Need to lose 25 pounds in 3 months. Help!
I have a fully opened band. I decided to get the sleeve but my doctor said I need to lose 25 pounds in three months cuz he and the insurance requires it. If I don't lose the amount they will not get approval. My band did not work as I only lost 30 pounds and have gained back 15 since I've been fully opened. The dietician said I can only eat beans , egg whites , vegetables, tofu, quinoa , protein shakes Oh and fruits! No meat only once a month. I've been faithful for 12 days and have lost maybe two pounds!!! I'm tired of egg beaters and beans. I've eaten vegetables but they DO NOT satisfy!!!! I'm thinking of changing to Atkins to see if that works. What do u think???? I've been drinking water and coffee and kool aid for my liquids. And excercising 2-3 times a week which is much more than before!! Should I change diets??
I think you have to count calories and measure portions. Use a tracker like my Fitness Pal and program your goal into it. Weigh every morning to be sure you are meeting your goal for the day. Fruit has a lot of calories and carbs. You need to fill up on the beans and quinoa.
To lose 25 pounds you must eliminate 25 times 3,500 calories from you diet. You need to be dropping 2 pounds a week, so that is 7000 calories that you need to not put into your system. Figure out what you are eating and how to eliminate 1000 calories a day.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
Beans have a lot of carbs in them along with the protein. Why no meats? How many of those calories are carbs? Do you need 1200 calories a day? How many grams of protein are you getting?
All of the answers to these questions may give insight to what needs to be tweeked to meet your goal. It can be done. I lost 24 pounds in 47 days preop by eating 1000 calories a day consisting of 70 grams protein (which came from sirloin, porkloin, salmon, eggs, chicken), no more than 30 grams carbs (which were just made up of asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower only) and as little fat as possible (most days 10 grams or less). I did this without any exercise as I had a blown knee and neck injury that had me pretty incapacitated.
Good luck to you on making your goal. It may be hard, but you can do it.
That's exactly my question why no protein I would rather have protein which is more chicken than anything then to have the beans I've been eating beans for 12 days now and I am sick because of the gas that pinto beans give. I tried soaking them but they still give gas. Red kidney beans are not bad or black means either But they are loaded with carbs I would rather have chicken!! So I am changing my diet I'm going to use high-protein low-carb more vegetables!! Let's see how that works in the next 12 days!! Thanks for the question??
Me, I would lose the dietician. But I won't counsel you one way or the other on that.
Sounds like she wants you to follow something along the lines of Dr. Fuhrman's Nutritarian program. (Basically high in unrefined carbs, moderate in "healthy" fat and very low in animal protein - only a few ounces per week.) I personally don't think you will be able to stick with it for the next three months. I tried eating like that and it just didn't work. I had very little satiety and wanted to eat A LOT! I lasted only about 3 weeks.
Here's what I would do: count calories and protein and carbs. Don't worry about counting fat for now. I would stick to 1000 calories per day, try for under 60 carbs per day (under 40 would be optimal, though) and eat 120+ grams of protein per day. Do not drink ANY calories except in the form of very low carb protein shakes. (I suggest using Almond Milk to make your protein shakes, if you want to go that route.) Eat lots of green vegetables, but NO FRUIT. (I think of fruit as a maintenance food.) Drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. Clear water is best, in my opnion, but you can flavor it with the no sugar flavors you can get at the market. Coffee, tea, protein shakes do not count in that 80 ounces!
My guess is that if you eat that way you will drop the weight in time. Again, I'm not a member of your medical team and I would not presume to tell you to switch from what your doctor and dietician have told you to do. Just wanted to share with you what I did when I had to lose 20 pounds in 7 weeks prior to my VSG. Take it or leave it.
Good luck!!!!!!
Thank you so much for the posts... You are thinking along the same lines as what I was thinking!!! I've cut our all the junk in the last two weeks so I think I can stick to 1000 calories now!!!! Fruits bring me down I prefer not to eat them. These people believe in all natural no additives food. I don't!! I believe in counting calories and I think I can do it now that I have been away from snacking!! Ill keep going. Thanks again!!!
I did it before my surgery. I lost exactly 25 lbs in 12 weeks. I basically did it on Atkins + low fat. 800-1200 cals a day. No fooling around...egg white omelets with spinach or kale for breakfast, protein shake for lunch and chicken breast, shrimp or baked fish with a side of plain veggies for dinner. I kept fresh berries in the fridge for two snacks a day.
I lost the weight easily. If I hadn't been sleeved right afterwards I would have gained it all back in a few months.
Following the guidlines of lean protein and veggies and reducing your carbs is what I am doing currently to lose some regain. I do 20 carbs. Also I eat all natural foods with no additives. I only drink water and tea, but that is always. You can do this. Come back for support each day and we will cheer you on.