Post Op: What Do You Track (If Anything) When You Eat?

[Strangefruit 179]

My doc says I should eat 70 grams of Protein and less than 30 grams of carbs each day. But not to worry about calories.

Do you count protein grams? Carbohydrates? Calories? None of the above? Today marks my sixth week post op... I weigh myself on Mondays and today I am UP 2lbs. I am trying not to get discouraged... but it seems as though everyone does it differently... I know that last week I ate more than 30 grams of carbs a couple of days, but my caloric intake total was still around 650 calories... would this account for the weight gain?

[smithpy 117]

I was wondering the same thing. I don't generally track my food, but once I did do it for two days straight so I could see if I was getting in the nutrients I needed. My calories were about the same as yours, plus I had exercise. I know that I did go through a stall at week 3 and I'm in another one at week 6. The first stall went away when I moved to soft foods.

I did notice that I was able to break the stall when I got more Protein (at least 60 grams) and enough liquids. We are supposed to have 64 oz. I haven't gotten that much yet, but I am trying to get close to 48 oz.

I just finished reading an article about the importance of staying away from simple carbs. Are you getting enough carbs and Protein? Be sure you eat the protein first and stick with veggies and complex carbs.

[CoCo41 54]

My doc says I should eat 70 grams of Protein and less than 30 grams of carbs each day. But not to worry about calories.

Do you count Protein grams? Carbohydrates? Calories? None of the above? Today marks my sixth week post op... I weigh myself on Mondays and today I am UP 2lbs. I am trying not to get discouraged... but it seems as though everyone does it differently... I know that last week I ate more than 30 grams of carbs a couple of days, but my caloric intake total was still around 650 calories... would this account for the weight gain?

I track my protein, carbs, sugar and calories. Try to take in as much protein and veggies as you can. The less carbs the better, go a couple of days and keep your carbs under 30g you will see the difference

[CoCo41 54]

I was wondering the same thing. I don't generally track my food, but once I did do it for two days straight so I could see if I was getting in the nutrients I needed. My calories were about the same as yours, plus I had exercise. I know that I did go through a stall at week 3 and I'm in another one at week 6. The first stall went away when I moved to soft foods.

I did notice that I was able to break the stall when I got more Protein (at least 60 grams) and enough liquids. We are supposed to have 64 oz. I haven't gotten that much yet, but I am trying to get close to 48 oz.

I just finished reading an article about the importance of staying away from simple carbs. Are you getting enough carbs and Protein? Be sure you eat the protein first and stick with veggies and complex carbs.

I joined myfitnesspal.com so that I can track carbs, protien, everything. I agree it's the simple carbs that do you in.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

Early on, I logged everything on MFP. My main focus was quantities, Protein, water/fluids and to a lesser extent calories and carbs but i had been given guidelines.

Working with my NUT, at some point she had me move away from the eating by the numbers and I don't track now, but do "count" Protein.

As part of my push to get to goal, I am going back to counting protein and carbs starting today...woo hoo!

I valued highly my early experience of tracking EVERYTHING - and that included the weighing and measuring. This helped alot with the whole "have I had enough? too much"" doubts in those early months. I was trained to and still eat this way - small portions. Eat from a side dish using appetizer utinsils. I think it is one of the most important keys to success in this journey. When you read about people saying how they "can" eat alot after a year out or whatever from surgery... well, that is probably true of most of us. If you never get in the habit of doing it, you don't know if you "can" or not, you just DON'T since you aren't really hungry anyway. This is the mental/head part of this whole deal. It seems so clear in the early months - well of course I can't eat much - but over time that changes and the habits you establish now will determine whether you are crying or leaping with joy at your 9, 12 month and beyond milestones.

I am excited for you!!!!

[Tenshi 34]

I track everything at 10+ months out. When I got away from doing that, I stalled - BIG TIME.

My dietitian has me on 1200 calories, minimum 60 g Protein, limited carbs, but not a specific number.

I feel much better since I've been tracking what I eat again.

[CoCo41 54]

Early on, I logged everything on MFP. My main focus was quantities, Protein, water/fluids and to a lesser extent calories and carbs but i had been given guidelines.

Working with my NUT, at some point she had me move away from the eating by the numbers and I don't track now, but do "count" Protein.< /p>

As part of my push to get to goal, I am going back to counting protein and carbs starting today...woo hoo!

I valued highly my early experience of tracking EVERYTHING - and that included the weighing and measuring. This helped alot with the whole "have I had enough? too much"" doubts in those early months. I was trained to and still eat this way - small portions. Eat from a side dish using appetizer utinsils. I think it is one of the most important keys to success in this journey. When you read about people saying how they "can" eat alot after a year out or whatever from surgery... well, that is probably true of most of us. If you never get in the habit of doing it, you don't know if you "can" or not, you just DON'T since you aren't really hungry anyway. This is the mental/head part of this whole deal. It seems so clear in the early months - well of course I can't eat much - but over time that changes and the habits you establish now will determine whether you are crying or leaping with joy at your 9, 12 month and beyond milestones.

I am excited for you!!!!

I totally agree, I don't want to test my sleeve. I want to continue down the path of small meals and just eating healthy. Not saying I won't try certain things down the road but it will still be in small quantities

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

I am 12 weeks today and track everything I eat. I track calories, Protein and if I have a carb food then I will track that too. You would be surprised how many calories and carbs foods have so if you don't see it written down you could be consuming too many of either. I believe this is what makes me successful and I plan to track for a long time. I also measure/weigh everything that I eat. How else will you know how much it is, eyeball method doesn't work.

[CoCo41 54]

I am 12 weeks today and track everything I eat. I track calories, Protein and if I have a carb food then I will track that too. You would be surprised how many calories and carbs foods have so if you don't see it written down you could be consuming too many of either. I believe this is what makes me successful and I plan to track for a long time. I also measure/weigh everything that I eat. How else will you know how much it is, eyeball method doesn't work.

LOL!! right if the eye could measure we wouldn't need the sleeve!

[Chimera 644]

One of the top predictors of long term success with WL is tracking your food/exercise etc.

I weigh myself daily - I no longer am swayed if I am at the same weight for a while, as the trend continues downward - work through those stalls.

I track calories, Protein, carbs, fat, and Fiber. I also keep track of my liquid intake, my Vitamins, meds (very few now) - I do have a myfitnesspal login but I use good old paper journals, and track exercize/walking with Runkeeper.

Carbs and Water consumption seem to have the most significant impacts on how I feel, and how much I lose. I am a pound and a smidge from Onederland - a place I have been hanging out at for a couple of weeks (also a serious set point from my long ago past) Looking forward to seeing a 1 in front, rather than a 2...waay better than the 3

[CoCo41 54]

One of the top predictors of long term success with WL is tracking your food/exercise etc.

I weigh myself daily - I no longer am swayed if I am at the same weight for a while, as the trend continues downward - work through those stalls.

I track calories, Protein, carbs, fat, and Fiber. I also keep track of my liquid intake, my Vitamins, meds (very few now) - I do have a myfitnesspal login but I use good old paper journals, and track exercize/walking with Runkeeper.

Carbs and Water consumption seem to have the most significant impacts on how I feel, and how much I lose. I am a pound and a smidge from Onederland - a place I have been hanging out at for a couple of weeks (also a serious set point from my long ago past) Looking forward to seeing a 1 in front, rather than a 2...waay better than the 3

I weight myself everyday too, I was think I'm crazy for doing this but it helps me know when I stall and when I am loosing really well. The only problem I am having is getting my fluids in have you found a way to successfully do that yet?

[Chimera 644]

Getting all my fluids in will always be a struggle I think - I resort to having Protein Soup to up both liquid and Protein grams. I just try to do the best I can - tracking helps keep me aware.

I was totally freaked when I had my first stall - now i am well into my second - I really wish I had started taking measurements from the beginning - even though the scale is hanging out at the same spot - my body is changing drastically, so much so that I have gone from wearing pants last May that were a snug 2X to just ordering a standard medium - I still am having trouble actually wrapping my mind around that one lol. My husband made me order them because I have shrunk right through the XL pants I just bought - he couldnt find me in the grocery store yesterday because now I look like everyone else he says - but my big baggy clothes make me look like a hobo haha!

A medium - and I have about 60 lbs more to lose to hit the upper end of a healthy BMI range for my height @ 5'3" - crazy.

[Strangefruit 179]

Thanks. I do track, and hit the treadmill regularly... but I do think maybe I got too carb heavy. *sigh* I will pay more attention to the carbs this week and see if the scale moves.

[smithpy 117]

I thought I didn't need to track but I've stalled so I decided to run a check. Wow. I see why I'm stalled. I'm only getting about 15 grams of Protein and limited Water. Seeing that changed the way I see few.

I'm only 6 weeks out so I'm adjusting to not getting my Protein from shakes. I upped my food and liquid intake considerably.