Lost when it comes to food

I am over two years out, and have gained back 20 lbs.  I made goal, but honestly it was from a too tight band and a repositioning.  I'm keeping my band on the looser side now and trying to do things right.   My problem is that I really don't know what to eat!  I tried Weigh****chers, but it seems like way too many carbs and calories.  Help!

Did your surgeon or nutritionist not give you an eating plan? If not, give them a call and ask. Or read the section on Post-Surgery Diet, Nutrition and Exercise under About Lap-Band System on the right hand side of the forum screen.

Jean

I am having good success with SparkPeople.  I have parameters for my protein and calories from my dietician (1200-1400) and you can change your goals for the day.  You can track your food intake and your exercise, and best of all, it's free!! 

hi there Kendall,

My band will always be kept on the loose side also when I go through all this and whenever I get my first fill I dont want to be to the point of being to tight or it starts restriction on foods , that is not why I got the band.

I have found for me if I keep my totals around this area then I end up losing about 8-9 pounds every four weeks when I go the docs :o) I just went and saw him today and I had 9.5 pounds lost but my dang period got in the way and I only lost 7.

Calories anywhere from 800-1200 per day no more no less

Carbs NUT said I can go as high as 65 but 90% of the time I keep them around 30-50 a day

Fat I stay below 50 grams a day

Protein around 80-90 per day I get at least 25 grams of protein in me per meal and that is what is keeping me full for a good 3-6 hrs at a time :o) 

I exercise every day for at least 30 min .

When I follow this plan like I said I go and see my doc every four weeks and I lose nothing less then 8 pounds but my period got me this month .

I do not say I cant eat that or this.  I hate hate being told I cant do something or I cant eat something that has always bothered me and if somebody tells me that then I will eat it just to despite them that, is why I always failed at reg diets.

So I eat what I want I just do it in moderation, how much of them foods I eat, and how often I eat them foods but I dont deny myself of nothing .

Kendall:

What were you eating in the beginning? Did it work for you and allow you to lose weight? If so, I'd go back to that. If not, first start with keeping a food journal, whether it be online or a small notebook. Write down what you eat, when you eat it and if there was an emotion that triggered the eating if it is outside of a meal.

As far as carbs/calories, did your surgeon give you a stated amount when you began this journey? It is hard for anyone here to tell you what works for your body. I've found on MY journey that I have had to experiement with different things to find what my body will respond to in regards to both carbs/calories and protein. Each of us have a different make up so what worked for one, won't work for another!

I am almost two years out myself and I can tell you that it has been difficult the farther away from surgery I am. You begin to test the water with things you wouldn't go near when you were first banded. For example, I wish I had never tried to eat popcorn because I quickly found out it is a slider food for me and therefore I can eat it like there is no tomorrow. Should I? No, but I can and if it is around, I have a hard time resisting it. Now I don't keep it in the house for that reason.

Do a sweep of your home and get rid of your trigger foods first! Baby steps and soon you will be back to the rules and those pounds will come back off.

Good Luck!
Pam

Good luck finding the right stuff.. I know it is not easy.. It is the preparation that kills me..
Hard for me to plan the week ahead and make sure I have enough good stuff..
I started cooking some on last Sunday ...cutting food into 2 portion size clumps and then freezing or storing it...

I defrost one two meal size piece of meat/ fish/ chicken at a time have it for dinner and lunc h next day...
Have a little bit of green on the side and i am good...  (yesterday I made collard greens, tonightspinach)

What about trying a week or so on your pre surgery liquid protein shake diet?  I hear that gets you back on track and maybe the loss of a couple of pounds would be the incentive you need to go further.  Best of luck.  It really is a lifelong journey, isn't it?

Thanks everyone.  I'm going to try protein and vegetables.  I've become way too addicted to sweets.

Someone on here suggested the Daily Plate on Livestrong.com and I've been using that to track my food for about the past week.  WOW.  SO MUCH INFORMATION, I love it!  I had thought that I was making good choices but then I saw that there are some things (like sodium) that a food diary doesn't really call your attention to but that you can see plain as day on The Daily Plate.  So I highly recommend it, not to mention that the basic one is free AND there is an app you can download as well and it will link to your online profile.  I absolutely LOVE it.

Here's a low-carb food plan I did to get back on track after the first of the year.  

Low-Carb Eating Plan

Eat 3 small meals, plus 1-2 snacks (100 cal. or less) per day.  Don't skip meals.
Eat protein with each meal/snack.
Limit carbs to no more than 50g per day.
Avoid bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, corn, beans and peas.
Avoid all sweets and sugars, including fructose in fruit (exception:  berries)
Limit saturated fats and trans fats, use Pam, olive or canola oil instead.
Drink at least 8 glasses of non-caloric liquids per day.  Limit caffeine.
Exercise 3-5 times per week for at least 30".
Avoid alcohol.
Watch out for low-fat products that add starches/sugars.  

Eat mostly:
Lean protein:  poultry, beef, pork, lamb, fish, and seafood that is not breaded or fried.
Eggs
Cottage cheese
Soy beans and tofu
Vegetables, excluding starchy ones like corn, peas, and potatoes

Eat in moderation:  
Protein bars and shakes (check protein/carb ratio)
Processed meats
Peanut butter, olives, avocado, nuts
Unprocessed, natural cheeses (no American/Velveeta)
Berries

Condiments, etc.:
Unlimited:  vinegar, garlic, lemon, lime, boullion, salt, pepper, salsa, mustard, low-carb ketchup and pasta sauce, spices, artificial sweeteners, SF popsicles, SF jello, SF gum, pickles, Crystal Light

Limited:  mayonnaise, salad dressing
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Here are some foods that I eat:

Breakfast:
Eggs, omelets, scramblers, sometimes with Canadian bacon
Cottage cheese and blueberries
Protein shake/bar
Smoothie made with cottage cheese, frozen berries, Crystal light

Lunch:
Leftovers
Egg salad
Tuna salad
Fast food burger, hold the bun
Taco salad (no beans, rice, or tortilla chips; top w/ salsa & a little sour cream)

Veggies
Tomato with mozzarella, fresh basil, drizzled with balsamic vinegar
Green beans, steamed, then sautéed with garlic, mushrooms, & parm cheese
Spinach sautéed with garlic & pine nuts
Cucumber, avocado, tomato, feta or blue cheese, Ken's Light N. Italian dressing
Salad with bacon bits and thinned blue cheese dressing

Snacks
Hard boiled egg
Lunch meat and cheese roll ups
Jerky
Cheese stick and a few nuts
Celery w/ peanut butter
Edamame

Easy protein sources:
Sadler’s smoked beef brisket (available at Walmart)
Tuna
Hormel pre-cooked entrees
Eggs & Cheese
Lunch meat
Rotisserie chicken
Peel & eat shrimp (get it steamed at purchase)
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Second phase, once I get back to my goal weight, is to add back fruit, whole grains, brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans, and staying away from "white carbs".

Hope this gives you some ideas!  

Tami

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