I'm having a hard time knowing how to calculate all the African foods I grew up eating, except just eating less of them. Its helping but i often wondered if there's a way for me to know what I'm eating and what i should be concentrating on eating. African foods is full of starch. Like yam, yam flour, Beans, fried platain, rice...lots of rice, fish, chicken,meat....lots of meat, spinach, palm oil, vegitable oil. Most of our food is prepared daily so i've learned to substitute or reduce some things.

If there's anyone banded and know of a place i can learn more about african food, please share with me.

I had my lapband surgery on May 19th 2007. From the day i walked into my surgeon's office i was 243lb. I am currently 194lb. A week ago, i had a breast reduction, which is wonderful, cause its miraculously taken my upper back pain away, plus i now look better. I am happy I'm able to do these two things in my life. its the best step i ever took.

Banded 5/19/07

weight 243

current wieght: 194

Filling: 2.2cc

Goal: I'll be happy at 175/170

Surgeon: Dr. Pohl, Roger Williams Hospital, RI

You could just do a search for calorie counts and get the answers that way. You are probably going to want to stay away from what you call 'starches' which are high in carbohydrates and calories. Also, my doctor said no fried foods or rice. What did your doctor say?

thanks. its hard to do the calorie count. when i talked to my nutritionist, she had only said to watch the portion that i eat. My doctor had referred me to my nutritionist when i asked. things like yam flour is made into dough and then eaten with spinach. in making my spinach i've eliminated palm oil and just use very little vegitable oil. Also i make a big pot of everything cause i have a big family of five kids. We eat rice a lot and its REALLY hard to eliminate it from my diet, but i noticed that i've lost the most this past week due to not eating rice in addition to the breast reduction surgery i just had.

I've learned to eat american food...which i call my adopted food... but sometimes i get tired of it and go back to my regular food that my body's known since a very young age. Fried food i try to stay away from....but i'm only human i guess....i love KFC chicken...guess i'm just weak....i know what i should be doing maybe, i'm just looking for an easy way out

Well, the main thing is just keep working at it. Do you eat much fish? When I was in Kampala we ate Tilapia from Lake Victoria. Best fish I've ever had! It's so good for you, too. One thing you might try is olive oil. It's one of the good oils. I use it in a lot of foods and don't notice it making them taste different. I understand what you are saying about having a big family and making things stretch, too. That's a hard one!

thanks for your help. I love Tilapia. I especially like the red tilapia. its actually one of the things we make at least once a week. its a good thing to have someone stear you in the right direction. I'll keep hoping someone would have complied something, or better still, if i ever get the chance to, might start puting something together myself.

I'm having a hard time knowing how to calculate all the African foods I grew up eating, except just eating less of them. Its helping but i often wondered if there's a way for me to know what I'm eating and what i should be concentrating on eating. African foods is full of starch. Like yam, yam flour, Beans, fried platain, rice...lots of rice, fish, chicken,meat....lots of meat, spinach, palm oil, vegitable oil. Most of our food is prepared daily so i've learned to substitute or reduce some things.

Most of the food you mention is really good for you. Yams are loaded with nutrients which can be difficult to find in many other foods. Beans are an excellent source of fibre. And spinach is low in calories and one of the best single sources of nutrition around! And both skinless chicken and fish are great sources of Protein. Nutritionists say that the best food is the food which is prepared from fresh ingredients. It seems to me that if you reduce the amount of rice, flour, and oil you will do very well on an African diet.

By the way, I have picked up the information which I have just posted through reading articles about nutrition in one of the local newpapers.

I'm having a hard time knowing how to calculate all the African foods I grew up eating, except just eating less of them. Its helping but i often wondered if there's a way for me to know what I'm eating and what i should be concentrating on eating. African foods is full of starch. Like yam, yam flour, Beans, fried platain, rice...lots of rice, fish, chicken,meat....lots of meat, spinach, palm oil, vegitable oil. Most of our food is prepared daily so i've learned to substitute or reduce some things.

Abi - you have done well - my suggestion would be cut out fired foods and limit yourself to 1/2 c rice for dinner only - leave the flour out of the spinach - switch to olive oil - i don't think palm oil is good for you. Stay away from KFC - I eat fish daily (minimum 5 days a week) i bake it with a little olive oil salt pepper & garlic - sometime add spicy tomato sauce (mexican tomato sauce) or cajun spices. I even coat it with cornmeal every now and then and spray with pam and bake.

My Mom was from the South and I love fried foods, meat fat - butter.

but all these are not good for you so have cut out fried food - I only eat red meat 1 or 2 times a week and cut off all fat before i cook it and i use i can't beleive it's butter spray on my veggies - rice - potatoes etc

You are doing great - just cut some of your starchs & fats out - and just cuz you have eaten something for a life time - doesn't mean you need to continue (just cuz you have done drugs all your life - doesn't mean you should continue when you know they are killing you - food is our drug of choice imho) There is no easy way to lose weight and keep it off - it is and will be a daily struggle - one day at a time.

Good Luck....