VSG AJH

Hey, I'm there with you. I had my VSG on 12/03/13, then three orthopedic surgeries (June, July, and October) with an external fixator on my foot from July until October. I've only been allowed to weight bear in a walking boot for the last few weeks. My weight loss has been stalled since June, and I've been up and down the same three pounds since. I've been serious and honest in the kitchen, but no positive weight change for me in a very long time. I've become more creative about burning calories, and have found yoga at my gym to be very effective way to burn calories without high impact or high intensity. After more research following a suggestion by my nutritionist, I'm also planning to do the 5:2 (first fast day tomorrow). It looks like it's been super helpful helping other vets get the last of the weight off, as well as any regain, and for those of us who have had mobility challenges, tinkering with the calories may be the way to go. Best of luck!

You girls are rocking it! Great losses!
Yesterday was a fast day for me, and I came in at 540 calories. Honestly didn't know if I was going to be able to do it. There is some serious instant gratification and self satisfaction when I can, though. Does anyone else feel like that? @@Ms skinniness eating that low for several days in a row also makes me feel accomplished. Awesome for you!
I am still having so much problem with Fluid retention that its a little disheartening. Last Saturday I was down to 164, and yesterday I was 169. Today 167. I'm not going to let it discourage me, but I'll be glad to get out of post-plastics swell hell! It's likely going to be a few months....and then it will be summer, and the humidity makes me retain fluids....can't win, lol.
Have a good one!

Well as imperfect as week one was, . I still lost 2#!

I'm so thankful to read both of these posts! I've had three foot surgeries since June, including major bone reconstruction and the installation of an external fixator. I was six month post-op VSG when the foot surgeries began, and felt so frustrated that I was starving all the time! I've had the fixator out now for two months, and have just recently been allowed to begin walking again, but my weight loss has been stalled since June. Up and down in the same three pound range for months. My bariatric surgeon and the nutritionist have been no help in this area. Bariatric surgeon got on to me for only losing three pounds between 6 months and 12 months post-op, which for a typical patient might be acceptable, but someone who went from being very active everyday to in a wheelchair full time might be extended a bit of grace. They also couldn't explain why (though I kept calories between 1000-1200 daily) I felt absolutely FAMISHED all the time. They never thought to connect the fact that my entire foot had been reconstructed, and I was growing new bone to fuse with the donor bone that had been installed.
It has been excruciatingly difficult not to be consumed by those old feelings of guilt and failure regarding my weight loss (or lack thereof) for the last few months, despite not eating when feeling truly hungry and being creative about burning calories by being creative about exercise. The information you both posted here helps me to extend that grace to myself and to realize that, despite the lack of real weight loss over the past few months, my foot is doing great -- even better than expected -- and that is far better for me in this moment than being a few pounds lighter.

I did my first fast day yesterday, and I did okay, I think. My calories weren't as low as I wanted them to be. They came in at 650 instead of 500, but the extra calories came from some half-and-half that went into an unexpected coffee out, as well as six saltines I stress ate following a serious conflict with my husband. Saltines weren't chocolate or Cookies (or whole pizzas like the days of olde), and six was a controlled number, not just out-of-control eating. At least that's what I'm telling myself today -- while I'm resisting the continued stress eating. Haha! The lesson I learned on my first fast day: eat even fewer calories in the day time to factor in more available calories for unexpected evening need.
CJ, I'm so encouraged to know you lost ten pounds in the first month of 5:2. I hope those are the results I see! It's difficult not to feel discouraged after not having really any loss in months and months, and while rationally I know there are very good reasons for me, it's still disheartening. I've been on the longest, strictest diet I've ever been on (pre-op and post-op), and I just need something, anything, to work on these final pounds.

I did my first fast day yesterday, and I did okay, I think. My calories weren't as low as I wanted them to be. They came in at 650 instead of 500, but the extra calories came from some half-and-half that went into an unexpected coffee out, as well as six saltines I stress ate following a serious conflict with my husband. Saltines weren't chocolate or Cookies (or whole pizzas like the days of olde), and six was a controlled number, not just out-of-control eating. At least that's what I'm telling myself today -- while I'm resisting the continued stress eating. Haha! The lesson I learned on my first fast day: eat even fewer calories in the day time to factor in more available calories for unexpected evening need.
CJ, I'm so encouraged to know you lost ten pounds in the first month of 5:2. I hope those are the results I see! It's difficult not to feel discouraged after not having really any loss in months and months, and while rationally I know there are very good reasons for me, it's still disheartening. I've been on the longest, strictest diet I've ever been on (pre-op and post-op), and I just need something, anything, to work!

Oh, and here's what Jillian Michaels says about overeating. Right on target.

Wow! 10 pounds. michiganchic, that's awesome. Even if water! Lol. And I'm with you, I hated giving up my diuretic ???? I like the "flat" feeling they give of no puff but hey, no HBP either now!!!!
I've lost 3 since Tuesday so I'm happy. Going to try to hang in and eat clean this weekend.
Denise, glad you are about through with the antibiotics. Yuk!
Way to go, Queen!!

I am always amazed at how everyone on here is able to process what's going on. Me I process things in my and then it's gone. I know that I've had to reflect on how I have gained back 10 lbs and that's not from my lowest either. I have been very careless and just tired of watching my weight. So I took a long break, even stopped getting on the scale. I put on a lot of weight when I got married and had kids and was basically not worried about my weight because I was happy and carefree. I would go on diets and lose some only to put it back on again. I do know that in high school I went into a deep depression and it followed me for many many years.....I had so many irrational thoughts that weren't valid and had lost almost all of my friends. So sometimes I hold back on here and I enjoy reading everyone's post here.
Yesterday I attempted at a fast day and did exceptionally well until my hubby made grill cheeses. So I called that my dinner. I couldn't believe I can now eat a whole grill cheese sandwich. That brought me up to little over 700 calories. Not bad but it was really hard not to eat something in the evening time I was so darn hungry... Today I weighed and I had lost 1 lb. So yayyyy, I now have 9 lbs to get off. I also have a horrible headache this morning and couldn't sleep last night.
I am going to detox my body from sugars today. The last couple of months I have allowed my sugar monster to come back full force. I know what I need to do. I just need to follow through with it and love myself enough to do it..... Happy Friday everyone......

I've had a rough couple of months with my back surgery in early November and then having my incision become infected and becoming septic. Tomorrow I finish the worse antibiotics I've ever had to take. I've been eating more because the taste of those antibiotics is always in my mouth. I'm really annoyed that I haven't been released to exercise yet.
Anyway, after my total success with 5:2 last time, I am going to go back and try to fast. I'm really worried because the medicine my back surgeon put me on is known to cause carb cravings and weight gain.
I need to get back into the 130's and out of the 140's. I'm tired of my clothes not fitting.

Checking in after my first FAST day yesterday. I did it! And I lost a lb. I don't think I was perfect but it was a start and I feel so much better knowing that I could do it. For me, I have to keep myself really busy and away from the house...and it was a mental exercise as well. But it is amazing how we think now....this 10 lbs I want to lose seems so HUGE but yet we have come so far! I am visualizing 133...I am only 5'3" and even though I think I will have saggy skin, that's the number I want to get to. Today I was 143 so that's 10 lbs. But thanks to all of you I think I can do this. And I swear I think I am the worst dieter in the world! I can get derailed SO easily plus the fact that I am entertaining all the time. A dinner party tonight and tomorrow night! But I did FAST and that was a start!!!

You know, Sheryl, I do really find it amazing our much of the journey our minds play into it all. I believe someone said in one of the posts recently how crazy it is that we get down on ourselves with a small weight gain when we were OBESE before but I think maybe it also shows that we have turned the corner to true normalcy since I've heard others moan about having to lose weight and I would think, "Yeah, if I had that TEN POUNDS to lose..." ????. Now we are them! Ha!
And Sheryl I agree on the visualization part too. 140 is an awesome number. I was Really Proud when I reached my goal of 150 the first time but boy, something about being 139-140 was truly Awesome! So awesome I just gradually slipped up and added too much junk back in and here we go again!
BUT, what a great tool our sleeves have provided us!
Got a fast day in today. Not pretty and not as low as I wanted (685) but I held on!!! Ha! And returning to good eating patterns feels really good too
Glad we are all speaking up and helping each other out in the 5:2!

No, I don't think so on the "no carbs." Just be mindful of your normal carb control and limit your overall calories if possible to around 500-600.

OK, I am going for my first FAST DAY in a long long time tomorrow....today my weight was 145...the highest I have been in a year! ( usually hover around 139-142) but I have been eating so much more lately. I don't really know what the big deal is for me because I usually feel so much better after a FAST DAY. But as you all know that carb monster just rears its ugly head. I think I need to get out of the house a lot tomorrow and then I will be OK. I will check in with everyone on Friday. Thanks for all the motivation. I know I don't say much on here anymore (even though I am still posting on my blog) but I do read everyone's posts and they help keep me honest. So Dank je wel! (Thank you in Dutch).

Had a pretty good day yesterday, and came in under 1000. It's been a long time since I did that, so I'm feeling in control! Such a good feeling after feeling out of control for the past couple of weeks. I dropped a couple more pounds of Water, and I can still see plenty of water on me, so its really hard to know my true weight. I sure hope the calorie and carb restriction, along with the sub-zero temperature helps to get rid of all this post plastics swelling.
Have a great day ladies, wishing you all success!

So when I did the very best at 5:2 my fast days were more like 20 carbs but that is not easy. If your hunger is managed staying under 60 then I wouldn't kill yourself over trying to get way low. I did lose like 10# in a month using 5:2 (post goal) and the low carb along with the fasting was the magic for me.

Beginning weight for this challenge: 186. Goal weight: 176.

I'm officially in, too. My nutritionist talked to me about intermittent fasting when I was about 9 months post-op, but at the time, I felt like I was starving constantly at 1000-1200 honest calories with loads of Protein (bone healing), and I just couldn't wrap my mind around cutting that in half. Now that the bone in my foot is really all healed up and I'm able to walk again, I truly *feel* less hungry, so I feel like I could take this on.
I'm thirteen months post-op, but have been absolutely stalled (up and down the same three pounds) for the last seven months. I am 19 pounds away from 100 pounds lost, and 27 pounds away from a "normal" BMI. I am probably 45-50 pounds from my ultimate goal weight in the 135-140 range, but I absolutely will need plastics in the tummy area, so it may be unreasonable to attempt that ultimate goal at this point. The stair step goals will keep me busy enough, I should think. . I'm eating mindfully today, and will have my first fast day tomorrow after a trip to the market this afternoon.
I've read this entire thread, and am popping over to the other 5:2 thread now. Thank you all so much for the incredible information! Just wanted to officially say hello, and I'll check in again by Monday.
Amanda

I'm so thankful to read both of these posts! I've had three foot surgeries since June, including major bone reconstruction and the installation of an external fixator. I was six month post-op VSG when the foot surgeries began, and felt so frustrated that I was starving all the time! I've had the fixator out now for two months, and have just recently been allowed to begin walking again, but my weight loss has been stalled since June. Up and down in the same three pound range for months. My bariatric surgeon and the nutritionist have been no help in this area. Bariatric surgeon got on to me for only losing three pounds between 6 months and 12 months post-op, which for a typical patient might be acceptable, but someone who went from being very active everyday to in a wheelchair full time might be extended a bit of grace. They also couldn't explain why (though I kept calories between 1000-1200 daily) I felt absolutely FAMISHED all the time. They never thought to connect the fact that my entire foot had been reconstructed, and I was growing new bone to fuse with the donor bone that had been installed.
It has been excruciatingly difficult not to be consumed by those old feelings of guilt and failure regarding my weight loss (or lack thereof) for the last few months, despite not eating when feeling truly hungry and being creative about burning calories by being creative about exercise. The information you both posted here helps me to extend that grace to myself and to realize that, despite the lack of real weight loss over the past few months, my foot is doing great -- even better than expected -- and that is far better for me in this moment than being a few pounds lighter.

I like carbs, too! (Who doesn't, though?) For a 1200 calorie day, my NUT suggests not exceeding 120 carbs, but my personal daily range (in that same calorie range) is about 60g carbs. I find if I cross over 70g carbs, I can't think about anything BUT carbs. 50-70 carbs is probably where I land each day, so I imagine I'll do about half of that on a fast day. Any special tips about that? Should I shoot for no carbs at all on fast days?

I'm officially in, too. My nutritionist talked to me about intermittent fasting when I was about 9 months post-op, but at the time, I felt like I was starving constantly at 1000-1200 honest calories with loads of Protein (bone healing), and I just couldn't wrap my mind around cutting that in half. Now that the bone in my foot is really all healed up and I'm able to walk again, I truly *feel* less hungry, so I feel like I could take this on.
I'm thirteen months post-op, but have been absolutely stalled (up and down the same three pounds) for the last seven months. I am 19 pounds away from 100 pounds lost, and 27 pounds away from a "normal" BMI. I am probably 45-50 pounds from my ultimate goal weight in the 135-140 range, but I absolutely will need plastics in the tummy area, so it may be unreasonable to attempt that ultimate goal at this point. The stair step goals will keep me busy enough, I should think. . I'm eating mindfully today, and will have my first fast day tomorrow after a trip to the market this afternoon.
I've read this entire thread, and am popping over to the other 5:2 thread now. Thank you all so much for the incredible information! Just wanted to officially say hello, and I'll check in again by Monday.
Amanda

I'm so thankful to read both of these posts! I've had three foot surgeries since June, including major bone reconstruction and the installation of an external fixator. I was six month post-op VSG when the foot surgeries began, and felt so frustrated that I was starving all the time! I've had the fixator out now for two months, and have just recently been allowed to begin walking again, but my weight loss has been stalled since June. Up and down in the same three pound range for months. My bariatric surgeon and the nutritionist have been no help in this area. Bariatric surgeon got on to me for only losing three pounds between 6 months and 12 months post-op, which for a typical patient might be acceptable, but someone who went from being very active everyday to in a wheelchair full time might be extended a bit of grace. They also couldn't explain why (though I kept calories between 1000-1200 daily) I felt absolutely FAMISHED all the time. They never thought to connect the fact that my entire foot had been reconstructed, and I was growing new bone to fuse with the donor bone that had been installed.
It has been excruciatingly difficult not to be consumed by those old feelings of guilt and failure regarding my weight loss (or lack thereof) for the last few months, despite not eating when feeling truly hungry and being creative about burning calories by being creative about exercise. The information you both posted here helps me to extend that grace to myself and to realize that, despite the lack of real weight loss over the past few months, my foot is doing great -- even better than expected -- and that is far better for me in this moment than being a few pounds lighter.

New Year - for the past 41 years I told myself this was the year. This was the one where I was going to lose the weight once and for all.
2014 WAS THE YEAR...
I am 3 pounds from my doctor's goal weight - I reached my goal of a size 8 last month.
So my questions / comment - now what? Other than maintain the weight and tone....I almost feel lost. I mean I've had the same un-reached goal for 41 years... This is the first year since I was 11 years old that the new year doesn't bring a new start feeling.
For those of you that have reached or are close to goal do you have new goals?
Did you have to get used to not having that weight loss goal?
If you didn't set any new goals - how does that make you feel?
I love how I feel and how I look.Just wondering how others have dealt with the fact that New Year's resolutions no longer revolve around weight, especially since it's been such a big part of my life for so long.

I'm having a hard time getting my first fast day in. I work from home so I tried to get out of the house today and then came back to a house full of kids an lost my control . Monday, i tried to fast but couldn't make it through mid afternoon and crumbled. Today, i tried again and once i hit dinner and fed the rest of my family all of the things that they wanted (cuz none eats the same things), I was too overwhelmed to make myself something separate and gave in. After I added everything up, I thought I'd be up a couple hundred over but instead I was up to 1200.
I usually hover around 1800 cal/day so I guess 1200 is not bad but I was feeling the best last time I was getting some momentum with the 5:2 when I stuck to 400-600 cal/day on fast days.
I do generally tend to have a lot more calories than most on my non strict days. I am also a week away from my TOM but I hate to make excuses.
I'm going to give it a break tomorrow and start up with 5:2 again on Thursday. I hope to have some more willpower then. Sorry to be the downer in the group but I did want to be honest about where I am at.

I am also ready to begin the 5:2, ladies. I am up about 15 pounds from my lowest. I had two plastic procedures in 2014 that resulted in full body contouring and the removal of 12 pounds of skin and fat, yet my weight never changed! Some of it's still swelling post plastics, some is extra Water from stopping a diuretic I had been on, and some of it is from the extra calories I had over the holidays because I "needed" it for healing. Pretty sure I didn't need quite all of those calories. I'm hoping to finally get to goal this year!
Here's to a our collective, continued success in 2015!