Wagoneers Let's get right Monday!

After the 4th of July weekend, let's plan our Monday. Remember to balance every 15g of Carbs with 7g of Protein or greater. Balance 30g of Carbs with 14g of Protein or greater. Here is my menu plan for the coming Monday.

My daily requirement to lose 1-2 lbs a week = 1800 calories a day.

Meal 1:
3/4 Cup of Cheesy Grits w/salt and pepper (30g Carbs)
2 Eggs Scrambled (14g Proteins)
Total Calories = 400 Calories

Meal 2:
(2) Slices of Nature's Own Honey Wheat Lite (14g Net Carbs)
3 oz Turkey Slices (10g Proteins)
Total Calories = 200 Calories

Workout:
Complete body workout (3 sets medium weight, every body part) 
HIIT (Indian Sprints for 1 Mile)

Post Workout Meal
1 Package of Nature Valley Honey & Oats bar
1 Medium Sunkist Orange

Meal 3
(1) Blueberry Muffin Otis *****meyer (28g Carbs)
16oz Skim Milk (16g Protein)
Total Calories = 400 Calories

Meal 4: 
1/2 Baked Potato w/sour cream and butter (30g Carbs)
Broccoli & Cheese (Fiber with a little fats and protein)
4 oz Baked Pork Chop (23g Protein)
Total Calories = 400 Calories

Meal 5:
100 Calorie Grasshopper Cookies (15g Carbs)
8oz Skim Milk (8g Protein)
Total Calories = 200 Calories

Total 1600 calories, I am a little short of calories, my BMR is 2200 calories, I can drop to 1200-1400 calories for extreme weight loss. Anything under 1200 calories will send mix signals to the thyroid which could effect my metabolism if I continue to eat under 1200 calories a day. My meal plan brought me in at approximately 1600 calories or maybe a little more if you count condiments like mayo, butter, etc. Monday is planned, all I have to do is prepare the meals today and fridge them out for Monday. Let's see your plan for Monday!

hi james-i have been reading and watching and i need to understand something-- i am 54 y/o--started at 233 (considered a ligthtweight and losing slower) in 2004 when i had my rny--had gotten to 150 so was 25 # from goal within 13 mos and then my hubby got very very sick--we have had onehellofa 3 years since and my coping skills were not what they should have been--so--now i am trying desperatley to get self-mostly my head!!!-back into the loss cycle--so--i am 5'1 and weigh between 175 -180 (depends on the scale time of day etc)--figuring my BMR i should have 1442.1 cals @175 or 1463.9 @180--either way-- i need to cut 400 off that? so that would be 1000 cals a day???and so many ppl say NOT to go lower than 1200.......suggestions????? i did teh 5 day pouch thingy-faithfully-and lost 3 # -ouch!  have no health insurance now (part if the hell created by hubby's employer within the last year) so cannot afford to get my throid checked....am taking my vitamins. oh and i do dump on more than 5grams of sugar so many of the things you list that you can eat i cannot....that otis *****meyer muffin would kill me tho it sounds yummy!!!! *i know-you are not a doctor nor do you play one on tv!!** thx ps i don't see any "before" photos of yourself?????mine is on my profile....

Hey Margo! Thanks for writing me! You know we have all been there and the good thing is you know what caused some of your gain. Now, let's get you where you need to be! Please save my BMR calculator: http://freedomfly.net/x.php?adminid=355&tid=4400 Let's stay on the high end of the BMR calculator which is about 1600 calories for you. What has happen in most cases in your thyroid adjusted your metabolism to meet your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). By decreasing your calories, and going on low carb diets in order to lose 2-3 lbs have shifted your body into storage mode. WE HAVE TO GET YOU TO EAT! This is the only way we can do this safely and get your metabolism back up. Meal 1: 1/2 cup Oatmeal w/ cinnamon and butter. (2 Servings Carbs) 2 Eggs Scrambled with a little cheese (2 Servings Protein) Total = 400 Calories Meal: 2 (2) Slices whole wheat bread (There are sugars in white, so lets stay away from that for now) (2 Servings of Carbs) 3-4 oz Deli Turkey w/ Swiss cheese (2 Servings Protein) Dijon or Mayo Total = 400 Calories Meal: 3 1/2 Cup Strawberries (Fructose will not effect blood sugar) 2oz Almonds (Any flavor) (2 Servings Protein) Total = 200 Calories Meal 4:  1/2 Cup Mash Potatoes w/gravy (2 Servings Carbs) 3-4 oz Roast Beef (2 Servings Proteins) Total = 400 Calories Meal 5: Low carb Vanilla Ice Cream (1 Serving Carb & Protein) Cool Whip (There should not be a lot of sugar here but use it as a topping) Sprinkly with some peanuts or almonds Total = 200 Calories Your meal plan hit you just at 1600 calories. Drink plenty of ice water in between meals (20oz) before your next meal. Do not eat anything between meals (2-3 hours). Take a slow walk around the community just to get your muscles oxidated and they will begin to fire up. The body has to maintain muscles and this requires calories. The body will use about 70-75% of it's calorie needs from the foods you just ate, the other 30% is sleeping, standing, walking, etc.  Please keep me updated! Balance your meals with all your favorite foods, don't deprive yourself because this will make you feel like you are on a diet. The Wagon Plan is not a diet, it is a REAL plan designed to live with you forever. The weight loss is slow and steady, the hunger, cravings are under control. Your Friend, James P.S. I will get my before pics from my doctor this week.

thx!!!!!!! more later!

You are so cool! I love how motivating you are, it's like our own personal trainer on board. I haven't figured out my  Monday Menu yet, but will get that back to you asap. For now I'm trying to figure out if I can make a 15:7 or 30:14 version of Rice pudding! And I think I can! Using Whole Grain Brown Rice, Skim Milk, Splenda and Even add in some vanilla protein powder to pump up the protein a little.. it might just be a healthy meal and not the forbiden desert it's been all my life! I'll make it today, portion it out, and see if the ratio comes out right, if so? then I have found myself my new favorite meal!!

will write backsoon

Thanks again, Leslee

hi james your posts are so uplifting.  i am a little confused though.  will this work if i do not exercise much?  this time of year i walk several times a week, but i am not an active person.  my biggest fear is gaining back weight.  i am two years out and have maintained between 141-144 for over 10 months now.  any thoughts would be appreciated.   thanks, jacki

Absolutely! This will work if you don't workout too! The key to the wagon plan is controlling your blood sugar and keeping the cravings down. The calorie deficit is what causes the weight loss. By feeding your body every 2-3 hours, the body will begin releasing stored fats little by little, this is the key! Your BMR is your calorie intake you should eat if you want to maintain your weight. You can sit on your tush all day and read a book, as long as you don't eat over your BMR; you will lose!  The wagon plan helps with the yo-yo cravings and overeating. When things are balanced, you can wait patiently for 2-3 hours before your next meal. Many people who gain weight back have a problem fighting the urge to eat foods they love. So, they overeat them and place the body in fat storage mode. My plan gives them the freedom to enjoy their favorite foods but with balance. You don't have to be active to do the wagon plan. It works... slow and steady.

Hello James, Would love to get a few pointers from you as well, if you have the time.  Starting weight 228--surgery 11/26/06.  Current weight 160.  I AM NOT happy where I am.  I would like to lose about 15  more lbs.  I know my eating sucks!!  I feel like crap most of the time.  I do take my vitamins--a whole handful a couple of times a day thanks to Vitalady!! and I regularly get B-12 inj. so I know my lack of energy is from NO exercise and bad eating habits. Health conditions--started with type II diabetes.  Went from A1C of 11 to 6.7.  Still a little high but if I take any oral meds it makes me have really low drops in blood sugar so I am not on any medication.  Also have hypothyroidism.  Have had this for about 7 years now.  I am on medication.  Meds had to be upped since surgery but labs are consistently fine now. One concern regarding your plan--the protein numbers seem low compared to what I have read regarding the amount of protein we should have per day.  I have consistently read over 100g. is what we should aim for.  This seems impossible with food alone (meaning no protein shake) if a person were following the plan you do.  Your protein numbers seem to range around 70g.  Please clarify for me. All that being said--HELP!!!!!  How many calories a day for me??    Any special recommendations regarding the diabetes?  I am also commited to starting to exercise (probably walking or light aerobics) 4-5 days a week.  I'm off work for the summer so I have plenty of time to devote to getting back on track. Any help would be great!!!!! Thanks again, Robin

Hi Robin! The key to losing weight is calorie deficit. The 15lbs you want to lose is going to take about 8 - 12 weeks (Slow and steady). What I would like to recommend to you because you have hyperthyroid, balancing your meal using 15:7 for now. This means, every meal you plan should have a maximum of 15g of carbs to 7g or greater of protein (I use mini sandwiches). The reason is because we are going to up your eating a bit. Instead pf 5-6 meals a day, 6-7 meals will help with cravings and the lack of energy feeling.  Here is the BMR calculator you can save on your computer. http://freedomfly.net/x.php?adminid=355&tid=4400 It is very close to the number of calories you should consume for losing 1-2 lbs a week. Most women can safely consume 1400-1500 calories a day in order to lose 1-2lbs a week. I would need your height and age in order to get your approximate BMR.  As you are aware, Type II Diabetics are insulin resistance and require their meals to be planned out using the food exchange or carb count in order to control the highs and lows. The Wagon Plan is made for this. Many Type II's try to keep their carb intake per meal around 45g, snacks about 15g. This is successful for some, but for others they may have to come down a bit in order to control the blood sugar and weight.  Exercise is great for helping the body mobilize fats. You don't have to be a 10 mile jogger, you simply have to be a little more active. The Wagon Plan focuses on blood sugars, when this is stable, the calorie deficit can be achieved with ease. On that note, so many people talk about the protein thing. Let's discuss this. Protein is made of amino acids and they help build muscle fibers, hair, nails, and cells. Protein also is a energy source for the body and contains calories. Energy in and energy out is the key to weight loss. You are about 160lbs, so according to the protein goblins, you need about 160g of proteins a day. That boils down to about 640 calories of your daily caloric intake. This would require you to intake about 26g of protein a meal if your ate 6x a day at a calorie deficit of 1500 calories a day in order to lose 1-2 lbs a week.  My question is, are you a bodybuilder? Do you plan on competing in Ms. Olympia? Bodybuilders require a large amount of protein to help them achieve their goal. Normal people like you and I can survive off of 1/2 of what they prescribe to gain lean muscle (1g for every lb). For us WLS patients, the protein is to help sustain any muscle loss we may occur during our weight loss journey. Many of us who loss 100lbs are more, loss substantial amount of muscles along with fat and water. Protein is to help retain as much lean muscle as possible, but the body can generate muscle tissue, cells, etc. with an intake of 0.5g of protein per lean body mass. Unless you plan on becoming Ms. Olympia, I would stick to the Wagon Plan. The protein can be more per meal if you are not feeling satisfied, but remember, calories in and calories out determine weight loss or gain.  The 6-7 mini meals (Balanced 15g Carbs & 7g or greater protein) will slow down the effects of insulin and keep your body hovering above low blood sugar (Pancreas will release glucogen, the fat burning hormone). Because the thyroid is a major player in deciding how fast or slow your metabolism is, we need to slow feed the body every 2-3 hours of whole foods and not shakes or liquid foods (The reason for this is because whole foods require more calories to convert to glucose, liquid foods takes very little) As you feed your body, your thyroid will detect more energy coming in and will slowly raise you metabolism. This will give you the advantage of losing the 15lbs faster. Please DO NOT decrease your food intake. If the BMR calculator says you need 1500 calories to lose 1-2 lbs per week, this is where you need to be everyday. If you try to cut the calories any further, you will stall.  For one day, make a list of all the foods you love and that you know will not cause you any problems (Dumping, etc.) Now take the servings of the food (Look at the label) and make sure the carbs are 15g or less and the proteins are 7g or greater of protein.For an example, If you want a cold cut sandwich with all your favorite toppings, cut it in half and save the other half for later (Subway's bread is about 46g of Carbs for a 6 in, I usually cut this sub in half cutting the carbs to 23g), add double meat to ensure the whole sub is well distributed with protein.  Another example is a bagel with cream cheese (Cut the bagel in half and have that with 2 tbsp of creamy peanut butter). Save the other half for a snack later.  I hope this helped and please write me anytime! Your friend  James 

I send you a PM. Thanks, Robin