Help Needed Please!

I'm one year out from WLS and I'm trying to lose these last 15 pounds to reach my weight loss goal. I've been at my current weight for the past two months and I'm a little frustrated but FOCUSED with my eyes steady on my goal . . . simply put I didn't come this far to turn back but I need a little help. I excercise 4 times a week so I know I can add another day of excercise but I think my food intake is what the culprit behind my weight stabilizing. Please provide me with your food menus - any ideas you can provide. I'm 5'8 and weigh 175 and I want to get to 160 which would put me at losing 100 pounds even and a comfortable weight for my height. I know to some this may sound too heavy but for my frame this is a good weight for me personally. What do you eat on an average day? What are some healthy snacks that you incorporate into your diet? How long did it take you to get to your goal weight? ANY HELP you can provide is APPRECIATED! A current day of eating for me is as follows: 16 ounces of coffee with two creamers and two splendas 1 cheese stick - 80 calories 1 apple - 80 calories 1 lean cuisine - 260 calories 1 Diet Soda and 1 liter of water 1 protien bar - 180 calorie Dinner - meat and veggies - I don't know how many calories my dinner is perhaps 300 calories? 1 Diet Soda snack - 100 calorie snack bag like a chips ahoy cookies God Bless and thanks again for any help you can provide. I really want to take the rest of this weight off. Perhpas I'm eating too much? Please help!

Cut out the Diet Soda. when I was a year out I started drinking diet soda again. That's when I had my 15 pound gain back. I never changed anything else about my diet, so I knew it was the culprit. It's really bad for you., dehydrates you and adds extra sodium to your diet that makes you hng on to pounds. Crystal Light and tea were my friends. I don't touch soda anymore and not only lost that 15 pounds but a few extra to go with it. I'm now below goal. I am also not a fan of Frozen dinners. They have so much sodium in them, that they actually make me gain weight. What you need is fresh Veggies, chicken, Beef, Shrimp, fish etc. Prepacked, processed foods and soda are just bad for you. Doesn't matter if it says "Diet" or "Low-Calorie" or Low Fat. What they make up for in lack of taste, they add other stuff which is bad for you. Here's a typical day eating for me: Breakfast: Protein shake 20-40 grams, 2 sticks of cheese Mid-morning: Flax cereal w/Soy milk or a Protein Bar Lunch: Grilled Shrimp or Chicken with a side salad Afternoon snack: Yogurt, or some cut up veggies and dip maybe a protein shake Dinner: Steak with mushrooms and some salad or cooked veggies Before bed: I almost always have a 40 gram protein shake before bed. Or some kind of protein rich snack like deli meat and cheese I drink at least 64-100 ounces of Crystal Light and tea during the day. No soda!!!!!! Sodium will make you hang onto weight like nobody's business Eating fresh meats and veggies and non-processed foods are the best for you. I don't eat fast food unless it's a ranchero soft taco from taco bell or a Wendy's chili. But I pretty much don't touch the stuff. It's what got me fat in the first place.

Thank you so much for responding. I didn't think of Diet Soda as being bad but it's something that I'm not hooked on and can quit drinking. I only drink two cans a day and can kick the habit. Thanks for the advice on the lean cuisines - I eat them all the time. I eat them to help me with portion control and for me to know how much I'm eating as far as calories. You have a really clean diet (not processed). Something I wasn't focused on. I appreciate you sharing your menu with me. I read your profile - You look AWESOME and are indeed a WLS Success so I'm taking your advice and running with it. I pray that God would watch over you during your upcoming surgery. I want to get my tummy done after I lose these extra pounds but the big debate is having another child or not and I don't want to fix the tummy only to get preggars a year later and mess up the work. So, for now I'm focused on losing these last 15! Bless You!! Jean

I never really thought of my diet as "clean", but you may be right. Sometimes I have no choice when I'm travelling, but when I'm home I very careful with my diet. If there is one thing that gastric Bypass surgery has done for me, it's taught me self-control. that's not an easy thing to learn after being a food addict for so long. I also have PCOS (Poly-cystic disease), carbs make me gain, processed foods amke me gain and I tend to stick with organic most of the time. I even got my mom hooked on organic non-processed foods and she's lost about 8 pounds (she also has cancer). Jane

Hey Jean, wow you are doing great so far. Here is my experience and my advice. At my 1 year appointment I weighed in at 170, 15 lbs away from goal. I did drop 10 lbs since then but I think a lot of that is related to my gall bladder surgery. For my snacks I like to do cheese sticks, protein bars, protein shakes, peanuts, and beef jerky. My nutritionist stesses that it is really important to eat breakfast or a snack within an hour of waking up in order to get your metabolism jump started for the day. Here is a normal menu for me. A.M. Snack: 1 or 2 handfuls of peanuts 16 oz decaf coffee Breakfast: yogurt, fruit, and a wheat mini bagel or english muffin; or oatmeal, 1 slice whole wheat or whole grain white toast, fruit 16 oz crystal light protein drink, bar, or snack if I am hungry lunch: usually leftovers from dinner; or a sandwich on whole grain white bread with fruit and a few fat free potato chips; or a frozen dinner (either smart ones or healthy choice) 16 oz crystal light protein shake or protein bar 16 oz decaf coffee or 16 oz crystal light dinner: some kind of meat, veggies, maybe some carbs (usually wheat pasta) 16 oz crystal light on the nights that I work my part time job I usually have a cheese stick for a snack. Hope some of this helps. Keep up the good work. Courtney

Court, I was hoping you would respond believe it or not I watch your journey because our paths have seemed to mirror one anothers in weight loss. Thank you so much for sharing your menu with me. I see you don't drink Diet sodas at all - I'm drinking my last one today. I appreciate you responding . . . Girl you look AWESOME!! I'm so very proud of you and I'm working to get where you are at! Thanks! Jean

Auww thanks for the compliments. No sodas for me. I accidently took a sip of one of my nephews a couple weeks ago and it was the nastiest tasting thing. Let me know what you find out that works. Courtney

Sweety . I can tell you how I eat , but it may not agree with you . I really do try and follow my surgeons plan . Will it work for you .. Maybe.. but you have to be willing to change up your day . 20 20 120 Rule .. 20 Carbs . 20 Fats and 120 grams of protein . With RNY I see so many of us going back to the same ole eating habits as we did presurgery . It does happen but it can start to add up . Trust me .. here ... You have to be willing to change your mind set that eating healthy is the ONLY WAY .And you will loose .. and then be able to maintain . Am I saying you will never be able to enjoy some of the foods you love .. NO .. but what I am saying is you have to make good choices as much as you can ... I promise you , if you keep your protein up .. drink all your water .. and exercise . Now I see where you exercise .. good for you , but you have to be ready to change up your routine . Your body gets accustomed to the same ole .. and craves variety .. trust me on this one too . Try swimming .. or another piece of equipment .. or better yet ... start doing weight - toning training . This too helps to burn calories and it will tone you . I have picked at some things I see that may need to be deleted from your menu . Is only my opinion . So take it for what it is worth .. 16 ounces of coffee with two creamers and two splendas - Get rid of the creamers . They contain a lot of nasty fats and sugars . 1 cheese stick - 80 calories - Good 1 apple - 80 calories Good 1 lean cuisine - 260 calories Watch the sodium on these dinners .. and the carbs . 1 Diet Soda and 1 liter of water NO DIET SODA ... IT WILL MAKE YOU CRAVE CARBS .. 1 protien bar - 180 calorie What kind of protien is the bar . Make sure it is whey and not soy . Dinner - meat and veggies - I don't know how many calories my dinner is perhaps 300 calories? 1 Diet Soda NO DIET SODA snack - 100 calorie snack bag like a chips ahoy cookies Look for better snack choices / no COOKIES .. I would really like to see you get your calories up more . It does not appear you are getting in a lot . You need in order to burn and start your motabolism at least 1200 a day - ( Per my surgeon ) If you keep your calories low ,. your body goes into starvation mode and will stall out on you . So keep that fire burning with good lean protein and veggies . Here is a day in the life of Tink .. some may agree some may not . But it worked for me . I lost 200 pounds in 10 months . I have now maintained for 1.5 years . And it works for me . Breakfast Yogurt made w Splenda Fruit Maybe a Low Carb Cereal or Wheat Bran Flax seed or almonds Lunch Salad Turkey or Chicken on top Dressing - ( No fat free has to many sugars I go for the real stuff . ) Cottage Cheese or Cheese Stick Snack - Fruit or another Yogurt with sesame sticks . Dinner Good BV Protein - Turkey - Chicken - Seafood or Fish Salad or good leafy green . Spinach . Asparagus .. Baked Potatoe - with cheese Snack - Pop Corn \ Cheese Stick I get in 120 grams of protein . I do 2 of the IDS WHEY SHOTS 42 GRAMS and one Nectar Shake after my work out . I hope you achieve your goals . I am sure you will . Just keep your eye on the prize .. YOU . Natalie

Tink, Thanks so much for sharing this information with me. I just hit PRINT! I didn't think of one of things you mentioned - perhaps I have to shake up my workout routine. I was struggling in the beginning to get through the aerobic classes I take but now I don't sweat like a pig and feel like I'm going to blow out one of lungs! It's a good workout but I'm able to "keep up" now. So I will look at other classes I can take and try to switch up things. Thanks for your menu - I appreciate it!! Congratulations on your upcoming Nuptials. What an exciting time!!! May God continue to Shine upon your journey! You are always so very helpful and kind - I'm so happy that you have found the love of your life!

Jean .. thank you so much ... I love him more than anything . And God has truly blessed me . Let me know how it goes .. the work out change up . Try an Urban Dance.. What gym do you go to .. I see you are in Fairfax ... I go to Fitness First .. and would love to have somewhere to go where I could have another lady to exercise with . Let me know ... and take care ... Nat