Need help with shopping list

Hello my everyone.

I am thepose and I post on all sites but I was particularly grateful for this one. I'm gaining weight while waiting to find my doc, and it's frustrating. If I continue going at this rate I may have to postpone this thing until i get right mentally. I definitely don't wanna have surgery and lose and then gain because i deviated from the program. Anyways I read some posts that encouraged me not sure of who the people are but they have lost a good amount of weight during the pre-op phase. So folks I need your help with starting and sticking to my plan which is to lose as much weight as I can before my consult and before surgery is scheduled.
 
I know protein drinks or meal replacements (preferably powder) that are a good start, if anyone knows of any please tell me. I'm looking to drink them for breakfast, and lunch but have a nice healthy dinner. I don't want one of those powders that are high in calories. and I'm  not worried about taste because i gotta do what i gotta do. So please help me out. I'm plan on visiting the health food store  today or tomorrow. Also  If anyone has sample menus i could follow that would help as well, I have come to find out that structure plays a big part in my life in more ways than one.

the pose

I still use chike.  It is a really good drink. You can buy it on the web at

http://www.chikenutrition.com/

I like it alot


Good Luck.



Tommi

Thanks Tommi,


I'll check out chike's website.

Well, I'm not one of the big losers pre op. I've lost 27 lbs and have 10 to go, but I still give advice as I could totally teach a class on weight loss, I just have trouble DOING it. :)

You want to buy a whey protein supplement that has at least 20 Gm of protein per serving, less than 8 gms of Carb and less than 3 gms of fat. There are many choices. This can be mixed with skim milk and ice in a small blender. I bought mine off the internet. I like Unjury the best, but it's expensive. This makes a good breakfast.

Then water, more water, and yet more water.

Lunch can be a frozen meal with about 250 calories. The new Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice and Smart Ones are GOOD. They are kind if high in sodium, but you just have one a day. Sometimes I have an apple too. I love fuji apples or I have a tomatoe or cucumbers in vinegar or baby carrots.

I can't last until dinner without a snack. I eat 1 Vitamuffin top at 3 pm with coffee. They are 100 calories and have fiber. I order them online, but healthfood stores and some grocery stores carry them. They are in the freezer case. My favorite is chocolate with pomegranate, which sounds weird but is delicious.

Dinner is a big salad with protein and I make my own vinaigrette. It takes forever to eat.

If I stopped there, I'd be fine and could be banded by now. I get in trouble after dinner. I'm working on it.

Whatever you do, do NOT go through drive throughs or think you will eat healthy at the fast food places. Too much temptation. We need to learn to eat healthy and quick and satisfying at home and we need to take or food with us when we travel until we get new habits going.

Good luck. There are so many low calorie foods out there that it's pretty easy (in theory). Read some books to get your head in the right place if that's  a problem.

Hey thank you,



I needed to know the right powder there are so many in the store i wouldn't know what to get. I looked on line and got frustrated so I can imagine when i go in the store. So 20gm or protein, 8g,s of carb, and less that 3gms of fat what about sugar and salt does that matter.

I've lost mine with Medifast. It may not be the choice for everyone, but I like how easy it is. I can tell you more about it if you are interested. Here's my experience with it and protein foods in general.

I had success over the years during past diet phases with low carb, low fat, high protein plans. For example, I did well on LA Weight Loss for a while - lost 50 lbs. The stuff happened in my life and I went back to the old ways of eating. I had similar results with a Pritikin-like plan in the '80's - lost 70#, but slid back to old ways. But I do know it works.

It appears that NutriSystem is similar. Ditto South Beach. Hi Pro, Lo Fat, Lo Carb.

I've also watched post-ops over the time I've been a member here. Those that seem to have the most success long term generally stick to protein first, minimize carbs, low fat (except the DSers). They also exercise and/or are active.

And drink lots of water.

You don't have to get the protein from shakes, but I like the ease (as well as feeling like I am having a treat).

Another thing that works for me is that you eat often. Now the reason I got so big is that I like to eat, so often isn't bad! With both LA Weight Loss and Medifast, you get SNACKS! As RubyEllen noted, fruit or veggies work well. So do protein bars, yogurt, shakes.

One reason we used to post a food string was to give people ideas on how they can make small changes that will yield be benefits.

Like night-time eating. Yes, Ruby, I struggle with this one too. Know what I do? I eat. I also try to go to bed when my family does. I don't do well unsupervised - LOL!

But here's some examples of what I do eat for an evening treat -

double batch of Medifast chocolate protein pudding
single batch pf pugging with a crumbled protein bar mixed in
low fat vanilla yogurt with a crumbled protein bar (or fruit, if you are eating fruit)

I also eat more than the Medifast basic plan. They say 5 and 1 (5 of their products a day, plus one lean & green). I eat 7-8 and 1 on my health coach's recommendation. So I get to eat alot! The "1" in 5 and 1 is one "real" meal a day, the lean & green. I eat bigger servings than recommended, again with my coach's blessing.

If I stick to this I lose well. If I eat carbs, it slows down. Too many carbs and it stops.

You don't have to buy Medifast. Just protein in all it's lovely forms. For me, shakes, bars and pudding are da bomb.

Check out Shari's page for good eats.

Hi Patty,


I like the idea of not preparing my food and using medifast, but unfortunately it;'s expensive. So I'm gonna do everything from scratch this way i an control the seasoning. I think what I;ve been doing wrong is not having enough protein. Out of all these replies you guys stress protein in everything you eat. I think a shake would do for the two meals and from there go with a good meal that consists of veggies and protein. If I need to snack I'll get the vita-muffins and use fruit to tie me over.

Yeah, the Medifast isn't for everyone's budget. That's why I think it's important to look for lots of ways to get your protein. Some docs don't want their patients using shakes because they want them to learn to eat "real" food correctly.

I checked out the numbers on the Medifast Appetite suppressant shakes I love, and the carbs are high in relation to the protein. I may shop around a bit and try some of the Unjury shakes that people swear by.

Good luck in your shopping! Keep posting your questions or when you need support.

Hi

I have lost 62 lbs now pre op. I was put on a liver shrinkage diet that  thought was a joke but as I used it I found it worked. Mind you it is not tasty, It has no salt no sugar and very low fat and very low carbs. I have since added a protein drink for breakfast. I use the GNC Pro 100 % Whey in chocolate. I mix it with skim milk in a blender bottle .. they are great by the way.  I like the taste.. I jsut bought 2 lb canister for 19.99.. so the rpice is not too bad either.

I would be happy to send you a copy of the diet if you would like it. But I can tell you right now that you really have to be determined to sty on it. I was so determined becasue my surgeon I ahd at the time told me that if I didnt loose the weight he might not be able to do the surgery. I am only 4'10" tall and I ahd a BMI of 63.. He said my liver was so larger that it had to shrink or surgery would be delayed.. I really stuck to the diet. Once I started to loose the weight so fast and so much that was so encouraging that I stayed on it for sure then.

I was seeing a doctor during it to monitor my heart and such becasue in order for me at 4'10" to loose I had to eat between 800 to 1000 calories. The other thing I did was make a daily journal. I wrote down everything I ate. I kept track of calories and carbs and all. I made sure I ate at least 50g of protein a day. It was not easy I will admit that.

Let me know if you would like a copy of the diet. I have sent it to a few people and have it typed out already. I would just forward it to you. However I would suggest you show it to your doctor and talk it over with them to make sure it is ok for you.

I was surprise how much sodium is in everything we eat. Now I cant eat things with sodium they are so salty I cant stand it. I buy no salt added vegs. or use fresh. I use Mrs.Dash table blend to season everything. No salt in that. I eat nothing with more than 5 grams of sugar in it. or 50 mg of sodium. Most things are fresh or homemade. I eat hardly any processed foods. I cook everything from scratch,. I make large protions at a time and freeze them. I cook on Saturday for the whole week. It si so easy to go into the fridge and get out a precooked chicken breast and vegs for dinner.

Oh yes one other big change. I stopped drinking any carbonated drinks .. even diet ones. You will have to do this after surgery anyway. I only drink water, crystal light,, skim milk, or deluted juices and decaf tea.. Watch sugars in juices and even the sodium. 

I also stopped all caffiene.  I do not drink coffee. I drink decafinated tea, hot and cold.  I use splenda to sweeten. I use no refined sugar at all.   I eat nothing white anymore. No white bread, no white rice, no white potatoes. I do eat whole wheat buns sugar free.. Sweet potatos are great baked.. a little spray I can't believe its not butter and a little splenda and it is like desert. I only eat 1/2 of the potato at a time.

I do not use any margarines, tub or stick. Of course I don't use butter. I only use the I cant believe its not butter spray.  I do not use any oils except Olive Oil.  I use Olive Oil spray too to prevent too much oil being used.

A lot of this will help you after surgery adn a lot of it will change. But most of it will be what you will have to do anyway. So now is the time to learn it.

Good luck to you.. If you want a copy of the diet let me know and I will pm it to you or I can fax it to you if you have access to a fax machine.

God BLess you in your journey.

Thanks this sounds like a winner here. I would love a copy of that diet. I don;t care if the liver shrinks as long as the body does lol. I want to get a head start on losing weight because i want the band and I don't wanna have to wait till then to lose weight I wanna start now, before I float away. Gnc here i come