A thread for us to share our daily menus!

To help keep things in perspective for everyone, let's try to note our height & weight (or BMI), gender, weight-status & how far out we are post-op (unless this is already stated in your side profile )

Post as little or as much info as you want. If you track macros, feel free to share your protein, fat, & carb details...if all you feel like saying is you had a really yummy taco, that's cool too.

EDIT: Anyone can play! VSG, RNY, DS, etc... ♥️

Edited July 22, 20197 yr by ms.sss

On 8/10/2019 at 5:37 AM, FluffyChix said:

So I think to an extent our restrictions of our tools, metabolisms, medicines, health metrics, and our goals have to determine just how much of a calorie savant we have to be in our post op life. So I think you should post your food here! Give the balanced look at what we all eat!

I've actually been thinking a lot about this over the weekend.

I definitely won't be posting my daily menu on here. I wouldn't have posted it up when I was in weight loss mode, because I ate off plan frequently, and still lost rapidly. And now in maintenance, my BMR appears to be much higher than it really should be. I averaged 2300 cals/day over the last month, and am down 3 lbs. (do you hate me now?)

So I think if I posted what I ate, at any stage, it would give people false hope. I attribute my success to luck more than anything else. And you can't count on luck. What really matters, IMO, is what your BMR is, and eating at or below it. As you said there are too many variables to account for that. But I appear to be not only an outlier, but maybe even an extreme outlier.

On the other hand, maybe yours and @ms.sss menu's could have the opposite effect? If when I was contemplating surgery, I read these menu's of women with healthy BMI's eating so little and/or so strictly, IDK, maybe that would have potentially discouraged me.

Today Breakfast 1 egg, 3 slices of bacon, and 1 package of grits. I was too full and could not drink for 2 hours.

Lunch cantaloupe and cottage cheese

Snack Chobani key lime yogurt

Dinner will be Tyson chicken fried steak patty baked, mashed potato 1/4 cup , and peas. Like before I wont be able to eat all my dinner and will save for later tonight. Calories hit around 1200

On 8/10/2019 at 9:04 AM, ms.sss said:

More irrational answers! (and some rational ones too... )

Rational Me: I'm not interested in achieving any more weight loss goals, because YES, I am liking how I am looking and feeing (If anything, I now have exercise goals, which is likely hampering my calorie increase attempts, but that's another story...). I don't particularly want to go lower on the scale, but I have accepted that until I get into a real groove which lasts longer than 3½ weeks, weight loss (and most likely weight gain later on) is going to be an occupational hazard. My current weight is still nicely in the middle of the normal range so a few pounds up or down isn't going to kill me.

Irrational Me: I fully admit to being wary of carbs. Specifically bread products, Pasta, rice, to some extent root veggies and added sugar. Hence the Shirataki and the no added sugar vinaigrettes. For now, I am choosing to stay low carb. I do, however, have the occasional breaded product (buffalo cauliflower! crackers on the charcuterie board! chicken wings! cake!) or high sugar item (ice cream! fruit! BBQ Sauce on my chicken wings!). And when I do, I often attempt a "correction" the next day by watching/limiting my carb intake (which I am supposed to counteract with increasing my fats - not always successful). Though as I type this, ? I'm not even sure that averaging out carb intake over a period of time has the same effect as limiting carbs to a certain level daily... LOL...i'm going to have to do a bit of research after I post this. Again, this is the irrational me talking, and I'm fully aware I will not implode and could probably benefit from eating a sandwich (as my "concerned" friends and family say both to my face and behind my back ?).

Rational Me, again: I went back looking at what I've posted on this thread so far and looks like I started this thread around the same time that my average cals dropped from around 1500-ish to 1000-ish, so my daily menu's do look pretty diet-y. I haven't gone out/had people over as much these past couple weeks and it shows. I tend to eat less when I'm at home and fixing food for myself. Though I rely on the fact that everything will even out because I know there will be indulge days...like yesterday (which I'll post later), and tomorrow (it's BFF's Mr's bday and we are going to a rodizio restaurant (i.e., AYCE Brazilian Steakhouse) #yum #almostAsGoodAsKoreanBBQ

Thanks for the well thought out response

Want to start out by saying you look fabulous, and not underweight in any way, anyone who tells you to eat a sandwich can GTFO.

I also think a low carb lifestyle can be sustainable. (I mean, it sounds like a living hell, but that's just me, lol)

Have you considered if you are calorie phobic, and not just carb phobic?

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

I've actually been thinking a lot about this over the weekend.

I definitely won't be posting my daily menu on here. I wouldn't have posted it up when I was in weight loss mode, because I ate off plan frequently, and still lost rapidly. And now in maintenance, my BMR appears to be much higher than it really should be. I averaged 2300 cals/day over the last month, and am down 3 lbs. (do you hate me now?)

So I think if I posted what I ate, at any stage, it would give people false hope. I attribute my success to luck more than anything else. And you can't count on luck. What really matters, IMO, is what your BMR is, and eating at or below it. As you said there are too many variables to account for that. But I appear to be not only an outlier, but maybe even an extreme outlier.

On the other hand, maybe yours and @ms.sss menu's could have the opposite effect? If when I was contemplating surgery, I read these menu's of women with healthy BMI's eating so little and/or so strictly, IDK, maybe that would have potentially discouraged me.

Ha! That's why we need MANY voices here on this thread! With many examples!! Cuz then people can see a wide variety! Or wider variety!

And yes, I may be at healthy BMI, but I'm not at my goal... and if you hang out and read much on this thread you will see that I'm still in WLM (weight loss mode). And unlike you guys, I have chosen to be in the camp who says WLM = 600-800cals day. But that's just me.

And nope still don't hate you. You give me hope that I may not have totally forked my metabolism when I do enter maintenance phase!!! Yay!!! That's really outstanding btw (2300???) and dropped 3 lbs. Fabulous!!! Congrats to you my friend!!

16 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

That's really outstanding btw (2300???) and dropped 3 lbs. Fabulous!!! Congrats to you my friend!!

Might very well be a fluke. I dropped two lbs between Friday to today. I'm chalking it up to cardio ?

Just now, sillykitty said:

Might very well be a fluke. I dropped two lbs between Friday to today. I'm chalking it up to cardio ?

Well hell! I'm pretty sure that's part of it! And y'all probably did a hellah amount of stuff this weekend beyond cardio. Anyway you slice it, that's fabulous!!!! Yay!!!

2 hours ago, sillykitty said:

I definitely won't be posting my daily menu on here. I wouldn't have posted it up when I was in weight loss mode, because I ate off plan frequently, and still lost rapidly. And now in maintenance, my BMR appears to be much higher than it really should be. I averaged 2300 cals/day over the last month, and am down 3 lbs. (do you hate me now?)

It is of course, your prerogative to post or not to post ♥️.

Though I personally would love to know what you are eating to get to 2300 cals a day! I've seen some of your before and after meal photos and it blows my mind how you can get that many cals in given your restriction...it seems similar or even more than mine and I'd love some tips...

...and no still don't hate you, and I would think others wouldn't either, I mean we are on a WLS board after all ♥️

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

Want to start out by saying you look fabulous

Right back at cha lady.

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

Have you considered if you are calorie phobic, and not just carb phobic?

Hmmmm...I do still count my calories meticulously, but a higher calorie day doesn't get a response/reaction from me as a higher carb day would (except that one time I realized I had like an 800+ calorie snack and shocked myself. have since repeated this though, so I guess I just needed to get used to the idea..)...so no, I don't think I have a phobia of calories, lol.

In all, I consider myself still in transition, still working on getting to that level of a "forever" diet....and am feeling pretty good with my efforts so far

5 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Though I personally would love to know what you are eating to get to 2300 cals a day! I've seen some of your before and after meal photos and it blows my mind how you can get that many cals in given your restriction...it seems similar or even more than mine and I'd love some tips...

...and no still don't hate you, and I would think others wouldn't either, I mean we are on a WLS board after all ♥️

Some would definitely hate me! ?

I think we are, or at least were, very similar with the amount of restriction. Mine was pretty extreme, which I was grateful for, most of the time. Near the 1 yr mark my relaxed pretty significantly. I can eat enough now that it doesn't usually attract attention when I eat out.

We are also pretty similar in that I didn't have much physical hunger for a long time. Even now mine is pretty controllable if I fast & push liquids.

Here's my brunch yesterday (Hush puppies covered with sausage gravy & bacon)

As the picture illustrates, I get my calories in by eating pretty calorie dense foods, by eating frequently, & liquid calories (ie alcohol) (I don't drink daily, but I'm by definition a binge drinker)

YUMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmMMMMMM!!

6 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Hmmmm...I do still count my calories meticulously, but a higher calorie day doesn't get a response/reaction from me as a higher carb day would (except that one time I realized I had like an 800+ calorie snack and shocked myself. have since repeated this though, so I guess I just needed to get used to the idea..)...so no, I don't think I have a phobia of calories, lol.

I count my calories pretty meticulously as well. It's my way of keeping myself honest.

What prompted me to ask, were things like, saving your cals up for KBBQ dinner & using low cal dressing vs. a full fat dressing

For me making the switch to high calorie dressing was one of the first things I did to slow my weight loss. I also feel super virtuous when I have KBBQ (or Brazillian steakhouse, or shabu shabu, or hot pot). It has never felt like a splurge for me, even during my WL phase.

So those things really stuck out to me (along with shirataki noodles, I cannot get over the smell ?)

33 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

I count my calories pretty meticulously as well. It's my way of keeping myself honest.

What prompted me to ask, were things like, saving your cals up for KBBQ dinner & using low cal dressing vs. a full fat dressing

For me making the switch to high calorie dressing was one of the first things I did to slow my weight loss. I also feel super virtuous when I have KBBQ (or Brazillian steakhouse, or shabu shabu, or hot pot). It has never felt like a splurge for me, even during my WL phase.

So those things really stuck out to me (along with Shirataki noodles, I cannot get over the smell ?)

Yeah, I'll admit, KBBQ day was a miscalculation. I honestly thought I'd eat more (I seem to often over-estimate my ability to mow down).

I don't mind the fat (i.e., oil) in regular dressings, but I think there's too much added sugar in them for my liking (which is why I make my own )

And yeah those shirataki noodles do have an odd aroma, don't they? (Kid says they smell like a scratch n sniff fish sticker...whatever that means) They satisfy my noodle wants, though, and still keeps me low-carb, so it's an aroma I can live with ?

Btw, looking at the pic of your hush puppies reminded me that what I order/eat at restaurants has drastically changed, I will order lower carb, lower sugar items (which naturally end up being lower cal)...not just because I'm watching these macros, but because I actually prefer it now (I LOOOOOOOVE me some salad). But I'm not against drinking my dinner sometimes, so there is always that, lol. Oh, and bags of chicharron.

I'm trying, y'all lol but I'm currently traveling

B- coffee alternative with creamer, water, bai, vitamins meds etc

L- string cheese, mixed nuts, chocolate, water

D- paneer masala (slightly too spicy so I only ate one bite) with northern beans & sweet potato, protein shake, water, tea, meds, maybe chocolate ?

Edited August 13, 20197 yr by GreenTealael

Ok ... I won't be a regular contributor to this thread, because of the reasons I mentioned, but are a few snapshots of some of my days

Weekend Getaway

Brunch - Breakfast sandwich on biscuit w gravy, breakfast potatoes, bite of my bf's burger & mimosa

Dinner - Charcuterie board, Gnocchi w 4 cheese sauce & wine

Late night - beer, pizza, beer & ice cream sandwich

Work from home day

Breakfast - Taco Bell

Lunch - Pasta w Chili & Cheese

Dinner - Happy Hour w friend (apps + drinks)

Late night - M&M's

Work from Home

Breakfast - Leftover pizza (not actually dominos, but prosciutto thin crust)

Lunch - random snacking

Dinner - Pasta w Chili & Cheese (once I open a can of chili, it takes a while to get through)

Evening snack - popcorn

Out of Town - All Day Meetings

Breakfast - quick bite in hotel

Lunch - salad w added meat

Snacks - cookies during meeting

Dinner - Apps, salad (didn't bother to add the lettuce), Halibut, mashed potatoes, bite of my coworker's lamb, chocolate piece stuck in the chocolate mousse, beer & wine

Late night - vodka soda w watermelon juice & beer

Travel Day + Casual Business Dinner

Breakfast - free plane snacks

Dinner - loooong evening at the bar with lots of bar food & drinks

Out of town meeting + Travel

Breakfast - in hotel

Lunch - food brought into meeting

First dinner - BBQ chicken Quinoa Bowl at airport

Second airplane Dinner - Lemon grass chicken, red curry rice, Asian slaw

Snack - red vines when I got home

Work Road trip (4 meetings )

Breakfast - meeting in a convenience store (really, lol) taco + soft serve oreo sundae (don't judge ?)

Lunch - business lunch at BJ's

Road trip - Buccee Nuggets & Jerky

Dinner - Business dinner -Cevishe app, "Duck 2 Ways & Dumplings" + wine

Late night casual meeting - beer

Travel Day

Breakfast - airport lounge

Lunch - free airplane snacks

Dinner - Taco Bell

Snacks - grabbed from market at the hotel, evening snacking

Out of town meetings

Breakfast - hotel lounge

Lunch - sandwich brought in to meeting

Dinner - charcuterie board, risotto, part of shared dessert, wine, vodka soda splash of cran & port

Late night - snack in room

I think that is a pretty good representation of how I eat. Obviously my business travel and meals are pretty atypical!

Edited August 13, 20197 yr by sillykitty

5 hours ago, sillykitty said:

If when I was contemplating surgery, I read these menu's of women with healthy BMI's eating so little and/or so strictly, IDK, maybe that would have potentially discouraged me

I also would have been very nervous if i looked through people's food logs. I was never going to eat only protein 5x a day, i needed vegetarian options too and those by virtue are high carb/cal.

I really only gave up the things my Team told me to: carbonation, alcohol (I don't drink anyway) excess sugar, then caffeine, bread pasta & rice (I dont care for pasta or rice so... NBD) for the first 6 months.

And even then they gave me wiggle room for my Roman Holiday at 4 months post op. I was told sure eat pizza, but get protein too. So I ate pizza pasta & gelato nonstop for 2 weeks and pastries crossaints, fried chicken tenders and kebab for 10 more days in Paris (only the panna cotta bothered me- the fabled Parisian dumping incident). Lost weight.

I made tons substitutions stateside for healthier versions of things and i will eat (or drink ?) a salad in a min because i actually like them. But im satified that none of my choices make me anxious. I really really value that freedom.

Maybe its because I've never dieted before or maybe its a personality flaw, but i find the idea of constantly dieting or diet mode after surgery not a good fit for me which is why my MPF page is super lonely these days.

Edited August 13, 20197 yr by GreenTealael