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

I ended up eating an orange in the afternoon, two cups of apple cider, a cup of fat free cottage cheese

and veal Marsala ( fat free) with carrots celery asparagus and yucca for dinner

Good Morning and it's Friday-Eve. Daisy, I am sorry work is so hard right now and that you have so many sick people coming in. I hope today is better in that regard. Also, that stinks about the reaction to the dye-hope you feel all better soon-between work, the MRI and your sore back you are having a rough time. Sending hugs your way.

Accountability: Although my menu had a little TBD yesterday I stayed on plan. I did have a handful of nuts while I was prepping dinner but I didn't eat too many.

Time since surgery: 3 years 6 months

B: SF latte, eggbeaters, ½ an orange and 2 turkey sausage links

L: Albacore lettuce wraps and baby carrots

S: Carbmaster yogurt, feta and roasted red pepper dip on a cauliflower sandwich thin (I might put in the toster)

D: Homemade chicken and cheese sausage, mashed cauliflower with bacon crumbles and cheese, 2 squares 86% dark chocolate

ES: Homemade Greek yogurt with SF jam and ¼ cup fiber cereal

E: 6 miles ran this morning and 40 mins of elliptical at lunch

V/W: On track

Totals: Cals:1156 Protein:118 Carbs:66 Fat:51

Have a great one!

I am amazed and terrified at the same time with your menu and your workout levels! As I'm still in my honeymoon stage I can get away with eating 1200 calories and still lose weight, but I usually go up closer to 1500 calories on hard workout days and MY hard workouts are NOTHING compared to you! When I swim in the mornings, I'm only swimming a 1000 meters total (including my warm-up and cool-down) and when I bike to work it's ten miles round trip. Yet on a day where I swim and or bike to work, if I eat less than around 1200 calories I feel like my brain fogs up and my body can't function right.

Have you always been able to work out like you do on so few calories? Or did this evolve as you moved further from your surgery date? I really really want to be able to run six miles! I want to make biking, running and swimming a regular part of my life. I want to maintain a fitness level where I'm able to compete* in Olympic length triathlons without having to train up for them. But I can't imagine being as active as you are while sustaining on 1200 calories a day. I would imagine you carry a significant amount of muscle to allow yourself to run six miles and still get in 40 minutes on an elliptical. Feeding that muscle, plus the rest of your frame and your brain... I can't get the math to work.

Part of this is just my fear that my weight loss isn't going to be sustainable. That I'll pass through the honeymoon phase, my goal weight in hand, and then with no changes in calorie intake or exercise my body will start gaining the fat back despite my (current) diet and exercise. I'm afraid that I'll have to drop my calories lower and then live in a world of brain fog and fatigue. At the same time if your body has adapted to this, and you're feeling fine and you're content with your diet that should be reassuring...

*By "compete" I mean complete the event within a time range that isn't so slow that the race volunteers have to wait around for me to finish (I know, my goals are kinda pathetic but I've never been an athlete!)

It's really a hard question-you may see that on most days in my accountability I add extra things in the evening. Sometimes I feel legitimately hungry and sometimes it's head hunger but I would say my average hovers around 1400-1600 cals even with those added. My exercise is for my mental health as much as for heart health and I know should incorporate strength training as all of my exercise is cardio. I think we all have to decide what our bodies need and be willing to adjust when we see something isn't working. Hope that helps.

**speechless**?

Good Morning Daisy and Menu Family!

Wow, Daisy, sorry about all the sick people coming in and no beds and also sorry about your allergic reaction to the dye.

Also sorry to all the people who are suffering from back pain right now. It seems like there are quite a few of you with back pain.

Accountability: Yesterday: Protein - 74, Calories - 1,205, Carbs - 96.

B: prosciutto & mozzarella sticks, light & fit Greek yogurt

L: ham & cheese sandwich on 45 calorie light bread

D: general tso's spicy chicken

S: prosciutto & mozzarella sticks, light & fit Greek yogurt, banana, 2 Atkin's peanut butter cups

E: not sure, still bitter cold outside.

Have a WONDERFUL day everyone!

~ Karen

The Prosciutto/Mozzarella sticks..do you make them or buy them. I always see them on your menu and have wondered but always forget to ask!

I buy them at Walmart. They come in a package of 7 sticks and I find them near the deli.

Thanks! I may try them.