Planning on surgery - Questions for those 6+ months out...

O****ep reading that raw vegetables are not tolerated well.  In all my years of "trying not to gain weight" and constant dieting, which obviously hasn't worked out well,  I have been accustomed to eating vegetables. Daily I typically consume some form of raw vegetable. I also notice that I "feel" better when I eat healthier foods than when i eat junk.  And so I have just read something that lists the vegetables that you may find hard to tolerate after gastric sleeve.  This list contained some of my favorites.... carrots, celery, cauliflower, cucumbers (with peel). Also i eat alot of grape tomatoes, I like apples and grapefruit, grapes, strawberries, spinach - raw and cooked. Broccoli I like steamed - but not to the point it is mush - still fork soft but firm, and same with green beans.  Now I'm not talking excessive amounts, but usually my vegetable portion is equal to my meat portion. I have nixed any sides, so usually meals are meat and vegetable. Thankfully my kids eat them all too. 

Okay anyways - How has your tolerance of these items been after surgery?  Will I really never be able to eat any raw vegetables again?? 

Hi, I am almost 14 mos. post-op and I can tolerate all raw vegetables so far. I am like you I love raw veggies. Of course do not try them until your surgeon or nutritionist say your ready for them. I believe I started eating them at 2-3 mos. post-op. Good luck on your weight loss journey!

For me it has not been an issue of not tolerating them, but by the time I get my protein in I am satisfied and unable to eat anything else.  I am about 9 months out.  I figure in another few months and hit maintainence I will incorporate more with the slight increase in calories.

I have been eating salad and steamed and roasted veggies and sometimes raw veggies since about 1 month out and only have problems with Broccoli, I eat some veggies with lunch and diner every day  for the fiber or I get constipated

I eat carrots and snap peas raw as snacks , and mushrooms are in everything 

Early out you must start from softer foods and transition into firmer foods with 6 months as a very normal time in which everything should be tolerable.

In the big picture firmer undercooked and raw harder to digest vegetables will become a strategy for increased duration of satiety as well as adding the diversity of taste and texture to your meals.

frisco

 

 

 

 

I have had zero issue tolerating any of these things, and I'm only 3 months out.  The difficulty really is that I just don't have space for them.  So I'm lucky if I'm able to have a bite or two of veg once I finish my protein. And protein comes first, since it's most important!

I never had any trouble with veggies. I was eating salads shortly after returning to full foods. What you will want to focus on is protein first followed by high fiber veggies like cabbage and leafy green veggies. Spinach is a great one you cannot find a more beneficial veggie nutrition wise. One of the absolute best meals you can eat for health and nutrition is baked salmon with spinach. Even now my daily lunch is a bed of spinach with some grilled chicken on it, some high fiber veggies like celery and some peppers, cucumbers (good source of hydration). with a little bit of olive oil and red vinegar (apple cider would be better health wise).

All of that being said, everyone is different so just try veggies and start by taking a bite or two and see what happens, I wouldn't suggest just mowing down a salad. Also keep in mind that some veggies actually can be high in carbs, so just make sure when you are planning out your meals that you keep your carbs in check.

I can eat anything.  I had to wait on raw veggies for a few months - other than lettuce and tomatoes which I was able to eat early out.  But once I got to solid foods, I could have all the cooked veggies I wanted.  And at 3 months, I could have raw veggies, too.

the limiting factor is how little we can consume after surgery, and the need to get our protein in to keep us healthy.  There isn't much room for veggies at first.  But by 6 months out, I was getting a small serving of veggies every meal, and by 1 year, I am eating about 3.5 ounces of protein and about 3 ounces of veggies every meal.  I avoid carbs because they cause cravings for me, big time!  But my tummy will tolerate everything I give it.  So don't worry too much about this.  It may not be an issue.

Carol

I have not has any problems with eating raw or cooked veggies after my VSG. I am 2 1/2 years out.

Oh thank you all so much for the replies! So encouraging! I was really worried about doing surgery if it meant I'd never be able to eat healthy foods again.