I have had decent restriction lately tonight after a hard workout I stopped at Wendy's and got a Southwest salad which is Chili and lettuce a little cheese and tortilla strips.....

I was able to eat all of the chili and half of the salad....this is way more than usual

wondering why I was able to eat so much more tonight??

Just using this as an example greytz, not directing this little rant at you.

I just dont think any nutritionist that would frown on what you're eating is worth listening to.

Who CARES if that's a slider food for you? Its damn healthy and involves several different types of vegetables. And its also so low calorie that who CARES whether you can eat more than a cup of it?

Slider foods mean more (to me anyway) foods that go down easy BUT are also foods you shouldnt be eating much of - Cookies, chocolate, ice cream. I can eat vegetable soups very easily so technically, liquids/sliders. But they fill me and are very nourishing (usually home made and inlcuding goodies like lentils or chick peas) so to say I shouldnt eat them because I can eat a whole cup at a time is to be blunt, just stupid. It misses the entire point of eating healthy when you're banded. Its not only about what fills you for the most time, its also about getting in what your body needs. Unfortunately I find many healthy foods much more difficult than unhealthy ones, so the ones I can eat, I'm not about to avoid.

I agree with you. I do believe that it is important to eat healthy foods. I just happen to love veggies and salads and I do eat them no matter what anyone says about them being sliders. So what if they are a slider food. I was just mentioning that I don't pile on the dressing as it adds the calories and makes it even more slider. My deal is and for my life only, I pretty much stick to the Protein and veggies until I reach my goal. Then, I will slowly add things back in until I figure out what works for me so that I can maintain my health weight. You look fabulous and you exercise more than most which gives you the ability to eat a little more and more variety. I am really getting into my exercise regimen and have come a long way with that and it does allow me to add a little more variety than when I started. You would be proud of me. I am going to a core fitness personal trainer today to start toning. I am exercising but can't get rid of the gut and want to tone up some more. Hoping the personal trainer can help me with that. But, I do think a person at the beginning of their journey should be a little more careful of their food choices. Just my opinion again for what it's worth. LOL

It's funny how taco salads are getting a bad rap here. The one I make is actually quite healthy.

I use lean ground meat, drained from any fat, then spiced up with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, etc. Drained pinto Beans and kidney beans, lettuce, fresh tomatoes, fresh red onions, fresh green bell peppers, cheddar cheese, and salsa. It has Protein, Fiber, Calcium, lots of Vitamins, and is quite tasty. I serve the tortilla chips on the side for my husband to get the "taco" part of it.

Again, it's really how you prepare your "salad" that makes it either healthy or not.

Now, if you go to my husband's Mexican food restuarant and order a taco salad, you'll get it in a deep fried tortilla bowl, with refried beans, hamburger meat, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, all covered in green chili (for you Australians who may not be familiar with green chili, it is a sauce or gravy of sorts, made with roasted Anaheim green chile peppers, onions, diced pork and diced tomatoes with spices). That taco salad is not healthy. lol

I pretty much stick to the Protein and veggies until I reach my goal. Then, I will slowly add things back in until I figure out what works for me so that I can maintain my health weight. L

This is exactly my plan of attack and seems to be working okay. I really don't eat any fruit. Well, I do sometimes have a banana with Protein Powder but haven't in several months. I stayed pretty focused on protein for the most part but have begun to sway from this approach lately. I just eat the foods I can tolerate but just don't each much of it. I've finally started to lose again this week. Yay!

Isnt it funny, it depends on the way in which I prepare the salad as to how easy it is to eat too.

If its all tossed, in a bowl, I find it a difficult food.

But if I make it 70's style, like my mum used to - on a plate, with stuff like a tiny bit of iceberg as a base, sliced tomato (not quartered), sliced hardlboiled egg, some corn, beetroot, a pineapple ring, maybe a slice of orange, grated carrot, a rolled up piece of ham and low fat mayo, that goes down a treat, one of my very favourite lunches (and dinners) But cut it differently and toss it in a bowl and its dangerous, pb prone food for me.