today's food diary

Here's today's food diary. It says I earned 398 calories from exercise. Seems a bit excessive. I have it synced with the Fitbit app, so I think that's why it's in there. I worked out this morning, but I doubt I earned that many calories. My goal is 1,200 a day, whether I exercise or not. I don't want to get used to adding extra calories, because that will slow down the weight loss. It also keeps changing my nutrient goals. My protein goal is about 105-110 grams a day, not 140 grams.

Anyway, I didn't do too bad today. I could have done without the egg muffins. The only reason I ate them was because I baked them tonight. I wasn't even hungry. I went to the movies and didn't get popcorn, which is unusual for me. I brought my bottle of Crystal Light and a Kashi granola bar.

today's food diary

I'm back to logging my food intake.  In order to make myself more accountable, I figured I'd post a screen shot of my food diary for today. I was on target with my protein, so I'm happy about that. Sodium is really high, but that's because of the stew I made.  It had kielbasa, which is salty. I also had pork rinds, also high in sodium.  It doesn't look like much, but I drank lots of water in between, which kept me from being hungry. Head hunger is another story, though. I had a good measure of that today and I hate it. I think that's really the hardest part of maintaining my weight.  Tomorrow should be easier.

wasabi goat cheese: ideas please!

I bought a log of wasbi flavored goat cheese awhile back, and it's been haunting my fridge ever since.  I haven't been able to figure out what I should use it for--I haven't Googled it like I normally would.  I was thinking I could make a batch of crustless quiche, but that's too predictable.  I'm thinking I want something different.  Maybe a dip or something.  Anyone have any ideas? 

time for the next party (and brownies!)

I'm preparing for another party at my house.  This time it's the family picnic so it's a bit more relaxed.  I don't have to be a maniac about cleaning the house.  Although, to be fair, it's all just maintenance since I cleaned the house top to bottom for the anniversary party.  My house is usually fairly clean, but with having my washer and dryer in the family room now, there's usually a lot of clean clothes there that haven't made it to the bedroom yet.  And I have 10 cats, so they can always be counted on to puke up a hairball on the rug (never on the kitchen floor!) or leave their fur all over the place, especially the Persian.  The hardest thing I have to do tonight, which is actually easy and quick, is to shampoo the dining room rug.  Cuz, you know, 10 cats....

I like to do as much ahead of time as possible.  For example, I made the macaroni for the macaroni salad already. I tossed it with a little olive oil and put it in the fridge.  I'm hoping that will help it to not absorb so much mayo.  (That's annoying, isn't it?  You make the macaroni salad and you go to pull it out of the fridge and it's dry.  Almost all the mayo is absorbed.  So then you have to add more, which dilutes the seasoning.)  Last night I cut up all the cheese for the cheese and cracker platter.  If I had the veggies, the veggie platter would be ready to go by now.  I made the brownies already and they're in the freezer, ready to be thawed and cut. 

Tonight I'll do my last-minute cleaning before my cousin arrives tomorrow.  Friday I'll do the yard work and finish the shopping. Then I have to thaw the chicken, hot dogs, and burgers.  (Can't forget this!!  I almost forget to thaw the burgers for the anniversary party.)  Then Saturday morning I'll grill the chicken and finish it in the oven (my sister's awesome idea!), do the last-minute vacuuming (because 10 furry cats!), and set up. 

By the way, here's my awesome brownie recipe, which is actually from King Arthur Flour.  They're not very sweet and they're more on the chewy side. This is really the best recipe I've found and it's the only one I use.  It never fails me.  I've tried others, but they're just not the same.  You'll see the weights listed, as well as volume measures.  I've found this is really useful.  It's more accurate than volume measuring (cups).  Plus, it's a pain in the ass to measure cocoa powder with a cup; it gets all over the place no matter how careful you are.  Oh, and these brownies freeze really well.  And taste great microwaved and topped with ice cream.

A note about these brownies for post-ops:  Be careful if you decide to eat these - they're loaded with sugar.  I have to limit myself to just a couple bites.  Otherwise, I feel sick. (10g of sugar at one time seems to be my limit.)  Try a bite and see how you feel.  Then maybe another bite if you feel OK.

King Arthur Flour's Ultimate Chewy Brownies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
2 cups (14 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; for enhanced chocolate flavor
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Spread the batter in a greased 9" x 9" pan.
3. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with some moist crumbs clinging to it, but doesn't show any trace of raw batter.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and cool the brownies before cutting and serving.

King Arthur Flour's Ultimate Chewy Brownies

food diary: 05/06/15

Although I went over my calorie allotment yesterday, I'll call it a good day:  I ate only half a bagel for breakfast. 

Bagels are my kryptonite. They were a huge problem for me pre-op and are still very hard for me to ignore.  It was easy for the first 10 months post-op, but then I tried a bite one day (at my old job that I hated; bagel=comfort) and that got me wanting bagels again.  I don't usually buy them, although once in a great while I will buy one and treat myself.  I know, I'm not supposed to eat this stuff as a gastric bypass patient, but I figure once in a great while is OK.  I'm not militant about life post-op.  Some people are and that works for them, but it doesn't work for me.  It just sets me up for failure and then the ensuing guilt; it turns in to a nasty, negative cycle.  So, yes, I give in once in awhile.

Another reason I'll call it a good day is that while I ate fast food for dinner, I didn't go overboard.  We visited a sick relative in the hospital last night.  Between having to drive there after work, visit, and drive back in a ton of traffic, we didn't get home until after 10 pm. So, Wendy's was the fast, convenient choice last night.  I got some chicken nuggets and had a few fries.  Blech.  Their chicken nuggets aren't great, which I guess explains why they're only $1.69.  And their fries aren't as good as they used to be.  But it filled the void.

I also got some exercise.  I've started walking around the outside of my building at work.  It's a half mile around so I go around twice.  It's only 20 minutes out of my day, I walk a mile, and I get to enjoy the weather - and I get a break from work!

Foods	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Cholest	Sodium	Sugars	Fiber
Breakfast
Panera - Sesame Seed Bagel, 0.5 bagel	155	30g	2g	5g	0mg	230mg	2g	1g
Panera - Light Plain Cream Cheese, 1 ounce	65	1g	6g	3g	18mg	115mg	1g	1g
Generic - Raw Pinapple Chunks, 1/4 cup chunks	41	22g	2g	1g	0mg	2mg	16g	2g
Lunch
Russer - Ham Off the Bone, 2.75 OZ	124	4g	6g	14g	41mg	81mg	4g	0g
Gulden's - Spicy Brown Mustard, 1 tsp.	5	0g	0g	0g	0mg	50mg	0g	0g
Boarshead - Domestic Swiss Cheese, 1 oz	110	0g	8g	8g	0mg	0mg	0g	0g
Strawberries - Raw, 2 oz(s)	18	4g	0g	0g	0mg	1mg	3g	1g
Dinner
Wendy's - 6-piece Chicken Nuggets, 6 nuggets (90g)	270	14g	18g	14g	45mg	520mg	0g	1g
Wendy's - Kids' French Fries, 0.5 container	110	14g	6g	2g	0mg	120mg	0g	2g
Snacks
Any Fresh - Celery (Raw), 3 oz (29g)	45	12g	0g	3g	0mg	225mg	0g	6g
Tribe - Hummus-roasted Garlic, 56 g	120	12g	7g	2g	0mg	280mg	0g	2g
Reese's - Peanut Butter Cups Miniature, 1 pieces (44 g) (10g ea)	44	5g	3g	1g	1mg	26mg	5g	0g
Butter - Salted, 1 tbsp	102	0g	12g	0g	31mg	82mg	0g	0g
Jiffy - Corn Muffin, Prepared, 1 muffin	170	27g	5g	2g	5mg	340mg	7g	1g
TOTAL:	1,379	145g	75g	55g	141mg	2,072mg	38g	17g

Exercises	Calories	Minutes	Sets	Reps	Weight
Cardiovascular
Walking, 2.0 mph, slow pace	120	30
TOTALS:	120	30	0	0	0

food diary: 04/07/15

Here's yesterday's log.  It was easier to resist popping bits of food into my mouth while making dinner, lunch, and prepping other food; it was a good day.  As a reward, the scale has gone down a pound today!!

Foods	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Cholest	Sodium	Sugars	Fiber
Breakfast
Dannon - Greek Light and Fit Blueberry Yogurt (150g), 1 container (150g)	80	9g	0g	12g	10mg	45mg	7g	0g
Lunch
4 oz Chicken Breast - Chicken Breast - Grilled, 3.75 oz	140	0g	3g	23g	61mg	38mg	0g	0g
Eggs - Hard-boiled (whole egg), 1 large	78	1g	5g	6g	212mg	62mg	1g	0g
Dinner
Joseph's Flax Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Pita Bread - Pita Pocket, 1 pita (28.3g/1.oz.	60	8g	2g	6g	0mg	300mg	0g	4g
Contadina - Pizza Sauce (Squeeze Bottle), 1/8 cup (63g)	15	3g	0g	1g	0mg	170mg	2g	1g
Sargento - Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese, 2 oz	180	2g	14g	12g	40mg	420mg	2g	0g
Pepperoni Original - Pepperoni Original, 0.13 oz.	16	0g	2g	1g	3mg	61mg	0g	0g
Snacks
Cedar's - Original Hummus [gl], 4 TBS (14 g)	120	10g	6g	4g	0mg	208mg	4g	2g
Any Fresh - Celery (Raw), 2.5 oz (29g)	38	10g	0g	3g	0mg	188mg	0g	5g
Pure Protein High Protein Bar - Greek Yogurt Style Coating Blueberry, 1 bar (50g)	190	19g	5g	20g	15mg	115mg	4g	2g
Mission - Chicharrones (Pork Rinds) - Plain, 3/4 oz. (14g)	120	0g	8g	14g	30mg	405mg	0g	0g
Crystal Farms - Pepper Jack Cheese, 0.13 ounce	14	0g	1g	1g	3mg	26mg	0g	0g
TOTAL:	1,051	62g	46g	103g	374mg	2,038mg	20g	14g

food diary: 04/06/15

Here's a picture of my day yesterday. I'm using My Fitness Pal to track my food. I'm aiming for 1,100 calories per day and at least 80g of protein.  I went over my calorie allowance yesterday, but I'm OK with that since I just recently started tracking again.  In just a few days, I've realized that it's really important to track my food.  Actually, anyone looking to lose weight should track it, especially a post-op; you just don't know how much you're eating unless you write it down.  It's so easy to say, "I know what I'm supposed to eat and how much. I know what a portion looks like. My new, smaller stomach will tell me when I've had enough."  We think we know what we're eating and how much, but we often underestimate and end up eat a lot more calories without realizing it.  I had no idea how much adding peanuts to my morning yogurt was affecting my calorie intake.  I thought I was adding an ounce, 160 calories, but once I started measuring I quickly realized I was adding AT LEAST two ounces, or 320 calories (!), to an 80 calorie yogurt!  Not to mention all those times I pop a piece of cheese in my mouth while I'm preparing my lunch or cutting up the cheese blocks.  Big eye opener!

Note:  Some food descriptions might look a little weird.  I'm using whatever the program gives me, rather than creating custom foods.

April 6, 2015

Foods	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Cholest	Sodium	Sugars	Fiber
Breakfast
Dannon - Greek Light and Fit Blueberry Yogurt (150g), 1 container (150g)	80	9g	0g	12g	10mg	45mg	7g	0g
Lunch
Eggs - Hard-boiled (whole egg), 2 large	155	1g	11g	13g	424mg	124mg	1g	0g
Crystal Farms - Pepperjack Cheese, 1 oz	110	1g	9g	6g	30mg	200mg	0g	0g
Dinner
Generic - Chicken Breast, Grilled - Homemade, 3 oz	138	0g	3g	27g	72mg	63mg	0g	0g
Green Beens - Cut Green Beans, 1 ounce	5	1g	0g	0g	0mg	4mg	0g	0g
Crystal Farms - Pepperjack Cheese, 1 oz	110	1g	9g	6g	30mg	200mg	0g	0g
Snacks
Any Fresh - Celery (Raw), 2.5 oz (29g)	38	10g	0g	3g	0mg	188mg	0g	5g
Cedar's - Original Hummus [gl], 4 TBS (14 g)	120	10g	6g	4g	0mg	208mg	4g	2g
Eas - 100% Whey Protein (Vanilla), 2 Scoops (36g)	150	7g	2g	26g	80mg	150mg	2g	0g
Fairlife - Skim Milk, 1 cup Cooked	80	6g	0g	13g	5mg	120mg	6g	0g
Mission - Chicharrones (Pork Rinds) - Plain, 1/2 oz. (14g)	80	0g	5g	9g	20mg	270mg	0g	0g
Giant - Garlick Bread Stick, 1 stick	150	21g	4g	3g	0mg	280mg	3g	1g
TOTAL:	1,216	67g	49g	122g	671mg	1,852mg	23g	8g