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Planning my Post-Op Pantry



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Hello,

I'm in the process of starting the VSG journey, but I'm trying to phase out items in my pantry that I won't be consuming post-op. Phasing out is the easy part, what to keep as staples AFTER surgery is what I'd like to know.

My husband is willing to eat in a similar fashion (of course he'll have normal portions), but I'm unsure of what to keep as regular staples at that point. White sugar, white flour, etc., that I've figured out, but what should I be keeping in my non-perishables?

Thanks!

Katje Voo

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tuna, other canned meats (chicken breast, turkey, sardines, etc.). You may want some refried Beans on hand for soft/puree phase. Nuts and dried fruit are a ways off (maintenance) -- I wouldn't bother having them on hand for weight loss phase. PB2. You may eventually want turkey Jerky or similar, such as ostrich jerky.

For the first few weeks after surgery, I had creamed Soups and broth on hand, but not after that -- not a long-term thing.

As someone who is almost 3 years post-op, the only non-perishable type things I generally have on hand are tuna, salmon, sardines, nuts (raw), PB2, Protein Powder, shelf-stable almond or cashew milk (unsweetened), dried fruit, fat free hot cocoa mix packets, Splenda, tea, coffee, light Salad Dressing & other sauces (curry sauce, marinara sauce, bbq sauce), and crystal light type drink flavorings.

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Almond milk, coconut flour, almond meal, bob's red meal low carb baking mix, granulated sugar replacements ( if you cook with them you will need a variety), broth, lots of high quality sugar free spices and seasoning ( most spice mixes and marinades sold in stores have sugar or worse), Protein Bars of your choice

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I looked in my kitchen cabinets and found: Protein powder, Protein Bars, tea, stevia powder, black Beans, lentils, tuna, Pasta sauce, almond butter, and an assortment of low/no salt spices.

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Premier Protein shakes: at least 18 of every flavor. Pre-op I only liked chocolate, post-op I couldn't phathom anything but vanilla. I'm 7.5 months out and still have a vanilla every morning. Vitamin Water Zero Orange Rise is the bomb. I bought 48 pre-op and I still drink these. If there is a whole foods near you they have "Bone Broth" and "Bone Stock" in both chicken and turkey flavors. They even have 8oz containers of it. And these "bone" broths have 9-14 g of Protein for 8oz. You will get sick of sweet shakes so having something salty is a god send. Also Dannon Greek light and Fit Yogurt in strawberry Cheesecake was also a god send and I was allowed to eat yogurt on my Drs version of "full liquids".

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Low sugar Protein shakes and later, Protein bars are the #1 thing. Also low sodium canned Soups, a little canned broth and cream of anything soups at the start.... low sugar oatmeal, low sugar/high Fiber Cereal, Peanut Butter, Trader Joe's lowfat chicken chili and turkey chili with Beans, tuna pouches... and that's about it for me.

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After surgery, more than just the amount of food you can take in changes. Many people report having a real significant change in the foods they prefer. Most bariatric surgeons recommend a high-protein diet that is very dense. I did not think this would be a problem for me as I have always been a big eater of meat. But now four months after surgery, my body asks me for things I rarely eat before that: fruits like pomegranate seeds, grapes, and oranges. Nuts, like cashews and seeds, like sunflower seeds. For a while the staples of my diet where Protein cheeses and yogurts, but then my body stopped wanting that as well. The guidelines given by most surgeons will definitely help you lose the weight, but my personal opinion is that we should all be flexible and stay in tune with what our bodies are actually asking for post surgery. It is not uncommon to have nutritional deficiencies that a Multivitamin cannot account for. It is important to listen to your cravings. Maybe not so much a cupcake cravings, but things that are not on the plan after you are cleared to eat any food that you want, will help your body have the materials it needs to make up for whatever compensation and deficiencies are fluctuating as the weight falls off your body. The amount of food you can eat at any given time is so small, that you will find it does not sabotage your weight-loss efforts if you eat an orange for lunch instead of three bites of chicken. But it will make a big difference to your body.

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Hello,

I'm in the process of starting the VSG journey, but I'm trying to phase out items in my pantry that I won't be consuming post-op. Phasing out is the easy part, what to keep as staples AFTER surgery is what I'd like to know.

My husband is willing to eat in a similar fashion (of course he'll have normal portions), but I'm unsure of what to keep as regular staples at that point. White sugar, white flour, etc., that I've figured out, but what should I be keeping in my non-perishables?

Thanks!

Katje Voo

I'm trying to figure out what ti eat post op as well. How to get 60 to 80 gm of Protein

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using the BariatricPal App

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Hello,

I'm in the process of starting the VSG journey, but I'm trying to phase out items in my pantry that I won't be consuming post-op. Phasing out is the easy part, what to keep as staples AFTER surgery is what I'd like to know.

My husband is willing to eat in a similar fashion (of course he'll have normal portions), but I'm unsure of what to keep as regular staples at that point. White sugar, white flour, etc., that I've figured out, but what should I be keeping in my non-perishables?

Thanks!

Katje Voo

I'm trying to figure out what ti eat post op as well. How to get 60 to 80 gm of Protein

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using the BariatricPal App

I like two Premier Protein shakes-strawberries and cream 30g each.

Sent from my SM-G935T using the BariatricPal App

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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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      1. LeighaTR

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

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