Where can I improve?

I am 4 years post op RNY  

I need to lose about 20-30 lbs. more. I have a hard time getting protein down as I really don't like it! lol

 

Here is my normal day of food - M-F while I am working.

6:45am - 8:00am -Starbucks Americano  

8:00am - 10:00am - an individual Knudsen 2% cottage cheese  (or a string cheese & a few wheat thins)

10:00am - 12:00pm - 100 calorie bag of light popcorn (to get my salty cravings to go away)

12:00pm - 2:00pm -  Usually a Tyson Grilled chicken breast (already cooked, in freezer section, so yummy) & some brown rice - OR - a TV dinner from smart ones, healthy choice or lean cuisine Sometimes a sandwich.

2:00pm - 4:00pm - Either a string cheese stick with a few wheat thins or a 100 calorie bag of popcorn, whichever I have not had for the day

4:00pm - 7:00pm - Dinner - Varies largely. Usually a pork chop or chicken with a veggie of some sort & some type of rice, pasta or potato (not all of this gets eaten, just a few bites of each)

7:00pm - 10:00pm - If I still feel hungry I can usually do a banana or I might have a light n fit yogurt.

I am a VERY picky eater. I would like to come up with a better breakfast idea that takes minutes to make. I am always short on time in the morning. 

I would cut down on the carbs and add more protein.

You say you don't like  protein?  None of it?  You don't like meat?  Seafood?  Greek yogurt?  Beans?  Tofu?  Veggie burgers?  Protein shakes?  Nothing?

NOPE. I don't like meat for the most part. I hate eggs (but can choke them down). I won't touch tofu. I am 100% anti-seafood. Greek yogurt makes me wanna gag. I can barely get down regular yogurt & cottage cheese. Beans & protein shakes are up in the air.

Ah...well then you have a choice to make. You can either sit where you are eating what you like to eat (which is a PERFECTLY valid choice this far out) and accept your weight or you can work at eating things that will help you lose weight. I've eaten more than one thing I don't like in the past in the name of health. Bananas for instance. I HATE them but half of one is perfect fuel for running. 

So you are at the proverbial "fork in the road." To lose more may require you to do things you don't want to do or eat things you dont want to eat. Personally I'm not willing to do that so I am working on accepting the me that I am. The me I know I can maintain without being miserable. 

 You are only giving half the story here. What is your activity like and when do you do it?

If you work out in the morning, you are waiting too long to eat. You need to have at least a little something out of bed. Fruit generally works well because it gives you the carbs to get moving and sustain you. 

I don't think your starches aren't way off provided they are reasonable portions. You might consider cutting one of them, though. My NUT said I can have two servings of whole grain starch a day. BUT if you are looking to lose weight, you might want to cut out the starchy carbs. 

If you like popcorn, I'd consider replacing the before bed banana with it. My NUT said if you eat carbs at night, make them mostly fiber that way you aren't absorbing as much of the carbs. 

Do you like Greek yogurt at all? Lots of protein in that. 

What kinds of vegetables do you eat and are you drinking water?

One big issue I have had is low Blood Sugar. I get really low, like below 60 sometimes. I hate this feeling. 

Exercise... What's that?  I am so busy running around dealing with life that I never have time to actually set aside for exercising. I walk our dog & I play games on the XBOX360 & Wii with my 9 year old. The dance games make it easy to get some type of exercise in. But this is maybe 1 time a month.

I am so sleepy all of the time. I have to get Iron infusions every year, at least, because of how low my #'s get. I have to give myself B12 injections every month now too. (2nd month as of 2 days ago).

I want to try protein shakes in the AM but fear they will make me sick because I usually don't eat breakfast. It goes RIGHT THROUGH ME. So, I wait until after 9:00 most mornings before I put anything other than decaf coffee in my pouch. 

 Ah...

Well you aren't going to get 20-30 lbs off at this stage in the game without getting more active. So far as your blood sugar, a lot of that can be controlled through your food intake but you may also need help from your doctor. 

As far as exercise goes, at this point you probably need to be doing something vigorouse. Xbox Kinect has a great Zumba Fitness game if you like dance games and it's a great workout. 

As for your b12, how frequently were you taking it before? I was instructed to do a once monthly shot almost from the beginning of my journey. I now take a sublingual every day as I kept forgetting the monthly one. Your deficiencies are most likely the reason you feel so tired all the time. Were you always deficient or did this present after surgery?

It sounds to me like rather than trying to lose more weight you might look at improving your holistic health. Start trying new foods to find some balance that you like. Embrace SOME kind of protein. Get moving and get your deficiencies under control.

The weight sort of works itself out in that process.

And veggie - usually broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, lettuce (sometimes) or asparagus.

Water - IS MY BEST FRIEND. I drink it all day & throw in diet snapple to give me some variety. 

I am also a picky eater who would like to lose a few more lbs. - maybe 10-15 ish.

I have stuck with protein shakes from the beginning. Not a fancy "recipe" - but the grab and go premier protein shakes from Costco, or the Mocha Atkins shakes at Walmart. They assure that I front load my protein for the day.

I steer clear of refined carbs. Also a resolution from the start - extremely low refined sugars and carbs. Yes, I've fallen off the wagon a time or two, and regretted it. I can't stand Lean Cuisine type meals - to me they have no taste, aren't filling, and aren't worth the calories. And light and fit yogurt is a risky proposition for me. 

A string cheese is only 9 g. of protein before noon. By noon I have had 30 gm. because of the protein shake. I couldn't manage on so little "meaningful" food in the first half of hte day.

What shakes from Costco?  I am down to try the grab & go shakes provide they have no milk. I cant have milk. Any kind of milk. I get so gassy it hurts so bad!  I can do soy, if I must.  I love Vitamin D milk but I just can't deal with the pain after I inject it. Within 2 minutes I am doubled over from air bubbles. That is the only bad effect. If I can burp or fart, it goes away. But I usually have to lay on the floor for 20 minutes to force the air out from under my ribs.