Not enough calories??

When I went in to see my PCP today she said one of the reasons I may feel so tired and worn down is because I'm burning off more than I'm consuming. I am not even getting close to 800 calories a day. Well somedays I get closer than others. I'm sitting here asking my husband now and of cousre (like a man) he can't give me a straight answer. There are days when I'll have salad with grilled chicken or I'll have fish so I guess on those days I get close. Today was horrible..I had one half of a turkey burger all day long. I just DO NOT care to eat. I don't want to think about fixing it and I don't want to think about eating it. Awhile back I posted I've been cooking well....for the past week or so I guess I haven't. I've just been too tired. I do some cooking but not much. I feel like literally from week to week things are changing. Somedays I'm bouncing off the ceiling with energy. I'm ready to hit the gym, make big dinners or whatever for the family and then BOOM...no energy. I feel SOOO lazy. I hate thinking about being lazy I don't want people to call me that. I'm taking my two flinstones a day, my two protein shakes, my B-12 the only thing I don't take regularly is my calcium. I've been really bad about that. My sleeping patterns have gotten worse. Last night I just sat up until 12:30 and COULD NOT sleep. It was awful..I even kept my hubby up. PCP says it's my body still adjusting and it will just take time and I know she's right. I just can't take this up, up, up and then bang down... Has anyone experience this? Total and complete lack of energy. It's like lifting your arm takes real thought. I could use some ideas for quick grab and go meals. I'm so grab and go. Lunch is my worst meal I never know what to make. I've tried beans the small cans (YUCK!), p-butter on stoneground low sodium crackers not bad but not something I want to eat, soup..not so much,I'm starting to miss my chili and I sure never thought I'd say that. I swear just sitting here writing this I feel like my brain in on EMPTY and is waiting for a fill up. I'm having to really strive to think about what I'm doing. Thanks in advance.. HUGS, Jamie

Hi Jamie, So sorry things are so blah-blah right now for you. I totally know what you are talking about. I've been there when I was about as far out as you are now..you are almost 3 months right? I got absolutely no exercise the first 3 months because of my post-op complications..so that kinda put me behind a little bit. Just the thought of eating made me so sick to my stomach......that too did pass. I find that I can graze..but when I sit down to eat a salad with a protein for instance..I fill up so quick that the meal has gotta last me a couple of meals..sometimes it just goes to waste cause the lettuce wilts or the stuff just doesn't heat-up well..ya know what I mean. Because I fill up so quickly..I miss out on some good protein. I found myself complaining about this problem the other day, then my husband sat me down and said,"Ginger, isn't that the reason you had the surgery? to feel full with just alittle bit of food cause of your new stomach??" That really got me thinking. He was right. I WAS hungry all of the time..and now, it's just not that important to me anymore. That is exactly what I wanted, to feel full!!! So here I am 7 months out..and feeling pretty good about myself. I am almost down 100 pounds give or take 4 or 5 pounds....I was so disappointed to not be down 100 by my 6 month surgeriversary, but....I'm getting there. Jamie, it can only get better for you at this point. I saw your pics and I am very impressed with your progress in such a short time. Part of the weight-loss saga includes a bit of depression..hormones being released and such. there are just so many changes that happen in your life...from the way people treat you differently, to the clothes that get baggy sooo quickly. I know what you mean about sleeplessness too. It's 12:15 am in Arizona and I am so full of energy that i can't sleep. I was talking to my hubby and realized that he was sound asleep..boy did I feel stupid..just how long was I talking to myself???jeeezzz!!! I'm sending tons of skinny wishes your way..you deserve it girl! HugsGinger

I was perusing a bunch of recipes the other day and thought this sounded pretty good for a post-op (minus the vegies. Maybe you could put it on the crackers) Tuna-Cottage Cheese Scoops Ingredients: 5 ounce can tuna, drained 1/2 cup small-curd cottage cheese 1/4 cup chopped dill pickle 1/4 cup diced sweet red onion 1 tablespoon mayonnaise Celery sticks, pepper strips and/or cucumber rounds Directions: Simply mix together the tuna, cottage cheese, dill pickle, red onion and mayonnaise. Refrigerate until you are ready to eat and then scoop the tuna-cottage cheese salad up with vegetables. Recipe makes two servings. Also, can you tolerate cheese? The string cheese sticks are easy to carry around and have a good serving a protein. Since I'm still pre-op, I really don't have the right to offer advice, but I worry when I hear people aren't taking calcium. You don't want to get thinner and healthier only to be toothless or break a hip! Like Sandra said, the children's vitamins aren't adequate for post-ops. Check into the Centrum chewables that Sandra recommended. My HMO has us take the sugar free children's vitamins for only two or three weeks post op and then we have to move up to a vitamin that provides more vitamins than a children's dosage can cover. Hugs, Kix

I'm going to call my Nut today and ask her about the Centrum. I do feel funny munching on Flintstones.. I haven't seen my surgeon since I was two weeks out and I wonder why he didn't mention this to me then? UGH!!!! Kix I really appreciate the advice and I think the recipe sounds pretty good. I might have to find something to substitute for the cottage cheese. For some reason it just won't go down. At first cheese, just about any kind worked for me and now I'm finding melted it's not so bad but plain..kinda tricky. I do have the cheese sticks occasionally but I have to chew the heck out of em first. Today I'm going to try very hard to get all three of my calcium chews in. It might be a little easier for me in July because I'll be allowed to swallow pills then. I was so tired this morning I slept until 9 and I didn't even hear my husband come into our room take a shower and leave for work. That is terrible!! I slept right through it all and didn't hear a thing. OMG Ginger your husband sounds like mine and my mother. When I visit with my mom we sit up and watch movies together and talk and Bless her heart she tries to hang in there but I'll be talking away and have to actually get up and look at her glasses because she's usually asleep. The glare off her glasses makes it tough to tell so sometimes I'm staring at her eye to eye..!! Thank you for all your wonderful advice Ginger and I know I've got to hang in there and in time this feeling will pass..it sure sucks though..huh? My plan is to one day look back and say..man I'm pretty strong I went through all that??!! Okay time to go and hit the protein shake. Hubby bought fat free milk, they were out of 2%...ICK!! Fat free tastes like water with a little milk thrown in for good measure.. THANKS EVERYONE!!! GREAT BIG HUGS, Jamie

Hi Jamie, funny, I actually read Susan Leach's book the other day and she made note about children's vitamins and the fact that their not sufficient enough for pre-op let alone post-op pts. Try the Centrum chewables, I'm actually taking them now to get myself used to them. Also, I am like you, cooking is not my thang, so I am really trying to make sure that the type of protein shakes I make will give me large quantities at a time of protein, definitely adding frozen fruit chunks and making sure you dont over-blend will help w/taste. hopefully this helps... Sariah

First of all, sorry your energy is so wonky. I had a lot of energy problems my first few months as well. Now, here are some ideas for high protein "grab and go" type foods. I have never ever enjoyed cooking and preparing meals. So basically everything I consume takes 10 min or less to make ~Bumble Bee Tuna Sensations Packs (they come with 3oz of flavored tuna in a pop top can, and 6 ritz crackers, and a little thing to spred the tuna on) ~South Beach Diet lunch wraps (they have low carb tortillas, chicken/turkey, dressing, and usually cheese, they also come with a spoon and a little SF jello) ~No Bean Turkey Chili ~Yogurt (I eat Dannon Light n Fit Carb and Sugar Control) ~Reduced Fat String Cheese ~Soy Crisps ~Power Crunch Bars ~Carb Consious Lean Cusines (I usually get chicken ones, and only eat that part and throw away the rest) ~Turkey Pepperoni with sliced cheddar (I like to dip them in spicy mustard) ~Cottage Cheese (I make so many variations of this... for the sweet side, I mix a SF jello packet with 16oz of cottage cheese... I also add fruit sometimes... for a salty version I mix a tiny bit of salsa in with the cottage cheese, or sometimes a bit of pesto or spagetti sauce and top with parmesean and heat up, tastes like the inside part of lasange) ~Chicken Sausage (ground chicken, italian spices. I buy them premade, but I am sure it would be easy to make yourself as well) Just some ideas. I hope this helps. If you aren't into eating, then just throw in a few more protein drinks in through out the day to get your intake up. Take Care, Mary