Calories

osmotar
osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I have to monitor the calories I take in , does anyone have or can recommend a good program that will allow me to do this. I have to maintain my weight and I know that thru the course of rads getting adequate nutriants, protein, and hydration is vital to my well being. The nutritionist I see recommended using beneprotein with my meals or drinks for added proteins, and I have several books on soft foods for those with swallowing difficulties.

Thanks,

Linda

Comments

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #2
    The CalorieKing
    Food and exercise Journal, 3-4 bucks on Amazon is simple and effective and is what I use. There are many online programs but I find them cumbersome. You will find that you basically eat the same stuff over and over. Try the Livingstong.com site if you want computer based.
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #3
    ratface said:

    The CalorieKing
    Food and exercise Journal, 3-4 bucks on Amazon is simple and effective and is what I use. There are many online programs but I find them cumbersome. You will find that you basically eat the same stuff over and over. Try the Livingstong.com site if you want computer based.

    Will do
    Thanks for the feedback
  • RogerRN43
    RogerRN43 Member Posts: 185
    #4
    Dietician?
    I have a Registered Dietician (maybe that's the Canadian equivalent).
    She had me trial 4 different can feeds to see which I tolerated the best, then the one I chose, she said my caloric requirements would be 4 of these cans a day, so now I know I need to at least get these cans in me by mouth or PEG at minimum, daily (TwoCalHN made by Ensure).
    My taste is almost gone, and eating is a chore so I try to eat soft, mushy foods that go down fast and easy, and then I drink these cans to supplement when I miss a meal.
    I also drink a protein shake from Costco and drinkable yogurts. My wife uses the blender and makes me shakes too. I anticipate weight loss later so I'm trying to have a higher daily caloric intake while I can.

    The 4 cans is my baseline, if I can't swallow. I'll keep sipping water and milk as long as I can.

    Did your Nutritionist give you the same sort of baseline?

    Roger
  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #5
    RogerRN43 said:

    Dietician?
    I have a Registered Dietician (maybe that's the Canadian equivalent).
    She had me trial 4 different can feeds to see which I tolerated the best, then the one I chose, she said my caloric requirements would be 4 of these cans a day, so now I know I need to at least get these cans in me by mouth or PEG at minimum, daily (TwoCalHN made by Ensure).
    My taste is almost gone, and eating is a chore so I try to eat soft, mushy foods that go down fast and easy, and then I drink these cans to supplement when I miss a meal.
    I also drink a protein shake from Costco and drinkable yogurts. My wife uses the blender and makes me shakes too. I anticipate weight loss later so I'm trying to have a higher daily caloric intake while I can.

    The 4 cans is my baseline, if I can't swallow. I'll keep sipping water and milk as long as I can.

    Did your Nutritionist give you the same sort of baseline?

    Roger

    TwoCalHN
    thanks for the tip. More calories, same price.
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #6
    RogerRN43 said:

    Dietician?
    I have a Registered Dietician (maybe that's the Canadian equivalent).
    She had me trial 4 different can feeds to see which I tolerated the best, then the one I chose, she said my caloric requirements would be 4 of these cans a day, so now I know I need to at least get these cans in me by mouth or PEG at minimum, daily (TwoCalHN made by Ensure).
    My taste is almost gone, and eating is a chore so I try to eat soft, mushy foods that go down fast and easy, and then I drink these cans to supplement when I miss a meal.
    I also drink a protein shake from Costco and drinkable yogurts. My wife uses the blender and makes me shakes too. I anticipate weight loss later so I'm trying to have a higher daily caloric intake while I can.

    The 4 cans is my baseline, if I can't swallow. I'll keep sipping water and milk as long as I can.

    Did your Nutritionist give you the same sort of baseline?

    Roger

    Nutrician
    She said I should use 3 packets a day of beneprotein made by nestle it has 25 calories and 6 grams of protein per packet, the packet said it can be used in a PEG tube when disolved in water,I bought it thru Amazon. She also wants me to eat minimum 1500-1600 calories a day. Since I have type 2 diabetis as well to drink at least 3 cans of glucerna @ 200 calories per can to suplement my diet. Then when it gets to the point solid foods can't be tolerated because of pain to make sure I have meds from the doctor to numb the throat as well as magic mouth wash should there be sores. I have been a regular user of salt and baking soda since my first chemo infusion in August and didn't have any mouth issues. To stay hydrated I drink a minimum of 3 qts of water a day. My plan is to eat and drink as much as I can regardless if it taste like cardboard :)
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #7
    osmotar said:

    Nutrician
    She said I should use 3 packets a day of beneprotein made by nestle it has 25 calories and 6 grams of protein per packet, the packet said it can be used in a PEG tube when disolved in water,I bought it thru Amazon. She also wants me to eat minimum 1500-1600 calories a day. Since I have type 2 diabetis as well to drink at least 3 cans of glucerna @ 200 calories per can to suplement my diet. Then when it gets to the point solid foods can't be tolerated because of pain to make sure I have meds from the doctor to numb the throat as well as magic mouth wash should there be sores. I have been a regular user of salt and baking soda since my first chemo infusion in August and didn't have any mouth issues. To stay hydrated I drink a minimum of 3 qts of water a day. My plan is to eat and drink as much as I can regardless if it taste like cardboard :)

    Linda
    There is one on the superthread. My pyramid tracker. You can enter the food you eat and it will track calories and all nutrients and you can see what you are getting enough of and what you are lacking.

    It's in the HNC Superthread under:

    NUTRITION / HEALTHY EATING / LIQUID NUTRITION TIPS:
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    TRACKING CALORIES AND NUTRIENTS WITH MY PYRAMID TRACKER


    I also had a nutritionist. I needed way more calories than 1600. I was taking in at least 2,000 most times 2400. I was very surprised I needed that many, but I guess with my body under such duress, it needed it.
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #8
    sweetblood22 said:

    Linda
    There is one on the superthread. My pyramid tracker. You can enter the food you eat and it will track calories and all nutrients and you can see what you are getting enough of and what you are lacking.

    It's in the HNC Superthread under:

    NUTRITION / HEALTHY EATING / LIQUID NUTRITION TIPS:
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    TRACKING CALORIES AND NUTRIENTS WITH MY PYRAMID TRACKER


    I also had a nutritionist. I needed way more calories than 1600. I was taking in at least 2,000 most times 2400. I was very surprised I needed that many, but I guess with my body under such duress, it needed it.

    thanks
    I'll look at that then ....that was a lot of calories for you. I think mine is to maintain my current weight.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #9
    osmotar said:

    thanks
    I'll look at that then ....that was a lot of calories for you. I think mine is to maintain my current weight.

    That is exactly my point.
    That is exactly my point. That WAS only to maintain my weight during treatment. I was only three pounds less right after I finished radiation than when I started. (I got very ill after radiation and then I lost all the weight.)
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #10
    Calorie Count
    I had been using Calorie Count (http://caloriecount.about.com/) to count my own calories (when I was trying to lose weight). I like it because it gives you both brief and detailed reports on your daily intake of calories - you can view the %carbs/protein/fat or get into specific nutrients. When Doug was able to eat again (after almost a month of minimal eating and having lost 40 lbs) I used it to track certain minerals, as part of the protocol to avoid refeeding syndrome. We ramped up from 200 calories per day to about 2200 per day over about 3 weeks - having the charts and such to look at helped a lot, as it gave us a sense of accomplishment to see the improvement.

    I like the Livestrong one mentioned also, but haven't used it much - I don't know if it has the recipe analysis program that Calorie Count has (you type in a recipe - it sometimes takes a bit of searching to get it to recognize all of your ingredients, but it's getting better) and it comes back with a per serving analysis of calories, vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc.

    They even have Boost Plus and Jevity in their database. . .
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #11
    Calories
    I eat like a hog but still don’t gain any weight, yesterday I did step on the scale and it read 160.7lbs but that was before I went to the bathroom, did not want to weight myself afterword

    Thanks
    Hondo
  • robinleigh
    robinleigh Member Posts: 297
    #12
    Hondo said:

    Calories
    I eat like a hog but still don’t gain any weight, yesterday I did step on the scale and it read 160.7lbs but that was before I went to the bathroom, did not want to weight myself afterword

    Thanks
    Hondo

    calories
    Caloric specifics are hard to determine when going through surgery, radiation, and chemo. The body uses way more than normal. We started with the amount recommended by nutritionist and adjusted accordingly if Andy was continuing to lose weight. Depending on how much he can eat orally, his cans of food have varied from 4 to 7. Now that he is 5 months out from radiation, he doesn't need as many cans.
    FYI...We were told by the dietitian that he needed 76 grams of protein/day. Evidently, it's really important to get protein for rebuilding muscle.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #13
    Hondo said:

    Calories
    I eat like a hog but still don’t gain any weight, yesterday I did step on the scale and it read 160.7lbs but that was before I went to the bathroom, did not want to weight myself afterword

    Thanks
    Hondo

    Calories
    Still eating and not gaining, step on the scale today 154.5, where did 6lbs go so fast did I sleep them off

    Hondo
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #14
    ratface said:

    The CalorieKing
    Food and exercise Journal, 3-4 bucks on Amazon is simple and effective and is what I use. There are many online programs but I find them cumbersome. You will find that you basically eat the same stuff over and over. Try the Livingstong.com site if you want computer based.

    Ratface ~ Tractor
    I like the tractor Splinter....

    My uncle use to have one when I was growing up that looked similar.

    An old Ford 8N I believe...

    John

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