My Must Have Foods List

I think that it is important to every person's weight journey to make sure to have items on hand to eat to avoid slipping up and eating something you may regret later.

This is a list of foods I keep on hand so I can avoid grabbing something I prefer to keep out of my diet to maximize my weight loss.

Snacks:
Cheese Sticks - I buy all kinds, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack.
Pork Rinds - yes they are not "healthy" but they have no carbs and lots of crunch.
Cottage Cheese
Low Carb Yogurt - my favorite is Danon Light and Fit
Nuts - remember they are HIGH calorie. I like peanuts, cashews, and almonds the most.
Babybel Cheeses
Lowest Carb beef jerky you can find! I make my own.

Proteins:
Lunchmeat - my favorite is Kirkland Lean Ham
Chicken Breast Tenders - these are about 1-2oz per piece. I buy frozen.
Chicken Thighs - more moist than the tenders, for long cook times. I buy frozen.
Eggs
Frozen Shrimp
Protein Supplements - my favorites here: Protein Drinks

Vegetables:
Asparagus
Bell Peppers
Onion
Zucchini
Mushrooms

Grains:
Mission Low Carb Tortillas - see post here: Tortilla Showdown
Trader Joes Soy and Flax Seed Chips

Condiments:
Mustard
Mayo - I use regular, lower calorie is an option.
Kosher Dill Pickles
Yogurt based salad dressings
Skinny Cow Cheese Wedges
Peanut Butter - I use both creamy and chunky.
Sugar free jelly.

Other:
Sugar Free pudding cups or pudding mixes.
Sugar Free popsicles.

You may notice that there is one big food group missing from my list... That food group is fruit. I do not regularly eat fruits. I do have them on occasion as a dessert. A chopped up banana with some melted PB and whipped cream is one of my favorite desserts. I was taught by my bypass surgeon early on that fruits are my new desserts and I have mostly stuck to that.

I will continue to add to this list! Check back!

165 down, 20 to go

In August of 2015 I had RNY Gastric Bypass. I've lost a total of about 165lbs.

Starting in January of 2015 I begun seeing my bypass surgeon. I was given a diet plan to follow and was told to follow it for 6 months. Every month I'd had to come in to be weighed.

My starting weight was 367.5lbs.

I began walking everyday and measuring distance with my fitbit.

I started eating very low carb and keeping my calories under 1500 per day.

My normal day pre-surgery:

Breakfast-
Coffee with sugar free creamer
Protein drink with less than 10 carbs per serving and at least 20g of protein. Preferably whey isolate.

Snack-
Cheese sticks or cottage cheese or low carb yogurt or nuts

Lunch-
4oz lean protein
4-8oz of veggies
Usually some salsa or something to dip my neat in.

Or lunch meat and cheese and a veggie.

Afternoon snack-
Same variety as morning.

Dinner-
4oz lean protein
4 to 8oz veggie
Something to dip in.

Evening snack-
If I still felt hungry I'd have some fruit or some peanut butter before bed. Fruit became a dessert for me.

My doctors were very impressed at my final weigh in. I lost about half of my weight before surgery.

Watch out for future posts about my journey.