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Where I'm at...

rjbj

rjbj

Member
Since I started off on this long road I have lost about 110 pounds. I stalled at 220 in November after surgery the previous February. Quality of life, through the roof. Am holding steady between 220 and 225. So I'm starting to get the sense that this is where I'm going to be at. Was hoping to break 200, but oh well. When I stalled, my doc suggested the exercise regimen I've stuck to ever since, but that did not jumpstart any additional loss,. The only significant change to my eating habits recently is that those protein shakes are just too damned expensive. For protein, my grocery store sells super thin slices of beef and pork which I prepare in batches and munch on for a couple of days. Also, I have discovered raisins.

Thompson raisins.

Big, fat, juicy Thompson raisins.

Homer drooling noise

Most of my food is portioned in 4oz containers. I'm still counting calories daily. Weighing myself regularly as a reality check. I never really got guidance on how many calories a day was recommended, so I keep it under 2000 (most days it's between 1800 and 2000).
 
If you want to drop that last 10 or 20 pounds, throw those raisins as far away from your mouth as you can and never eat them again.

Certain fruits, when dried turn into sugar, and raisins is one of those. Prunes, not so much. But raisins are one of the worst. you can even hear the sugar crunching as you chew them.

Go to the FDA site (like, www.fda.gov or something) and you will find the nutritional content of every single food, including fast food and restaurant entrees.

Raisins are absolutely deadly and they come in those cute little innocent boxes we give our kids, like, here honey, a healthy snack. NOPE. Bad snack.

Any dried fruit is a pretty bad snack because of the sugar conversion that takes place. Raw fruit i better in so many ways. Actually, dried apples are pretty safe. Maybe those pomme and seeded fruits are okay and retain nutrition, whereas a dried grape develops more sugar.

It's worth learning everything you can so you can go into a meal with eyes open. Some people are puzzled that they can't lose weight when they eat salad twice a day. Well, the salad's fine. It's the ranch dressing you drown it in that ruins the nutritional value.
 
Even after surgery, it's basically calories in, calories out. So, try 1700 calories instead and see if that helps.

Everything is okay in moderation. I will say that if we snack on sweet things regularly, even dried fruit (who doesn't love raisins?!? lol) we develop a craving for sweet things. Which are usually higher in calories than other foods. Just something to keep in mind as you navigate your way through. My weakness is trail mix or nuts in general. Good(ish) for you but high in calories
 
Yea I agree, the shakes are the best. I would go online or a discount store to see if they are available at a cheaper price. Also look in the government sites. I know they provide them to folks with certain medical conditions. Last case is make them yourself protein powder is cheap in bulk, add sugar free oat milk plus a flavoring, blueberries, strawberry etc. Eating high calorie meat is not a good option . My doctor told me a patient of his reversed the whole process and regained all the weight back. I use lists of food items I have been recommended to eat. I post them on my phone, I view the list and just select those items when shopping, which keeps you away from the meat and cheese and cookie aisles
 
Well, here's the thing. They are thin slices of meat, seasoned and cooked in a pan with no-cal nonstick Pam and thoroughly degreased afterward. I have two at a time and they are together about 150 calories. So, while snarfing down a cheese drenched strip steak is not a good idea (or even an appetizing one), the calorie content is most important thing to look at, and I keep a fastidious record of that. I mean, you can theoretically subside on McDonalds and remain healthy if you are burning the calories you consume (but what a hell of a life). I am learning moderation, accountability, and vigilance. And I sure as h@ck am not going to gain that weight back if I have anything to say about it.

Also, prunes are very dull but slimy raisins, it turns out. :)
 
Right, I would counsel with a nutritionist that specializes in bariatric diets. It’s sounds like you are not getting full enough and not being satisfied with the foods you are eating. You need some different options that are satisfying to you specifically. For instance I have always liked protein shakes , I have been drinking them since I was 17 in school. I like them they are quick and easy and they satisfy me. I like omelettes that’s plenty of protein and I like soups especially with vegetables and noodles but you still need the protein shake with the 30 grams of protein after the soup to satisfy you and stop the hunger
 
I, for one, have no interest in drinking protein shakes as a meal replacement for the rest of my life. I could've done slim fast for that. The idea behind WLS is learning to eat in a healthy way. Unless you are vegetarian or vegan, there is no reason to avoid meat or cheese.

I know many ppl here are very against certain foods, for whatever reason. Meat, cheese, nuts, beans, carbs, dried fruit .. I've seen suggestions to avoid it all. And you can do whatever works for you.

For the rest of us, a healthy, balanced diet in whatever form you choose is fine. If you want to lose more, increase calories out or decrease calories in. That is the only thing nutritionally that has been proven, without a doubt. Otherwise, the vast majority of nutrition specialists will tell you avoid heavily processed foods and you can enjoy everything else in moderation.
 
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Theoretically, WW is compatible. They suggest sensible eating, tracking, and small portions of healthy food. I use my food app, which is Baritastic, and free.

I used Pinterest for months finding bariatric recipes and menu plans. They do a lot of muffin meals. Which is great, until you realize you can just make a meal, portion it out and freeze your leftovers. Less stress and time lol

During the first few months, I only truly ATE dinner. The rest was soft ish foods. Shake for breakfast, yogurt for snack, soup for lunch, cottage cheese for 2nd snack. I ate every 3 hours or so.

You can find lots of recipes in our recipe forum. I shared almost everything I ate in the early days. Fair warning, I love my slow cooker lol

Also, any meal you enjoy can be made bariatric friendly. And most foods can be frozen to enjoy later if you make too much.
 
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For me it's sugar and carbs. Keto and rigorous exercise was the only way I could lose weight before the surgery. When I stalled about 3 months out, I tracked my carbs and cut them down. Not Keto, as that tends to be bad for you, but a modified version with more carbs and less fat. It seems to be working. But the only way I realized what I was actually consuming was to track it in carbmaster. Logging what I eat drink and do really helps me keep on track now.
 
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