Starting over, 5 years after surgery

[Suziecat 379]

Yesterday we were so busy that I never got around to eating lunch. By the time I thought about it, it was 3:30 so I grabbed a Jello cup and had that. The Protein drink I am having in the morning seems to be keeping my tummy happy for a long time. I have actually noticed the last few days that I have no appetite till almost dinner time. I'm kinda liking this.

Hilary, I was wondering if you had abandoned us. But when I read your post, I now understand.

I wish I had some help for you with the c-pap. I have never used one. My cousin did and she hated it. She said she would pull it off during the night also. I think she eventually gave it up. But I'm proud of you for giving it a good try. Not sure I could handle wearing it.

I was on WW when I started my journey for my band. I would go on monday mornings to the meetings. We had an amazing leader and a really good group. But I got to that point after about two years that I reached a plateau and decided to quit WW for the same reason. Why should I pay to find out that month after month that i wasn't going anywhere. I miss going to the meetings because they at least kept me aware that I still needed to try. Not sure I could do the only WW. Seems like that would be to easy to cheat.

We are going to a fish fry tonight at my nephews.They were asking what sides do we want and I told them to have what ever the kids want because I'm there for the fish.

I have been able to get out and walk. And that is a great plus for me. I love to walk and used to do about a mile everyday. I would take my sisters little dog with me and we conquered the streets around here. But unfortunetly our little doggie passed away last year. It's been a struggle or me to get back to walking without him. The house next door to us is up for sale and I am hoping the new people will have a dog I could borrow. But getting back to walking after this surgery has been hard. My legs suffered from the surgery and it has taken me a long time to get them working right again. But I'm getting my strength back.

Make it a good day, Suzanne

[Suziecat 379]

Right now I am working at forgiving myself for yesterday. But in my defense, it was a fish fry. Who can not over do it at a fish fry.

This monring is the monthly support group meeting. I haven't been in almost two years. So my friend Michelle and I are going to go. I love thse meetings because it gives me a chance to meet new people and to also hear their struggles and victories. We always have a good time.

[TheCurvyMermaid 51]

Hillary, I think you're doing pretty well under the circumstances. I'm lucky that my Migraines rarely last more than a day, and you're trying to balance multiple changes at once, all under the pressure of a Migraine. I say give yourself some credit where credit is do and continue to do the best you can, one day at a time.

I need to quit my weight watchers too. I only use the online tool, but I haven't touched them in almost two months, and I started using MyFitnessPal a couple of weeks ago. Since then, like you, I don't see the point of double tracking, and I like that I can keep track of my intake, including percentages of Protein, fat, carbs, etc... and WW only tracks points. What makes WW work for me so well is it's simplicity, but at the same time, it's not realistic for me to try to meet the band nutrition guidelines using points... though I suppose one could try using Power Foods instead, or whatever they're calling it now. Meh. For me, I think I'll keep my $17 a month in my pocket for now.

Suzi,

I went to a support meeting today at my band clinic today too. Today was the first one I've EVER been to. When I was first banded, they only had meetings in the evenings midweek, and it conflicted with my work schedule. I still don't get out of work early enough to do the midweek meetings, but in the time I've been gone, the in house nutritionist has started doing meetings. I did a Bariatric Nutrition 101 class that lasted from about 9am-12pm. They do a yoga class from 12-1, and then a Nutrition Support meeting that lasted from about 1-3pm. I skipped the yoga to grab lunch. I drank a high Protein Ensure at the start of the class, but by noon, I was ravenous and knew I didn't want to sit through another couple of hours of food classes on a growling stomach! LOL! Non scale victory- even though I had to grab lunch on the go and ended up going to Panda Express, I ordered a bowl and only had them leave out about 3/4 of the rice (about 2 cups!) and got one of the lighter entree shrimp dishes. I really wanted the crispy beef or orange chicken, but I'm working too hard to sabotage myself with fried foods! I know I could have eaten a lot more than I did, and in the past, I would have had them fill the whole bowl so that I could "get my money's worth" with the intention of saving some for later... and invariably, I'd eat way too much and probably down the whole thing in one sitting. I may not have made the most sensible choice for my wallet, but I'm proud of myself for making better choices at lunch.

I'm also pretty proud of myself for not completely blowing my day at the movies last night. I got tied up at work and didn't have time to eat before meeting my friends, and I was pretty hungry by the time we got to the concessions booth, and so I thought I'd grab a snack to hold me over until we had dinner after the movie. I'm thinking nachos maybe. They might not be the best choice, but how bad can some tortilla chips and that little cup of cheese sauce be, right? I was aghast when I got to the counter and realized that they'd added calorie counts to all of their menu items. Almost 1400 Calories for nachos! How the hell? Anyway, after seeing the calorie counts for the mini pizzas, popcorn, hot dogs, anything really... I just couldn't bring myself to order anything. I stuck out the movie and saved my calories for dinner. I had a glass of wine at dinner, a small portion of sauteed mushrooms, less than half of the baked potato that was presented, and only half of the steak, which was maybe 6 or 7 ounces. I also had a tiny slice of cake at dinner. Now, I know those aren't exactly band portions, and the wine and cake were a splurge, but I was SO GOOD all week, (and today) and considering I hadn't eaten much yesterday, and turned my back on the concession stand at the movie, I feel pretty damn good about it, especially since I know for a fact that I probably could have eaten the whole potato and the whole steak without a problem, with as little restriction as I have so far.

At any rate, the nutrition class and the support meeting after were a huge help. One of my biggest concerns when I was first banded was with the lack of solid nutrition info I was given. I was told to eat 4 oz meals, three times a day, and no Snacks. 9 of my daily 12oz were supposed to be protein. I thought to myself, how the hell am I supposed to get the fruits, veggies, and Fiber my body needs to go along with my protein on that leftover 3 oz a day?!? Well, turns out, the nutritionist who leads the class is a patient of the practice who was banded 10 years ago. She was a nurse, and even though she wasn't a nutritionist (yet) she put together a program that worked for her and lost about 110 lbs and got to goal within a year. As time has gone on, bariatric nutrition info has gotten a lot better, and we know to shoot for 90+ grams of protein a day. We all know protein powders are a great way to do that. I was also introduced to the idea of adding flax seeds and chia seeds to my food to add a serious dose of Fiber and also help with feeling full at meals. (If you add chia seeds though, know that they're going to expand, so its good to either add them either into a liquid ahead of time, or sprinkle them over the last few bites of your food because once they hit your stomach they're going to expand.) I'm also going to try some of the "fruits and greens" powders that they have, which you can add to your morning Protein shake. (She said to keep the total shake at around 300-400 calories max, but you can get in up to 40g of protein all in one meal this way, right at the start of your day.) I'm also going to keep on making one of my new favorite snacks: kale chips. You tear the kale into chip sized pieces, toss with a little olive oil and your choice of seasoning, which can be soy sauce, garlic powder, Sriracha, nutritional yeast, or others, and then bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes to dehydrate them. They're super light, and you get the benefits of the greens without having to fight the tough, fibrous leaves down the way you would if they were raw.

I have another appointment for a fill on Monday, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to get closer to the restriction I'm looking for. I'm only at 3CCs in a 10CC band, and I expect I'll probably find my sweet spot between 5 and 6CCs, if my last go around is any indicator. I feel like I'm starting to get a grip on how I can do this the second time around with a solid nutritional plan, and I'm even more determined to make this work.

Keep at it folks, and share how you're doing!

[TheCurvyMermaid 51]

Oh, and one more non scale victory: hauling my curvy butt out of bed at 8am on only four hours of sleep so that I could make it to the class and meetings today. That's a bitter pill for me to swallow, because I love my "beauty rest", and sleeping in on the weekends is almost a sacred ritual for me. There's not much that will get me out of bed early on a Saturday, and sure as hell not on only 4 hours of sleep, so yay me!

[HilaryInRC 116]

Oh, and one more non scale victory: hauling my curvy butt out of bed at 8am on only four hours of sleep so that I could make it to the class and meetings today. That's a bitter pill for me to swallow, because I love my "beauty rest", and sleeping in on the weekends is almost a sacred ritual for me. There's not much that will get me out of bed early on a Saturday, and sure as hell not on only 4 hours of sleep, so yay me!

Wow! Great posts!

Thanks for the shout out. Migraines are tough for me since I spend an average of 4-5 day a month with them. I'm working with my PCP on the issue (and I love her, she is amazing), but it may be time for me to see a neurologist.

It is super awesome that you have been good all week, didn't eat snack at the movies even though you were hungry, and sacrificed your sleep (a precious commodity) in order to go to a band support group! Nice work! When I go to the movies, I know I will be tempted so I always pack my own Snacks - bottle of Water or crystal light, carrots with light ranch, 100 cal pack nuts, zip lock baggie of homemade popcorn, rice cakes...you get the idea. If I didn't go with Snacks, I'd end up with soda, popcorn, and red vines. That just isn't worth it!

So, I've been feeling kinda dissapointed in myself because I have been eating a lot and making bad choices. Yesterday I totally gave up and ate 1/2 a medium thin crust pizza and a pint of icecream for lunch. :-( Baaaddddd Hilary! I know for a fact I was doing stress eating. I usually work part-time as a substitute teacher, go to school full-time working on my teaching credential, and this year I have to pass my teaching exams (CSET and RICA). Well, I haven't had any time off school since last July except for two weeks at Christmas. Plus, I had to take part of the CSET on linguistics this morning (a subject I have never studied in school). So, my time has been spend on work, school, and studying for exams. I've been going and going and going without a reasonable break for too long. I was starting to feel burnt out in December, but pushed on. Then in January I knew I needed a break, but pushed through. In February, I finished my class (one a month) and got my first B ever in grad school. I was dissappointed and tired. So, I decided to take this month off. After the pizza/icecream incident yesterday, I realized that I need to take a month off. So, I contacted my advisor and dropped my March class yesterday afternoon. I got to sleep around 12:30 am, woke up at 4:00 am and drove 2 hours out of town this morning to take my linguistics exam. It has been a long and tiring day. But, the good news is that now that this part of my CSET is over I get three blissful weeks of no school and no stress. I'm so happy. Even more importantly, I feel equipped to re-focus on my health. Even though I was exhausted today, I made good food choices. I went out for Breakfast after my test and ate at Mimi's, which has great crab cake eggs benedict. But, when I saw the 900 calories on the menu for the item, I decided to go with poached eggs, lean ham, fruit, and coffee. My Breakfast came in at 400 calories! Awesome! The rest of the day followed suit. I made good choices like bean Soup, yogurt, and coffee for lunch (not enough sleep means a little more caffeine today). I am excited to get a good nights sleep, and go for a long walk tomorrow and maybe even lift some weights. Also, my boyfriend is coming into town to spend next week with me. He gets in tomorrow night. I feel so happy and calm now with the test over with, a break from school, and my bf coming to town. Yay! Because yesterday, I felt super stressed and out of control. I hope I can get some control back after making so many bad choices for the past two weeks-ish.

One other thing. Since quitting WW, I can't use my ActiveLink anymore to track my activity. So, I ordered a Fitbit Zip, which I can use in conjunction with myfitnesspal. I'm looking forward to using it!

-Hilary

[HilaryInRC 116]

Oh, one thing about the sweet spot. My PA at my surgeons office (Andrew) told me last time that as you lose weight, your band loosens up because there is less fat on your stomach to push back on the band - like counter-resistance. So, he says that 4 ccs will feel tighter at this weight than it will feel at a lower weight. So, just something to consider, your sweet spot might shift as you shrink! You may not need to be at 5 or 6 ccs now, but you might later. IDK, just food for thought. I'm rooting for you! I hope you find that sweet spot ASAP. (I hope I do too! - Jeesh, I ate half a medium pizza yesterday!!!).

:-)

-Hilary

[Suziecat 379]

What two great post, ok 4.

It did my heart good to hear that you went to the support group meeting. I'm not sure how your is structured but ours is 2 hours long and most times they try to have a guest speaker. So yesterday I met my friend Michelle and we took the 1/2 hour drive and went. We were so glad that we did. They had a representative from a Band company and he was so informative and we had a ton of questions for him. He was particularly interested in my story and came over and spent about 10 minutes with me. One thing he was really interested in was that fact that most of us eat salads. It really surprised him.

I left there with some amazing info and insight and as a topper. The girl leading the group brought a bag over and it had a plate and bowl in it that had measurement marked in them for our convience. A big huge bag of Protein mix and another little bottle of contentrated Protein. It's a shot and has 42 grams of protein. My friend Michelle said she had tried them before and to make sure I pour it over ice and drink it that way. I'm guessing it would come in hand if I had a day that I was so busy and didn't have the time to do a Protein Drink.

Man, I was impressed with you going to the movies and passing on all the good stuff. I would have at least had a small bag of popcorn. But I would probably not have eaten the rest of the day. Just me. I sure hope that you felt it was worth it to haul your butt out of bed and to have gone to the meeting. I'm so very proud of you.

Hilary, I am also very proud of you. I have never suffered from a Migraine but I've had some pretty bad headaches. But have suffered thru all of that and also do all of your school stuff is a feat in it's self. You must be exhausted and I don't blame you for taking a month off. Remember, you have to take care of yourself first. And enjoy the time with your boyfrind. It might just be the jolt you need to help you get back on track.

Yesterday in the meeting alot of the people use that myfitnesspal.com. I have an old antique cell phone so that is not an option for me. I'm looking into Loseit on my NOOK.

I started the crockpot a little while I go. I put in two pork roast. One to make as a dinner with veggies and the other I will pull. Sometimes my husband and I will just have a small bowl of pulled pork for a meal. Get my protein in and get full, Plus if I get to busy doing something, I at least know what we will be having for a meal.

Today is my day to make Snacks for church class this evening. I plan on doing a St. Patricks day theme. I'm gonna make two different types of Cookies. So that will be my test for the day. To make the Cookies and not eat any of the dough and then to make the cookies and still have enough to take to class, lol. Last weekend I did really good and didn't eat any of the Snacks. I hadn't done my protein shake for the day and was going to do that after class.

Make it a good one.

[morelgirl 177]

Love, love, love this thread. Your stories are all so inspiring and have really helped me not to feel so bad about myself for my own band experience. To sum up, I got my band in Feb 2012, about a year after a dear friend of mine got hers and had tremendous success. I thought I was prepared, that I wasn't expecting a miracle cure, and that I knew what I would have to do to succeed. As it turned out, I shouldn't have been feeling quite so superior. I lost on the preop diet and for about the first 8-10 weeks afterward. Then the loss stalled and I kept losing and regaining the same 2-4 lbs over and over. I kept getting fills, but they never seemed to make a difference, so eventually (about 8 months in) I just lost heart and gave up. Since I had never felt my band go to work, I had no trouble going back to my old eating habits, even with 8cc in my 11cc band (I know, even my doctor admits it's unusual, but she says it does happen occasionally).

For 6 months I did nothing, except eat and sulk. Luckily (and probably because of the band) I managed to keep off at least a few of the pounds I lost, but I still felt like a failure. Then I got a notice that I would have to change doctors as the one who did my original surgery had left the practice, so I decided this was the time to start over, see the doctor for the first time in 6 months, and get myself back on track.

I had my appointment last Wednesday. My new doctor is great! She made me take responsibility for not following the eating rules and for letting all the time pass without fills or follow up, but she agreed that we need to get my band working as quickly as possible. I got a 1cc fill(now at 9cc total...after checking to be sure there really were 8cc in before) and I have been slowly working my way back into banded life for the last few days. Today, I'm getting back to solids again, so now is when I start to figure out if this last fill was enough to help my band work. I'm not sure yet, since I admit I just had tuna so far, which is on the mushy side. Still, I'm happy and optimistic knowing that my doctor scheduled me for a follow up apt for two weeks from our last visit and said I could have more fill then if I need it.

So I completely understand all the struggles everyone here has expressed. It makes me feel awesome to know I'm not the only one who has struggled, so that you all for sharing and for letting me share as well. I'm certain we all have the ability to succeed, and I can't wait to watch you all get to exactly where you want to be.

[Suziecat 379]

Amy, welcome. So glad you found this thread.

When I went to see my Doc, she also made me take responsibility for my band. And thruthfully, it needed to be done. She went over all the rules with me and then sent a copy home with me. It was an eye opener because basically, I had fallen back into my old habits of what got me to such a high weight. Even though I have been doing this for a little over a week now, I still find myself wanting to do my old habits. It's just so easy to do. But then I have to remember that I go see her again in 3 weeks. That is a real motivation for me. Knowing I have to get on that scale again.

Last week at a class I go to, there was a girl that announced that she was going in April to have the sleeve done. During her telling everyone she started to bash the Band. Saying all kind of things that she had heard bad about it. Like getting holes and slipping and other stuff. I kept my mouth shut and didn't say a thing as this was not the place to debate it. So the next morning I wrote an e-mail and sent it to her. I laid out my story and my sucess. I explained why I had decided to get the band and not have my stomach mutilated. I didn't put it that way but should have. It actualy was a very nice letter. I wished her well. So a few hours later she wrote back and explain to me that she was actually using a Doctor in my Band Docs office and the reason they chose to do the sleeve was that she had a very fatty liver and found that the sleeve would be best for her. We catted several times back and forth with e-mails. So in class last night I took her a journal and explained to her about logging everything and to write her daily emotions, that it will really help her out to understand her eating habits. I also took in some pictures to show my before and after. She was really impressed. Then I found out from her that her insurance won't cover it so she is asking her dad to help pay half of it. She said she is taking him to a seminar so that he can see what it is all about and then hope that he will help pay for it. She said her mom is completely against it and a few of her friends are also against it. It was really said to hear her say all of that. So I told her that I would back her and that if she need any encouragement, I would be there. That she needs a good support system. Poor thing.

Well, it rained most of the day yesteday which helped melt most of the snow. The sidewalks are all clear so I will be getting out there soon and start walking.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.

[morelgirl 177]

Suziecat, good for you for talking to the woman who bashed the band instead of just writing her off as a lost cause. I'm sure that having you to help and encourage her will be a huge benefit to her with her sleeve.

Well, I went back to solid foods yesterday and so far I'm disappointed not to feel much from my band. I am pretty satisfied after a small meal, but I'm still getting hungry again after about 2 hours, so I guess no green zone yet for me. That makes me really relieved to know I have another appointment in just over a week, so I can get another adjustment. The upside is that by going back to following the rules, I have lost a couple of pounds already, so I am happy about that. I just can't wait until the band starts working so that it's not just me on another diet.

Trying to stay optimistic here. Hope everyone else is, too.

[TheCurvyMermaid 51]

I think it's fair to say that some surgeries are better for some people than others. For some folks who are super obese and their health is in immediate danger, something like the sleeve or bypass might be the best course because they lose weight so fast. Personally I got the band for several reasons. 1) I was self pay, and the other surgeries were more costly. 2.) The band is easily removed or unfilled if there are problems. The other surgeries aren't adjustable either. 3.) I was only 27 at the time I got the band, and I hope to be around another 50 or 60 years, and I wasn't going to have a surgery that was going to rearrage my plumbing with so much of my life ahead of me. Plus, ultimately whatever surgery you get, you have to commit to a lifestyle change, and the recommended diet is practically identical, folks who get bypass or VSG just have to take more Vitamins.

BTW, I picked up some Protein shake mixes last night, Spirutein and Jay Robb, and I gave them a shot this morning. I mixed the two together with a cup of nonfat milk and a few blackberries and the flavor is great, but the shake is INTENSE and super thick, and weighing in at about 350 calories and 50g Protein, which reall is too much protein for one sitting. (I was told the body can't absorb more than 40g at a go.) I've got some tweaks to make, but so far I'm really happy with the shakes.

I've got a fill this afternoon, wish me luck!

[Suziecat 379]

Curvy, I agree. We all have to pick what we think is the best route for our journey. I had had a cousin that got the Gastric Bypass, she lost the weight and then regained the weight. But what they had done to her insides was awful. She eventually died from complications. But before she passed away I had gotten my band. We had seen her struggles. I had talked to my husband about it and he said no way was I going to have that surgery done. So I had gone to a seminar for the lap-band and came home and told my husband about it. But my insurance didn't take that doctor so I had to go to another seminar. My husband asked if he could go. By the time the seminar was over, my husband was sold on it. He made me go right up and set my appointment. Best decision we ever made. Everyone needs to do their research and pick what they think is best for them.

So how are you doing with the Protein shakes so far?

Amy, Congrats on the few pounds lost. And thank goodness you have an appointmet coming up. I know that I'm not in my green spot also. Butm y enemy right now is being a grazer. I know I'm not hungry but I just feel the need to snack. Thank goodness I don't keep snack food around here. Sometimes I find myself going to the cupboards and opening them and just staring, all along knowing that there is nothing to snack on. But I still have two and a half weeks till I go back and see my Doc. I sure hope you get a fill and I really hope I get one.

Yesterday was a really good day for me. My husband and I got out to walk and almost all of the snow is gone. There were a few places that we had to go around but the biggest part was that I had made it all the way around our block. Major step for me. I had to stop 2 times to catch my breath but it felt so good to have made it that far. We will get out and do the same today.

I didn't get my Protein Drink in yesterday. I didn't wake up in time and it was to close to lunch time and well, I wanted regular food for lunch and dinner. But I did get my Protein in first thing and I did my chewing right.

[morelgirl 177]

Yay for your successful walk, Suziecat! And kudos for the Protein first and chewing. I admit, the devil on my shoulder occasionally wants me to chew less to "test" my band to see if there's any restriction there at all. I have to slap it down and remind myself that not following the rules is how I ended up a year out from surgery and less than 25 lbs down. So I still chew chew chew.

I made a dinner last night for the whole house to share, and it felt good to be eating what everyone else did, even if it took them 10 minutes to wolf it down and me 45 minutes to chew through it. I want to live as normal a life as possible, so being off Protein shakes and Soup helps me with that feeling. I'm having a small bit of anxiety over what to eat today, but I know I have the right things in the house, so I just need to get creative. I also have a suspicion that my losses are going to need me to up my calories to keep up. It's always hard for me to get many in on healthy mushies and liquids, so I've been mostly under 800-900 all week and the scale slowed down today. I'm going to try for 1000-1200 today and grit my teeth if the first couple of days don't show we'll on the scale. I know in the long run, I'll be more satisfied and lose more consistently that way.

Hope everyone has a great day!

[Suziecat 379]

Amy, luckily I don't have a big family so it is a little easier for me to do the cooking. But when I was in the docs office, she asked about my meals. Her face contorted and then she said to me that Hambuger Helper is no longer allowed. No Pasta dishes of any kind. There is too much Water in it. She explained that the Water in the Pasta and the salads I eat has acts the same as if I was drinking water.

That still makes it hard because I like to eat fruit and you know watermelon is like 99% water. Mainly I think what she was trying to tell me it to not have my Protein with salads or pasta dishes. Like the meat in spaghetti or hamburger helper, lasagna, chicken penne and others like that. That the Protein has to be seperate.

Did you know that the lower calorie intake that you have that your body will go into starvation mode? The body will start to hoard those calories and you will end up losing muscle instead of fat. That's why you will always hear that a 1200-1500 caloie intake is what is recommended.

I know this is weird but I really don't follow my calorie intake. I do look to see how many calories are in things. But mine is more of Portion Control. I watch the amount of food I put on my plate. And I know what foods to stay away from. I know that when we go to the state fair this summer that if I want to have a corn dog that I need to watch what else I eat that day. But I also know that two tacos are what WW's allows but is it what my band will allow.

Oh, and I live with the original food-band nazi. Can you have that? Are you eating your protein first? Are you chew, chew chewing? Your'e not drinking while you eat are you? Are you allowed to have that? Uhhh, some days I could just smack him. But it is good for me.

Got out and walked again today. And tomorrow will be better. I will do my morning walk and then go in the afternoon to meet my friend when she gets off work and walk with her. I'll be in shape for my next appointment. By golly I'm gonna get a feel this time. lol.

[morelgirl 177]

Suziecat, I have a part-time family. My best friend lives with me at the moment, and her husband lives here part-time (long story...he's a nurse working in another city and is having trouble finding a position to transfer to here, but his schedule basically allows him to work a week, then have a week off). My friend has always been my biggest supporter. She went with me to the seminars, accompanied me to my surgery, and helped me out during my recovery. Her husband is a great guy, but he doesn't know much about the band (despite being a nurse), so he's a bit clueless at times. Like, he made a stir-fry thing for dinner last night and I think he was a bit hurt that I didn't eat it, but right now it's so important to me to count every gram of Protein and to make sure I'm getting enough, that I was just afraid to. He also never cooks with recipes or keeps track while cooking, so I couldn't program it into Myfitnesspal to track everything. I felt a bit bad, but being successful is hugely important to me, so I stuck to my guns.

My doctors never forbid anything, including pastas or salads, but it's always Protein first, so if I want spaghetti and meatballs, I have to eat the meatballs first, then only have as much spaghetti as fills out my 1 cup serving. So usually, it ends up just being meatballs.

I keep track of calories mostly automatically, not because it's that important to me. Since I use Myfitnesspal to track my protein, it automatically tracks calories too, and I like knowing what the general ballpark I'm in is like. I got myself to 1000 yesterday and plan to keep it there. I know for myself that my base calories needs are just under 2000 (I'm a total shortie) so if I don't keep my intake well under 1500, I absolutely won't lose. Plus, the 2000 calorie figure is an overestimation for me. While that's what all the formulas come out to, I actually have a naturally very slow metabolism - I have to reduce drug dosages and wait longer between doses than normal, as well. So no more than 1200 is really my safe zone.

Doing well so far today, hope everyone else is, too.