Can any of you LOSERS help me?

I finally got an appointment with my NUT the other day. She said I need to be getting @ 800 calories a day, but not over 1000. I am only getting about 500!  My question is. How do I fit them in???  It is hard for me to eat and drink like I should at work because I am on the phone constantly. And Im 8 weeks out today so Im just starting to add new foods in. I can tolerate chicken pretty well, ( I guess Im lucky in that area ) but I can only eat about 1-2 oz of it. Im just getting bored w/ chicken and salmon all the time.  Plus I HATE chiken/egg/tuna salads. Mayonnaise has always scared me   LOL Any suggestions?

My nutritionst suggested peanut butter to me and it works great for a little protein and calories. Also I ate lots of cottage cheese .... Just do the best you can and do it very slow :) Good Luck

I suggest you work out a plan that includes 3 meals and 2 snacks in order to get your calories... you could even add an additional snack in the evening - something simple like a glass of milk, gives you protein, calories and calcium! Its hard when you are on the phone but I assume you get a lunch - how about breaks? If need be have DrLowe write you a note to allow you time to get in a snack... even something simple like string cheese will help to boost the calories. You really need to figure out times and be consistant to get in some nutrition and your water during the day.... make sure you are sip sip sipping constantly!! Since you are early out I figure you are still doing protein shakes... they can pack a good amount of calories between the protein powder and the milk/soy you mix it to - if you have a decent car ride to work I suggest trying to drink an 8oz shake during the drive, or as much as possible of it. You can squeeze another shake in during the drive home, or use that time to drink water. Since you can only tolerate 1-2oz of dense protein aim to add other proteins which you may be able to handle more of - yogurt, cottage cheese, refried beans (the 'slider' foods) over time you can work more dense protein into your pouch but being early out its pretty heavy which is why you eat so little :-) Check out protein bars as well - Think! Thin, Detour, South Beach Cereal bars are good choices... you could eat 1/2 as a snack... takes only a few minutes and it would be additional calories for the day... nuts are a good chocie and a serving is only a PALMfull - almonds... a 1/4th cu of raw almonds gives you 160 calories or 1 piece of string cheese has roughly 80 calories. Id would also start small - since you are making around 500, aim to get around 600, then 700 and work your way up to the 800 range... you should be able to get it figured out in a few weeks IMO.

Thanks I knew I could count on you guys.   I used to love cottage cheese before surgery but now it makes me gag. I think its the texture. I do try to get some protein bars in but I think the sugar/alcohols bother me now. Where can you get the Think Thin and Detour barrs> Is it safe for me to eat nuts at 8 weeks?

The low sugar detour bars have no sugar alcohol and only 3g of sugar... I buy them at Wal Mart 98 cents each. The Think! Thin protein bars you can also buy at Wal Mart - Trader Joes carry them as well. Ahh, no you arnt suppose to be eating nuts yet... my bad :-) DrMelkonian said no nuts/seeds until around 5 months out. Forgot about that rule :-)  Fage yogurt (greek yogurt) is a good alternative to CC and extremely high in protein... Harris Teeter and Trader Joes both sell it - TJs has their own brand as well. You are best off buying the 0% (aka FF) and adding something to it to give it flavor - I think plain it tastes disgusting but if you add to it its good... I put a little honey in mine or some NSA jelly/jam or SF jam/jelly. 

I also get lowfat colby/jack cheese in one ounce prewrapped portions (cost a little more and worth it) with 4 wheat thins and this is about 120 calories.    I also do protein bullets (which you can find online) which have 42 g of protein and 176 calories and are only 3 ounces which Dr. Melkonian said i could do right after my surgery.   Don't think i could get to 70 to 80g of protein without my bullet.   Some ppl have said your body can't absorb more than 20 to 25g of protein at a time so i will do half for a morning snack and 1/2 for the afternoon one.  Also, how about a boiled egg for a snack as they are high in protein and 75 calories.    While i was home for the 3 weeks prior to surgery, I had a hard time getting to 500 calories.  Since i went back to work and get up at 530 I have more time to get in more calories and am now up to 600 to 700. Hope this helps! Pam

I always have an easier time getting hot fluids down better that cold.  I drink a healthy hot chocolate. Milk as 1 gram of protein per ounce. Cocoa powder has no suger. I heat milk in the microwave, then add splenda and cocoa powder.  Anywhey from GNC is virtually tasteless and can be added to warm,but not too hot drinks to boost protein content. I think I added 1/2 scoop to 12 ounce of hot chocolate. My doctors office sells high protein cocoa packets. They were not avaiable when I needed them so I haven't tried them, but I hear they are good. IAlso the weight control oatmeal is really good. It has 160 calories and 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. Add more proten and calories with milk.  I had to wait 6 months before I could have oatmeal. So check with your program before adding oatmeal. B