couscous & quinoa, protein shakes

tammylsomers

I am anxiously awaiting my first appointment with the surgeon and my mind keeps wondering about this and that. Does anyone eat couscous or quinoa after surgery and if so how much and how do you prepare it? What kind of protein shakes will I need/do you use and where is best place to get them. I am trying to prepare mentally. If anyone has a list of what can be eaten when, that would be appreciated too! Thanks! You are all awesome!

authormarieskye

I had quinoa once for the first time ever shortly after surgery, and also my first time making it. i ate it, seemed ok, then about an hour later i started salivating a ridiculous amount. next thing i know i was in the bathroom throwing up. Seeming how ive never cooked quinoa before and probaby didnt make it right but it only takes me getting sick once for me not to try it again. I can eat rice though

miss_erynn

Quinoa is AMAZING! Just buy it dry and prepare it as it says on the package and/or box. If you live in Canada, the President's Choice Organics quinoa is the best! I make it as a chili (with peppers, onions, jalapeno, diced tomatoes, spices) and it's delicious. I can eat about 1/2 - 3/4 of a cup of it and then I am full, mind you that is mixed with veggies/seasoning.

I buy the prepared couscous and quinoa salads from Whole Foods (they have an apple curry quinoa one that is to die for!) The 2 for $5 are awesome because they lasted me 4 meals after surgery once I was onto the real food (about 7-8 weeks out).

You are luck you can eat rice....1/4 of a cup and I am so sick! It's so filling for me! I tried vermicelli rice noodles today and they were way too filling.

As for protein shakes, I drank Premier brand, from Costco, after surgery. They have 30g of protein each and you only needed 2 a day instead of 3 of other brands. I am disgusted with them now. If I am too lazy to cook or just don't have time, and I need protein, I use BioX Xtreme Whey isolate in the cookies and cream flavour (1 scoop = 30g of protein, 140 calories, 1g of fat, 0g of sugar and only 1.5g of carbs). I mix it with vanilla soy milk and am quite full after I drink it. It's somewhat pricey, but worth every penny (they have a chocolate peanut butter flavour too, mmmmmmm!)

My bible for post-surgery diet goes like this:

1 day out of surgery = clear fluids only (decaf tea/coffee, no sugar added juice, water!, low fat broths, sugar-free jellow/popsicles and crystal light)

weeks 1 and 2 = modified fluids (same as above but include protein drinks and skim milk)

weeks 3 and 4 = full fluids (same as above but can add low fat/no sugar added pudding/yogurt, strained/thinned oatmeal/cream of wheat, strained low-fat "cream" soups [made with skim milk])

weeks 5 and 6 = pureed diet (same as above but can include pureed pasta/meat/fish/legumes, baby food, blended cottage cheese/cream cheese/tofu, hummus, pureed fruits/veggies, SMOOTH MASHED POTATOES WITH SKIM MILK [I was obsessed with these for about 2 weeks], margarine, healthy oils, pureed avocado, pureed casseroles)

weeks 7 = minced diet (all of the above but chopped instead of pureed and can include dry cereals that become soft in liquid, soda crackers/arrowroots softened by tea/water, eggs [including egg salad], smooth peanut butter, bananas

week 8 = soft diet (all of the above! AND soft breads, rice, fruits and veggies without skins, low calorie/low sugar desserts/sweets)

DIET FOR LIFE = at this stage you should be able to eat pretty much anything you want, just not as much as you may want.

Your body will tell you what it can handle and what it can't!

hope that helps!

tammylsomers

Thanks for the detailed info as that is exactly what I was looking for! Doesn't seem as bad as I was expecting. I can't wait for my appointment with the surgeon next week.

Onaughmae

I love quinoa. There are tons of recipes available online for it. Lots of protein in it!

ErinShannon

Every Dr/program is different.

For example my sister in NYC had the surgery 3 yrs ago. Two days prior to her surgery she had to do a liquid diet and the day before a drink to clean out her system.

For me, I had to do full liquids for two WEEKS before surgery and nothing special to clean me out.

For her she had to do liquids for a month after surgery.

For me, I had to do the same liquid diet I did before the surgery for the first two weeks after surgery.

At 2 weeks post op I was graduated to a soft solid diet - I can have 2 tbsp of veggie or fruit (only certain fruits/veggies) and 2 oz of meat for lunch/dinner. I can have something like 1 egg or 1/4 cup of cottage cheese for breakfast, etc.

At 6 weeks post op I will graduate a full solid diet.