Keeping Track of Things

I have hit the three months post-op and I am down 72 pounds. Everything so far has exceeded my greatest hopes. I have the nerve to get impatient sometimes, but I know even in those moments I have nothing to complain about! I am lucky in that I tolerate all sources of protein. I have never thrown up, felt anything "stuck", experienced anything more than a minor strange bowel the morning after I ate something - a couple of times. After a few weeks of tracking protein and water intake, I feel that I got a very good idea of what constitutes the required amounts. I have worked up to eating three meals a day, and don't rely on protein shakes or bars for my protein (as I said, I can eat eggs, fish, chicken, beef (including steak), pork, nuts, etc.). I guess my question is in comparing my new eating regime and daily habits with so many of you successful folks on here. I feel if I admit the way I am doing things on here (or especially on the main board) I will be advised by everyone that I am on a slippery slope. Here are some things I do: Alway drink at least 60 oz. water daily Always get at least 60 grams of protein daily Always take my multi vitamin and calcium (seperately) Never consider sweets or anything I even perceive has any sugar content of any significance an option in any way Eat anything deep fried or greasy Make sure simple carbs (rice, bread, etc) are the smallest portion of a meal, with the protein source being the majority of it. Drink for at least 1 1/2 hours after meals Here are some things I don't do: Actually measure or weigh the water or protein foods Count calories or grams Keep a food journal Use imitation or reduced calorie anything. In the quantities I eat, and the types of food I am eating now, I just don't see why that is necessary Avoid all carbs all the time within my meals I am surprised on a daily basis with how strict I am with the above guidelines. I guess my feeling is that I didn't have this surgery to feel a continued obligation to be obsessed with what I am eating. I find as long as I stick to the things I know I have to do, and stay away from the things I know would be bad choices, it seems to be working great. I don't do tracking and lists very well. In all the pre-op programs I was required to do this in, I didn't feel I gained any insight into some eating pattern I was unaware of. I know sometimes one doesn't think they are eating as much as they are, and maybe would gain insight by keeping track, but I feel I always knew darn well where my overeating occurred. I am not saying I don't put thought every day into what I eat and drink. I just hope it isn't necessary to be so worried about numbers all the time. My labs are great and I am losing weight on target. Just thought I would get someone elses perspective before my surgeon visit this month. Thanks, Patty

patty, no judgemental bull here... I am the last person to be judgemental as I am not even close to being perfect or even know what I am doing for that matter.. for myself I can tell you this.. I do better when I weigh my food.. of course I can't do this consistantly and there for don't loose the weight.. I have been fighting the same 7lb gain/lose since jan.. I have some kind of mental thing going on that won't let me out of the 150's.. it's insane!!! I also wish I had journaled my food choices from the begining so that when I choose to go back to the basics I know what they were.. I hoenstly can't remember and it sucks. my only "NO-NO" is no sugar.. no processed sugars.. no candy/icecream/pastries ect.. there is too much good SF tasting stuff out there and so there for no reason to have the real thing. plus I dump so that keeps me honest.. I even dump on certain SF stuff.. I also do my best at no white carbs.. I fail at this but not every meal or even day for that matter.. if my kids are having a baked patatoe I have a teaspoon of my daughters and call it good. it's a mental thing with me. this way I don't feel depreived and yet I am not eating the whole patatoe. I have been on the MB for well over a year and a 1/2 and have noticed that the people that are the most successful and actually get to goal (some by 9 months post op) are strict with them selfs and follow all these rules and guide lines.. the others (ME) get close but never quite get there.. your only 3 months out.. no you don't want to obcess about numbers the rest of your life but you also want to use these few precious months you have left (window of oppurtunity 6mo to 18mo) to it's fullest.. after that window closes you are yet again fighting a daily fight.. so do you learn behaivors now or wait and stuggle later??? I guess I chose later.. I wish I had done things differarntly from the start.. Theresa

Patty - You are killing me here woman! LOL! You are doing so much better than me so anything I say should probably be taken as "do the opposite!!!" Seriously though, I know I'm a slooooooooooooooooow loser, and I'm going to try not to harp on that. That being said, I have a similar stance to you in that I don't obsess over what I eat other than doing obvious things like avoiding deep fried things, really fatty foods, sugar and just making sure I get my protein in. I just started exercising probably 3 weeks ago too and it hasn't helped the rate of loss, but my clothing is a lot looser. I'm not perfect by any means, but I do track at least half of my week on fitday and try to keep a running tally in my mind of what I have. I am a long time low-carber so some of this comes naturally to me, but I know there have been times I have had things that weren't as nutritionally dense as they should be. And example is when we go to McD's once every week to 2 weeks and I get a kids meal chicken McNugget. Now that IS deep fried, but I do count it into my caloric intake for the day and make sure I make up for it later. But the thing is - it's not great food. It's just that I've worked it in, and likely it has not helped me at all. I can reason it out that they are 220 calories and 14 grams of protein, but who knows what this stuff does to our metabolisms. So I try not to have these things often, but I don't completely abstain either. When we do the family thing, which is rare, it's a nice diversion. I think Theresa is right - the ones who probably lose the quickest do everything just right from the get-go. I didn't start exercising until late. I knew I was a slacker there. But other than that my caloric intake and protein intake has been in a good range and I still didn't lose quickly. In the long run I'm looking at a lifestyle. What do I want it to be? How do I want to live my life? How will I be able to maintain this weight loss? Hindsight is always 20/20 but I figure if I can be in control now it will make it easier later. By being in control though I don't think for me that means denying myself a quick meal when I need it. I'm smart enough to realize that you can't have it often and get away with it. I am smart enough to realize that drinking empty calories will pack it on and I'm smart enough to realize that snacking will doom me. So these are the things I work on moreso than holding a crucifix at those Chicken McNuggets that I have maybe 2-3 times a month. They were never an addiction for me in the past, so I don't worry about them now. I want this to be livable and to feel natural for me. I want it to be second nature for me. The only way I feel I will be able to do that is to live without obsessing on every little morsel in my mouth. I do log every morsel about every other day, but I don't obsess on it. I did that for too long in my life and it only got me fat. Time to change that record. Dina