Not Eating Enough

[hockeymother 178]

I can only take in about 700 to 800 calories a day. My weight loss has slowed right down and I know it's because my body is in starvation mode. But my old thoughts are winning. Thinking the less I eat the more weight I'll lose, is back firing on me but if I try to eat more I feel so guilt ridden and disgusted. I'm in the soft food stage and don't have much selection. I'm hoping that once I can eat regular food I can start eating more. Just have to ignore my thoughts I guess.

[ksaug21 81]

Hang in there. Once you get back to solids you'll start eating a bit more and having a lot more energy. These stages after surgery are rough. Are you eating soft foods with a lot of Protein? That will help. You'll definitely start to eat more once you are on regular food and the energy will come back!

[mrsto 2,925]

I wouldn't be too concerned about this right now. As ksaug21 posted, once foods are added back, you will begin to take in a bit more.

YES, thinking that eating less is going to make you lose quicker, is an old way of thinking. SO hard to shift that mindset, though. But I've seen it in action since surgery, and lose much better when I eat at least 1,000 calories. I try & keep it at that, but sometimes I may hit 1100. And sometimes I'm at 900, but I think 1,000 is the magic metabolism button.

I went to a BBQ on Memorial Day, and had already decided in advance that I would allow myself to drink, and I would eat whatever was there, as long as I listened to my band. Well, that bottle of wine went down REAL easy, and so did the chips. But my problem wasn't that I ate a lot of food, it was the (close to) a bottle of wine that I sipped all day. I paid a price for that blood sugar wise, and have been afraid to get on the scale all week. I weighed this morning, and poof - another 3 pounds gone!! Whew! I was good all week, but was so scared that I really messed things up. Yep, old thinking can really sabotage us.

HockyMom - have you tried refried Beans? Those saved me during the soft food phase. Then, when I was allowed to add ground meat (beef/turkey), I mixed it together with the refried Beans and a can of black beans. VERY satisfying, and it continues to be a staple food item.

[2muchfun 8,927]

You're only 2 1/2 weeks out of surgery, it's far too early to be thinking about not losing or plateauing. Even eating only 800 calories a day, at this stage you would only lose 1-2 lbs a week.

[Lizzytish11 25]

I feel the same way. I also can't seem to drink enough. I don't know how to possibly drink more Water throughout the day.

[hockeymother 178]

Thanks everyone, I guess after losing 14 lbs in the first 2 weeks, a sudden stop kinda threw me off. Msminto, I have been wanting to try the refried Beans. Everyone talks about them on here and they sound so good and high in Proteins. I have been drinking a lot of Protein Shakes but just can't get my calories up. Yup, I'll just have wait and see what happens when I start solids. May end up eating too much. Lol

[mrsto 2,925]

Yeah - it's a real eye opener when appetite comes back. That, and the ability to eat more because the swelling from surgery has gone down

[cat whisperer 127]

I can only take in about 700 to 800 calories a day. My weight loss has slowed right down and I know it's because my body is in starvation mode. But my old thoughts are winning. Thinking the less I eat the more weight I'll lose, is back firing on me but if I try to eat more I feel so guilt ridden and disgusted. I'm in the soft food stage and don't have much selection. I'm hoping that once I can eat regular food I can start eating more. Just have to ignore my thoughts I guess.

Yup, I can relate to your thoughts/situation - intellectually we know that way of thinking is wrong, yet it has been ingrained in us that the "only way to lose weight is to eat less" - we hear it every day. I ate close to 1000 calories yesterday and I felt guilty!! never mind that I probably used to eat three times that. I decided to put my scale away (I had been weighing myself every day) as I know now the weight is not going to fly off like it did pre-op and right after surgery and I don't want to get discouraged. anyway, know that your thoughts are understood (by many people, I suspect ) We can do this!!

[cat whisperer 127]

I wouldn't be too concerned about this right now. As ksaug21 posted, once foods are added back, you will begin to take in a bit more.

YES, thinking that eating less is going to make you lose quicker, is an old way of thinking. SO hard to shift that mindset, though. But I've seen it in action since surgery, and lose much better when I eat at least 1,000 calories. I try & keep it at that, but sometimes I may hit 1100. And sometimes I'm at 900, but I think 1,000 is the magic metabolism button.

I went to a BBQ on Memorial Day, and had already decided in advance that I would allow myself to drink, and I would eat whatever was there, as long as I listened to my band. Well, that bottle of wine went down REAL easy, and so did the chips. But my problem wasn't that I ate a lot of food, it was the (close to) a bottle of wine that I sipped all day. I paid a price for that blood sugar wise, and have been afraid to get on the scale all week. I weighed this morning, and poof - another 3 pounds gone!! Whew! I was good all week, but was so scared that I really messed things up. Yep, old thinking can really sabotage us.

HockyMom - have you tried refried Beans? Those saved me during the soft food phase. Then, when I was allowed to add ground meat (beef/turkey), I mixed it together with the refried Beans and a can of black beans. VERY satisfying, and it continues to be a staple food item.

I have worries about how easily the wine will flow for me when I "get back to" (!!) having some... probably in a couple of months. I'm going to have to watch that!!

[mrsto 2,925]

I have worries about how easily the wine will flow for me when I "get back to" (!!) having some... probably in a couple of months. I'm going to have to watch that!!

Alcohol is killer when trying to lose weight. Up until last Sunday, I hadn't had anything for three months. I decided that day would be my day; APPARENTLY to make up for lost time! Yep - feelin' NO pain.

Friday nights was our night for drinks and appetizers. I would pick up an assortment of finger foods at Trader Joe's, and we would chill out will plenty of EVERYthing. I miss doing that, but I don't miss the way I felt; the next day, and the steady flow of pounds packed onto my already obese body. We're going to Vegas for three nights over the 4th of July, and I imagine I'll allow myself some drinking then. But I don't think that I'll be repeating the Memorial Day bash anytime soon. It took three days to recover!!! But I do love the red wine..... :wub:

[Creekwood 702]

I'm 4 weeks post-op. lost like crazy on preop/first 2 weeks post op. 27 pounds total in those 4 weeks. In the past two weeks 0. I've been training for a 5k too so I'm walking/jogging 6 days a week, sticking to my diet etc.. I feel your pain, it's frustrating. But, the scale will catch up with our hard work!! Keep it up!!

[Creekwood 702]

I have worries about how easily the wine will flow for me when I "get back to" (!!) having some... probably in a couple of months. I'm going to have to watch that!!

When does your doc allow alcohol? My doc doesn't allow it for 6 months, probably a good thing For me Lol

[cat whisperer 127]

When does your doc allow alcohol? My doc doesn't allow it for 6 months, probably a good thing For me Lol

Actually that is the one thing about which they never specifically stated a time frame... for myself, though, I'm going to hang easy and wait as long as I can... it's tough because I enjoy a drink in the summer months especially.

Mrsinto, your old routine for Fridays sounds a lot like ours... we would pick some very rich gourmet recipe and cook it while drinking lots of wine. Same results as you, too... weight gain and fatigue the next day!! I love my red AND white wines but I will be cautious as I don't want to sabotage my efforts... at the same time, I will probably plan some special events like you have.