Question about menus & miles

Hello everyone, long time for me and no posting but I still often check in here to see how you are all doing.

My question for you guys is when I often check the menu and miles that I notice many of you have loads of protein teas, coffees etc and it appears that many of you live on primarily a liquid protein diet.  How on earth does it all keep ou satisfied?  

I feel like I've had no surgery at all and have gained 6 kegs (13 lbs) in the last 12 months and I can eat a normal meal.  All I want to do all day long is eat and I have no fullness button at all :( and I really am on a slippery slope to disaster.  None of my clothes fit me properly anymore and it is making me feel quiet depressed.  I can't even last day one of the 5 day pouch test. So how do you guyssurvive on so little?

Cheers

Karin in Oz

 

White knuckled will power, Karin. Maintenance ain't easy or all that much fun. The rewards are what makes it worth it. I can wear the same clothes season after season and my labs are great, so lots of energy. Mind over matter. Make up your mind and just do it!  

How's that for a pep talk?

--gina
 

Good pep talk Gina, and I truly do need a swift kick up the ass.  Keep kicking me gal. :)

But still how do most of you manage with liquid diet?  Does it keep you satisfied?  Do you ever feel hunger? Or is it the amount of protein that keeps the hunger pangs away?

Karin,

It is a lot harder to maintain than it was to lose.  I do eat good meals.  I know it looks like I'm on liquids but I'm not.  I have a very good lunch and a good  supper - around 1 cup of food at both of these.  I also have snacks in the afternoon and at night if I exercise that day.  I would eat breakfast, but it just doesn't sit too well so I do a protein decaf coffee, decaf coffee and then a lemon tea protein drink and that last me until almost lunch time.  After lunch I wait about 45 minutes and start on my afternoon drink that is made with 40 ozs of tea so it takes me several hours to fini****  If I am going to exercise I will eat 1/2 graham cracker w/ reduced sugar peanut butter.  After I exercise I will drink a bottle of water, then have supper.  Before I know it, it is bed time. 

I do use the protein drinks because I need to keep my hands busy and that helps keep me from snacking on something else.  I use the Syntrax Nectars that have no carbs and are around 100 calories per scoop.

Do you wait 30-45 minutes after you eat to drink any liquids?  I think staying active on these boards really helps us maintain and stay focused on what we need to do.  Are you writing down everything you eat and measuring your food?    Try posting on Roz's Menus and Miles for a while and let us see what you are eating and see if we can make any suggestions.  I think finding a schedule and trying to stay on it helps me.

We are all in this together!!  Good luck.

Linda

Thanks Linda for your reply.  I think you have hit the nail on the head and there is a few areas that I'm lacking in big time. Firstly I do drink a lot and probably mindless drinking with my meals. I need to write down my foods as I can almost guarantee I'm probably way over eating.  I'm a stress eater and my job is very stressful and I tend to pick/graze way too much.  The protein shake mix I have has 3 carbs and 100Calabria with 23gram protein per scoop.  I really need to push myself hard and do the 5day pouch test again as it feels like I have a normal stomach and never had surgery at all.  In Australia I've never seen protein teas, are they like a normal cup of tea?

I feel for you Karin! Obesity is such a complicated issue and some of us use food inappropriately. I have read several books that have helped me including one called 50 Ways to Soothe yourself without Food....last name of the author is Susan Albers.

I would also establish some new rules RIGHT NOW.

1) NO drinking with food EVER. You are flushing the food right out and this can cause hunger. I deal with hunger every day and you want to extend out the time you remain full. DO not drink for at least 30 min after you eat.

2) Protein first at every meal. If you can eat some dense proteins this can help you remain full longer (this helps me)....chicken, beef, etc.

3) Snacks...PROTEIN...be it liquid or not.

4) YOU can do this....every time we want to eat when not hungry.....this is an impulse...if you can acknowledge it and move on..it will go away (easier said than done I know).

5) Protein tea....syntrax has a flavor. You can also make protein tea, coffee, etc by making a protein slurry (protein mixed with milk or water) and slowly adding in warmish (not boiling) coffee or tea and slowly rewarm in microwave. I just had my protein coffee like this for breakfast.

This may be harder as I believe you were a lapband to RNY (with something in between I think). Also counseling might help with someone who deals with addiction. Please keep reading and posting...when we are struggling we tend to hide and this does not help us. YOU are not alone!!

Hang in there...

~~Jennifer

I'm sorry you are struggling!!  Defintitely don't drink with or right after you eat.  I usually do drink a Protein drink about 30 minutes or so before I eat my meals and then I seem to feel up easily.  I snack a lot during the day too but I try to stick with protein.  Avoid Carbs as much as you can because they make you crave more.

Protein Chips (LW recipe)
jerky
1/4 cup mixed nuts
beef or turkey sticks
boiled eggs
salmon cakes

Posting  really helps me because it makes accountable.  Helping others also helps me.

You don't need to do a 5 day pouch test, or any other crash diet.  Just make small changes.  First and foremost, toss the junk.  Chips, crackers, bread, cookies and anything with sugar or flour.  Gone.  You don't need it and your family doesn't need it.  Just doing that alone should help 100% with cravings.  Then make sure you get in 100 grams of protein and 100 oz of fluids a day, of course not with meals or 30 minutes afterwards.  Whenever you are hungry think protein, cheese, meat, yogurt, protein shake, protein bar, nuts, there are lots of choices.  Keep things handy so you won't be tempted.  I have a bag in my car with bags of single serving nuts to keep handy.
Do that for a week or so and you will find that the cravings for junk is gone and you will automatically reach for the healthier things.

Almost all of my liquid these days has protein in it, but I no way live on a liquid diet.  I have real food for breakfast, usually eggs, after I finish my protein coffee.  then have a protein drink 1/2 scoop as a morning drink and a real lunch, protein and veggie.  Another 1/2 scoop protein drink in the afternoon and my extra "meal", protein then supper again, protein and veggie and a protein shake in the evening.  I am always eating or drinking something but I don't drin****il at least 30 min usually 1 hr after I eat.  I have very few white carbs and almost no junk. 

You can do this, but it is work.  The beginning is the worse while you decarb.