Search the Community

I don't see the difference between drinkable yogurt and creamy soup. I am supposed to be clear liquids 7 days, creamy liquids 7 days, pureed stuff 7 days, mushy stuff 7 days. I think the first 7 days will be the hardest. I was starving yesterday, better today. Broth and juice just doesn't have any calories and I am a little weak also but not so bad. I am continuously sipping on soup or water or juice. I miss my Diet Coke I can tell you that. I am glad I am stopping it but sad to see it go also. I love my Diet Coke. I find it interesting the amount of emotional attachment I have to food. Not being able to eat anything, not being that hungry and actually being afraid to eat anything is forcing me to really confront why I want food. Most of the time I want it to make me feel good. I will be interested to see what you eat tomorrow Audree... we will be over halfway as of tomorrow!

Consider Macros That is, “macronutrients,” or carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The news is bad on the surface since the average fast food meal has more carbs and less protein per calorie than the average home-cooked meal. You can work to turn this around, though. Carbohydrates: Cut back on carbohydrates by skipping the starchy sides: French fries, potato chips, and hash browns, steamed, fried, or Mexican rice, and breadsticks. Try to go “green” (lettuce wrap) or “naked” (no wrap) with your burger, tortilla, or sandwich; if the fast food joint cannot honor your request, just eat the filling with a knife and fork, and throw away the bread, bun, tortilla, or taco shell (if you are feeling guilty because of starving children in third-world countries, make a donation. You’ll do more good than you would by adding starch to your hips). Protein: How can you boost your protein intake at a fast food restaurant to be what you need? Skinless grilled or baked chicken, lean cold cuts, cheese, and beans can all up your totals, and yogurt is an increasingly common side option. Even a small burger patty can give you 10 to 15 grams of protein, although it comes with a few extra grams of fat. A good protein goal for a meal is about 20-30 grams. You can get that for 200-300 calories with any of the following. Burger King Double Cheeseburger, no bun; Grilled Chicken Garden Salad, no croutons; or Veggie Burger with cheese, no bun or mayo. McDonald’s Grilled Southwestern Chicken Salad, no cheese; or Grilled Chicken Sandwich, no bun or spread. Taco Bell 2 grilled or fresco steak soft tacos, no tortillas; chicken or steak Power Menu Bowl, no rice or cheese. KFC Grilled Chicken Drumstick plus green beans or side salad. Panda Express Grilled Teriyaki or Asian Chicken. Fats: Your first order of business is to avoid anything fried. You will be avoiding excess grease while also avoiding sneaky carbs in breading – did you know that the amounts of carbs in onion rings and fried chicken are comparable to the amounts in bread? Also, watch the fatty spreads – think mayonnaise – salad dressings, and dips. Find the Vegetables Protein and vegetables…does this sound familiar? It should, since your goals when eating at a fast food restaurant should be the same as when you eat at home. Vegetables help fill you up without filling you out, and it is best to eat as many of them as you can handle with your pouch or sleeve. It may take a little more digging to find vegetables at fast food restaurants than at home, but you can usually do it. Here are a few leads. Ask for extra lettuce, tomatoes, and any other available vegetables on burgers and sandwiches. Order a side salad or baby carrots with your meal. Check for salads with grilled chicken as an entrée. Pile salsa and diced vegetables onto your naked burrito. When “Value” Isn’t Besides the convenience, the deals are among the most tempting things about fast food. For pennies more, you can often add fries and a drink, or you could get a second burger or taco for half the price. Don’t do it! “Value” depends on what you want and need; why would you pay extra, even if it is “only pennies more,” for extra fat, sugar, starch, and calories? A healthier definition of “value” might be to pay the least you can for a meal that is convenient, delicious, and healthy. Why include “oversized” in your definition? For those times when fast food simply makes sense, go for it – just keep yourself on track by reading the menu carefully and staying focused. You can do it, no matter where you end up. You might as well enjoy it!

Chicken Salad has become a huge staple of my diet since bread went out the window. I usually replace my mayo with half mayo half plain greek yogurt and sometimes cottage cheese just to cut the fat of full mayo. How do you make your chicken salad??

Gika I hope they get it figured out!! They told me to schedule my 2nd fill for only 2 weeks later...an I can already tell I need more (but maybe not much more). The 1 cc they added has for sure helped but I could use a smidge more to keep me feeling full longer. I'm fairly pleased with the amount I'm eating at a sitting (about a cup to cup and a half depending on what it is) Well, with my fill I had a pretty good day. My eggs with onion and ham (about 20g protein and under 200 cal) kept me full for 4 hours. For lunch I had greek yogurt and granola, which lasted about 2 1/2. I just ate the topping off a piece of pizza and half a side salad and am way too full. I plan to not eat anything else today except maybe some hot tea. Is anyone having a lot of belching going on? It amazes me sometimes that I can belch this much...like a neverending burp pit.

Yes, best wishes to teachers and others who work and don't want to have to run. I have been stuck on anything that you can think of. If I try eat too much of a good thing, including Greek yogurt, it will come up! Sometimes, even when you are not aware that you ate too much, something will cause it to come up. I suggest for teachers to keep a small bottle of coke at your desk.. It works like a roto-rooter type thing and will wash it down. Don't drink all of a soda, just an ounce will do. I keep one handy, I don't refrigerate, and its not for when I am thirsty! It can even be totally flat, which is best since we aren't supposed to drink carbonation! Best wishes. Karen

I buy almonds that are already sliced for me (you can usually buy slivered or sliced almonds in the baking aisle or bulk food store). The slivered ones tend to brown quickly, so I prefer the sliced. It does not slide for me, I find it very filling ( I also mix with yogurt as well). It keeps me full usually all morning!

Wow. What a journey so far. I moved onto solid foods 3 weeks ago. It's been challenging. My pallet has changed and it's hard to finish much of what I make. However, I'm on the go a lot. I do Protein shakes in the AM. I haven't had breads/starch anything yet. Do I dare fall back on carbs? I wonder if any of those low carb/low cal wraps are safe to eat??? Would love some feedback on this. I just want to be able to throw something in a lunch bag besides fruit and yogurt

Every doctor is different! We were told after 3 days of liquids to start the mushy food phase. 60 grams of protein per day. Cottage cheese, yogurt, retried beans, tuna ,etc. along with protein drinks everyday, mashed potatoes is on the list as well, haven't tried them though. I don't want to eat carbs without the protein. I haven't had any issues.

agreed - greek yogurt is always in my fridge. for me, if i don't have some fat & good carbs w/my meal....i'm hungry after 2hrs. for example today i had grilled zucchini w/goat cheese - NO idea if/when i'll be hungry for diner, as this was extremely satisfying. going fat free or low carb didn't work for myself & my activity level.

You are lucky that you are moving onto stages of real food. I don't even get soup or yogurt until Thursday. I wonder what would be good pureed too? Can you puree a cheeseburger? Lol... yes, it's still on my mind. Can you eat cottage cheese? That is in my "soft foods" stage and I can't wait 'cause I love the stuff. I can't wait until I can start eating "real" meals again, though. I'm looking forward to week four of my diet because I can start eating soft fish! Yay Friday fish fry!

Kathy, Mornings are really tight for me, and from your post, it sounds like the same may be true for you. Don't push it. Here is what I eat in a day to keep things from backing up. I have had to do this since my last fill, before that, I thought I was tight enough because I would PB after lunch about 2 times a week. Morning: I start with bottle of water. Then I either drink a slimfast, eat a yougurt, or some oatmeal. Then, after an hour, more water. Lunch: Soup, then cottage cheese with fruit. If I have a lot of time to eat, I might do some chicken salad with crackers, but I have to be able to eat very slowly. More water. Afternoon: yogurt or more cottage cheese Dinner: basically, anything I want following bandster rules with the protien first. Last night I had Kalbasha and chili. All evening I drink water. I have replaced my diet pepsi successfully with bottled water. Because mornings are so tight for me I have to stick to the rules, otherwise, I'm miserable. But, I make sure all my choices have protien and because I'm tight, even the liquids fill me up. FOr the oatmeal, I have bought the kind with extra protien, I can't remember the name, or I add Flax seed to what I have which gives it extra protien. I am also thinking of ordering some stuff from bariaticeating.com in order to make sure I'm getting enough protien because I know some days I am not and since I exercise everyday, I really need the protein. Audree and Susan, a warning about watching TV during this time, it seems like EVERY other commerical is about food. That can really add to the head hunger, I know it did for me. YOu are both doing great. Keep it up! I'm home sick today with a terrible cold. First time all year I have really been sick. I am so greatful that the cold companies have come out with so many different cold medicines that aren't in pill form, as I would be worried that the pills might get stuck. So, I am drinking Theraflu for colds and taking little strips for my cough.

I hope I am full too like you were on the fish when my solids come. I didn't feel any restriction today, like I was. I kept my portions the same and ate the same amount, except I added an extra yogurt and a couple bites of hummus. Even if I don't have restriction anymore, I want to keep my calories at 1200 like I did today. I will be excited to begin South Beach because it always has curbed my appetite. We will get there together!!!

I got this list out of Dr. Ortiz's book LAP BAND FOR LIFE. :hungry: Cereals-grains like beans, lentils or whole wheat bread or oats Vegetables-carrots, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, mushroom, onions, tomatos, squash Fresh Fruit-He suggest one piece at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Apple, blueberry, grapefruit, kiwi, orange, plums, mango meat, poutry, fish-the size a deck of cards, light meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, legumes, egg whites. Milk, cheese, yogurt-2 servings a day. non fat or 1% milk, low fat cottage cheese, nonfat yogurt Fat-3 servings. avocado, almonds, a little olive oil. Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, low cal drinks such as Crystal Light. Buy a pedometer and log at least 10,000 steps. Audree

I can't wait to have yogurt tomorrow and maybe Skinny Cow cheese??? My nutrionist said I could have yogurt. I am hungry. She said creamy Soups on day 7??? Audree

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 align=center bgColor=#ffffff><TBODY><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD vAlign=top width="100%" colSpan=2><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 13px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; FONT-FAMILY: Palatino Linotype, Georgia, Times New Roman" vAlign=top>Frozen chocolate Cheesecake Bites! (2 Bites: 40 calories, 0g fat, 100mg sodium, 6.5g carbs, 0g Fiber, 1g sugars, 2g Protein = 1 Point!) Meet our new favorite use for ice cube trays. Ingredients: 3/4 cup Cool Whip Free 5 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese; softened 1 tbsp. SPLENDA, Granular 10 tsp. HERSHEY'S sugar free Syrup Directions: Using a fork, vigorously mix Cool Whip, cream cheese and Splenda until smooth and well blended. Evenly distribute mixture into 10 sections of an ice cube tray. Tap tray firmly on the counter a few times to get mixture to settle flat. Next, top each with a teaspoon of chocolate syrup. Tap tray again to settle. Place tray in freezer until Bites are solid -- at least 2 hours. Once frozen, Cheesecake Bites should pop out easily (if not, run the bottom of the tray under the faucet for a few seconds to loosen them). Makes 10 Bites! </TD><TD width=20></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD colSpan=5 height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=5 height=20></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD vAlign=top width="100%" colSpan=2></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> 2. Prepackaged crab cakes (love crab cakes. They give me my protein, they are easy to eat even on tight days and there are endless recipes or pre-packaged ones available. Also salmon in any form. Can find them at Trader Joes or Henry's) 3. Tilapia fish with homemade tartar sausce out of yogurt and relish 4. Chili Beans from Wendy's 5. The bean and cheese burrito from Taco Bell with out the tortilla Tex-Mex Cheesy chicken Chowder Ingredients: 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup thinly sliced celery 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tbsp oil 2 cups milk 1, 16 ounce jar chunky salsa 1, 8 ounce package Velveeta 1, 4.5 ounce can diced chiles <DIR><DIR><DIR><DIR>1 ½ skinless, boneless chicken (bite-sized) 2, 14 ounce cans chicken broth 1, 32 ounce package frozen Ore-Ida diced potatoes 1, 2.64 ounce package country gravy mix </DIR></DIR>corn chips (optional) </DIR></DIR>In 6 qt Dutch oven, cook and stir onion, celery, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken, then cook until chicken is no longer raw. Then, add broth and diced potatoes. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for approximately 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender (stirring occasionally) In separate pan, dissolve gravy mix in milk (until it’s gravy lol), and then add this gravy/milk mixture into the above pan of ingredients. Then, stir in cheese, salsa, and chiles, and then reduce heat to low. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. This can be served over cornchips, but without it’s great too! Nutritional Info: (Based on a 1 cup serving, and this recipe above will make about 16) 303 calories 15 g fat 35 mg cholesterol 857 mg sodium 26 g carbs 2 g fiber 16 g protein *** find a low-sodium chicken broth, skim milk, lower fat ingredients, etc..) Obviously you can choose the kick of the salsa and chiles. Also, I like to use the canned chicken (usually a white/dark meat combination), because for me it goes down easier. :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: Almost Veggie Chili <HR><TABLE height=233 width="73%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD width="66%">Ingredients</TD><TD width="9%">Calories</TD><TD width="6%">Fat(g)</TD><TD width="9%">Carbs (g)</TD><TD width="10%">Protein (g)</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">3/4 pound ground turkey</TD><TD width="9%">582</TD><TD width="6%">32</TD><TD width="9%">0</TD><TD width="10%">66</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1c diced onions</TD><TD width="9%">53</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">17</TD><TD width="10%">0</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1 can of diced green chilis</TD><TD width="9%">10</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">2</TD><TD width="10%">0</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">4-6 cloves of minced garlic (I buy the processed kind because it's easy) </TD><TD width="9%">18</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">4</TD><TD width="10%">0</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">2 cans of drained pinto, kidney, black or garbanzo beans (your choice -- mix it up!)*</TD><TD width="9%">414</TD><TD width="6%">1</TD><TD width="9%">76</TD><TD width="10%">26</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1 can of diced, stewed tomatoes (buy the Mexican style, if available) </TD><TD width="9%">71</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">17</TD><TD width="10%">2</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1 small can of tomato paste</TD><TD width="9%">139</TD><TD width="6%">1</TD><TD width="9%">33</TD><TD width="10%">6</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1c diced carrots</TD><TD width="9%">53</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">13</TD><TD width="10%">2.6</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1c various veggies -- zuchinni, corn, bell peper-- whatever </TD><TD width="9%">28</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">8</TD><TD width="10%">1.5</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">chili powder, cayene pepper, cumin, black pepper to taste 1/2-1 teaspoon ea</TD><TD width="9%">x</TD><TD width="6%">x</TD><TD width="9%">x</TD><TD width="10%">x</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1-2c of chicken stock</TD><TD width="9%">38</TD><TD width="6%">1</TD><TD width="9%">1</TD><TD width="10%">5</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">Total servings: appx 13 -- Breakdown per serving</TD><TD width="9%">108</TD><TD width="6%">2.5</TD><TD width="9%">13</TD><TD width="10%">8.3</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Brown first 4 ingredients in a large soup pot with a small tad of vegetable oil or cooking spray. Add rest of ingreients to pot, with just enough stock or Water to cover contents. Simmer for 2-3 hours. Serve with melted cheese and fresh onions on top. Variations: Vegetarian: Replace turkey with texturized vegetable protein or tofu, and chicken stock with vegetable stock. Usually veggies have their favorite meat replacement. Or skip the replacement and add another can of beans or more vegetables. Also be sure to add a tablespoon of either Peanut Butter or miso soup concentrate to the mix. You won't taste it, except that it thickens the soup and gives it a good mouthfeel. This was the secret ingredient to my Vegan Chili which I lived off of for the 2 years I was a vegetarian. Meat-Lovers: Replace turkey with beef; add 2 strips of bacon to the chili for flavor. If you want more meat, subtract a can of beans and replace with meat. Others: You don't need to follow this ingredient list exactly. My cafeteria often puts in leftover chicken breast, in tiny chunks, instead of ground turkey. If you have some old brocolli or green beans, they can do well here as well. Chili is like a casserole -- supurb left-over management.

This is an email from the lady I told you that lost 130 pounds in a year. I asked her to email how she did it!!!!! It is awesome!!!!! Anyways,you CAN be at goal in 6 months,believe me and you have exactly what it takes..............................determination and discipline. That is going to get you where you want to be.I know you noticed right away how all these women have lost only 40 to 50 pounds in a year or even longer.I was right where you are a few months ago and I said to myself,that is NOT going to be me! I spent alot of money for this band and I am determined to make it work for me,no matter what!I was banded on Feb 20th and by October I had lost 115 pounds and than no longer had fat to lose but had alot of hanging skin,that's when I had my tummy tuck done. Like I told you at the meeting.I ate (eat) only once a day,sometimes twice depending if my family invites us to go out to dinner but I count all calories and try to pick things that are really low in calories. Most of the times I am way under what "they " require but hey,like I said to myself, I'll do what ever it takes.Like you,yes I was tired when I didn't eat enough,so I started to make sure when I did eat it was meat .In the very begining I would usually have a weight smart frozen pot roast with veges meal for lunch and I still wouldn't get full so I would have a large salad on the side or some days I would have a large chicken breast on a salad. My favorite and most eaten meal was a carne asada taco salad from a real mexican restaurant,I just don't eat the shell! I would eat this "lunch" as late as I could hold off,usually around 3pm because I never ate breakfast.Then usually after eating that much food,( I really stuff myself with this meal) my hunger would stay away until really late at night,that's when I would have a yogurt or one of those 100 calorie snacks.When I am hungry before lunch or even after I keep drinking coffee,it keeps my hunger away bug time.I was never a coffee drinker until recently.Most importantly,I walk everyday about 2-3 hours after I eat my lunch and walk 2 miles,then when the weight started to come off,I found walking to become easier and I started to run a little between walking. The weight did stall sometimes and I would have to eat more for a few days,then I would notice the weight loss again. You are so lucky,you did this with your BMI being so low,you have so much less to lose than the rest of us.You're going to be beautiful by summer time!

I was also banded by Dr. Ortiz and had a great experience. I go for my first fill on Wednesday. Some things I added were V8, drinkable yogurt, creamy split pea soup, tortilla soup ( bought a bad at the market and added water, purreed), and purreed chili with a can of V8. The 3 weeks go by fast!

I am a total foodie and love this recipe for ease of cooking. Peel seed and chop one cumcumber. Mix with greek yogurt, chopped garlic, and dill. Set to the side. Cut up salmon into small portions. Think of how much you can eat. Make some bigger ones if you have a significant other. Place a piece of salmon in the middle of a piece of foil and top with yogurt cucumber mixture. Fold foil over making a pouch, sealing edges so no steam escapes. Bake in a 375 degree oven approximately 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. TA-DA! yumyumyum!

Good Luck to everyone tomorrow and the rest of the month! I was banded Tuesday morning at 8am and in recovery by 845am...much quicker than I expected! I ended up staying the night because my heart rate and blood pressure was really low...the surgeon said that it's pretty common though so nothing to worry about. I was released at 10:30 this morning!! Pain level is about a 4 right now...I feel very similar to the way I did when I had my c-section. I'm much more comfortable sitting on the couch than laying in bed. Lots of walking today so no gas pains yet...hopefully they stay away! All in all....everything was much easier than I had expected. I am not at all hungry but have been eating and drinking like they told me to. Cream of Wheat for breakfast...4oz tomato soup and 2 bites of yogurt for lunch, chocolate milk in between lunch and dinner and soup again for supper and 2 bites of jello. Anyone else have trouble sleeping? I'm exhausted but have only slept a total of 6 or 7 hours since Monday night. The hospital bed was horrible but I figured I'd sleep all day when I got home. Slept for 45 minutes and then 1.5 hours again this afternoon and haven't been able to go back to sleep.

Is there such a thing as too much too fast? I Started my pre op diet on Oct 12, 2012, my begin wieght was 337, yesterday was my 4 week post op mark, and I wieghed myself this morning and I am down to 278, if i am not mistaken thats 59lbs. Granted I was down to 309 the day of the surgery on Oct 22, 2012. but altogether it seems like its a lot of lbs to loose in a short amount of time. I beleave I will slow down as soon as I can start to eat better, but as it is now I am not holding down much, I can do a protien shake, it takes about an hour to get down, I can eat some soft foods like yogurt and apple sauce but only about three very small bites at a time, then i am done for hours. I had my surgery done out of the US, for a couple reasons, first of all the bariatric surgen would not even talk to me because I take narcartics for pain, plus the local surgen wants 25K to 30K so I went out of the country (Mexico), The doctors and nurses were exeplery they were so nice and accomidating to our every need it seemed like, but the only problem is there is no follow up care which i would have thought that if you follow the diet like it says there should not be any problems, but to my surprise there are unforseen things that one just does not think about, like I think the doctor might have made my stomach pouch too small be cause it is really hard to keep anything down, but maybe this is the way its suppose to be, time will tell.

Tomorrow will be 3 weeks for me. I am on purees for another 10 days. It is definitely getting boring and I am a vegetarian so that makes it even more restrictive. Lots of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta. I still need 2 shakes a day to meet my protein goal. I have noticed that I am able to handle slightly thicker textures now- still no big or solid chunks but I have "graduated" from baby food applesauce to regular applesauce!

I was sleeved on June 3rd. Still on what they call pre-select foods (fruitless yogurt, refried beans, soft eggs, etc.) and protein drinks. The only one I found that I can stand is the Atkins Low Carb w/ 15g per shake. I tried Isopure before surgery and it was ok, but for some reason, now I can't stand it...and we loaded up on it. Great! I keep trying one every few days to see if it goes down any better. Getting better at the water/clears, but still not close to 64oz - maybe 48 on a good day. Did anyone hit a stall at around 2 weeks? I haven't had any movement for 4 or 5 days. I know my body could be catching up; but I guess I just didn't expect a stall this soon. I'm down 25 pounds since the start, and 14 pounds since day of surgery. Am I having to great of expectations? Trying to get more walking in, but I'm just now starting to feel half way normal again. Still having some pain around the big incision; how long before that goes away? Still hurts to bend over completely and I have 2 small kids I have to take care of - so there have been instances where I've had to move them. My whole rib cage feels like I got beat up! Thanks all!

Hi all, I am on day 5 of a strict liquid diet (broths, liquids, 4 total servings of protein shakes, yogurt, low fat cream soups). I have been good. I have not cheated althought the opportunties of food being pushed in my face was happening all the time. I have lost about 10 pounds in the time frame. today, I started to feel real lathargic. i don't have a lot energy. I happen to be off of work today. However I have 2 twelve hour shifts coming up in the next two days so i am a little concerned. I also have 3 more 12 hr work shifts before surgery.

Webchickadee, How are you measuring your calories? I use a scale for accuracy for most foods. If you are eyeballing or packing in a measuring cup, your calorie count may be off. Also, if you eat out a lot and are using the restaurant guide, you may be getting more calories than you think. For me, I find hunger increases when I eat any kind of non-nutrient dense foods. For example, last night I ate dinner and then had a muffin later. Before the muffin, I wasn't really hungry, but after I ate the one muffin, I really wanted another and my tummy was rumbling for it like a dump truck. The only thing that got me out of a stall was reducing calories. I know that others have found success in increasing calories, but that has never worked for me. I recommend dropping your calories to 1200 per day. To avoid hunger, make them really nutrient-dense. Low fat meats, fat free greek yogurt and milk, whole grains, and fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits. Lynda

@@Bufflehead - I did mine in a nutra bullet. Also soups. I made every bean, creamy veg soup I could think of. Easy grabs were - hummus, ricotta cheese that I dress up like lasagna but without the noodles. I drank a lot of kefir and made my own yogurt smoothies as well. Greek yogurt+protein powder+nut butter is a Protein powerhouse.