Need suggestions on consuming calories

Cronniss

Hello all!

Sorry I've been quiet lately. I've been getting ready to go back to school. I start college once again (at the age of 44, turning 45) this coming Monday! Yay!

The thing is, because of this change I'm going to become a lot more active than I am now. Which is a good thing! But here's my problem....at the moment, I can still only handle about a half-cup of food. And I'm almost a year out from my surgery!

I'm already in my weight range. When I weighed myself last I was 217 lbs., and my doctor wanted me between 225 and 200 lbs. (And I've more than likely lost even more weight since then. So I'm probably closer to 215 lbs now. I need to weigh myself again; which I will be doing tomorrow.)

I've already adjusted my settings on MFP to maintain my weight. But not only am I going to be walking more (around campus), I'm going to be walking an additional 1.5+ miles each weekday on top of what I do on campus. I can't drive, so I have to take the bus. My bus stop is about 3/4 of a mile away from my house. A nice walk....but that means more calories that I have to replace.

So, with my Calorie Goal (now) currently set to 2410....any suggestions on how I'm going to pack in the extra food? This is almost a 500 calorie increase. I was having a difficult enough time eating enough through the day and making sure I had enough water. But now....

(Quote from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams.)

Cronniss

I should also note that I am still not eating flours or grains. They sit like a lump in my stomach when I do. They don't hurt....they're still just really uncomfortable.

I tend to eat a lot of fruits & nuts, as well as meats. But I can also handle dairy, sugars and fats. (But everything in moderation, of course.)

garber6th

I would suggest some calorically dense proteins that aren't high volume, like cheese, nuts, peanut butter etc., you can eat them on their own or add them to other foods without making the servings huge. Some protein bars are calorically dense as well. I also eat bacon. I am so thankful it agrees with me post surgery :-)

blairmundy

Sunflower seeds, a small amount of dark chocolate, add a protein shake if you can. I still can't eat much either and these are the things that are bang-for-the-buck calorie-wise. Go easy on the chocolate, but if it is dark (65%+) it will have some good nutrients and health benefits.

anbrdr

That daily calorie amount sounds really high. Have you talked to your nutritionist about their recommended daily level. I'm not a big fan of eating back exercised calories, and was advised against it by my NUT.

ki4eld

Try adding calories to what you already eat instead of adding a lot of additional food. Do you drink protein shakes? Use a higher fat milk. Raw veggies? Add a dip. Eat a fattier cut of meat or just a glass of juice. I can think of a lot of ways to add calories!

Oh and congrats on being so close to your goal! Well done!

overit75

Congratulations on going back to school and getting into your weight range! I don't have much advice for you on eating because you are way ahead of me on the WLS journey (I am 3 weeks out) but I too am going back to school Monday and I will be 40 in November

Wonderwomanvik

anbrdr wrote: »

That daily calorie amount sounds really high. Have you talked to your nutritionist about their recommended daily level. I'm not a big fan of eating back exercised calories, and was advised against it by my NUT.

I agree. I never eat my calories from exercise. I also agree that the calorie intake amount seems high. Is this what your nut gave you as a recommendation?

rpyle111

As I move into maintenance, I have changed my thoughts about eating back exercise calories. I still think it is better to not eat them back as a rule of thumb, but if I have a high exercise day, i am more likely to eat more if hungry. Also, if I start seeing the scale go down, and am at a higher level of activity, I might add a hundred calories to my target if my exercise has become more of a regular thing.

My main issues now are 1) get back into the logging habit, 2) get back into the exercise habit, and 3) stop injuring myself!

For adding calories, look to healthy fats and proteins: nuts, avocados, nut butters, etc.

Rob

Cronniss

Thank you for all of the replies! I appreciate the information.

As far as eating back the calories, I have been...and I still have been loosing weight faster than MFP has projected. I've been following all of the guidelines that I've been given, but I don't have another appointment until next month. (I should give them a call....but now I'm getting busy with school, so I'll have to find the time.)

When I went in for my first follow-up appointment after my surgery, one week after, I was told that the average weight loss amount in the first month was 20 lbs. In that first week I lost 26 lbs. So since the surgery, loosing weight has definitely not been a problem....which is why I'm a little concerned about maintaining my weight at this point wiht my upcoming increased activity.

anbrdr

Send them an email, that way you can do it in your free time. the surgical team is there for your long-term success, if they are worth their salt.