Keeping my calories down

[Morgandobes 0]

Hi all

I am having trouble staying at around(mostly under)

I am a month and a few days out and am mostly back to normal

food. I have been trying to concentrate on Protein, but have had

trouble staying under 800 calories.

I start off with a coffee with some Creamer and sweet and low, around 90

calories, then maybe have two scrambled eggs(200 calories)

For lunch I do maybe a taco(around 220), or a couple three hot dogs plain(390).

If I do maybe a pudding mid afternoon, I am up to around 700 calories before I eat dinner.

I like chicken well enough, hate fish.

So, trying to find some low calorie/low carb Protein alternatives.

Suggestions?

Thanks,

Lisa

[clk 3,519]

It sounds like it would be pretty easy to shave calories off.

First, try switching up the 2 eggs for eggbeaters or 1 egg and 1/2 portion eggbeaters. Are you eating the light versions of hot dogs? Make them at home instead of eating out, if you're not already. Ballpark makes a Fat Free Smoked White Turkey dog that has these stats:

Serving Size: 1 dog (50g)

Calories: 40

Fat: 0g

Carbs: 5g

Protein: 6g

Fiber: 0g

In my opinion, 15 carbs for three dogs would be overkill, but your nutritional guidelines might be different. Still, it's probably a better option than what you're eating. Eat them with no Buns, of course.

If you buy your taco, start making them at home. Use ground turkey, greek yogurt (1-2 Tbs.) instead of sour cream, lighter calorie cheese, etc.

Try mixing up your lunch with some lowfat cream cheese and deli meat rollups, or by eating more of that chicken (even rotisserie chicken would work) and by keeping a closer eye on your portion sizes.

Make the pudding a sugar free Jello, or a portion of cottage cheese with some fruit preserves.

I'm not trying to offend you, but it sounds like you're making easy choices that are similar to what you would have eaten preop. You had the surgery to make changes in your life. While it isn't always easy, you can't slack when it comes to food choices.

I wish you the best of luck. I hope some other folks will chime in with advice. I have plenty of ideas for what you COULD eat, but I was trying to base my suggestions on what you're currently eating.

~Cheri

Edited July 29, 2010 by clk
clarification

[Morgandobes 0]

Well, part of it is ease, I mean we all lead busy lives, so if I can just find something that is easy to make/grab that makes it that much better.

I mean I am going thru the motions of counting my calories, but with having a full time job, a family, a part time business, grabbing something premade, etc works out well for me.

But I get what you are saying. The rollups sound good, I hadent thought of that, I will give those a try. The turkey suggestion is good, but I have heard that some of the ground turkeys have as much fat/calories as burger. I could probably make my own taco meat at home with a leaner cut anyway.

Thanks for the suggestions and the time to put that down on 'paper'

Lisa

[Tiffykins 672]

It's tough when we lead hectic lives. I completely understand, but I've tried to go through even some of the fast food options that fit the bill a little better for me.

If you need to grab quick and easy, try hitting the Taco Bell "healthier" options such as the chicken soft taco with no sour cream or ranch sauce. Some Taco Bells offer a grilled chicken taco with a corn tortilla opposed to the flour which will cut calories, and up the Protein. Even if you get the flour tortilla the chicken option is better than their beef as they use the lowest quality, highest fat ground beef of all the mexican drive thru.

Try to cut Condiments such as ranch, and mayo, choose mustard, or salsa.

I went through some of the most popular fast food/drive-thru menus published online to give me an idea of what is the "better" options available. Most of these establishments have the nutrition facts right on the web so it's a bit easier to sift through what will work better for us.

I purchase Butterball ground turkey that is 93% lean, but when I really look at the calorie, Protein and cholesterol counts of both turkey and lean beef, they are pretty much identical. And, let's be honest, ground turkey tastes like cardboard. I know it's supposed to be the better alternative, but when I cook with it, I only use it in casseroles, and things that pretty much disguise the cardboardy taste. My husband and son are the furthest thing from picky, but even they aren't huge fans of ground turkey. I prefer venison and bison, but venison is hard to come by in Florida unless we go hunting, and that's nearly impossible here, and ground bison is outlandishly expensive. I only buy ground turkey when I have a coupon for it. For the hot dogs, the turkey franks are a better alternative with less fat, and calories.

For me, I forget to eat still, and honestly I run myself too thin sometimes, and have to grab something easy.

This is the salad I grab at Panera bread, I can only eat part of it. If I eat most of the chicken, I can only eat 1/3 of the lettuce, I can eat more of the lettuce if I skimp on the chicken, it just depends on my mood.

In my losing stage, this is exactly how I ordered it.

No dressing, didn't eat the corn, and here's the nutritional comparison.

Losing stage take off the dressing and the corn, and see just how many calories, fat and carbs are cut.

Panera Bread - Nutrition Calculator

I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the chicken cuba hot panini, I cut the mayo, and only eat 1/2 of focaccia bread. That cuts over 1/3 the calories, and A LOT of the fat. I can only eat 1/2 of this sandwich, and I pretty much peel off half of the ham off my half I eat for lunch. I don't think they allow substitutions on the hot paninis for bread choices, but their other sandwiches can be subbed for a better bread choice.

Here's the nutrition facts for that sandwich.

Panera Bread - Nutrition Calculator

I love the nutrition calculator that Panera provides because I can pull stuff off of and see exactly what I'm getting. You can add substitutions, and play with it to make it "better" for us.

I'm just trying to give you some ideas on what I do when in a pinch. Of course, being prepared and making stuff at home is the best choice because you control exactly what goes in. But, for real life situations, and hectic schedules, just making some tweaks in menu choices can really help cut the stats on convenience foods.

If you're still losing, being active, working out, your calories are probably okay. Just try to watch your fat and carbs, and feed your body "right" and it will reward you.

[Morgandobes 0]

Thanks for the response Tiff

We have a couple of the Panera breads here in the springs, but I was under the mistaken impression that they only sell bread, I will have to check one out. I guess part of the mistake I have made is I need to see if I can eat some veggies. I guess I could snack on cucumbers and lettuce to help fill me up. I have heard differing opinions on the board about eating veggies.

A bit of salad would probably do the trick on the nights I am short on calories.

Thank you!

Did you find that information on stretching of the stomach with overeating after surgery? I am like 5 or 6 weeks out and am hoping I am not overdoing it so often that I am stretching anything! Sigh..something more to worry about.

Worry wart I guess.

Thanks,

Lisa

[texaschick 0]

You may want to wait a little longer on the lettuce. My doc said no raw veggies until 3 months. Reason: Until the body builds scar tissue over the staples you don't want anything going in that can get "caught" on one of the staples! Made sense to me. :thumbup:

[CraftyChristie 62]

Same here Lisa, I too was told to avoid lettuce til 3 months. I am really into convenience foods also. Hot dogs are fine now and again but 390 cals for one meal is pretty high if you are doing it almost daily. A lot of times I just have a lite string cheese and a slice of deli turkey. Another easy one for me is a wheat thins flatbread cracker, spread some cream cheese, and put a slice of cheese and a slice of turkey on it. Hormel white chicken chili is delicious. Tyson chicken nuggets, I can eat 3 of them. tuna or chicken salad put onto a flatbread cracker. I make up tuna salad every week and I eat that pretty much once a day every day, I love it and it's very high Protein. Shrimp cocktail, talk about fast. 6 cold shrimp and some cocktail sauce. I will tell you that so far I've done very little cooking and everything has been fast and easy. Check out my blog and click the category "things I've been eating" and you'll see some ideas.

Health and Happiness

Also, if you use sugar free pudding for your snack it has very few calories, and if you add a little Protein Powder to it, then you can get some extra protein too.

Hope this helps!!

[CraftyChristie 62]

Oh also, Starbucks has these snack plates that are really awesome. They are all adequate choices for us and I get 2-3 meals out of one. I wrote about those on my blog too.

[Tiffykins 672]

Thanks for the response Tiff

We have a couple of the Panera breads here in the springs, but I was under the mistaken impression that they only sell bread, I will have to check one out. I guess part of the mistake I have made is I need to see if I can eat some veggies. I guess I could snack on cucumbers and lettuce to help fill me up. I have heard differing opinions on the board about eating veggies.

A bit of salad would probably do the trick on the nights I am short on calories.

Thank you!

Did you find that information on stretching of the stomach with overeating after surgery? I am like 5 or 6 weeks out and am hoping I am not overdoing it so often that I am stretching anything! Sigh..something more to worry about.

Worry wart I guess.

Thanks,

Lisa

Lisa, I think you're doing really great. I avoided raw veggies and fruits until 3 months only because they are high cellulose foods, and more difficult for the newly healing sleeve to move out.

I am stumped on those research articles about stretching. Our laptop crashed a couple of months ago, and I lost so much of my stuff. I'm sorry I can't find them. I've been digging through my old posts, springerlink, pubmed, and all the other sites that were my go to sources, and I'm at a loss as to where those articles are at. . .

Laughing cow cheese was a go to food for me as well.

[Morgandobes 0]

Ok, Tiff,thanks for Looking! I have tried to look around, but get way too many hits on 'sleeve gastrectomy' + Stretching. I will keep looking :-)

Thanks Christie, I need to go look at your blog again and get some ideas.

I bought a foreman grill last night, sort of the middle of the road models and did

some breasts on it last night. I made them with some of the packaged gravy, which

isnt bad calorie wise, 100 cals for a cup, and it makes it slide down a bit easier.

With some peas and some instant mashed. The family appreicated our first real

meal again since my surgery.

I was thinking of doing up some more breasts today and chopping them up for chix

salad. I need to figure out how to keep the calories low in it tho.

Anyway, hope everyone has an awesome day!

Lisa

[Tiffykins 672]

Ok, Tiff,thanks for Looking! I have tried to look around, but get way too many hits on 'sleeve gastrectomy' + Stretching. I will keep looking :-)

Thanks Christie, I need to go look at your blog again and get some ideas.

I bought a foreman grill last night, sort of the middle of the road models and did

some breasts on it last night. I made them with some of the packaged gravy, which

isnt bad calorie wise, 100 cals for a cup, and it makes it slide down a bit easier.

With some peas and some instant mashed. The family appreicated our first real

meal again since my surgery.

I was thinking of doing up some more breasts today and chopping them up for chix

salad. I need to figure out how to keep the calories low in it tho.

Anyway, hope everyone has an awesome day!

Lisa

For the chicken salad, Miracle whip light or non-fat plain Greek yogurt should help in the calorie/fat department.

[Donna4545 13]

When I need protein/calories and I'm busy, I'll just have an RTD Protein drink or shake. It keeps the calories from creeping up. Plus, fast food is really expensive (it starts to add up) and made from the lowest quality ingredients they can get away with.

90% or more lean ground beef is just as healthy as ground turkey. I found a great chart for comparison of protein/carbs/fat:

How Much Protein Content is in chicken, Steak, Seafood, eggs?

Hot dogs are a bad idea unless you can find them without nitrites, and additive which is bad for you. I'm a big fan of quick and easy--I'm starting to post soft food recipes on my blog (link below ticker) and the leftovers can be taken to work/frozen/modified to feed the family.

What do you put in your coffee? Is it real cream? (200 cal tbsp); half and half (100 cal per tbsp). Take a look at the calories on your Creamer, it could be "hidden calories".

I have a "no fast food" rule. If I ever have to go to fast food, I would try to get something like grilled chicken.< /p>

I know we're busy, but we can't eat like we did pre-op, we have to find ways to adjust. It's a pain in the ass, and it takes effort but we have to find a way. I think the suggestions here are a good example of that.

On the stretchy stomach, in my researching it, what I remember is that at the 2 year point, after the stomach is thoroughly healed, and even though it is the least stretchy part of the stomach, you can still stretch it if you push it. You can also stretch it early out, which is really bad because it puts pressure on the staple line. Just do a google on "vertical sleeve gastrectomy stomach stretch" and you should find some medical articles.

[thinoneday 445]

I totally agree with Tiffy, the salad isn't a good idea, i tried that ONCE and the pain was incredible (I'm 7 months out!!) so now i know my 2 DON'T ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME foods, steak and salad are out for me. . . yup even if i chew the heck out of it. . Donna's suggestion of grilled chicken is good, but have it cooked really well and soft then chew like mad too! If I've learned anything at all during this past 7 months is that you really have to chew your food and eat slowly. . .several times bad habits overpower me and the chew once and swallow come into play. . . man do i start to slime and have bloaty feelings very very quickly. . . so good luck and keep up the great work!