Single and WLS

So I'm a bit of an odd duck when it comes to life.  I'm 34, have a boyfriend of 11 years, but we don't live together, and I don't have kids, nor do I want any.  For the most part I consider myself 'single' since I only see my bf on the weekends.  I'm on the road of getting rny and am struggling with thoughts of having to do this semi alone.  I have all the support from my mom, my bf, and friends, but still.... I live alone.

What I'm most scared about is cooking.  I'm curious how single people who didn't like to cook adjusted to cooking after WLS.  I'm hoping that once I start losing weight I'll regain my interest in cooking again.  I think my  lack of interest stems from my lack of energy after work and the pain I feel in my back when standing after a short while.

My BF who is a chef will be a great help to me, but I'm just scared for the days when he is not around.  I would imagine it might be easier to cook up the little amount of food our pouch will hold, but I lack serious creativity when it comes to fixing a variety of foods.  I've got to be able to do this on my own to be successfull long term.

And for everyone, has cooking become more of a hassle or less.  Gggrrrrr, I'm just so worried this whole food thing.  Sorry for the long winded post.... I'm just trying to find some good suggestions and help so I can be totally prepared.  

Thanks everyone!
Jen

I can't speak to being single following wls, but I can speak to the cooking and preparation.  What has worked great for me is to prepare several things on the weekend that I can switch in and out during the week.  It is easier to make recipes that feed two people and then you can eat them at about 4 different times during the week - given the difference in what will be a serving size for you!  Another option is to make ahead and freeze, that way the variety is kind of taken care of.  If your boy friend is a chef, I'll bet he could really help you come up with some scaled-down, make ahead meals that you can portion up and freeze.

Hopefully, you will become more interested in cooking as you lose weight and feel more physically comfortable...preparing your own food is the best in the long run for knowing what you are really getting as opposed to eating out.

Good luck, you won't regret your decision!

Jen- Try not to worry too much about it. You will stress yourself out! I am single and hated cooking prior to surgery. Trust me, you adapt. I utilize a lot of poster's blogs for recipes and products on here and checked out several other recipes online. I use my crockpot quite a bit as well now. My biggest adjustment was portion size. When I first started cooking when I could eat "real" food again, I made too much. Again, eyes were bigger than the pouch!  I have since learned how much to cook so I am not wasteful. Also, I go to my surgeon's support group meetings once a month and many folks swap recipe ideas and our nut always brings recipe samples to our meetings for us to try put different things. Again, do not worry about it. I now like cooking....notice I said like, but not love. I just know I need to do this to remain committed to myself along this journey.

Here are some links to check out:
http://www.mybariatric.net/pages/recipes.php
http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/
http://saksfamily.no-ip.com/crockpot.html  (some of these may have to be adjusted for WLS patients)
http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/
http://plusizedbarbie.blogspot.com/
http://www.meltingmama.net/wls/

AnnMarie brougth up a good point. I do freeze a lot now so it is quick access to something when I don't feel like cooking or if you want to change up what you are eating for the week.

I also live alone, as both my sons have spread their wings and flown the coop. 

Like the previous poster said, you learn to adapt.  I buy packages of meat and divide them out into portion friendly freezer bags to put in the freezer to fix individual portion sizes for dinner.  I stick mainly with my eggbeaters for breakfast or a protein bar or shake -- depending on if I'm going to the gym that morning.  For lunch, I stick with cottage cheese or string cheese wrapped in deli sliced ham and then cook the pre-packaged frozen meat for supper with some non-starchy veggies.  I'll even cook a pot of soup and freeze it in the individual Glad freezer containers that I can pop in the microwave.

It's just a mindset you have to get into.  I've gotten used to cooking for just myself and my refrigerator no longer has all those leftovers sitting there like I had when the kids were at home.  So it's less work in the long run -- not having to clear out all the uneaten leftovers each week to go out in the trash.

Thanks ladies for your suggestions.  I really appreciate it.  I have been bookmarking some food sights for ideas and vareity.  I'll try not stress about it, but I find that I normally do a lot of worrying anyway.  Thanks again

You might get so bored of the mushy post op diet that you will be looking forward to flavour.  I know I did.   I live alone; so I can relate.  I'm just starting to feel like cooking again.

I freeze things in muffin tins.  My mom made me some food on the long weekend and she used silicone muffin cups to freeze it; the silicone peals off quite easily.

There is a recipe forum on OH that might inspire you.  Also, there are some WLS cook books, but I can't find my link to them right now.

Absolutely can be done. I had mine done here in Kuwait with my family half way around the world.

I actually started cooking more after my DS. It just wasn't worth it to go the fast food route that I had been on.

The best invention for single women (in the kitchen anyway): the crockpot. Throw everything in, turn it on and come home from work to dinner all prepared.

I'm single/divorced  although my soneis with me about half the time.  I usually cook a batch of something to eat for lunch on Sundays.  I also make up some things for snacks.  I do cook/prepare things for him but fortunately he's not that hard to please!  There are a lot of Web sites that have recipees, both WLS friendly and regular.  Find something that sounds interesting and go with it.  Modify if you want/need to.  If your BF isn't around to cook then fall back on easy to prep stuff like tuna or chicken or other protein snacks.  Have fun with it.  I wasn NOT a cook before but am pretty good now.  Try watching some of the cooking shows, too.