How do you eat enough to not supplement?

I get all my protein thru 3 meals and 2 snacks (sometimes I do 1 snack)... I currently eat around 1000-1200 calories a day but am getting a metabolism test done Friday to find out how much I really should be eating. My plan doesnt call for 100g protein, only 60-80g, but I typically eat around 70-80g if not more. I was off protein suppliments by 6 months out. I occasionally eat protein bars but only due to time constraints. I am not sure on my pouch size but was instructed to eat meals that were 1.5-2 cups in volume.. I will ask next time because I am interested to know.

How do you do a metabolism test? Also how many carbs can we have a day.

I am having one done at the YMCA - its a breathing test you breath into a machine. First part is resting where I sit and breath, second is exertion where I have the option of a bike or treadmill... I continue to breathe into the machine and they up the intensity to see how I burn at different heart rates etc, this will give me my different target heart rate zones as well. Personally I am to eat 100-110 carbs a day. They come from fruits, veggies, dairy and 2-3 servings of bread starch. This is based on 1000-1200 calories.

I'm going to cut out my protein supps actually. (Waste of calories and useless carbs and sugars to me....and seem like a substitute for sugar junkies who need chocolate and candy bar fixes.) I only added these things to lose some extra weight by switching bad carbs for protein. (I did no such thing as they are loaded with carbs and sugar) I'm done. I'm going back to my 4 years of normal 70-80 g a day in natural healthy food. I will eat what my body can eat and no more forcing supps and vitamins! I have felt so sick since I started taking all these supps the last week or so. My stomach is in knots from the vitamins...All day long I fret about what vitamin is next and if I ate something that might interact with it...Forget it!  I'm done.  I'm going back to doing what I have always done only being more regular in doing it! Otherwise it's become exactly the opposite of the success I have had all these years without special dieting and supps. I believe that taking too many supps and vits will cause more harm than good. More more more is not always better...and less is often much nicer all the way around. Here's a nice site from Harvard University on public health. (This is the protein section...but it talks about all facets of diet...It is not specifically for WLS people...but there is good info here. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/protein.html My lawn loved the iron pills I threw out here the other day!  And my plants love the liquid vits I feed them (the bottle expired)  They LOVE IT and turn lush green!

Anita love the new picture and I bet your lawn looks as good as you!!!

Thanks Ginny... You are so sweet! I'm in quite an eclectic and unusually grumpy mood today...Not quite sure what's going on with me...But something snapped and I've been having a silent hissy fit that just will not leave me alone. I read the ingredients on some Iron I got and saw it had calcium in it and almost blew a piston! Out on the lawn they went!  Along with the ones my doc gave me...and some expired ones. I have read so many sites on Iron I am now thoroughly confused and bewildered! I have no idea what to do about my anemia or who to trust, especially my doc who doesn't seem to understand WLS and malabsorption. I cannot find anything to show me what a lethal dose of iron is...what is the limit...But no place have I read to take more than 65mg of Iron...NOWHERE!!!! Yet someone said...oh never mind....I quit... I'm going to Vitamin shoppe and getting my favorite iron pills and taking them regularly and hopefully in two months that will be enough to show that I am building my stores back up. I don't feel like myself today...I couldn't be PMSing already!  I think I am stressed out. I'm about to post a photo of my fat arse up there too in fishnet hose and a semi-thong that says "Kiss my fat arse" .... Some of us are happy to Mary Kate and Ashley...and some of us are happy to be Jennifer Lopez!  I'm Jenn!  And MUCHO gracias to be!  I think I need a break from taking a break...I need to get out of the house! Or go to Hawaii...and um...er....get ...what do they call those flowered necklaces?  Lei's  Yeah I might need to get "leid"    :::Snickers::: HOLY CRAP....I am having spasms in my stomach...It feels weird!!! Like a baby kicking...(no baby...no chances there) That is it!  The rest of my EXTRA vitamins are going out on the lawn too!  I think I am poisoning myself with too many vitamins.  I think I am going to flush my body out with water today and start all over with a normal dose of vitamins and supps and nothing extra. If I feel this bad trying to get healthy...when I felt fine before ...then something is wrong.  All that is different is supps!!!!!!!!!  ARGGHHHH!  I'm so sorry for having a meltdown...Forgive me! Hugs Anita  

You can meltdown to me anytime....I sure do understand. Only new thing you added was "tender iron"....well I can see it was not a good choice nor did I think it would be  for you but I only voice my opinion when I am asked for it. However you still look great in your new pic and not so bad in those fishnets I must say and I am sure hubby would agree with me! You sound just like I did when I was trying to take iron, it hurt right in the gut and I was mad at everyone and that was before WLS and after so its not just your pouch. Iron by mouth is hard to take. Didn't your mouth taste metallic while taking them?

Hi Anita, Have you thought about a transfusion.  I did it and got my numbers back in order very quickly.  Here is what my supplementaion consists of. In the morning I put on scoop of upcal d in my mocha and also take my vitamin C an prenatal, then about an hour later I take my iron, I take ferrous gluconate (240 mg and it has 27 mg of iron.  Somewhere around lunch time I take a Citrical with D and another C supplement and an hour after that I take another Iron Tab.  Once a week I am supposed to takea subligual B-12 but have sporadically done that.  My labs have been good and my issues have improved.  Im there with you on the flowered necklace! LMAO. What plan do you have for supplementation? Dana

I was having a melt down Dana!  LOL I feel better today...until I took yet another new Iron I decided to try.... My doc mentioned that she might have to do blood transfusions and iron infusions, but she thinks that is so radical and wanted to wait two months to see if I can bring up the levels with supps (by the book and that is FINE with me!) She gave me Ferrous Sulfate and that was HARSH!  I took it two days and I was not feeling well at all. So I continued taking the last of my Iron in an amino-acid chelate form...only I upped it and was doing fine!  When those ran out I ordered some other kind...got them in the mail and started taking what the person recommended...Did that several days and started feeling really bad! So I looked at the ingredients and it was calcium and iron! I could not believe what a gullible smuck I am!  No wonder I was told to take so many...calicum AND iron ????? Oh brother!  MY urine was green...my stomach was aching. I was constipated after not being for a LONG time!   Early Morning...I take 1/2 Dose Calcium Citrate wafers with  Vit D & magnesium (Since I drink coffee... I take iron later) 2 hours or more later Two centrum multi's  or switch to Trader Joe's with extra seperate doses of magnesium, zinc, Vit A and E (these are my near deficiencies but still in normal ranges) Mag is the only one I am VERY deficient in...And I have been a long time. (I knew about this one...I just can't seem to keep it up)   After lunch I take Iron (if I had no dairy)...Today I took a "Vitron-C" (200 mg Ferrous fumerate) with 125 mg Vit C as asorbic acid...My stomach is not happy about that either...and I taste metal...I'm getting my Iron Amino-Acid Chelate today!!!!!!!!!  I will not try another iron after that! I never had trouble with that form of iron (except not taking it regularly) and I have read medical research papers on this Iron and it seems to be the best fit for me...and is less toxic than most iron and highly absorbable to WLS people! (I had NO side effects at all with it) I felt great taking it...but I ran out and have not been able to go out of town to find it! Dinner I take my other dose of Calcium for the full day supplement Late snack  I was taking iron again before bed...but I am afraid to take more than the one pill or recommended DOCTOR doses of some of these other irons. My doc is on vacation and won't be back til April. She scheduled me for a mammo 1 April so I will see her then. I am scheduled for blood retest on 1 May unless I feel really bad, she wants me in earlier. So far I feel fine except the Iron is killing my stomach...This is why I decided to quit taking it regularly in the first place!  Now I HAVE TO!!! Oh well... Glad to see you back!  Anita

My thought is that for folks who have really small pouches, they may need to use protein shakes to keep their daily protein intake at an appropriate level.  I only use protein shakes when I need to detox from carbs, but generally I'm able to get all my protein from food - usually 120-150 grams per day.  My pouch can comfortably handle that, plus that's where I seem to be able to lose the best.  If I cut back on the protein and bump up the carbs to maintain an appropriate calorie level, I either maintain or gain.   Anyway, if protein shakes work for you, I say continue to use them!!! Good luck on your continuing journey - Kellie