Yep -- frustrated.

I eat less than HALF what I used to eat. I don't snack on junk. I'm very careful not to over eat.

Typical day:

Breakfast: 1 egg or one egg muffin (low carb, just egg, cheese, & Jimmy Dean mild organic sausage)

Snack: 1/2 Atkins Peanut Butter bar (20 grams protein)

Lunch: Usually a salad with some kind of grilled meat (buy the fajita meat bags), AND usually split with coworker

Snack: other 1/2 of Atkins bar

Dinner: Grilled meat & one veggie

On weekends I occasionally add a high Protein shake if I am hungry or bored or just having a crave attack.

No sugar.

No starches.

Not much dairy

Only good fats (coconut oil, olive oil, etc)

I am SO TIRED OF COUNTING AND WEIGHING AND MEASURING AND WATCHING AND AND AND AND... I don't WANT to stay on the "diet" merry-go-round.

I thought the sleeve would curve the appetite.... sometimes yes, but most times no.

I only had about 75 lbs total I wanted to lose. Just don't think it is going to happen.

I am frustrated because I spend $5,000 on a surgery -- FOLLOWED by another $3,000 - $4,000 in followup from an infected drain tube and hospital stay and I.V. antibiotics through a Picc line.

I am frustrated because it is the same old story -- no matter how much I do or do not eat my body is what it is. It is not cooperating.

AND I know people will say "You need to..." And I KNOW "I need to..." But I am so tired of it all.

I've been so sick with infection and now that I am over it I thought "now" it would happen. But it isn't.

I read all of the success stories and I think to myself, "It works for everyone but me" -- thought that my entire life.

I lost 30 right out of the gate. Gained back 5 while I was in the hospital... and now.... nothing. I am battling the same 2 pounds, up and down, up and down.

Was it worth it? I can't say it was at this point.

Will it begin to change? I hope, but not certain.

Depression is hanging in the air - and I feel hopeless.

Is it because I am over 50? It only works for young people??

I mean, seriously.

I am NOT eating sugar, or junk, or crap, or over stuffing myself. I was anemic, according to my doctor, so I am taking a mild, slow -release Iron supplement. I take a multi-Vitamin daily and extra D3. I've been walking 2-3 times a week.

I drink between 32 - 40 oz of Water a day.

DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS ... even have a fitday account, an app on my phone to chart the progress. I have the recipes. I shop with a list. BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA

THIS SUCKS OUT LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(sorry -- just had to vent)

You can do it. Allow yourself to have this time to take a little "time out". Sounds like a combination of your weight loss stall and then getting sick has got you feeling down. Get to feeling better and go back to your class when you feel up to it. I also see that compared to most on here that you did not have much to loose to start with and I think most people with similar weight loss tend to loose a little slower.

Have in there!

Well I joined an exercise class. I went 4 times, then got sick with a cold (thanks to guy in our office who coughed and sneezes everywhere). So I sat out this week and hopefully can start up again on Monday.

And I suppose I will lower my carbs, which again makes this just another diet. The difference would be when I see the losses again. THAT would be motivation.

Right now I am lacking that key ingredient - motivation.

hey yellow rose. im not sure if anybody suggested this to you yet or not because i didnt read other posts but here goes. try taking a break from counting everything. make sure that you drink all of your fluids...eat the protein first and then after that dont count anything. when you are constantly thinking you are on a diet it can get really old really fast. i just make sure to eat the protein first and drink all of my liquids and then after that i dont worry about anything else. i dont even worry about weighing myself until the end of the week anymore because you can gain and lose 5 pounds daily with water weight. i weigh myself at the same time every week and then forget about the rest of the stuff. you dont need all of the stress of it. your numbers will go down no matter what, just stop worrying about it. hope this helps

Hey Yellow Rose,

I know how you are feeling in regards to the stall. I have been bouncing back and forth between 153-157 for the past 3-4 months. I had modified my goal multiple times. I am still 10 lbs of where I want to be. But when I look in the mirror, I am ok with what I am seeing. For me, health wise I am no longer on diabetic medication, I am no longer on cholestral medication. I am hiking with my husband. I am wearing a size 8/10 in pants and I have never been that small since probably Jr High School.

As you said, you have been having health issues. At this point just focus on the basics, 60 grams of Protein and 60 ounces of fluids. I understand how difficult it is try to drink while be a customer service rep on the phone. My day is broken up by breaks and lunch-4 quarters in the work day I try to make myself drink a bottle of Water or something each quarter. Some days are better than others but for me that helped thinking I have to have this bottle done by break, lunch, break or end of shift.

I have also at this point accept that my body may say-this is where I am meant to be....of course I still complain to my husband but overall, I am healthy and doing things I could not do a year ago. This is still a mental issue for me to get over. As other have offered, increase your fluids, increase your calories and just try not to stress. It will all happen in good time. You may not be losing on the scale but you may be losing inches.

Hang in there!

I don't know where you are now, if ahy of the advice above has encouraged or helpded you but I sure hope it has. I was pretty frustrated for a few weeks after surgery for the same reason-thinking OMG this is ANOTHER diet and I CAN"T do diets hence the WLS. One day, just like that, I woke up and realized this was self-defeating and self-sabotaging thought and that only I coud ltake control and achieve my goals. So, I quit trying to think of it like a diet. Basically, I know what I neede to do. I don't measure much of anything, because my stomcah tells me when enough is enough, regardless of what I have measured, and it is nevr more than 1 cup of anything. I wake up everyday not knowing what I am going to eat, but I only have good options in my house, so I know whatever I choose will be fine. I try to avoid carbs as much as possible but if I want a Cheetoh, I have 1 or maybe 3 cheetohs and get over it, you know? I drink constantly. I shoot for 64-80 oz a day, but I don't measure precisely. I have a Water mug and I now how many times I need to fill it. I carry a mug with me everywhere. In the beginning, I used a watch with a timer that chimed every 30 minutes to remind me to drink. I try to make all my food sources a form of Protein, but I don't count, because as a backup plan, I make part of my fluids a Protein Drink. I spent a lot of money findings some I ENJOY and now proteint is not an issue. I still have most of my hair anyway...lol. And I take my Vitamins as much as possible even though I can't always tolerate them! I exercise nearly EVERY DAY. Exercise is SO important. As much as diet. If all you are doing is walking, you need to add some resistance training. Start out with a set of resistance bands. They susually come with a chart. Or do some basic stuff-puship, situps, crunches, lunges, squats. This will help your weight loss AND improve your bone mass. Muscle burns way more calories than fat. Follow your strength training session with lots of protein. This is usually when I drink mine, but once again, I mentally block thinking of it as a RULE so I don't stress. Cut yourself some slack. Stress will block weight loss as well!

The infections are very likely a big barrier for weight loss. Your body will recognize that you are in poor health and will conserve all of your calories. IDK how you feel about holistic medicine, but you might try a food-grade peroxide regimen and/or a juice fast/detox. I have heard wondrous things about using peroxide to heal everything fro skin disorders to cancer. I have used it for eczema and acne, and it WORKS. My sister drinks it for a chronic fungal skin rash. The health food store is where you go, and ask the people that work there. The lady who runs my local store is a WEALTH of knowledge for alternative medicine. Get yourself fixed up first, then focus on getting that weight off.

Most important of all--THINK POSITIVE. You create your own destiny. Negative thougth wil have negative results. You have to believ you can do it before you really will or your subconscious will generate self-defeating actions! Maybe even try some therapy. You have had a really rough go of it and I wish you the best of luck!

Update -- I'm okay. lol.

I quit weighing. I haven't weighed since I wrote this post.

I am doing all that I know to do and still live like a normal person. I started going to Jazzercise classes that I LOVE (except that I caught a nasty cold.. so I am under the weather AGAIN and trying to recover from that). I'm drinking more fluids - Water, tea, crystal light. I'm eating Protein first.

I want to weigh, but my mind will play tricks on me. I'll either expect too much and feel disappointed .. OR... I will be surprise and want to Celebrate (and put it back on) hahaha... Ignorance is bliss right now.

BUT the strangest thing has happened. I am wearing some shirts I haven't worn in a year -- button-up shirts!! ... with NO gap-o-sis.

My pants are kind of baggie in the behind.

My shoes are falling off my feet.

My rings are loose.

BUT I am NOT going to weigh. I WANT to.. but I know me. It is best if I just live in the moment and not try to fret about it.

AND the posts have been VERY VERY encouraging and I love them! I read them over and over. So please feel free to add more. hahahaha

You need to concentrate on getting over the infection first. Then make sure you are taking in the correct amounts of protein, vitamins and water that you are supposed to each day. My dr suggested vitamins from Celebrate. They are designed especially for band, sleeve & bypass patients. If you do those things, you should get well, and start losing.

Good for you! Something in your earlier post touched a cord in me and I am happy to hear that you seem to be doing better! Keep up the good work and keep on NOT weighing...lol.

Don't forget to set goals for yourself that are more than the numbers on the scale. This way, if you stall you are still keeping up with your healthy lifestyle and are less prone to listen to the negative thoughts that like to creep in sometimes.

The change in your clothes means you are doing the right things! Keep it up and good for you for staying off the scale. It really played tricks on me too. Keep us posted!