Am I eating too much?

[Rai]

Hi all! I'm about 5 1/2 weeks out from surgery and my weight loss has been really slow. I lost 10 lbs the first week post op and then it slowed down A LOT! Week 2 was 2lbs,week 3 - 2lbs again, week 4 - stall and week 5 -1 lb. Thats a total of only 15lbs in 5 weeks!

Anyway back to my question the first 3 weeks I was having a lot of trouble getting stuff in even through the puréed stage. I was lucky to get 400 calories at that point. My NUT said that I needed more calories WELL starting with week 4 I was having no problems eating. It's like it happened overnight! BUT the past two weeks I'm averaging 800 -1000 calories a day which is what my NUT wanted but my weight loss is still slow! I think some days I may be even getting in 1100 ( the days I snack on nuts). I don't eat any carbs except for the occasional fruit (if that). Below is atypical day (my NUT says to do 6 small meals)

Breakfast- quest bar OR half an omelette with vegetables and cheese
Snack- 8-10 olives OR a piece of string cheese
Lunch- other half of omelette OR or 2 to 3 ounces of meat (chicken, tuna, turkey )
Snack - planter heart healthy nuts (snack packs) OR 1 small slim jim(snack size)
Dinner- 2 or 3 ounces of meat ( half turkey burger for example)
Snack- more nuts OR PB and half banana.

I think the nuts are doing me in, also I've only been walking waiting to be cleared for the gym. Seeing my surgeon Monday. I'm thinking once I start the gym it will go down faster.

It just worries me because I read posts about people that ate 2 or 3 months out and are only eating 600 calories. For some reason I can get in more!!

[Deejaycee76]

Ehe..I wouldn't worry too much. You aren't eating Mcdonalds or taco bell. You're eating good things. Only 5 weeks out...I'd still be drinking protein shakes. A least 1...2 a day. I'm almost 6 months out, and I just started hardly drinking any shakes. Supplement a meal, 2, or all on occasion. It will jump start the sh*t outta your weight loss. And it's a "2 birds w 1 stone" benefit anyhow. Protein and liquid. Try it. It will work

[tinman]

I have a suggestion. Instead of counting calories, try counting grams of protein. That's it...just protein.

When you do that, you won't sweat how you get your protein. In other words, eat what you want...just don't over eat.

Invest some time in finding out what full feels like. Here's my theory. Since we eat about 1/3 of what non sleeved folks eat, we just can't eat enough of the "bad" foods to make us gain weight....unless we over eat. So, learn what your trigger is to tell you when you are full. Then, enjoy yourself.

Here is my normal daily intake. I lost 250 lbs eating like this and I have maintained my weight for over 10 months. I know what works for me...maybe you can try a variation of this?

Breakfast...This morning I had a breakfast taco with bacon and one egg with a slice of American cheese on a flour tortilla

For a mid morning snack, I will have either a piece of fruit or a protein bar with no less than 40 grams of protein. I don't care about carbs.

For lunch, I scratch my itch. Today, as with all Fridays, I will have Hooters wings. Childs plate. Five wings and tots. I have four of the wings and one tot because that is all I can eat.

For mid day snack, I have what ever I didn't have for my mid morning snack.

For dinner I'll take a running wild ass guess as to how many grams of protein I need in order to get to 80 for the day and make something that will round out that goal for me. Always eat protein first, veggies second, and what ever else last. Tonight, I plan on having chicken fried rib eye. A Texas delicacy.

I am probably averaging somewhere between 1200 to 1500 calories, a brazillion carbs, and no less than 80 grams of protein a day. I drink no less than 64 oz of water, and during the summer time I squeeze in over 100.

There are no such things as bad foods when it comes to losing weight on the sleeve. We can debate whether a food is bad for you nutritionally, but as far as losing weight goes, my opinion is that as long as you don't over eat, you should eat what you want.

We didn't get the sleeve to erect barriers for ourselves. We got sleeved to break them down. It's not reasonable to assume that you can go the rest of your life without eating foods that are considered "bad" for you. So, the sooner you learn how to manage your intake all while eating like everyone else is always preferable. The key is that you have to make a plan, work the plan, and own the results. If something doesn't work, be flexible enough to change. You are not losing weight right now so you need to shake it up.

Good Luck

Peace

[sauerpowermomma]

You sound like you are so able to keep a regimen going ..I have trouble with that due to a crazy life. I run a small tool repair business with my husband, and have a 19 year old with developmental disabilities. I feel like I am so trying to keep up with that then I remember how I am supposed to be eating last. Like just now, on Friday..I finally got something to eat at 11. I had left over KFC chicken and remembering the things you have said, just ate chicken first, but was able to eat TWO breasts! I am not even stuffed at all. Full though. Have had no water due to customers and phone calls, I really need to figure a way to incorporate MY needs into MY CRAZY LIFE..lol. I am 14 months out as you know Tinman, and like you THANKFULLY have not gained, but want to lose 20 or 30 more. I have gotten some great advice from you and do appreciate it. Don't think for a minute is has fallen on deaf ears..I am just working hard now on implementing it. :-)

I have a suggestion. Instead of counting calories, try counting grams of protein. That's it...just protein.

When you do that, you won't sweat how you get your protein. In other words, eat what you want...just don't over eat.

Invest some time in finding out what full feels like. Here's my theory. Since we eat about 1/3 of what non sleeved folks eat, we just can't eat enough of the "bad" foods to make us gain weight....unless we over eat. So, learn what your trigger is to tell you when you are full. Then, enjoy yourself.

Here is my normal daily intake. I lost 250 lbs eating like this and I have maintained my weight for over 10 months. I know what works for me...maybe you can try a variation of this?

Breakfast...This morning I had a breakfast taco with bacon and one egg with a slice of American cheese on a flour tortilla

For a mid morning snack, I will have either a piece of fruit or a protein bar with no less than 40 grams of protein. I don't care about carbs.

For lunch, I scratch my itch. Today, as with all Fridays, I will have Hooters wings. Childs plate. Five wings and tots. I have four of the wings and one tot because that is all I can eat.

For mid day snack, I have what ever I didn't have for my mid morning snack.

For dinner I'll take a running wild ass guess as to how many grams of protein I need in order to get to 80 for the day and make something that will round out that goal for me. Always eat protein first, veggies second, and what ever else last. Tonight, I plan on having chicken fried rib eye. A Texas delicacy.

I am probably averaging somewhere between 1200 to 1500 calories, a brazillion carbs, and no less than 80 grams of protein a day. I drink no less than 64 oz of water, and during the summer time I squeeze in over 100.

There are no such things as bad foods when it comes to losing weight on the sleeve. We can debate whether a food is bad for you nutritionally, but as far as losing weight goes, my opinion is that as long as you don't over eat, you should eat what you want.

We didn't get the sleeve to erect barriers for ourselves. We got sleeved to break them down. It's not reasonable to assume that you can go the rest of your life without eating foods that are considered "bad" for you. So, the sooner you learn how to manage your intake all while eating like everyone else is always preferable. The key is that you have to make a plan, work the plan, and own the results. If something doesn't work, be flexible enough to change. You are not losing weight right now so you need to shake it up.

Good Luck

Peace

[cowgirljane]

Okay, lots of ideas and advice out there - but for me I would reduce/eliminate the olives, nuts and protein bars during the weight loss phase. If you stick with dense protein (ie meat, greek yogurt etc) over high calorie nuts and olives you will be more satiated with less. My weight stalled big time when I was about 7-8 months out and those quest bars were the culprit. Alot of carbs and very candy like to me... anyway, I think eating "clean" - protein and veggies with a few things like berries, yogurt etc is the best way to keep up steady losses.

[Bufflehead]

I experimented with Quest bars and they brought my weight loss to a screeching halt. I think nuts are ok but I wouldn't eat enough to take me over 1000 calories per day, and I would be very sure they didn't do that by weighing my food and recording everything in myfitnesspal. That's what is called for in my plan.

[Flipflops]

Tinman, I've been on a houseboat for 3 days with friends. They planned all the meals. This is the first time I ate what they did except for breakfast. It was awesome. I didn't overeat, I even had a couple of (half) cocktails. (Half the amount of vodka) but only after I had 64oz water. Then one more glass water before bed.
I stopped eating when I felt restriction. This was my first test of everyday life post sleeve. A successful trip!

[Ann2]

My surgery is in about 3 weeks. My online friends who are a year or more ahead of me have told me privately:

"Use your first six months very, very well. That's the honeymoon period. You will lose more weight then than you will ever lose again. Do everything your doctor says. Don't get into carbs during that period. After six months, weight loss slows down considerably. Yes, you can still lose, but the rate won't be even close to what it was initially."

I'm just repeating what many people are advising.

[terrora]

You are averaging 3lbs a week. That is not slow. That is faster than average.

[RRT]

We are all different. Hey you're losing!
I didn't start eating Quest bars until after 2.5 months post surgery. I eat 2 to 3 a day sometimes now. Especially at work when I'm running around. I also eat nuts. But always get the protein in first which nuts and Quest bars have. And I have not gained anything back. I will never go on a "diet" again. Get to know your sleeve and it will tell you when to stop. And you must stop that is the secret.
Sauerpowermomma. You can eat 2 chicken breasts? I can't even eat one! I get two meals out of one breast.

[Rai]

THANK YOU ALL!

Deejaycee76 - I don't know why but as soon as i was able to start eating (week 3) I stopped drinking protein shakes. They make me gag, I think it brings me back or reminds me of weeks 1 and 2 when I was having trouble getting anything down even water. BUT that doesn't mean I shouldn't try again. I just need to find shakes that don't make me gag! I was drinking premier protein and GNC lean shakes. I need to find one that I like. I was thinking about Fit Frappe (i think that's what it's called) and the Nectar shakes?? I heard they have a mint chocolate chip shake? If anyone has suggestions please let me know. I think you're right if I switch one meal out with a shake it will help.

Tinman- I love your out look!! Your post was so helpful . I agree with everything you're saying but I guess I feel that I'm not losing FAST enough and it must be because of the calories. You're right however, I should be more concerned with my protein.

cowgirlshane- i agree with about the nuts - I'm going to stop for a while and see if that helps. For now I've started eating only half a bar a day until I'm able to find shakes that I like. I need that extra boost of protein in my diet. The olives I get are the "to go" packs by Pearl and i LOVE them. They're only 40 calories per packet (10 olives) so i think i am going to keep those .

AGAIN THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ADVICE AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. This website has been so helpful through my journey!

[Deejaycee76]

I can't say that I love drinking shakes rather than eating...but it does help with the loss. And loss is good
Finding some that taste good is definitely key. I like chocolate body fortress with a couple drops of peppermint oil, skim milk, water, and ice. It's actually pretty damn good. Strawberry with a chunk of banana is good. Chocolate peanut butter too.
For me, having a good blender is super important. I have a 2hp ninja that makes the shakes pretty good. My aunt's vitamix worked well too when I used it.