Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

I am struggling to find balance now I am in maintenance. I either eat on plan which is too few calories for maintenance, or I seem to go a bit wild and eat in a way I know will cause me to gain weight if I continue. I talked to my nutritionist and she was zero help. All she repeated was to eat Protein first, etc... and stay at 1200 calories. I am fortunate enough to lose at 1200 due to height but she simply won't adjust.

So - does anyone have any ideas for good maintenance meals? I am trying to limit processed carbs as they are a slippery slope for me, but I don't want to be totally carb free. I also need around 1500-1700 calories a day and prefer to stick to 3 meals and 1 snack.

Thanks in advance!

Lori

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just count calories now (same range as you were given (1500-1700)), although I'm still mindful of Protein requirements. Other than that, I allow myself anything as long as it fits within my range.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What if you took the healthy path and then said “what can I add to this meal to make it more satisfying?” Then you’d be less likely to want to binge or go wild

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What about adding in some "whole grains" like brown/wild rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc? Or fruits and vegetables, once you've eaten enough Protein. I haven't had surgery yet, so I'm eating about 1400 calories a day. I usually have a Protein Shake or steel cut oats with Protein Powder for break fast, and for lunch I might have tuna fish with light miracle whip and whole grain rice cakes with a red bell pepper or dinner leftovers. For dinner I might have meatballs in red curry, or turkey chili with Beans topped with shredded cheese and fat free greek yogurt, or chicken curry, or deli turkey and cheese in a low-carb wrap sauteed in non-stick spray. If I really want dessert I'll have a ten gram square of chocolate or a half cup of light ice cream. For a snack I might have a cheese stick or a banana or pistachios. I also roast a lot of vegetables to eat with my meals and as Snacks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks. I meal prepped last week with healthy meals, ate until I was full, and lost some weight. Still within my maintenance weight range so good, but need to add to what I did. I already have healthy grains like Quinoa and even some english muffins in what I did last week. I have enough of what I prepped last week to last this week as well.

Turkey Taco Soup
Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes on English Muffin
Vegetable gratin with turkey dinner sausage
pumpkin and ground chicken chili (from the freezer)
Quinoa and ground turkey stuffed bell pepper
Chicken breast with pineapple, red onion and cilantro relish, and yellow squash with onions

For Breakfast I did coffee with a little half and half and either eggs or greek yogurt and for Snacks I did popcorn and SF popsicles.

This weekend I've eaten off plan so will probably be a little up tomorrow (I won't weight again until Saturday). I think maybe I'll add a little potato to some of the above to try to bump up just a bit. Open to other suggestions. I AM SO grateful for this tool, and know I am still in my honeymoon period so I'm appreciative, I just want to get this right before it gets harder to lose and easier to gain.

Thanks!

Lori

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×