HI!

I am 2 months post-op 40lbs down. In 2 weeks I gained 3 lbs. My cravings are back from before surgery. Its so hard to meal prep as well since my family are also big and cook unhealthy meals. I eat small portions but its been a lot of carbs. Any recommendation? What should I be eating at 2 months? My father tells me I shouldn't be eating at all but my nutritionist says otherwise. Its kind of the reason i'm back to my cravings. Father problems. I want to do better for myself. Any food recommendation for the soft stage? Thank you for any help.

First of all you are doing great with with loss- you are going to see some minor ups and downs over time as your body heals and settles —so just keep focused.

My doctor advised protein first, and if i do that i have NO room for any carbs- and if i do it’s like a bite of sautéed squash or two green beans. Keep up with your water and your protein goals and you should be good to go— that being said, when i was in pureed stages, I had mashed potato and grits (maybe 2 oz at a time of one ) because I couldn’t think of anything appealing to eat for that week and they were on approved food list. When you move to soft there are all sorts of soft meats you can have- tuna, salmon, chicken, ham, pork that has been pressure cooked— soon soft hambuger. Eggs are protein, cheese has protein.. mashed beans on occasion (Taco Bell pinto bean side has 180 calories, 9 g Protien). Look up baked ricotta recipes. Or cottage cheese? Good luck— and ignore the comments from Dad- and remember you are doing this for yourself — and you deserve to be cared for and to take care of your body.

Unfortunately, the surgery doesn’t remove the part of our brain that causes head hunger like cravings. We have to work on those ourselves. Do we get rid of them? No but we learn to better recognise them for what they are & learn strategies to better manage them so they don’t win. Many find working with a therapist helpful - your surgeon or team should be able to recommend someone yi could work with.

Do you have a dietician? (If not, again contact your surgeon or team.) They will give you an eating plan (may also include portion sizes, nutritional/macros, calories, etc. but ask for what you would feel most comfortable & confident with) to follow which should support your individual situation & body’s needs.

Generally we’re advised to keep our carbs low & look for complex whole & multi grain carbs. No bread, rice, pasta or similar products. Also low fat, low sugar & high protein. Eat all your protein first. Then some vegetables if you’re able. Carbs you are allowed are eaten last & only if you physically can (I never could). You may have to cook meals for yourself instead of relying on family prepared meals which may not support your weight loss. Look for low processed ‘clean’ ingredients you prepare & cook yourself. You won’t have to cook everyday as your portions are so small you’ll have leftovers you can refrigerate or freeze to eat another day. It’s also an opportunity to introduce your family to healthy meals.

9 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Unfortunately, the surgery doesn’t remove the part of our brain that causes head hunger like cravings. We have to work on those ourselves. Do we get rid of them? No but we learn to better recognise them for what they are & learn strategies to better manage them so they don’t win. Many find working with a therapist helpful - your surgeon or team should be able to recommend someone yi could work with.

Do you have a dietician? (If not, again contact your surgeon or team.) They will give you an eating plan (may also include portion sizes, nutritional/macros, calories, etc. but ask for what you would feel most comfortable & confident with) to follow which should support your individual situation & body’s needs.

Generally we’re advised to keep our carbs low & look for complex whole & multi grain carbs. No bread, rice, Pasta or similar products. Also low fat, low sugar & high Protein. Eat all your protein first. Then some vegetables if you’re able. Carbs you are allowed are eaten last & only if you physically can (I never could). You may have to cook meals for yourself instead of relying on family prepared meals which may not support your weight loss. Look for low processed ‘clean’ ingredients you prepare & cook yourself. You won’t have to cook everyday as your portions are so small you’ll have leftovers you can refrigerate or freeze to eat another day. It’s also an opportunity to introduce your family to healthy meals.

I love this! You're absolutely right. I am looking for a therapist as I'm typing this for that very reason.