Can I eat this vs. should I eat this.

This is where I admit to not working out.  My doctors does want his patients to work out, but I didn't do it.  You should of course, but the truth is that I didn't.  I am sure I would have lost even faster and had better tone to my muscles if I worked out.  My doctor does not believe in increasing calories for working out.  The plan is designed to work with exercise, but that was my failing.  I think, in truth, I would have exercised more if the weight was not falling off as fast as it did, the quick weigh loss kind of lolled me into believing that it was OK to not exercise.  Total bunk of course, I know.  If I started to regain, exercise would be one of the first things I would turn to. 

"My doctor does not believe in increasing calories for working out."

Actually, that's not true. The basic plan calls for exercising 4-5x a week for about 45 min doing a combination of cardio and strength training. If that's what you're doing, then you won't be told to up your calories. But once you start exercising more intensely than that, Dr. C will tell you to up your protein even if that ups your calories and, as long as you don't up them so much that your weight loss slows down, he is fine with it and will even tell you that you need to do it to sustain that level of exercise.

Also, the program calls for 70-90 g of protein to start. Then it gets modified for individuals. Mine got modified up. Sounds like your got modified down, if you were told 65 g.

You are totally correct, I meant for regular exercise not for athletes like yourself.  And the protein is 70-90 g. I was told 65 would work for my size, thank you for keeping me honest.  Very good points.

Thanks for the great advice. I've been doing my best to follow it - I eat an average of 750 calories a day, 70-80gms protein, plenty of water, and about 60-80 carbs a day (whi*****ludes at least 30 grams of soluble fiber supplements(due to GI issues)). I've been cutting back on carbs and increasing my protein to break my slow losing streak, but I'm concerned that I'm eating too much fat. Even though I only eat low fat or fat free everything my total at the end of the day sometime****s 30 grams . That's 1/3 of my calories! Even the low fat dairy products add up. Did your nut have any recommendations about fat? How much fat is too much? My plan doesn't really say anything about calories OR fat, so I'm mostly focusing on protein, but I want to maximize my weight loss. I still have at least 86 pounds to lose to even squeek into the normal BMI range . I'm exercising 5x a week, but there's no way in hell I'm gonna see 50% loss in three months. That would mean 74 pounds in 3 months. My surgeon and I were happy with 41 lbs in 11 weeks :)

If your total calories are under 800 and your protein is at least 65 (more is better), and your carbs are under 40, don't worry about the fat content.  Only worry about it if you are noticing that your calories are pushing up, otherwise it's OK.  Make sure you are drinking plenty of water.  You are doing great.  Just stick with it until goal and you will get there in your own time. I almost hit send and then I had a second thought.  Since you have quite a bit more to lose, you might consider increasing your protein and decreasing your fat to see if this will increase your loss.  That would almost certainly help.  Try it and let me know how it is working for you.  Remember to NOT increase the calories you are eating when doing this.

Thanks so much!  I will try this and report my results in a few weeks. 

 What I've noticed with the fuller fat cheese in particular  (and I stay within my recommended calorie range) is they leave me feeilng sated for longer. Aside from the fact a lot of low fat stuff tastes like crap (to me, at least, especially cheese, LOL). There are only a handful of lowfat cheeses I can stomach the taste of and, since I can eat so little, I try to make every bite count. Not just nutritionally, but in flavor. All I can say is thank goodness for online food trackers.

I think that as long as you stay within your calorie range, you should be just fine.  I have found a few really tasty low-fat cheeses at TJ's.  Their smoked Gouda is really good.  Just remember, that with time, you will be able to eat a lot more.

Oh yeah. I'm already able to eat more than I could even two months ago. I'm getting a return of my hunger, too, though it's NOTHING like it was pre-op. It's manageable and easy to ignore for a little bit if I'm doing other things and, when I do eat, I dont' feel the need to scarf things down really fast to satisfy it. It's nice not to fear hunger for a change.

Thanks for the heads up on the TJ's cheese. I'll check it out. I LOVE me some smoked gouda, so I'll be sure to try theirs. Finding lower fat cheeses I really like has been a challenge. I do like some of the laughing cow and baby bel cheeses but they don't make some of the varieties I love (like smoked gouda).

I am glad you will try the smoked Gouda, I love cheese, and I can't tell the low-fat one from the full fat one.  It's only 70 cals. per ounce and has quite a bit of protein.  Enjoy.  While you are there you might want to get the laughing cow blue cheese wedges, I love combining one of them with a hard boiled egg for my breakfast.  Fast, easy and yummy.  I make the boiled eggs the night before or in large quantities for the week. Now that I am further out, I can easily eat two boiled eggs with two wedges of cheese.  See what I mean about it getting easier to over eat.