Exercise, Nutrition, WLS, and Cooking Q & A - 2/21/2014

On your first question, if you feel good and you can keep up the pace, keep it up. If you are feeling run down, get some rest. Sleep is very important.

On #2, get more water (100oz especially on exercise days) and add some fats to your diet (particularly coconut oil) as it will give you a bit more energy without the risk of storing body fat. I would keep your calories where they are until you get close or to your goal. The idea is to burn much more than you consume. I mean I could make a very strong argument for increasing your calorie intake but women, even tall women do not burn nearly as many calories as men. 

You will increase your calories when you get closer or to goal, that is when you can mess with your program, until then, keep doing what works for you. if you do increase your calories, do it with fat and protein. For your height you could probably do with a little more protein and probably at night before bed (casein protein).

Thank you!

I am wanting something sweet, that is in the plan.  I may just go to the health food store and pick up some quest bars, but do you have any recipes, or suggestions.  I saw a recipe for some homemade snickers bars 2 days ago and that's all I've been thinking about.  Thoughts?

Be careful trying to replicate things you could relate to before surgery. My attempts at it have failed miserable. Also be careful what you pick up as substitutes and make sure to read the label. Not all sugar free candies or goodies are actually low carb. Now that I have properly execute the right advice, here is what I do when I want something sweet and this one in particular works very well:

Peanut Butter Protein Ball (deconstructed in a cereal bowl)

usually when i want this I dont have time to make a whole recipe for protein balls, so I will throw all the stuff in a bowl and just eat it with a spoon:

1-2 tbsp of crunch peanut butter

1 tsp of cocoa powder

1 packet of stevia or truvia (splenda works in a pinch)

1 tsp of unsweetened dried coconut flakes shredded

1 tsp or 2 of raw cacoa nibs

1 tbsp flax meal

1/2 scoop of chocolate protein powder

1 tbsp of old fashioned oats

mix it all together and enjoy (if you want to get closer to a snickers type flavor Smuckers makes a sugar free caramel syrup that got me through many a sweet cravings. Walden Farms makes a good one too.

Casein (or any protein really**** Cream:

1 scoop protein powder (I use vanilla but any will do)

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

handful of frozen berries (blue or strawberry are your best bet)

Blend until thick, add more frozen fruit to make it thicker like ice cream

Voortmans makes a coconut cookie that is relatively low carb (around 5g I think if you subtract fiber) that really satisfies when I get a hard core cookie craving.

Sugar free gummy bears when I really want an old candy feeling (but stay close to a bathroom, they do a number on you).

All of that being said, you are a bit early out to be giving into the sweet cravings already. Its a down hill slide from here. I didn't until I was 9 months out. I would say if you are going to try anything of what I said from above, go for the ice cream, it will be far more beneficial than harmful and you will still be in your plan.

Thank you for the good suggestions.  The sweet cravings for me only happen maybe once a year honest.  I was never a sweets eater, my downfall was amounts and time in between large amounts, and grazing.  If I walked to the fridge to get a snack and there was an oreo or a chunk of ham I'm taking the ham 99% of the time.  I wanted to have the option for something sweet though and knew who to ask haha.  Thanks again.  I printed the post!

Honestly if it's that rare Dannon light and fit Greek yogurt is a great option. Very satisfying and wide range of flavors. Also if you are not a sweet eater and you get a craving it could be your body telling you that you need something. Make sure you take your vitamins and throw 2 tbsp of old fashioned oats in your yogurt. Slow digesting carbs will stabilize your blood sugar. Cinnamon is a great thing to include to as it is great for blood sugar stabilization. 

Hi, i have signed up to go to the gym at 6:00 am m w f . My question how do i make sure i have enough fuel to do the work out that early in the morning?  Also hydration i typically drink a 32 oz bottle of water as soon as i wake up then wait the 30 mins to have a greek yogurt for breakfast  i dont know if i can get up an extra hour to do both before getting to the gym.  Second question how many calories are you consuming a day. The gym doesnt think i will have enough energy on 800 calories a day they want me to consume 1500 !!!!! That ain't happen. Thanks deb 

My workouts are at 6am every day. I get up at 5 drink a protein shake and lay back down. Then I eat my breakfast after I shower and get ready for work. I hate when trainers say stuff like that. Even if you were knocking yourself out you are maybe going to burn 400 to 600 calories. The point of the surgery is to be at a calorie deficit so you lose weight. Now if you are still cranking it out after 6 months move up to 1000 calories a day. You want your body to use fat stores. I workout 6 days a week and so e times twice a day on 1000 calories. You will be fine. Keep up the water that is ultra critical. If you eat before and after your workout you will be fine. I am a year and a half out and still knocking it out every day. Give it a shot and let me know how you feel in a week. You might want to start taking a BCAA supplement if you do a lot of weight work.