Starting Solid Food- where to begin?

[SkinnyMingo1408 356]

Alright my friends! I talked to my dietician yesterday and she said I can start solid food in 2 weeks. I am to slowly start introducing new foods at that time so I know what I'm tolerating and what I'm not.

So far I've had carnitas minus the tortillas, eggs, bacon, grilled chicken, tuna, peaches, applesauce, ham and yogurt on the soft food diet. I just kinda have those in rotation. I'm excited about incorporating more food but I'm not 100% where to start. It has to stay low carb per my nutritionist. I'm to avoid high carb/ high starch food for at least the next 6 months. Honestly I think I will avoid them the rest of my life.

So here's my question... where do I start? I was wondering if salads are back in play or if that's too much ruffage and not enough Protein. Advice? I look forward to your answers.

[kcuster83 1,503]

Hello,

When I started back to solids, I still ate all the soft foods and introduced one solid food at a time so I knew exactly what I couldn't tolerate if it came up.

I wasn't allowed grilled chicken until solids, at the soft food stage we were told to cook chicken in the slow cooker so it was fall apart tender and more juicy. So, I actually started with a baked chicken breast. Then went on to cooking chicken all kinds of ways, included grilled. I then went to turkey burgers, still kinda soft but more solid than ground up meat. All that was going well so I just tried everything one at a time and always at home in case I got sick. Baked pork chops, pork tenderloin, turkey and regular Italian sausages. We were told to try steak last because it tends to be the hardest to digest. So I actually didn't try steak until about 3 months post op, and it was sliced steak for kinda what you get on a cheese steak sub. But, lean steak we sliced and made at home. I tolerated that fine, twice so just yesterday (4 months post op) I ate some New York strip steak from the grill which also went fine. I think at this point I have tried and tolerate all the meats just fine but I can't eat COLD chicken, makes me sick every time. I think it probably is too dry when cold.

I am not low carb per my bariatric Dietician. He stresses a balanced diet of everything while focusing on Protein. Always eat the protein first. I typically fill up so my normal is about 40-60g carbs a day but there are some days I have more. I bring this up, because pizza. I have made my own at home, protein packed and did well. Also had take out pizza and ate the topping first and only a few bites of the crust before being full.

I can't seem to eat "soft" breads, they don't make me sick but hit me like a bolder in my stomach and gives me a stomach ache. I can eat it toasted, or crackers, wraps. Anything but the normal soft breads.

I eat all the veggies! I love salad and tolerate it fine. Again, started with eating 1 veggie at a time rather than a bowl of mixed veggies in a salad. To know where the issue was if I had any. I did not, and EAT ALL THE VEGGIES! I have always been a huge veggie person, moreso than fruits. Never a big fruit person, strawberries, watermelon are my go to but I have actually only had watermelon since surgery.

I went kinda deep but I hope this helps.

[SkinnyMingo1408 356]

That's great thank you!

[SkinnyMingo1408 356]

Also is not that I have to limit carbs- she didn't give me a # but she was happy that i was staying around 30 carbs a day, I'm just to get them from fruit- veggies instead of bread, Pasta, rice etc. Which is fine.

And I think it's true for everyone that Protein comes first then fruits/ veggies.

Honestly I think the first thing I'll try is sliced tomatoes. That's a food I miss.

[catwoman7 10,981]

raw vegetables are kind of tough on a lot of people's stomachs early out. I think I was about 4-5 months out before I could eat salad.

Edited July 22, 2022 by catwoman7

[Arabesque 6,683]

I agree with going slow with raw vegetable. I didn’t do salads for a few months though I could eat cucumber (peeled) pretty early out. Lettuce leaves, spinach, rocket, etc, can be too coarse. When I started salads I used iceberg lettuce only. I ate a lot of different cooked vegetables from soft foods.

Watch how you cook your meats to avoid drying them out. Poaching, steaming, roasting, braising, slow cooking, is a good place to begin. And buy tender cuts. Like use chicken thighs not breast. Cook steak to medium rare. Have gravies, sauces, etc. to keep your meals moist. Continue to keep your bites small. I still cut my food into bite sizes pieces before I start to eat when I’m at home. Don’t load your cutlery with both Protein & vegetables - one or the other. I could eat any red meats, poultry or seafood but some struggle with certain meats at first. Best advice is go slowly and never give up on anything. Try it again in a week or so or try a different cut or cooking it a different way.