What's On Your Monday Menu, RNYers?

Time since surgery 8.5 months. Doing a bit of a reset this week. Still have been losing, but feel my sugar is getting out of hand. My mother passed away 2 weeks ago tomorrow and it has been tough. Given that, and the snowpococlyose I'm not beating myself up.

Breakfast:

1/2 Premier Protein and latte

Snack:

1/2 Siggys Raspberrry with freeze dried blueberries

Lunch:

2 oz chicken breast,  2 oz cucumbers, 1 tsp organic ceasar 

Snack:

1/2 Siggys Rasperry with freeze dried blueberries and latte

Dinner:

3 oz pork loin and 1/2 cup green beans

Snack:

1 pkg cranberry thin additives and 1 tbs cream cheese

Calories: 799

Carbs: 77

Protein: 78

Water and vitamins started

So very sorry about your mother. 

Thank you, I've been having a difficult time with it. It's hard with my coping mechanisms having changed.

I can't even imagine.  I hope you have a chance to see a therapist to help you through.  My mother is not in the best of health, though she is relatively young.  I try to not focus on it too much at this point, but I don't know how well I'd fare if something happened to her.

I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Good morning all!  Glad to see that my east coast friends made it through the storm.  I won't tell you that it's going to get close to 80 here by the end of the week. Interesting QOTD this morning.  The only food I can think of that causes trouble now is smoked salmon.  At my old firm, Thursday was bagel day.  Since I don't eat any bread, I would have faux bagel day and just have smoked salmon (lox) with cream cheese.  About 2 months ago I brought some lox and cream cheese to work for breakfast.  After about 3 bites, I knew it was a no go.  Now, the thought of it makes me want to hurl.  Early out I had trouble with lamb, but now that seems to be ok.  As for the subpart question, as many of you know, I'm a sleever infiltrating your board . . . I haven't thrown up once since surgery, not once.  I've had the excess saliva once when I ate a fruit tart (that cured me of my fruit tart craving quick, and haven't had one since).  I don't even really get nauseous (except for the lox incident mentioned above).  This should be an interesting week.  I'm having a problem with acid reflux and am going for a 24 hour pH study on thursday.  To prepare, I had to stop my PPI cold turkey.  I'm on day 3 and I swear, breathing air is causing heartburn.  I don't eat bread and all I wanted was a piece of white bread to sop up the acid.  I settled for some Ritz crackers (which didn't kill me, numbers wise - 5 crackers 80cal, 10 carbs.  High I know, but it was the only thing in my house that I thought would help)  On the bright side, I should lose some weight since the acid is killing my appetite.  The other bright side?  I may get a day off work (depending on whether they do the test with an implanted capsule or a tube)  I flat out REFUSE to sit in my office with a tube snaking out of my nose and around my ear!!!!

Here's my food plan:

B: turkey, spinach and cheese (Yay! Finally dirt free spinach!!)

L: Left over tri tip and snap peas

D: hamburger patty with grilled onions, asian slaw

S: chicken salad and Light and Fit

Totals: Cal: 882; Protein: 104g; Fat: 42g; Carbs: 25g

Well, Today Ive had

B: Whole Wheat Light English Muffin w/ slice American Cheese, 1/4 cup Old Fashioned Quaker Oats, 1 cup coffee w skim milk

L: spinach salad with pacific cod filet (4 oz) with mixed greens (1/2 cup) and canned corn (1/2 cup)

S1: Quest Protein Shake, Cookies and Cream

D: 1/2 lb steamed shrimp

S2: Quest Bar, choc chip cookie dough

Calories:1050  Protein:121  Fiber 32  

8 YEARS OUT! Kept off 120 lbs!

I am super late to the party today, but here goes.

Question of the day:  Hmmmmm.  I can tolerate most things.  But I definitely go through stages where I eat one thing a lot, and then don't want to see it for a while.  It is an emotional, not physical thing.  I do not like eggs as much as I used to--got tired of them, I guess.

Habits:  I feel like I did really great on my program until about the week before Christmas.  I chose 3 behavioral habits for the new year, which I believe will help me get back to success now and long term:  (1) posting here; (2) avoiding grazing; (3) returning to tracking in MFP.  I am about 50% on posting here, and not back to tracking in MFP, which I do need to do.  But my big focus right now is attacking the grazing habit that has really returned since the holidays.  I did not realize I had such a problem with this, but I believe now it is one of the main reasons I struggled with weight before WLS, and that I must overcome it to be successful to lose the last 20 lbs and keep it off long term.

I have been trying the rule of "only sitting down to eat."  This is helpful, and I must continue it--challenging to remember sometimes, but working on that.  My plan for today's difficult grazing time (the hours between when kids get home from school and dinner):  Bleach my teeth!  Yep, I will put in the bleach trays for those 2 hours.  Will report on this. 

Exercise:  Had my third session with the kettle bell trainer today.  It feels good to do lifts, etc.  I used to do a lot of that, and I love the feeling of being strong/getting stronger.  My aging knee and thumb joints may be my biggest limitations.  Oh to be young again.

Water and vitamins:  Doing well with that--already past 45 oz mid-morning.  I should start listing my teas for the day, since I drink sooooooo much (don't like plain water since surgery). I make my little pots in the morning and drink them all day.  I am a little barista, I am.  Today's teas, etc, all unsweetened!:

--Pacific brand organic beef broth (a great breakfast when you don't want to eat yet)

--Teavana citrus lavendar sage (my very love love favorite always)

--Steven Smith #24 Big Hibiscus (a new one, really good)

--Teavana Caramel Almond Amaretti (really wintery, for a snowy day)

--Crio Bru Maracaibo (roasted cocoa beans that you brew like coffee)

B: 1/3 cup plain Fage yogurt with 1T lemon curd and 7 raspberries

L:  Ricotta bake with tomato and ground beef (1 serving), plus brocolli 2 trees

D:  Grilled salmon with 1/4 cup salad and tomatoes (I don't tolerate lettuce very well yet)

S1:  Almonds (wasabi soy)

S2: 1/4 cup leftover lentils and chicken from the weekend visit to the Indian restaurant

BS:  Badness and shame--trying to be honest and fully disclose in the hopes of doing better:  I already had a T of Nutella.  I don't really love the stuff, and I never buy it because in spite of not really liking it, it is a trigger for me.  But my gourmet-cook husband (who is also an uber-fit athlete) made crepes for Sunday's family dinner dessert, and it was one of his must-buy ingredients when he went shopping.  Such challenges will be part of my life long-term.  I do feel there is a place for limited, mindfully eaten treats in my life long-term, so my overall concern is not having Nutella per se, but the mindlessness of it--the tasting/grazing problem.  I hope by being honest about it, I can do better again.  I heard a saying that our addictions are only as big as our greatest secret.  So, no secrets today.

Happy Monday!

Crio Bru Maracaibo... I've seen you post about this before and it is so intriguing.  Where do you buy it?

Thanks for asking!  I love this stuff, and so does my husband and many friends.  I have tried it many ways over a few years, with different milks, sweeteners, etc., and I think it is best unsweetened, with a splash of unsweetened soy milk as a creamer. (I like Silk organic unsweetened, and also the Kirkland brand organic unsweetened)

It is manufactured not far from where I live, so I buy it in bulk at the company headquarters.  But you can buy it online to try.  I checked out the prices on the company web site, and on Amazon.  I would buy from Amazon.  The prices are the same, and if you have Prime, then you get free shipping.  If you don't have Prime, then look into the shipping costs on the company web site.  (Links below.)

They have recently changed their product names to reflect the country where the beans are harvested.

My two favorite roasts are

--Ghana (used to be "Cavalla")--this is a really straight dark chocolate flavor.  I get the light or medium roast.  The "French roast" is a really dark roast and is apparently appealing to people *****ally like espresso.

--Venezuela (used to be "Maracaibo")--this is a dark chocolate, with some kind of yummy undertones--also more expensive

The other roasts have fruity undertones, and I do not like them as much, but the manufacturers have told me that they tend to be quite popular on the east coast--apparently there are some similarities to coffee brands/roasts that are popular there?  I would start with the Ghana or Maracaibo to see if you like it.  Then branch out if you do.

Regarding brewing.  Do not use a drip coffee maker.  It is best steeped in a French Press, as it needs to brew maybe 10 minutes to draw out the flavors.  (I actually leave mine sitting in the press all day and use from that--the longer sitting time is no problem.)  If you do not have a French press, then you can just brew it like you would a loose tea--water and Crio in a container--then strain it before drinking.

Let me know if you try it!  For me, it is a great way to satisfy a chocolate craving, and its warmth fills and satisfies me for a long time.

http://www.amazon.com/Crio-Bru-Venezuela-Medium-Roast/dp/B01 7975Q50

http://www.criobru.com/all-products/

Unfortunately,  I have an allergy to soy protein, so I'll have to try something else for a creamer.

I'm also a Prime member and I just ordered a small bag of Ghana in a light roast.  I prefer my coffee as a light roast as well. 

Luck for me that my husband got a french press for Christmas this year.  I'm looking forward to trying it out. I'll let you know what I think.