Long time no post,,,,back for some support,,
Hi everyone,,hope ya all remember me. I used to post a lot about ten years ago. Had my surgery in 2005, lost 140 pounds and kept it off for a long time. However in the past three years I have gained 60 pounds. I cannot tolerate most meat and have a hard time getting protein in. Im so depressed about it,,and have vitamin deficiencies too. Vitamin D, B12, Magnesium and Iron have all been very low. Im on a regimen now to get them back where they are supposed to be.I suffer from horrible restless limb syndrome now and Im wondering if its due to the deficiencies. I can tolerate most carbs, and slider foods like cottage cheese and yogurt, but those arent the good proteins. I need ideas for meals and what protein shakes are the best. I bought some at Walmart but they dont taste the best. I have got to get this weight off. I had a knee replacement 2 years ago and the immobility helped add to the gain too, but I want to feel good so am back on track. Im eating salads with tuna and shredded chicken, but cant tolerate eggs, red meat, pork, etc. Need some ideas from all you folks that are keeping it off. So glad to see so many old friends still here..you were all an inspiration to me! Help me get my mojo back!
Betsy
Hi Betsy!
I am relatively new to this group & still pre-op. However, with the help of this group, ObesityHelp.com boards in general & my dietician I am practicing what I need to eat post-op.
Obviously I don't know your eating history & preferences. I know I can eat chicken once or twice a day & never tire of it. Therefore, that is one of my protein staples. I also eat a lot of eggs ****il I see if my cholesterol blood work anyway!), and cheese.
My dietician seems very lenient & has not been a big carb basher...she is more about having me make nutritious food choices rather than focusing on them. I average about 100-150 grams/carb daily which I understand to be very high for after surgery & maintenance, but I have still managed to lose about 50 lbs in the past 3 months. So I consider that progress or at least being on the right path.
The 3 things I keep hearing is to make sure you 1) get your protein in daily, 2) reduce carbs & 3) drink your water. And do some kind of exercise. I have to plan my meals b/c I am good at making excuses for not having what I need. I am not anal about planning, but think about what my choices could or will be the next day.
I am sure some of the experienced post ops will be on to respond to you. By the way, it sounds like you did a great job & this is probably a bump in the road!
Good luck!
Kathy
Thanks for posting. Im trying very hard to clean up my eating. I cant tolerate eggs at all..they just wont stay down..chicken is too dense..it gets stuck. Cheese is good but my cholesterol is high...struggling..reading my post surgery books again. Im so glad I had the surgery and would do it again in a heartbeat. Never had a single complication. Recently had an upper GI and the doc said my pouch was very small so I was relieved it hadnt stretched. I know it still works..so Im determined to work with it.
Have a great day!
Thanks for posting. Im trying very hard to clean up my eating. I cant tolerate eggs at all..they just wont stay down..chicken is too dense..it gets stuck. Cheese is good but my cholesterol is high...struggling..reading my post surgery books again. Im so glad I had the surgery and would do it again in a heartbeat. Never had a single complication. Recently had an upper GI and the doc said my pouch was very small so I was relieved it hadnt stretched. I know it still works..so Im determined to work with it.
Have a great day!
Hi Betsy....so nice to see you back!!!
Regain....I swore I would never go there...well I did!!!
Now I am back to BASICS...eating healthy. I can see why you have issues when you can't eat much meat. I eat a lot of chicken, turkey, seafood, fish, and pork ribs now and then. I eat no red meat at all. If I want protein and don't feel like cooking I have Morning Star Boca Black Bean Burger. I just love them..no meat in them. To me they look like hamburgers with great seasoning. I also like breakfast sausage now and then...again no meat...Morningstar Sausage Patties...they taste like sausage...yum. They are fully cooked for when I want something fast. These two items are a hit with my daughters and grandchildren. You should try them. They have so improved over the years. My daughter now has me into tofu...I had it in a Chinese dish she had...it was so good!!!! I need to get on the internet and look for recipes with tofu!!
I also have Protein Drinks. My favorite is Premier Protein..30 gram of protein in a 11 ounce bottle. 160 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 5 grams of carbs. I love the chocolate *******so like Boost Glucose Control or Calorie Smart..they are exactly the same but the Calorie Smart is cheaper (because it is not in the diabetic area). It has 250 calories, 14 grams of protein, 6 grams of sugar, 23 carbs....I only like the chocolate in this one too.
I walk 3 miles a day everyday...no excuses allowed. In the evening I do upper body exercises with my hand weights. I can only do these suiting down because of the balance issue. Tired or not they get done. I must use a walker at all times when I walk. I have bad balances issues. My pain gets worse every year. I still do the exercises. Some days I move slow but I always get it done.
I truly believe that exercise is the key to losing weight. I never thought i would say that in my entire life..LOL!!!! Any amount of exercise you do is better then none. Healthy eating is a must. I eat...protein first then veggies and then fruit. Most times the fruit is my in between snack. I try very hard to rarely ever eat bread, pasta or potatoes.
So far I have lost 26 pounds...I hit a stall for a bit but... the scale is moving again today!!
I don't feel like I am dieting...just eating healthy! Even with the weight gain I have never had any of my levels off. I am doing something right...for once!!
Good luck to you...I wish I had the perfect answer for you!! I guess I would say just be open to trying new things. Start out walking slowly and increase distance when you can. Walking really is the best exercise.
Have you spoken with a bariatic nutritionist about the problems you have with meat and things??? I would think they should have good ideas for you. Please stick around!!
Love and hugs .....connie d
Hey Betsy,
I think we may have had surgery around the same time. I'm like you with the meat, but I also don't tolerate milk products much either. I,too, suffer from the same deficiencies. I can tell you that I don't do well if I don't exercise. I had knee surgery in December and it has taken me from then until now to get back into walking. So, these are the things that work for me: 1) Drink water...lots and lots of water; 2) avoid glider foods, and you know this. In lieu of gliders, eat raw vegetables....I keep cucumbers, peppers, celery, carrots, and cauliflower ready to go to give me a quick snack; 3) I eat a lot of seafood and fish. I even keep cans of oysters, salmon, tuna, and crab in my cabinet to grab for a quick meal; 4) After the seafood/fish, my next meat choice is chicken and it has to be cooked with moisture left or I cannot eat it; 5****ep boiled eggs handy too so I can grab for something quick; 6) Beef and pork are foods that I eat as a garnishment...After all these years, I still don't eat either very well; 7) I do eat a lot of tofu and eat it by itself or tossed in some stir fry with shrimp...8) my doctor told me to give up on the shakes for a lot of reasons but the main reason was he said that after the first year, we should be getting our protein from our foods and if we rely upon the drinks, we are giving ourself unnecessary calories and are getting our pouches used to glider foods. I do realize that everyone is different and every doctor is different but mine said toss the shakes. Plus, measure your food and eat out of a small plate...I still eat out of a baby plate.
As far as exercise, I am a firm believer in doing yoga. Even if you cannot walk, you can do Yoga. All the stretching is so good for your muscles. If you can walk, get into a routine of walking a set amount of time maybe every other day.
I hope you stick around and we can all use the board to get back on track...Welcome back.
