bookleen

Hello Everyone, I'm back again.....missing for a few months! Not exactly missing in action... more like missing at rest. Not much damage done.. .......but no weight loss either. I am still high up on that plateau and hoping to descend for Christmas, so now is the time to get focused. This time I intend to stay online and get more accountable. Bookleen

Happy 4th July to you all. Best wishes to you all from across the ocean. Bookleen

I live in Ireland. Happy Celebrations.

Good Morning Goal seekers! I normally weigh in on a Sunday so I have no report yet. I am heading off tomorrow to the Continent (The Balkans) for a week so I wont be weighing in until Sunday week. I hope to be down and not up! I probably will not log on while I'm away so I look forward to catching up with your progress on my return, Keep up the good work! Bookleen

Hi from Dublin. I was sleeved in Belgium in April 2010. I lost weight for the first 6 months and then hit a plateau. Whats your story Bookleen

Welcome on board. You have got a great start now on the home stretch! We are all here cheering for you to get tofinish line!

Good Morning Cludgie, I was just wondering how are you and how did the scales behave? I have stopped drinking with my meals and I can feel the restriction better now again. Bookleen

Yes, I agree . Carbs should be balanced with protein to prevent those flucuating blood sugars and insulin spikes and hunger/ cravings. I am not sure this is as critical to us now since we had our surgery , as we are eating our protein anyway, as we are less likely to go wild with our carbs! We are already less hungry and more in control of what we eat. Well I am anyway. That's the main reason I like the sleeve. Before I was sleeved I used to keep my carbs intake below 30gms at any meal and also made sure to combine it with at least 14gm protein. When I did this I got rid of my cravings and felt satisfied, and also could lose weight. I could never eat carbs on their own without subsequently feeling hungry. Although I always felt satisfied and lost weight while I followed these principals, it was hard work being so organised. I seemed to spend my life shopping, chopping, cooking , freezing, and preparing food. This regime does work if you would stay with it. It is also healthy as you are eating fresh wholesome food and avoiding all processed junk. In the past, I also , occasionally opted to go into ketosis. You do not need to be in ketosis to lose weight, but while you are in ketosis you are never hungry so I used to feel in control. Also, food preparation was much simplier and you did not have to be organised to the same extent. Now, I try to continue to balance my carbs with protein, and try not to eat carbs without some protein. I am restricting carbs throughout the day in as much as I am concentrating on never having too many carbs at any one time. I try to keep my carbs down to 15gms at every meal but sometimes allow myself to go up to 30gms, but never ever over that. And always with protein first. The food choices from The South Beach Diet are heart healthy and can still be useful to us while we are in maintenance. I suppose The South Beach could be described as High/normal protein, and Low/moderate carb restriction with a low glycaemic twist. To keep our calories down in the losing phase I Ibelieve we will have little choice but cut right back on the carbs, but how low depends on each person's own metabolism, degree of insulin resistance, age and amount of exercise taken. I am so happy to be sleeved as it really makes life easy for me.

Good morning Everyone. This is day 3 of my cleaned up act! Since I realised that I had developed the habit of drinking at meal times I am being very careful to stop. I am once again delighted to feel restriction. Today, Sunday, is my weigh in day so I guess it will be my new starting weight. I have ever confidence that I will climb down from this plateau this Summer. The final stretch is here! Bring it on!

I believe that those of us who have or are prone to having the Metabolic Syndrome must restrict our Carbs intake in order to avoid high insulin and all its effects . Not only must we eat fewer carbs but we must be careful not to load our bodies at any meal with a high surge of carbs. This is why we should spread our carbs throughout the day and also choose healthy low glycaemic options and avoid the highly processed ones. High insulin does havoc to our blood sugars and ultimately to our hunger levels and cravings. Not only do we have to be careful of our carb intake but we also have to keep within the calories in/calories out level to lose weight. Those who have not got the Metabolic Syndrome have a healthier metabolism and just have to worry about the calories in/calories out equation to lose weight. Of course they also need to eat a healthy balance of food groups especially Protein and supplement with Vitamins and minerals as appropriate. If you carry your fat around the middle you are probably prone to having the Metabolic Syndrome. The good news is that exercise and weight loss improves the metabolism !

I wish you the very best of good luck. I am behind you all the way and cheering you on. Keep up the good work! I think that first thing in the morning is a good time to have the Protein Shake. For me it works anyway. Bookleen

WOW! That seems severe! I don't think you are eating enough. In my opinion you could almost double what you are eating and still lose. What do others think? Bookleen

Hi all you Goal seekers! Just logging in to give my today's views.Friday. I was hoping to start in earnest tomorrow but....I started today! I am delighted with these new threads in "The final STRETCH#30 LBS OR < to GOAL". I feel there is a new energy with all the posts and that has helped me to focus again. I have discovered that my main problem was drinking with my meals. I stopped that today and felt more satisfied and for longer. Any day that you learn something is a good day so I feel quite upbeat with discovering my mistake.I now believe that I might get back losing again after this 6 month stall. Bookleen

Welcome on board

Hi Everyone, Please help me to calculate my goal weight. I am 5'5" tall, female I am currently at 163 lbs with a BMI of just over 27. 150 lbs would be approx 25 BMI I think my ideal weight would be approx 133 lbs, but don't think I will ever reach that. My waist is still huge at 37" as I carry all my fat in the middle. Any ideas as to what I should aim for. All comments, ideas and suggestions welcome! Bookleen

Hi, I'll tell one way. There may be other and better ways! Click on "Forums" at top of page. Scroll down to the bottom of the 4th section- "VST Social Groups Forums" and click to give a listing of Sub forums. Scroll down to "The final STRETCH=30lbs or> to Goal" and click on it. Then select "Welcome New Members". Afterwards, create your own thread which you will use as a blog. Hope this works for you. Bookleen

Hi All, This is day minus 1 for me.! Tomorrow will be 0(and that does not count) so Saturday will be day 1. I need to get myself psychologically adjusted to starting again! I have really strayed far away from the path. Bookleen

Welcome on board and Good Luck

Hi to all, but especially those who have hit goal. I am 13 months out and have hit a plateau for the past 6 months. I would love to hear what others are eating one year on, and exactly how much food you can or are eating. Please let me know what a typical day is like now. Any lessons learned or tips to give. Also say whether you have reached goal or are still losing. Would love to hear from you all. Looking for ideas/suggestions to put me back on tract. Thanks for your help. Bookleen

Thanks for your replies, I am eating too much, it's no surprise that I am no longer losing. I need to sharpen up. LilMissDiva has started a new Group to motivate those of us on the last stretch with approx 30 lbs to lose. Come join us there and we can all motivate one another across the finish line. Bookleen

Hi Everyone, Have you seen LilmissDivas new Group for those of us on the last stretch. Come join us there Bookleen

Hi Buchannon, Are you still losing? Bookleen

Hi Ouroborous, You have done very well! Did you see Lilmissdivas new group for those of us on the last stretch? See you there. Bookleen

Hi Chilo, I'm 56 years old, perhaps that makes things more difficult. Anyway, I have not been keeping to the sleeve rules. Bookleen