NEED HELP BADLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi everyonei have not been on here in awhile I am at a point where I feel like I have failed myself I am gaining weight and I need your help I am 11 months out and I need to know what are the exact amounts of food you should be eating at each meal and what is the total calories I should be eating I was going by what I was told and it is making me gain weight I am trying to do my best not to be a failure and I am really upset about gaining weight I need support now more than ever I am starting over today with measuring my food but I need to know from you post-ops that are 11 months or more out what you consume in a day I would really appreciate this help because I have come to far to go back to where I was please any help is welcome thanks in advance your friend vickie

Hi Vickie, It would help alot if you posted exactly what you are eating in the course of a day so we can see what's what and maybe make some suggestions. A few questions would be: How much weight have you gained, and in what period of time have you gained it? What is your fluid intake like? Are you exercising? Are you food journaling? How is your protein intake? Post EXACTLY what you ate yesterday. Everyone is different in the amounts they can eat. At this point what we CAN eat isn't always the amount we SHOULD eat. Linda

What LB said. Also remember that exercise is your best friend. Even if it's just going out and walking every day for an hour. Have you talked to your dietition about this? You need to let them know that you're gaining on the diet they put you on. I'm almost 8 months out and my typical day consists of: Breakfast: 1 egg (or 4 oz of eggbeaters) with 1 slice of american cheese Snack: one of those 4 oz cups of applesauce or yogurt (so I can take my iron that I crush) Lunch: 1/2 a piece of flat-bread with 2 slices of cheese or 1 c of soup and 4 crackers Snack: Nectar Iced tea protein powder (2 scoops=46g protein) with 20oz of water & peach iced tea crystal light. Dinner: 1oz chicken, 2 tbsp of whatever veggie & 2 tbsp of starch (potatoes, corn, peas etc) Snack: 1C popcorn or 3/4 c SF ice cream or SF popcicle, pudding etc. But not every day I do really try to get my 64oz of fluids in every day. Sometimes I'm successful, sometimes I'm not. I am also very strict with my vitamins & supplements. I also work out at Curves at least 3 days a week and I ski just about every weekend at least 1 day. When the weather gets warm I plan to hit the bicycle more on weekends, I want to try rock climbing (those wall thigeys) and this summer we're going to try kayaking (sp?). The key is to find an activity you like and do it consistantly. It doesn't feel like exercise that way.

Vicki, I'm 18 months out and this is my average day. Breakfast: either oatmeal with protein or 1/2 c. egg beaters scrambled with a slice of slender cheese melted on top. Snack: Hot chocolate flavored protein drink with scoop of chocolate unjury in 1 cup of ho****er. Lunch: either bowl of soup with lots of chicken, beans, etc in it or a small whole wheat wrap with 3 oz of meat and cheese in it (Turkey, ham, beef, chicken, tuna, corned beef, etc) Snack: Pizza on a small whole wheat pits. Put as much spaghtti sauce as the pita will hold on top of it. Top with as much low fat mozarra cheese that I can get on top. Broil. or Trader Joes soy flaxseed chips with salsa or 1 slice whole wheat toast with peanut butter on top or celery stuffed with peanut butter Dinner: 3 oz of meat, cheese , beans etc., veggies, and brown rice or whole wheat noodles. Almost anything goes here. Just not too much until you've had your protein part. Snack: Another hot chocolate drink with extra scoop of unjury or smoothie, or hight protein oatmeal. Drink tons of water as often as possible. I slowed down on my drinking and slowed down on my weight loss. As soon as I picked up my water intake the weight started dropping again. I usually (when I'm not sick!) swim for 1 hour everyday. Hope this helps! Kathleen

I am an eater.....I have always been able to eat more...I have to control me because I can eat more than others. One of my eating days: Breakfast: Oatmeal with flaxseed (1 tsp), 1/2 banana Snack: Protein shake, grapes Lunch: 3 oz of some meat, sometimes a veggie, and orange Snack: Yogurt and 2 tbps of granola and power crunch bar Dinner: 3 oz of a meat, 2 oz veggie Bedtime Snack: orange and graham cracker or if I am really good....some sugar free ice cream. I exercise 3-4 times a week.....for about 1-1/2 hours depending on how much time I can put into the gym. As you can see my fruit is way overboard....it could be worse...it could be candy! LOL. The further you go in this surgery the harder it becomes to keep yourself in check. You need to start good habits now and keep with them. The journey does help you to see your problems. My problems change constantly....I tweak one thing and something else becomes a problem. The key to eating is exercise. If I do 2200 calories a day I better be busting butt at the gym to work it off. If I am lazy and not doing anything I better lower that calorie intake to 1200-1400 calories so I can maintain. Its a very hard thing to do and to make sure you are consistent with it...There are days I do well and then there are those days that I just don't do well. I beat up on myself alot. I don't suggest you do that! It really doesn't help you. My nutritionist did give me the 1400 calorie guideline. I think if you stay around that number you should be okay....I find when I am at that number I do lose. Do your diary on you are eating right now....find out what the calories you are eating.....do that for a few days. Then go back and look how you can modify it....perhaps you are eating too little, or too much of something. We are our own worst enemy.....we hate to look at what we are doing. I hope this helps....If it doesn't I got a good typing exercise! Have a good one...see you soon. Debbie

Hey Vickie, I gained about 5 lbs about 2 weeks ago and freaked out until I realized that I wasn't getting ENOUGH food or water in me (Had the flu, really sick etc...) Journaling is the best bet, write everything down, exact amounts. It's the best place to start!! Watch out for eating too little as well as eating too much, it's a delicate balance and hard to find sometimes... I'm happy to say that since I've started eating again I've started losing again... now if only I can manage to keep my vitamins in my system!!! HUGS and love Rachel PS How is mom? I haven't heard from her in a while. My home phone is working now but I'm not around on the computer much because I just don't have a lot of time.... have her call me okay?