Ritz Crackers

[BecomingAnna 33]

Hey Guys I am 6weeks out and put 5 ritz crackers in my Soup to thicken it. Thats not that bad RIGHT? 😩 Im looking for reassurance. Also I need help Eating This is my first time eating since 4days ago yes I’ve been sick but usually I eat once A day and drink Water, Vitamin water, and maybe 1 Protein Drink a day. I have no desire to eat im not hungry I do get headaches which is probably my body Sending me signals but i just dont know what to eat. Im eating under 300calories A day, maybe 40g Of Protien if I drink A shake, and under 40oz of fluids. This is hard and being sick does NOT Help. Im ready to start working out but dont wanna pass out do to lack of nutrition and water. I sometimes go a day or 2 without eating and try to look at it as no different then before surgery because I use to fast but I know thats probably not good to do now. PLEASE HELP. Maybe I should do a meal plan or prep. Also im back on soft/mushy/puree because solid/soft is hard going down no matter how small the bite or how much i chew it feel like a rock sitting in my chest. Im so scared my body will start to shut down if i dont get my nutrition and liquids in.

[catwoman7 10,845]

is there a dietitian at your clinic? If so, I'd consider scheduling an appt with him or her to discuss your eating

If your program requires an ultra-low-carb diet, then they're not going to go for the Ritz crackers at all. My clinic's diet was mostly a balanced one, so that although crackers would have been *OK*, they're not your best choice from a nutritional standpoint. You only have a limited amount of space in your stomach now, so you need to eat things that give you the biggest nutrition bang for the buck. Protein, vegetables - maybe a small serving of fruit now and then (like a few berries on your yogurt). Ritz crackers have very little nutritional value.

and 300 calories is too low for where you are now. I was eating around 600-800 from about where you are until I was almost a year out. I know you're not hungry - but you do need to eat a bit more and also eat more than one meal a day. Your body needs the nourishment. Hunger comes back for the vast majority of us sometime during the first year, so no worries about that (actually, I LOVED not having hunger and hoped and prayed I'd be one of the lucky few who never gets theirs back, but no -- mine came roaring back at five months post-op). Until then, think of your body as a machine - like a car - that needs gas now and then to keep going.

when do you meet with your bariatric surgeon next? I had post-op appts every three months that first year (and once a year thereafter). You should talk about some of the things you mentioned with him or her. It sounds like you need some direction.

[esskay77 785]

Ritz crackers are not ok. Not at your stage and not ever. They won't kill you but you should not be eating crackers of any sort.

And, you are not eating enough!! Though don't focus on calories. Focus on Grams of Protein, Fats, Carbs that you should have been told to follow, though I get that not everyone has.

postop diet is 60 to 80 grams of protein, 30 grams of fats, and no more than 100 grams of carbs.

1 oz of chicken or protein = 7 grams

You need to eat but you need to eat right. This is the time for you to develop good eating habits. If you are following bad habits now, you are setting yourself up for failure later. Trust me -- been there, done that and now trying to get rid of the regain

Best of luck!

[S@ssen@ch 745]

1st, a few Ritz crackers aren't going to completely sabotage your success. The question here isn't whether you CAN but whether you SHOULD.

As others have posted, most bariatric programs are low-carb. Crackers, bread, etc are some of the "no-no's."

My concern is this statement in your post:

12 hours ago, BecomingAnna said:

im back on soft/mushy/puree because solid/soft is hard going down no matter how small the bite or how much i chew it feel like a rock sitting in my chest.

If at anytime you feel that there's a rock sitting in your chest, something isn't right. It could be a number of things: too big a bite, not chewed well enough, you've advanced your diet too quickly. I suggest you reach out to your bariatric team to let them know you're experiencing this and what you're doing that leads to it. More than likely, they'll have you go back to full liquids. It's possible you just irritated something and you still need to heal. Good Luck!

PS: Soft diet is NOT the same as mushy/puree. Make sure you're eating the right stage for you.

[lisafrommassachusetts 319]

@catwoman7; I have consistently found your advice and comments incredibly helpful, clear and reassuring. Thank you for spending time on this forum helping all us "newbies."

@BecomingAnna; I agree with everyone that you should be in touch with your team. You are really low on calories; my team has stressed Protein, protein, protein and hydration. They actually warned against fasting. There are a lot of emotional "head" issues with this major change in lifestyle. I encourage you to try to get a teledoc appointment with a nutritionist, your surgeon, a PA or a psychologist asap.

As to the ritz crackers, they seem like a symptom of a bigger issue, you need some help (as do we all) in learning how to schedule meal events in a healthy way.

[BecomingAnna 33]

I have to admit I HATE food I do need to see someone about it but I wish I didnt have to eat

[WInston223322 160]

14 hours ago, BecomingAnna said:

have to admit I HATE food I do need to see someone about it but I wish I didnt have to eat

I agree with this food is not longer part of my life I eat to live

As for the Ritz cracker NO WAY = you need to focus on Non Processed Non Chemical based healthy foods. The processed foods and Carbs are what got you into this mess!