Kristina Mccarthy-Martin

Good morning! I had my 2 week post-op appointment on Tuesday. My incisions are healed and I had lost about 15 lbs since my pre-op appointment. During the first week and a half my weigh loss seemed fairly consistant on a daily basis. Then all of a sudden nothing. I haven't lost anything in 5 days! Has anyone else had a similar experience? I was getting so excited seeing the numbers drop on a daily basis that this feels like an emotional letdown. I just switched to pureed foods and have been logging what I eat in my attempt to make the protein numbers (60-80g). I am eating on average 500-600 calories a day.

I watch the scale creep up. Sometimes, well really for more than half my life, the scale has been my enemy. For the last 18 months it has been a tool as I managed my weight loss after my gastric sleeve surgery. Sure we fought some. I couldn’t understand how I could be managing my calorie intake and exercising and that darn thing wouldn’t budge. But after perseverance I won the small battles. When I was initially scheduling my weight loss surgery (WLS), the doctor asks you to set a weight goal. I gave a number and then I mentally set 3 interim goals. My real goal was to have surgery and then within a year reach my weight goal, so I could then try to get pregnant. A year post-op and I had met 2 of my interim goals and was feeling great after losing 80 lbs. I changed my goal – one to a realistic healthy number and two to include a fitness element. So we went ahead and started our journey of expanding our family. Fear creeps in when I get on the scale in the mornings. The number is getting bigger! I fight the urge to “diet” and restrict my calories. This morning I was .2 lbs below the last goal I had hit on my journey towards my ultimate weight goal. It is a number that I never wanted to go above again. I logically know that I am going to have to gain weight while pregnant. Emotionally I am fighting my demons. I strive to continue to be healthy during my pregnancy. I never thought it would be so hard to watch the scale move up. I really thought that I would just bask in being pregnant and enjoy every minute. Instead I look in the mirror and fear the fat returning. I am not a skinny girl and I don’t have a cute little baby bump at this point. Firstly, I’m not sure who these women are that are just having easy pregnancies and glow. If I am glowing it is probably due to broken capillaries in my face from the frequent vomiting. Thankfully my all-day sickness is starting to become occasional sickness. And I am so tired, I just want to nap at my desk every day. Actually I have unknowingly fallen asleep typing. Do not take this as complaining, as I am not complaining since I am just having a few inconveniences versus some complications that some have to deal with. The real struggle/question is how to balance the emotional demons and have a healthy pregnancy post weight loss surgery. I am striving to continue exercising and to eat healthy so both baby and momma are healthy. I will refocus on my goal after my precious baby boy arrives. 23 more weeks to go!

I'm 10 weeks and water is a no-go for me. I have been drinking more milk and eating lots of SF popsicles. I have also found the slushies are good for me, so I am going to make my own with light lemonade.

My ob had me stay on bariatric with a prescription folic acid. Although I'm having trouble keeping down the bariatric ones.

So, I am just past the 1 year mark. To be honest, I feel disappointed in my progress. I have a friend that had surgery 2 weeks after me and she met her goal prior to the 1 year mark. I look at the before and after pictures people post and am amazed at how much some people have lost in 9 months. I am still 50lbs from my goal. I have only lost 13 lbs in the last 6 months. I can see a visible difference in pictures, but in the mirror I still feel fat. I try to remind myself that this is a marathon, not a sprint. But I just can't help but feel disappointed. Weight loss has been really difficult for me for many years with nothing really working. I am really happy that I am down 74 lbs and feel so much more alive! I had wanted to reach my goal at 1 year, so I could get pregnant after reaching goal. Anyone else have a huge slowdown? Am I the only one that didn't lose everything in the first 9 months?

You look fabulous! I completely understand the feeling though. It isn't until I do comparison photos can I see the changes that my body has made.

I decided to go with body fat percentage instead of BMI or weight as I have been developing a lot of muscle from working out.

Went for my 1 year appointment yesterday. Good news is that I actually lost 19lbs since my 6 month appointment. And all 19lbs were fat and I have maintained my lean body mass Encouragement to keep exercising as it is actually coming off in a haelthy manner!

Thanks for the support everyone! I'm sure there are things I could have done better, as I know I never drink enough Water. I do exercise 3x a week and try to eat on plan 99% of the time. It is hard to not compare yourself to others and their progress. I go for my 1 year appointment this afternoon, so I will get another body fat analysis done. I plan on plugging along until I reach my goal of 140lbs or 20% body fat. Although some may think my goal of looking like I did at 16 is unattainable or ridiculous, it is last time I was at a healthy weight. I thought I was fat then, but I was actually healthy and fit, which is my true goal for the weight loss. Good luck to everyone on your life long journey, as I know we will probably continue to fight this battle for the rest of our lives.

I had the gastric sleeve.

I am 1 year post op. I haven't reached my goal yet,but am very proud of the changes that I have made!

My nutritionist advised me to keep track of Protein consumed. I started to havea bit of hair loss and when I upped my protein intake it luckily stoppped. Not sure if it will help you.

I am 3 1/2 months post-op. I am down 45 lbs, so not quite as quick of a loser as you I lost nothing on my pre-op diet, which just further emphasised that dieting alone does not work for me. I have about 80 lbs more to go, and have just started to seriously exercise this week. I am starting to really feel great now though after some acid refux and vomitting issues which have been resolved.

Congrats on your success so far. You are looking great!

I found that Protein high foods like scrambled egg, cottage cheese, etc helped with hunger. I rarely eat veggies/fruits as I feel hungry again quickly.

I have lost 43 lbs since Oct 2. I have only gone down one size. However, I can tell in my face and just about everywhere that I have lost. I haven't lost as much as I thought I woould in the time frame, but I am OK with it because I already notice saggy skin. I think if you just keep trudging n, you will lose the weight. When is the last time you lost 32lbs?

The last few weeks I have been vomitting almost on a daily basis. The first few times, it was because I ate too quickly, so I have made a conscious effort to chew more and eat slower. A couple of times it was just food that my stomach could not tolerate, i.e. eggnog. However, a lot of time it is from something I had ate just the day before and was fine. THe worst thing about the vomitting is that I have very little warning and my unsuspecting co-workers have to deal with me puking in my trash can. The other night I yelled for my husband to bring me a bowl because I didn't want to move and it was nearly too late. I have noticed the acid reflux is increasing, so I don't know if that is attributing. I probbaly need to have my meds adjusted. Has anyone else had these kind of issues? I really don't want to be vomitting on a daily basis.

I confess that I ate a PB cup for lunch.. (forgot my lunch and I am on purees, so I figured it would "melt" in my mouth) I confess I drank a couple sips of diet soda (so tired of koolaid and juice) I confess I drink Starbucks lattes for meals I confess that I am addicted to weighing myself I confess that I am jealous of my husband eating sandwiches and chips I confess that this is way harder than I thought it would be I confess that I told my husnband no sex for 6 weeks after surgery because I don't like how I look

I have been making a Mexican bake. In a ramekin, refried beans, pureed taco meat, a little cheddar cheese then bake for a couple minutes. For my husband I put a small amount of cornbread batter in the bottom and bake then top the same as my dish.

Sorry to hear that your family is not being supportive. I am 3 weeks post op, my 2 week post op appointment was the first time my husband went with me. I thought he wasn't being supportive of my decision throughout the entire process. But come to find out, he was scared of what could happen to me. Luckily my mom was very supportive and came for my surgery and stayed for 10 days (she lives in IL, I live in AL). Maybe you have a friend who can be your support system or someone you friend in a support group.

Finally I am seeing the numbers move again! But albeit with a price to pay. I am sooooo tired. At the end of last week I went back to work for half a day on Thursday and half a day on Friday. Had energy and was feeling great. Then on Saturday night I slept for 13 hours and napped on Sunday. Yesterday I didn't go to work, and took a 5 hour "nap". This is my 3rd week off of work, hope this gets better as I am supposed to go back to work full-time next Monday.

Love the info.