I was wondering if some of our mentors who have helped us along this journey could give us a sample of what they eat each day.

I just think I am eating way too much.

I had a Protein shake for Breakfast

I had 3 sugar free Peppermint Patties for snack

I had a small serving of tuna fish and an small cup of fat-free vanilla ice cream for lunch

I had a bag of popcorn for snack

I had Kielbasi and sauerkraut for dinner.

Do you think this is too much?

Please help.

Christine

Hi Christine -

Here's the deal... If you are not hungry, and are losing weight, then whatever you are eating is the right amount. Heavier people can eat more and lose weight than more slender people, generally speaking. Weight loss tends to be faster at the beginning of your journey than at the end for this reason - the discrepancy between the amount of calories you need to maintain your body weight and the amount of calories you are actually consuming become closer and closer to the same number as you get closer to your goal, so it is harder to create a caloric deficit.

And thanks to the mysteries of metabolism, some people can eat more than others and lose weight - you really cannot judge by what others are eating - you have to find out what works best for you.

What you list sounds like a lot less volume than what I eat.

Today I've had:

a total of about 8 tablespoons of half-and-half in 4 giant mugs of hot tea

24 oz of Water

Breakfast:

1 cup cottage cheese with 8 tablespoons of bruschetta sauce

Lunch:

4-6 oz of steak (not sure how much, really)

1.5-2 cups cottage cheese with 16 tablespoons of bruschetta sauce

24 oz water

dinner will be:

about 1 cup diced grilled chicken with Mandarin sauce

1/2 cup of fried rice

1/2 cup of chow mein noodles

64 oz water

According to www.fitday.com , that's about 1493 calories. Also according to www.fitday.com , my basal metabolism burns 1664 calories just being alive. I should be in a deficit. I am losing, but very slowly and in fits and starts with lots of ups and downs.

Today is an example of my normal eating patterns. Lots of times there are high calorie Snacks added in there, which accounts for the "fits and starts with lots of ups and downs."

It would be relatively easy to lose faster than I am by substituting a solid Protein for the cottage cheese, cutting out the fried rice and noodles, adding in some real vegetables (gasp!) and doing moderate exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day.

However, at this point in my journey, apparently this is where my head is. The closer I get to goal, the slower I will lose weight making as few concessions as I do. It will become harder and harder for me to lose weight just coasting along - I will either need to eat less, exercise more, or both.

So back to your question - are you losing weight? If so, then you are NOT eating too much.

Hi Christine,

I don't track everything I eat, because I've learned that I don't do well with such a routine. But to answer your question here's what I've eaten today:

Protein shake mix in 24oz of 2% milk

coffee with milk

Lunch: The tuna salad from inside a tuna-salad wrap sandwich, plus about an ounce of cheddar cheese

Dinner: Two small roast chicken thighs, a couple of bites of potato, about 3 oz Pasta (my daughter's leftovers, very unusual for me to eat). Dessert was probably a dozen strawberries, most of which had been dipped in semi-sweet chocolate. (My husband felt creative for dessert tonight. :cool: )

This is a pretty typical menu for me, and I'm sure it's on the generous side compared to most bandsters. But it's right for me for now.

You say you think you're eating way too much. Compared to what, I ask you?

I guess I'll add what I have had today...

First I drank 8oz of H20 with a splash of juice for taste to get me ready for food:}

Breakfast

1cup special K with 2%milk

more Water about 12oz plus another refill and more ice 3 times

Went for a walk and did a half mile with one dog

lunch

A salad with mushrooms and broken up pieces of chicken left over from last nights dinner. about 3oz of meat with ranch dressing

2 pieces of broc with cheese melted on top

snack A bowl of special K with 2%milk

More water with that splash of juice

Dinner-

1 spoon of broc and cheese, 3T of mash pot, some meat with brown gravy?? Got from the deli store that was not real good. So I had the topping off 1 slices of sausage pizza and 2 T of cottage cheese.

Went for another walk-walked another half mile this time with both dogs and kids..

I'm pretty full but kept it all down..YEA!! So later if I feel the snack need I'll make popcorn and share with my kids and 2 dogs:}

I'd love some chocolate or Peanut Butter cups but my blood sugar is still screwed up today! BOO HOO!!

yesterday i had:

coffee w 2 cream and 1 sugar

yogurt

v-8

chicken breast grilled

small salad ranch dressing

coffee again and then an apple(no peel it gets stuck)

pan fried sole(floured)4oz

brocoli 4-5 florets

corn about 1/3 cup

1 cup of 2% milk

today i had:

1 med sized pancake w syrop

2 strawberries

coffee cream and sugar

greek salad,tomato,black olives and light feta

(i had a frozen Pasta entree but not hungry)

coffee

chicken breast4 oz and baked potato for supper later

I am just starting solids this week and I haven't had any problems excpt it I eat too fast I feel a knot in my chest. I am not really very full today and I ate.

For Breakfast half a can of sliimfast

Yogart for a snack

A 3/4 of a can of veg. Soup

2 tamales at 4:30

For dinner a small piece of grilled chicken and a small amount ot pot. salad.

and then a few peanuts. anyway I don't fill as full as I have been. Any suggestions? Ginny

Hi Ginny -

Now that the swelling around your band is going down due to healing, you will most likely feel less and less full until you get your first fill.

Many people with an empty band can eat almost as they did before, so don't panic!! Adjusting the band is at the heart of this treatment.

thanks that is refreshing I was starting to get concerned. Ginny