FluffyChix

Pre-surgery a modified yes. I'm post menopausal and if I were at ideal weight, I might add more fat just to keep me from losing more...if my pouch could tolerate it. But after surgery, I'm looking forward to the day when I can lower my carbs again to a keto level. I'm eating between 40-60g of net carbs per day--all from low glycemic sources. But hunger has woken up! I do better in a 20-40g net range which is def. keto. I just believe that being keto is a broader range than the narrowly focused 80% fat. From all of my studies, it can be as low as 60% to get your to keto and that is very doable for most of us. No fat bombs. No fat coffee. No artificial stimulation of fat ingestion...just normal eating of food will get your there along with the reduction in carbohydrate. It's where our macros just almost naturally shake out when you drop carbs and eat full fat dairy.

Have I told you I love you lately? Ho Ho Ho!!!

Well, sometimes being a hoe is bad...and sometimes bein' a hoe is baaaaaad. Right? Like the song, Sometimes Bad is Bad. haha So dang! Now I'm more confused than ever! When is it ho?

@jess9395 I you. The end. So I am doing PT. It's hard as ****! LOL. Sad. But true. I break a sweat, doing 2 reps of 10 with a band, when doing hip flexor work. But I notice after 12 visits, although my neuralgia, arthritis and bursitis pain is still intense and is mostly unimproved, I do have better balance and more endurance. I will keep livin' the dream and may eventually find my way to a gym so a trainer can show me the ropes...cuz if I stay at home, I know I won't push myself. My philosophy? f**k you! Don't look at me if you don't want to laugh with me! But um, just sayin...

@soready17 I referred to myself as a sausage hoe in another thread and got tickled thinking about whether anyone is as twisted as me and would wonder if it was hoe or ho? I'm pretty sure I misspelled it and thought my teacher friends could help a chix out! @ssflbelle Ok, so hoe is the garden tool?

I love "the you tube."

@jenn1 No wonder I ya girlie! You're a sausage hoe just like me! I could eat it 3 meals in a row every day! Your menu looks so textbook beautiful you should be the poster child for maintenance! Can't wait until I'm where you are!

Hi everyone! This is our first thread for daily menus. I borrowed this concept from another support board and it's a very popular thread. I am hoping it may help us with accountability and also help other to help us when we may get stuck or have food issues to work through. To begin we will just do a weekly thread and anyone can join regardless of their surgery status or type of surgery. Just follow your own plan as given to you by your doc according to where you are in your journey. To participate, just hit reply and type in the day's menu. You may want to take part in the discussion that goes along with it. Here's an interesting article in the Bariatric Times about Mindful Eating and Bariatric Patients. For the next few weeks, I thought it would be fun to look into the concept of Mindfulness as it applies to bariatric patients! I don't know about you, but that's one of my top rules from my surgeon and nut. I must eat MINDFULLY. I can't eat in front of a tv, standing up at the counter, in front of the computer, while talking, etc. I have to be present and focused on the bite of food in my mouth. It's harder than it sounds! I've been practicing Mindful Eating since May and it has really helped me hone in on only eating set meals each day per my RD. Per the RD and surgeon, they want me eating 3 meals and 3 organized snacks daily. Wow! That's a lot of eating, but it's on a set schedule and is helping me prepare for my post-RNY life. Ok everyone! Let's get started. Please feel free to post your menu for each day. (Each day of menus will be a new reply to post entry for each of us.) So here's the QOW (Question of the Week): Mindful Eating: Why do you eat?

Wow you guys! The 18th and 21st of December? What a great Christmas present!!! I'd be terrified too! The time will come before you know it and you'll be on the losers bench. I of course will be your cheerleader in a very long skirt. Cuz ain't nobody wanna see that! Ha! *snort* But I will be secretly jealous and envious of you. Good times, huh?

Yeah, so you're probably too deep in ketosis. Are you drinking any clear protein drinks like Isopure? Or only drinking broth? If it were me, I'd try to go buy prepared popsicles. Even though you buy the sugar free ones, I think they still have carbs and that might be enough to lessen the depth of the ketosis. Deep ketosis makes you SNATT (semi nauseous all the time) lol. Congrats on your coming surgery!!!

@PaulaUSN Paula, how are you doin now honey? Is the hernia surgery helping you feel better and are you healing well? Did you have a check up with the doc and did he give you any more information about your next step? ((hugs))

Dang girl!!!! Congrats!! You look lovely!!!

Ok. So here's the deal...It's not ok. You know it's not ok, or you wouldn't be here confessing, disappointed, and sad. So I'm not gonna hug you and comfort you--although we are all human and we all fall. I don't want to reinforce those bad choices with comforting feedback. It's important that we get it right as much as possible, especially in the early days. You only had surgery on 11.06.17 and eating past your restriction can be physically harmful and result in more surgery to repair damage. It's a serious event and you should take it as such. BUT. (And believe me...as a serial cheater...it's a very big BUTT! I cannot lie!) Self flagellation NEVER works. Beating ourselves up for slipping does not erase the slip, prevent physical injury, lessen the mental/spiritual toll of letting ourselves down, nor will it prevent the next event. All it does is leave us with a potentially harmful metabolic event, possible temporary scale fluctuation, and a whole bunch of mental/spiritual crap to deal with as a lovely parting gift. So, the main thing to be certain about is that you didn't injure your surgery since it's still so recent and you are still healing. Also, Dr. Vong (YouTube fame) says that 1 event is not gonna stretch out your surgery, it's the extra bite beyond fullness that we take meal after meal, day after day that's stretches our anatomies. So see? 1 event won't kill us for the most part. Take a deep breath. But the big thing to look at is now that you realize the potential for true harm, what do you intend to do about it? If it were me? I'd take it as a serious wake-up call and an invitation for a come-to-Jesus-meeting with my food relationships/habits/behaviors/addictive nature, et al. Things I would be looking to do: 1. Find books dealing with the subject from leaders in food addictions written by professional/licensed leaders in the bariatric community. 2. Look at pyschological concepts and techniques that help change behaviors/food relationships. 3. Find a local WLS support group or a Greysheeters or OA group and join it asap. 4. Look into being able to afford a therapist. 5. Have an open and honest discussion with your surgeon about your lapse and ask for help. 6. Come here every day and immerse yourself in a culture of people who are deeply working their plan every day so you can receive encouragement and help from an association with like-minded people. I would love myself more and treat myself with compassion while being stern with my rebellious child inside. Kinda tough love (moderated) city. Hang in there. Remember to take deep breaths. And really take a physical status check to make sure you don't have new or more intense/sudden pain, dark tarry stools, nausea, inability to swallow, fever, extra fatigue, etc. I'm less concerned with the "what" you ate--cuz dayum...binge eating turkey is hellah awesome! ROFLMAO. It's the big part of you being so close to your surgery date that spooks me. If you have any new symptoms call the doc asap! Saying prayers for you!!!

This is a really powerful post! Thanks @Kat410!!! I agree with @AshAsh1! There are plenty of pre-ops that allow the drinks + 1 low carb meal of up to 3oz protein + 1/2c low glycemic cooked veggies. So 2oz of chicken won't hurt, unless...dun dun dunnnnnnhhhhhh--it's breaded, deep fried and served with a side of fries and Ranch dressing! *snort* Relax and keep on keepin' on Mamacita. (Oh and btw? The morale hardly EVER improves with the beatings. ) You can't "un-eat" something...well, of course you can...but let's don't go there!

I was gonna say that it's pretty cool for you to have the experience first hand!

Congrats! Are you really a doc?

I had my first breast cancer surgery on Nov. 1 (All Saints Day). I took a huge fishbowl of premium Halloween candy up to the room and had it on my tray at the foot of the bed for the docs and nurses...basically no one touched it the whole time despite our invitation any time someone entered the room. LOL. They were not eating candy! Or at least they weren't that day!

@Nessy76 Makes perfect sense hon!

I count anything with calories as breakfast, so a protein drink totally counts towards breakfast. My RD said it counts as well. Not that she's God or anything lol! *snort*

I agree with eating breakfast (for me...mostly...at least for now and the short term future). Cuz my RD wants me too... hahahaha

Thanks so much for the glimpse into your journey!!! So happy surgery went well and you're doing so great! You're a rock star. Can't wait to hear more of your recovery and journey! I agree with Kathy, you should blog!! ((hugs))

@loey13 I'm just a lay person who enjoys reading studies. I don't make up the rules for good science. But, I have come to trust a few very educated people who actually have extreme skill and education to discuss and evaluate science. I pretty much agree with what they're saying. Here's a very good discussion between Gary Taubes (a premiere science journalist and Mike, Eades, MD) about Causation/Correlation. https://proteinpower.com/drmike/2008/08/16/running-from-the-proof-correlation-does-not-mean-causation/ And you actually made my point. In correlation studies it's easy to cherry pick a subset of the population...and it's impossible to correct for confounding variables. Totally impossible. The only thing correlations studies can do is suggest a direction to pursue...it's a broad brush approach like a shotgun approach to science.

I believe it's ok to eat those if you can stomach the smell and/taste. From a convenience standpoint they seem dead easy and my RD told me it would be fine. And certainly, adding spices will help! Here's a couple of quick fix options if you want to do semi-homemade purees. I have a hand blender/burr blender/stick blender or a mini food processor. I just heat the stuff up and then puree it with the stick blender, using broth to thin them out to the right texture. You can scale these up to make and freeze some! They both make "about" 1/4 cup of puree give or take. Chili with Beans 1 serving about 1/4-1/3c 1/8c prepared chili (I make my own low carb 2Alarm Chili and use a portion of it) 1/8c Trappey's Jalapeno Pinto Beans (drained and rinsed) 10g Isopure Unflavored Protein Powder 1 tbsp salsa 1 tsp sour cream 3.5g Benefiber (optional) 1/3oz cheddar cheese 134 cals; 14g protein; 6g fat; 5g carbs; 2g fiber; 3g net carbs Creamy Alfredo Chicken Puree 1 serving about 1/4-1/3c 1oz cooked boneless skinless rotisserie chicken 2tbsp grated parmesan cheese 2tbsp Lite Asiago Roman Alfredo Sauce (Classico) 6g Isopure Unflavored Protein Powder 3.5g Benefiber (optional) granulated garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, basil to taste 169 cals; 20g protein; 8g fat; 4g carbs; 2g fiber; 2g net carbs

I miss you @Half-Tum and are happy you have a new life!

Shazammmm! Great questions, and great answers guys!