What foods helped you become successful?

John W.
on 6/11/08 10:45 pm - Near Topeka, KS

I'm cross posting this to a couple of my favorite message boards to get more ideas... I did this a few months ago and got a lot of new ideas from kind folks who were willing to share. What are your top 5-10 foods that have helped you stay on track and stay motivated? Below are my top 10, but feel free to share as many as you have. I looked through my Fitday list to find my favorites: Chicken meatballs from Sam's Club;---- Fat-free Feta Cheese from Sam's Club;---- Flat-bread wraps - (high protein) from WalMart;---- Edamame - I like the frozen;---- Edamame - roasted fom the health food store;---- Turkey pepperoni - WalMart;---- Wendy's Chili;---- Snowpeas from Sam's Club;---- Yogurt (Blue Bunny) light;--- Tuna (any kind - I hated tuna preop...now I love it with lowfat mayo and relish); ------------ Also, are there 1-2 things that you found helpful that are not food items? My number one would have to be my digital scale. I still use that daily and it was a very good investment (at the time $30 seemed like a lot of money to invest). My other good investment has been the purchasing of FitDay.com food tracking program. I would never mess around with the online version since you will lose interest and this tool is just too important. I know that there are other good food tracking programs like sparkpeople that others like. I've learned a lot from this post in the past, so please be generous. John

Start Wt: 347 -- Lowest: 191 -- Current: 216.2 -- Goal: 197

2 MINUTE VIDEO JOURNEY ENJOY HERE ----> http://tinyurl.com/Jonoba07

New in 2010
Regain of 20 pounds has thrown me for a loop - will not let this get the best of me - what am I doing about it?
www.obesityhelp.com/group/Drop10410

Just Valena
on 6/11/08 11:15 pm - Nunyabizness

RNY on 05/03/04

"Lite" Yogurt Cottage Cheese String Cheese Almonds Peanuts Extra Chewing gum (darn snacky feeling!) South Beach High Protein Cereal Bars Weight Control Oatmeal Peanut Butter Low Carb Tortillas My scale My MP3 player (for when I exercise) Wal-Mart Brand "Crystal Light" drinks Vitamin Water

Not the Same Dawn
on 6/11/08 11:23 pm - BEE EFF EEE, CA

RNY on 07/11/06

Beef Jerky Roasted Green Peas single serving cheese (1 oz) Propel water bottles. I refill them and can put ice in to help mixing. all the flavors of the rainbow of Drink Mixes at Walmart.. Fitday Obesity Help. If it werent for this website, I'd be totally screwed..seriously.

Yes, RNY worked for me but it also requires a lot of work from me!

Before Surgery: 214
Highest Weight: 240
Now: 125.6
Goal: 130

Jennifer K.
on 6/11/08 11:43 pm - Phoenix , AZ

RNY on 06/20/06

Here are the foods I cannot live without and eat/use on a weekly basis 1. cottage cheese 2. 0% greek yogurt 3. SF syrups 4. Trader Joes RF white cheddar cheese slices 5. raw nuts 6. natural pnut butter 7. low sugar detour bars 8. kashi golean honey & cinnamon cereal 9. Sponge Bob Edamame 10. Trader Joes Soy Crisps in White Cheddar Non-Food items I found helpful 1. www.food.com (I love love love looking up recipies!) 2. a good knife, a good cutting board, spice rack 3. this website! 4. my joggers belt that holds my water bottle and keys.. it looks like a fanny pack! lmfao

First visit to surgeon - 288 ~ bmi 45.1
2 week pre-op 252 ~ bmi 39.5
Total lost - 153 Since surgery - 117!
Goal weight - 155 (mine) 180 (surgeons)
Current weight - 135 (2020 I lost 10lbs due to dedicating myself to working out more and being in better shape)

1/14/2025 still maintaining 135 :-)

Extended TT, lipo, fat injections - 11/2011

BA/BL/Arm Lift - 7/2014

Scar revision on arms - 3/2015

HALO laser on arms/neck 9/2016

Thigh Lift 10/2020

Thigh Lift revision 10/2021

(deactivated member)
on 6/12/08 12:47 am

RNY on 08/14/06

Hmmm. Chicken meatballs at Sam's. I buy water and Kashi bars there all the time and I might have to buy some chicken meatballs this weekend. I eat lots of Nature's Own double-fiber wheat bread, natural peanut butter with reduced sugar, SF jelly, Kashi bars, lightly flavored water (like Aqua Cal), Fiber One cereal mixed with a few raisins, almonds, and sometimes white chocolate chips (depending on what I weigh that day), cut-up chicken breast cooked in a little olive oil with some lemon pepper on it, then mixed with spinach and light Italian dressing. I also like the flat bread from WalMart (90 calories, full of fiber and protein) with some turkey inside. I eat lots of wheat pasta (I just can't bear the thoughts of never having pasta). Now back to those chicken meatballs - do you put them in some kind of sauce and eat them with spaghetti? I make wheat spaghetti with Classico marinara sauce (less sugar than some kinds of sauce), and put some turkey sausage in there. I bet those meatballs would be good in there too. I eat brown rice and I have a good red beans & rice recipe, if you'd like to have it. I sometimes buy the veggie burgers (if you use your imagination they taste like a fried chicken patty). I make lots of fish, usually tilapia, and bread it with a mixture of corn meal and bread crumbs, with salt & pepper, whatever kind of seasoning you like, and use just a tiny bit of canola oil to fry it. I do chicken the same way. Oh! And fried green tomatoes, although I probably shouldn't admit that. I also eat a gnu bar every day (order them from gnufoods.com). They have lots of fiber and protein, don't upset our holding tanks a bit, but cost a good bit. Don't forget to write back and tell me what you do with those meatballs!

John W.
on 6/12/08 2:12 pm - Near Topeka, KS

RNY on 05/31/07

Wanda, Those meatballs are very good and I'm convinced that you will enjoy them. I like them over pasta and sauce since you will not be able to tell that they are not just Italian sausage. I also like them in my omlettes in the morning. Lastly, I often just use them plain since they are so good just by themselves. Brace yourself, they are a bit high on the price, but a bundle of them goes a long way. Mmmmm...I haven't had fried green tomatoes in years. We traditionally do a lot of fried zuchinni (sp) when those are in season. The rest of the year we hardly even eat any fried foods...traditions... I'll try the red beans and rice recipe if you get a chance to share it. Best wishes. John

Start Wt: 347 -- Lowest: 191 -- Current: 216.2 -- Goal: 197

2 MINUTE VIDEO JOURNEY ENJOY HERE ----> http://tinyurl.com/Jonoba07

New in 2010
Regain of 20 pounds has thrown me for a loop - will not let this get the best of me - what am I doing about it?
www.obesityhelp.com/group/Drop10410

vi
on 6/12/08 2:18 am - CA

Fruit (prunes are a must have) and sugar free fudgesicles.

.Anita R.
on 6/12/08 2:57 am, edited 6/12/08 3:03 am - Stafford, VA

RNY on 01/20/04

2 % Fage Greek Yogurt (Used as yogurt with pureed fresh fruit or NSA preserves... meat or soy crisp dip with other spices or in place of sour cream) Boca Burgers dressed gourmet style no buns! (swiss, onion, and mushroom...... Barbeque sauce and sauteed onion...... fresh spinach, avocado and bacon...endless combos for this meatless, bunless burger! Edamame fresh, frozen, roasted TVP (textured vegetable protein) Tasteless protein crunchies for dessert toppings, cereal or rolled in a little peanut butter and moistened protein powder, makes a great substitute for ground meat recipes when moistened. Ground turkey (so many uses) Cottage cheese and/or ricotta cheese (plain or whipped in my cuisanart mini food processor with instant SF jello puddings (pistachio, banana yummy) and a little SF cool whip and milk or soy milk makes it really light and fluffy. Individual frozen 4oz raw chicken breasts (costco) I make these so many different ways, it's impossible to list. But they are great butterflies and grilled then sprinkled with rosemary and goat cheese, baked over spinach tomatoes and mushrooms, covered with Italian dressing and parm and mozz cheese (Cajun Girl Recipe) Cauilflower steamed, then mashed, add garlic fried in olive oil and salt....(used as side to replace rice or pasta) Can also boil with a few potatoes and whip togther like a lower carb mashed potato. Lentil beans...I love lentils and make them a dozen different ways... 16 Bean Cajun Soup. Dry beans with flavoring cajun spice packet...Just soak overnight, add smoked turkey sausage, or kabasi sausage and a can of stewd tomatoes...I sometimes add kale or spinach for vitamin richness...It's a hearty soup...High protein, fiber Low carb wraps in place of sandwich bread. Grilled on a panini press makes an amazing hot sealed sandwich, quesdilla or even a pizza Cuisinart GR-1 Panini & Sandwich Press $49.95 Soy crisps...(barbeque flavor dipped in Fage yogurt!) or sea salt flavor in bean dip or topped with spinach dip, hummus or bruchetta... Stevia drops. (Non alcoholic) As a natural sweetener. 2oz is about $10 and goes a LOOOOOOONG way...I never tried it because I thought it was too expensive for a sweetener...but it is three times the sweetness of sugar...Completely natural, no carbs, and only 3-7 drops (depending on your taste) sweetens a giant glass of water and lemon juice or 1/2 C of yogurt (the way I make it) I've had the same bottle for months and it's not even half empty yet. I make sun tea and use the stevia and mint leaves and lemons... Stevia...awesome sweetener that doesn't bother my stomach like other fake sweeteners or real sugar does.

"Stevia has many favorable and exciting health benefits and it is completely non-toxic. The herb is nutrient rich, containing substantial amounts of protein, calcium, and phosphorous, as well as sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin, vitamin A, vitamin C, and over 100 phytonutrients.

Stevia is a helpful aid in weight loss due to the fact that it contains no sugar, no calories and has been shown to reduce craving for sweets and fatty foods." Taken from http://chetday.com/stevia.html I could go on and on but the kitchen aids I have had since day one that are absolutely priceless! For my protein drinks I use the hand held powerful cuisinart quick prep hand blender to use and clean and stores in a draw! I LOVE IT!!!!! Cuisinart CSB-76 Immersion Hand Blender $29.95 I mentioned the Cuisinart mini food processor...$30...I used this thing since day one also...It pureed all my meals for the first few months. I use it to chop or puree veggies in 5 seconds flat...rinse and stores easy because of it's small size! I LOVE IT! I use it daily. Cuisinart DLC-1 21 Oz. Food Processor $29.95 Also...I use The Daily Plate to track and journal my food. ( I use the site, but journal in a note book by hand...I just prefer it) I LOVE this site. If I can't find what I am looking for...I do a google search and find EXACTLY what I am looking for by entering the name of the food and then the word "nutrition" and I ALWAYS get a hit. Example a friend mentioned she is a addicted to sweet tea... I did a google search "McDonalds Sweet Tea Nutrition" and the entire fact sheet came up...Just in case anyone wanted to find results quick...Use the "nutrition" word...I'm not always good at figuring out a good "key word" to get the info I am looking for ...I figured there are others like me! LOL http://www.thedailyplate.com/ I get some of my favorite recipes and laughs from a WLS person and OH helper Michele. Her blog is funny...her recipes are amazing and her site is just beautiful and loaded with easy to follow instructions, ideas and photos. I love this woman! She's carb phobic (in her own words) so you know you are getting a high protein low carb meal! Check her out....I do at least once a week! http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ And last...For personalize help and easy, quick and reasonably priced orders...I absolutely love Vitalady. (Michelle) I order many of my vitamins and supplements from her...If I have any questions, she always responds to my emails as soon as she can, even as busy as she is. She's a wealth of knowledge and I am especially happy with the results from her Tender Iron...Being anemic 3 months ago...I escaped iron transfusions with her Tender Iron and a lot of research on my own and with her! http://www.vitalady.com/

michdeb
on 6/12/08 3:52 am - Southeast, MI

RNY on 05/12/05

John, What a great post idea. 1. IDS Belgian Chocolate protein powder with extra cocoa powder added I listed this first, as it is the only food source I eat (drink) each and every day 2. DaVinci SF syrups: added to the above protein powder, and always drunk as hot cocoa favorites are: toasted marshmallow, hazelnut, caramel, praline, French vanilla 3. almonds 4. single servings of cheddar cheese from Costco 5. SF popsicles or, better yet, SF Philly Swirls 6. brocolli slaw, usually stir fried with ground turkey, makes a very quick dinner 7. mixture of 8 different rice grains, found in a Chinese grocery store 8. grilled meat of any kind 9. really good locally made jerkey, prefer turkey jerkey 10. grape or cherry tomatoes 11. fresh berries in season Those are the foods I rely on the most, and I use the almonds, cheese, and jerkey for mid-afternoon snack. I ALWAYS keep the washed grape tomatoes on my kitchen counter, 365 days a year, and they are my grazing food of choice. I have been at maintainance for over a year now, so I do let less healthy foods into my diet on occasion, but the above are my mainstays. For non-food helpers, 1. digital scale, I am an every day weigher, to keep myself on track 2. Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds DVDs, I have a number of these 3. small clothes

I don't want to outgrow them. Debra M. below goal

(deactivated member)
on 6/12/08 5:32 am

RNY

All great ideas.... I have made note of a few of them. I use a lot of shell fish like canned crab meat, frozen (high quality) ****tail shrimp, tuna (I mix some wasabi in with the mayo for a bit of a kick), hard boiled eggs for a quick protein lift. I still drink Unjury Protein every day. I buy vanilla only and mix the flavors in to suit my mood. At over two years out, I do enjoy red wine. That treat leads to snacking like gourmet cheese on a thin slice of cucumber or some great olives. My salty crisp snack in Gensoy Protein Chips. Great flavors, taste like food (not sawdusty cardboard) and never fail in flavor from the beginnign of the bag to the end. Oh..........one other thing. Whenever, wherever I go, if something is too dry for my chewing, I use good old mustard as a dipping sauce. No calories or sugar.

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What foods helped you become successful?