Denise73

Stalls are normal and usually resolve on their own. Why do you think you need to eat less? Are you eating too many carbs? Fat? Calories? A lot of stalls are due to not enough water/ Protein /calories. Or it's just your body adjusting to all the changes you are throwing at it. If you are working out everyday you could be in starvation mode and suppressing your appetite and eating less is not the answer. Or you could be gaining muscle and losing fat, so your weight doesn't change. Are your clothes getting looser?
The old rules of dieting don't always apply (and obviously never worked or we wouldn't need WLS). Whenever I hit a stall I either a) didn't do anything; b ) ate more; c) drank more; or d) ate different things. (More veggies/fruit/whole grains/different kinds of protein). Never did I eat less or take "magic" weight loss supplements that never work long term anyways. They will screw with your metabolism and any temporary loss they help with will just come back when you stop.

@@Fox-E
@@shortsleeved made a good point. There are good alternatives to have the pizza taste with out the guilt. I hope you find a recipe that will satisfy the craving.
On my rough days. I try on the clothing I wore at my highest weight. I pat myself on the back. I know tomorrow is a new day and I press on.

I have no experience with weight loss drugs. I would be hesitant too. There are ways to accelerate weight loss ( I just typed it up on another thread..haha) ... and also accepting that we all lose at a different rate and speed and that is okay too!
Edited to add... I just cut and paste what I typed in another post. Not exactly on topic, but maybe some thoughts for you....
I started at 308, and about 7 months post op my weight loss slowed to a CRAWL. i mean like 2# a month. I still weighed in the 190s and at 5'5" had a ways to go.
I found out that for me I had to do a couple of things to get going again.
#1 I had to really face the fact that at 190 I was physically pretty comfortable and still had an nice emotionally shielding fat suit. I looked great according to my friends, but in truth, I looked matronly which was safe for me.
#2 I came to realize that I needed to go low carb to get the weight off. For me, Protein bars where the number one issue - I was having 1-2 a day and that is ALOT of carbs. I had to stop buying them.
#3 I had to change my exercise routine. I was making NO progress spending long times on an eliptical and using the weight machines. I switched to high intensity interval training - using a spinning bike.
I went back to losing 10-12# a month and got to my goal of 158# 14 months post op. I have since lost a few more pounds during maintenance and now weigh about 140ish.

@@Lynne1029
I know how you feel about the clothes. Over the years because I've been a yo-yo dieter, I literally have a bunch of clothes for every size from a size 6 to size 16. I'll be alright for a little while. From year to year, I never knew what size I'd be so I just kept all my clothes.

Every surgery come with pain. Broken legs mend, Pain from child birth and right now some one in the world is struggling through pain from cancer. I could go on and on.....
The pain from surgery is temporary. Life gets back to a new normal. I would go though temporary pain again and again to have this life changing experience.

What are you doing wrong?
--weighing yourself too frequently
--not being patient
--having unrealistic expectations that you will lose consistently and at incredibly fast rates
Seriously -- follow your program, have faith, be patient, and all will be well. And yes, check out the subforum for stalls -- you will see that first of all, you are not in a stall, and second, you have lots of company in terms of people who don't really know what to expect and get freaked out and impatient in the beginning. Good luck!

Y'all have spent way too much time on this.

It takes all kinds. I am glad there are all kinds of replies on the board. I am one who needs to be called out and responds well to "tough love" so I am glad those posters reply that way. There are many kinder gentler posters as well. Somethjng for everyone.

this is a very sincere question coming from a place of caring that you seem to be creating suffering for yourself... (meaning i hope you can take the question in the spirit it is offered)... why, if you got lots of positive and constructive support in that "scared" thread, did you choose to focus on what felt negative, to the point that you started a thread to continue focusing on it?
you should not answer this question for me. or anyone else here. but instead think about it and honestly answer it for yourself. so often, what we see other people doing is really what we are creating on this world. one of my favorite quotes is: "we do not see things as they are, we see things as WE are."
i'm going post this again, cause it seems so many people could use the image it paints right now.
****
sometimes people get so focused on what others are doing, they lose sight of why they actually come to bariatric pal in the first place.
this is probably the worst analogy to use for us, but, here it goes.... when you go to a buffet and there is a dish there you dont like, do you get angry and rage at the chef for making and offering you something you dont like? do you feel offended and take it personally? do you feel like the chef's choice was made specifically as a way to hurt you? do you feel so hurt you tell the chef you can only eat the other food if he/she stops making all the food you dont care for? probably not.
most likely what you do is say, "oh what is that over there that i do like?" and you move on to choose the dishes you do like. you dont let those dishes you dont like ruin your meal or wreck the enjoyment of the food you do like.
online forums are exactly the same way. people will offer you all kinds of things. you get to pick and choose what you want to take in. you need not get angry, enraged, offended, take it personal, hurt, lash out, or allow it to wreck your experience here at bariatric pal.
take what you want, leave the rest. of course its your choice. but ultimately, your experience here is your responsibility, no one else's..... only you can choose your attitude. only you can choose what to focus on.

@, I remember that thread. in fact, I just re-read it:
http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/318315-scared/page-2?hl=+scared%20+tbahm
You and I really, really, really differ with regard to what is "non-supportive" or offensive. I'm not saying you're right or I'm right -- I'm saying we really see this differently.
Do you know what's non-supportive? When people don't respond to your questions or concerns. What's responsive is when people who don't know you at all and will never meet you are going to the trouble of actually offering ideas to help you out.
If you go back and read that thread again, you will see the OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF SUPPORT YOU GOT IN THAT THREAD.
You will receive so much more value from this forum if you can focus on that.

Not to roll out the cliches but when you're dealing with this many people, the best thing to remember is that bit about how you can't change people, you can only change how you react to them. If you approach a forum knowing that you're going to encounter a vast variety of people from different backgrounds, with different experiences, with different ways of communicating, you can learn how to scan for the bits of advice that are helpful, ignore the ones that aren't, roll your eyes at people who deserve it and get the best out of this resource without having to feel negatively about it.

I follow the plan given to me by my NUT, which is eating 1/4 cup or 1 oz of food at a time for the first six months. I'm basically three months out and that's all I eat. Can I eat more? Yes. The thing is, just because I can doesn't mean I should. I drink two Protein shakes and eat twice, which ends up being about 75 grams of Protein and 500-600 calories a day. That's the calorie range my NUT gave me, although she was kinda noncommittal about it too. I haven't had any problems with hunger, aside from cravings/head hunger. Also, I still have issues with stomach acid even on Prevacid that feel like hunger pangs.. but once I learned to not confuse the two, I've done much better.
You will find people here who eat more or less than that, depending on their recommendations. You will lose weight if you're only eating 700 calories. You will also lose weight if you're eating 1200 calories. Obviously, one will be faster than the other.. Whatever you end up with, just make sure you're getting your protein in.
The biggest thing I notice about your post is the statement, "My stomach is letting me do it.." You've got to take some personal responsibility and not expect your sleeve to do all the work. Sometimes managing hunger isn't just a physical issue, it's a mental one too. Schedule another appointment with your nutritionist. Go talk with them, ask them questions, and make a plan. When you have a plan, you won't have to second guess yourself and will be much more confident in your choices!

Thanks Wablue. Congrats to you! That sounds like a wonderful idea. So far the sleeve is great. The usual ups and downs. My job pays in full plus benes while I'm off so there's no point not taking advantage. I start mushy and moist tomorrow and I've never been so excited. What are some of the things you plan to eat during that phase? I'm very much looking forward to a new me. Officially I'm down 14lbs. Unofficially 18. But I'll have to wait three weeks for my next doc visit for any more info bc my scale refuses to move and I'm pretty sure it's wrong bc the docs readings were different. How are you doing so far?

Hey Truberry. Congrats on your sleeve. I was sleeved 7/17 also! I returned to work a week later. How are you handling everything with your sleeve?I know you are looking for people in the area, but I live in Atlanta and I am coming to NY to visit hopefully in September to treat myself. I would love to join your meetup if possible.

Anyone in NY/NJ working their way through the process right now? I was sleeved on July 17th and I'm off work until September. I'd love to meet someone in a similar situation and share war stories possibly meet up. I work downtown Manhattan and live in Jersey City just so you get an idea of location. Anyone in close proximity looking for the same please respond. Thank you in advance.

That is awesome you get to take that much time! I definitely needed a month because I was exhausted at work!!! Its weird, all doctors are different because I am already eating full foods. I was eating scrambled eggs and cottage cheese my second week. I can eat tuna, chicken,ground turkey,salads,etc now. I try to keep it simple though. Once you start eating full foods and need ideas, you have to try Tonninos Tuna fillets (if you like tuna). 2 oz contain 32 grams of Protein which is half your Protein for the day. You can order online if its not available in NY. I am down total 28 pounds total and I am very excited. My doctor gave me clearance to start working out/lifting weights two weeks ago so the gym is really helping. Gotta stay on top of these arms and thighs! This is one of the best decisions I have made for myself and I realize for me most of the work is training your brain to relax because I still think about certain foods but I don't have that struggle to go purchase/eat them anymore. Just think, next year around this time that weight will be gone girl!!

I'm sure you are productive! I've always been pretty square, and just the other day I found out just how square. Turns out I am one of the only moms in my group that doesn't have a medical card (I'm in Ca) And believe me, these women are way responsible and productive. Good to know its possible to have the equivalent of one drink!

The real question is when can you buy it off Amazon now that it is legal here in WA. Everything can be found on Amazon so why not? All those prime memberships will go into overdrive.

I am also from Washington but have not visited a pot shop. Although an aquantance owns the distibution rights to a pot brownie mix. This guy is about 60 a life long stoner. He was telling us about doing a test batch of brownies. He and his current girl friend split one serving. They got so stoned they had to crawl to the bathroom when nature called later that evening. If 1/2 a serving does that to him, I would be scared to try one. Might be fun to take a pan to work:)
Since starting my weight loss journey I have avocated booze until meeting my goal weight. This being the case the idea of a visit to the pot shop has crossed my mind, but damn I dont want to crawl to the bathroom. I have always been a light weight when it comes to that stuff. Another friend tried as he described as pot infused orange crush. He ended up watching Sponge Bob all day.

i smoke just about every evening, just a little toke or two on my pipe, my equivalent of an after work martini. i don't get the munchies, and i love not having the calories from alcohol. i'm so curious about how i will feel after surgery when i smoke. and for the record, i'm an incredibly productive member of society.

Yeah, for all it's benefits, I only smoked maybe every month or two. I doubt I could have maintained my general level of productivity had I been smoking every week, since I often need a recovery day as I tend to be kind sleepy and lethargic the day after.

I'm two months post-op, and this is exactly why I haven't smoked. It's not even that I'm worried I'll eat a bunch of bad stuff (in fact, in that past I always made sure to only have good, healthy stuff on hand anyway), it's more than I'm worried about volume. I used to be able to just eat and eat and eat when stoned (whether it was veggies and hummus, salad, quinoa, whatever), and I don't want to hurt or stretch my sleeve. I hope maybe in a year or so I can give it a try though.
Marijuana always made me very introspective and I've learned a lot of valuable things about myself while high. Honestly, I don't know if I could have come to terms with my reasons for being overweight or even had the breakthroughs I needed to decide on surgery without it. Everyone's brain reacts differently, but for me, pot has always helped me see the truth about myself. It can be a powerful too and I hope someday I can use it responsibly again without fear of the munchies part...

Thanks for the report and science experiment.
You took one for the team.

YOU JUST MADE ME LOL AT WORK! Love it! And no, I don't think you are a druggie! ha!
I know for sure I don't want to try it - I have enough trouble with the munchies without weed! LOL

So, I'm the last likely person to use anything not prescribed to me.. When in WA last week, my stepson took us to a medical marijuana store that his friend owns. After much discussion, it was determined that weed would help my chronic back pain. So he gave me 2 chocloate bars. I'm extremely lightweight when it comes to stuff like this so I ate 1 small square last nite. After an hour, I felt nothing. So I ate another 1/2. Bam, hit me. All of a sudden I was brought back to age 20 and realized why I don't like pot. I ate 1 1/2 pkgs of Lean Cuisine pizzas and 2 Trader Joes taquitos till I thought I might bust.



So, hint: make sure if u get the munchies u have cut up veggies on hand. NOT pizza and taquitos. There's ur words of wisdom for the day.



Now that everyone thinks I'm a drug addict, I guess Ill call it a day...