fitforlife

Your stats are pretty similar to mine. I'm weighing 184 right now. I only get in about 600 calories a day. Still struggle to get in enough Protein. When I'm at a stall, I start the day w EAS drinks. It pretty much shakes things up and I'll see a weight loss the next day or two. I rarely eat any carbs.....maybe 3 wheat crackers w cheese or the bottom of a hamburger bun w my hamburger, which I can't eat all of. You've got some good advice given here. Good luck ahead!

First, congratulations on 50 pounds, that in itself is a huge deal. I was talking to a gal who was sleeved a year ago and she mentioned that it's all about carbs. Try cutting out carbs for a week and go back to low carb, high Protein drinks. I bet you'll break that stall and be back on track. I really believe carbs, especially simple carbs are the death of me and just make me hungrier the more I eat.
Either way, good luck and congrats on what is already a big accomplishment.

You have to restrict your carbs yourself. 1400 is wayyyy to many calories to be taking in. The rule is to eat your Protein first. If you follow this rule, you cant hold the carbs after and your calorie intake will be less than 1000 for sure and you will lose weight. The sleeve helps us and is a good tool. Its not magic and it doesn't keep us out of the carbs. We have to follow the rules of the sleeve to be successful. Just think of it this way, once we get to maintenance we can have a bit more carbs and maintain. You have maintained 180 for almost 2 months so you know you can maintain and have some carbs then. Right now you are in the losing phase and its time to put on your big girl panties and start following the rules and cut out those carbs and slider foods!

Benjamin called it...no grazing, I know it is hard but 3 meals a day with 2 Snacks, that is all you should have. I still have hardly any carbs and I will be 16 weeks out on the 9th. Good luck, you can do this!!!

The PPI's started working within a week for me. I take omeprazole 2 times a day.

Who said "no restrictions on carbs"? You mean u eat bread and spaghetti and foods with sugar? I'm 6 mos out and haven't touched a complex or simple carb yet. That seems to be the most consistent advice...

Great advice from everyone so far! More Protein, watch the carbs. Try a different acid medicine and see if that helps with the hunger. Exercise more and I bet you get past this stall. WLS is a tool, not guaranteed to work alone..Sounds like a food addiction that's playing with your mind. Good luck, it will get better!

I got an infusion pitcher that I love. You put fresh fruit in a basket in the middle of the pitcher and it flavors the Water.< /p>

1) Aug. 9, 2010
2) My goal weight was 145 lbs....got there on January 31, 2011. Went down a few pounds, then back up, eventually leveled out around 140 lbs. Recently changed my diet and now I'm 135 - the lowest I've been since surgery.
3) I exercised pre-surgery, so I got back into it fairly quickly. I started swimming after 2 weeks, as per my doctor's instructions, lifting light weights about 1.5 months out, and doing strenuous exercise (e.g. Bootcamps) about 2-2.5 months out. I've been doing Crossfit since Aug. 2011.
4) I lost like 25 lbs the first month....then it was more like 15, then 10 lbs a month, then it slowed down to like 5.
5) I don't think so....

I have some questions being earlier in my journey and a somewhat "lightweight":
1. when was your surgery?
2. How long did it take you to get to goal?
3. When did you start exercising on your journey and what exercise do you do?
4. how did your weight loss occur? like did you lose more initially or was it gradual?
5. Any tips for us or things you wish you knew before?
thanks in advance

I had my surgery on 1/23/12 (I will never ever forget this date) and I'm only down 28lbs from my surgery date---yes I'm one of the slow losers on this site. BUT! people at work and random people I meet think I'm 19 years old!! ---mind you I'm 32 years old and a mother (which all of the ladies know ages you). So YAY!!! for this non-weight loss success! My husband better watch out, my pool of potential suitors has expanded into the teens! LOL!
What's amazing to me about this is that at my heaviest (250lbs---I'm only 5'2") people thought I was in my 40's! I also felt older when I was heavier.

That's awesome!! For me its actually the opposite- people think I look older.. but since I am only 21 and used to be "baby faced" I consider this a good thing!
Something you said really stuck out for me... the whole "i'll never forget the date" thing... I am the same way... without trying all the dates that have to do with the surgery have stuck with me... the seminar I attended, my first appointment and of course my surgery date itself 9/19/2011... I really feel like I turned my life around and they are so important to me. I hope I never forget, and I am actually considering getting a small tattoo of either a simple swan or a phoenix with the date intertwined. I am not normally one for tattoos, but it is so important to me. I came across a photo of someone with a tattoo done in all white ink, against white skin it is very subtle... I fell in love with it and that's what I'm going to get, if I get one.
Congrats on how well you are doing! Don't be upset that you are a slow loser, over time you will see the large numbers too and it will be worth it

Being heavy definitely ages you. If you can get away with looking 19 when you're 32, count yourself lucky!
I'm 41 and look-- exactly my age. That being said, I'd like to believe that I look like a fit, muscular 41! There are worse things...
When I actually WAS 19, my first hardcore lust-crush was for a 41 year-old woman, so... until you hit about 55 or 60, I think it's more a matter of how you look and how you feel than anything else

oh my, why are you trying to eat a 4oz fish 1 wk post op? 4 ounces is huge at this stage. I'm 3 wks out and i only eat 2 ounces. you need to drink Protein Shakes, no doubts about that. it should not take you 2 hours to eat something, if it does then it's too big and you shouldn't be eating all of it. also ketchup is a no no, it's all sugar.

I had my surgery on 1/23/12 (I will never ever forget this date) and I'm only down 28lbs from my surgery date---yes I'm one of the slow losers on this site. BUT! people at work and random people I meet think I'm 19 years old!! ---mind you I'm 32 years old and a mother (which all of the ladies know ages you). So YAY!!! for this non-weight loss success! My husband better watch out, my pool of potential suitors has expanded into the teens! LOL!
What's amazing to me about this is that at my heaviest (250lbs---I'm only 5'2") people thought I was in my 40's! I also felt older when I was heavier.

I had my surgery on 1/23/12 (I will never ever forget this date) and I'm only down 28lbs from my surgery date---yes I'm one of the slow losers on this site. BUT! people at work and random people I meet think I'm 19 years old!! ---mind you I'm 32 years old and a mother (which all of the ladies know ages you). So YAY!!! for this non-weight loss success! My husband better watch out, my pool of potential suitors has expanded into the teens! LOL!
What's amazing to me about this is that at my heaviest (250lbs---I'm only 5'2") people thought I was in my 40's! I also felt older when I was heavier.

PLEASE let me have that problem!!!

I am right there with you. I get hungry too! My surgery was January 20th and I have lost 25lbs as of this morning. I eat 5-6 times a day. I figure that as long as my calorie, Protein, fat and carb intake are okay then why should it matter how often I eat. I am okay with a slow loss as I think it will help with skin issues later on. I say do whatever makes you comfortable ad you know your body better than anyone! Good luck to you! Just remember slow and steady wins the race!

I think we all have the same frustration. it comes with the surgery. I so want to eat a big meal like I used to, especially at family gatherings. My little sleeve gets full, but my head is still hungry....

you definatly need to be having more then 3 meals a day. there is no way for you to get everything that you need in 3 small meals a day. no wonder you feel so bad! you poor thing!!!
i eat 6 meals a day.....and when i say meals, really i mean Snacks. you shouldnt feel bad about one slip up.....ive had a ton. you are only 6 weeks post op and have lost 17 pounds!!!!! that is almost 3 pounds a week....that is amazing! stop stressing yourself out, and have a little fun with this journey. that is what i have chosen to do. you can do it!

Don't use the word "only" in front of how many pounds you have lost. You had surgery just barely over a month ago. How many pounds would you have lost in that time without surgery? 8 or 10 maybe? That is IF you had been able to stick to some extreme diet plan without ghrelin killing your good intentions.
Did you take your measurements before surgery? If so, it's time to measure yourself again and marvel at how many inches you have lost. If not, then take them now to help with future hurdles.
How about NSVs (non-scale victories)? Are your clothes looser? Are you able to walk further? Work harder/longer without fatigue? Do you FEEL better overall? I know that you are having issues with getting food in, but that will resolve itself as long as there is no underlying issue.
It may be time to talk to your doctor or nutritionist about what the next stage in your diet should be, especially if you haven't progressed to soft regular foods yet. Depending on your doctor's plan, that's where it sounds like you should be. Work on getting in a little bit of food every 2-3 hours, even if, as Kelly said, it's just a few nuts. Perhaps have a cup of chicken broth instead of coffee.
Don't worry too hard about not getting in veggies this early post-op. You will be able to add them as your new tummy heals. Do make sure that you are taking the recommended Vitamins and supplements to make up for the veggies, though.
Your weight loss could be slower than you are expecting for a number of reasons. You could have started with a lower BMI than many here, or lost a good bit of weight pre-op. Both will slow down the weight loss immediately after surgery. It's also possible that you aren't eating enough food...like that's ever been a problem before, right? But, not feeding your body enough food makes it hang onto those pounds. When you are eating enough and providing adequate hydration, it's like the body calms down and says 'okay, I can lose a few of these stored pounds'.
Good luck! I hope to hear from you soon saying that you are now losing steadily.

Hello Fitforlife! I live in the Bay Area as well, so we may have had the same surgeon (?) based on hearing you say "they hate carbs and don't want (you) to have any." My surgeon and nutritionist are the same way. Their plan is by far the strictest I've seen and I've been downloading other WLS diet plans on the internet to compare. It turned me into a stressed out nut about carbs, to the point I was willing to forgo Vitamins and Fiber I needed to get below 30g. Not smart. The funny thing is I've lost *only* 21 pounds since surgery (I'm in week 5) and to them, that's not terrible but not great either. I've notice people with other surgeons and other NUT plans seem to be losing more -- NOT that I'm saying their plans are better. Just everyone loses differently and to hold everyone accountable to the same plans is just crazy.
I went through a period around days 22-27 where I was also getting dizzy, headache, weak, etc. especially when I got warm or overexerted myself. I looked at my journal and noticed that cutting the carbs so low was killing my electrolyte intake (sodium, potassium, magnesium). Not to mention I was still in the 450-525 calorie range when I should really be getting more like 600. It was just crazy to think I could continue that way. So I listened to my body and started allowing up to 50-55g of carbs instead of 30-40g, and from the "approved" list of veggies. Amazingly, I felt so much better and I'm still losing at the same rate I was before! And I do better when I snack on smallish meals 4-5 times per day than keeping to the 3 meal rule. By smallish meal, it can be 5-6 small nuts, 1oz of Protein meat or cottage cheese, or even a few bites of egg salad. I think some docs are too worried that someone will take the 4-5 smaller meal thing as dangerous ground for grazing and taking in sliders (like the cookies).
Try to keep good snack options around like other posters have mentioned, and concentrate on keeping a food journal with MyFitnessPal on your phone or computer. It really is important to see how much you're taking in, or when you're not getting enough! Don't feel like you've irrevocably messed up. You will most likely do it again at some point (we all will) and the important thing to do is RECOGNIZE IT and learn from it. The more you pay attention, the more realize the difference between real hunger and head hunger. Planning is key, keeping emergency "good" Snacks available in your purse, car, desk, etc.
Best of luck to you!

Don't beat yourself up over a few Cookies. Yes you can eat crap, and you can also choose not to. I felt the same angst regarding about the same time along where you are now. I battle the old addictive demons, but every week they get easier to beat back. I am going to be stonger. I am gonna be who I was always meant to be. You can too. One bad day does not define you....
And I eat three small meals, and two very small Snacks like 1oz cheese. It helps me keep the blood sugar even and steady. My NUT said a that 5-6 meals and snack a day. One plan does not fit all.
Good Luck and hang in.



sleeved 12-19-11

I understand! It is hard to feel that way, but who got to a great place without a few setbacks....its that they don't let it get them down and keep moving towards the goal! You can do it. As a nurse, I would call my doc or nut if I had a blood sugar of 60 and get a better diet plan. It is not safe to have your sugars dropping that low.

You are doing fine. Don't beat your self up for those five little Cookies. Just make a conscious effort not to do that again. SOmetimes we do things that sabotages our weight loss. Just get back on track. When feeling emotional with that horrible empty feeling, try exercising somehow. That's what my plan is. Hang in there baby!