A thread for Maintainers to share our daily menus!

(This thread is a spin-off from another thread I started that was open to all people at different stages. Meant to start this one specifically for Maintainers a while back, but am just now getting around to it )

Same format applies: 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.

15 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Also: Kick-ass cheesecake bar recipe, PLEASE!

I'll do it hopefully tomorrow, ok?

Yeah, its likely fluid.
Don't want to complicate anything, but if you have the time (and the inclination), you could calculate your moving average (or download an app that does it for you) which could soften the blow of any visual fluctuations on the scale, on paper at least [emoji6]

I track on Baritastic which gives me a moving average, but I have no clue what it means. Can you please explain to me how it works?

21 hours ago, chayarg said:

I track on Baritastic which gives me a moving average, but I have no clue what it means. Can you please explain to me how it works?

* Begin Nerd Alert *

Moving averages basically smooths out the fluctuations of data points in a graph, where in our case the "data points" are the daily weigh ins.

For instance, I use a 10 -day moving average. Each day's weekly weigh-in is averaged out with the last 10 days' entries to give me an average. So if I am 115 lbs for 9 days and then on the 10th day i go up to 120lbs, instead of accepting this outlier number of 120 lbs as my weight, I would use 115.5 lbs

( ( 115 * 9 days ) + ( 120 * 1 day ) ) / 10 days = 115.5

Now if I continue to stay at 120 lbs over time, then this is reflected in my moving average as it hangs around. Heres the calc if I am at 115 lbs for 5 days and then be at 120 lbs for the next 5 days:

( (115 * 5 days ) + ( 120 * 5 days ) ) / 10 days = 117.5

Only if I stay at 120 lbs for 10 days then do I theoretically accept my weight at 120 lbs:

( 120 * 10 days ) / 10 days = 120.0

By using a moving average, the daily fluctuations are evened out and gives you a little bit of perspective and hopefully alleviate some stress/anxiety from focusing on a number likely attributed to water weight or poop retention/release on any given day.

P.S. As I progressed into maintenance, I increased the divisor (number of days to include in the average) as my daily fluctuations now are much more varied than it was during weight loss mode.

* End Nerd Alert * - hopefully you stayed awake long enough to read this last line, LOL ❤️

Edited December 28, 20196 yr by ms.sss

* Begin Nerd Alert *
Moving averages basically smooths out the fluctuations of data points in a graph, where in our case the "data points" are the daily weigh ins.
For instance, I use a 10 -day moving average. Each day's weekly weigh-in is averaged out with the last 10 days' entries to give me an average. So if I am 115 lbs for 9 days and then on the 10th day i go up to 120lbs, instead of accepting this outlier number of 120 lbs as my weight, I would use 115.5 lbs

( ( 115 * 9 days ) + ( 120 * 1 day ) ) / 10 days = 115.5

Now if I continue to stay at 120 lbs over time, then this is reflected in my moving average as it hangs around. Heres the calc if I am at 115 lbs for 5 days and then be at 120 lbs for the next 5 days:

( (115 * 5 days ) + ( 120 * 5 days ) ) / 10 days = 117.5

Only if I stay at 120 lbs for 10 days then do I theoretically accept my weight at 120 lbs:

( 120 * 10 days ) / 10 days = 120.0

By using a moving average, the daily fluctuations are evened out and gives you a little bit of perspective and hopefully alleviate some stress/anxiety from focusing on a number likely attributed to Water weight or poop retention/release on any given day.
P.S. As I progressed into maintenance, I increased the divisor (number of days to include in the average) as my daily fluctuations now are much more varied than it was during weight loss mode.
* End Nerd Alert * - hopefully you stayed awake long enough to read this last line, LOL [emoji173]️

Thanks [emoji2]

On 10/31/2019 at 8:12 AM, ms.sss said:

OK. I've always wondered about "pre-workout" meals. I run in the mornings, but I do it on an empty stomach (I don't even have my coffee or broth until after the workout).

How much time do you wait after eating before you actually start the run?

So before a long bike ride or some serious hiking, I will have a bowl of hot mixed grain cereal (oats, quinoa, teff, amaranth, buckwheat is my fav combo) about an hour before. I usually add some sliced banana and raisins to the bowl, along with pea protein milk. This has some good carbs as well as protein. It seems to absorb well (doesn't sit around like a rock in my stomach) and gives some good fuel power for several hours. This is the only time I eat a high carb breakfast because I know the glucose is going right to the muscles. I also have a hydration drink with electrolytes and protein bars (1/3 - 1/2 bar every 10 miles of bike ride or every hour of hike.) I always hydrate well before the workout - at least 2 cups of herbal tea first thing in the morning. I drink about a liter every 10 miles of biking or 1 hr of hiking (more in hot weather.) I always finish feeling quite well, without thirst or salt craving. But it has taken a while for me to work out this routine.

For basic exercise routine or a less strenuous walk/bike ride, I go on an empty tank. This can really rev up the fat burn and autophagy during a fasting state. But lots of water along.

Maintenance weight loss mode – down two pounds.

Calories 1023 – 95 protein – 65 carbs- 25 fiber- 46 fat

Breakfast

• 8 oz Egg white
• 1 oz Baby spinach
• 3 Grape tomatoes
• 2 cups Coffee
• 2 packets Splenda with fiber

Lunch

3 oz Hummus and 3 oz sugar snap peas

Dinner

• 3.2 50/50 salad spring mix
• 2 oz Pomegranate seed
• 7.2 Chicken
• 1 oz Sliced almonds
• .5 oz Hemp seed
• 1 oz Skinny girl raspberry vinaigrette

Snack

Dannon light n fit cherry Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon chia seed

Maintenance : 5'2" / 1yr PO Sleeve / ??? lbs (last weigh in 115.0 lbs on Dec 18th)
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Friday, Dec. 27
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3:30pm - salad w/ vinaigrette + 1/2 oz cheddar cheese + 1/4 avocado + 1 oz honey glazed ham + 4 chocolate covered coffee beans +

5:30pm - 1/2 cup greek yogurt + 1 oz blueberries + 1 tbsp sliced almonds + 1 tbsp dried cranberries

7:30pm - salad w/ vinaigrette + 1 oz roast pork w/ 1 tbsp gravy + 1/4 oz cheddar cheese + 1 oz avacodo + 1/2 white chocolate macadamia cookie + 1/8 Portuguese custard tart

10:30pm - 2 Keto choco-coconut fat bombs

Totals: 1202 cals - 51g Protein - 81g NET carbs - 69g fat

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Yesterday, Saturday, Dec. 28
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2:00pm - 1/2 cup crab & corn chowder + 1 veggie spring roll + 1 cocktail shrimp + 1 oz pork chop + 1 cup Ginataan (a Filipino coconut-milk based desert with sticky rice balls and fruit.

5:30pm - salad w/ vinaigrette + 3.5 oz grilled octopus + 1/2 a pork sui mai + 3 turnip cubes + 2.5 oz pork chop + 1 shot of Amaretto

9:00pm - 3oz pork chop + 1 Keto choc-coconut fat bomb.

Totals: 946 cals - 54g Protein - 74g NET carbs - 40g fat

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28 months PO/ 5'2" / CW 177
Fri dec 27
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Breakfast: coffee with milk

Lunch: flax roll with eggs

Snack: salmon with jalapeno

Dinner: chicken soup / beef sausage / pastrami cold cuts

Snack: healthy habits popsicle / peanut butter
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Totals- 1363 cals / 88g protein/ 62g net carbs/ 83g fat
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Saturday dec 28

Breakfast: coffee with milk / 2 egg whites

Lunch: salmon with jalapeno / coffee with milk

Snack: lavish flax roll with peanut butter

Dinner: oatmeal pancake / coffee with milk

Snack: broccoli soup with mozzarella cheese
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals- 1274 cals / 80g protein / 71g net carbs / 71g fat
---------------------------------------------------------------------

CW as of this morning 176.4. My body is extremely stubborn with losing weight and its really difficult for me to stay on track. I feel deprived and I'm constantly in a bad mood. I wish thier was a way for me to feel like this is my way of life rather than constantly feeling like I cant eat foods that I enjoy because I am "punished" for being fat. It makes it even harder that I'm always surrounded by unhealthy foods and I cant really change that. How can I continue to say no to all these delicious looking and smelling foods without causing myself to feel horrible and upset. I just want to be happy.

@chayarg : have you tried Intermittent Fasting? Lots of folks on here have experienced great success with it. Basically it's time restricted eating. One of the psychological benefits of it is that that instead of thinking "I can never have this" and feel constantly deprived, it becomes more of "I can't have this right now". There are whole bunch of other benefits, as well. There is a long running thread on this topic here:

[mention=374036]chayarg[/mention] : have you tried Intermittent Fasting? Lots of folks on here have experienced great success with it. Basically it's time restricted eating. One of the psychological benefits of it is that that instead of thinking "I can never have this" and feel constantly deprived, it becomes more of "I can't have this right now". There are whole bunch of other benefits, as well. There is a long running thread on this topic here:
[/url]

Don't think it would work for me. I'm constantly hungry, I feel like this would be even harder for me to stick to. I need something I can do long term.

4 hours ago, chayarg said:

Don't think it would work for me. I'm constantly hungry, I feel like this would be even harder for me to stick to. I need something I can do long term.

You might be surprised - one of the benefits is that it reduces cortisol so you don't feel hungry all the time. The first day is hard, but after that not really. Basically, you just skip breakfast

Edited December 29, 20196 yr by Katie Loesch-Meyer

So weird! I typed in my update but don't see it here? Did I have a CB moment? (chemo brain) Maybe I typed it into another post by mistake? *snort* #senile.

4 hours ago, chayarg said:

Don't think it would work for me. I'm constantly hungry, I feel like this would be even harder for me to stick to. I need something I can do long term.

At first, there is some hunger. But you learn that hunger doesn't build nor does it constitute an emergency requiring food. Also, I would be constantly hungry too if I ate flax and oatmeal...eating grains is guaranteed to up my hunger game. I also end up crashing from RH.

So weird! I typed in my update but don't see it here? Did I have a CB moment? (chemo brain) Maybe I typed it into another post by mistake? *snort* #senile.
At first, there is some hunger. But you learn that hunger doesn't build nor does it constitute an emergency requiring food. Also, I would be constantly hungry too if I ate flax and oatmeal...eating grains is guaranteed to up my hunger game. I also end up crashing from RH.

I have a crazy fear of cutting out carbs. Last time I completely cut out carbs. I ended up gaining like crazy the minute I ate some carbs. Therefore i added some healthy wholegrain carbs. I still keep my carbs pretty low, averaging under 60g net carbs.
All these eating options are driving me insane. I'm so confused what to do. I guess it will take some trial and error to figure out what works for me.
I work a 9-5 job (making food prep difficult)
I'm also a very picky eater. AND most of all I just love to eat!!

You should not feel hungry all the time. That is telling me that something you are eating is causing a blood sugar/insulin roller coaster.

A meal should be able to last you 3-4 hours at least. If it's not, then:

a. Too small of a meal...usually results in break through hunger in about 2 hours.

b. Too many carbs or the wrong kind at a meal...usually results in hunger and food fixation without 30 minutes to an hour after eating.

It might not be the 60g of net carbs are the issue. It might be with certain foods and that might smooth out if you try another form or source of carb.

43 minutes ago, chayarg said:

AND most of all I just love to eat!!

And this tells me you are still dealing with head hunger.

But honestly for me to lose I have to be so strict:

650-850 cals/daily

30g net carbs (from low glycemic veggies, low fat dairy, eggs/shellfish/seafood, nuts/seeds/nutbutters, low glycemic fruit)

60-80g protein

low fat to fill the balance of the cals to the 650-850 mark (usually between 30-36g fat daily)

Okay so I’m gonna promote IF again

whenever I’ve had a bad few days and I feel myself climbing onto the carb roller coaster ride from hell, I fast for 14-16 hours and within a day I’m back