faithstar

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I'm 6.5 months out and have lost around 85 pounds. I was eating around 1200 calories a few months back but my weight loss was really incredibly slow. I then had some stress at home and without meaning to was consuming from 600-800. Now I have on average around 700-900 but I can't seem to get back to the 1200 I was aiming for before. My weight loss really sped up on less calories, even though my exercise routine stopped due to stress at home. I'm really worried about my hair because I'm thinking if I was eating slightly more, maybe my hair wouldn't be falling out so much. You can't notice it to look at me but if i pull my outer layer of hair up I can see some new thin hairs growing close to my scalp. Does it make a huge difference to hair loss if I am at 800 or 1200 calories? My mum wants me back at least up to 1000 but psychologically it's hard now. I've accidently noticed my weight loss speed up when I eat less and now I'm trying to keep it at a maximum of 800. I heard a while back that people lose more if they eat more and I was aiming at 1200 then but the weight loss was about a pound a week so for some reason the 700-800 calories pushed it to 3 pounds a week, even though I wasn't doing exercise. I'm not sure what to do. Is 800 really very low?

I have lost around 65 pounds so far and have another 70 odd to go. I have done this in 5 months. The last month I have only lost 5.5 pounds and am a bit worried that this will continue every month and it will take ages to lose the weight. I went to a support group last night and a lady said she lost 50 pounds in a year and has been stalling ever since and has 100 pounds to go, which worried me a bit. I eat 1000 calories a day now, with regular activity. I have been very bloated the last two weeks though and haven't had a period in a year.

Hey everyone- I'm 5 months out and have been losing well and consistently. I'm a bit nervous as I'm starting a beauty therapy course in less than three months (which involves us waxing each other's legs in week 2!) and I can tell I'm getting nervous as I'm impatient with my weight loss. I have another 70 odd pounds to go and it's been crawling over the last three weeks. It's been one pound, then one pound, then almost two. I guess it's not that bad but I'm imagining how slow that will be if it carries on at just a pound a week every week. Did you guys have moments of slow, crawling weight loss followed by sporadic quick weight loss? I eat 800-1100 a day. I have only healthy foods, mainly protein; which is more that carb intake. I also exercise everyday for at least 30 minutes and I change things up a lot. The two issues I have are a lack of periods, which had led to some odd bloating issues over the last two weeks. On the first week I went down one pound and put on two and it took me 6 days to lose all three! A bit manic...

I know this isn't the prettiest topic but I've noticed since upping protein I am very constipated. This morning I was in agony and it really worried me a little. I took stool softening fibre cubes last night, which obviously moved the stools along but didn't soften them greatly! I don't want to start eating masses of fruit a day, although some would be good. I'm just wondering what the best fibre rich foods/supplements are. I used to take senekot which did some of the trick. Is it worth trying milk of magnesia?

I am five months out and so far have been losing pretty consistently. I lose around 2-3 pounds every week. The last two weeks, I've had some odd changes on the scales and am unsure of the reasons. I lost 1 pound in a day and the next day I put on 2 pounds, which took me almost a week to lose again. In the next week I lost nothing. My periods have stopped for ten months because the GP said it was due to sudden weight loss and weight gain but I'm sure I've been having premenstrual symptoms for nearly two weeks now. My abdomen and fingers are swollen, which makes me think it may be fluid retention, as nothing else can explain a pound weight loss and then a sudden one day weight gain. I'm eating mainly proteins and today was very constipated, even though I take stool softening tablets. I was in agony this morning. In terms of my food, I eat from around 800 calories to 1100 and have started an exercise routine the past two weeks of one hour a day on the epilictical machine and treadmill. I also walk a lot but I don't drink enough water! I know it's terrible and I find excuses but I'm pretty forgetful I suppose. I have a litre a day, if that!

thank you for your responses! It does help to read that other people have the same issues and this is all part and parcel of the process. It's so easy to get frustrated with the scales and because I weigh every day, it feels like a week is a month! I've been a bit scared about having a stall and having it last for months and months...I've heard of that happening to people on occassions with no apparent reasoning and I think that worries me whenI hit a stall! I've just realised, I started drinking flat diet coke over the last 3 or 4 weeks and not as much water... Also I suspect I might be having pms without the actual deal...if that makes sense? lol...my hormones are a bit messed up at the minute!

Hi everyone. I'm 5 months post op and very happy with my sleeve. I have had bouts of acid reflux but noticed I have no signs of hunger...until the last few days. I caught a tummy bug and was unable to eat for a few days without nausea and couldn't sleep. Those last few nights I had the strangest empty/hollow sensation. I was convinced it was me feeling hungry as I used to get that same feeling pre-op if I went without food for hours. But when I ate I felt sick and it wouldn't go away. I got it only at night when I couldn't rest or sleep. It's that kind of feeling where you haven't eaten for ages that it makes you feel so sick- it's not just feeling sick...if that makes sense?! I'm feeling better today but again I can't sleep and the gnawing feeling won't go. I had a rice cake as a small snack and I still have this hollow feeling. It really does feel like the times pre op when I had a insatiable hunger...

It's been 5 months (almost) since my sleeve operation and its been a huge success to me and I'm very happy. Every so often, however, I get a bit paranoid about things running smoothly and I must admit I'm confused about the last few days. Since the op, the hunger pretty much went, however, the first month I had some physical twinges in my belly that felt like hunger and they attacked at night. Then those feelings went and it was literally a chore to eat food. The last few days, however, I actually have woken up with these physical hunger sensations, and I've felt a bit of an urgency to eat. This feels a bit odd to me, I suppose, since I haven't had that in a while. It goes a little after I eat but I notice, even when I'm stuffed, that feeling of 'emptiness' is lingering there. I've gotten use to eating breakfast quite late in the day, without a hungry feeling but the last few mornings my hunger pangs felt almost comparable to the days before my op. I'm wondering if this is true hunger or possibly to do with acid but it's been bothering me a bit. I'm eating from around 800 to 950 calories a day and losing consistently every week, so I haven't had a true stall and I know I can't complain. Psychologically I get scared when I get this almost ravenous feeling that I will somehow 'lose control' with food like before the op. I actually woke up in the middle of the night last night with this hungry feeling and am unsure why it's been there so strongly simply over the last few days. I have been quite ill recently and have almost lost my voice, so have been staying at home feeling a bit useless with myself, which I'm sure isn't helping the food thoughts too!

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I am over 3 months out and VERY happy with my weight loss success. The only thing is, I notice my eating ability changes day to day. At the weekend I went out to a greek restaurant and could barely touch more than a bit of lamb. The next day I had just less than half a slice of toast and I was STUFFED. But then on other days, like today I can eat more. I have been feeling so ill and made myself a piece of toast and managed a whole slice of it. Later on in the day I had a small low fat side dish indian potato and vegetable curry for 180 calories and could eat it in just around 30 minutes with a few breaks. Other days, I feel like I can't eat much at all and I'm worried I'm suddenly going to be able to eat larger portions of food. I don't touch cookies, candies, chips, cakes, ice cream and decided not to as I was addicted to these foods and find if I don't touch them, I won't get the urge to binge. I never eat in a way that is unhealthy now so I'm confident that I won't cheat the sleeve in terms of drinking high calorie drinks or lots of ice cream BUT am worried I can eat too much food such as bread. But it is amazing how it can change from day to day...what I can manage one day and think is a slider, the next I can't even touch. My family are happy when I can eat a bit more because I do hardly touch my food when I am out with them, so it's a victory for them when they see me eat a piece of toast and they say, "well done, you managed it!" Which is quite sweet actually...am I worrying for nothing?

I am two months out and not sure if I've really experienced a true slider food for me. I can eat a piece of toast but it still makes me full, it just means I can have more of that than a piece of chicken or ham. But from what some people have said about certain things like chocolate, popcorn, ice-cream etc, it almost gave me an impression that the feeling of restriction is not very much there and I'm worried how I will cope with those foods. I'm scared I will eat a bit of a cookie and will be able to eat 5 or 6 in one go or be able to binge on all sorts of cakes and candy (even though this is not my intention and I fear this) I'm sure this isn't the case for everyone but I remember this stuck in my head after reading a few stories about people being able to carry on eating certain things with almost no restriction and that worried me. I was always a junk eater, and even though I'm eating so healthily now, I don't want to lose control and I fear slider foods so much, I think my stomach will let it all pass through. I'm not talking about the obvious stuff like calorie laden milkshakes and ice cream but surely this must make people feel quite sick to sip on these things?

My goodness, I've been reading so much on calories and how much is too much or too little, I'm so confused. It doesn't help that my NUT didn't tell me how many to aim for, she just looked at me and said, "don't worry about it, no one else does." One minute I think 600-800 calories at 2months out is good (especially cos I struggle to take food in) but then I can't help but remember my nutrition classes about how eating under 1000-1200 cals can force you to conserve fat and slow the metabolic rate. The thing that confuses me is a lot of doctors tell their patients strictly not to go under 800 at certain points and I guess I'm confused at that number and not, say 1200? Usually, in normal circumstances, doctors may suggest 1500 calories, although it's very difficult to eat anywhere near that! I am slower with my weight loss than some others and I'm at 600-800 calories, exercise 30 minutes every day. Carbs vary from 15g to 50g and protein above 60, I take vitamins and drink a lot of water so I'm wondering...should I go up to 900/1000 calories? I remember being 180 pounds at 18 years old and taking 2 months to lose over 30 pounds, eating 1400 calories and exercising...and I weigh 260 pounds now...and the weight loss is similar. I've lost 28 pounds in 7 weeks, not including pre op weight loss, which was 9 pounds. Does that sound normal?

Hey everyone, I was just wondering if toast is a slider food? When I eat protein I have so much restriction at 2 months out and sometimes I can feel it creeping back up my throat. I had the smallest bit of salmon last night and felt SO full after. Well, I decided to have my toast last night and I managed one large slice of toast in 15 minutes with a nice satiated feeling but not a stuffed feeling like with protein. I just wanted to check if that's normal. There is always this feeling of..."oh..that went down well. That was a big slice of toast...oh no, have I stretched my sleeve?" LOL. The paranoia set in. It's not like I could sit and eat toast after toast, though; one was definitely enough, just surprised my tummy didn't reject it.

wow I just noticed the 305 pounds lost too! That's awe inspiring! Any tips for 2 month sleevers, like moi? x

i have been counting calories everyday and found it helps me to keep track but my eating disorder specialist warned me not to. He thinks it will turn me into diet mode and won't work for me but I don't know any other way. The idea of relaxing around food terrifies me completely as I feel I need control around it. I tried this before but it makes me a bit anxious and, in my head, I run through what I ate all the time if I don't write it down. He wants me to lead a normal life, without these dieting rules I set myself but I find it so difficult to relax. I can only eat tiny portions so I have 6 or 8 meals a day and I worry if I stop counting I might eat too much as it may be like grazing, wheras if I write down all 6 meals, I'm confident it's not grazing as it only adds up to 600 and I eat proper food; just half the amount every hour or two. He told me "I don't want to scare you but don't count calories anymore." I am lost with this.

First of all, DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP. The more you feel guilty, the more you feel like a failure, the more it will send you back to the ice cream. You are still human, slim people eat like that at times but because they don't have guilt issues it becomes more of a one off. Let yourself relax a bit and remind yourself of how much you have lost. You have not ruined anything- you are simply human and we ALL make mistakes here and there along the way. If one petal falls from a rose, would you destroy the whole flower? You ate 1600 calories at worst. Now that is fine! It's not 3000 calories. Turn it into a positive- maybe it gave your body a boost, so when you go back to the 800 or whatever calories you will drop again. Your mind is almost trying to sabotage here by making you think your old habits are returning. Truth is, these things can happen but it doesn't mean they will become habits again after a week unless you allow them to. Please take my advice: dust yourself off, remind yourself of how well you have done. Have faith in your sleeve. The reason there is not much restriction is because you are eating slider foods. Grab the Protein, tell yourself you have NOT failed. You are just human. And you can do it! I promise you, let go of the fear of failure because that in itself will make you want to comfort eat. This is for life. It's not a diet, not a one month weight watchers adventure. You have done so well and you will carry on doing well if you believe it to be so. Do something to make yourself feel good for now. Pamper yourself and talk to a friend or family member. Exercise and carry on. After a week of getting back on track, those fears will begin to go. GOOD LUCK- YOU CAN DO IT!!!

haha! That's very true, isn't it? Protein is so filling on the sleeve but that toast just seems to go down like a treat!

Yep, that makes sense too. I think when we have lived with bad habits for years, if we aren't tracking, we can begin to add more in, with little bits here and there. I know if I won't write down calories, I can take sips of this and bites of that, without registering it and underestimating my intake but when its in black and white in front of you, you have no where to hide it! It makes me feel accountable for my day and I think during the losing stage, it can be very helpful. There are those who can eat and not track and lose weight but I'm not one of those people. With the tiny portions I eat right now, I can't sit down to a full lunch and have to break meals into 6 and sometimes add a Protein shake to take me to 800 calories if I exercised a lot that day. But ask me to remember what I ate yesterday, without writing it out and I will forget.

I totally agree with that. I told him I'm only doing this until I reach maintenance mode because I want to be accountable for what I'm eating. Sometimes I track to even make sure I have enough, because left to my own devices I can go through the day with 300 calories and at 2 months out that's not healthy. Also if I experience a stall, it's good to look back at my calorie intake and be aware of what adjustments I can make. Of course I want a healthy and normal relationship with food but equally I want to maximize weight loss at the stage where losing is easier. I don't track carbs as I always am careful around them and rarely ever go over 50 and am mostly 30 or under, and my Protein intake is pretty good. My parents think I'm getting obsessed with the type of food on my 'won't eat' list. I will start eating chips and pizza but not right now...I think I need a bit of time to adjust and get the most from my food as there is so little going in. I had a piece of brown whole grain toast tonight before bed, which is unusual for me, but I had this horrible emptiness. I was sick earlier with my salmon, even though I ate a tiny portion. So I think my body was craving the bread because it can settle a sick tummy. I think in certain circumstances it is good to listen to what the body needs. I find if I run very low on carbs for a few days, I yearn them so I eat a carb that is healthy and non triggering- if that makes sense?

Hey everyone, I am almost two months out and have questions for those of you with a similar body proportion to mine. I am pear shaped and even when i lost weight at 18 (and put back 100 pounds in 6 years) I felt my legs were the worse thing ever! They looked flabby and my knees were big. I really feel like I have massive legs, especially in comparison to the rest of my body and am noticing, if I look to the side of my leg, my knees are hanging a bit. I'm a bit worried about how the outcome will be. I was supposed to start a beauty therapy course last year and quit after the first day when I heard we were going to wax each others legs. I know it sounds silly and it wasn't just to do with my concerns about my legs per say. It was more about my general size and complete lack of confidence. I was 280 pounds, standing in amongst a small handful of girls who were all at the most 150 pounds. They were skinny, glamorous and I felt like I was back at school, feeling left out. I felt mortified. A lot of the girls were in their fake tan, with their long nails and lashings of mascara and I was this dowdy looking 24 year old, who could pass for 40. When we were given our tops, the teacher read everyone's size out loudly. The largest size given was a size 10! Then she looked at me and whispered, "this must be yours." And then she handed me my size 20 top. And guess what? It didn't fit. I undressed in front of everyone, as I didn't want to make a fuss and the top was too tight so I was the only one not wearing this top. The teacher gave me some sympathetic glances and I felt a bit like I was being spoken to differently and it wasn't so much my imagination. When I spoke to the teacher about my concerns she said, "don't worry about your weight, the other girls will help you to lose all of that." Well If I couldn't help myself, how are a group of 18 year old 150 pound girls going to help me? I felt like a charity case and a bit pathetic. I cried and cried at home and me and my mum decided I should do the course the year after, when I had lost some weight with my sleeve. So I'm happy thus far and have lost weight but now I'm concerned about how my body will look with loose skin. I'm kicking myself for choosing a career option that involves me showing off my body and getting waxed and was only told about that part on day one of the course. I'm so body shy and even when I was 160 pounds, no one would be allowed to see my legs. I'm just really scared...

Thank you so much to the both of you; those kind words were just what I needed! It's so good to know we are all here to support each other through thick and thin (literally) and this extra support means so much to me. xxx

I personally think you should try to up your calories to 800-900 because 600-700 is very low for all of us, actually and I find I don't lose my optimum amount of weight there. I mean, for an overweight person, we can even eat up to 1600 (not that we can) and lose weight and a slim person can eat 1200 and lose some weight so 600-700 calories can definitely send us into fat conservation mode. Try gradually upping the calories. Chances are, if you are exercising a lot and burning calories, your body is trying to conserve some energy for you. Remember, calories are all about energy. We need to get enough energy in if we are going to expend it and if we are at a greater weight.

I'm beginning to notice at 6 weeks out I am able too consume a bit more food. Yesterday I managed half a can of tuna in one sitting and finished the rest off an hour and a half later. Today I was able to consume half a piece of toast with jam. I'm not told to measure my food in ounces, however I am told to just use small plates to eat my food in. I'm not sure if half a piece of toast is a lot or not- I mean it doesn't seem like a whole lot really.

Sorry about this but my knowledge of Protein shakes is pretty limited as neither my doctor or nut suggested Protein Shakes for my liquid diet- i was just suggested slim fast and Soups. Most of my research has been from here and I'm now purchasing the optimum nutrition 100% whey in chocolate. I am 6 weeks out and wondering if people, past the liquid stage, still continue with their shakes? My main motivation for doing this now is finding my food alone is giving me little protein, even with eating mainly ham, tuna, cheese etc. it's maximum 30gprotien as I'm eating tiny morsels of food. I'm hoping to take 1-2 of these servings per day. Does that sound about right?