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Diet/food tweak

Tokash

Tokash

Member
So I decided to start tracking my food to see what I am eating and I learned a few things...

  1. I'm likely eating to many calories
  2. I'm only hitting about 40g protien
  3. There are a lot of calories in little food...I can imagine what I was eating pre surgery
  4. I have no idea how many calories I should be eating at 3 months post.

So today my food consisted of this:
Breakfast: 2 deviled eggs and half a French toast stick.

Lunch: packet of tuna with 16 wheat thins

Snack: coffee and a bagel bite

Dinner: pork tenderloin with shredded cheese

A few empty calories in there because while I'm 99% better with breaking the ingrained "eat your kids left overs" there is 1% of time I still am working on this.

All of this adds up to 750 calories and 55g protien. If I can try to squeeze in a protein shake then it will be a total of 913 calories and 85g protein.

I need food ideas that are higher in protein and lower in calories. I also need variety however I am a very plain Jane when it comes to food. I have a very strong gag reflex when it comes to taste/texture and smell- if any of it is off at all I will throw up. This is so touchy that I even have to spred my vitamins out because when I take more then a couple at a time my head tries to force them back up too. Multi vitamins are the worse when it comes to the taste and after taste of iron. I struggle with protein shakes because some days they sit fine but most days then just run right through me.

So...any suggestions for higher protein lower cal food? Things that are more plain...since surgery things that were not spicy are now spicy and I was never a person to put salt on my food but things now naturally taste extra salty.

Also, any idea how many calories I should be at? My dietician doesn't really cover calories and the last time I asked I got the "thats not as important to focus on."
 
I don't think your calories are bad. I know some people go lower but quite frankly I was feeling too weak when I went too low in calories. I seem to average 700-900 and sometimes just a little more if I feel I need to up my calories a bit which is sometimes what I do when I don't feel the scale is moving. I think your protein could be a little higher though. Maybe only have half of a shake? What about adding some fruit, salad or veggies? I know it is hard at mealtime because we are suppose to get that protein in first and then we might not have room for vegies. I sometimes have a salad late afternoon before dinner or some fresh fruit then.

As for vitamins, I really like the chewy ones I get from Celebrate. My iron is almost like eating a Starburst candy! And my calcium chews are chocolate so it feels like I am eating a soft Tootsie Roll. I also have chewable multi-vitamins. My B-12 is mint flavored that I put under my tongue while it melts. I have heard that some people get a vitamin patch but I haven't tried it.
 
I do sometimes have a smoothie and add a protein powder..thats mostly the extent of my fruit. I also occasionally with have a veggies such as green beans or broccoli with dinner.

I have tried a salad a couple of times in the past 2 weeks but both times the lettuce did not sit well so I backed that off for now.

I will say I am also slacking on my calcium as that pill is huge and I often can't do pills that big. I struggle just to swallow the pill for gallstone preventative. I do have some calcium chews that I should go back to. All my other meds are small and the vit b is cherry so I will typically take that after my multi vit to help with the taste. I just have to take one pill at a time and put sometime between each swallow so it my brain doesn't think it needs to come back up. Other than the calcium the other meds I have been taking consistently as directed-- I have found enough ways around them being an issue.
 
JudyNY said:
I don't think your calories are bad. I know some people go lower but quite frankly I was feeling too weak when I went too low in calories. I seem to average 700-900 and sometimes just a little more if I feel I need to up my calories a bit which is sometimes what I do when I don't feel the scale is moving. I think your protein could be a little higher though. Maybe only have half of a shake? What about adding some fruit, salad or veggies? I know it is hard at mealtime because we are suppose to get that protein in first and then we might not have room for vegies. I sometimes have a salad late afternoon before dinner or some fresh fruit then.

As for vitamins, I really like the chewy ones I get from Celebrate. My iron is almost like eating a Starburst candy! And my calcium chews are chocolate so it feels like I am eating a soft Tootsie Roll. I also have chewable multi-vitamins. My B-12 is mint flavored that I put under my tongue while it melts. I have heard that some people get a vitamin patch but I haven't tried it.
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Emailed the dietician today. She prefers i stick to around 800 calories a day. This is way more difficult than I thought now that I have a desire to eat and clear hunger signals at meal times. By having 1-2 protein shakes a day thats 160-320 calories alone which doesn't leave much room for actual food. My breakfast of a meat stick, cheese stick and pack of nuts was 270. Especially when I have to break my meals down so its actually 3 meals and two snacks to help with acid issues. Im a chewed, drinking all of my food doesn't work as the satisfaction comes from the chewing more than anything.
 
Tokash said:
Emailed the dietician today. She prefers i stick to around 800 calories a day. This is way more difficult than I thought now that I have a desire to eat and clear hunger signals at meal times. By having 1-2 protein shakes a day thats 160-320 calories alone which doesn't leave much room for actual food. My breakfast of a meat stick, cheese stick and pack of nuts was 270. Especially when I have to break my meals down so its actually 3 meals and two snacks to help with acid issues. Im a chewed, drinking all of my food doesn't work as the satisfaction comes from the chewing more than anything.
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It can add up rather quickly yet sometimes I think I'm over and I surprise myself by being lower than expected. Personally, I just do one protein shake a day, more than that will make me grow tired of it. However I have sometimes had the powdered protein soups which aren't fantastic but doable. I'm going to buy some low calorie hot chocolate mix and put some protein powder in it now that the weather is chilly. I think it is good to vary what we eat, otherwise we will get in a rut and get tired of our food. I do try to make a few new recipes that aren't terrible calorie wise. There's lots of stuff on the internet.
 
JudyNY said:
It can add up rather quickly yet sometimes I think I'm over and I surprise myself by being lower than expected. Personally, I just do one protein shake a day, more than that will make me grow tired of it. However I have sometimes had the powdered protein soups which aren't fantastic but doable. I'm going to buy some low calorie hot chocolate mix and put some protein powder in it now that the weather is chilly. I think it is good to vary what we eat, otherwise we will get in a rut and get tired of our food. I do try to make a few new recipes that aren't terrible calorie wise. There's lots of stuff on the internet.
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Oh thats a good idea. I love hot coco and just picked up more last night as it took me forever to find it in store again. I do have the unflavored powder. Would it get mixed in first and then heated?
 
Tokash said:
Oh thats a good idea. I love hot coco and just picked up more last night as it took me forever to find it in store again. I do have the unflavored powder. Would it get mixed in first and then heated?
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You know, I'm not really sure as I haven't done it yet. Maybe someone here has. I'm thinking after might be better?? I also think I heard that you shouldn't get the protein powders too hot (as in boiling). My soup mentioned that.
 
I am trying this tonight. My husband has been on a hot chocolate kick and I've been avoiding it because my recipe calls for too much sugar, but now that you mentioned it, I'll bet my chocolate protein powder would work as a sweetener too!! If I add the high protein milk, I might be able to make it bariatric friendly!! Good tip, Judy!
 
missyinacage said:
I am trying this tonight. My husband has been on a hot chocolate kick and I've been avoiding it because my recipe calls for too much sugar, but now that you mentioned it, I'll bet my chocolate protein powder would work as a sweetener too!! If I add the high protein milk, I might be able to make it bariatric friendly!! Good tip, Judy!
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Thanks Missy. Let me know how it works for you. I still have to buy the hot chocolate mix but if the protein powder sweetens it then I would be better off making it from scratch.
 
Tokash I am with you. I am a "plain Jane" when it comes to my foods. I am almost 6 months post op and anything high in carbs just makes me sick. I hate the traditional protein shakes and dislike the taste of Premier Protein. I have mentioned on many different threads that I am a big fan of the Fairlife Nutrition shakes. For a while I switched over to the traditional Fairlife Protein shakes but the nutrionist advised to stay away from them since they were around 240 calories. The Fairlife Nutrition Plan shakes tasts great and have 30 grams of Protein in a 11 oz serving. I usually go with Vanilla and chocolate since they taste just like a regular shake. Fairlife should start to pay me with the amount that I talk about it. I have one in the morning and one in the evening after my workouts.
 
LisaLisa said:
Speaking of Fairlife--they have a coffee creamer (hazelnut rocks!) that is 40% less sugar that regular creamers. That with some GenePro protein powder and BAM coffee becomes a protein drink!
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How do you mix the protein with something hot? I want to try it with hot coco. I do love coffee but am lucky if I can do a couple a week as it just aggravates the acid issues.
 
Also I have been strictly sticking to 800-100 calories this week and getting my protein up in normal range. Mondy night I was around 900 cals and last night at 870.

Both nights I woke in the middle of the night starving. When I get hungry like that it usually upsets my stomach and I end up in there awhile.

In these two days I have faithfully had 64 oz of water as well. I typically was only getting around 48.

My meals are usually around 7-8am, anywhere from 11-2 in the afternoon and then around 6-7 pm. Not sure what to do to help the midnight hunger.
 
JudyNY said:
Thanks Missy. Let me know how it works for you. I still have to buy the hot chocolate mix but if the protein powder sweetens it then I would be better off making it from scratch.
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I did try it. I used 3C Fairlife Milk, a full scoop of protein powder, about 1.5T of cocoa powder and I went ahead and added a Splenda packet. It was pretty good. I ALSO could advertise for Fairlife. I don't use their shakes, but I love the ultra filtered high protein milk and am looking foward to trying the coffee creamer!
 
Tokash said:
How do you mix the protein with something hot? I want to try it with hot coco. I do love coffee but am lucky if I can do a couple a week as it just aggravates the acid issues.
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I have mini whisks or a fork would work too for the hot chocolate. I got my mini whisks on Amazon:

 
Did you mix it cold then heat it? I also traditionally make my coco with water as the milk isn't my thing generally but more so when its warm. However I might have to try the milk again since it has more protein.
 
Tokash said:
Also I have been strictly sticking to 800-100 calories this week and getting my protein up in normal range. Mondy night I was around 900 cals and last night at 870.

Both nights I woke in the middle of the night starving. When I get hungry like that it usually upsets my stomach and I end up in there awhile.

In these two days I have faithfully had 64 oz of water as well. I typically was only getting around 48.

My meals are usually around 7-8am, anywhere from 11-2 in the afternoon and then around 6-7 pm. Not sure what to do to help the midnight hunger.
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I usually eat a little something before bed when I take my night time meds. I like to take medication with food unless it says specifically to take on an empty stomach like Synthroid. Most often that would be low fat cheese but or a couple of "healthier" crackers and sometimes sugar free pudding.
 
missyinacage said:
I did try it. I used 3C Fairlife Milk, a full scoop of protein powder, about 1.5T of cocoa powder and I went ahead and added a Splenda packet. It was pretty good. I ALSO could advertise for Fairlife. I don't use their shakes, but I love the ultra filtered high protein milk and am looking foward to trying the coffee creamer!
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Thanks Missy! I went to the store today (big storm ahead - 1-2 feet of snow expected) so I won't be going out again for a while. I would like to try the Fairlife Milk. I did buy regular hot cocoa mix - no sugar, so for now that will do.
 
JudyNY said:
Thanks Missy! I went to the store today (big storm ahead - 1-2 feet of snow expected) so I won't be going out again for a while. I would like to try the Fairlife Milk. I did buy regular hot cocoa mix - no sugar, so for now that will do.
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The low fat hot coco is even better on sugar and calories than the no sugar
 
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