Losing very slowly - can anyone tell me if I'm doing something wrong?

[richdan 4]

So do you think I can go to any registered dietician and they'll be able to work with me?

[2goldengirl 2,076]

I think you're best off looking for an RD that works with a hospital that does bariatric surgery. But there is a lot you can do on your own, with help from the folks here. If you aren't tracking your intake in something like Sparkpeople or My Fitness Pal, I really recommend it. You will see at a glance what your calories and nutrients are. If you aren't tracking your activity, do that as well.

A general rule of thumb is to shoot for a bare minimum of 60 gm Protein and 64 oz. of Fluid each day. Many people do more than this. My particular program focuses on Protein first, veggies second, and fruit or other complex carbs last when you're at the stage you're in. Your new stomach has healed, the swelling from surgery is long gone, and this period is when you are likeliest to notice both the restriction that the sleeve provides, and to develop long-term habits that will mean long term success.

Those habits include eating the fuel your body needs in appropriate amounts, eating to satisfaction, rather than fullness, and making exercise a part of your life. Like @@Babbs said, nobody is perfect 100% of the time. I'm betting that if you track the things you eat on your "off" days, it's much less than you think.

It can take some trial and error to find your "sweet spot" - the place where you eat enough that you feel good and have enough energy for activity, and little enough that your weight loss continues. As your weight loss continues, it's normal for it to slow down as you near your goal. That's because you require fewer calories to maintain a body that weights 50-100 lbs less than it did. Many people find that they increase their activity over time, because they find a new enjoyment in activity without the burden of many extra pounds and the wear and tear on their joints from carrying them around.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

So do you think I can go to any registered dietician and they'll be able to work with me?

I would look for one that works with bariatric/weight loss surgery patients.

[richdan 4]

Everyone, thank you so much for your help.

[1Cor2:9 193]

I have read that in order for an obese individual to lose weight they must exercise at 250 minutes per week. So if you are exercising less than 50 minutes a day it may not be enough. Unless you have recently switched to a new exercise routine then you may need to ease into at first. You may want to increase you exercise time and see if that helps. Hang in there you are going to make it! It may not seem like it, but in time it will.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I have read that in order for an obese individual to lose weight they must exercise at 250 minutes per week. So if you are exercising less than 50 minutes a day it may not be enough. Unless you have recently switched to a new exercise routine then you may need to ease into at first. You may want to increase you exercise time and see if that helps. Hang in there you are going to make it! It may not seem like it, but in time it will.

Yes, exercise is a good thing -- for health and for losing weight.

But exercising a minimum of 250 minutes a week to lose weight certainly wasn't a requirement for me.

I could barely walk in the beginning (severe arthritis / bad knees). And yet I lost weight. And kept losing weight. I wasn't walking anywhere close to that much until at least 9 months post-op. And by then I'd lost 19 pounds pre-op and 66 pounds post-op.

Just offering my actual experience.

P.S. The last 15 pounds I lost (slowly losing from 150 to 135 pounds) was when my knees really began to feel like decades-younger knees. I didn't expect that at all.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

You don't have to exercise to lose weight. You have to just take in fewer calories than you burn. At first, you lose weight faster not exercising, because you can intake enough calories to offset the natural deficit plus the additional deficit you make by exercising. When people get closer to goal and can eat more working out is more critical.

Edited February 21, 2016 by OutsideMatchInside

[Kindle 8,667]

I have read that in order for an obese individual to lose weight they must exercise at 250 minutes per week.

i haven't excercised for even one minute and I lost over 100% of my excess weight. Yes, I have a physical job and active lifestyle, lifting 60-80 pounds regularly and typically logging 12,000 steps on my fit bit. But this is the exact same "excercise" I got for the last 10 years that I was obese, so it certainly didn't contribute to my weight loss. My diet changes did that.

Of course excercise will help increase muscle mass, (or minimize muscle loss as you lose weight), leading to a more toned body shape. It will even help with stamina if you are doing cardio, but it typically has a minimum effect on weight loss itself.

[Alex Brecher 10,496]

@@richdan,

Congratulations on your surgery and weight loss! I don’t know how much you were expecting to lose, but 36 pounds in 2.5 months seems like a great amount to me. That’s 3 to 4 pounds per week, and that would be on pace for hitting 100 pounds in 7 months. That would be way faster than almost everyone else.

So, I would say you’re doing great, and even warn you that weight loss might slow down because you’ve already lost so much so fast!

Now, on to your questions…it sounds like you’re doing things right in terms of being diligent and controlling your intake. I agree with @@loriemoms about Protein shakes – eventually, you might want to drink less of them and eat more foods since food is healthier and more filling. At this point, though, I think that you should do whatever you feel comfortable with and whatever works, which it seems like your current approach is working!

In terms of other general tips, drinking more Water probably would be a good idea. So would exercising, when your doctor approves it. But, like @@VSGAnn2014 said, you don’t NEED to exercise to lose weight. It just helps, and is healthy.

You’re doing great! Just don’t get impatient…2.5 months are just the beginning!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

My opinion about exercise is that it is an investment in health, looking good and maintaining (easier to maintain if you have good muscle mass) but food is the key to weight loss. As Julian Michaels says...you can eat your way past ANY exercise program.

Honestly I think you are doing really well.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using the BariatricPal App

[walkinggirl 90]

Everyone has had really good advice, but just wanted to say that it sounds like you are doing great!

[richdan 4]

Thank you. Every once in a while I guess I need some kind of pat on the back. Much thanks.

[LizzieBeezWax 52]

First of all be PROUD of those 36 pounds. Go pick up a 36-pound bag of dirt/seed and tell me it's not a lot You're going great!! That's extraordinary!!

I know post-op, I was told to hit 80 grams of Protein, but I'm 5-7. It also varies from men to women.

Keep going!

[richdan 4]

Thank you LizzieBeezWax!