Food Issues - month and a half out

I am running out of ideas for food at this point.  I just finished puree type foods, and am moving on to solids.  I'm having problems getting in everything.  On bad days is it okay if you don't get everything in?  My surgeon okay'd me to work out also. I have my orientation in the morning, kind of scared and/or excited. For those that did so, how did you progress at the gym as far as stomach work and such?  I feel good, sometimes I feel like I have so much energy I will crawl the walls.

Any imput would be appreciated, thanks.

Oh, the joy of moving to solids!!!  I was so excited when I got to that point.  I'm not much farther out than you are (6/23/11).  With the advent of moving to the next stage, the first thing to do is make sure you don't move too fast.  Start with simple stuff...and then move on.  I found that my food preferences have changed some.  I wonder if it is due to being off simple sugars?  Hmm...something to think about.

As for exercise..ugh.  I am trying to turn this into my new obsession.  I go t 24Hour fitness and love it.  Well, I will admit, I still have to talk myself into going, but it is definitely worth it.  The best thing to do when you meet your trainer is to explain as much as possible to them.  Don't leave out that you are post-op and just released to do exercise.  These are things they need to know to help develop a plan for you. 

I have severe arthritis in my knees so I have worked with my trainer to develop new techniques for things.  After a couple of weeks on the treadmill..I was like...shoot me.  ;)  So, I took a Zumba class at my gym.  It's basically aerobics...but with upbeat, fantastic music.  It is an hour long class and I can modify everything for me knees yet still get a fabulous workout.  In fact, there is a 3 hour Zumba marathon on Friday and I'm thinking about going.  Crazy, no?

Ok, sorry...back to the topic.  Foods.  I personally have found that adding proteins is the hardest.  I can do turkey pretty good and some chicken.  Ground beef in something like spaghetti sauce seems to be okay, but when I try to eat a burger (no bread)...it is not good.  I also have learned that I cannot do white rice.  It is painful.  Guess that's okay because, again, it is something that has minimal nutrional value.

I like this website for recipes:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Healthy-Recipes/main.aspx.  I'm a horrible cook, so I try only the simple ones.  I think you will find that helpful.  Just remember to try one new thing a day...so if you feel sick, at least you can start identifying things that do that to you.

Have fun with your trainer!  I hope yours is as good as mine.  :)

Yeah, it is a little scarry.  I've tried some ground beef with refried beans.  Sometimes that is okay, but then days where my stomach is yelling at me!  I was thinking about getting a roasted chicken, because they seem to be a little moister than the bricks that I churned out pre-surgey.  Not a great cook myself, but learning everday. 

My trainer sounds a little crazy over the phone, and when I met her at the gym, I was suprized that she looks nothing like I imagined.  She will probably kick my arse gear though.  I check the class schedule and they too have Zumba classes.  I think I will check them out, as I love music, and moving to it would be good.

Thanks for the information.

Just try new proteins and if they don't work, wait a few weeks and try again.
I had difficulty with chicken until around the 6 month mark, but maybe
that was just me. I'm 9 months out and I still have the occasional fussy
pouch day. When that happens, I eat my home-made soups and soft
foods and protein drinks for a day.  Just listen to your body and your
pouch and you'll be fine. I did really well with Wendy's chili and
tostadas, both of which I make at home with low fat and healthy
ingredients. If you're going to start exercising, it's more important
than ever to get your protein in. If you can't get down enough solid
food to accomplish that, get down protein drinks of some kind.
I still have 1-2 warm, chai tea protein drinks every day.  Good luck!

 try eggfaces website. she has tons of recipes on her blog..  theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

I have been making a lot of soups and crockpotting. Slow cooked meats tend to be more tender.   Also, so far there hasnt been anything that I truly coudnt tolerate.  I to tried the rotiserie chicken from walmart,  heaven, though i have not moved to white meat yet and chop it up very fine.   Its a learning curve,  so just listen to your pouch.  One of the first things i did was ground pork and marinara.  I made like my usual spaghetti sauce except used pork in place of hamburger.  That was yummy.  My aunt who had RNY about 5 years ago recommended canned salmon, deboned,  and made like tuna salad.  I havent tried it yet.........

I have had the best luck with fish - sole or salmon.  It's a lot easier on your pouch than chicken or beef.  I've also had luck with lactose-free cheese such as Cabot's 75% reduced fat cheese, and scrambled eggs.  Just make sure you're still supplementing with protein shakes, and don't worry too much if you're a little slow progressing to some other foods.  It will all come in time.

I have also been working out a lot.  My stomach is incredibly weak - but I've been working on my arms and legs.  Mostly on my own, but I've signed up for a trainer too.  We'll see how that goes.

Solid food i**** and miss.  In my class we were told what works for one will not work for another.  We were told to add one new food per day in order to determine if it worked for us.  I usually knew after one or two bites if that particular food was something I could or could not eat.  If I could not eat it, I would wait weeks...months....and try again.  Attempt the foods provided on your list and see how that goes.

As for exercise - listen to your body.  If you have never worked out at a gym, or if it has been a long time, go slow.  You will be amazed how quickly you will progress.  The human body is amazing.

I'm about five days out from you. I enjoy and seem to do great with chili. They are not solid, but I add a lot of ground turkey or chicken to them as well as beans. That makes them more hearty and protein-dense. They always go down well for me. 

Check out my user name and the guess what my favorite solid food is. (Protein rich)

Yup !!!  codlover.....loves Cod....YUMMY !!