20 MONTHS PO AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS

Hello all, I am 20 months post op and down 250 pounds. I went from 430lbs to 180lbs. I feel great but I'm having some problems. I am trying to stay away from the sugar and carbs as much as possible but where i've been mo my whole life I don't know how to eat or cook healthy food. I have no clue how to read the food labels about the calories and carbs and all that. Right now, I don't eat breadfast, nine times out of ten i don't eat lunch. I snack on dry roasted penuts all day until dinner, I'll have dinner which most times i end up bringing some of it up and then late night is the worst. Thats when the head hunger really kicks in bad. I am unfortunetly still in the "fat" mind that I was in before wls. Instead of getting up and making myself something healthy to eat I grab whatevers quickest and easiest. I need help and suggestions as to whats best to eat for breakfast and lunch. I know my surgeon said I should be eating 1600 calories, 60 of them being protien. I need loads of help!!! Thank you, Bobbi

Yer farther out than me but I think we should be taking in around 80 grams of protein. I don't think we absorb that much so there is a liitle blow by if you will. I start everyday with a protein shake - Myo plex lite at half strength 4oz of water/ice 4oz of 2% milk half a banana or s/f strawberry jam or both! and I mix it with a wand blender right in the glass. It takes me under a minute to make and I sip it for a half hour as I get dressed and ready to mold young minds. 15 grams of protein right of the get go. kp @ goal

Ok, this may sound crazy but what is Myo Plex light?

It's a shake mix http://register.eas.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10107&JServSessionIdroot=6d665zkx61.pR9vq79yml1KahDJqA5KqAfvq70L/AjvqMTxpQOUahmKa30- kp

Bobbi, I've never been a breakfast eater but I'm trying to train myself to eat breakfast every day (except Sunday - NO time before church!!). This is my favorite breakfast recipe - yummy & quick! Bacon, Egg & Cheese Melt 1/4 Cup Egg Beaters 1 slice Canadian Bacon 1 Tbsp. Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese Spray a small microwave safe bowl with Pam non-stick spray. Pour 1/4 Cup Egg Beaters into bowl and microwave 30 seconds. Place Canandian Bacon on top of eggs & sprinkle with 1 T. cheddar cheese. Microwave an additional 30-40 seconds (depends on how "dry" you want the eggs). Slide out of bowl & onto a small plate. Salt & pepper to taste & enjoy! (I often eat 2 whole wheat crackers with it instead of toast.) Good luck & hang in there! Vickie J. 277/146/142

oh, thank you all so much. I really do appreciate it, whatever advice I get is so helpfull. This is really going to help me a lot and now I can't wait to try these yummy recipies. Bobbi

This is what I do when I know I won't have time to fix breakfast. On the weekend, I whip up a batch of eggs, bake them in a muffin tin (that holds 12 muffins), then put them in a zip lock bag. Then I can heat up 1-2 of them in the morning in the microwave for 30 seconds or so, and - Voila!!! Breakfast that is both filling and nutritious. I don't really have a specific recipe but you can follow this: Mix together 7-8 eggs, whipped splash of milk 1 Cup chopped ham or canadian bacon (can use sausage or bacon but has more fat) squeeze of yellow mustard some salt & pepper (or whatever seasoning you like on eggs) Bake in muffin tins at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. These can also be frozen. I also recommend you see your surgeon's nutritionist. Betsy

I LOVE doing that! I got the idea from South Beach and use veggies sometimes too (like spinach). If I start the day with protein liket this, I find I do MUCH better in my eating all day. I did find they get soggy though at the bottom if I freeze. Do you have that problem? Or maybe it's me. My friend recently make these with a biscuit on the bottom. It wasn't post-op friendly, but I thought I might try it with a low carb whole wheat bread circle on the bottom. Linda

If I don't feel like cooking... I'll eat an apple with a little peanut butter spread on top.... it's yummy, quick, cheap and has good fiber, carbs and protein.... Otherwise, I eat oatmeal with flax and a cheese stick for some added protein.... Good Luck.... you have done wonderful!!!! Congrats!!! Laurie - minus 175 lbs!!

Have you tried the south beach meal replacement bar or south beach cereal bars. They have protien and taste pretty good. Just grab and go. I just bought some of the cereal bar at the grocery store. 5 for 2.79. Also string cheese and pepperoni or sausage sticks are quick and easy and have pretty good protien. I bought a whole case of the pepperoni sticks for $3.00 a pound for obertofactorystore. They are end pieces but taste real good and have 6 grams of protien per ounce. One sting cheese and one pepperoni is a fair breakfast of lunch. I also found a site online where you can buy out of date atkins products. I bought some of their meal replacement bars real cheap like 15 bars for 3.50. They are pretty good and have around 20 grams of protien. The atkins products are usually expensive but they taste pretty good to me. You also could be low carb and calorie tv dinner like healty choice, south beach, lean cuisien. They are fast easy and taste pretty good.