by Kim Stover
I don’t know about you, but I have not had a bagel since having WLS. Bagels used to be one of my most favorite foods. Plain, garlic, cinnamon raisin…oh there are just so many varieties that can bring a smile to my face. Don’t even get me started on the spreads and other fillings!
I was at my local bakery picking up my weekly loaf of whole grain bread and found myself looking at the bagels that were on display. It was eight o’clock in the morning and I had planned on having breakfast once I got home from picking up my bread. Now, I’m two years post-op, am at a normal BMI and feel that I'm very in control of my food intake. This morning, those bagels were calling my name. I knew that they were a forbidden food for the post-op patient. White flour, doughy center and buckets of carbs…not a smart choice for the WLS patient. Still, it was calling my name and I made the executive decision to purchase ONE bagel. I selected the “everything” bagel and had the counter person slice it for me. She put it in its own little bag, sliced my loaf of bread and off I headed for home.
Now, this is when I realized that my brain had officially transformed from “Over Eater” to “Normal Eater”. While driving home, not once was I tempted to smell the bagel, peek at the bagel or taste the bagel. Not once did I feel any guilt. This was NEW! Pre-WLS Kim would have been feeling EXTREMELY guilty about purchasing a forbidden food. Pre-WLS Kim would have had consumed the bagel in the car on the way home, tossing the paper bag that it was in before entering the house. I’m single and live alone. Who was I hiding my food from? Clearly, Binge Kim would hide her food from Good Girl Kim. This came from many years of dieting as a child and trying to be Good Girl Kim for my parents.
Once home, I was truly excited about my bagel, only because it was new. How could I manage this the best way? I took one look at the doughy center and knew that I would have issues with it, even if toasted. I ended up gutting my bagel. I pulled all of the soft part out and tossed it into the trash. Then I popped the two Bagel Boats into the toaster. Let me tell you, the smell was divine! I then scrambled an egg, warmed an ounce of deli turkey slices and placed a slice of low fat cheese on my Bagel Boat…HEAVEN! I had to chew forever, but every bite was delicious and satisfying. I then found myself plotting other fillings for my new find. Tuna, chicken or egg salad would be excellent!
Bagel Boats…a great vessel for our much needed protein!
2 comments:
Isn't it funny how we are all so different with our food tolerances, however are all so similar with what got us here!
I'm finding that being two years out is a comforting stage. I have accepted that I won't be losing any more drastic amounts of weight and that is okay for me. Now it's just a matter of discovering what is going to keep me from jumping off the cliff to gaining those dreaded 10 to 15 pounds back that you always read about. For me, it is important to keep my food interesting. I allow myself one meal a week where I don't think about the fat/protein/calories. My only limit is the volume and the sugar content. This seems to be working well for me and I think that it helps to get rid of that "guilt" thing. Here is how desperate I am for making sure that I don't break the rules...I asked my nutritionist AND primary care doctor if it was okay to do this. Looking for mom AND dad's approval???
You wrote that not being able to eat bread crust is part of the reason that you find yourself battling to lose more weight. I don't get it. If you are craving starches, then perhaps you eat the center of a bit of bread. How about having an untoasted bagel? Pasta would probably do well with you if you can tolerate that gummy business. I do truly believe that we have to keep variety in our daily diet to keep us from looking for our old "friends". For instance, last night I had a small piece of Chili Relleno casserole, a few bites of refried beans and a few bites of Spanish rice. I haven't had these foods since having surgery and for the first time in the past year, I wasn't looking for a snack an hour before bed.
We know that our stomachs get satisfied with a certain volume of food at this point in our recovery. At two years post-op, we have to learn to satisfy our taste buds and our minds. That's the hardest part!
Best to you,
Kim
OH MY!!! Well, then yes, I would like to slap you... Of course, I'm teasing you. Increasing your caloric intake is not the hard part, overcoming the mental issue is the hurdle and I can appreciate that. You seem to be like me and need for someone of "authority" to tell you that it is okay. It may just be worth it to visit your nutritionist for a follow up. Have her tell you how many calories that you should be eating and then go with it...guilt free. Can you tolerate dried fruit or nuts? When I was training for my little race, my WLS surgeon told me to eat some dried fruit after doing an intense work out, along with a small handful (like 10) almonds. I was worried about the dried fruit since I'm so sensitive to sugar. For some reason, I can digest it just fine.
Best to you!
Kim
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