What's on the menu today, RNYers?

Hi Em, and ladies,  sorry I missed yesterday's post, I got so busy at work and next thing I know its time to leave, and I had a very busy evening as well.  

Thank you so very much for the detailed summary from your visit!!  It drives me a bit crazy how nothing other than the actual surgery itself seems to be standardized.  We all get different advice from our Centres and rarely is it ever the same.  When I saw my nut last, it was my "3 mos" follow up but I was closer to 4.5 mos post op and she was shocked I was not eating carbs in the form of quinoa, couscous, and rice (really rice lady!!).  She said I was not eating enough veggies and fruits.  At the time I was just all protein and a tiny, and I mean tiny bit of veggies.  She said my plate should be half protein, quarter veggies, quarter carbs. I flat out told her no, I will eat half to 3/4 of a plate of protein and 1/4 veggies, she was not impressed that I had my own "plan" and opinions but too bad.  She also told me that for my height 5'5" I should not be going lower than 150-145 lbs.  I laughed and said "ya right" I didn't have this major surgery to not maximize the weight loss, I will go lower than that.  Interesting on what your NUT said about the calories to up them to 800 and 1000 on exercise days, sure seems like great advice to me.

I love raspberries so I think I will get some of those on my way home tonight, great idea!!  And I am also going to try the turkey pepperoni in the microwave, sounds good!!

I tried a new flavour of Syntrax Matrix protein powder today (sample from Nashua Nutrition) Peanut Butter Cookie flavour - TO DIE FOR!!  If you love peanut butter, gotta try this!!!

I forgot my Fitbit at home today, I know exactly where it is, on the bathroom counter!! AHHHHHHH, I feel naked with out it LOL LOL

And two interesting things for me, #1 I have been working out like a fiend that last few days, and when I get home from the workout I am not even hungry for dinner, but I eat it anyway and then I have not even been having my snack that I post on my menu because I am not hungry at all.  Its kinda weird, the more I exercise the less hungry I am, you would think its the opposite, and interesting thing #2 I am 6.75 months post op and I am itchy all the time. Like severe dry skin itchy.  Its driving me crazy.  I moisture like crazy with a really good moisturiser and by the end of the day I am scratching like mad and having to apply more and more cream. Not sure if this is just part of the multitude of changes we go through.  Pre surgery I had very oily skin, never needed moisturiser, now I can't get enough, and for some reason my legs and arms are the worst.  Just some observations.

6.75 mos post op

Water: doing great

Vitamins: AM done at 6am this morning with my protein shake, PM on alarms

Exercise: just going out now for a walk on my lunch and will go for a hike after work and doing free weights & crunches on a stability ball

Stats: 672 calories  30 carbs  99 protein

Menu:

Hiya Daze! Good to see you posting. About the itchy, dry skin...maybe upping your healthy fats would help? A little olive oil here, a little butter there. Yes, you'd have to account for the calories, but it may help with the skin issues.

And what in the world is "Peaches & Cream Frozen Corn"?? I'm guessing it's yellow and white corn, and they want to make sure you know it's sweet? What a strange way to describe corn!

Pam-a-lam!! (My next door neighbour's name is Pam and that's what I call her!!) I like your idea of olive oil & butter.  I will start with that and see how I do.  Maybe a little avocado too might help.  I might have to get a prescription strenght moisturiser if it continues!

Do you guys not have "Peaches n Cream" corn in your neck of the woods!! And yes you hit the nail on the head, its a very, very sweet corn, with a white and yellow kernel, SO DELICIOUS!!  Its so popular here that once you eat it you won't go back to "regular" corn.  I buy mine in bulk from a Farmer's Market, it goes from the field to frozen in a bag and tastes like its fresh off the cobb, so delish!!  Wish I could ship you some, but don't think it would travel well LOL LOL

Ooh, avocado would be good too. And coconut oil, if you're into that.

We have that kind of corn here, but it's usually called "butter and sugar". It's definitely my favorite as well, and the husbeast LOVES it. I buy the fresh ears, cut the kernels off, and saute it up in butter with a medium chopped onion as well. Off the menu for me for a while yet for obvious reasons, but hubby will plow through a huge bowl of it and look for more!

Hi Daisy, and HELLO peanut butter cookie flavor!  I think I have a sample of that around here somewhere.  I am going to have to try it!

Sorry to hear about your dry skin.  Have you had a full body scan at a dermatologist???  I had skin cancer at age 34 on my face and had to have a piece of my face removed so I am a bit of a crusader for everyone to see a derm once a year at minimum.  Hopefully they could tell you what is going on.

I am surprised you are less hungry after the gym since I am usually more hungry.  Correction: I "FEEL" more hungry but I can't usually eat what my eyes think are a good sized meal, I can eat less.  I guess that's good.

It's funny - here you are almost 2 months ahead of me and with calories below 700 and that contradicts what my NUT told me yesterday.  I hate how wishy-washy I get and I really hate how plans vary.  I want there to be one truth!!!

EM!! Ya for sure try the peanut butter cookies flavour, was like drinking a PB cookie!  I also got a sample of Banana's n Cream (Sara aka JJ turned me on to it) that I have to try, will try that tomorrow and let you all know how it tasted.

I have never even heard of a full body scan!?!?!? I have not seen a dermatologist since I was 15 and full of acne!!  Maybe its time I sought one out.  Oh man, so sorry to hear about the skin cancer, I have an aunt who has had about a dozen or so "chunks" of skin removed off her face from skin cancer so I hear ya!!!  I will get on that and make an appt.  Dermatologists here in Canada have a brutal wait list, so who knows how soon I could get in. Maybe I will email the NP at my centre and see what she says if she has any advice for me.

I am super surprised I am less hungry after my work outs. I drink a TON of water though, so not sure if that is filling me up, is that possible since water goes right though us? I am pretty much eating a shake for breakfast, my chicken and veggies for lunch, then I have my big workout, get home and warm up whatever is on the menu (I grilled 8 chicken breasts this past Monday so every lunch & dinner has been chicken breast leftovers, finally finished them today) and I eat the chicken first and I am so full that I barely have room for the veggies, but I have some and then next thing I know its time for another 8oz of water and bedtime so I don't eat my snack.  Its really weird!! Maybe just a phase.  So I guess I have to say I am not eating more like 570 calories and 82 protein.  I really don't know Emily, with this surgery and journey I feel like I experience something new each day.  I have been taking my dogs for a 10-12 mile  hike each night in the provincial park near me, its very hilly and serious steep terrain in some parts and I am getting a serious work out, then I go home and do free weights for bicep & tricep curls and do some planks and crunches on a stability ball and then I shower and when I go to heat up my dinner I am just not hungry.  Yet I feel like 2-3 weeks ago I wanted to eat a whole cow or pig.  All I can say is its part of the journey, who knows what the next month holds, I could be hungry again!!!  And I agree with you on the what my "eyes" see as a normal meal and what I can actually eat, its usually less than what I actually serve myself!!

I might try to up my calories, see what happens.  I am almost 7 months out so it you at 5 and a bit should eat 800 I should at 7 months eat 800 - 950 I think????  And good god I wish there was one truth as well.  Thank god for the OH boards and you and the other ladies to talk to and post menus and bounce ideas off!! LOVE YOU GALS!!!!   

I feel the same way!  Like, thank god we are all here and on this crazy journey together!  Especially since there is no truth.  I cannot believe you hike 10-12 miles every night??? OMG that is insanely athletic.  That would take me 3-4 hours lol.  You're right though - next month after a 10 mile walk you may be able to eat 5 oz of meat.  I guess just see what happens.  And yes, I would say you could easily be at 900 calories with your time since surgery and your activity level!

Re: a full body scan, it's very low tech.  It involves you sitting naked on a table with a big piece of paper over you and then the doctor goes over each part of your body visually and notes down anything that looks sketchy.  They keep track of it so that they can see if any moles change over time.  The spot on my face was not a mole, and I just thought it was an underground zit so I had it removed and they found cancerous cells.  So just my two cents - sign up for a scan :)  Especially given all of your outdoor activity.

And you are loved right back :) 

Good Morning Everyone!

Thanks for the info Em, I really think this is a valuable discussion and something we will all have to figure out in order to be successful long term.  I do have one antedote that always makes me laugh, but I also find a ton of insight in.  So, about a year pre-surgery, I was doing weigh****chers for the 100th time and I was at a group meeting.  People were arguing over how many points were in a banana (due to the fact that banana's vary in size), this had gone on for over 10 min (incredibly annoying) and all of the sudden the group leader snaps and says, "none of you are here because you've over done it on banana's, or any fruits and veggies for that matter.  I've never met a single member who came to WW because they couldn't control their fruit and veggie intake".  For me it was a light bulb moment (well, not in terms of losing weight, but in terms of how I think about nutrition).  I think the same holds true here, I think making good "real" food choices are what will determine how successful we are long term, not a magical calorie or carb # (although certainly I'm a fan of tracking those as well).  Anyways, I thought that story from my long and distinguished dieting history might be of value to someone.

As far as goal weights, my Dr. has mine at 220, which KILLS me.  I'm 254 right now and my personal goal weight is 160 (day of surgery I was 324).  More than anything in the world I want to walk into my 6 months apt and be at 220 or less so I can prove to him that # was crazy to start with.  Early on, he's fought me pretty hard that less than 220 was doable, which has really pissed me off, but I agree with all of you that I think there are so many patients who are non-compliant (the group meetings are ample proof of that) and for me, I really see this as my opportunity to change my relationship with food forever, not just lose weight.  I get the sense that most people on OH feel that way and I think it's why there's such an active community.  Certainly this thread is a great step in that direction and extremely helpful.

Em, have fun at staycation.  My friends and I did that last year and I had such a good time!  I really felt like I had gone on this great trip by the end of the weekend.

B - Fage 2%

L - Chipotle (1/3 bowl) - I'm out of groceries and don't want to buy anything since I'm leaving soon

D - I'll eat another 1/3 of my chipotle bowl (big guess what I plan on having for lunch tomorrow, lol)

V - On track

W - need to pick it up

E - None, I'm going out with friends tonight, looks like I'll be doing lots of bathroom jogging today

Have a great day everyone!

OMG talk about a conservative surgeon!  He thought you would lose 100 lbs and that's it?  And in four months you are only 30 lbs above that?  Hell yes girl - you can be 220 at six months!  I know you can do it!  Or be extremely close to it!  At six months I plan to be at 230.  That's 14 lbs that I would have to lose by June 16th.  It's funny because now I think of things like, "will I weigh 200 at my brother's wedding in September?".  It will be interesting to see my loss moving forward, since I haven't had any stalls that lasted a month or anything...the loss has been pretty linear when I look in MFP.  But it's a bell curve, weight loss is, so of course my curve will be less steep.  And I 10000% agree with you that we are all here learning to nourish our bodies and be healthier in the way we take in protein and healthy fats and carbs.  So I have no doubt we will do great in our loss, even if we don't end up at 131 lbs!  I would look weird at that weight, just in my own opinion, and my skin would drag on the floor.  So for now I will leave my goal at 170 which I think is attainable at one year post-op and then rethink again :)

Ahhh yes, Chipotle...the meal that keeps on giving.  I love an $8 meal that lasts for 3 days :)

Have fun out tonight and yes, the mental pic of you jogging in the bathroom is HILARIOUS.

That's so funny that you have a wedding goal you are shooting for too.  My cousin (who I am really close to and I think of as my little brother) is getting married in early Oct. and my whole goal in life right now, is to go to that wedding in the greatest dress imaginable.  I used to always go to weddings in drab clothes b/c I felt like hell about myself.  This wedding should be a lot of fun and is in a beautiful winery in Napa, and I just want to look and feel amazing (hopefully in Onederland if the weight loss god's so deem it :).  We will both have all summer to work on figuring out this never ending weight loss formula, and yeah, my surgeon is SUPER conservative.  I like him, and he's great, other than that!   You've got 170, and honestly from the pictures you've posted I can't imagine you at 131, you'd be skin and bones.