My mother in law had a little WLS Support Group get-together today, she brought in a pair of dieticians to discuss nutrition and eating post surgery. (I'd like to share their website with you -- but the link is not functioning, I will get ahold of it during the week.)
Now aside from the prep and sharing of food ideas, one of the dieticians said, that there is ROOM for EVERYTHING in your diet. It's about choices, and making room for what you NEED and fitting in a little of what you REALLY WANT.
So there. And, I told her that I'd quote her on that.
What do you need? Follow your post surgical diet plan. What do you want? Well? How far post op are you? What can your body handle? What is the benefit of a certain WANT? Will it bring nutrition to your diet? Can you deal with just a taste of something? Do you understand limits?
I was pleased with their food prep, of real foods with fresh ingredients, and I again thought to myself that I'd eat a whole lot better if someone else did the work. Come to ME, chop, grind, mix, blend, cook and freeze with me. We will eat like kings all week! (I think they actually offer that service. And if I could afford it, I'd sign up.)
Sorry, that's my honest reaction. I do not enjoy cooking much at all. It's enough that I don't bother, and simply settle for another turkey sandwich. It always seems to circle back to the fact that I can't seem to please anyone else's palate in this household. (And, that pesky epilespy patient holding a sharp knife near the stove bit.)
If I WANT a bowl of Kale Soup -- I am eating it alone -- for days and days. And, then I dump it out.
Then, I have at least two boys staring at me waiting for carbs and meat, please, or meat and carbs, please. I can't make my actual boy-child live on frozen Smart Ones Dinners, even if it pleases him so to revert to those if I can't get him to eat food with colors. PICKY isn't even the word here.
Picky?
Mr. MM was AT this group today -- he wouldn't even LOOK at the foods prepared. No, that's a fib, he held a plate and gagged at the thought of trying one of the items. He later ate plain crackers, while there were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! different items to try. He's never been one to try anything new. I've basically bribed him into each new food choice, including COFFEE, which now is his addiction along with simple carbs. He tells me now -- seven years post op -- that he used to eat nothing but cold cereal as a kid. Thanks. This would have been helpful to know like... four hundred years ago when I begged you to try... RICE... that wasn't "fried rice from Chinese Take Out, but only the brown kind drowned in duck sauce." Seriously. He ate nothing. But, got to 370 lbs. Now? Same thing, smaller body. He eats nothing out of his repetoire, unless asked to or served.
The kids tend to be like him. Carbs, meat, plain, please. With ketchup. A bowl or all of it. Please.
My girls will at least attempt foods that might be green, or red or orange or with beans or with sauces or in broth. The boys won't touch anything that ... well... touches.
"Is there GRAVY ON THIS MEATLOAF? Because if there is? I can't eat it."
I guess it could be beneficial for implementing majority rules here. Since I tend to do most of the food preparation, I could very well just MAKE what I want. I never have. The option for kids that don't "want it" -- is usually -- oatmeal or cereal. (It doesn't work. It's a fail.) But, now that two kids are old enough to really just make themselves something, it's basically whatever they can scrounge up.
But, the disgusted reactions to whole foods -- really surprises me -- from my kids and peers alike.
"Ick. That's a bean. OMG, that's a.... I can't eat that. Get it off my plate. Hmm, what about this hot-dog?"
We are SO PICKY, all of us. (Maybe not YOU, but... you!)
You would think that picky would lead to skinny, no? Why are so many obese and formerly obese people, sooooooo.... picky?
"What, a tomato/onion/sweet potato/spinach leaf? I can only eat crackers and cheese. What else do you have? Eww, that's... meat, I can only drink Gladiator Smoothies from Jamba Juice. Sorry. That's all my stomach will handle."
I notice this issue in our WLS community -- and it's HUGE! People that simply don't like food, or trying anything, or moving beyond the known.
I think we fall into different categories before and after our weight loss procedures. Some people continue to be foodies, explorers and lovers of foods, while some people become very neutral and food becomes fuel only either because they've trained themselves to think that way, or they may have had a negative experience learning to eat again, but some become highly emotionally reactive to the food.
I notice in my experience that some of the very pickiest eaters post weight loss surgery are VERY emotionally involved in the choices they make.
I think we could have a label for damn near anything that comes in a wrapper -- if it's eaten emotionally and not for hunger --
- Ritz Crackers = Stress, nervousness...
- Cheez-Its From The Box = Anxiety.
- Sweet Carbohydrates like that box of Donut Holes? = Completely overwhelming stressful day.
Who emotionally eats ... lean meat and greens? Just a thought. (Although, I do know some raw veggie crunchers who do it out of anxiety.)
<crickets>
But, when approached with new food -- it's "Oh, I can't. I need to have ___________ because everything else makes me sick/I don't like it/etc."
These reactions ... SOUND JUST LIKE A WHINY CHILD. Thanks, kids.
It seems like we make up reasons for not eating good food. I do it all the time, I physically react to a lot of foods, but at the same time, I really WANT to try new foods, so I repeat the process hoping that my reactions will change. (Hello, green salads. We have a love/hate relationship.) I am entirely guilty of avoidance. I will not touch a bazillion foods because they don't sit right, smell right, feel right or taste right. Me? "OMG, oatmeal. NO. NEVER. A banana? Are you kidding me?" But, I can, eat pizza. (That was tonight.)
I am ridiculous and I know it. But, I think a lot of us ARE.
What do you think? Are you ridiculous with your food?
(Forgive me if this post is a mess, I am not editing, I'm going to bed. I'll fix it in the AM. I just had a fleeting thought while packing up cold pizza.)
