A different snacking question...

PLEASE - no flames! I had a very hard time in trying to decide whether to post this question or not. I have been a lurker here for quite some time so I have kept up with most of your trials & tribulations, not to mention difficulties losing the "last 10 pounds". Here's my story. My surgery date was 5/16/05. I have lost 120 pounds from my starting weight of 250. Yes, I know, I'm a light weight, BUT my health issues were just a real and life threatening as the next person. My goal was never the weight loss. I wanted to be healthier and off some of the prescription meds - which I am! YAY! I thought as long as I lost at least 50 pounds, I would be satisfied. (One of these days, I will put all of this in my profile!) Here is my question...I am 5'6" and now weigh 130 and wear size 6 - and those are getting baggy. I think size 6 is way too small for my frame. My BMI is in the ballpark of 21 and I can't seem to stop losing weight. I have gone back to writing everything I eat on paper and tracking it in FitDay. I am doing fine with protein getting at least 70 grams per day, but my calories are kind of low. I need ideas or suggestions for snacks that are higher in calories but low in fat. My first choice is potato chips - but that 's one of the things that made me heavy/unhealthy in the first place! As I asked in the beginning, PLEASE do not flame me! I am in need of help... Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

How about whole grain crackers (like Triskets (sp?) or Wheat Thins) and low fat cheese; fruit (especially berries); nuts (especially almonds). Hope this helps!

In addition to your protein, I'd try to eat higher calorie veggies/starches such as sweet potatoes, corn, various beans. Also some of the higher calorie fruits such as bananas. You mention not wanting to add much in the way of fats, but reduced fat cheese w/ whole wheat crackers or relatively lower fat nuts such as almonds would be good choices for snacks. On the whole, I'd think that just eating healthy snacks more often would add the # of extra calories to halt your weight loss. It really doesn't take very many extra cals a day to achieve this! I applaud you for not just adding junk calories! I have personally not had this problem, mind you! I wouldn't flame you, but can I envy you??! Jo

Hi Cindy- I'm 5'5" and 126 pounds right now. I really would like to get back up to 135 or so. I'm just too thin right now. Bones sticking out everywhere, stick thin arms, etc. So I totally feel your pain. I saw my doctor last week, and she suggested added more nuts into my diet and eating full fat cheeses. I've also been trying to eat more often- at least every couple of hours. So far my quest to gain 10 pounds hasn't been very successful, so I I look forward to seeing other suggestions people give you. Lauren 281/126/135?

I know a few folks in our surgery month (May 2005) who are struggling with the same. One had a stricture and is probably malnourished right now. Another had a thiamine deficiency and was quite ill and is better now but struggles with getting enough cals in so she doesn't keep losing. You certainly are not the "norm" but there are many others out there for whom either severely limited intake or malaborption of foods and nutrients is a big problem. I will not say I would trade places with you because I would think it is scary to be on the that side of weight loss. Big hug to you! Good luck to you! Kathy

Hi Cindy! I applaud you for posting this because it's definitely not a popular topic. A lot of people say that they wish they had this "problem", but as someone who has been there too, I can attest that it is NOT fun. My low weight was 132 pounds at 5'7". I was, in my opinion, a stick figure. I wore a baggy size 4, and was continuing to lose. My solution? I stopped exercising completely and began to consume everything that I had been avoiding (i.e. sweets, chips, etc.). The result? Not only did I end up feeling sick most of the time, over the course of a year I went from 132 pounds to 170 + pounds and a size 12. The moral of this story? Tread VERY VERY carefully when adding things back into your diet that you have been avoiding. I would also recommend continuing to exercise (if are already), but maybe just cut back on your workouts a little. I've learned my lesson the hard way, and now I'm just trying to get back to my original goal weight of 145 pounds again. I'm currently at about 165 pounds, so I still have 20 pounds to go. I'm exercising again, and I ditched the junk food, but it's definitely harder to lose the weight after even a modest regain. The art of maintenence is a balancing act that I think a lot of us struggle with. Best of luck to you, and I hope you'll keep us posted! Lelina 298(surgery)/132(low weight)/175(highest regain)/165(current)/145(someday again I hope!)

first of all ((great big hugs))) it is a shame we have to worry about flames. You have a valid problem, valid issue. you have gotten some great advice, so I am not going to repeat it, just wanted to lend a supportive word

Thank you all for the supportive words and the suggestions. I am still waiting to hear from my nutritionist but meanwhile, I have gotten some good ideas. I'm sure six months or a year from now or even longer, I will be wishing I had this problem again! Let's hope not... Thanks again!!

Hey Cindy ... no flames girl ... I don't share your situation, but I do feel for you ... from one end of the spectrum to the other, eh? I think you've got some great suggestions here, but I just wanted to wish you well. --Karyn