What's on your menu today (Thursday) RNYers?

Just wanted to say how GREAT it is to have you back on the menu thread with us Nikki, so have missed you

And great job on seeing changes in your body already. The scale will move, not fast but it will, you got this.

Great job on the training, you go girl!

I've missed you too!! Did you get our Christmas card? We all loved yours!

I weigh daily now too, and it can be frustrating some days....is this how normal bodies are?!?! Up and down pounds without reason?

I think so. I remember being like this pre-surgery.

Pre-op I hardly ever weighed myself so I am clueless about fluctuations day-to-day.

Hi All!

just a quickie since I have to leave in 20 minutes to go to an eye appointment.

annual physical yesterday went well. I liked this new PCP - she took an hour with me (!!) (I was the last appt of the day) and was very thorough. I don't think she has much experience with WLS patients, though, and she talked about her patients who'd had complications with it. She also admitted that much of her experience with it was 20 years ago. That had me worried a little - although at least the surgery is already done and I don't have to count on her for a referral. It would worry me that she wouldn't be supportive of it. She was very impressed with my weight loss, though, and with my last lipid panel, blood pressure, etc. She said that all looked fabulous.

I weighed 148 again at her office - same as I did first thing that morning with no clothes on - so my home scale must be off by a pound or two - in the right direction (I hate having home scales that weigh too low! Much better they weigh too high!). My BMI was 23.8, and she was totally fine with that and said I didn't need to lose any weight, but she would be OK with five pounds if I really feel more comfortable in the low 140s (and I do...). Like my former PCP, she did not want to see me drop below 140, because she likes her older adult patients to stay at 23 BMI or above. So at least I don't have too far to go. This should be totally do-able...

accountability was fine yesterday, at just over 1500 kcal (1520, I think), but weight still at 148 this morning. GRRR. Hopefully it'll start dropping in a few days. So far 1500 is very manageable - I'm hoping I won't need to drop back even more, but we'll see. I can live with this level...

oddly, I rarely crave unhealthy things. I usually want something like pumpkin Greek yogurt. At 1700 calories, I could usually eat it, but the last few days at 1500, I just skip it if I'm at my limit - I have something to drink instead. But I"m also very motivated now - hopefully my resolve will stay for awhile!

2 years 7 months out:

B: homemade plain Greek yogurt with chocolate protein powder mixed in, raspberries

S: coffee with half & half, chocolate protein/Miralax latte shake

L: probably chili with 2 T shredded cheddar

AS: raw veggies with Greek yogurt dip

D: pulled pork and salad

another yogurt or crustless protein pumpkin pie IF I'm hungry and IF I can afford the calories

Do you have Dean or UW?

we just switched to Unity/Quartz - so UW. This PCP is with Associated Physicians, though (near Hilldale), which is a small group of independent physicians who happen to accept Unity/Quartz (they accept a lot of other insurances, too, but not Dean). I switched because my physical therapist at Dean thought I was ready for a hip replacement, and I want to use an orthopedic surgeon who accepts Unity/Quartz (but not Dean) - plus my bariatric surgeon is also with UW, so I thought it just might make things a lot easier to move everything over and have it all in one place.

I think the reason they can take so much time with people is because they're not affiliated with any of the HMO's, so they don't have administrators breathing down their necks, wanting them to rush through patients. It's kind of nice - reminds me how doctors used to be 30+ years ago!

Catwoman I just wanted to bring your attention to one of the Vets on here "White Dove" she has always given out this info for people who are trying to lose regain or kick start their loss again. It might help you set your calories now that you are in maintenance. So as per her math if you want to be 140lbs you need to eat 1400 calories. You are eating 1500 calories (150 lbs) and you are at 148lbs so the math is right.

From White Dove:

"You need 10 calories a day to maintain one pound. If you want to maintain 150 pounds then eat 1500 calories. To lose one pound a week cut 500 calories and eat 1000 a day.

Do your own math for your own maintenance weight.

I have tried every gimmick imaginable and finally realized it all comes down to calories.

You will feel more full and lose slightly faster on high protein and low carb. It is about a 10% advantage. In ten weeks you would lose 10 pounds on higher carbs and 11 on low carb."

Hi Daisy -

I know that's been the traditional rule of thumb for many years, but I also suppose it can vary a bit depending on various factors (e.g. activity level, metabolism rate). I've actually been at 1700 kcal for over a year - I just dropped down to 1500 three days ago. It could very well be that if I continued at 1700 kcal/day, I'd eventually end up at 170 lbs, but I'm not willing to find out!

I want to give 1500 some time and see what happens. At a 200 kcal deficit, a true loss is not going to show up on my scale for a couple of weeks, so we'll see. If it gets to be a month or so and my weight seems to not want to move out of my current 146-148 range, then I'll drop the calories further.

P.S. I've been in maintenance for a year now - it's just been the last 2-3 months that my weight has started to drift up. We'll see what dropping calories by 200 does...again, if not, I'll drop back further