Hi everyone,

I am once again going through our guide looking for more ideas for protein because I want to get it in through food if I can. I am very confused tho:

Our guide lists blended meats as one of the protein foods and has a recipe even for blended meatballs...same thing with peanut butter has it in a recipe for the pureed stage but then both meat and peanut butter is listed in the foods not recommended stage, along with fish.

They want us to get our protein in via food...salmon/fish/chicken etc has the highest amts of protein in terms of food so what is it they want us to eat? What do they mean by blended meats?

I am afraid I may have messed up because I had 2 tbsps of salmon pureed for lunch. It went down and stayed down quite nicely but worried that I wasn't supposed to have it.

If anyone could shed light on this I would be most appreciative.

For all other posters...I do not mean to disclude people by asking Ottawa People to help...I had asked for them only because we have the same meal guide and I know each centre is different in terms of what you are allowed.

Thanks

Suggestions for starter "mushy" proteins:

- plain Greek yogurt (you can add a flavoured protein powder to make it taste better and up the protein a little)
- cottage cheese

and then I would move on to:

- scrambled egg
- canned salmon or tuna mixed with a little low fat mayo

I didn't have my surgery in Ottawa, but I DID go through the Ottawa pre-op program and I have a lot of friends who did have surgery in Ottawa.

Hi there, got my surgery wednesay and got home yesterdays. I CANNOT take the protein shakes...too gross. I bought greek yogourt at Costco. Dietician said that we know our body and we know what it can handle and when. The guide is only that, a guide. If you can handle a bit more/different food, try 1 little bit by 1 little bit at a very slow pace. Tonight and after only 3 days aft. Surgery, I was able to enjoy a tiny strip of chicken breast. I ate bits no bigger than the 0 on the keyboard...lol.

They may tell you to listen to your body but I would think going from liquids to solids at just 3 days post op was not sound advice from your body to give you.  That is just too quick.  Most of us didn't do a very good job at giving our bodies what they needed for years yet they are telling you to trust yourself freshly post op.  I hope I'm wrong but I see huge disasters coming with that advice being given.

Definitly not an advice for everyone of course. I was up and walking with little to no pain 2 hours after surgery. The dietician told me that I could start the puree stage. Therefore yogourt for me yesterday and today with about 1/5th of an ounce of chicken chewed to liquid and eaten in 20 min. is far from a solid diet. I simply meant to tell April that if she had some solid food slowly, well chewed and that she tolerated it, I don't see why she should not keep it up as long as she listens to her body and doesn't try to overdo it all at once

Pssst...and YES I do get your drift re: listening to our body....kind of scary...lol

I went shopping the night of surgery as band surgery is just day surgery but I still wouldn't have chewed anything to a pulp no matter what.  I think the Ottawa dietitians are just being way too liberal and don't blame any of you for wanting to jump ahead because seriously who wants to be on liquids or pureed.

Hey Tracey,
Personally, I think the problem in Ottawa is that there seems to be discrepancy in information given depending on the dietitian. They need to get together and deliver one consistent message. This is not the first time that I have heard that one of the dietitians said to go ahead at your own pace or when you feel ready......when even the booklet makes it VERY CLEAR that you should NOT be rushing through the stages, take it slow and gives you basically about a week between full liquid and pureed stage.....and then slowly progresses to the "diet for life" at approximately 5-6 weeks out.
I don't know if there is a miscommunication or misunderstanding, but the booklet is clear, and the dietitian *I* had made it very clear as well that we were not to hurry through the stages ...not only because the new stomach needs plenty of time to heal but we need plenty of time to learn new habits as well.
You hit the nail on the head by saying it bluntly that if we were really any good at listening to our bodies in the first place, perhaps we wouldn't have needed surgery to begin with. It's easy to say "stop when you feel full".....but in all honesty, how many of us actually did that in the past??

I really fear that something serious is going to happen with people following the take it as you can handle it approach.  Those of us that have been around this board for a long time all know the KFC bowl story and how that turned out.  Let's just say it isn't pretty.  People don't have a true feeling in their new stomachs early out and just need to go slow and keep the volume of food small.  I'm sure that some have read the information but as soon as the dietitian says follow your gut then some forget everything they have read.  Liquids are boring, pureed are boring but they are needed to heal properly.  I'd sooner be bored and alive than perhaps enjoy food too soon and end up dead or seriously ill.  In the past month, there have been many out of Ottawa move through food stages way too fast IMO.

Thanks for all the advice Tracey... I definitely do not want to rush through this and put myself in danger. But was having a really hard time understanding the guide. It makes total sense now tho.