meggiep

I hear you all and want to send a big old cyber hug to you all. I really have to push now to keep losing. Where I used to have a couple of slow weeks followed by a big week I just have slow weeks. I already walk 3 miles a day and I have started trying to get my average mph up. I do an hour of Water aerobics a day and I plan to go to two classes now to get to goal. With the food thing...all we can do is keep on keeping on- I myself rarely eat more than 800 calories, and I count carbs to stay under 40 net carbs a day. I get all my water and more and my Protein too. What else can we do? I think our bodies have been through a lot of changes and probably need to adjust and recover before starting to lose again. I sure hope so! Meanwhile- let's Celebrate what we have accomplished! I am in the clothes I was wearing 11 years again before I gained the main part of the weight....and I am in the best shape of my life. Look at everything you have all done, and stay on course!

I agree- knowing how much you need to lose, etc. will help. I know that I have to renew my commitment every single day as the carb monster beckons to me constantly. I suggest returning to basics- Protein first, lots of Water, and counting carbs. Of course the carb part is hard but it can kick start your loss again. Do you exercise? At six months out next week I am upping my workouts- I already do an hour of walking and an hour of water aerobics every day but I will be adding another hour in the water in the next few weeks to keep e losing as I struggle to get to goal. Finally- here is a hug! I feel you! Though I am still losing it is so so slowed down and I am sometimes disheartened.

Though one of my sisters was and is a total supporter, my brother and my other sister were dead set against my surgery and kept giving me their ideas of what I should do. I finally had to tell them that I am intelligent, did the research, and needed their support. When I saw them this summer at a family wedding they were blown away by not only my weight loss but how vital I was- my sister was really impressed with how good my skin was and how clear my eyes were- and by my energy. They are now huge supporters! Stay strong and know you are doing what you need to do for YOU. Maybe your sister-in-law will earn from this. OMG girl! You are so close to goal - HOORAY for my Red Velvet sister! I am so happy for you! xoxo

OMG girl I have not been here to see your posts- you are almost at goal!!!! Hooray!!!! xoxo

Like the song says- pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again! I too succumbed a bit last night- a fun size snickers and a fun size peanut m&ms. It is Halloween, we are human, and I also had worked out for three hours ! We aren't perfect, and (hopefully) we learn from our mistakes. Don't beat yourself up!

I walk an hour a day, every day, as well as six water aerobics classes a week. I usually maintain about a 2.8 mph pace for the hour (I could do more but my husband complains lol!). I have lost 91 pounds in 24 weeks and though I can't say the exercise is the only thing that has accomplished this as I totally work the program- low carb, high protein, lots of water, etc. but I know it has helped a lot. It has also helped me tone so that I do not have a huge loose skin issue yet and as I am 58 I was afraid I would have more of a problem than I do.

This article helps explain stalls- and should help a bit! Also, measure yourselves! When the stalls come you will find you are still getting smaller. http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

Do you take your Vitamins? That is one thing you did not mention. I also think you should try to add more balance to your food. My doctor and nutritionist both expect me to have a couple of Protein drinks a day just so that I can have some fruit or vegetables in my solid food. If I tried to get all my protein from food I would not be able to fit anything else (like you!). I definitely would look into those labs- I started walking a couple of blocks way back at a month out and now I am up to three miles a day plus Water aerobics six times a week. I worry about your low energy meaning something else!

I do feel lucky- especially reading posts like this- having only 27 pounds left to lose is fabulous but at the same time it feels so hard! We compare ourselves- to people like my dear friend TIffykins- who hit goal in 6 months ....or Irene....that is a trap I fall in to! One of the thing that occurred to me today is that I am at about the weight I was at for quite a long time eleven years ago- not sure since I was not weighing then ;-P - and I have heard sometimes your body wants to stay in a comfortable place that it was in for some time. SO I am being more vigilant about carbs etc. an trying to stay optimistic. Oh and...you bet I will be dancing again when I hit goal!

I came to see what is up with you today and found this- hope things are better now! I keep stalling and slowing now too....wondering if I have hit my limit of loss but then like you wonder how that can be when I eat so little. I do work out a lot- an hour of brisk walking (3mph) a day and six Water aerobics classes a week. I low carb it- nothing seems to work lately, even ramping up for a day or two and then going down again. I have to say I will be extremely disgruntled if I have to eat 800 calories a day for the rest of my life with no weight loss! Havig 85% of our stomachs removed has to count for something. My husband says I get too enmeshed in the day to day and need to look at the big picture of losing 88 pounds since April 25th. I am trying to do that but I remind him he is talking like someone with a whole stomach ;-P One who eats pretty much concinuously, as far as I can tell. SIgh. Any way I miss you and wanted to hug you a big one! xoxo

I often use my phone timer to make sure I drink- I set it to go off every 8 minutes. I am part of a Facebook group Quest to Onederland that has been a great support! We share all the time and set challenges- ten have a Hall of Fame for reaching Onederland. https://www.facebook.com/groups/196526060395295/ It is a closed group but I am ow an admin so can add anyone who asks to join. I am part of three different groups and they are a support mainstay for me!

I think WW allows too many carbs to work for me. All the "free" veggies and fruits just not realistic with my sleeve. They are about to change it up again , by the way, because the new plan is not working very well. My friend is an instructor and she even lowers her points a lot to lose.

First of all (((((hugs))))) for the called off wedding! It took courage to do what you did and hooray for you for knowing what was right! ANd to not medicate with food- wow- what a milestone for you! As for the stall- read this- it really makes sense as to what is going on. I read it whenever I stall, or sloe to a crawl. http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

I so hear you on the jealousy of those who can eat carbs! I too know I can never really eat carbs the way others can. It is what it is!

There are plenty of Protein drinks without carbs or with very few- look around for them! In fact, a Protein Drink with 30 grams of carbs should NEVER be on our plans- that is a lot of sugar. I've never seen one with that many unless it is for weight gain, like Ensure. Ditto vitamins- tha bariatric vitamins generally do not have a lot of carbs- mine have <1. My Calcium chews do have 4 each but I know you can find calcium without carbs too. It is REALLY helpful to log your food every day- I use fatsecret.com and there are lots of other good ones. I have mine set to show fat, carbs, net carbs, protein, and calories. I log every single thing including vitamins, etc. It helps you feel like you are in control and accountable. Also remember that post-op your capacity will be sooooo little- that lowers your ability to get carbs in.

I am carb sensitive. Dang t! I wish it were otherwise.... I ate <1000 calories for five months before I started looking towards weight loss surgery and lost exactly 6 pounds. That was the story of my life! I think carb sensitive people, aka people with metabolic syndrome just wont lose on low calorie. I did not realize this until I started researching this idea after being on this forum for a while. Then, shockingly, I lost EIGHTEEN FREAKING POUNDS during my two week pre-op liquid diet! It blew my mind, and I knew it was the carbs. I feel I have gotten great result- have now lost 85 pounds since that pre-op started and feel confident I will get to goal. I limit my carbs to <30 net carbs. My doctor also advises this (he says 40). He illustrates it using a simple drawing of two gas tanks, as if we are trucks lol. One tank has carbs and sugar, for quick energy. The other is our fat. When we run out of the quick energy, as long as there is adequate Protein, we will switch tanks and burn fat. If we keep adding carbs in appreciable amounts, our bodies are much less likely to turn to the fat, and will even dial down metabolism to stay with the carb tank. It made sense to me, and also some of the people like darling Tiff and Irene and Julie (juliarh) that I wanted to emulate when I came here had low carbed it with great results. My goal has been to get to goal as fast as possible and then live my life in maintenance (probably that is all our goals!). That is the other reason I have chosen low carb. That said- I also think this has furthered the idea of being "on" or "off" the diet- and ultimately I know I have to solve this problem! I have had three or four episodes of binging with carbs and I know I need to work on my relationship with food and the ways I use it because I am determined to maintain this loss and never be obese again. I also am unsure sometimes as to whether I get enough carbs as I am a work out junkie- I walk three miles a day and do six hardcore Water aerobics classes a week. I feel good, have loads of energy....and low carb is working for me.

Congratulations! You look wonderful!

You both look wonderful! Great progress!

You have a great attitude-we are human- all we can do is forgive ourselves and move forward! Big hugs to you for the stress- you know what to do and I have faith you will do it!

This article really does a great job ofexplaining stalls and why they happen- and you are still losing. I recommend measuring yourself because often you will lose inches when the scale is not cooperating. Totally normal! http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

I second trying a bunch of different ones. I hated all the ones I loved before surgery! Vitalady.com was my savior as they sell one scoop samples of any of their powders and with trial and error I found one I till use five months out For me champion proscore 100 chocolate did the trick even though it is one with a bad review on the list in the food area! It tasted like dutch chocolate to me and I drink it with decaf and ice every morning. Everyone is different! I also totally rely on the unjury chicken Soup every day- I double the amount of Water I add so it is less salty and counts towards liquids. I happen to think finding Protein drinks is important. My dietician and my doctor expect me to drink two a day throughout the weight loss period. The reason for that is that my sleeve, Thumbelina, holds 1/4 cup max- and if I were to try to get all my protein from food I would never be able to have a fruit or a vegetable- and that is not good! So I have my two drinks- that give me 50 grams a day- and then vary my solid foods a bit more. I will add that getting the protein really makes a difference in weight loss!

Thanks! First quick goal is to weigh less than my 19 year old son - he weighs 195 (he's 6 foot 3 but pay no mind to that!) Next goal is 180 as that will be 100 pounds lost. Final goal is somewhere around 160-170 - I will decide as I approach it! Go you! Awesome! Hooray! Go go go!

You know you have to dance, right? :lol:

I took part in a Quest for Onederland on Facebook and my original goal was to be there by the end of summer- September 21st. I started at 237 on June 26th and though I did not reach it by then I hit Onederland today, weighing in at 198.4. That is just short of 82 pounds down since my pre-op started April 25th. I really encourage you all to join some Facebook groups as the daily, constant support and encouragement is simply amazing! Quest to Onderland is a great one! ANyway, I promised I would dance for Onederland and dance I did ;-P

Read this article- which I just posted in another thread- it is so great to get that when you stall your body is building a glycogen store with pounds of water- once that is done you will lose it. In addition, if you lost a lot pre-op your body is recovering from that as well. I have had several two week slowdowns- either staying the same or losing a half a pound or one pound- then suddenly will drop 5 or 6 pounds in a week. http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html