Hello all,

I had my 6 month post-op appointment. The nicest part was that after all the complications I have had it was very routine and I go back in 3 months. My lab work for vitamins looked good but for most of that time I was on the feeding tube. So the real test will be the year post op when we redo the annual blood work.... but right now all my levels are normal. I am doing a vitamin regiment using a lot of chew-ables from pointers I got here. Once I am through what I bought I am going to switch to Vitalady's chewable options. I figure if I just can follow her it would be best.

I had only lost 5 lbs in a month and talking through the food issues it is the carbs. I track my food on sparkpeople and I never seem to keep the carbs under 50. A lot of it is bad choices on my side (using Nutrisystem, eating popcorn and pizza with the dough).... but it is hard for me to find foods that are not an egg or tuna that have no carbs. One issue is I don't do any cooking. The protein bars, even the "good" ones, have more carbs than protein, all the protein drinks have some level of carbs and even the Greek Yogurt has more carbs than protein. The folks at the surgeon office did compliment me on all my looking at labels. I am very conscious now of the carbs which is a good first step.

So just looking for easy protein, non-carb choices. I am going to get my grill fixed and try some grilled chicken breasts for dinner for example.

How do you folks keep away from popcorn and keep the carbs really low?

Oh and does anyone eat salad? I had a salad yesterday with grilled chicken and ranch dressing. The lettace with the ranch tasted really good even though I knew it was just filler for me and not helping with protein.

Thanks for you insight! Terri

HI Terri,
How about learning to cook.  Even simple foods.  You can get some easy crockpot ideas that you can portion out for several meals.  Potroast, chicken, pork loin, ribs.... 
Also deli meats rolled up with cheese slices, cottage cheese, lettuce and bacon roll up, ham steaks, pork chops, hamburgers or hot dogs without the buns.  Cooking doesn't need to be elaborate.  You are embracing a new life and reality.  Maybe cooking is part of that?
Yes, carbs are hard to avoid, too! 

Cheers,
Cathy

Cathy,

On the cooking part I am trying but it is just a big block for me. I keep forgetting about cottage cheese which I do like. I will get some today. The deli meats rolled up with cheese is a good idea too. I need to go to the supermarket today which you have given me the inpiration to do after school dropoff.

Thank you! Terri

 Hi Terri:

If you you want to get within spitting distance of a normal BMI, you're going to have to make a commitment to staying away from the carbs.   When you cook your own meals and eat out less, you can control your environment in regard to your carb consumption too.   When you're sitting in a restaurant or going to a *gag* fast food joint, you have all these choices and it's so easy to make bad ones that way.    

Really, how hard is it to cook?   Buy yourself a crock pot, get a nice marbled chuck roast, throw it in the pot with a can of cream of mushroom or chicken soup and a package of dry onion soup  mix.   Let it cook all day.   You can do the same thing with chicken breast.    Or pork chops.   How hard is that?  I eat LOTS of salad, and often, salad is a great vehicle for getting protein in.    I load it up with chicken or leftover steak, sunflower seeds, cheese, bacon, etc.    Make yourself scrambled eggs or an omelet for dinner.    Take two pounds of good ground chuck.   Brown it in a pan and mix in a couple of packages of taco seasoning.    Portion it out and make your own taco salad - without the taco shells - cheese, sour cream, lettuce, olives, avocado, etc.    Get some low carb tortillas and make burritos.    Walmart has a good brand.     

Hiring a cook is a waste of money and unnecessary, truly.    We can support you and help you with recipe ideas, but YOU'RE going to have to get out of "helpless" mode and take control.   You can do this!

You should be a WL coach...

You have great suggestions all the time!!!

Have a great day!

Yum Julie!  I have all the cookbooks but you make it sound so damned easy and delicious!  I'm about to make me an everything salad - heavy on the protein .

Hell I may pull my crockpot out of the deep end of the cabinets tonight.

Thanks!

Even simple foods.  You can get some easy crockpot ideas that you can portion out for several meals.  Potroast, chicken, pork loin, ribs....

Chicken, pork loin, ribs...yeap those are easy to do in a crockpot but I am beef roast impaired...the ONLY way I have successfully done a roast without it being dry/carbboard tasting I have to use a rotisserre.

I have tried EVERY method known to "man" to make a roast without one. My Mother made great roasts...I tried having her teach me, didn't work. Tried listening to friends who do theirs that are great...nope, their methods don't work either. And even tried the butcher's methods. BUST! But I can manage it in the rotessierre.

Of course, chicken, pork roast, and ribs are also excellent in the rotisserre.

Liz

 Part of your aversion to cooking is time, right?  So learn to do your own fast food.  Always cook in bulk, portion, and freeze.  Instead of making one meal, make 5, 6, or 10.  Then it's there in the freezer any time you are hungry.  Saves money too because you can buy the bigger, family size, packages.

If you want to be successful, you have to divorce yourself from the carbs.  Do whatever you have to do.  One great step would be to not bring it into the house in the first place.  Truthfully, those carbs aren't good for anyone!

If I could afford a chef I would but that's just me. 

I'm learning as I go along and I'm now 7 weeks out.  I'm cleared for adding "real food" if I can tolerate it.  As of yesterday at the Dr's office.  In our class, she really liked my ideas.

Yesterday I went to Trader Joes and a regular grocery store.  As me the ultimate YOYO dieter "ME", if carbs are there, they are a detriment to any weight loss whether you had had the DS or not, but especially with the DS.  Our Anatomy has been changed.  We need and thrive on High Fat/Protein.  We absorb 100% of simple carbs.

So, I am making some various things all at once putting them in freezer bags and pulling them out the night before. 

I made sour cream/ranch dip adding baby shrimp.  That is going to give me fat and protein, then I can dip broccoli in it.  I am also doing the same thing with dill/sour cream. 

For my shakes, I'm trying a new brand.  I've just tried the one this morning.  Unjury Chocolate Splendor.  I added a handful of blueberries and spinach.  Giving me some of the complex carbs I need to stay healthy. 

A lot of people do a crock pot which is great.  I still can't eat beef, will try it again in a few months.  I would think at 6 months, you could so that's a great idea they have.

I also picked up the premade "REAL" bacon bits which was approved by our nurse.  I can just nibble on those and they seem to be ok.  I can't eat a whole piece of bacon becauase I get sick.  Tuna, Chicken (which most people have a hard time with), Shrimp & FIsh are my proteins.

I have a Magic Bullet and blend everything really really well.  I make my shakes with it, my tuna everything.  

I hope these give you some ideas.

Protein shakes are excellent resources as well. I use the 100% Whey Gold from Optimum Nutrition. I mix two scoops with heavy cream, water, and ice and shake it up. 50 grams of protein.

Rotisserie chicken is another banging deal at the store. It's usually $6.99 for a whole chicken (I like Costco best)--you can't usually buy a raw one for that price. I can eat on a whole chicken for a few days.

String cheese, canned chicken, frozen shrimp, pre-cooked frozen chicken breasts (they do have some sugar and salt but when you need it ...), sausage patties ...

There are TONS of protein options out there. You just have to be willing to think about it and plan ahead.

There's a post on my profile about auto-pilot .. you might want to take a look at it before this problems gets out of hand.

i am the carb/sugar queen. so i kinda know what you must be going through.  one thing i did learn, carbs want more carbs.  when you  ingest carbs your body craves more carbs.  if you can detox yourself for 3 days without carbs you will feel a big difference.  possibly you will see a difference on the scale as well.
every time i wanted something sugary or carby i would make myself eat protein.  even if it was just a few slices of pepperoni. then drink water, usually the craving would subside and at least i felt better about having more control over my body.
if you choose to have this wonderful surgery, you must be a strong lady and intelligent to make such a life changing choice.  good luck. you can do it.

Hi,

It is nice to know someone with a carb problem was still able to lose weight. Yesterday I did what you suggested (mostly). No matter what I chose protein and the carb numbers were much better.

One day at a time and one meal at a time I suppose. Thanks! Terri

good for you terri!  one day at a time is how to be successful. 
do you ever post on vites and bites?  i love that major mom starts this thread each night.  it helps me be accountable through the day if i know that i have to type what i ate.
i really watched my carb count my first year - 18 months out.  i tried to stay 45 - 55 a day.
believe me i am no angel with the carbs but if i am going to have chocolate or candy (since i am 3 yrs out) my rule is no crap before 2:30pm and then i portion it out.  no sitting with the bag of candy in front of me.  
here's my method of eating say, 3 hershey's kisses:
no distractions.  can't be on phone, or computer.  eating these 3 kisses is my only task.
first kiss is chewed up
second kiss is savored and i let it melt completely in my mouth
third kiss is my choice how i eat it.
i know this sounds nutty, but if i don't eat my treats without distractions, then i wonder why i didn't enjoy it and feel cheated.
keep up the low carb days there girlie.  i know you can do it.  there is no doubt. 
 

 Terri---

If you keep doing the "one day at a day" thinking, you'll reach your goal. I PROMISE! All we CAN do it one day at a time and every decision we make has to be one moment at a time. If you don't do great on a snack or meal, then endeavour to make better choices the next time. It's not worth beating yourself up over if you stumble, just keep picking up and putting down your feet and move forward.

We didn't get to the point of needing the DS surgery because we were perfect and able to do what was right all the time. ;)

But, with the DS, we CAN continue to move forward and do something about our health and weight. 

It's a process and a journey---it's not a sprint though!

If there is a vegan restaurant near you, you might be able to get some suitable meal options there.

Best Wishes!!

Thanks for the tip!

 Hi Terri,
Learning how to cook will be a great tool of success for you, and oh, so liberating!  It's as easy as following directions.  I agree that a crock pot is a great investment, first because it's so easy to throw a few things in, turn it on, walk away, and come home to something beautiful.  The other benefit is that slow cooking makes your meat incredibly tender, and you're able to eat more very easily....especially with gravy.

For carbs, I, too, am a sugar ****  I never counted carbs, but took a different approach. When eating, I would eat my protein first > then veggies > then the last couple of bites would be me enjoying whatever I wanted, be it a little bread, rice, pasta, or even chocolate cake.  I was nearly full already, so I could only muster a bite or two, but never felt deprived in the process.

The further out I got, though, I was able to eat more, and had more room for the carbs, and it's the total truth that they create craving for more.  I do have some sugar-**** remedies that are full of protein that really help.  I  make all of these and munch on them for a few days and my cravings get back under control.  (see my profile for Ricotta fluff, SF Custard and Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies)

Another tip, especially with the cooler weather coming, is to look to complex carbs and whole grains as opposed to the overly processed.  For instance, instead of toast > go for some old fashioned (not instant) or steel cut oatmeal, cream of wheat or grits.  I've been on a serious grits kick lately since the cafeteria where I work started offering them.  I have them add 2 fried eggs, 3 slices of bacon and some shredded cheese to my buttered grits, and I LOVE them.  My little feast yields about 35g of protein for breakfast.

Hi,

I just wanted to thank you again for posting the recipes on the other thread. I printed them out and will go to the supermarket later today and actually try one or two. Do you know the protein to carb ratio? I track my food or try to so wanted to make sure I account for the carbs properly. I know I cannot just eat the snacks non-stop.

Really thanks so much, Terri

 I don't count carbs - especially when they come so protein-rich.  You could do the math from the labels, though, once you determine your portion sizes.  Ricotta, for instance, has 7g of protein in just a quarter cup.  

Before my surgery I was A Fast Food Foodie and Carb queen. I made the decision 8mos before my surgery to give up carbs. It was soo hard and I can't speak from personal experience but i would like to compare it to trying to kick crystal meth. It took me a good 2mos before I could go and order something and not long to have fries with it . Only you can prevent forest fires my friend. With that being said you have to decide whats more important to you. The 5 mins of pleasure from carbs or a life time of being told your a hott sexy *****

Nothing taste as good as skinny.