Feeling Frustrated!

I have been going through a tough time! So I haven't been posting. Trying to accept and address my emotional and night eating issues. I shared the root of this struggle with PCP last week. I am waiting now to see a sw. Just feeling down and like I am fighting a losing battle. Even WLS isn't an option for me now as I need to work through this disordered eating first. This WL journey is tough. Trying to get bk on track. Hope you all ate doing ok. Please keep posting. The non surgical board needs your words and we need each others support!

Good for you for asking your PCP for help...that's not always an easy thing to do. It sounds like you are going in the right direction...it just doesn't feel fast enough for you.

I just learned last week at our class that evening hunger/eating problem can be because we are not getting enough protein in the morning. I found that hard to believe but I decided to try the suggested smoothie for a week to see if it worked. It does! Holy smokes...I have to force myself to eat a lunchtime even though I am not hungry. And the evening cravings are not there.

Here's the recipe:
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Green yogurt (President's Choice 0% Greek yogurt works best...more protein than Liberte)
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese (would you believe the fat-free has more carbs than the 1%!?)
1-2 cups berries, fresh or frozen (I have also used peaches)

Blend it all up...makes 3 cups of a super thick smoothie that takes about an hour to drink. The first day I made it I only had 20 minutes for breakfast and downed it...big mistake. I had quite the belly ache. Now I carry it with me as I get ready for work (and have some pretty straws to go with it).

Our class facilitator shared this with us when she did the program and the dietitian recommended this to her. It's been years since she did the program but she has kept her weight off and still has this daily. I also checked in with a couple of classmates through the week and they were surprised as well how well it worked. Some didn't care for the cottage cheese in the smoothie so used 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt instead.

Let me know how it works for you...I'm hoping you have the same success with it that I have.

Tammy

Do you have anything else to eat with this? Is it a full breakfast replacement?

Hi Tammy thanks for your reply and recipe. My NP actually told me that if I got up in the night to eat. That I was to have a cup of 0% greek yogurt with vanilla extract and splenda. Instead of PB J sandwiches or other carby things. I will give this smoothies a try in the mornings too. Protien is our friend! But I can get a little boring at times. Take care.

This smoothie is my complete breakfast (along with my coffee...can't miss that!) 

Agreed, it may get boring but then we have all had cereal and toast for breakfast for years and it just becomes habit, doesn't it? We just need to develop new and healthier habits.

There are always good protein ideas in the Ontario forum in the what are you eating today threads.

Another suggestion we have gotten from our class is to eat as "clean" as possible. Less packaged foods or going out to restaurants. It really makes a difference. I had a bad weight loss week a couple of weeks back. I was well within my calories/food groups but we ate out at a restaurant. I had soup and salad. I gained 4 pounds in water and it took all week to lose it. Just that one instance will stick with me for a long time...I didn't work this hard to sabotage my efforts.

You mentioned you get up in the middle of the night for a snack. Do you have sleep issues as well? If so, have you had those checked out?

Yes I suffer from insomnia and sleep apnea. I use a CPAP. There have been some extra stresses lately. I tried the smoothie this am. Made with frozen raspberries and just yogurt. I will pick up cottage cheese today. It was very thick and filling. I read the what are you eating today thread everyday. I prefered today's smoothie over protein powders. Thanks for recipe it was great!

Glad you enjoyed it! Agreed...best to stick with real food when you can instead of protein powders.

BTW...I noticed this week when I bought fat-free cottage cheese that while I save 1g of fat compared to 1% cottage cheese (both Nordica brands), the fat-free had 4g more carbs. I'll be having the 1% from now on!