Exercise & Nutrition Q&A

If you have questions I will do my best to get you answers. Floor is open!

Two months post op and I am still eating mainly protein and very little carbs.  When did you start introducing more vegetables, salad, etc. into your diet?

Go for it. I think you are safe to do it. I have been eating veggies and salads since I got to full foods. Some docs tell you to wait 6 months for salads, so start out slow and test it out, chew really well.

Still eat protein first. So if you are eating 2-4 ounces of meat, when you are done with that, eat some steamed broccoli or a leafy green salad with some cucumber and olive oil based vinaigrette is a great dressing because it will give you some good healthy fats.

Veggies to avoid if you are watching carbs - carrots, beets, corn

Veggies to go crazy with - broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, leafy greens, any type of lettuce, kale, cucumber, summer squash, zucchini, cauliflower, peppers, celery, squash

The nutrionist I see says no on lettuce and celery for at least 6 months.  I guess doctors and nutrionist are all different. 

I was wondering that myself.  I've had some veggies (zuchini, squash--no skin, green beans, beans in chili--and all have been very cooked because they were in something) but for some reason I'm still wary of salad. AND...I'm worried about filling up and not getting my protein in.

See my response above. You should be fine, just test out the salads first, if you chew well you should be fine. Always eat your protein first, then veggies. Also you can stop overcooking your veggies, that kills all the nutrients. I steam or roast the veggies I eat.

One of my go to faves is Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Brussels Spouts. Just drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt and roast at 425 for 15-25 mins until they reach the softness you are looking for.

Yes! Its probably the most common and the most talked about.

I have started actually enjoying the gym and excerise quite a bit lately.  I go for 2-3 hours a day.  Well, it seems the more time I spend in the gym, the less my weight moves.  I have been within the same 2-3 pounds for almost 2 weeks now.  It is discouraging doing all that work and not seeing it on the scale.

I drink plenty of water... at least 10 cups a day

protein tends to be 80-100 g

carbs are usually 30-40g at most

suggestions????

Where are your fats? Your body needs fuel, if you are not giving it carbs, you need to give it fat. You don't want it to use protein because protein is needed to build and repair muscle. When you are working out remember you are building and strengthening muscle so while the scale may not be moving, you are improving. Start feeling around your muscles, are your legs harder? arms? abs?

If by 10 cups a day if they are 16oz cups, that's fantastic but if they are 10 8oz cups then you are only around 80oz and you should be closer to 100 or more with exercising that much. 

Also working out that much, you need to make sure you are strategic about when you eat. Protein before your exercise (30-60 mins) and protein and fat (or protein and carbs if you go that route) 30-60 mins after you work out. If you are working out for 3 hours at a time then consider something in between as well. If your body goes after muscle for fuel it isn't burning fat and if it isn't burning fat then the scale isn't moving or you will bounce between a couple pounds.