Can someone help me tweak my food intake?

[Rebecca50]

I have been at a stall for better than 3 weeks. I got all my blood test back today and all seems really good.

I called my Dr. today to let them know the results and told her about my stall and only being 3.5 months out and have lost 50 pounds. I started at 268 at 5'6.

I am drinking 32 ounces of skim milk a day and drinking about 30 -40 ounces of sugar free decaf. tea. Can't keep water down..(

Breakfast is 3-5 ounces of meat, shrimp, meatloaf, 2-3 pieces of Vankamp beer battered fish, or a slice deli turkey with a slice of cheese.

Lunch is usually a the same as breakfast.
Dinner is same meat and either green beans, baked beans, cauliflower and broccoli with cheese on it, or a 1/4 sweet potato, or asparagus.
I have catching myself snacking on oatmeal cookies maybe 2 a day.

Should I be watching my calories? Or should I just concentrate on more than 60 grams of proteins and less than 60 grams of carbs.
I am so confused....I would greatly appreciate your input!

[dfutral]

First off, your weight loss is great!!
Check the calories on the skim milk. 32 oz is a lot. I use skim milk for my daily protein shake and I feel guilty about the calories if I make it over 6 oz.
Probably would hold off on anything battered too. Although the beer part sounds nice.

[Jersey John]

I agree with Debra...and try to find a protein snack replacement for the cookies like greek yogurt or some kind of oaty crunchy protein bar...

eventually though, like in about 20 more pounds or so, calories will become more important

Good luck and keep us posted...

[aclabombard13]

I've found that juice half-cut with water goes down pretty well, what about crystal light or diet snapple? If you could cut out some of that milk it might help. Milk has sugar and calories and our number 1 rule is to avoid drinking our calories whenever possible. The cookies sound like they could be a possible culprit as well. Instead of cookies, maybe some walnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds or peanuts??? Good source of protein and many health benefits. My Dr said it's best to try to avoid snacking between meals, but if you do, it should be something your body needs. Seafood and poultry are good choices, minus the batter I would imagine. Have you considered trying a meatloaf made with ground turkey? GT has 26g protein for 4oz. and it is 99% fat free and only 120 cals.Try tracking your foods and their calorie, carb and protein content for a week.... you might be able to figure out where you need to make cuts or increases. I think it's best to keep your carbs to a minimum, much less then 60g. If you need more cals, peanut butter can be a good snack. With all that said.... your weight loss is great, but I know how frustrating it is to be at a stall, so just try to move some things around and shake up your metabolism a bit and see what happens. Good luck!

[Flupie]

How is your exercise? If you already have a plan, maybe tweeking something there or start walking or something. I agree with the others about the snacking. 1 T of Peanut butter and a 2inch piece of banana will be my snack in about 5 minutes.

[Rebecca50]

Ok, I haven't really exercised much..I do swim in my pool about 20-30 minutes a day but I knw it should be more. I can do the shrimp w/o the batter and eat teh cocktail sauce with it. We have our own beef butchered every year and have it as fat free as we can get it and it's dry so I use that for meatloaf minus the bread crumbs. The fish is good with tarter sauce . According to the results of the blood test I'm eating good but accoding to the lack of weight loss the last few weeks I'm eating the wrong stuff.
I can eat peanuts and cashews but any other nuts makes me sick and feels like they are stuck.
I have tried yogurt every week since I was allowed to have it and as the same with eggs and it comes back up( and I love yogurt. I need ot back off the milk, and cookies ... Thanks everyone. I am so happy that all my test came back good and am very relieved. I just need to start taking off more weight now.

[Rae]

I agree, the milk is a serious issue. Double your tea and remove the milk.

Try finding seasonings you like and bake your fish with a drizzle of olive oil or wrap in foil with veggies. It would be better to use tarter sauce than to buy breaded fish.

Cookies - one three days a week if you have the room in your calories and you are doing everything else right. Its not about "no" its about moderation and balance. Plan for it, don't sneak it.

I was told 600-800 calories a day, 60-80 grams of protein. Limit carbs, eat protein first, don't drink calories except when using shakes as meal REPLACEMENT. No snacking - period.

Walk every day at least 30 minutes even if its split into three ten minute sessions until you can walk for thirty minutes.

In the first few weeks we lose weight easier and then we have to step up our game to keep losing. Hang in there, it will happen. I found I either lose pounds or inches not both at the same time. I don't care so much about pounds as much as inches but seems everyone asks how MUCH I have lost... but they notice how much I lose when I lose inches. It gets slower but it does work if you stick to the plan.