MrsSugarbabe

thanks for the chicken salad recipe, sounds delicious. I will def be trying that! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I notice you don't say anything about drinking Water. Next time you want to reach for a snack, take a drink of water instead. If you don't like plain water, add some Crystal Light. I like the Crystal Light Pure that has Truvia (stevia). It's not overly sweet and there are good flavors available. Sometimes I will mix a scoop of GENEPRO Protein Powder in a bottle of water with the Crystal Light. It's a good way to get in 30 grams of Protein, 16+ oz of water and avoid eating something you really don't need. My nutritionist and doctor both stress drinking at least 64 oz of liquid every day (water, tea, milk, Soup, etc.).

It's almost ALL about self-control at where you and I are post-operatively! You're not meeting your protein goals, which is devastating to weight loss and feeling satiated by your food. I've not done the best job during the holidays, and I'm in a 3 week long stall right now. I know it's because I'm not keeping my carbs down and my protein up, and I'm not tracking every bite I put into my mouth. You should be losing more/more consistently than you are, maybe a re-start with Protein shakes and then advancing yourself through the different stages to reset your diet would be helpful. And you don't mention using any Protein powder...I still have to use it to get my protein grams high enough. On a normal day, I use GENEPRO unflavored in my morning coffee, so I start off with 20-30 grams of protein in a 12 ounce mug of coffee, with Monkfruit sweetener and cream. Some days I have a container of plain yogurt with a little low-carb granola mid-morning, or cottage cheese with a tablespoon of pureed fruit stirred in. lunch, I eat a cheese stick and a couple of slices of deli turkey. I have a handful of almonds or half an apple with Peanut Butter for an afternoon snack, then 3-4 ounces of my family's dinner protein and around 1/4 cup of vegetables. And I almost always have a sugar-free popsicle before dinner.
That typical day gets me about 850 cals, 95 grams protein and 50 grams of carbs, with only 21 of them being sugars. I lose when I'm eating like that...80 lbs since the end of June. You've got the tool in place, you just need to commit to using it correctly, find ways to distract yourself when you're hungry (exercise, clean house, work, garden...whatever works) and get back on track. There's literally no reason for you to NOT be successful! Go get it, you CAN do this!!

@@Tufflaw thank you!! I totally forgot about tuna fish! During the soft food stage I ate SO much of it I even put it in deviled eggs! Which I forgot about too!! Thank you. I'm also going to try that chicken salad! Do u just eat it with some veggies or eat it with a fork?? Sounds so good!
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Have you ever seen Finding Nemo? Remember the scene with "fish are friends, not food!" Well, right now, fish are your friends, AND food. tuna fish is great, it's filling, and has ZERO fat and ZERO carbs (get the stuff in Water, not oil). For dinner tonight - 0 carbs, 0 fat, 26 Protein, and only 120 calories! I added some lite mayo, 1 carb, 3.5 fat, 0 Protein, 35 calories. Also put 1 oz of shredded cheese on top just for taste, 1 carb, 9 fat, 6 protein, 110 calories. Healthy, protein-rich, low carb, low fat, low cal, and I was stuffed at the end. Very filling.
If you're craving bread, I've heard good things about a cauliflower crust pizza - just make the base and don't put any toppings on if you don't want, and you've got a bread-like snack that's much healthier.
For several days in a row I had homemade chicken salad. I put 4 chicken breasts in a crockpot with some low sodium chicken broth and a little barbecue sauce for taste. Next morning they were really soft. Ground them up in the food processor, add some some lite mayo, sweet relish and mustard, and it's great! One 4.5 oz serving (are you ready for this?) - 0.5 carbs, 3.1 fat, 39 (!) protein, and 196 calories. That's half your protein in one meal. And it's filling too.
Just plan ahead, I know it's a cliche but if you don't plan to succeed you're planning to fail.
One last suggestion, I've been eating Shelly's Ricotta Bake almost every day (it's amazing) - one serving is 6.8 carbs, 12.5 fat, 16.3 protein, and 206 calories.
You can do it, just remember why you got the surgery in the first place. Nothing worthwhile is easy, just tell yourself that you WILL do it.

@@Torriluv87 and others who could benefit from talking with a dietitian - Check with your insurance provider to see if they offer health coaching; if so, you may be able to access a dietitian that way who can help answer any questions via a phone call. I utilize the health coaching through my insurance provider which has been a great help over the years, and I've been able to talk with the same coach over a long period of time (ie 3 coaches over an 8 year period). The coaches have always been RNs, some more specialized than the others; however, if they didn't know the answer, they were always able to direct me to appropriate resources. It's worth a shot. Another option I've used before is one of the dietitians at powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury (Unjury.com). I use their Protein powder to supplement my Protein intake and whenever I have a question, I've called their 800 number. They've been a great support over the 2.5 years I've been using @Unjury.
I wish you the best!

@@nnagle323
If I eat 4 ounces of steak or a pork chop I am full for a while and I can't eat anything else even if I want to. My suggestion is to eat DENSE Protein, really dense. Like Steak.
I eat every 2 hours sometimes 3, so I can meet my Protein goals of 100-120 grams of protein a day. I don't think eat every 2 or 3 hours is out of the ordinary.
I have lots of days sometimes it goes in phases of weeks where I am really hungry. I think it has to do with hormonal and metabolic changes but I really don't know for sure. I know a lot of other sleevers go through the same thing.

Your post was very helpful to me. I started eating a few carbs as I hadn't had them for so long, but the good news is, tomorrow I can refocus myself and improve. I just love these forums for that reason...to remind me that I'm not alone in all of this.

@@nnagle323
Understand there is no way I could have known your recipe for low carb meat loaf and enter every detail correctly. It was a guestimate. My intention was not to upset you. It was to get you instructions that you did not receive. I call that support. Take what you want from the site that is helpful...Wish you the best.
moving on.

@@nnagle323

Wow! Relax and take it down a notch. I get it..You are new and this is your 3rd post on this site.
I'm not calling you out or personally attacking you. I am coming from a place of concern...You did not list your meal accurately in your original post....All I did was enter what you listed you ate for the day, It was a guestimate at best.
Bottom line, you did not get what you needed from your dietician right? You are winging it...trying to do this on your own. Negligence on their part.

My NUT was VERY serious about 3 meals a day + maybe one small snack. It sounds like you're just eating whenever -- maybe what you need to do is instead of winging it, really plan your meals. Plan when you're going to eat, and what you're going to eat. I eat at 10, 2, and 7, EVERY SINGLE DAY, and I don't actually do a snack [considering adding one in these days, though].
Planning is your best friend, honestly. Planning is EVERYTHING. Because if you plan ahead, and you plan the right things to eat [high protein] and you have a routine, you can train your body to it. If you're just winging it, you won't train yourself.

@@nnagle323
Surgery and following our plan is not easy for any of us.
"everything I try to eat is low in carbs and high in Protein or sugar-free" Not according to the day you listed above. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings...I'm saying this out of concern.
If your surgical team/dietician didn't give you instructions. Call them. It's negligent to perform surgery and not give you nutritional information/instructions you need.The goal is healthy, not malnourished.
If your surgeon's office/dieticians office do not have instructions for you...Any of us here can give you our surgeons office number to get what you need to be successful and healthy.

My suggestion (and that of my dietitian) would be to make sure that whatever brand you are buying is a whey Protein ISOLATE and NOT A CONCENTRATE. With whey Protein isolate you get a lot fewer carbs in the product. Whey protein CONCENTRATES tend to have a lot more carbs.
The Protein Powder of my choice is @@unjury which is ordered via the Unjury website. The cost works out to be about $1.25 per serving.

@@James Marusek Excellent article!! Thank you for sharing your story.

Since I'm past the stage of having periods and can't help you there, I will say that following surgery, my hot flashes were put on hold for about 9 months. These days they don't happen as often, nor are they as hot as they were before surgery.

Since I'm past the stage of having periods and can't help you there, I will say that following surgery, my hot flashes were put on hold for about 9 months. These days they don't happen as often, nor are they as hot as they were before surgery.

Maybe you should only weigh once a week. It seems that weighing everyday is not a positive for you. My home scale is always different from the doc's scale.
I usually weigh myself before going into doc's office in whatever I'm going to wear. Then when I weigh at the office I know how much difference there is between the 2. For myself I always go by my home scale because that is the one I use daily.

It's very normal. Your weight is going to fluctuate day to day and even throughout a single day. Think of this. We are supposed to be drinking 64 oz. of Water a day. That's 4 POUNDS of water. If retain any portion of that due to high sodium, hormones, bloating, whatever... that can have a pretty big impact on the scale. But it's only temporary. It's not "real" weight in the sense that it's not fat being stored on your body. If you are going to weigh every day, you are going to have to accept these fluctuations that are about water retention and not actual fat loss/gain.

I've been waiting for this conversation! I'm just over two years past surgery and I can certainly eat more. I've also gained some weight back. It's a constant struggle for me.
Protein definitely fills me up fast. Hard boiled eggs especially. Pasta is almost never a good choice for me. I try to eat as little bread as I can.
Hard liquor is off limits for me. Makes me sloppy. But I do notice an increased wine tolerance. :-(
My wife is a food product developer for a healthy snack company. While that sounds cool, there's always Snacks at home. While they're healthy, if they weren't here I wouldn't eat them.
I still have work to do.

I like how @@MrsSugarbabe included some specific examples of servings people would be familiar with, so I thought I should do the same.
Wendy's Chili: 2/3 of a small w/ cheese
McDonald's chicken Nuggets: 4-5 w/ dipping sauce
Denny's Breakfast: 1 egg over easy, one sausage link, 1/2 a piece of french toast
TGIFridays: 2/3 Jack Daniels chicken Sandwich without the bun or bacon, 4-5 small french fries
Red Robin: about 2/3 of a burger with cheese without the bun, 1-2 onion rings
I definitely don't encourage people to eat out at fast food and chain restaurants all the time. I am just wanting to give some examples of things people might be familiar with so it's easier to conceptualize how much I can eat now.
I eat very quickly. Probably not more than 15 minutes per meal. If I ate slowly, I might be able to eat more.

I'm a little more than 2 years out (last November). Total consumption at meal time will vary on the density of the food and the Protein. Typically, I can eat only 1/2 to 2/3 of a pork chop that's about 1/2-3/4 in. thick and a few bites of green Beans. Pot roast - about 3 oz. of meat and a couple bites of cooked carrots. I only eat salads with Protein added, and can only eat no more than a cup of greens with 2-3 oz. of protein. Wendy's chili - about 2/3 of a small with some shredded cheese on top. Cheeseburger w/lettuce and Tomato on a wheat bun from work cafeteria - 1/2. I can eat a whole Quest Protein Bar which fills me up for a long time. I keep them on hand for when I don't have anything else handy. I make a concoction of sausage, black Beans, tomatoes, spices, etc. to freeze and keep on hand at work - 1/2 cup is max. for me. Now that the weather has turned cold, I'm experimenting with hot oatmeal for Breakfast and so far this week a half to 3/4 cup does it for me. One boiled or fried egg fills me up. A Protein shake w/8 oz. skim milk fills me up. My morning coffee fills me up (12 oz. travel mug size). Taking my morning meds and supplements with Water over 30 mins. fills me up I always aim to eat protein first, but am trying to get some veggies in at lunch and supper. Most of my meals are consumed over a 10-30 minute period, no beverage.

I can totally relate!! Never really big in makeup. Haven't got a clue. Max is eyeliner and mascara. I stopped buying it because the stuff was past expiration date by the time I would go to use it again. Know that it is expected when I go back to work...
Loving people's advice!!
My other girl-fu fail, is clothes too. My husband helps me! He is really helpful at picking clothes that make me look good. I have no idea how to dress myself. Waiting until I hit nadir to get a new wardrobe. For now looking for inspiration on Pintrest.
Have a honest friend with good fashion sense?
Good luck at work! Let us know how things go.
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@@ShelterDog64 Hey, if I can't laugh at myself... LOL.
Thanks for the tips. I'll check out the makeup at Macy's then. I've been looking through a lot of Pinterest stuff, and I think I want to go for a Katharine Hepburn kind of style for professional stuff. I'm tall enough to carry it off, and I think it strikes the balance I want. We'll see if I can actually FIND clothes like that though.

I'm laughing so hard...I just adore you <3
First, the clothing color thing: Yes, there are colors that are ideal for each of us, but don't put ANY color entirely off limits. There is a shade of every one that can work on every person. We have very similar complexions and hair color...I'm a dark blonde with green eyes and fair, sun-sensitive skin. I have my hair highlighted with neutral/warm light blonde. I can wear ANY color, honestly, but I don't like blue so I generally only wear blue if it's denim. Wine, burgundy, gold, yellow-greens...they're my wheelhouse, but I also wear black and cream quite well. The only color that I think I don't look good in is white, and is that even a color? And I'm not a pastel fan, they look too kiddie to me most of the time. I'm a HUGE Ann Taylor fan, in part because they do a sort of color 'story' each season...you can buy almost anything in the store and it coordinates with many other pieces from that season. Fall/winter this year was wine/navy/dusty pink/cream/grey. Winter/spring seems to be navy/emerald/white/gold. Their prints are fun but not too trendy, so they can carry over for a few years. The fabrics are delightful...I hate cheap fabric and I'd rather have one *great* pair of AT pants than 10 from most anywhere else. banana Republic has nice things, too, as does J. Crew, but I think they're both grossly overpriced for the quality. Sales are my friend at all 3 of these stores

Makeup: I second WLSResource's suggestion of Bobbi Brown, at a department store. I'm a Sephora VIB so you can tell I shop there way too often, but I know makeup and I don't need much help so it works well for me. The girls at Sephora are great and enthusiastic, but if you go to the Bobbi Brown counter at a Nordstrom or Macy's, you get someone who knows their product well and will know what they have that will suit you best. It's subtle, natural makeup that works well on slightly older skin. You can get a full makeover done if you want and they're not super high-pressure about selling the product, in my experience. I wear a lot of Bobbi, although I'm a lipstick/lip gloss junkie and cheat on her with many, many other brands of lip products and I also love Dior mascara, although BB makes a good long-wear version, it's just not my fav. BB's concealer, blush and particularly eye liners are top-notch and I can't imagine not using them. I also like Marc Jacobs eyeliner pencil...smooooooooth like buutter, doesn't drag at all and doesn't need any blending or softening.
I don't do the 27 steps so many do with their daily makeup routine. I don't wear foundation at all, I've always had good skin and just don't need it. I use a great moisturizer and also follow with argan oil. I don't use any primers, I hate the way they feel on my skin. I do concealer, eye shadow, eye liner, lash primer, mascara. Then a quick sweep of blush and I'm done. Literally 10 mins, if I take my time, 5 if I'm in a hurry. I used to use powder but my skin looks younger without it. I dye my brows so I don't have that step to deal with daily.
I wish we all lived near each other, it would be so fun to go shopping and makeup trying-on together

OMG. Got home where I could actually watch the videos. Holy Hannah, how long do you ladies spend on your makeup every day? I've never seen so many layers of stuff! I use: BB cream all over, blush if I can find something that works, 3 shades of eye shadow (brow, lid, crease), 2 coats of mascara, and a swipe of a (theoretical) all day lip color. Maybe some basic eyeliner and loose powder to set the look if I'm not rushed for time. What in the name of all that's holy IS all that stuff they're using?
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