Eating lunch and thinking....

[AngieB]

Hello to all of my favorite people! I am chillin eating my yummo lunch and was mulling over how much my food choices have changed.

In our house we eat a good variety of foods. Some that have been much more prevalent than ever. Take turkey. I use to have it on the tipical day THANKSGIVING. Now, we have it as a staple in our house. It has replaced hamburger completely. I think in the beginning, it was a nice change of pace from beef....then it grew into taste preferance, easier to eat, and lower calorie choice.

We have a lot more fish. Scallops, talapia, mahi mahi, shrimp. My family ate fish before, but not like we do now. For me fish is good protein, low fat and easy to eat.

Most of my food choices now are altered to fit my lapband lifestyle. For expample before I would steam veggies not to the point of them being limp. Now, I cook them to the limp stage. Easier for me to eat. My husband love this because that is how he like them anyway.

I use more sauces now too.

We use to grab a quicky fast food meal like once a week. Now, hubby will call and ask and I decline. I may have a few of his french fries.... like 6. THAT IS IT! I find it easier and better to stick with my fish, chicken or what not. Easier and more taste satisfying.....

One of my favorite snacks is Oikos chocolate greek yogurt with milled flaxseed on top.

Those are a few examples of band lifestyle changes.....

Do you have any to share....

What has changed for you?

[bogiesmom]

Angie,

I so know what you mean. I have not eaten fast food in over 4 months and what a difference! I do not even go out to dinner! I just can't justify the cost and just figure why loose my parking spot and go thru the troble of going out if i really cant eat?

The things i buy too have changed. A lot more fish (tilapia & mahi mahi) in the freezer and I actually bought a 6 pound bag of frozen mixed veggies from Costco this weekend for the first time in my life!!!! The 6 pound bag was $5.59!!! So proud of myself for that one. I also bought a bag of frozen boneless, skinless cheicken breasts from Costco for the very first time and now am kicking myself in the butt for not doing that sooner as they go a long way (since i can barely get through a half of one) are easy to cook (I LOVE George Foreman) and are the most tender, juicy ones I have ever tasted!

The main thing that i have noticed in the last week though is that the majority of the stuff I buy for the fridge is going bad and I have to toss it!!! I probably have wasted about $40.00 in perishable food this week I mention this becuase I now realize that I seriously have to adjust my shopping habits to fit the amount of food I am able to consume. You would think the 17 year old kid would help me out here but he likes junk I do not like and I noticed he too has kind of slowed down on the food lately (shocker).

Another thing that I have noticed is that my tastes have changed dramatically! My meat consuption has dropped down to minor due to not really being able to eat it and I find myself gravitating towards vegitarian things like cottage cheese w/ raisins & split pea soup for dinner. I used to love creamy soups but strangly enough, as of the liquids phase of the post-op diet my taste buds hate creamy soups now and prefere vegetable based soups.

I also find myself grabbing tangelos at work (work orders from Vons to stock the kitchen) for a snack to the point that I went ahead and bought some for home!!! I NEVER buy fruit but these tangelos are beautiful to the point of being irresistable! I noticed that a tangelo goes down like a freakin steak! It takes me forever to eat one and after I do I feel extremely full. I NEVER ate fruit before the band.

[AngieB]

Oh I hear ya. I buy the frozen veggies and mixed berries from Costco. I love there frozen grilled chicken that is cut into strips....easy and good! I do a veggie chicken stir fry with them. Oh I also buy the 2 lb bag of frozen scallops from there too...

I heart Costco! Ha!

[pinkfordyone]

Ok, now that you two have made my mouth water....your right.

I now by more veggies and fruit. Turkey burgers have replace beef, tomato pie is a must and I think I've turned into a camel...water, water, water!!!

Cracker Barrel's kids plate grilled chicken tenders and green beans have replaced fast food...anything!

Walking is now for exercise and not to just get me in the house to find my chair.

I am loving my new life!

[damalove]

Im curious... ladies, do you miss steak? I understand its something I will have to give up, if not immediately, then eventually... but its one of my true loves. My family is so steak obsessed that once a year we have a steak cook-off. We buy the best steaks we can find (dry aged, kobe, double prime, grass fed, etc) and each of us prepares our steak to the best of our ability, cajun spice rub, roasted garlic sauce, roquefort cabernet sauce, tequilla lime marinated, whatever. i always make the sides; always including my from-scratch baked mac n cheese (to which i always sneak in either butternut squash or parsnip puree)... ok anyway long story short is, steak is a tradition. dad's from texas and wouldn't have it any other way.

will i be able to get by with a super tender ribeye? even a few bites?

[pinkfordyone]

It has only been 4 months since I got banded, but I can still do steak. All I want to know is when is the cook-off, you made my mouth water as I read your post. The more fills you get, the more restriction you get. You may be one that is doesn't bother. Only time will tell. Enjoy-Now!

[AngieB]

Im curious... ladies, do you miss steak? I understand its something I will have to give up, if not immediately, then eventually... but its one of my true loves. My family is so steak obsessed that once a year we have a steak cook-off. We buy the best steaks we can find (dry aged, kobe, double prime, grass fed, etc) and each of us prepares our steak to the best of our ability, cajun spice rub, roasted garlic sauce, roquefort cabernet sauce, tequilla lime marinated, whatever. i always make the sides; always including my from-scratch baked mac n cheese (to which i always sneak in either butternut squash or parsnip puree)... ok anyway long story short is, steak is a tradition. dad's from texas and wouldn't have it any other way.

will i be able to get by with a super tender ribeye? even a few bites?

I can eat steak especially if it is tender. I've gotten away from it becuase of my husbands preferences. He is not a pork or red meat eater per say. I will say that if the meat is tough, I don't even go there.......to much chewing....

[bogiesmom]

I was never a steak eater so therefore I do not miss it, but then again there is not really anything I do miss.

[damalove]

Ive always loved bread, but chose the Atkins route as my pre-op diet. It surprised me how very little I missed it. Rice turns out to be more of a comfort food for me, and I did just fine without pasta too. I don't intend to reintroduce grain carbs to my diet once I'm back on solids, just fruit and diary carbs. I hope I can still swing some steak here and there though!