feedyoureye

I think this is a great idea! I just took up birdwatching... everyone is making fun of me (not in a mean way...) but even though I do lots of other things, I just needed something to get me out of the house and NOT think of food...(I don't eat birds... )I got a new camera and I am photographing them too... It really occupies my time and makes me feel excited. I have been working on making my yard attractive to birds, and working in the yard has been a great activity too.

I am a vegetarian, I eat protein with every meal, I eat around 4 meals and a snack or two most days. Right now Im at around 1300 a day, but will eat some exercise calories back as well...This is NOT the TDEE plan...I am not eating enough for that right now. I did really well eating 1800 a day, and actually was NOT hungry during that time,I ate what I eat now, just added a meal. I also worked to get in more protein, protein drinks, greek yogurt, seitan, TVP... around 90 gms of protein a day. I use MFP and according to that, I eat too much protein, not enough carbs and too much fiber. According to TDEE, I should have been eating around 150gms of protein. No Way could I do that. So I cant really say I was following the TDEE plan all the way... I did start lifting weights twice a week, eating more protein, getting more calories... I did not do a full reset... I did go up almost 500 cals a day and stayed there for weeks...then made a cut to lose 1 pound a week (which I did not do) then another cut to lose 1 1/2 pounds a week, which showed up on the scale a little bit and thats where I am now. I think I will try to go to full reset this summer, but I am so afraid I will gain the 8-10 pounds they say might happen, and I wont be able to get them off. This 18 pounds I gained (actually 20...but 2 are back off) has been a huge bit*h to get off, its been 4 months and I have lost 2 pounds. I look and feel pretty good, don't hate how I look, just don't want to slip up and gain another 20...that would be really sad.

Have you looked up "Three week stall"? Many people have a stretch of time where they do not lose weight. It does not mean they are doing anything wrong. The body needs time to catch up, and the three week stall is part of that. Are you writing down everything you eat? Do that, even if you are not eating on plan. This at least keeps you accountable for what is going down the hatch. You may not be eating too many calories... but pleas be careful about eating rough foods, foods that swell up, foods that over extend the tiny tummy. You don't want to bust a stitch. I have trouble with water too.. I tell myself whats up with that! How hard is it to get in enough water...still I struggle. Congratulations on your weight loss, I think you are doing great. 22 pounds in a month? When is the last time you did that!? Its takes time to lose the weight. The part of this sleeve process that is the hardest is the maintenance part after a year or three... keep working on getting strategies in place that you can take with you into the future. Exercise that you LIKE. Snack strategies, keep a log of what you eat even if you are off plan....Maintain consciousness. drink your water. I'm there with you on that one...

After maintaining and gaining on 1200 a day, I upped my cals to around 1800 and did NOT gain. I felt so much better. My TDEE is around 2000-2400 a day depending on how much exercise I do. At this point I made a cut, and am maintaining and even losing a little... but I had to cut more than my BMR to get this to happen( the loss part) I probably need to do a reset and eat at 2200 for a while to get back on track.

Did she do any volunteer work? or have any special causes she supported? Perhaps you could pick up her good work in some way, instead of using food to drown your sorrow... that would have made her very happy. I know how hard it is to put down the fork when it is temporarily numbing the pain... perhaps planning lots of not too dangerous treats for your days for a while... stack them up in the fridge for easy access... and write down everything you eat, even if you really would rather not. It does help and when you can pull in the reigns, you will.

coops, clad your body is healing well! You will be tiptop in no time. I have two groups of company from New Zealand showing up in the next day or two... overlapping at times, and adding up to about two weeks. I am taking some time off to visit.. but fear the worst, as last time this happened I gained a chunk of weight. I went shopping and got some low cal and healthy go-tos, veggies, low fat dips, diet soda (Not my regular thing at all, but trying to have something here thats not booze for me) Will make a big pitcher of ice tea...trying to fit in a little bit more exercise too.... fingers crossed!... oh and they will be staying HERE.... I have a one bedroom house! Fun and challenging too.

I put them in my yogurt, or oatmeal, and also bake with them.

Don't be a stranger!

I didn't realize that NY had such good protein! 8 gms per 2T 45 cals. And good for you!

I use it in my meat replacement recipes. It is high sodium, but great to get the extra aminos!

I love Shellys recipes! Thanks for posting.

So many recipes out there! One I have been using lately is not cooked... I use a soft tofu, marinate in miso and lemon juice for about 3-4 or more days, and then gently rinse. It is a sort of soft cheese substitute... mashed on crackers or to dip, or sliced into salad.... tart and sharp. I serve it with a splash of olive oil and black pepper. great with olives, sliced tomatoes...basel....

Sometimes I chop the nuts, sometimes not, depending on how chunky I want it. I make it one serving at a time so its not just sitting around the house tempting me. 1/4 cup oats...then whatever you want makes a pretty big serving. Sometimes I will even divide this into two... I will have to try the Protein powder! You add it at the end? I think I will make it for Breakfast this morning...(suggestible much? )

My iron was fine, D3 and B12 low, so I supplement those...I asked why my iron was ok,and the nutritionist said I eat such high quality greens and veg, and I use an iron frying pan!

Thanks!

My approach is moderation and substitution... with the occasional delay of gratification thrown in for good measure, wrapped up in accountability and consciousness. Its very much like meditation at its best. If I deny too much, or go with all the impulses without any consciousness... I head back up the trail to where I came from. FAT. I am trying to build competing impulses, like communing with nature, getting to know my body better, growing more of my own food and learning new enjoyable skills. I don't want my attention to feeding details to become obsessive, but honed and studded with healthy pleasure. I eat whatever I want... but not all the time or in unlimited amounts. That seems to be working to maintain and even lose a tiny bit over a long time. So Far. Things can change. Thats natural.

Let the regain stories inform you, not scare you. Many of the people who have had regain are working on it, and learning from it... they and medical science will help to find answers.

Heres a start... you can search here for more veg threads too...I did the last 2 years vegetarian. Totally possible. The first 3 months I was lactos intolerant, but that went away. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/69925-vegetarians-unite/

When I had my first meeting with my surgeon, he asked me "would you be happy weighing 50 pounds less" I said of course, but hoped to lose 90 (modest, just the top of my normal bmi).... they also said the sleeve has some regain in their experience...but it is possible for some to keep most of the wight off. They never promised I would lose all the weight and keep it off forever. I am still exploring the ways I can stay successful with all of this...giving up (which for me means not logging or weighing) is just not an option. That is when I gain weight quickly.

Here is one small study http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/matrix/bt_supp0511/index.php?startid=3#/12 6 years out 53%EWL maintained at 6 years out and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20622654 over 50% at 6 years + reflux return

Color. I used to be all about the black. I still like black, but now I WILL be caught dead leaving the house wearing pink, red, yellow or any mix of prints and stripes. The crazier the better! Color has to do with how I want to be seen. I still wear black when Im feeling like I don't want to be so visible...or I fear not being taken seriously. I also walk a lot more. I took up bird watching which takes me to the river, I started to "monitor" the outer edges of the school I work at...I walk the perimeter every day at least once....isn't it a sign of addiction if you sneak your object of addiction?...if anyone asks, I'm just looking out for vagrant students!

I make mine in a fry pan. all dry ingredients first, till light golden, add liquid sweetner while hot, stir until liquid steams off and oats are browned.

I will have to try it with sf maple... I made some this morning with 1/4 old fashioned oats, a T of coconut, 1t butter (optional!) browned a bit then ad 1 1/2 t of agave syrup, stir until moisture evaperates, then turn out on cool plate to set up a bit, or dump directly onto yogurt...(I even make a version with walnuts and chili flakes to use on salad) I will try your recipe next time!

You could probably even substitute regular milk for the cream and it would still be good... sounds good!

Read this study, it explains allot about post loss hunger! http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1105816