What's on the menu today RNYer's

Hi everyone!  I know Anny was traveling back from her uncle's memorial so thanks for starting the post, Bubles.  Karen - feel better!  I had a SUPER sore throat a few days ago but it hasn't turned into a massive cold thank god.  I am drinking airborne each day, and I have taken Sudafed when I am stuffed up.

DodgerGirl, good question about our plans to tackle Thanksgiving!  I had "Friendsgiving" on Saturday and had some higher carb things in my meal.  Plus grazing after the meal.  But I went to the gym for 2 hours earlier that day so that even though my calories and carbs were high, I was supposedly still at a negative net.  I did another 2 hour workout yesterday.  My plan is to go to the gym every single day this week, and eat some stuffing and things on Thanksgiving.  Luckily my mom is super supportive and we have already planned our other meals (salmon, chicken sausage, shrimp) so I won't have any problem eating on plan other than Thanksgiving Day.

Patty, I have a transfer addiction to shopping too.  Seriously.  I went yesterday and I just actually popped out to DSW over lunch to buy shoes to go with the sassy jumpsuit I bought yesterday for a holiday party and bought 2 more pairs of boots in addition to the shoes I needed.  WTF.  I just feel like I look cute so I want to shop...

My menu today is good.  I like all of the choices and it's low carb.  I tried Quest protein chips for the first time (sour cream and onion flavor).  NOT very good - alone they taste a little like whey protein BUT I put tuna on them and it was a great crunchy addition - plus 21 g protein in one bag.  I won't buy them again but they're not terrible.

Time Since Surgery: 11 months 1 week

B: Chike

S: Strawberry cheesecake Light and Fit greek yogurt with chia seeds and almonds

L: 1/2 bag of Quest protein potato chips and 3 oz of tuna and onion and light mayo

S2: Either some more tuna or 2 oz of lump crab meat with a tbsp of light whipped cream cheese, maybe on some Quest Protein chips

D: Going out, and there is an option to order the fish of the day with two sides - I can get brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes and take at least half home for tomorrow

E: I did an hour on the Arc Trainer and was sweaty enough to believe in the supposed calorie burn of 700+ calories

Totals are maybe gonna be around 1,200 calories, 100 g protein, 60 g carbs

Hope you all have a good day! Em

Hey Em,

I set up a meeting at a new gym today and I'm seriously praying it has an Arc Trainer...I am always so impressed with your calorie burns and workouts on that thing.  Sounds like you have a solid plan in place for the week, I need to come up with a better plan.

AZPatty & Karen, those are great tips as well (Patty your Thanksgiving day menu adjustments sound awesome).  My fear isn't so much Thanksgiving day (I LOVE turkey and would be perfectly happy to eat nothing other than a plate of turkey...I don't like dressing or gravy, I know I'm weird that way, it's the rest of the week that has me worried).  My family goes up north to spend the week with some aunts, uncles and cousins.  We live out of a hotel room and my family does not make great food choices.  It's like a free for all whenever we get together.  I'm planning on bringing string cheese and lots of greek yogurt and then hopefully snagging some turkey to put in my hotel room, but I know temptation will be all around me.  We are gone Wed through Sunday, so that's a ton of days in a row where it's all about the food (with my family at least).  I hoping to get some nice hikes in and to try and get others to join me, but this will be a first and I'm not sure what the level of support will look like.  My fingers are crossed, but I think stocking my room with good choices is the way to go!  I'm also going to bring some Pinterest workouts I saw that are no equipment required.  I figure if I do those first thing in the morning, then hopefully I'll be setting up my day for success :)

I love love love the Arc Trainer.  It's by Cybex.  I always put the incline to 10 (the top incline) and the resistance to 30 (on a scale of 1-100).  If you don't modify the incline and resistance then it's basically like you are swinging your arms and legs like on an elliptical and the calorie burn is way lower.  

It sounds like there are some challenges ahead - I would totally recommend moving, moving, moving.  Hanging out in a hotel room makes me feel snacky, and if I can go hike or walk for a few hours it gets me away from the food :)

I have been doing a ton of lunges, squats, rows, push-ups and other stuff that just requires body weight in my classes and I FEEL it - so I bet your Pinterest workouts will be awesome.

I will be crossing my fingers that all of us continue to (try to) create healthy relationships with food and do well this week!  What helps me is that if I eat the way I am supposed to (dense protein) I get full fast.  It's not like before surgery where I could have a free for all.  I could probably free for all on popcorn and chips and cookies but luckily if I can just reign it in and eat some turkey, I am too full for anything else.  Such a blessing!

Thanks for the tips on the Cybex, I am seriously so excited to try it out (assuming they have one).

You're totally right, if I stick to protein first, I get so full and food losses its interest fast.  It's when I graze on all the chips and dips that I get myself into trouble.  I was just looking up recipes since I'm in charge of an appetizer and found some blue cheese sausage meatballs that have great protein #'s and sound delicious.  One or two of those and I should be able to resist the other crap, and I'm thinking I'll also make a few extra to keep in my room and bring out to snack on when necessary :)

Dodgergirl,does the hotel have a workout room? I love to stay in hotels now and try out new fitness equipment. Its something different from what I have at home at least!

Hey Karen,

I'm not sure what the workout room situation is.  I'm going to bring my tennis shoes and it would be great if they had something so I could wake up and get a workout in first thing.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!  I think if I have the discipline to get up and workout, that will set up my whole day and I'll be way more prone to good decisions!

I always call and ask about the fitness facility and also request a fridge in my room :)

Also, I have found that nearby gyms will let you buy a 3 day pass, for example.  I am doing a free 5-day trial at a gym near my parents in Charlotte this week.  Including a Body Pump class on Wednesday morning :)

ooh!  Great tip!  I know what I'll be doing for the rest of the morning at work...lol!  Gym stalking :)

I am still on purees and shakes at 3 weeks out today. 

Early AM- muscle milk sugar free 100 cal

breakfast: 100 cal lemon Greek yogurt

lunch: 3tbsp refried beans with seasoning

 Was told to do another protein shake afternoon

dinner: no clue. Maybe ricotta  with salt and pepper?

i have such a limited palette right now. 

Ex- about 1 hour eelliptical I have another week on limited purees

Good morning all, thanks so much for starting today's thread. As Em mentioned I traveled back from WV yesterday and was a bit of a mess this morning and just didn't get to the thread 

My Uncle's memorial was a wonderful tribute and we had some wonderful family time together. Unfortunately, it also involved a LOT of emotional/stress eating and it showed me once again that my pre-op "food issues" are back with a vengeance and I need to get some professional help in tackling them. 

I am looking forward to some more family time at Thanksgiving, including my Aunt coming up from WV. Snow is in the forecast here and at my parents' for Wednesday so I've changed my travel plans and will go there tomorrow evening after work.

My menu is a bit of a mess today as I couldn't really focus on getting anything complicated together. 

Time since surgery: 8 months

B: Loaded greek yogurt

S: coffee with cream, apples and PB

L: Quest bar and sweetened ricotta

S: homemade trail mix and another coffee with cream to get me through ESL tutoring

D: another Quest bar...

S: Skinnypop and Dole Dipper

TOTALS: Calories 1198, Protein 74, Carbs 112 (eeeek, so high), Fat 66

V/W: started

E: nada, I guess this will be a "rest" day because I'm exhausted and busy

Here's to better days...