What's on your Thursday Menu, RNYers?

Uhh. How annoying! But look at you go now! :)

Thats horrible! thats funny that you run into her. I'd love to see what her expression if she saw you today and remembered who you were.

among other things, she's a yoga instructor now, and I'm a big yoga person. I avoid the studio where she teaches like the plague, though. But she'd have no clue who I am, and wouldn't unless I told her. Sometimes I think about going to one of her classes. But then, I don't know - might be too stressful. Yoga is not supposed to be stressful!

Good morning JB and Menu Fam!

Yesterday wasnt that great. Someone brought peanutbutter easter eggs and I indulged in one, and i had half of a soft bun filled with buttercream from a korean bakery. THis all brings me to my decision to do the 5 Day Pouch Test and get back to basics. I really need to reset my pouch and my mind and get back on protein focused eating. Taking it all into my own hands! I start on Saturday. If anyone would like to join me, you're welcome to! Also, i'll join for the next AMAW (though I'll probably go CAMAW), so let me know when you all are doing that next!

STAY FOCUSED!!!

QOTD: I thought i was fat in high school. The weight started to creep up at 16. I think my highest was the 160's. Problem was I compared myself to my size 2 friends. Whats funny is i'm at my Highschool "Fat weight" now, lol.

Tomorrow's Friday! *victory dance*

The plan for today (and hopefully i wont stray from it)

Almost 8 months since surgery | 168 lbs today | weight loss diet

B: Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage & Bacon Frittata (just 1 this morning)

S: Premiere Protien chocolate

L: Caprese Balsamic Chicken thigh

S: Half Bottle Isopure Blue Raspberry & 1 ounce fresh Mozz (w/ 2 cherry tomatoes & 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar)

D: Caprese Balsamic Chicken thigh & Fudgecicle

Cal: 971, Carbs: 39, Fat: 454, Protein 83

Vitamins & Water: Started

Exercise: 30 min walk on my lunch break,530pm Body Attack (60 min cardio/interval class) at the gym

Glad you are here and posting. A lot of us do this for the accountability and looks like you need that as well.

I am not going to sugar coat it for you, once you start to stray in the losing phase and bring in carbs and off plan foods its difficult to get back off them and back on plan. Get ready for some hard work and headaches/moodiness and cravings as you get off the sugar & carbs.

5 day pouch test is a joke. Don't do that. You will be starving by drinking shakes all day and turn to carbs even more, seriously don't do that.

Why can't you do AMAW/CAMAW now? You need dense protein. Yes its going to suck and taste like cardboard compared to soft buttercream filled buns and PB Easter eggs but that's what you have to do.

I am going to dissect your menu today. First you are eating way to many calories for 8 months out, almost 2000 calories, whoa, dial that back to half or more. At 8 months I would expect you to be in the 700 - 800 calorie a day range. Your carbs at 39 are high for weight loss phase, dial that back to 20 or 25. Up your protein to 90 or more. Fat is good, keeps us regular, don't worry about that.

For your menu today here is what I would change, breakfast, eat 2 or 3 of the breakfast sausages, I don't know the size of them but I am assuming they are small. Dense Protein is what you need. Your snack, ditch the protein shake, eat your bacon frittata there, or 1 or 2 HB eggs, lunch is good, afternoon snack, ditch the Isopure, keep the mozz & tomatoes and add either more mozz or some bacon, dinner, chicken is good, up your portion, eat at least 3 oz or try for 4 oz, ditch the fudgesicle. If you have to have a "sweet" do SF pudding with protein powder mixed in or SF jello.

Dense protein is what is going to keep you full, not protein shakes. If you eat meat for each meal or meat & cheese for each meal & snack you will get off the carbs and start to lose weight and get to your goal, guaranteed.

I am not being a meanie, I am giving you supportive advice. You can do it, you have come a long way and I know life gets busy, new job, you have a little one but I assure you it gets even harder as the months go by. Stop it now, get back on plan and get to your goal, I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS!

You can PM me anytime, happy to help. Hugs, I know its hard, been living this for 3.5 years, I know its hard, but you can do it.

Oh and for the record I was thinking of doing an AMAW the week of May 1st - 5th is anyone is down.

Thank you daisy!

You are not a meanie! I saw you liked my post and had a feeling you were going to post something long for me because I didnt see your response right away!

I did a typo, my calories today are actually 971. Unfortunately i'm at work so I can't change breakfast or lunch, I may be able to tweek the snacks, however i can edit my dinner and ditch the fudgcicle!

I missed you guys! I'm going through a move, adjusting to a super busy new job, and have freelance projects when I get home, so its a challenge to get here now. I got in early this morning and thought i'd post!

I am always happy to help! Ok thank goodness your calorie total was a typo! I was thinking what is that girl thinking LOL

We have missed you too, and we are all here to help so don't be shy. Thanks for being open and honest on your menu & your struggles, it continues to get harder my dear!

And for the record, life happens, jobs happen, commutes happen, emergencies happen, kids happen, deaths, births, birthdays, anniversaries, stubbing your toe, it happens. None of it is an excuse to eat off plan. One thing I have learned after 3.5 years is the need to PLAN MY FOOD. I personally have become quite anal in that I have the "right" food in my house at all times. I will even start to get ready to go out for a event an extra hour early just to get my snacks and liquids ready to take with me (in case of there being nothing at the event I can eat or drink). I make a point every night after I finish dinner to clean up my kitchen and make food for the next day. I build my grocery list for the week based on what I know I have planned for food. Yes its a lot of planning, I could go into business meal planning for WLS patients for crying out loud but it has now become another part of my daily routine. I have to wear clothes to work, its not an option to go naked (not that anyone wants to see my saggy skin LOL) and so in my world its not an option to not have a plan of food and snacks.

And just so you know there was a point in the last 3.5 years that I got tired of planning, tired of filling up my vitamin holder (which is one of the reasons I switched to the Patches), I was so done with planning and weighing and measuring. And then a light-bulb went off in my head... I choose this, I wanted to have WLS, I want to be successful, I will not fail. So for me this is not optional, its a "Daisy Rule" that I stick to.

Have I ever cheated and went off plan and had a sinful goodie? Damn right! But never once in my first year, and might have even been closer to 18 months did I eat off plan, I was scared too. Its hard work, won't lie about that. But you have to ask yourself how bad do I want the "insert sinful food name here" over getting to my WLS goal?

Good luck, I am here for ya!

MAN you are such a good role model. Thank you for always being there for ALL of us. My last check up with the bariatric center late February I got stellar reviews, and I know most of it is me, but I KNOW I couldn't have been as successful without the help of all of you!

So i'm going to try extra hard to come here (atleast once every weekday morning) and just post my menu to force myself not only to plan but to log into MFP. Please excuse if I don't respond to others as much everyday, though. They're super anal about being 100% Client billable for all hours of the day at the new job, it's a lot to get used to.

Achelle, good for you for recognizing whats going on and what you need to do now. You are doing fantastic! Good luck with the reset next week. I know you will kick butt!

Thank you!