Lets talk about food!

[AmberFL 777]

7 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

For me personally, I stick to 3 days of heavy weight lifting and it works for me and my goals, and I have always done the same. My goal is to maintain a good muscle tone (currently my inbody analysis tells me that my muscle mass is excellent and so is my lean body mass). I've always loved the slim but toned look on myself and I am not a fan of being on the bigger muscular side for me personally, although I admire that on other people.

There were periods where I worked out with weights 4 times a week and I gained some weight (albeit muscle) and I wasn't 100% happy with the way I looked. My point is it depends on your goals, if you're trying to build as much muscle as possible then 4 or even 5 days will do you good, however if you want to maintain and cut down on body fat then 3 days are more than enough. Sometimes I add a strength and conditioning day (these are my favorite), and I realize Pilates is a form of resistance training so it all works out.

With that being said, I used to do much more HIIT and intense cardio prior to surgery but now I stick to light jogging reaching my step goal and sometimes I'll do a fun trampoline workout (which burns a ton). I try not to rely on cardio to lose or maintain but on a good diet regimen to maintain a lower body fat and my strength training for building muscle and altering body composition.

You are not as sore because you are building muscle and getting stronger, I suggest mixing strength and conditioning during your workouts so if you're training legs your supersets can be deadlifts + jump rope, reverse lunges + high knees and so on. This would particularly work wonderfully with upper body workouts.

I do not want to be muscly lol, I want to be lean and toned. so maybe I cut down to 3 then...hmmmm. Now that I have lost all the fat that I can possibly lose without looking like a skeleton I wouldn't actually mind gaining a little bit more weight back. I start my weight lifting days with 15min of jogging or 15min of the stair master then do about 40min of weights. Cardio doesn't do much except I just feel good afterwards, like the endorphins, the sweat, just elevated heart rate lol which is why I wanted to do at least 2 days of that. I have been relying on the internet to give me workout regimens since weight lifting is new to me. When you 3 days do you do full body workouts each of those days? (You seem like your a guru at working out, sorry if I am asking too many questions)

I agree you cant workout a bad diet so I focus on high Protein low-ish carbs.

My typical work days macros are 1300-1400cal 130-150g protein 75-80g carbs, 20-30g fat on my rest day its less since I am not as hungry. Idk if that is good or if I am effing up my sleeve. I haven't gained weight by doing this, but ya know its scary to fall back into bad habits.

[Lilia_90 460]

17 hours ago, AmberFL said:

When you 3 days do you do full body workouts each of those days? (You seem like your a guru at working out, sorry if I am asking too many questions)

I agree you cant workout a bad diet so I focus on high Protein low-ish carbs.

My typical work days macros are 1300-1400cal 130-150g Protein 75-80g carbs, 20-30g fat on my rest day its less since I am not as hungry. Idk if that is good or if I am effing up my sleeve. I haven't gained weight by doing this, but ya know its scary to fall back into bad habits.

Ask all you want.

No my workouts are very targeted and my split is as follows:

- Hamstrings/Quads/Glutes

- Back/Chest

- Bis/Tris/Shoulders

and then 2 days of full body Pilates.

If I didn't do Pilates I would add one day of full body strength and conditioning.

One thing I would suggest is going with a structured program because while you're new now and your body will grasp the change to grow muscle and lose fat, if you don't follow a structured program then you might hit a roadblock. If you like YouTube I would suggest following Sydney Cumming's workouts, they are structured and challenging.

[AmberFL 777]

6 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

Ask all you want.

No my workouts are very targeted and my split is as follows:

- Hamstrings/Quads/Glutes

- Back/Chest

- Bis/Tris/Shoulders

and then 2 days of full body Pilates.

If I didn't do Pilates I would add one day of full body strength and conditioning.

One thing I would suggest is going with a structured program because while you're new now and your body will grasp the change to grow muscle and lose fat, if you don't follow a structured program then you might hit a roadblock. If you like YouTube I would suggest following Sydney Cumming's workouts, they are structured and challenging.

I love Sydney Cummings! She is actually where I started with home workouts before I got the nerve to hit the gym LOL

I try to be structured but I don't even know where to go. I try and match up workouts like your workouts, but then I feel like I am doing too much shoulders and back or too much glutes. I feel like working out is a total science!

What about your food intake? I am not sure if I am eating too much? But I never feel overly full just satisfied, idk if that makes sense. I am not sure if its because I am not eating enough or I messed up my sleeve. I am still losing weight when I am trying not to. I looked up what my "maintenance calories" would be and its 2200ish, Ya no way can I eat that much.

[Lilia_90 460]

2 hours ago, AmberFL said:

I try to be structured but I don't even know where to go. I try and match up workouts like your workouts, but then I feel like I am doing too much shoulders and back or too much glutes. I feel like working out is a total science!

What about your food intake? I am not sure if I am eating too much? But I never feel overly full just satisfied, idk if that makes sense. I am not sure if its because I am not eating enough or I messed up my sleeve. I am still losing weight when I am trying not to. I looked up what my "maintenance calories" would be and its 2200ish, Ya no way can I eat that much.

You’ll find your rhythm, it might take a while but you’ll begin to understand what works for you and what doesn’t. When I first started working out I was doing 2 hours of cardio a day. When I knew better I cut it to 50 minutes a day and lost more fat that way.

I would train glutes twice a week if I could but I get too sore because I don’t eat adequately to recover and for them to grow hence the once a week. If you can train glutes twice a week and rest well between the sessions (say beginning of the week and end) and eat well then go for it, nobody minds a juicy perky booty lol. Shoulders are not large muscles so I would limit it to 3 exercises a week (shoulder press, upright rows, lateral raises) and 2 bis and tris exercises as these are smaller muscles.

I didn’t meet my Protein goals for over 4 months post op. At 6 months I upped my calories to 800 and at 7.5 months (now) I’m averaging around 1000 calories a day, give or take. I have some fierce restriction so my portions are very small but I eat frequently (every 1.5-2 hours when I’m not busy or distracted). On weekends I forget to eat and can go 6 hours between meals but on weekdays I try to stay consistent and eat every 1.5-2 hours.

It’s very unlikely that you’ve messed up your sleeve, you’re losing weight and keeping active so it sounds you’re doing it just right. You might be surprised to find out that you might need to eat much more (1800-2000 calories) to maintain your weight! My brother was sleeved 3 years ago and to maintain his weight (mind you he’s really slim) he’s eating around 3000 calories and he’s not active lol. Not saying you should jump to 1800 calories overnight but maybe gradually start increasing your calories until you hit the sweet spot and your weight stabilizes. Track everything and keep a food journal and note down your weight changes (loss, gain, maintenance). Remember you are very active and you WILL feel more hungry than someone who isn’t. Your body is new to weightlifting and is trying to build muscle, and building muscle requires a lot of calories. At 4 months post op I started serious weight training again and I was able to up my calorie intake when I was failing prior to that, I am just much hungrier working out than when I am not. At 3 months post op I was barely getting in 200 calories a day. Don’t doubt yourself, you’ve done amazing!

[AmberFL 777]

11 minutes ago, Lilia_90 said:

You’ll find your rhythm, it might take a while but you’ll begin to understand what works for you and what doesn’t. When I first started working out I was doing 2 hours of cardio a day. When I knew better I cut it to 50 minutes a day and lost more fat that way.

I would train glutes twice a week if I could but I get too sore because I don’t eat adequately to recover and for them to grow hence the once a week. If you can train glutes twice a week and rest well between the sessions (say beginning of the week and end) and eat well then go for it, nobody minds a juicy perky booty lol. Shoulders are not large muscles so I would limit it to 3 exercises a week (shoulder press, upright rows, lateral raises) and 2 bis and tris exercises as these are smaller muscles.

I didn’t meet my Protein goals for over 4 months post op. At 6 months I upped my calories to 800 and at 7.5 months (now) I’m averaging around 1000 calories a day, give or take. I have some fierce restriction so my portions are very small but I eat frequently (every 1.5-2 hours when I’m not busy or distracted). On weekends I forget to eat and can go 6 hours between meals but on weekdays I try to stay consistent and eat every 1.5-2 hours.

It’s very unlikely that you’ve messed up your sleeve, you’re losing weight and keeping active so it sounds you’re doing it just right. You might be surprised to find out that you might need to eat much more (1800-2000 calories) to maintain your weight! My brother was sleeved 3 years ago and to maintain his weight (mind you he’s really slim) he’s eating around 3000 calories and he’s not active lol. Not saying you should jump to 1800 calories overnight but maybe gradually start increasing your calories until you hit the sweet spot and your weight stabilizes. Track everything and keep a food journal and note down your weight changes (loss, gain, maintenance). Remember you are very active and you WILL feel more hungry than someone who isn’t. Your body is new to weightlifting and is trying to build muscle, and building muscle requires a lot of calories. At 4 months post op I started serious weight training again and I was able to up my calorie intake when I was failing prior to that, I am just much hungrier working out than when I am not. At 3 months post op I was barely getting in 200 calories a day. Don’t doubt yourself, you’ve done amazing!

Thank you for saying that! I worry that I eat too much, I too, eat every 1.5-2hrs small meals and my days are long. I also feel like all I do is think about food, and think about my next work out instead of enjoying what I look like. I think its become an unhealthy obsession.

My cravings for sweets are coming back full force. Last night I ended up drinking a zero sugar Nestle hot chocolate 2tb for 25 cal with unsweetened almond milk and hot Water so iI would refrain from eating Ben & Jerrys ice cream that's in the freezer. I have found myself with a TBL measuring spoon eating 1 or 2 different flavors. Then I freak out and weigh myself. Or the kids are eating M&M's ill grab 1 or 2.

My restriction is not fierce even though I wish it was! I have only overate 1x and I haven't felt that feeling again and never want to, which is why I stick to small meals. No more than 3-4oz total.

I was at 1000 cal for a couple of months it wasn't till recently I creeped up to 1300 but my body seems to be happier here. Last couple of days I have been eating 1450-1500 and still lost a lb. I do track everything even my little bites, licks and tastes but ya know they aren't super accurate.

*sigh* I am an overthinker and this is not the first time I have lost 100lbs (did it with Weight Watchers in my 20's before having kids) and I gained my weight back after a year so I can't get out of my own head.

[Lilia_90 460]

8 hours ago, AmberFL said:

Thank you for saying that! I worry that I eat too much, I too, eat every 1.5-2hrs small meals and my days are long. I also feel like all I do is think about food, and think about my next work out instead of enjoying what I look like. I think its become an unhealthy obsession.

My cravings for sweets are coming back full force. Last night I ended up drinking a zero sugar Nestle hot chocolate 2tb for 25 cal with unsweetened almond milk and hot Water so iI would refrain from eating Ben & Jerrys ice cream that's in the freezer. I have found myself with a TBL measuring spoon eating 1 or 2 different flavors. Then I freak out and weigh myself. Or the kids are eating M&M's ill grab 1 or 2.

My restriction is not fierce even though I wish it was! I have only overate 1x and I haven't felt that feeling again and never want to, which is why I stick to small meals. No more than 3-4oz total.

I was at 1000 cal for a couple of months it wasn't till recently I creeped up to 1300 but my body seems to be happier here. Last couple of days I have been eating 1450-1500 and still lost a lb. I do track everything even my little bites, licks and tastes but ya know they aren't super accurate.

*sigh* I am an overthinker and this is not the first time I have lost 100lbs (did it with Weight Watchers in my 20's before having kids) and I gained my weight back after a year so I can't get out of my own head.

I am an overthinker too, so I totally get what you're saying and feeling.

A few thing I've learned in this very short journey:

1. Your body will tell you when its done losing weight, don't fight it and don't work extra hard to lose either, follow your plan and whatever weight you lose you lose. If you work extra hard to shed pounds then it's not a sustainable plan for you and you will have to work extremely hard to maintain that loss, you want your lifestyle to be sustainable for you, some people understand that they can't cut out carbs and fat completely and they know the trade off would be a slightly higher stabilized weight and they are comfortable with that. Evaluate your priorities and lifestyle and what you can comfortably maintain. Also, if your body is not done losing weight, don't fight it, it's trying to reach its new set point.

2. If you're seriously working out, try to maintain a 250-300 calorie deficit only, this way your metabolism doesn't get affected by a whole lot and it allows you to lose fat but also perform in your workouts.

3. Balance and Moderation. I know this has been said to death but moderation is truly key. If you strongly feel like eating something, eat it in a portion that allows you to enjoy but stay on track. 100 calories from ice cream or from chicken breast are the same 100 calories, yes chicken will keep you fuller but ice cream is good for the soul lol! If you have a couple of hundred calories to spare, have something you enjoy AS LONG AS THAT'S NOT A SLIPPERY SLOPE. This is something I struggled with when I was overweight (the all or nothing mindset) but I am relearning how to eat and enjoy in smaller quantities and not eating for the sake of eating.

4. Having good habits will make up for slip ups. That means tracking, working out, being active, being mindful of portions and listening to your body (including adequate rest and sleep). If you do all that and end up eating a little more here and there, having a few bites of dessert/things that are not so good, it will absolutely not hinder your results.

It is a mindset adjustment as much as it's a physical adjustment, if you have a strong mind, your body will follow suit. Cut the guilt, comparison to others and the overthinking. You absolutely got this!

[AmberFL 777]

10 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

I am an overthinker too, so I totally get what you're saying and feeling.

A few thing I've learned in this very short journey:

1. Your body will tell you when its done losing weight, don't fight it and don't work extra hard to lose either, follow your plan and whatever weight you lose you lose. If you work extra hard to shed pounds then it's not a sustainable plan for you and you will have to work extremely hard to maintain that loss, you want your lifestyle to be sustainable for you, some people understand that they can't cut out carbs and fat completely and they know the trade off would be a slightly higher stabilized weight and they are comfortable with that. Evaluate your priorities and lifestyle and what you can comfortably maintain. Also, if your body is not done losing weight, don't fight it, it's trying to reach its new set point.

2. If you're seriously working out, try to maintain a 250-300 calorie deficit only, this way your metabolism doesn't get affected by a whole lot and it allows you to lose fat but also perform in your workouts.

3. Balance and Moderation. I know this has been said to death but moderation is truly key. If you strongly feel like eating something, eat it in a portion that allows you to enjoy but stay on track. 100 calories from ice cream or from chicken breast are the same 100 calories, yes chicken will keep you fuller but ice cream is good for the soul lol! If you have a couple of hundred calories to spare, have something you enjoy AS LONG AS THAT'S NOT A SLIPPERY SLOPE. This is something I struggled with when I was overweight (the all or nothing mindset) but I am relearning how to eat and enjoy in smaller quantities and not eating for the sake of eating.

4. Having good habits will make up for slip ups. That means tracking, working out, being active, being mindful of portions and listening to your body (including adequate rest and sleep). If you do all that and end up eating a little more here and there, having a few bites of dessert/things that are not so good, it will absolutely not hinder your results.

It is a mindset adjustment as much as it's a physical adjustment, if you have a strong mind, your body will follow suit. Cut the guilt, comparison to others and the overthinking. You absolutely got this!

I cant lie, I teared up reading this (I think I am due for my lady time so extra emotional LOL) Thank you so so so much for saying all this. You are absolutely right with everything you said. moderation is key. Following my program is key. Staying active and tracking is key. Being able to find what is sustainable for the rest of my life is key.

your right ice cream is good for the soul damn it! lol! I need to be okay with just allowing myself that treat then overthinking a couple of bites. Being strict and depriving myself is how I gained my 100lbs back after I lost in my 20's so your right, allowing myself to eat like that, not in huge portions and tracking it, then not eating like that the rest of the week and self sabotaging because I ate something bad.

I walk into my work, and they have a picture on the TV screen in the lobby, that shuffles through pics of the company, and I am in a couple of them at 300lbs. Its a daily reminder that I never ever want to be that big again. I looked so uncomfortable and unhappy.

Thank you again! ❤️

[AmberFL 777]

On 8/4/2024 at 2:47 AM, Amoebas said:

This may sound horrible but I like cooked Beans with some buckwheat flour (heat-treated), almondbutter, milk, cocoa powder and salt. It is oddly addictive and satisfying while being just simple whole foods!

is this a sweet treat?

[twinmom2015 17]

Ok. I’m two weeks out. My dr ordered diet is liquids and purée for the first four weeks. I’m so sick of broth. I’m tired of pudding. I don’t want mashed potatoes anymore. I’ve puréed green Beans but I’m over it. I tried purée meat but that is a NO GO. Any ideas on good purée things I can do for the next two weeks?

[AmberFL 777]

13 hours ago, twinmom2015 said:

Ok. I’m two weeks out. My dr ordered diet is liquids and purée for the first four weeks. I’m so sick of broth. I’m tired of pudding. I don’t want mashed potatoes anymore. I’ve puréed green Beans but I’m over it. I tried purée meat but that is a NO GO. Any ideas on good purée things I can do for the next two weeks?

Refried Beans, deviled eggs, ricotta bake, yogurt

[JennyBeez 287]

13 hours ago, twinmom2015 said:

Ok. I’m two weeks out. My dr ordered diet is liquids and purée for the first four weeks. I’m so sick of broth. I’m tired of pudding. I don’t want mashed potatoes anymore. I’ve puréed green Beans but I’m over it. I tried purée meat but that is a NO GO. Any ideas on good purée things I can do for the next two weeks?

Low fat Cottage cheese -- you can jazz it up with different savoury or sweet seasonings -- a bit of cinnamon and splenda was a favourite of mine, but so was garlic, dill and a touch of salt. (And honestly, just black pepper was great. I missed pepper.)

Refried Beans or pureed kidney beans / chick peas. (Or hummus on a lazy day). I mixed my refried beans with a bit of enchilada sauce (choose one with no added sugar). It gave deconstructed bean burrito vibes.

Pureed sweet potato instead of regular white potatoes. Again, you can make it a sweet dish with cinnamon, or turn it savoury with a bit of salt, garlic and black pepper. You can do the same with butternut squash. Add a little Water / broth to make it a smoother consistency, and throw in a scoop or two of Bone Broth powder or unflavoured Protein Powder so you're still getting that Protein in.

Have you tried any strained or pureed Soups? Particularly the cream-of-whatever soups, pureed chowders, etc. I also liked some of the protein soups at the Bariatric Pal Store enough that I still used some of them as sauces 4mo out. The BP Bacon Cheese Soup is good (but salty) and the Proti-Diet chicken soup is not quite a cream soup but not a broth either. (It's salty too. Honestly, I feel like most powdered soups are/were too salty for my tastes but watering them down a little further usually works)

[twinmom2015 17]

1 minute ago, JennyBeez said:

Low fat Cottage cheese -- you can jazz it up with different savoury or sweet seasonings -- a bit of cinnamon and splenda was a favourite of mine, but so was garlic, dill and a touch of salt. (And honestly, just black pepper was great. I missed pepper.)

Refried Beans or pureed kidney Beans / chick peas. (Or hummus on a lazy day). I mixed my refried beans with a bit of enchilada sauce (choose one with no added sugar). It gave deconstructed bean burrito vibes.

pureed sweet potato instead of regular white potatoes. Again, you can make it a sweet dish with cinnamon, or turn it savoury with a bit of salt, garlic and black pepper. You can do the same with butternut squash. Add a little Water / broth to make it a smoother consistency, and throw in a scoop or two of Bone Broth powder or unflavoured Protein Powder so you're still getting that Protein in.

Have you tried any strained or pureed Soups? Particularly the cream-of-whatever Soups, pureed chowders, etc. I also liked some of the Protein soups at the Bariatric Pal Store enough that I still used some of them as sauces 4mo out. The BP Bacon cheese Soup is good (but salty) and the Proti-Diet chicken Soup is not quite a cream soup but not a broth either. (It's salty too. Honestly, I feel like most powdered soups are/were too salty for my tastes but watering them down a little further usually works)

Unfortunately I don’t eat cottage cheese

or eggs. I haven’t tried doing refried beans yet. I haven’t done cream of whatever soups. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks!

[GoAskAlice19 12]

I don’t think food should be labeled as “good” food or “bad” food. Food is fuel and it’s okay to have a treat. If done in moderation, and not everyday this should satisfy.

[JennyBeez 287]

13 hours ago, GoAskAlice19 said:

I don’t think food should be labeled as “good” food or “bad” food. Food is fuel and it’s okay to have a treat. If done in moderation, and not everyday this should satisfy.

I agree for the most part. There are definitely some items that are bad or good for me, personally / individually -- ie. food items that trigger physical reactions (foamies, dumping, lactose intolerance, etc) or things that give me bad medical reactions (alcohol and caffeine interfering with my meds, etc). I have to label those items as 'bad' in my head to avoid slipping, and I'll tell other people they're bad for me just because it's a simple way to avoid whatever's being offered without having to get into any long conversation about my particular needs or issues, lol.

(It irritates me so much when people don't respect the simplest of boundaries. Like, if you offer me alcohol and I say 'No thanks,' shouldn't that be enough? Do I really have to explain to someone the 'why' in order to get them to stop pressuring? Ugh. I need to get better at responding with 'Why can't you take my no at face value?' etc)