What's on the menu today, RNYers?

Hi OH friends - loved seeing all of the interaction on yesterday's post!  Also, I am now convinced that I have to try Isopure drinks and Flatout Light wraps :)  Hopefully I have convinced some of you to try cauliflower pizza crust!

Topic of the day (and does not pair well with food talk but inquiring minds want to know): do you take stool softeners, Miralax, Senokat...?  How do you keep things moving???  I have been taking Seno (a laxative) two or three times a week but someone alerted me that this could make me dependent on them for the rest of my life so I am trying to find a better solution.

I had an amazing workout last night with my trainer.  I would highly advise people to save up and splurge on 5 or 10 training sessions.  It's SO motivational and it teaches me what I need to be doing on my own.  I know it's a big expense but I figure since I am barely eating...

Time Since Surgery: 5 months, 4 days

B: 12 oz of unsweetened almond milk, 1.25 scoops of Syntrax matrix mint cookie protein powder, 12 oz french roast coffee 

L: One piece of cauliflower crust pizza with one tbsp of pizza sauce, diced shallots, 1 oz of tuna fish, 1/4 cup of shredded italian cheese

D: Have a work dinner at this amazing Mediterranean dishes.  I am going to try the htipiti (feta and roasted red pepper dip), hummus, dill lemon shrimp, and brussels sprouts.  Yes, I know the entire menu lol

Totals for the day suck.  700 calories, 60 g protein, 30 g carbs (high for me).  This is where I wonder, do I have a 100 calorie protein shake to boost my protein, but then my calories are high?

E: I am doing four personal training sessions this week so today is a day off from exercise!

V: On it

W: No problem

What's on your menu today?  Em

I have to admit, I am intrigued by the cauliflower pizza crust...

As I mentioned in a post sometime last week, I've managed to make it this far without really ever being constipated...until today! Today I totally feel gross - Shark Week is upon me, but I think it's the combo of the two issues. I'm going to pay close attention to today's discussion LOL.

Time since surgery: 9 weeks today!

B: 3oz cottage cheese

S: 12oz Nectar Lemon tea protein shake

L: 2oz chicken salad, 5 cheese crisps, 1 string cheese

Pre Workout Snack: Mini Babybel Lite

D: Sausage and Veggie bake I got from a Paleo site, smelled really good last night as I was making it

S: 12oz Nectar Lemon Tea protein shake

TOTALS: Calories 649, Protein 90, Carbs 24, Fat 23

V: started, W: waiting my 45 minutes post eating to get started, E: it's Aquzcize night!!!

I've been anxiously awaiting my first Gwynnie Bee items - this morning I finally got a shipping notice, then a little while later a note saying they couldn't ship my package yet so they're extending my trial by a week. Geez! I just want my stuff to arrive!!! They are sending two super cute dresses, so I just can't wait!

PS. Any PA friends out there, don't forget to vote in the primary today.

Good morning Anny! I used to get very constipated in the week leading up to Shark Week as well, and then once it hit everything just kind of broke loose. I've read that it's the prostaglandins that are released during a period that cause that effect; they have a laxative effect which counteracts the pre-period water retention.

Almost makes me wish I still had that issue.

Very, very almost.  

Ugh!  How annoying re: Gwynnie bee!  I honestly think they are growing so quickly that they are having trouble keeping up.  I have 3 shirts at home, 2 on the way, 2 hot dresses in my queue and 4 items I shipped back today.  Thank god for that service or I swear I would wear the same five things.  As it is, I wear the same 9 things ha ha.  Today I am wearing a super cute maxi dress that cost $25 at Target.  Thank god for Spanx lol!

Have fun at Acquasize!  My gym does not have a pool but I have done water aerobics when on vacation and really liked it.  Do they have those foam barbells that create more resistance in the water?  They are pretty awesome - I recommend getting some if they don't provide them!

I'm trying the 3 out at a time plan with GB and it looks like there is a third piece in my "At Home" section now, so maybe my package is actually going to get sent out - I can't wait. Added to the super cute dresses is now a top that I love the look of...

Yes! I love the foam barbells. I'm working with the smallest ones for right now, but I know I'll be able to progress soon.

Anny I was like you at 9 weeks I was going regular but as I ate more "real" food and got farther out I seemed to get more constipated, so keep on top of it, and it might just be the whole shark week thing (hilarious by the way ).  Great menu todya and I see you have jumped on the Babybel cheese band wagon, you know I love those suckers!!  And bummer on the Gwynnie Bee delay!!! But love that is aquazcize night, I love being in the water, think I was a mermaid in my former life! 

I've never been a huge swimmer or waterbaby, but I have REALLY loved the water aerobics classes I've taken over the years and am so glad to be back to it. I can definitely feel the workout it's giving me in my abs and arms especially. I'm hoping to get to 3 classes this week!

I take a generic stool softener daily.  I also noticed things got way better when I was getting in at least 80 or more ounces of water in a day.

Morning, Em! Yesterday's post was a good one. Do try the Isopure ready to drink type, the fruit punch was a lifesaver for me early on after surgery. The Flatout wraps, I could live without. It was the texture that was offputting for me, they were kind of spongy. I guess if you use them as a pizza crust and bake them that would be fixed, but for regular wraps I thought them icky. And the cauliflower pizza crust idea was always intriguing, but now that I know someone who's opinion I trust has made it I definitely want to give it a try!

About your question, I had been taking a colace/senna combo daily, but seeing the comments you mention yesterday has me rethinking that. I guess it's Miralax for me, we'll see if that works well enough. I'll also start adding some fiber, something like Benefiber and ground flax seed whenever possible. Dangit, the colace/senna was working really well for me, too! Oh, well. I'd rather not become dependent on laxatives at this point, so I'm glad to have seen that information.

Your totals don't look all that bad to me. I'd say skip the shake, one day a little lower in protein won't kill you. Especially since today is an off day for exercise, you can do without the added calories and protein IMO, but I'm just a dumb newbie, so I dunno for sure, but that's how I'd play it. 

My menu today looks the same as yesterday pretty much, since the husbeast came home from work early and decided he wanted to eat out thereby ruining my carefully crafted plan. I managed to convince him that Italian was the way to go instead of Mexican, and I had a great grilled chicken di**** came with a side salad of baby arugula with artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, shredded parmesan and romano cheese and a little balsamic drizzle. Heavenly! Blew my prepared menu all to hell, though. Then later in the evening I was craving chocolate again. I've got to get a handle on that, it's becoming a regular thing, and that will not do. So instead of having one square and including it in my snacks, I ate four, and counted it as dinner. Ugh. But there were too many calories to do anything about it. I think I really need to find a good protein shake that has a really chocolately flavor, something as close to dark chocolate as I can get. Anyone with suggestions, please chime in! Maybe just adding some cocoa to a regular chocolate shake will do? It has to be good, though, I'm a major chocolate snob! I like the Ghirardelli 86% or a similar cocoa percentage, for instance.

At any rate, the plan for today (which I WILL follow!) is as follows: Supplements done for the morning and alarms set for the rest of the day. Water is 40 ounces in, will be 80 to 100 by the end of the day. Exercise planned: Strength training today and I'm going to shoot for an hour on the treadmill later in the day. Not sure if I'll do two 30 minute sessions or one long one, I'll see how I feel after the first 30.

Hope you all have a great day!

I hear you - I am not trying to have my colon be dependent on laxatives!  I like ocalasam's comment about upping water intake.  Sorry to hear your menu went to hell.  I swear, I don't know how long I will last like this, but I don't allow myself even one square of chocolate because I know it's a slippery slope with me lol.  I have seen it with guacamole.  Such a slider food and adds so many calories to my day!  Ugh.  As you know I am obsessed with the mint cookie shake.  I haven't found a plain chocolate one that I love so much.  I may have a packet or two of chocolate Syntrax matrix - I can mail it to you.  Let's chat offline.  

Your chicken and arugula salad sounds awesome.  YUM.  That's funny - I find that I can eat better at Mexican than Italian.  I hate being somewhere that serves pasta and pizza (two real faves of mine). At Mexican I can order shrimp fajitas and skip the beans, rice and tortillas.  I think it helps that I don't allow myself a single chip.  Again, that slippery slope.  I am realizing I am a real all or nothing kind of gal.  Which means I don't know the definition of moderation.  Not good.

You can totally do an hour on the treadmill!  I remember when I first did - I was astounded!  Key for me is having something good to watch.  Like an hour long show.  I still check the time remaining during commercials though :)  

Have an awesome day!!!