I feel someone comforted to know that I'm not the only person who is a little bit confused about what to eat, how many calories and the like - so I thought it might be a nice idea for us to share what we have been eating to compare and see what is/isn't working out.

I am unsure of what calories/protein levels I should be reaching, but I have been tracking this through FitDay and aiming for <1000 calories per day and approx 60 grams of protein - does this sound correct?

My surgeon also asked me to only eat three times per day, but I need to talk to him about that as I really feel like I need to eat four times. As I work on a mine site, my day starts at 5am, I have breakfast at 8am, lunch at 12 and I feel like I need something around 4.30pm to tide me over until 7.30pm when I get home from gym - seven and a half hours just seems like a LONG time to go between lunch and dinner.

Anyway, below is what I've eaten over the past couple of days and I welcome you to critique it if there is something glaringly wrong:

THURSDAY: Kickstart = Instant coffee with skim milk & one sugar / Breakfast = 1 cup of cantaloupe with 1/4 cup low fat greek yoghurt / Lunch = 1/2 cup of apricot chicken and rice / Snack = 2 x multigrain crisp breads with tuna / Dinner = 1 x soft taco with ground beef, lettuce, tomato and low-fat cheese ----- total calorie intake was 922 calories, 62 grams of protein

FRIDAY: Kickstart = Instant coffee with skim milk & one sugar / Breakfast = 2 slices of multigrain toast with yeast extract (vegemite) / Lunch = 1/2 cup of taco mince with 1/2 cup of salad / Dinner = 2 small crumbed chicken strips with a small salad ----- total calorie intake was 925 calories, 50 grams of protein

I'm probably not much help here as I just started mushies, but my doctor still wants me to limit my portion sizes to 1/2 cup per meal even though I won't have a fill until 10/21. Given the small portion size, I find that I still have to supplement with a protein shake and that takes the place of any snacks that I might have needed otherwise. If I make good food choices (low fat, low carb), my total calorie intake is still very low. That is what prompted my other post. At 600 calories/day, I have almost no energy.

MissK, I asked the same thing under another post the other day.. I am so confused.. 2 shakes a day and 1 meal.. I am STARVING!! my hunger came back with a vengance last week, lol...

I love your dancing/aerobic kitty, LOL!!!

I can't wait to hear more responses....

I just went in for my second fill yesterday, at about 5cc's out of 10. I spoke with the Dr about eating and calorie intake. I was not sure as to what my guidelines were. He told me if I am hungry, I should eat something. I was trying to stay around 1200 calories everyday and he also informed that that was wrong too. I have about 80 lbs to lose, and burn about 500 a day at the gym. He informed me that 1200 calories is not enough calories for me to continue to lose. He mentioned this is a lifestyle, not a diet, and I'm not going to live my life everyday counting calories in everything that goes in my mouth, but to just make smart choices. I beleive everyones Dr is different, I just found that interesting. I was banded July 20th and have lost about 30lbs since then. I am a bit sketchy myself in what he told me about counting calories so you may want to ask your surgeon as well..

Good luck to you all :laugh:

I like the dancing kitty too.. I need to spruce up my posts...:laugh:

I just got the ok to do soft foods yesterday... I need to sit down and PLAN. I have been doing Soups with purees, oatmeal, yogurt (eating greek yogurt right now)etc.

For breakfast (must be kickstart in AU), I am going to stick to oatmeal, easy, cheap (at work less than $1), and coffee with milk. Plus a Protein shake on the way to work. That continue to be my weekday standard, eggs on the weekend.

Lunch: I plan on doing hard boiled/deviled eggs and ham rollups that I can dip in mustard and then some sort of veggie, small salad, i.e. tomatoes or the like.

Dinner: some sort of meat/fish/poultry and veggies. Probably use the barbecue and the George Foreman grille a lot. I love veggies grilled.

Check out this turkey burger recipe.. it was on Oprah a couple of weeks ago and they all said it was SO delicious. I know celery is an iffy veggie but I bet if it is sauteed it will soften and be easier to eat, just make sure it is diced really tiny. I'm going to try it maybe this weekend if I can find that "Major Grey's Chutney"... I need to make a fraction of the recipe though.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger Recipe - Oprah.com

Thanks guys... I guess I really just want some idea of calorie restricton so that I know if I am or am not going stupid with what I eat. FitDay is really helping me monitor my protein and opening my eyes to what foods are/are not high in fat.

I guess what inspired this post is the fact that my scales were being a bit funky this week, heading in the wrong direction - although today on weekly weigh in day they have returned to the same spot they were in last week.

Oh, and thank you, my work out kitty is flattered

I just started mushies this weekend. (WooHoo - real food!!) I found the Isopure banana Cream protien powder is very tasty. I make a breakfast shake of 4oz. skim milk, 2/3 scoop of powder (the right amount for 1/2 cup of milk/water) and 1/2 a real banana. This has about 165 calories and 21 grams of protien.

I'm also eating the Greek yogurt and hummas. I also broke down and had a can of sardines. Yum Yum. And they are soft & flaky so I think it was OK. (And healthy.)

Hi!

I was told to stay w/n 1000-1200 cals and to get 80-100g of Protein each day - 3 meals and 2 Snacks.

By the way, I just received my first fill Tuesday 9/15 - 5ml in my 14 ml band.

A typical day includes the following:

• Protein shake on my drive in to the office.
  
• Cereal around 9:30 or so (usually, cream of wheat made w/skim milk and a single packet of sugar)
  
• snack mid-morning: dry roasted sunflower seeds or rice cakes
  
• lunch: crabcake, which I make with a little low fat mayo and egg whites, panko bread crumbs and seasonings... or I'll have a veggie burger minus the bread - though, I'm allowed Pita, bagels and any whole grain breads at this point.
  
• snack late afternoon: protein shake
  
• dinner: fish, chicken or crab w/steamed or stir fry veg
  

If I haven't gotten enough protein, I'll drink an Isopure or bullet before bed.

Im having a time with tearing myself from the nuts. I have a big bag I have been snacking on all week. I need to watch eating too many. Snacking for me is a bad habbit and hard to break. Im trying, but not quite there yet. I got banded the 5th of Aug. and was 230 at the time. I am now at 212. Im 5'1. I would be happy to see something more come off a bit quicker. I got a fill of 4 cc's in an 11 cc band last week. The nutritionist mentioned at our support meeting to not expect much to start rolling off until after our 2nd fill. Here's hoping:thumbup: