[Sweet Melissa]

I was sticking to a low-carb diet before I had the surgery and lost 20 lbs pre-surgery that way. I would still eat fruit everyday, but more protein, vegetables and salads. It's starting to bother me having to eat mashed potatoes and applesauce after my surgery. Cottage cheese and yogurt are good, but I can't eat that all day every day. I'm 3 weeks post op now- any suggestions?

Also, has anyone found that incorporating another diet after weight loss surgery, such as Atkins or South Beach (as examples), makes the weight loss more effective?

Melissa

[KO]

Hey Mel =D
Atkins is a bit too high fat I mix South Beach eating with my new stomach. Have you tried veggie burgers/breakfast sausage/ crumbles?
I like the morningstar farms Veggie sausage patties they taste and feel like the real deal only less greasy and about 45 seconds in the micro that should fill you up. you want to be really careful with veggies. If you do leafy greens I suggest the baby variety but thats for later than 3 weeks post op
What my sis did was she made Veggie soup and drained the broth b/c she was craving veggies. if you want something more fresh tasting
Grape tomatoes I loved them before but they were and still are like an amazing sweet treat GREAT with Cottage cheese or String Cheese also you can put italian herbs and garlic powder in your Cottage cheese and it will taste like Lasagna filling. You can also Take a low sugar pasta sauce or make your own if your so inclined and add cooked ground turkey or LF ground beef to it Tho a lot of people have problem with beef or the aforementioned veggie crumbles My sis had great luck with Chili. . .its only recently i can eat beans. Protien shakes are your friend

[jiffypop]

protein, protein, protein, babe!!! in addition to the great suggestions from Kier, i'd also add thinly sliced deli roast beef ,turkey or chicken. the less processed the better.

[Pazazz]

Is your doctor already allowing meats? they are so hard on your new stomach that is still healing. I know for me it was at best tuna in a blender with mayo and a little relish. I could not take the protien shakes after a week and puke just from the smell. Scramble an Egg!!! make egg salad, Poached eggs yummy!!! ... Right now you can not eat enough to worry about extra fats at all. You should only be putting down about 3 to 4 bites per meal. You need protien. I did use creamy peanut butter at this stage as well as canned chili. If you are going to attempt protien bars I suggest if you can find them is Power Crunch bars.... I have 1 to 2 a day for the added protien. these are the best protien bars... They come in about 8 different flavors and are sold in my area from Vitamin world. The best flavor I like is the Peanut butter creme. These protien bars are very light and will not make you feel like you ate a brick. They are like a coated sugar wafer with little sugar in them about 200 cal per bar and 10 to 13 grams of protien. Hope this helps!!!

[Leenie]

Yep, I second blending the meat up. Atkins is not a high fat diet when done by the book.... you are supposed to eat LEAN meats and limited cheeses, but people tend to think that you can eat a pound of bacon and a pound of butter with your morning eggs....not so.

Right after my surgery (band) I ate alot of butternut squash...lived on that stuff and some chicken/turkey chili, tuna salad, egg salad.

KO I love Morning Star garden veggie burgers.... YUMMY !!!!!! I'd like to try their chicken but afraid to LOL
.

[Sweet Melissa]

I agree!!! I take the Morningstar Farms veggie sausage patties (yum!) and cook one up in the oven, put it in half a pita with a poached egg with salt and pepper. It's my new breakfast sammich!!! Deelish!!!