Can't lose weight!

[Berry78 4,261]

Don't count tuna or chicken salad as Protein just because there is added fat? That's nuts. Count it as protein and fat. Best if you make it yourself so you can measure the ingredients.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I eat Keto so the fat in chicken salad is great for me. It helps with my Protein and fat macros. I don't really eat it anymore because it offers no restriction, but that is a different topic.

Not all of us follow the same kind of post-op diets but I think that we can all agree that real food is better than artifical processed foods.

[BigViffer 3,544]

6 hours ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

Protein Bars are fake food.

Again, I respectfully disagree.

4 hours ago, Berry78 said:

Don't count tuna or chicken salad as Protein just because there is added fat? That's nuts. Count it as Protein and fat. Best if you make it yourself so you can measure the ingredients.

OK, I should have been more clear with that statement. Don't count chicken and tuna salad a a good source of protein. One tablespoon of mayo has the same calories as 4 ounces of grilled chicken with the skin and fat removed. And I don't know about you guys, but my tuna & chicken salad had a lot more than a tablespoon of mayo.

So what meant was don't eat chicken salad. It's not a great choice for protein when there are leaner options.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

3 minutes ago, BigViffer said:

Again, I respectfully disagree.

They are made in factories with chemicals. They are not natural foods. If you want to say they are good sources of Protein, fine, but they are frankenfoods. There is nothing natural about them.

[BigViffer 3,544]

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you @OutsideMatchInside. I see no difference it the processing of whey Protein Bars and ice cream bought in a store. And unless you are growing all of your own food, everything is made with chemicals. Literally everything you buy has some chemical either coating or ingested by the animal the meat was cut from.

Blocks of cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, coffee creamer, butter... all of these dairy products will have chemicals traces in them from the cows that were most likely on antibiotics at the very least. There there are the preservatives and the thickeners and the color enhancers. Do you like hot dogs or sausages? All processed and frankenfoods. That being said, I think they are safe foods.

On the other hands, Velveeta cheese, pop tarts, dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets, the powdered flavoring on potato chips, boxed macaroni and cheese... those are truly foods that I believe should be avoided at all cost as they are unnatural.

If you want to lump all Protein bars in with the latter group, that is fine. But don't present it as fact to people who are new to Bariatric Eating. It is not fact, it is opinion. We are all entitled to them.

[Berry78 4,261]

Dinosaur shaped  chicken nuggets are the best! Much tastier than the old, boring, rectangular ones.

For real  food recipe ideas.. check out the blog by Eggface. It is called "The World According to Eggface". Good stuff...

[erinb2094 7]

I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has written. I think that we are all different & body chemistry can be different for all of us. I myself have been struggling with my weight since I was 11. I was diagnosed with PCOS at 13. I have had so many problems with my digestive system and weight ever since.
I went this route after recovering from a 10 year eating disorder & I continue to struggle with my own demons but I never want to go back there. This needs to work for me. I can't go back to an eating disorder or being the way I was.
I needed this support & I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everyone who commented! Thank you all so much!

[Deactivatedfatgal 377]

I think 1200 cals is a good number to aim for because if you stick to that you can lose 2 pds a week! Without exercise of course, best of luck

[carrie3101 11]

Hi Erin!

Wishing you all the best on your journey. I was also diagnosed with PCOS. I had the sleeve about a year and a half ago and was able to lose around 140 pounds, slowly. Unfortunately, I have found that my body is quite different and so my calories needs are much lower to lose. So, on average, I aim for about 800 calories a day, with at least 70 grams of Protein. I work out about 6 hours a week, running and swimming. This has helped me steadily lose about 1.5 pounds a week. I have friends eating 1500 and losing much more than me, but with PCOS the struggle is REAL. The sad fact is, we just don't lose like everyone else. I'm here if you have any other specific questions. You can do it!

Best,

Carrie

[MBird 298]

She isn't a weight lifter, she doesn't need Protein bars and shakes, she needs chicken and fish, small portions of roasted beef with a balance of veggies. Period.

[JerseyJules 862]

Water water water water!!!! Drink way more water, trust me...Your body needs excess water to metabolize fat for energy.

[erinb2094 7]

Thank you so much!

[bellabloom 2,467]

I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has written. I think that we are all different & body chemistry can be different for all of us. I myself have been struggling with my weight since I was 11. I was diagnosed with PCOS at 13. I have had so many problems with my digestive system and weight ever since.
I went this route after recovering from a 10 year eating disorder & I continue to struggle with my own demons but I never want to go back there. This needs to work for me. I can't go back to an eating disorder or being the way I was.
I needed this support & I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everyone who commented! Thank you all so much!

Are you sure this is the right path for you? If your dealing with an eating disorder than a restrictive diet is really gonna mess with your head. What if you took the focus off food for a bit and just ate what felt right for your new stomach, got more active, got into the joys in life that make you happy... stress can have a huge effect on your body and metabolism. Is it so important that it happen at this moment? You sound unhappy. What can you focus on outside of food to give you more joy in this present place? Follow the guidelines for your surgery as you are able and stop obsessing. That's my advice. These things take time. Perhaps eating disorder therapy again as well?

I'm also in ed recovery so I empathize.