Getting back to the BASICS....need help my friends!!

Okay, my eating has been out of control. Oddly, I haven't gained any weight on the scale - but I can see the difference in my belly. I've got to call this to a halt now. The winter months are right around the corner and we all know what mother nature does to bodies in the winter - the added insulation for cold weather - it's just biology - we can't fight it - it's gonna happen. For those who are still in the losing phase, the loss will slow down - for those at goal, gaining is a reality. The time to prepare is NOW. And OMG - halloween, Christmas... this is going to be the first real test with those holidays. I couldn't eat much last year - but now I can eat more and I can eat bad things!! If I don't get this under control now - I'm doomed! I can tell you exactly what I'm doing wrong. I'm eating soft carby foods. I've been eating sugary stuff in small doses - BUT THROUGHOUT THE DAY! OOOO I'm so mad at myself for this. I've gotten wayyyyyy off the protein train. Wayyyyyyy off the eating healthy train. YESTERDAY: I had TWO sugar-free vanilla lattes, TWO chocolate hazelnut biscotti's, 1/2 a bacon, egg & cheese BISCUIT, 1/2 a hashbrown, about a cup of mixed up chinese (noodles, rice, veggies, and maybe a fleck or two of meat), about 1/2 a cup of turtle chex mix, about a cup of fruit loops (through out the day) AND a freaking ice cream cone with about 4-5 tablespoons of REAL ice cream in it!!!!!! This is BAAADDDD!!! HELP!!! It's time to gear up the protein train. BACK TO BASICS!! PROTEIN, PROTEIN, PROTEIN!! I need some ideas. Can you guys/gals post some protein ideas???? Meals, recipes, tricks - ANY suggestions or ideas - ANYTHING! Go back in time - what would you tell someone just a few months out to eat??? Meal ideas - recipes - snack ideas - ANYTHING at all.... Hugs, Pam

You and I must be on a psychic track together Pam. I was thinking about posting about this myself. Since I have been able to eat, all I have wanted is carbs!! I think not eating for 3 weeks made my body starving for calories!! Now I am just voraciously eating anything carby. And GASP!! drinking pop!! I ate a whole pack of m&m peanuts last night at work!! I don't usually do this, but it is insane!! I am with you, today I am going back on the protein train. I am going to go over to the Turkey Farm and get some turkey jerky and stuff to snack on. I don't like beef jerky, it is too tough for me. I think the only answer is to toughen up! I don't want one pound back!! You are so right, maybe we should post our before pictures all over are house, like on the fridge etc. The exit door to our house too and on our steering wheel so we don't go buy something bad!! I know for me that would work, I can't believe how bad I looked a year ago. YUCK!! Now that I am starting to feel better and once my 3rd shift weekend is over I am going to start to go back to the gym too!! I certainly could use some excersize, I can't even carry a gallon of milk very well! LOL! That is so wussy! Wendy

woooooowwwwww.....a turkey farm..... that is so cool!! I wish we had a turkey farm nearby! I bet you're right - since you were sick for so long, your body is screaming "FEED ME!!" It's so tough. We really are at the point where we should have learned over the past year and established good habits - because NOW it's all on us to do what is right!! The before pictures posted everywhere are a good idea! I never want to go back to feeling that way. I've been good so far today. I had one scrambled egg and 1/2 a whole wheat light english muffin....then crystal light.....then a Sugar Free decaff vanilla latte (20 g protein!) but only ONE today.....I made deviled eggs but haven't eaten any yet.... and a banana.... Looking at chicken with veggies for dinner. AND (check this out) I'm making protein balls tonight and I'm gonna have them all packaged up in ziplock baggies so all i have to do is grab some of those instead of junk. I gave away the rest of the chex mix. Ohhhh that was painful. But I just kept thinking "screw the chex mix - be thin!" - over and over and over and over..... it was rough....especially since my son was eating it right in front of me!! I'm a wussy too! I haven't been to the gym since before my PS. I need to get back. I'm hoping with the kids back in school, I can get it together again. I DID get on the AB LOUNGE today. At least it's something.... We can do this!! JUNEBUGS UNITE!!!! Maybe we can try a daily post to encourage each other and say what we are doing or something! Hugs, Pam

Good idea Pam, I ned the encouragement too!! As of tomorrow it's back on the wagon. (I already ate Chinese!!) Wendy

Hi Pam! I've been where you are at. It's so hard to get back on that wagon again. I've tried something new last week. I took a serving and a half of Boca crumbles (like Boca burgers) but the consistency of ground beef, a handful of kidney beans, sliced some onions in a skillet with Pam spray. Added mild Taco seasoning about a teaspoonful. When it was hot, I added a piece of FF sharp cheddar cheese on the top. Added this mixture to a small amount of cooked broccoli. That was so yummy. I had it yesterday but added some salsa and instead of the FF sharp cheddar I added two teaspoonfuls of Con Queso cheese dip - was low in fat and calories. It really fills me up. I love the sweet and spicy tuna packets from StarKist. Lots of protein in them and so tasty with or with low fat mayo. I'm going to try something new, and wrap the tuna in cooked cabbage leaves. I like cabbage so that's good for me. I guess that I could wrap it in lettuce leaves as well. I like cooked shrimps that I get from Costco, turkey meatballs, Boca chili, Boca burgers.. I do get my protein mainly from eating foods. Occasionally, I will have AchievOne drinks or the Stallone high protein pudding. I usually have them when I'm trying to cut down on portion size. Both are great for protein and low calorie. 20 grams of protein per serving. The drink has 120 calories and the pudding has 100 calories. I rarely eat protein bars. Good to see you on the boards. Hugs, Lucy 484.8/383.4/168.2/160 pre-surg/surg day/current/goal weight

Hey Lucy! That boca crumbles concoction sounds yummy!! Thanks for the great idea! Pam

Boy Pam that sounds like me. I haven't gained any weight but my belly is not flat anymore not real big but pokes out more than I want it too. My surgeon told me it was lack of muscle so I am going to start a new excersice. I thank you for that protein ball recipe can't wait to try it. Good luck. I am going back to eating what I did at a year out. I was really doing good then. I sure don't want to get back into my old habits, I worked to hard to do that. When the doctor raised my calorie intake I kinda ate the wrong things to get it all in and well you know what then................That stops today!!!!!! Back to counting carbs, fats, etc..... Good Luck to you and you are not alone in the to much eating dept. You look great by the way. Hugz, Deloris

Pam, OMG you wrote what I wanted to say....THANK YOU!!! I can not stop those carbs, that is what is killing me right now. I was going to go to 2 shakes a day and a meal for 1 week to see what I could do with the weight but I know I will drop weight but can I keep it off once I get back to eating normal. That is the thing, we can cut back but once we go back to the eating (normal) then we can gain it back. I guess we need to find that balance of eating right (enough) and the proper things, also the exercise is the key and I just don't know why I can not stick to a plan!!! I have to go back to using the Fitday.com site because then that really shows you where everything is going and why you are not losing. Well lets keep each other posted on this... Debra P

Hi Pam~ Oh my gosh, this is soooo the case for me as well!! Ever since I had people down for our family reunion, I have been struggling with the carb issue. I allowed myself some crackers, tortilla chips, cookies...things I hadn't done for a year. I even ate about 1/2 of a cinnamon roll while on vacation a few days ago! I can't believe how easy it is just to pop something like a cookie in my mouth and eat it at one time. UNREAL!!!!!! I have always done pretty well with the protein issue, because I have been drinking a 2-2.5 scoop protein drink each day~ 46- 60g of protein, spread over several hours. I've also been having a sf decaf iced vanilla latte almost daily since summer began. I don't like them with nonfat milk, so mine is a little higher in calories. I think you said that's about 20 g of protein. Can't wait to try your protein ball recipe. I'm always looking forward to new recipes~ anything that will keep me from fast fooding it with hubby. I've also re-cleaned out our pantry to get rid of things that will be a huge temptation for me. I'm on the train...let's rock 'n roll!! Hugs, Kerri

I hear you Ginger!! I have been trying to do a protein load to help with the healing. I'm getting about 150-175 gms of protein in a day. But, I have also had some baked lays and some other carbs/sugars lately. Hence why I have also had gas and my belly has been bloated - which of course causes my hernia to hurt. I know it's because I'm getting nervous, but I too need to reign myself in. My favorite meal is to go to Chipotle and get a bol with only chicken and cheese. Lots of protein, very few carbs. Sharyn