who counts calories ?

[Spiky Bugger]

@Elizabeth N. @Spiky Bugger @Sheanie I am way early pre-op but wonder about counting protein, fat and carbs-- did you weigh everything in the beginning? I hated that about WE. Is that the best way at the start?

You get to know about your usual protein items...an ounce of cheese ABOUT 7g, half of a rice tortilla is ABOUT 1g, an egg is ABOUT 6-7g...ABOUT, being the operative term. So, if I melt 2oz of cheese (ABOUT 1/2cup of shredded cheese) on a half a rice tortilla and then scramble up an egg, I'm in for 25g first thing in the morning. If I feel hungry and find myself foraging, I need more protein. The protein bars I like but which have too many carbs have 15g. The little 100-calorie pack of almonds have only 3g.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Well, I first learned to weigh and measure food in second grade, so I have a pretty highly calibrated eye . But there are lots of rule-of-thumb ways to estimate what you're eating. An ounce of cheese is something like a 1-inch cube or an average deli slice. A 3-oz. serving of meat, fish or fowl is about the size of a deck of cards. A half cup of something is about what you can pick up in your hand, and a quarter cup would fit in the palm of your hand. Things like that.

 

[Sheanie]

@Barbara , I have a very accurate scale. I use it to weigh the custom venison dog food I cook for my labradear, Sadie, who is allergic to commercial dog food.

For MY food, early out, I ate mozzarella cheese sticks, Greek yogurt, and pre-portioned foods. So the label on those was my guide. BUT, you will learn to read the nutrition label differently. We WANT most of our calories to come from FAT. For instance, Greek yogurt. An excellent example of how low-fat versions are NOT what you want. Compare those low-fat labels to the full-fat versions. When you apply the "DS Math" to what you actually absorb calorie-wise, you are smarter with the full-fat version. Less calories, same protein. Once you grasp THAT concept, you're good as gold with your DS. There are still many smart people with the DS who cannot comprehend this simple detail.

One Sargento brand string cheese (full fat version) has 8 or 9 grams of protein per piece. Other brands have as low as 3-4. READ YOUR LABELS. Also, Greek Gods Greek Yogurt is strangely LOW in protein compared to other brands like Face or Chobani. I do not know why. I avoid that brand.

Early out, I wrote down my protein grams, vitamins, water, everything for each day. Until it just "clicked" in my head, and I could tally up my protein in my mind. You will do that, too, I know. Because I'm not the brightest bulb on the strand, and if **I** can do it, anyone can. I sucked at math and never went to college.

 

[Barbara]

@Barbara , I have a very accurate scale. I use it to weigh the custom venison dog food I cook for my labradear, Sadie, who is allergic to commercial dog food.

For MY food, early out, I ate mozzarella cheese sticks, Greek yogurt, and pre-portioned foods. So the label on those was my guide. BUT, you will learn to read the nutrition label differently. We WANT most of our calories to come from FAT. For instance, Greek yogurt. An excellent example of how low-fat versions are NOT what you want. Compare those low-fat labels to the full-fat versions. When you apply the "DS Math" to what you actually absorb calorie-wise, you are smarter with the full-fat version. Less calories, same protein. Once you grasp THAT concept, you're good as gold with your DS. There are still many smart people with the DS who cannot comprehend this simple detail.

One Sargento brand string cheese (full fat version) has 8 or 9 grams of protein per piece. Other brands have as low as 3-4. READ YOUR LABELS. Also, Greek Gods Greek Yogurt is strangely LOW in protein compared to other brands like Face or Chobani. I do not know why. I avoid that brand.

Early out, I wrote down my protein grams, vitamins, water, everything for each day. Until it just "clicked" in my head, and I could tally up my protein in my mind. You will do that, too, I know. Because I'm not the brightest bulb on the strand, and if **I** can do it, anyone can. I sucked at math and never went to college.

Tt

 

[Barbara]

@southernlady @Elizabeth N. @Sheanie Thank you all for responding. I appreciate the time you take to answer even the most basic questions.