Susanne

I was told I can (or better SHOULD) use the treadmill right away, starting with 15 minutes. First I thought I could do more since I am home all day but I realized quickly that with the few calories I managed to get in, I was feeling too weak to do longer and faster walks

Actually, I think it is even more. It is 8 servings of the evaporated milk which is 200 calories. The values probably change by brand (but I used the same as Tiff) because I only get 27 g of Protein. If I calculate it on myfitnesspal.com is: 1 envelope of SF Carnation Instant Breakfast (Chocolate): 60 calories 1 Cup FF Evaporated Milk (that's 8 servings): 25*8= 200 calories 1/4 cup FF powdered milk: 60 calories Total: Calories: 320 Carbs: 45 Fat: 1 Sugar: 40 <-- bad carbs Protein: 27 I already said this in a different thread, this is a high calorie, high carb item - and considering this, the protein count is actually quite low. I am sure it tastes awesome, but it's barely better than 2 cups of fat free chocolate milk. As someone in the other topic stated, each surgeon has their own nutritional guidelines, but I just don't think that this is something that should come as highly recommended because of it's nutritional profile...just sayin'

Image quality is a little uneven, I apologize... A thick slice of deli chicken and an easy over egg: 180 calories, 32 g of Protein -- MY CURRENT FAVORITE!!!! Mini whole wheat bagel with turkey sausage: 220 calories, 14 g of protein (nice breakfast sandwich on the go) Whole grain toast, 1 egg and 2 turkey sausages: 240 calories, 15 g of protein (didn't make it through the whole thing) Slice of baguette, 1/2 egg mixed with Eggbeater, 2 turkey sausages: 170 calories, 14 g of protein Other options are a mini bagel with 2 oz. of smoked salmon which should be around 180 calories and 10 g of protein - add a little cream cheese to extra goodie!

Same here. My husband just said - and he did it in a very very sweet and endearing way - that life in the last few months has been all around me and my surgery and that he would like it a little bit about him again. It made me feel all "Awww, poor baby" inside and he is right. This is a big deal for us, a HUGE deal, but I have to remind myself that other people have their needs too so I am making it a point to not just run all over my husband with reports on what I ate, how many calories it had, how much Protein, how I feel and what the scale said...at least not without asking him how his day was, how he feels and what is weighing on his shoulders. And the other crap I'll just unload here and in my blog :-)

Because hunger is not the only thing that makes you eat. People eat because they are bored, lonely, depressed, upset, stressed - and ghrelin has nothing to do with those feelings. That stuff is all in your head. I believe this is partially why we get the psych evaluation... I am 10 weeks out and I do feel the restriction and it is a major tool. But in all honesty, I for example love nuts - and seriously, there is little to no restriction on nuts and I can easily eat ounce after ounce (with 1 oz. having almost 200 calories). So, if I don't control this, I can easily eat an additional 600 calories - 3 ounces of nuts are not a lot. You can also drink an almost unlimited amount, so milk shakes, juices, soda and certainly alcohol go into you like you are not sleeved.

I am planning on a blog post for this. Short version, I was in the same boat using TheDailyPlate for several years. My biggest gripe was that they never got the Android app to work. I have a huge backlog of foods, meals etc. but I knew it was time for a change. Bumblestich, no Android app from Livestrong... I posted on here and asked for tips and most people recommended www.myfitnesspal.com and I like it. I switched and actually made the effort of entering old data to the first of the year so I have a complete new start with all data for 2011. I am sorry that I am losing my weight, food and exercise data of the past, but if you are unhappy you need to switch - and the earlier the better. MFP is free, allows custom calorie goals (mine is 900 right now), it also allows you to set percentages for carbs, Protein and fat (and other nutrients too) and the Android app is cool. I mean, it is COOL! Or KEWL! Why you ask? Because you can actually scan your food with the camera of your phone. Scan the barcode and voila - there is your food. No searching, no picking the right one - barcode does it all. And yes, I am that much of a geek that it gets me seriously giddy to just think about it, LOL

I am in! Group hug?

Livestrong/Daily Plate does not have an Android app. I have been using DailyPlate since 3 years but just now jumped ship because they can't get their act together with the Android app. Not everyone has or wants an iPhone. I also agree with LilMiss - there is so much bad info in the database that is simply incorrect, misspelled or tons of duplicates. I am using myfitnesspal.com which also tracks food, exercise, Water, measurements - AND it allows you to said nutritional goals so you can set the percentage of Protein, fat and carbs you like, how much and how long you want to exercise per week etc. Definitely a great free choice - IMHO much preferred to TDP which I had been using religiously for years. The only thing I am sad about is that I am losing my past data. I wish import it.... And LOL @ LilMiss - is your signature getting longer every day? It's now longer than the average post

I had Dannon light for a long time until I realized how many carbs it has. I am not "carb phobic" at all, and I even eat white baguette and white rice if I want to - but I don't think that the high carb count in a plain yogurt is "normal". If I recall correctly, it has 16g of carbs? That's twice as much as Fage 2% which has 8g, and to me that was an indicator that they must add something to make it taste sweeter and cut down on the tartness that is inherent to yogurt. After all, yogurt is basically SOUR milk. Does anyone know why that is?

I think the problem with this calculation is that it just works as long as you are normal to slightly overweight. From what I understand,pound for pound muscle and lean tissue are what uses up calories. In our bodies the ratio is majorly shifted to fat fat fat. They should make a separate BMR calculation for the obese Look at the factors it uses, weight, height and age. Our physique is (at least right now for me) way too out of whack to be used for this. This is applicable if you are closer to goal weight but not yet for most of us. Like I said above, I know if I eat 1500 calories a day, I'll plump up like a balloon and this actually says I can take in 1700 to maintain...LOL

Sheila, I am so jealous! I just shelled out $1.79 for a container of Fage! You did get the 2% or the 0%? Cause I believe it is the higher fat content that makes it mild and oh so delicious and creamy.

I think it is very difficult to tell because depending on brand and preparation, what you list can be anywhere from 400 to 1000 or more calories. Can you do the math from your labels? That should be the best way to tell

I liked to mix hummus with Greek yogurt, maybe add a little hot sauce. I was mostly missing hearty or spicy flavors...

I don't think the skin of the Biggest Loser contestants is fine at all. If you look real close, you'll notice that the contestants at one point don't take their shirts off for weigh-in. I am watching the last season (US) and it happened in episode 9 (which is probably week 9 too). I think that is the point where the man boobs and the belly flap would be too icky to show to the viewer :-) I have noticed that in every season and I haven't found another explanation for the sudden appearance of the shirt on the scale.

Spirited discussion about this going on right now in this thread: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/12289-how-is-1200-calories-enough/ Lots of great information (and I am too lazy to rewrite)

coops, I believe so - even though there is a spirited discussion about it here http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/12289-how-is-1200-calories-enough/

Can someone write a "Stall in week 3" thread and make it sticky? Seems like everyone (and that includes me) has this question and one collective thread may be a good idea

That is a great article and it explains why going below BMR during weightloss works for the obese. But it also says that "normal" people do burn lean mass when eating too little calories, and I thought that was what the OP was asking - how come most guidelines recommend 1200 calories after reaching goal? According to the article, if you eat 1200 calories at goal, you are losing lean mass which to me means we should eat more (like you do)

Wow, I am hearing the wildest things here - severe calorie restriction is GOOD for you, starvation mode is a myth? Anyone to back up their claims with any links or supporting evidence? Yeah, the BMR can adjust, but that should by no means be desirable or even acceptable long term. I still believe that for many people here, 1200 or a little above is at least initially really the BMR. I believe this is mainly since most of us have yoyo'ed for the last decades and forced our BMR to such low values. (http://books.google.com/books?id=RwMBD5TSMawC&lpg=PA335&ots=aWT6ibnxJd&dq=yoyo%20bmr%20reduced&pg=PA335#v=onepage&q&f=false). In addition, most of us are fairly sedentary which certainly doesn't help. I have an office job and I am probably at the very low range of "natural calorie burning" and do like to supplement this with exercise (well, not like, try to/have to). Like I said, I don't believe I am much higher than 1200 right now having gone through starvation, grapefruit, and cabbage diets, lemon cleanses and other idiotic things that got me to the point where I needed surgery to help me lose weight. I do hope to get up to a better BMR over time. I believe the 1200 you have read about may only be a guideline too. As you can see with Tiffikins, who is a fairly petite woman (from what I understand) and she takes in 1200 to 2000 a day and that is what I am hoping for myself.

I am with you - it goes against everything that I have ever learned about nutrition - just because I am/was fat doesn't mean I didn't know how the body works. I am 10 weeks out, and I am at 900 calories. I think one of the big differences is that you first and foremost eat Protein protein protein and did I mention? PROTEIN. I too feel good on my 900 calories and I am surprised by that. I exercise every evening for about 40 minutes (and this is restricted by time I can spend and not energy). If you plan on hiking and burning an excessive amount of calories, then you should certainly add calories in. In my mind - and I believe that this is the case for me - is that my BMR is just lower. I have been tracking calories on and off for a few years now and I can tell you for a fact, if I eat 2000 calories a day, I'll blow up like a balloon. 1500 is borderline maintenance for me. I sometimes feel that they are consistently telling us a little lower calorie goals with the though that "the fatty/ex-fatty is going to cheat" and even if that is not it, I believe even with thorough tracking, there are always some calories that go over. It's just me maybe, but I may not track the Ritz cracker (singular) that I stole from my husband, I don't track the splash of milk I use in my coffee, I don't track the stick of gum or the gummy bear I thoughtlessly stuffed into my mouth so if I am striving for 1200 I am probably getting 1300? Again, I am with you and wondering myself - I actually posted something to that regard myself in my post surgery phase where I was around 400 calories: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/10573-post-op-diet-not-enough-calories/

Chilo, isn't that awesome? I mean, being able to lose as well (or BETTER) with carbs than without is awesome! The test may not have had the weight loss push you may have been wishing for, but hey - still something good came out of it, knowledge :-)

LOL, same here - I got in even earlier and was sleeved on 11/2 - the day after BCBS of MI approved it. I was scared during surgery thinking "What if it was a mistake and they don't cover it??" But they did....