gamergirl

Nicely said. From a recent post:
"My surgeon was complimentary on my current success and implored me to not become a slave to the scale and to not let a number put me on an emotional roller coaster. He reminded me that should I follow the guidelines that there is no way I will fail at meeting my weight loss goals. "
One smart Doctor!!!

I weigh myself on the scale everyday. I used to get discouraged in the very beginning, but I don't anymore. As long as the scale doesn't go up, I am pretty happy. Of course, I am more happy when it goes down. I think the scale helps me get really nitty gritty about this whole process. If I do gain, for example, I try to think about what is going on. Did I eat something salty? Did I really eat enough calories to gain (this is never the case)? Am I getting my period? In the first couple of months after surgery, I was very discouraged and obsessed about the numbers on the scale. I even wrote about it in my blog. Over time, I was able to wrap my head around certain things like...I can't possibly gain a pound in a day (of real weight anyway). I could be getting smaller despite the numbers on the scale. I know you are aware of all these things because you are informed, knowledgeable and intelligent. With that being said, it is a process. Just because we know something doesn't mean we actually believe it yet.
I tried weighing myself once a week in the very beginning, but that didn't work for me. Seeing the daily fluctuations actually helps me understand what is going on with my body.

these sound amazing!!! love anything thai like....im actually still in liquids only 10 days out...and was so happy when I found swansons thai broth... it smells amazing. a little too spicey on its own, but when I mixed it with the strained out cream of chicken mushroom soup I had in the fridge it tasted almost exactally like the broth of the thai soups I love...will totally be trying this recipe when able! thanks for posting!

Great points...thanks for the valuable reminder!

This is an awesome post. Thank you. I was sleeved in January of this year and am about 20# from goal. I have increased my calories lately so.....this was a good check and kick in the bottom for me. Thank you so much for sharing.

Gamergirl, You are a success, the scale is irrelevant. You are going to go home and throw it in a closet and pull that stupid thing out once a week. That wicked, horrible, evil thing called a scale causes us to doubt ourselves, not taking into consideration the myriad of variables that go into a digital or fluctuating needle value. What did you eat, how much salt did you ingest,where are you in your hormones cycle, what did you drink before you weighed in, what were you wearing, what is the barimetric pressure today.I could go on but you get my point. You follow your plan, you inspire me, and others to get out of our ruts and spice up our food in a healthy way, you work hard and well,you help other sleevers and encourage us in a way few other posters do, that is your success. The fact that you have lost 25 pounds is just a little diamond necklace on top of your success. Stall Schmall, numbers will do what they want. How is that skirt feeling, anymore room in that blouse?
That is way better gage, than a lying cheating number on the scale.

Don't you just love it when our children, grown or not, leave us speechless in an "I'm so proud of you" way!!! Sometimes we need to stop and listen...the scale...well, I don't like it, so I only weigh once a week now instead of driving myself crazy once a day! You've got this and you are doing great! I just absolutely love reading your posts!!! So insightful!! Listen to you your son, as I have listened to mine!( 3 of them to be exact...21,20 & 7!)

Let's try this... Map the seashore. From 10,000 feel, it's a nice smooth line, isn't it? From 500 feet it's a bit blurry. Can you map the coastline from 20 feet??? No, things are a jumbe with the high and low tides and the waves.
Same with the scale. If you want to weigh, why not every 10 minutes? Why not every hour???Daily changes don't tell you anything, IMHO. Water, hormones, bowel movements all "modify" weight. And I just discovered that when the batteries are getting low, the scale loses its OWN mind!
I weigh (begrudgingly) every week in order to track. I generally lose from 1 to 3 pounds in a week, and about 10 a month. Slow but steady, especially since my knee limits a lot of activity right now.
Bottom line, your head is hooked on the scale, and it might (worst case scenerio) try to convince you that you've failed and you might as well give up. Well blow that for a lark!

Scales are for fish! lol

The scale is just a tool like the sleeve but I do weigh in everyday just to see what foods are doing what to me. It's just a hard habit t o break. Numbers have gotten me upset before. I just try and ignore it but sometimes. Your post was great ,nice read.

scales are dumb. many of us get so obsessed.

I don't really trust my scale anymore. I'll probably poke the doctor's office monthly and ask them if I can use their scale real quick. I hope they won't mind...

Smart kid. How about some middle ground? Weigh once a week? Or every two weeks? And, lest I remind you... You've lost 25 lbs in about a month. That is damn near a pound a day (unless I'm mis-remembering your stats). You're doing GREAT. You're back at work, you're tracking, it will work. Don't let an apparent "stall" take away anything from your victories.
All that said, I totally understand the "associating self-worth with the scale." I feel like I have been successful in every area of my life and I have completely failed when it comes to the scale. My only comfort has been Oprah. I look at her and say, "She's obviously smart, talented, and hard working, yet she struggles with her weight." That helped a lot when I was at my fattest. Now that I'm on the way down (like you), I am anxious to see how I feel about myself. I think my biggest fear is that when I get thin(ner), I will find something else to obsess about (i.e., then it will be about the sagging skin, etc. etc).
Hang in there sister. You're doing awesome (and I was so glad to read your update!)
-Angela

Nope, I'm hooked on my scale. I don't have a bad day if i'm not down a pound or two, but... I have to way in every morning it's part of my routine. I really miss it if I don't weight in.

Great update, Girl! You're doing great!

Thanks a million for this! It gives me so much insight. I needed this. Thank you and congrats!

Thank you very much for the story of your details. This will help me along with all the readings I have done to help me with my journey.

This is my first posting. No surgery yet, so I greatly appreciate your post. Keep up the good work and please be sure to add your wt each time. It is very encouraging! Thank you!

yummmmmm that looks delicious!

These look great, thanks for sharing! Will definitely make these in the future after I get more food.

I am one month out today. My stall began last week. My weight has been hovering between 203 and 203.5 this past week. I haven't weighed less than 204 in 3 years. I am thinking this weight is a set point. I am sure there will be other set points where a stall will happen too. It is very frustrating because I am walking and hardly eating anything. I know that I am still losing because my clothes are looser. I hope by this next week, the stall will break through and go below the 200 mark. Wishing really hard!

I'm also not losing inches right now which makes it tougher. But I've only measured bust, waist, hips and bra band. I'm sure if I'd gone the whole hog, maybe I'd see an inch off my thighs or something. It's a mind-set issue and an emotional hardiness that I have to develop, to overcome my years of traumatic experiences with not losing.

Thank you thank you thank you!!

Michael Pollen has written some books on what real food is and how it is so different from the genetically modified crap that the large conglomerates pass off as food. Basically, if you can catch it or pick it, go ahead and eat it. He has also discussed cultures around the world and how their various cuisines affect their national health. One concept that has helped me resist bad decisions lately is to think of all of this commercially produced food as poison, like McPoison's, Poison King, Poison Donuts, Poison Castle, Poison Bell. Get the picture? - Yes, we see. A couple of weeks ago, I was on a three day road trip with my daughter, who is a vegan. We were in a small Indiana town that only had a McPoison's and a Poison King fot restaurants. We asked during our tour of the local Historical Society's Museum where the locals go for real food. She steered us to a restaurant in an old house. We weren't too sure of how our experience would go, but the place was very charming and we got to dine al fresco on the covered veranda. My daughter had a Portobello mushroom salad, and I had the Portobello mushroom sandwich and pulled off about half of the bread. It was the most awesome lunch I ever had that was not cooked at home. So, just sayin' we had to dig to locate a healthy option, but it was right under our noses. Anyway, once you see that other junk as poison instead of tasty friends that you miss, it will be a little easier to make good choices. I know we get tired of being strong, but those are times when your forum buddies can give you strength. I have eight more weeks of prep before my surgery, and then I am sure I will have questions daily. We can't be Miss Dolly Sunshine all the time. You hang in there, Gamegirl...we've got your back.

I've been irratable for ....oh.....44 years I guess. Just who I am. Food or no food. But whoa momma when my coworkers surround me with unneccessary boxes of donuts and pizza everyday because they're too lazy to cook....and then insist that 1 will not hurt me. The real irritation comes out.
But sounds like you're facing the big hurdle that we all must learn to deal with...temptations in the real world. It's so much easier to stay on plan at home, in our unique environment and our routine. Once we get away from that...it's a challenge. But one that won't go away so we have no choice but to master it.
Good for you for recognizing it. It will get easier each time. Just don't get complacent, because that's also easy to do in time.