I am within 10 pounds of my goal. I adjusted my original goal up from 150 to 160 because at my current weight I am feeling really comfortable and my face is starting to get thin looking. I want to be a normal BMI and I think I will be a size 4-6 at 160.

I have been dropping weight fast the past 2 weeks. This week it I seem to be dropping .5 a day. My question is as I get closer to 160 how do I stop losing weight? I never dreamed I would be this close 3 months post op. My weekly exercise is increasing faster than my calorie intake because I am training to run longer distances. I have switched to a whole foods plant based diet and I think this will be a great sustainable and healthy diet for me. The problem is my stomach is still very restricting and I can only eat so much. I don't want to cut back on my running so my idea is to add an extra protein shake in before bed to give me some extra calories and protein.

Currently I am able to eat 1000-1200 calories with drinking 1 shake and the rest from foods. I honestly don't think I could eat anymore food and I don't want to start eating high fats. I have started incorporating more nuts to add some calories.

Any advice for me?

That is amazing!!
My body fat percentage (rough estimate) was about 65% to start with. We'll see if I can get 'er down to the healthy range [emoji4]

Mine was 71% to start!!!! My lean body mass was actually less when I started than when I finished! All things are possible with hard work!

That's funny, Jess.. you'd think when we're heavy that we have a bunch of muscle built up to carry the weight around. (Maybe we DO.. but you've now just bulked up that much more! Lol!). But I've seen your pics, and you're not super bulky at all.. so me thinks the assumption that there is lots of muscle under the fat in heavy people isn't necessarily accurate...

I do know one thing.. my metabolism was through the roof preop because I was eating 3000-4000 calories a day, (not exercising) and my weight was holding relatively steady. I guess I figured it was because I had lots of muscles in use, carrying all that bulk around.

I spent 11 months eating a low carb diet, 30g net, most days. I did this because that was the prevailing advice for lowering my A1C, and the diet for WLS patients.

Most of the information I read on these forums seemed to agree with this idea and many people would add back in complex carbs to help stabilize their weights when entering the maintenance phase.

Well this has not been what I have experienced at all. I have increased my carbs to 75-90g through eating whole grains, beans, and fruit and I am still losing at a rate equal to or higher than I was prior to the change. I have decreased my daily protein to 45-60g from 60-80g depending on how well I do. My fat has gone down mostly because I am no longer eating meat. It varies from 30-50g.

I have not experienced my usual 2 week stall after a period of 2 weeks of loss. Maybe this style of eating is something more people should consider? I don't know, but it definitely seems to agree with my body and my metabolism. I believe healthy complex carbs are not the enemy many people make them out to be. I have not experienced any crazy cravings either and that is something I thought might happen. I am eating very healthy and don't feel any danger that I am going to start eating junk carbs.

Just something to ponder.

That sounds really good, Apple.

What does a typical day look like for you?

4 hours ago, Berry78 said:

That sounds really good, Apple.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Here is yesterday (I didn't run)

Breakfast-

Sugar Free Chocolate syrup- 2 tbsp = 10c

Unsweetned Chocolate Almond Milk 1.5 cups = 60c

High Protein Mocha Coffee 2 scoops = 150 c

Lunch-

Asian Salad Mix with dressing 150 g = 240c

walnuts .5oz = 92c

Dinner-

Uncle Ben's whole grain brown rice .5 cup = 95 c

Homemade Lentil soup .5 cup = 65 c

Cooked Red cabbage .5 cup = 38c

Snacks-

Half n half (for coffee) 4 tbsp = 70c

Organic toasted coconut chips with pumpkin seeds, chia seeds,sunflower seeds 60g = 280c

1100 calories for the day

Macros- protein 45g

carb- 97g

fiber- 21g

fat- 62g

Today I ran 4 miles so I will add an extra snack which was 4oz yogurt with 7 raspberries for about an extra 100 calories.

P.S. I should add that I could not finish all of my dinner. I ate about 3/4, but I did not edit my entry in MFP so my calories were probably slightly less. It was close enough for me.

4 hours ago, Apple1 said:

I have increased my carbs to 75-90g through eating whole grains, Beans, and fruit and I am still losing at a rate equal to or higher than I was prior to the change.

I'm 2.5 years out and eat between 120-200 grams of carbs daily. Due to your high level of physical activity, you may need to double your carb intake to bring your weight loss to a screeching halt.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

18 minutes ago, Introversion said:

I'm 2.5 years out and eat between 120-200 grams of carbs daily. Due to your high level of physical activity, you may need to double your carb intake to bring your weight loss to a screeching halt.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

I think it will happen over time as I am able to eat more. Right now I am really full with what I am eating. Some days I add in a protein bar which gives me more protein and a few extra carbs. I don't want to eat unless I am hungry so it is a balancing act right now for me.

Apple.. sounds really good! Adding dried fruit to your salad will be a place to add calories easily. The true caloric superhero is nuts. So many calories bundled up in such a tiny package (and tons of nutrients to boot). When you are running 4 miles, I'd like to see you add an ounce of nuts in addition to your yogurt. I don't know what type you like.. sunflower seeds are wonderful sources of vitamin E. (When I say "nuts" I mean nuts and seeds and peanuts ). Mix them up because each type has very different nutrient profiles.

12 minutes ago, Berry78 said:

Apple.. sounds really good! Adding dried fruit to your salad will be a place to add calories easily. The true caloric superhero is nuts. So many calories bundled up in such a tiny package (and tons of nutrients to boot). When you are running 4 miles, I'd like to see you add an ounce of nuts in addition to your yogurt. I don't know what type you like.. sunflower seeds are wonderful sources of Vitamin E. (When I say "nuts" I mean nuts and seeds and peanuts ). Mix them up because each type has very different nutrient profiles.

I have been adding either walnuts or almonds to my salads. I try to eat an oz of nuts a day if I can. I love pumpkin and sunflower seeds! I bought some ground flax seed to add to my morning protein shake and I keep forgetting to add it. The extra fiber can't hurt and they are also super nutritious!!

I am also trying to eat some berries and other fruit a few times a week. I was lazy tonight and just ate salad for both lunch and dinner. I did add nuts lol. I thought I would have left over lentil soup, but my hubby and son polished it off for lunch. I am going to make the tofu Parmesan recipe I found tomorrow. It is kind of fun to challenge myself to keep finding new nutritious foods to add to my weekly shopping list.

1 hour ago, Apple1 said:

I love pumpkin and sunflower seeds!

I think we were definitely meant to meet!!! Lol. My two favorite seeds ever. I have a bag of them both up in the pantry, that I take down and pop a small handful in my mouth about once a day. yum!

1 hour ago, Berry78 said:

Apple.. sounds really good! Adding dried fruit to your salad will be a place to add calories easily. The true caloric superhero is nuts. So many calories bundled up in such a tiny package (and tons of nutrients to boot). When you are running 4 miles, I'd like to see you add an ounce of nuts in addition to your yogurt. I don't know what type you like.. sunflower seeds are wonderful sources of Vitamin E. (When I say "nuts" I mean nuts and seeds and peanuts ). Mix them up because each type has very different nutrient profiles.

@Berry78 This is a truly horrifying suggestion. I you dearly, but no one WLS or normie needs the sugars that are added to make dried fruit. Look at the sugar/carb content of dried cranberries and blueberries. They will scare you shitless, I kid you not! *ring. ring. hello, porcelain god? get ready for a REALLY big job, I've got the dump truck loaded and backing up!* *snort*

11 hours ago, Apple1 said:

I believe healthy complex carbs are not the enemy many people make them out to be

I've said it before here somewhere on BP, but after eating a bowl of oats or lentils are you still craving more??? Nope! Are you craving junk foods? Nope! complex carbs are good for you. I wish folks would differentiate what carbs they're talking about on here too, instead of lumping all the good ones in with the bad, simple, processed ones. They're not the same.

I just finished a bowl (a tiny bowl obviously) of coconut curry lentils with brown rice (check out the pic and the recipe on pg 25 I think in the Proteinaholic thread), full of good complex carbohydrates and fiber <---- which we Americans definitely need. I won't be hungry for a while and I'm sure not thinking about a donut or chips.

There is a doctor who says the question shouldn't be "where do you get your protein?" But rather "where do you get your fiber?" There is only 3% of Americans who are protein deficient, we don't have to worry about it at all really (even if on a plant based diet---even my labs showed my protein levels were good) but most people have a fiber deficiency; I want to say high 80's percentage wise (don't quote me, but I know the number is high)....and where do you get fiber? Plants. Fruits, legumes, and veggies.....healthy complex carbohydrates.

And if I need to breakdown how complex and simple carbohydrates breakdown in our bodies, then I will. Other than that, I hope most take the time to educate yourselves on how complex carbs and fiber is needed in our bodies.

Edited September 4, 20178 yr by Newme17

1 hour ago, FluffyChix said:

@Berry78 This is a truly horrifying suggestion. I you dearly, but no one WLS or normie needs the sugars that are added to make dried fruit. Look at the sugar/carb content of dried cranberries and blueberries. They will scare you shitless, I kid you not! *ring. ring. hello, porcelain god? get ready for a REALLY big job, I've got the dump truck loaded and backing up!* *snort*

Don't worry. I don't like dried fruit anyway so I never eat it.

55 minutes ago, Newme17 said:

There is a doctor who says the question shouldn't be "where do you get your Protein?" But rather "where do you get your fiber?" There is only 3% of Americans who are protein deficient, we don't have to worry about it at all really (even if on a plant based diet---even my labs showed my protein levels were good) but most people have a fiber deficiency; I want to say high 80's percentage wise (don't quote me, but I know the number is high)....and where do you get fiber? Plants. Fruits, legumes, and veggies.....healthy complex carbohydrates.

Lack of fiber is one of the risk factors for colon issues and cancer.

27 minutes ago, Apple1 said:

Lack of fiber is one of the risk factors for colon issues and cancer.

True dat!