Having trouble transitioning into maintenance

[MacMadame 81]

Dr. C likes to see people lose 50% of their excess weight by 3 months out and 80% by 6 months. He thinks that the patients who do this have a higher success rate overall. By 6 months out, we are able to eat a lot more and hunger starts returning for a lot of people. Weight loss slows down. Some people never get those last 10-20 lb. off. The more you get off during the first 6 months, the better set up you are for the next phase.

I found these goals to be doable, but aggressive and a bit stressful on the one hand, but, on the other, by striving towards them, I really did maximize the "honeymoon period" and I lost a lot more weight than I thought I could. I *never* thought I'd get under 120 or be a size 0-2! My original goal weight was 145 lb. and my eventual goal ended up being a "normal BMI".

When it comes to listening to your doctor, my approach is that the doctor is the expert on medical matters, but I'm the expert on me. So, if he tells me something that I know just isn't going to work for me -- like doing a form of exercise that I hate -- I'm not just going to just blindly do what he says. OTOH, if he says "X% of my patients who get to goal eat a high Protein diet and lose the weight faster than those that don't", I'm going to listen to that and follow it the best I can. Because that's the kind of info I am hiring him to provide me.

In the end, I think you have to be open to doing things out of your comfort zone. When I lost weight before, I was able to do it on 1200 calories a day and exercising moderately 1-2x a week for 30-40 min. There is no way I would be able to lose 50% of my excess weight in 3 months doing that and, to some extent, I'm not sure I could have gotten to goal doing that. I'm older now, for one thing, and my metabolism is slower.

But I could keep my calories under 800 and I could exercise 4-5x a week for 45 min. and I did. My weight loss picked up and, as a result of needing more variety in my exercise routine, I discovered triathlons ... a new hobby that burns thousands of calories a week!

But it wouldn't have happened if I was content with a slow weight loss. It happened because I was discontent. :thumbup:

[Bob_350lbs 105]

True, thanks for the support...the air in my balloon deflated a little that day. My sister also says just keep doing what your doing. Today, I did 60 min on the treadmill though~yay! my favorite little "snackies" are the medifast cheese puffs, 11 gms Protein, but 14 gms of carbs. But I am still under 700 calories per day..the body does what it wants to do, I am beginning to feel. When it is ready, it will let go of the fat.

[thinoneday 445]

I can't help you, but, WOW! I can't wait to be in your shoes!

ME TOO!!!!!!! I totally can't wait to be in your shoes! Finally to be called Twiggy instead of Fatso! Wow, that is a dream come true. . . :001_unsure:

[thinoneday 445]

I wish I had that switch in my brain to flip! I hate exercising and really procrastinate doing it. The thing is, once I am there I feel so much better that I wonder why I tried to come up with excuses not to do it. But, I just really have to force myself.

Susan, I too hate exercise, and that's ALL exercises, not just the odd one. . I curse that dreaded word, I'd rather have a root canal! But I go every day to walk the retched treadmill and cuss it continuously for the whole 45 minutes! I go at 3.1 mph, break out in a horrific sweat but keep going (cussing of course:cursing:) then off to the stationary bike for 15 more minutes doing random hills at level 9 :001_unsure:. . . then its off and home I go :confused1: as fast as I only can only to repeat the same damn thing again the next day. . . I've been doing this now every day for the past 5 months :confused1:

but know what I feel ok. . . I'm told i'm ahead of the game because I've not been sleeved yet (not til January) but at least it is a habit. . . I feel very weirded out on the weekends when I don't go. . .I feel like something is missing. . . like when you forget the cell phone :scared0: . . . ya just like that. Good thing is that I'm maintaining my now weight and not gaining anymore (yahoo) that means that as long as I keep my BMI under 50 I DONT have to do the preop diet! I'm at 44 BMI right now and holding. . . anyhow I could go on and on and on. . . gift of the gab you know. . . so chat more later!

[charitymarroquin 0]

Susan, I too hate exercise, and that's ALL exercises, not just the odd one. . I curse that dreaded word, I'd rather have a root canal! But I go every day to walk the retched treadmill and cuss it continuously for the whole 45 minutes! I go at 3.1 mph, break out in a horrific sweat but keep going (cussing of course:cursing:) then off to the stationary bike for 15 more minutes doing random hills at level 9 :cursing:. . . then its off and home I go :drool5: as fast as I only can only to repeat the same damn thing again the next day. . . I've been doing this now every day for the past 5 months :sneaky2:

but know what I feel ok. . . I'm told i'm ahead of the game because I've not been sleeved yet (not til January) but at least it is a habit. . . I feel very weirded out on the weekends when I don't go. . .I feel like something is missing. . . like when you forget the cell phone :w00t: . . . ya just like that. Good thing is that I'm maintaining my now weight and not gaining anymore (yahoo) that means that as long as I keep my BMI under 50 I DONT have to do the preop diet! I'm at 44 BMI right now and holding. . . anyhow I could go on and on and on. . . gift of the gab you know. . . so chat more later!

I'm being sleeved on Tuesday and I have been kind of worried why my doctor isn't having me do the pre-op diet. He said I didn't need to, but I have been kind of worried since everyone else I talk to has did it. My BMI is 43. I guess I'm not the only person then... That's good to know.

[MacMadame 81]

I didn't have to do one either.

[thinoneday 445]

I'm being sleeved on Tuesday and I have been kind of worried why my doctor isn't having me do the pre-op diet. He said I didn't need to, but I have been kind of worried since everyone else I talk to has did it. My BMI is 43. I guess I'm not the only person then... That's good to know.

Hi my friend! Must of lost you in the chat somewhere the other day! No don't worry about the pre op diet, my doctor says that he doesn't worry too much if your BMI is under 50 cause there isn't too much fatty liver. . . so that is good. . . best of luck to you and I'll be "with" you in my thoughts and prayers on tuesday! Let us know how things turn out. . . always!