Back on Track Tips and Tricks Pls Chime In oh wise ones!!!

Hey all you wls cuties! Sounds like so many of us are doing awesome and even more of us are looking for healthy nuggets of wisdom to add to our own routines to help us out. I KNOW ya'll must have some tips and tricks to keep you on track. What is your secret weapon? I read the other day about the new pre-sliced apples at Costco. I know some people really swear by planning their food intake the day before and then using Fit Day.  Let's start a list. Use the grocery cart method here. Don't buy the whole store...just take what you like or need and leave the rest for someone else.  What can you not live without? What product/routine/habit do you swear by? Anybody wanna play? This could be fun and helpful! I look forward to your responses!

For my carb cravings, I could not do without Wasa crackers. Depending on which type you buy (rye, sesame, multi-grain) they only have 30-45 cals per piece, they're packed with fiber, super crunchy and totally satisfy me with a little low-fat cheese (Laughing Cow) or a slice of ham, etc. One cracker is about the same size as a slice of bread. Also, I eat yogurt everyday and if you can find Dannon LIght and Fit Carb and Sugar control, it's so good and has only 60 cals, 5 grams of protein and 3 grams fat in each container. Perfect for a sugar craving or in the morning with fruit and a handful of Kashi Go Lean Crunch for me! Carol in Charlotte

I had totally forgotten about those Wasa crackers. See? That is what this thread is all about. I used to make the shrimp salad recipe out of Susan Maria's book and eat them with wasa crackers as you have described. I am so glad you reminded me of them! I often need a "carrier" for my good food. Chips, fluffy bread and the like just are a gateway food to worse carb cravings but these crackers are much better. Thanks! Molly

Hi Molly! Good posting idea. Right now, the one routine that has worked the best for me is to get up very early in the morning and get my exercise in before work.  I had to rearrange my schedule and be in bed earlier but I was missing workouts sometimes when other things came up after work or sometimes I was just so tired after work I found millions of excuses to not work out. Another thing I've started doing again is measuring.  My eyes had definitely been bigger than my pouch - and then I don't have to only rely on feeling full to stop (which is REALLY hard for me). Take care girl

Oh! You mean get up and exercise early instead of logging on here first, LOL? That is a great idea! I'll have to impelment that and get back to you. It's one of those things that I know is right but is just so much easier to NOT do.  Along those lines, I used to lay out my workout clothes and ipod the night before and wake right up and put that on! I need to get back to that! Thanks for the tip! Molly

Well for me I track my food at sparkpeople.com and I usually do make my menu's out at least a day in advanced, that way when I wake up in the morning to make my lunch..the guess work is gone.  I already know I'll be within my calorie range and it makes my day easier.  I also swear by Supper Solutions.  It's this place that you can go to and make all your dinners for the whole month and then freeze them.  They have a small version which is 3 servings for me.  So I eat these meals for lunch and dinner every day.  I love it, I get a lot of variety, most their meals are high in protein and pretty good for you in general.  So that's what get's me through.. (I also am a starbucks addict...I know every low fat/low calorie drink on their menu...)

Kerri

Hi Kerri! Here in WA state we have Dinner's Ready and I went there once and fell in love! It would be perfect for wls patient couples but my DH eats huge, huge portions and the dinners didn't put a dent in his appetite. I did love the food though! My DK's even liked the food and they are only 3 and 4.  Also, I learned about menu planning the night before through Body For Life. I did that program as a preop and that is one good thing I took away from it. Very helpful. Now I just need to do it again. It is very helpful to see it all on paper. Anyway, thanks for the tips!

I'm a nerd so when I need to get back on track, I turn to good motivational books.  I really like "The Beck Diet Solution" as it is about how to think wisely about food and choices rather than being on some diet.  You chose your own diet and then apply different thinking/behavioral techniques. A key thing for me is to plan what I will eat that day--including any treats--and stick to that.  So before breakfast I make my day's meal plan and that is what I eat that day.  If I am tempted by something, I just figure I can put it in the plan for tomorrow.  By the time tomorrow comes around, I really don't want it.  It helps to keep a food journal whether by hand in Diet Minder or on line. I try to stick with high protein, limited carbs, and lots of water.  I do make use of the flavor packets for water to perk things up a bit. And, if I exercise 30 minutes in the morning (and that means getting up early--which means going to bed early), I find I have more energy all day and can even get in a bit more exercise after work. Good luck, Sally

I'll play....I have tons of these...I could write a book.....LOL I have recently discovered something that seems to be helping me a lot.  It gets really really stifling can't breath HOT here in Florida this time of year.  And since I have trouble keeping hydrated, I was using gatorade for the electrolytes.  Along with the potassium and minerals, it has a lot of sugar, and I just plain don't like the taste. A friend gave me one of her Slim-Lite drinks.  It has the electrolytes, NO sugar and NO aspartame.  It also has an appetite suppressant.  Now I'm old school and I don't fall for that.....the only appetite suppressant that works for me is a good case of the stomach flu...... But it comes if 4 flavors, and I like them all, and a case of 24 at Sam's Club is only $11.88.  I'm after the potassium in it, and who knows, I may convince myself that it will keep me from eating.....yeah....right. There is a website, but I won't post it...just do a google search for Slim-Lite and see what comes up.   I haven't been reading much lately...so this may be old news......

Today I have returned to a habit I used to swear by....I call it "baggy meals".   I work full-time, so I pack my food into baggies, controling portions, and warding off the fast food run.   Today I packed a couple pieces of cheese, a couple slices of smoked turkey, about 25 fat free pretzel sticks, and 4 strawberries.  I made myself abide my the "protein first" rule, and my pretzels and strawberries are still sitting here because I am still WAY full from my turkey and cheese! I actually ate this way one summer pre-op...doing "healthy finger food" lunches, and lost 20 lbs. without making any other changes in my life...which tells you a bit about my lunches before then! I have been off course for quite some time, so it feels good to be behaving..and to see again how easy it really can be! Thanks for the motivational help! Kathy