Hi y'all and TIA! So, here's a question for you? I totally "get" the whole protein forward approach using dense protein to anchor satiety and weight loss once we're able to tolerate a "full" post WLS diet. But here's the question--do any of you eat a pleasing combination of dense protein + veggies to get your meals? OR does eating in the first year, especially, really look like: MOSTLY dense protein + a bite or two of cooked veg?

I ask this not because I'm in denial about the way I will need to eat post surgery (after the healing), but rather to prepare myself and get my mental game ready for reality. I adore meat. But I adore veggies too and love having my mixed low carb meals: protein + veggies + healthy fats.

So will you share what your meal composition looks like please? TIA!!!

For myself and many others the first 8-12 months post surgery is primarily dense protein, especially in the first 6-8 months. I ate, and did well, with dense protein meals like tuna, rotisserie chicken, cheese, and other dense proteins. I really had NO room for vegetables, except for a bite or two, literally.

At about 6-8 months I found I could tolerate vegetables along with the protein. I love to eat chicken Cesar salad, or other lean meats with a small serving of veggies. It really did take almost 8 months to be comfortable doing this.

Think of it as going into the woods with only a tiny backpack. You have to "pack" the best tools and fuel for survival, and in the WLS sense those tools are protein first, then healthy veggies and healthy carbs later, in moderation, as tolerated.

Good luck to you!!!

2 minutes ago, The New Kel said:

For myself and many others the first 8-12 months post surgery is primarily dense Protein, especially in the first 6-8 months. I ate, and did well, with dense protein meals like tuna, rotisserie chicken, cheese, and other dense Proteins. I really had NO room for vegetables, except for a bite or two, literally.

At about 6-8 months I found I could tolerate vegetables along with the protein. I love to eat chicken Cesar salad, or other lean meats with a small serving of veggies. It really did take almost 8 months to be comfortable doing this.

Think of it as going into the woods with only a tiny backpack. You have to "pack" the best tools and fuel for survival, and in the WLS sense those tools are protein first, then healthy veggies and healthy carbs later, in moderation, as tolerated.

Good luck to you!!!

Awesome analogy and visual! TY!

I'm 2.5 years out and usually have a cup of steamed or roasted veggies with my meat. My favorite veggies are honey sriracha Brussels sprouts, broccoli with cheddar, asparagus, and green beans.

So, yes, there's light at the end of the tunnel for vegetable lovers.

I'm 7 weeks post RNY. Since week 2, my NUT said 3 bites of protien and 1 bite of veg/fruit. My team does not want their patients to totally forego veg/fruit.

That being said, I eat about 1/4 c of meals 3 x/day plus some shakes. I usually am able to eat one strawberry or a few blueberries with my protien. Or maybe 2 broccoli florets. This coming week I get to add raw veggies so I'm excited but still don't think I'll eat much in that area.

If I don't eat some sort of fruit or veg, I get that ketosis taste and it's awful! So I've also been adding a few strawberries to my shakes. Going for green smoothies this week too!

4 minutes ago, AZBlackhawk said:

I'm 7 weeks post RNY. Since week 2, my NUT said 3 bites of protien and 1 bite of veg/fruit. My team does not want their patients to totally forego veg/fruit.

That being said, I eat about 1/4 c of meals 3 x/day plus some shakes. I usually am able to eat one strawberry or a few blueberries with my protien. Or maybe 2 broccoli florets. This coming week I get to add raw veggies so I'm excited but still don't think I'll eat much in that area.

If I don't eat some sort of fruit or veg, I get that ketosis taste and it's awful! So I've also been adding a few strawberries to my shakes. Going for green smoothies this week too!

So with 1/4c of meals right now, what does that "look" like? (i.e. 1 1/2oz dense protein by weight and maybe 1/2oz of cooked veg or your berries?) Sorry for being so exact...it's my over-thinking, engineer-loving, nerdy, AR brain hard at work doing nothing on a Sunday afternoon. LOL.

P.S. Congrats on getting to add raw veggies!

@FluffyChix

I eat veggies but not with my protein. I eat my veggies as snacks between meals. I find that veggies make my protein less dense and filling meaning I could eat more.

So I will have 4 ounces of protein by itself, and 85 grams of spinach (2 cups) by itself.

5 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

@FluffyChix

I eat veggies but not with my Protein. I eat my veggies as Snacks between meals. I find that veggies make my protein less dense and filling meaning I could eat more.

So I will have 4 ounces of protein by itself, and 85 grams of spinach (2 cups) by itself.

Oh! Ok, that's very interesting! This is the first time anyone is mentioning that eating veg at the same time makes the protein feel "less dense." And that makes perfect sense since veggies have more water content. So, how long do you wait between meals on average? And about how many meals do you eat daily?

BTW-how do you do the @OutsideMatchInside and make it a link? (me=tech challenged)

Edited August 20, 20179 yr by FluffyChix

Each doc's office has a different plan. Right now, the phase I'm in, I take a food from column A (protein), and a food from column B (veggie/fruit, etc)

Ex: Dinner tonight was one meatball (one ounce), and one ounce of mashed potatoes. Other meals (I follow a chart they gave me)... 2 ounces of cottage cheese/with 2 ounces of unsweetened applesauce....one ounce of tuna/with one ounce of cooked peach/pear....greek yogurt/with etc...you see...one egg/with one ounce mashed potato.

There are many variations, but because I trusted my surgeon to open me up and do my surgery, I trust my dietitian with what they recommend. It doesn't make it right or wrong, but is the program I am following. Everybody is different. I had a friend that had her surgery in Paris, and her program was like night and day to what mine is, but it worked for her.

I asked about the carbs. My dietitian explained that I'll be eating a rounded diet, and learning things like portion sizes/and understanding each thing can/will be a part of my diet when I follow the recommended guidelines. I'm grateful for that, because I think overall, FOR ME, I'll be more satisfied knowing that food isn't off limits. I will watch for any trigger foods, and I measure or weight to make sure I understand what one ounce is...vs...what i think it is.

Best of luck on your journey!

I followed my plan and ate low carb for the first almost 3 months post-op.

I am getting close to my goal weight and have decided to transition to a whole foods plant based diet. I believe I can get ample protein now without eating animal meat/products. I am transitioning and hope to also eliminate most dairy products in the coming weeks.

I think following your doc/nuts plan is best, but there are doctors out there that support more fruit/veggies in your diet.

18 hours ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

@FluffyChix

I eat veggies but not with my Protein. I eat my veggies as Snacks between meals. I find that veggies make my protein less dense and filling meaning I could eat more.

So I will have 4 ounces of protein by itself, and 85 grams of spinach (2 cups) by itself.

I'm the same, I've become more than frustrated when it came to eating veggies w/ my protein. I'd always eat my protein, but after several bites, I couldn't eat more, but I still had a few bits of veggies. I, like Outside, eat my veggies as a snack and that seems to really work out, best.

On 8/20/2017 at 2:49 PM, FluffyChix said:

Oh! Ok, that's very interesting! This is the first time anyone is mentioning that eating veg at the same time makes the protein feel "less dense." And that makes perfect sense since veggies have more Water content. So, how long do you wait between meals on average? And about how many meals do you eat daily?

BTW-how do you do the @OutsideMatchInside and make it a link? (me=tech challenged)

You type the @ sign and then the name of the person and the forum start auto matching the name, then you pick the name

I mainly eat veggies in the later afternoon pre dinner by about an hour, and post dinner by about 1.5 hours. Maybe 2 hours after lunch.

I don't really have to space it out, they are slider for me. It is just a matter of not eating them with meat.

I'm 5 months post op, and already at 6 weeks they wanted me to add veggies (my plan has me eating normal food by day 4). I eat 5-6 meals a day, and some are mostly protein while others are a combination of protein and veggies. I'm getting my protein in, so I'm sticking to it.

For a long time post op I simply ate mostly protein but always left room for some veggies and a bite or two of a good quality carb choice.

Now at 7 years out (sleeved), every meal includes veggies, typically greens. I still eat heavy protein, but to get a balanced diet and not rely on supplements for nutrients I eat a very diverse diet. I get regular labs, of course, and am overseen by a doc. I maintain easily, eat small, frequent meals and yes - still have massive restriction.

But early out? Protein was king, veggies next, carbs for energy and to stave off binges. It took years to build up to this level of balance.

Cheri