Just browsing around the boards and noticed this post and thought I'd share my ideas....

I buy Tomato Basil wraps from WalMart and they have about 8 grams of protein in them and they are low in carbs. I love them. Fill them with turkey or chicken, fat free cheese, some lettuce, tomato, a dill pickle or relish and fat freeThousand Island dressing or ranch dressing and I've got a delicious lunch with over 20 grams of protein. Get creative and fill them with a variety of things... sometimes I just grill them with cheese, onions, tomatoes and olives in them, so delish and it makes a great snack too.

For lunch or breakfast beat 4 eggs, mix in a little skim milk, add shredded swiss cheese and 1 package of frozen (thawed) spinach and chopped onions. Mix it all up and pour into a small pie pan/quiche pan and bake in oven till is puffs up and center isn't runny (30 mins. at 350). This feeds me, and a few kids.

Spaghetti squash with ragu sauce & meatballs makes a quick and yummy dinner and so filling too. You can find a lot of recipes on allrecipes.com... I just modify them a bit to make them healthier.

Favorite snack is salted almonds. It satisfies that need to crunch and they are healthy for you.

I pick up a small rotissari chicken at the grocery store then break it apart and make a yummy chicken salad adding onions, celery, grapes, low fat miracle whip, salt & pepper to taste. It's a nice change from tuna fish. Or sometimes I make egg salad sandwiches on whole grain bread.... so good.

I also buy the frozen fish (not the breaded stuff) and either grill it with a little lemon juice squeezed over the top or bake it wrapped up in tin foil with a little lemon juice on top. It comes out so moist & good. That with steamed veggies on the side makes a great dinner.

Usually dinner is whatever I'm making for the family that night and I eat a small portion of it. Hope this helps some.

Hey Nicole. Wendy here... Queen of Food Ruts LOL I make what I think is a great turkey chili that I freeze up and take to work for lunches. I eat this almost every week day. I have always been lazy with my food choices... even pre-op. I should be better, as I think it would help with my continued weight loss... things seem to slow down when I'm here in the rut. I have 4 oz steaks that I make for dinner sometimes... sometimes I just have cheese with some crackers (Truiscuits, Wheat Thins, etc). I often forget about tuna fish, so that always makes a nice change for me every couple of weeks. Good luck trying to find some more exciting options! ~wendy

I asked that same question myself on the Plastic Surgery forum. Here is one of the responses I got: "Vivian is correct...they will pay for a panniculectomy but most will NOT pay for a TT...you usually have to pay the difference for that yourself. I got my insurance to pay for my panni...however I lost 274 lbs. But...you would think that I had skin hanging to my knees...but I did not!!! It hung down to the top of my pubic mound...that is it. Go figure! But they still paid. I started documenting every rash I had. Every time I got one I went to the doctor and got a script and made sure I filled it. Then I went to several surgeons, had them all write letters of necessity. Got one from my PCP, one from my former PCP and one from my dermatologist. Submitted it and they approved the panni! Now I had to fight for my other surgeries...but I am getting them to cover those as well... Insurance companies have slightly different definitions of "medically necessary" however most do not deviate far from the definition that the federal government uses and that is: services that are necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of disease, illness or injury and without which the patient can be expected to suffer prolonged, increased or new morbidity, impairment of function, dysfunction of a body organ or part, or significant pain and discomfort." I WANT ONE TOO!!!!

Amy, Chin up! 63 lbs is alot of weight. I was 350 when I started this journey, and know that losing 63 can make a big difference on being able to do exercise. I'd say your step is clear.... you should get a doctor's clearance to increase your exercise and then go for it. You also likely need to have regular follow up with a nutritionist and keep an honest food journal of what your eating. If you're depressed, it's possibly leading to increased caloric intake, which isn't going to help you get where you need to go. For most of us, depression is a picture of our initial weight gain. It can also be a bit of the picture as to why you're having trouble losing the weight. I am no expert on depression, but I know I had alot of issues post surgery that didn't seem to be weight related. I found I couldn't find my "balance" until I addressed them. Another possibility is that you have another medical condition that is keeping you from losing weight as quickly. It might be good to have your thyroid checked out. Another factor is what type of surgery you had. Your profile doesn't say. Most of the "quick" losers in the first year had RNY. Lapband is supposed to be slower, but isn't always the case. You need to stay positive, and be as active in your lifestyle as you can! You're starting the right steps by being honest with yourself as to where you are, and being committed to meeting your goals. Your husband doesn't have to be on board with your plan.... the more important thing is that you are moving toward a healthier lifestyle, regardless of what the scale reads! Take care! --Dave

Did you have gastric bypass? I'm no expert, but there had to have been some mistake during the surgery. What did your surgeon say?