Long Termers-All Surgeries-Maintenance !!!

[Miss Tickle]

I tried to post this in the six month plus area on WLS as I'd like this to be an all surgeries discussion.
I'm coming to the point where I need to think 'maintenance'. Truth is, I have never , ever maintained my weight before and am not at all sure how to. My current calorie intake is 900-1200 cals a day. On this I lose an average .5lbs per week. If I go over 1200 a day I don't lose at all.
I know I need to increase my intake to find my level but how do I do this?
Do I eat more protein? If so do I eat more meat and chicken or is it safe to increase my soft protein such as yoghurt and cottage cheese? I'm worried these 'slider' foods might be a road to ruin !
Or do I increase my fruit and veg? It would be nice to have functioning bowels and may be that would help?
Or do I up the carbs ( eek-panic!). Can't eat read but crispbreads and potato products go down easily ( but to if I've eaten solid protein).
Or maybe I should just drink some extra milk?
Or have some sweeties every day? Or cake ?
See where I'm going with this? Straight to the dreaed regain I ear.
Bottom line- I know I'll need to up the calories, but which type of calories and by how much ?

 

[Yvessa]

I would maybe have non reduced fat versions of foods as I imagine you are already eating I restriction. On the carbs front stick with protein first.

 

[Miss Tickle]

I would maybe have non reduced fat versions of foods as I imagine you are already eating I restriction. On the carbs front stick with protein first.

See- I hadn't even thought of that ! I do wish there was some advice on this from my team, but as there isn't it's a good job you're all here !!
Thanks Yve.
xx

 

[Yvessa]

No worries hon I got most of my info from the other oldies here like shelbell and karlos.

 

[CCPM]

Its good to ask someone will always pop a long with suggestions. I found the same as you as maintenance has never been something I did. I did exactly what Yve suggested to start with but also had extra milk powder in drinks or soups. Still not really getting with it as such as I tend to regain and then get it off again but at least its within a stone at present not 23stones. It will be good to see if anyone else has some suggestions as all are greatfully received because I could do so much better and it does worry me all the time that I will regain

M

 

[Yvessa]

Do you mind if I ask whether you count calories? I'm an avid reader of the world according to eggface and I know she tracks religiously. I plan religiously, but refuse to track calories because of the headspace that takes me into - I can't handle that these days. But equally, am worried that this means I firstly won't reach goal and secondly will not be able to maintain.

 

[chrisa]

I cannot cope with counting calories Yve, it becomes an obsession, I only look at calories when I am buyin g something or fancy somethin bit different if its less than 100 per portion and low in fat n sugar then will give it a try if its still too much and I really want it just have tiniest bit and get someone else to eat the other part. x Then am sticking in a reasonable limit. I wen tout last night for a friends birthday meal, I had no starter, braised steak and onion and mushroom for main with carrots, peas n cauli n 2 chips, had a glass of water which lasted me all night, then when it was time for dessert I had a few tiny spoonfulls off my mates, we had sticky toffee pudding with icecream ooohhhhh, lush. Was fine only had tiny amounts on my spoon so had half dozen spoonfull which made ,me feel like I had joined in like everyone else. When we cam home I had a glass of rose wine to finnish off the evening. Still stayed mostly on track could ahve been soo much worse could ahve drank more and ate lot more brought half my steak home for tonights tea or hubby's if he wants it. Once over would have had all 3 courses and alcohol to wash it down, would have been battered mushrooms with garlic sauce, chicken goujons in batter with chips, then probably sticky toffee pudding to my self. When you look at it like that that is finding the balance for me. I never dumped last night so new i had not overdone it I didnt feel stuffed or that the meat was stuck so knew was all ok xx

 

[CCPM]

Almost same as Chrisa Yve. In general I like to believe after years of dieting that I have a good idea of rough calorie content and if I try anything new I will often have a check of calories. I have religiously tracked calories at some points early post -op and again that gives you a good grounding but permanently no couldn't do it. If my regain gets towards the huger end its down onto shakes for me. Never did a VLCD pre wls but now its my weapon of choice' Don't suggest it for everyone and I know I should get better at controlling my intake but at the mo it works for me

M

 

[Yvessa]

That makes me feel much better. Agree that we know enough about nutrition - we could write books!

 

[Miss Tickle]

I was tracking every mouthful on Myfitnesspal. I wouldn't eat anything unless I'd weighed it, searched it and entered it. I got to the point that I would have my plate in one hand and the lap top in the other. We were going away for two nights and I panicked because I wouldn't be able to count my calories online. At this point I realised that maybe I had become a teensy weensy bit (ahem !) obsessive ! So I stopped - and believe me it was difficult at first. Now I count calories maybe one day a week, or for a day or two if my weight is stuck for a long time. That way I know roughly what I'm having. It is very easy to under estimate how many calories we are having but also very easy ( in my case) to let the counting thing get out of control. I do make good healthy food choices 99.9% of the time, but choose to eat something not nutritionally sounbd now and agin. Today I had a small piece of birthday cake at a party. No guilt. No worries. I'm trying to live a normal life now !
I still weigh myself nearly every day though. This works for me. I accept that some days the scale will have gone up, some days gone down: mostly these days it stays the same. The difference now is that I understand that if it's gone up a pound it's a normal fluctuation in weight and I don't dive headfirst into a vat of chocolate in a fit of rage/fear/despair !