December 15, 2010

BF Beginners: Fitting It All In

~~posted by Jen


No matter what stage of the journey you're in, it's always helpful for us to all share ideas and tips with each other. We're all in this thing together, and anything I personally can do to pay it forward and help the ones who come after me, I am going to do. I could never have achieved the level of success I have managed to reach and maintain it without all those who've "gone before" me and shared what they learned along the way.

While I'm addressing this post to Beginners, it's for ANYONE who needs help with this particular issue. So many times on weight-loss surgery forums, the most frequently asked question I see is "How do you fit it all in? Water, protein, vitamins? I can't do it!" That was the hardest thing for me to figure out as an early post-op RNY patient.

No drinking with meals, have to wait at least 30 minutes after a meal to drink anything. How in the world was I going to get in at least 64 ounces of water, not to mention lots of vitamin/supplement doses, AND at least 80 grams of protein a day? Then exercise on top of all that?? It's overwhelming. Almost to the point of making you want to just give up, right?

I remember it well! It seemed downright impossible to me at the time. But like our good friend Shari (Jupiter6 on OH) always says, "We can do hard things." So I wrote down my personal schedule of how I manage to get everything in during the day, and I wanted to share it with all of you.

First things first, get organized! Organization is key in making sure you meet your own needs. Make yourself and your health top priority. You HAVE to. No choice. Everything else that you've always put ahead of YOU for all these years? Now goes to second place. It will all still be there, I assure you.

If you don't make yourself and your health top priority, no one will. If your health suffers as a result, you surely won't be in any shape to help anyone else.

Multi-Day VitaCarry 8 Compartment Pill Box Holds Up To 60 PillsThe first step in getting organized? Finding a pill organizer that fits in your purse AND will hold all your daily meds. The one pictured is the one I prefer. I have 7 of them, and every Sunday afternoon I sit down and dose out my vitamins for the week. I have reminders set on my cell phone as well as on my computers both at home and at work to remind me in case I forget.

I also have a reminder set on my phone for 4 pm every day that says "How's your water and protein?" That way, if I am behind for the day, I still have time to fit everything in before bed.

Now, this is my schedule, just to give you an idea. Your vitamin dosages will vary from mine, because I am over 2 years out and have some specific deficiencies that are being addressed. Here are the ASMBS Nutritional Guidelines for RNY patients. This explains the minimum dosages needed post-op and when to begin taking them.

This is more for the purpose of helping you figure out the timing than anything else. This is my daily routine:

Jen's Daily Routine of Protein, Vitamins, and Water


I keep a 20 oz bottle of water on my nightstand and drink this throughout the night.  When I wake up in the morning (usually around 6:00 am or so) I finish off that bottle of water and take my 1st dose of vitamins.  Since I usually go to bed around 11 or 12, that's already my first 20 oz of water before the day even starts.  
Wake up:  approx 6 am, I have 10 oz water with:  Bariatric Advantage Multivitamins, Citracal Petites 600mg, VitaLady Dry D3 5,000 IU, Vitalady DryVitamin K (I am deficient in this so I have to supplement, trying to get my level back up) 1000mg, and my Protonix
1st meal is my protein shake (27-30g of protein) on the way to work from 7:30 to 8 am 
Arrive at work 8:30 am

9 am drink 20 oz water then take 1000mcg B12 sublingual, 2nd dose of Calcium & D, and 2nd dose of Vitamin K, and my B-50 complex
10 am: breakfast, usually greek yogurt or cottage cheese with some fruit & either Kashi Go Lean or Fiber one mixed in. sometimes I do eggs, but not often (15-20g protein, depending what I have)
11 am: 16-20 oz more liquid either water or a decaf coffee or iced tea, but the tannin in tea interferes with calcium absorption just like caffeine does, so I try to go easy
1 pm: Lunch, either 2 oz of lunch meat & 2 oz of cheese on an Arnold thin or tuna salad with wheat thins (25-30 g of protein)
2:30pm: 20 oz of water with 3rd dose of Calcium + D
4pm: snack, sometimes just a Muscle Milk Light (15g protein) or cheese & crackers---for early outs I would put a protein shake here at least in the first 6 months
5 pm: leave work, I either drink water or Muscle Milk Light on the way home if I didn't have it at snack time
6 pm: 4th dose of Calcium + D
So by the time I am home from work, I have already met the minimum for liquids, had all my meds except the iron, and at least 105 grams of protein.  If I have the day from hell at work (and I am in customer service, so I frequently do LOL), I can just crash when I get home and I've met my minimums for the day.  I rarely do that though, just explaining my rationale.
7:30 pm  dinner--varies depending on what I cook for my family, but minimum of 20g protein is my requirement. If I've already had at least 120 grams of protein and want just vegetables or salad, then that's what I'll have.
9 pm I take my Iron 720mg which is 81 mg ELEMENTAL iron, our min requirement daily is 52 mg elemental iron with 500 mg Vitamin C

11 pm usually a protein hot drink in the winter or a protein smoothie in the summer, now that I am dealing with the blood sugar issues I have to consume more protein with carbs just before I go to bed.

So there you have it, how I fit it all in. Hopefully this will help some of you work out your own timing schedule. If you have a tip or idea that helps with this, hit us up so we can share it with everyone! 



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