Close to 2 years out and need help VETS input appreciated

feel free to friend me if you want, my diary is open to friends:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/profile/sibyldiane

following

oh and what volume would you say is average for around 2 years? 1 cup of food?

Concerning coffee.  I'm a coffeeaholic.  I'm out a little over a year and have lost a little over 200 pounds.  My last lab work came bak and my physician told me I am as healthy as a marathon runner.  I drink coffee every single morning and sometimes twice a day. I add some protein shake to it in the morning.   I love the taste of coffee and I have not had any issues what so ever.  I think it is like other food and drinks, some effect one person but not another.  My coffee is not decaf either. 

Thank you for that input and WOW!!!! You have done amazing you are really working that sleeve girl! Do you mind telling me about how much you eat per meal? Do you do snacks or just 3 meals

I eat 4 times a day.  Breakfast...noon...4pm snack and dinner.  I stay on these times strictly.  Sometimes I might be out and about and only have time for a protein bar.  But I never skip a meal.  My snacks usually consist of almonds, jerky, something similiar to that.  My dinner is usually some type of baked meat, beans (i love beans) and maybe a little salad of some sort.  If home i use a toddlers divider plate and that keeps me in control of my portions.  I never drink for 30 minutes after either NEVER.  I do drink liquid the rest of the day other than after meals and snacks.  My breakfast is coffee with protein shake in it and then a little bit after that I will have breakfast food...either a home made muffin made from pb2, egg and splenda, or a boiled egg and bit of bacon or a protein bar.  Then lunch is maybe a turkey frank and cheese, small salad with tuna, left over chicken and canteloupe...just whatever I have in the house.  Then the snack at 4 then the dinner.  I keep it simple. 

This gives me so many ideas. All of you have MADE MY DAY! I feel hopeful again! It's the kick in the pants that I needed!

I love my pb2!! How do you make your muffin with your pb2? I would love to hear any recipes you use with your pb2. Thanks!

I am just over one-year post-op. At the one-year mark I was down about 140 lbs from my highest weight. At my one-year check-in with my nutritionist she recommended I up my caloric intake to 1200 to sustain my weight loss so I can continue on to my goal weight. I have about 70 lbs to go (give or take).

Some things that really work for me to keep me on track with the food:

• myFitnessPal
• FitBit - I use FitBit to track my physical activity and to give me reminders on when to eat and sleep
• Keeping groceries in the house
• Not bringing trigger foods into the house
• Keeping a food list (and updating it often):
• "Green" foods (eat freely / staples) - these are foods I really enjoy, have no digestive problems with, and have great nutritional value
• "Yellow" foods (eat with caution / infrequent and very small portions) - these are foods that occasionally make me feel sick, or that I have a somewhat difficult time controlling portion sizes
• "Red" foods (do not eat) - foods that usually make me feel sick or that I eat uncontrollably, or that are really terrible for me or my sleeve
• Accurately measuring portions
• Keeping my protein over 80g per day and carbs under 130g per day. Carbs -- particularly simple carbs -- will make you feel super hungry -- despite the fact that often our sense of hunger changes quite a bit post-op VSG.
• Keeping myself accountable and aware by weighing in once per week (although when I get close to milestones I tend to weigh myself more frequently).
• Drinking at least 8 cups of water per day
• Getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night
• Eating mindfully - slow bites, chewing each bite 30 to 40 times, putting my fork down after every few bites, savoring my meal.
• Eating with others - I tend to be more mindful of when I'm full when I eat with company.
• Focusing on eating - not doing other tasks while I eat
• 3 meals + 3 snacks per day, at the same time every day

Of course I do all these things imperfectly, but when I do them, they work very well.

Honestly I've been yo-yo'ing too for a couple months now because my simple carb intake is way too high most days. It can be scary / frustrating. A sleeve can expand somewhat when you push your portion sizes, but it can continue to be a useful tool for keeping portions down as long as we really pay attention to the signals our body sends us as we eat. When my tummy gets "noisy" or I start to feel any pressure at all, I know it's time to stop eating and do something else.

Just in the past 2 weeks I've broken my plateau, mostly due to increased physical activity. But that is a whole other topic. :)

All the best on your continued journey!! ♥

we had almost the same SW and almost the same CW! I also have about 50-70 lbs to go,