Soft food stage is so much more challenging than liquids!

The grass isn't always greener on the other side! I have been on a liquid diet for a month (two weeks preop and two weeks post op) and was dying to have some "normal" food. I easily got in my 64 ounces of fluid on the liquid diet and was worried that I was able to get in too much (haha). Tuesday my NUT advanced my diet to a soft foods diet. This includes non fibrous fruit, all meats moistened, certain vegetables...most anything minus breads and cereals and pastas, beans and a few vegetable and fruits. Tuesday afternoon I had 1.5 ounces of chicken salad and 2 teaspoons of unsweetened applesauce. I felt like I had eaten three thanksgiving dinners and could not put anything in my mouth for the rest of the day. Yesterday I got some water in and then scrambled an egg with a teaspoon of cheddar cheese. I ate HALF the scrambled egg and it made me so full I couldn't eat anything until dinner. At dinner I had 1 ounce of chicken with some FF gravy and AGAIN...stuffed! How am I going to get in the nutrients I need??? Please don't tell me protein shakes...I am so sick of protein shakes and the last one I had I gagged down.  :(

So yes, your tool is working.  I didn't eat a whole egg for months.  Don't expect to eat enough to get your nutrician in.  You do still have to have your protein.  So try greek yogurt.  If you can't eat it plain, add SF syurp or some SF pudding powder.  You can add protein to it.  Add your protein into pudding.  Try different proteins.  Try different temperatures.  I could do warm a whole lot better than cold. 

So start with your fluids and get those in.  In between, every couple of hours, have a protein based something, even if it is just a spoonful.  Always stop if you feel full but don't expect to feel full.  Measure what you are eating and 1/4c is plenty at this point.  Don't push the limits.  Protein first although you may need something to moisten it with, then think about veggies or fruit.

It will get better and pretty soon you will be concern that you are eating too much.

If you want to pack a lot of protein in.....use the Greek yogurt.  I eat it every day.....sometimes twice a day and it is a great source of protein and delicious as well.  I use only the plain Greek yogurt.....add 2 heaping teaspoons of instant jello fat free sugar free instant pudding mix...it's the powder.  It comes in chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, lemon, banana cream, butterscotch, cheesecake, and white chocolate flavors and they are all yummy.  I personally like Fage or Chobanni fat free plain Greek yogurt.  My doctor's nutrition plan is for no more than 5 grams of sugar or 5 grams of fat in a food item....of which I try to stick to unless it is a natural sugar.   You can also add a dolop of sugar free cool whip to it and a few strawberrys or blueberries and it is an awesome breakfast or dessert.  And the possibilities are endless!  A small  6 oz container of FF Chobani Greek yogurt has 18 grams of protein.  I add almonds to bump up the protein....when you are further out you can do that too.  My favorite is chobani with white chocolate instant pudding mix, blue berries, almonds and a dolop of cool whip....it's delish and I know i am getting a good source of protein. 

If you can not eat the entire 6 oz at one time....save the other half for later.  As time goes by...you will be able to eat the entire 6 oz at one time.

Hope this helps

Linda

I skipped pureedfood  altogether and stayed on liquids a little longer.  My pouch was verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry sensitive.  I found a few, literally a few things I could eat and lived on those for months.  I could not eat meat until close to 6 months out.  I could not tolerate it.  The only way I got any in was when it was cut into tiny, very tiny pieces and cooked in soup or pinto beans.  By the time the soup or beans were finished cooking, the meat was basically "gone."  It was a slow progression.  I could not even get in my protein requirements for months.  My surgeon was patient and very encouraging.  He knew eventually things would smooth out.  I could not eat eggs until probably 8 to 10 months out.  Tuna...forget it.  Cottage cheese much later too.  You will find the things that work for you.