that I never eat bread, just that I wouldn't say it's part of any of my "typical" meals. I will do a slice of multi-grain toast with peanut butter every once in a blue moon.

Do you all count calories or mainly focus on protein? I guess I worry that I'm going to eat too many calories.

I aim for 80 grams of Protein and 1600-1700 calories a day.

Do you all count calories or mainly focus on Protein? I guess I worry that I'm going to eat too many calories.

I don't count calories. At least not in any formal way. I have done some "spot checks" here and there where I would log my food for a day or two just to see where I was at. But I have found that eating 5-6 times a day, putting protein first, and getting my 100 grams in pretty much keeps my calories right where they need to be. I'm in maintenance now and training for a half marathon, so I've had to actually start working on getting in MORE calories, which I am still stumbling my way though.

im on 200g protein a day and I try to stay around 3000-3200 calories. I eat basically the same thing everyday just change the seasoning up a bit to help with flavor. I only use a shake preworkout at 4am to get in some protein and glycogen to fuel me through my workout on weightlifting days(4 days a week) on cardio only days I do my cardio fasted and found it worked better for me. my evening workouts ill eat my last whole food meal in my office around 430 pm and back in the gym for 630. ill have 1 snack of either watermelon or pineapple before bed. its all a matter of what groove you find that works for yourself but post like these are a big help to get you well on your way! great post kat!

Do you all count calories or mainly focus on Protein? I guess I worry that I'm going to eat too many calories.

I don't count calories. At least not in any formal way. I have done some "spot checks" here and there where I would log my food for a day or two just to see where I was at. But I have found that eating 5-6 times a day, putting protein first, and getting my 100 grams in pretty much keeps my calories right where they need to be. I'm in maintenance now and training for a half marathon, so I've had to actually start working on getting in MORE calories, which I am still stumbling my way though.

I'm still in the losing phase (5 lbs or so from goal) and my nut said to eat between 600-800 calories a day, but I have a hard time with those calories and to get the needed protein. I like to get others opinions on what works.

How much are you working out bc that's not enough calories!

Do you all count calories or mainly focus on Protein? I guess I worry that I'm going to eat too many calories.

I don't count calories. At least not in any formal way. I have done some "spot checks" here and there where I would log my food for a day or two just to see where I was at. But I have found that eating 5-6 times a day, putting protein first, and getting my 100 grams in pretty much keeps my calories right where they need to be. I'm in maintenance now and training for a half marathon, so I've had to actually start working on getting in MORE calories, which I am still stumbling my way though.

I'm still in the losing phase (5 lbs or so from goal) and my nut said to eat between 600-800 calories a day, but I have a hard time with those calories and to get the needed protein. I like to get others opinions on what works.

that is not enough calories!!

this is definatly not enough calories!

That's a great list!! Ty. I mainly focus on my protein grams per day maybe I should start counting calories as well

I emailed my nut today asking about working out and such. Like today my tracker says I have burned 300 calories and I have eaten 680 so far today. So, hopefully she gets back in touch with me soon. I feel like it's not enough either, but I have been trying to go by what the nut says.

Your resting metabolic rate is burning far beyond what nut is recommended. I don't have your size and age so I'm not sure what that rate is but I guarantee its higher than your recommended intake!

Thanks for the replies! I don't feel as guilty going over 800 calories after I workout. I probably should just focus on the protein.