Nutrition while recovering from surgery

TallGlassOfQuirky

I posted this on the general message boards and got NOTHING in response, but someone recommended that I put it here, since the "powers that be" (that would be the genius veterans who have incredible success and study this stuff like crazy) are the ones who moderate this group...

I have been on MFP for so long (September 2010, despite what the date on my avatar says - I reincarnated as this user) that it sort of seems wrong for me to ask a question on the general message boards - I feel like I should know all of the answers or at least be able to search well enough to find them.

I don't, though, and although I have a brilliant group of friends on my FL, only a limited number have experience with recovering from surgery and how it relates to nutrition/fitness, so...

Here's the deal. I lost a crap-ton of weight on MFP. I gained a bit of it back and have been eating a moderate deficit and doing moderate exercise to get back to where I was happiest (not my lightest, but about halfway between there and where I am now). No big deal. I know how the calories-in-calories-out thing works. I'm a veteran here and, honestly, I am at a healthy weight now anyway so that's not really a big deal even if it was a struggle to get that balance right.

*Insert giant wrench in my whole world*

I had emergency back surgery last week. They shaved off a bit of bone and cut out a part of a disc and I am hopefully going to regain full strength and mobility in my left leg as the nerve that was (in the surgeon's words) "in pretty bad shape" heals.

The surgeon told me that I should *absolutely NOT* eat at a deficit while I am healing (not sure if this means the full 3 months of recovery they estimate or just the first 4-6 weeks - I will find that out at my follow up appointment, I guess). This might be different for people who are very overweight but in my case anyway I am supposed to consume every last calorie my body burns.

There are a couple of problems with this idea, though.

1) I don't know what my maintenance calories are. My TDEE *before* my surgery was between 2300-2400 calories because I exercised regularly. For the next month, however, all I can do is hobble around with a cane or walker and am not allowed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. Do I recalculate my TDEE based on a sedentary lifestyle for now, or do I assume that my body is actually working quite hard in the background to heal all that slicing and dicing that was done? So... how many calories do I eat to not be in a deficit?

2) I have no appetite. At all. Just to put this in perspective: Massaman curry is probably my favorite food on the planet. In two days, I ate less than half of what my boyfriend got for me as a single portion. Peanut butter is also a favorite food. I don't even want that. I don't want chocolate. Or ice cream. Or... well... anything. I do better with smoothies or drinkable things because just the idea of eating doesn't appeal to me and drinking isn't quite so unappealing, but I don't think I can stomach the idea of 2000+ calories worth of smoothies.

I have found that I can eat a small portion of something if someone (my son or my boyfriend usually) gives it to me and watches me, MAKES me eat it. A Greek yogurt cup, a string cheese, or a piece of fruit are the usuals. There's one type of protein bar (I can't have gluten) that isn't bad that I can sometimes make myself choke down. Even trying really hard today, though, that puts me at less than 1000 calories and I know I need to do a hell of a lot better than that (again, I have been here forever and a day and was never a fan of the "starve yourself to lose weight" crowd).

So... I need ideas of easy to eat, high calorie (and preferably high protein, since that's important while I heal) gluten free foods that also don't require a lot of cooking, since I am not allowed to load the dishwasher and it's kind of hard to get to the pans, anyway.

More importantly, I need advice on how many calories to eat to avoid a deficit (if it helps, I just turned 29, am a 5'10" woman, and weigh between 170-175 pounds with around 25-ish% BF) and how to cram what will end up being somewhere between 2000-2400 calories into a body that just has no appetite so that I don't prolong my healing or otherwise jeopardize my recovery.

TallGlassOfQuirky

Forgot to add: My diary isn't public - I don't need a critique of what I am eating now. I need to know how much I *should* be eating while I heal and some ideas of what to eat, but am knowledgeable enough about macros and nutrition in general that I don't need a critique of what I was eating before my surgery (and since my surgery it's consisted of what I said above - fruit, Greek yogurt, protein shakes, and small amounts of whatever meal my boyfriend cooks, which usually is high protein and includes veggies).

I can't have gluten, artichokes, or cherries. I don't like pig. That's about it for food restrictions.

I have a good whey protein powder I can use. It's actually how I have been getting the bulk of my nutrition since my surgery since my appetite is so small. My protein shakes typically consist of almond milk, protein powder, and either berries or peanut butter and a banana. I am totally open to other suggestions on things to do with it.

joejccva71

I would start by eating 2200 calories a day as you should base it on a sedentary lifestyle. That's a smart plan. Eat 2200 a day and weigh yourself once a week (pick the same day), and see if you gain or lose. Most likely you'll remain pretty stable with the weight. Maybe a pound fluctuation here and there, but it should balance out. If you keep losing slowly, up it to 2300 a day and then re-evaluate.

As far as appetite, eat more calorie dense foods. Are you able to eat ice cream? Milk? Gluten-Free Fatty foods? There is nothing wrong with going out to Wendy's, Chipotle, etc as long as you keep track of it.

You know it's calories in vs calories out because you've been here, so you should also know and fully realize that food TYPE doesn't matter. I'm not saying eat all junk food, eat veggies and whole foods as best you can. But have that ice cream, poptarts, etc.

Hope this helps.

TallGlassOfQuirky

Thanks, Joe. My mother actually forced me to eat a pint of ice cream yesterday just to get some more food in me (first time I'd topped 1000 calories since my surgery) but that resulted in me being in an "I can't stomach the idea of more sugar" anti-appetite mood today. Too bad french fries weren't an option today.

I am not yet able to drive which makes getting to convenient high calorie foods a bit more difficult but you're right in that it certainly is easier to get calories in with junk food.

Since it's not going to be a forever thing - just until I heal - and since I am in generally good health (no high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc) I am not opposed to eating whatever it takes. Of course I would prefer to do it with more homemade, higher quality foods, but I am okay with not being a paragon of nutritional virtue.

fresh_start59

After I had surgery, I was so nauseous the first few days that I did not want to eat anything. That is highly unusual for me. After all, I did not get obese by not eating. ;-)

I tried eating here and there, but the foods I normally liked did not taste right. I ended up living mostly on 1% milk with Nestle's Quik. Unfortunately, I ate so little and, for reasons not linked to the surgery, became so depressed that I had no energy at all. I know now how important it is to eat, even if I don't feel like it. But I also know how difficult it can be, especially when our taste buds, intestines and other parts aren't working quite as they should.

I would suggest keeping some whole fat cottage cheese in your fridge. It is high in protein, easy to dish up and tasty. I like mine mixed with mandarin oranges, which you can get in individual pop-top containers.

You might keep some snacky things next to your bed, for those times that you "might be able to eat a little snack" but "don't feel like getting up".

Bedside foods:
Nuts are always good, but be careful not to eat too many at once. They tend to lay heavy in your stomach.
Dried fruits might be good. They are also high in fiber, which will help in getting the intestines moving again.
M&Ms might help boost the calorie count and if you get the kind with peanuts you can have a bit of protein.
Good whole grain cookies, such as Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip (my favorite).

See if someone can cook up some meat (chicken breast, steak, etc.) and have it ready for you in the fridge so you can grab a little bit at a time. Now would also be a good time to have some of those full-fat yogurts, cheeses (with crackers), etc.

Good luck to you! And I wish you quick recovery!!

SideSteel

Joe pretty much covered it in my opinion. Eat at a sedentary TDEE and adjust it up or down based on results. I'd probably start around 1.15-1.2*BMR and go from there.

Sarauk2sf

The calorie levels have been pretty much covered so I will just add my 2c re the eating enough/appetite point.

When I was recovering from my aneurysm a few years back I had absolutely no appetite (the drugs I were on, while *really good* probably had a lot to do with that). I found simple foods that were not too dry were much easier to stomach as well as my usual lattes. When you can get to the store, try to pick up some of the fancy protein drinks (the nice foo foo carby ones that are higher in calories), avocados are great, as are nuts, but I found the 'moister' ones like cashews easier to eat. Full fat dairy is a great go to also - cheese, milk, yogurt etc and will help keep your protein up as well. And of course, ice cream!

SideSteel

Nuts.






















giggity

Sarauk2sf

Nuts.






















giggity

Moist nuts




















not so giggity

Lyadeia

I ate at my sedentary calculation for TDEE last year when I had my surgery. I did not have any issues with no being hungry, though. I did, however, find that things that were more liquidy in substance were easier on me, so I drank a lot of my calories. For me, it took about 2-3 weeks before any sensitivities went away and I was eating as I normally had before the surgery. I wasn't allowed to do any kind of exercise other than light walking for 6 weeks (and I didn't feel like doing any of that the first week anyway!) so I really had to be conscious of what I was eating. I started eating "normally" on my regular weight loss deficit about the 7th week when I also started adding exercise back in to my life.

Martucha123

If you are on bed rest (or just siting at the sofa whole day) then 2000 should be enough, , but if you eat more, fe 2200, you will recover sooner. Lots of people lose their appetite after surgery and they still recover even under eating so don't beat yourself about it, but If you want to recover ASAP stick to 2200. Drink your calories if you have to. Milk and ice cream are great options.

Sarauk2sf

Locking so we can keep track of active threads easier. Please feel free to PM either myself or SideSteel, and include a link to this thread. and we will unlock should you wish to add anything to it.