Struggling...

[EarthyGoalie 253]

I am 10 lbs from goal, and have done really good since surgery. But lately, since a few days before Easter, I have gone off course, off the wagon. I've been eating starchy foods, low Protein, not drinking enough Water. And every day I wake up saying "this crazy trip is over, I'm gonna go get a protein shake". And then people come over, bring food, I say I'll just have a bite, but then a bite of that starchy food makes me too full to want to consume anything else like PROTEIN.

I'm just thinking to myself today that I have come from too far to mess up like this. I've spent too much effort, money, and everything else to just let myself fall off the wagon like this. :-(

I'm a recovering food addict, and I must say, it is really sad to realize that once you're an addict, you will always be an addict. You just have to be in control and not let the addiction take over. Once again, today, I will go and eat healthy and good, and more protein. I hope I don't deceive myself again. God give me strength.

I guess my honeymoon period is over huh?

*sigh*

Edited April 30, 2014 by EarthyGoalie

[Teachamy 1,042]

You can do it! My average calorie intake over my vacation week (which included Easter) was 922 calories. (And on some of those days, my carb levels were sky high!) So I am giving myself a week of being back on track, day by day, drinking and sleeping the amount I need, even though my body often misreads those signals as a need for food. I am a food addict too! This week my average shouldn't reach 800, and that will help a lot. I'll weigh in at the beginning of next week to get a sense of where I am.

Remember, this isn't a race! Those last few pounds will be a struggle, but once you get there, the work becomes staying there. And you can do this!!!!!!!

[EarthyGoalie 253]

You can do it! My average calorie intake over my vacation week (which included Easter) was 922 calories. (And on some of those days, my carb levels were sky high!) So I am giving myself a week of being back on track, day by day, drinking and sleeping the amount I need, even though my body often misreads those signals as a need for food. I am a food addict too! This week my average shouldn't reach 800, and that will help a lot. I'll weigh in at the beginning of next week to get a sense of where I am.

Remember, this isn't a race! Those last few pounds will be a struggle, but once you get there, the work becomes staying there. And you can do this!!!!!!!

Thank you. My caloric intake was a little above 900 too.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I, too, am about ten pounds from goal. Seems to me that those will be the hardest to lose. I've been eating a lot of crappola lately and on Monday, I made the vow to myself to cut it out. I am taking it hour by hour, day by day and am three days into a virtually no carb diet. My goals are set at 1200 calories a day, and I am eating less than 40 carbs. Today has been tough because I have been home all day and I feel HUNGRY. I am hoping that today, day 3 without carbs, will be the turning point in my cravings.

Make a plan and work it. Take it hour by hour. Don't deviate, you can totally do it, you just have to make yourself. You are worth it.

[Freedom fighter 9]

You have done great! Really.I had my surgery same time as you (7 months ago) and the past 3 months have been slower. i've started jogging and eat 20g-25g of carbs most days.

what has been working for me, is that on Sundays i eat whatever i want and whatever I have been craving the rest of the week. I will have a glass of wine and eat more carbs, but on monday im back with 100g Protein, 20-25g carbs, enough fluids etc. To have one day of little freedom made the world of difference to me, as it helps me to stay focused the rest of the week, because I know I can have it on Sunday.

Hope this tip can help you to get back on track :-)

[LisaLP 19]

You have done great! Really.I had my surgery same time as you (7 months ago) and the past 3 months have been slower. i've started jogging and eat 20g-25g of carbs most days.

what has been working for me, is that on Sundays i eat whatever i want and whatever I have been craving the rest of the week. I will have a glass of wine and eat more carbs, but on monday im back with 100g Protein, 20-25g carbs, enough fluids etc. To have one day of little freedom made the world of difference to me, as it helps me to stay focused the rest of the week, because I know I can have it on Sunday.

Hope this tip can help you to get back on track :-)

Freedomfighter. What do you eat yo consume 100g of Protein and only 20-25g carbs? I am struggling with this and could use some advice! Thanks!

[EarthyGoalie 253]

Thank you all. Your advice and support is greatly appreciated. I mean it. It feels so much better too to be able to talk to people who have gone through this surgery. My family just doesn't get it. All they can say is "you don't eat a lot. You're fine!" Though I keep trying to tell them it's more than that.

Also, I'm curious too, as Lisa said, what do you eat on a regular week? Do you have mfp?

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I'm in the same boat, I also have about 10 pounds to go. I've been stuck here a while, and the longer I'm here, the more discouraged I become. It's harder and harder to eat 800 calories a day. At 16 months out, I'm closer to 1200 most days, over that some days, and I need to eat less than 1000 to lose. So I go back and forth with myself about accepting where I am, and feeling like I should work a little harder to get to a specific number. Right now I'm just trying to focus on eating well most of the time, and increasing my activity, and enjoying the success. You are only 7 months out, so you might just be at a plateau and weight might start coming off again. Either way, you've done great and you should enjoy your success, too!

[Freedom fighter 9]

You have done great! Really.I had my surgery same time as you (7 months ago) and the past 3 months have been slower. i've started jogging and eat 20g-25g of carbs most days.

what has been working for me, is that on Sundays i eat whatever i want and whatever I have been craving the rest of the week. I will have a glass of wine and eat more carbs, but on monday im back with 100g Protein, 20-25g carbs, enough fluids etc. To have one day of little freedom made the world of difference to me, as it helps me to stay focused the rest of the week, because I know I can have it on Sunday.

Hope this tip can help you to get back on track :-)

Freedomfighter. What do you eat yo consume 100g of Protein and only 20-25g carbs? I am struggling with this and could use some advice! Thanks!

I count my net carbs (that is carbs minus the fiber) and protein and not calories. Calories count but you dont have to count them. I eat high protein meals with veggies. I love cheese and will eat a variety of cheeses as a snack or in a cheese salad. I have noticed i loose better on slightly higher fat /protein diet as it keeps me full for longer. Then on Sundays I have whatever i like, obviously not in big quantities. Luckily my smaller stomack assist in this.Then Monday through Saturday I stick to my plan and exercises.

This works for me, but every one does what works for their body. So if you want to try this and it works for you too, let me know.

Just keep going and dont give up. We will succeed this time around. We have all the tools we need. we will have the victory over this extra weight that has weighed us down for too long. I'm taking control and let this new stomack work for me :-)

[EarthyGoalie 253]

I'm in the same boat, I also have about 10 pounds to go. I've been stuck here a while, and the longer I'm here, the more discouraged I become. It's harder and harder to eat 800 calories a day. At 16 months out, I'm closer to 1200 most days, over that some days, and I need to eat less than 1000 to lose. So I go back and forth with myself about accepting where I am, and feeling like I should work a little harder to get to a specific number. Right now I'm just trying to focus on eating well most of the time, and increasing my activity, and enjoying the success. You are only 7 months out, so you might just be at a plateau and weight might start coming off again. Either way, you've done great and you should enjoy your success, too!

Thank you!!!

Also, I've been thinking... I hear that the last few pounds are usually the hardest to lose. But, is that because your body is getting to a normal weight, or is it because when we get so close to goal, we start being less strict with ourselves?

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I've been sitting around this weight for the last month, and I think it's both things for me. I am eating a larger variety of foods and that means that more carbs sneak in. I don't have any issues with "thunking" or getting sick so that means that I have to be really careful about those foods. But also I think that as I look back at my weight over the last 15-18 years, I'm sitting right around a relatively "normal" weight for me, meaning that it's a few pounds lower than where I was when I was pretty healthy and got pregnant both times, and in terms of sizes on the low side too. I wonder if it's possible that my body has reached one of its previous set points and wants to hang on to it for now. I'm right about 6 months out and I know that's contributing to this too.

I know the answer is to increase exercise and pull the diet back to be a little stricter. I have been awfully sick on and off for the last three weeks so I am hoping this will straighten itself out when I can get back into a routine.

It's so funny. One year ago I would have been thrilled at the prospect of being in the low 180s. Now my mindset is that I have 20-30 pounds to go until I'm really done. And probably when I get to that point I won't be satisfied either, based on what I'm seeing around me.