So Hard Not To Compare

[movingtowardnormal 1]

I was sleeved 2/21/12. Pre-op I was 234. 1 day post op I was 241.8 and today I am 206. I feel disappointed that I am not where other Feb sleevers are.

I was on OH and I did not find support there. Nor have I found support with my surgeon or the dietician there. Both have told me to be honest. How much more honest can I be (and if anyone here tells me that I will scream - so please reserve that condescension for other WLS patients)? I eat Protein, I drink Water, I write everything down. I do Bikram yoga once a week and Power Vinyasa Flow twice a week. I walk a 5K three times a week at 13 minute mile...

What am I doing wrong? What more can I do. I'm getting so frustrated that I may go (GASP!) eat an apple...well half...that's all I can fit.

[Spatters3 315]

eat the apple :-) It's good food! I too have been losing at a snail's pace and just today changed my weightloss "ticker" to show my starting weight as being my highest weight although I was 30 lbs less than that the day of my VSG.

I did find that I was eating around 100 carbs a day and up to 1400 calories. Now.. how am I going to lose weight eating that much? duh! So the past couple of days I have cut the carbs to 50 and the calories to 1000. I'm hoping that will help the weightloss. I think it's called "working the sleeve". It really is just a tool.

[JamaicanGirl2011 27]

I was sleeved 2/21/12. Pre-op I was 234. 1 day post op I was 241.8 and today I am 206. I feel disappointed that I am not where other Feb sleevers are.

I was on OH and I did not find support there. Nor have I found support with my surgeon or the dietician there. Both have told me to be honest. How much more honest can I be (and if anyone here tells me that I will scream - so please reserve that condescension for other WLS patients)? I eat Protein, I drink Water, I write everything down. I do Bikram yoga once a week and Power Vinyasa Flow twice a week. I walk a 5K three times a week at 13 minute mile...

What am I doing wrong? What more can I do. I'm getting so frustrated that I may go (GASP!) eat an apple...well half...that's all I can fit.

MovingtoForward

Please, please, don't get too frustrated. I was sleeved on 02/20/12. I understand.

Yes, it is frustrating to compare. However, there are lots of variables to consider such as the starting weight, age, sex etc. For example, the more you have to lose, the faster you will lose.

Ok, so you lost 35 pounds from date after surgery and 28 pounds from the pre-op weight all in 10 WEEKS. I think that is amazing. 2.8-3.5 pounds per week!

Also, please remember to consider that you may be losing inches instead of pounds. For me, one of the things I have noticed is that when my weight loss stalled, my clothes started to fall off.

I say, look at the positive changes.

We sure didn't gain the weight immediately.

We will get there!!

[Webchickadee 716]

MovingtoForward,

Don't get discouraged! JamaicanGirl2011's advice about inches rather than pounds is great! If you haven't been tracking your measurements, start right away. There's a good chance that you will see changes and it will motivate to you hang in while the scale is not cooperating.

I'm not sleeved yet (18 more days until surgery!), but 5 years ago I put myself on a VERY strict 1200 calorie diet and I was exercising my butt off. I lost 100 lbs (which of course I regained without all that discipline...........that's why I'm here today!). During that time (about 9 months), I found that I went through stalls every 8-10 weeks. It's usually a plateau where your body is trying to "recalibrate" and understand that this new weight is a "set point".

Also, if you find you're stalled for a longer than normal period of time, try changing things up. A change in your routine will make a difference. Try a different distribution of food through the day (not necessarily reduction in calories), or doing different type of exercise that works new areas of your body. Weight lifting (free weights or machines) is a great way to kick-start your metabolism because the effects continue for hours AFTER you've finished your workout (unlike cardio). And resting muscle burns more calories which means the more muscle you have, the more weight you can lose, even while sleeping!

And of course, remember that muscle is more dense than fat, so you may be losing fat, but gaining muscle, so the scale doesn't move, but you're getting more healthy and losing inches, and reducing your risks for fat-related health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiac issues, stroke, etc.

Just because the stupid scale doesn't reflect the changes in your body doesn't mean there isn't a whole REVOLUTION going on inside of you!

Keep on "going on".......you're on the path to a better, healthier, happier you!

[kyllfalcon 768]

So you are just over two months out and you are about 30 pounds down? That is a huge success! Some of those folks who lose significantly more in the beginning are likely more overweight than you. Everyone loses at a different pace. Surely your rate is better than pre-surgery?

As an aside, I've been on this forum for a while now and have yet to see the first condescending remark.

[movingtowardnormal 1]

Now this is what I call support! Thank you to all of you! I am so glad I have friends here! This can be such an isolating experience at times so it's excellent to have the goodness of others in the boat with you.

[clk 3,519]

It's a trap we all fall into. Even the folks cheerleading here might feel the same exact way you do the first time they hit a prolonged stall. I had two nine week stalls during my journey and only lost about six pounds a month, on average.

Slow loser, fast loser, so what?! It's hard to wrap your head around this right now because you're still so worried about failure. But the reality is that you are doing all of the right things. You WILL lose the weight. The problem is that you don't get to dictate how quickly it will happen!

It took me 17 months to get to goal. During that time I learned so much about myself and my eating habits. I could complain all day about how long it took and how frustrating the journey was at times but the end result is exactly the same - I'm at goal and I have a normal BMI. It's hard to see the big picture now but it makes no difference how long it takes you to get there. What matters is that you keep with it until you do.

I would not change a single thing in your diet or exercise regimen unless there is something you know needs to be changed. The reality is that lots of people limit their diet (in my opinion, excessively) and approach the sleeve like they would any other (failed) diet they've done in the past. THIS IS NOT A DIET. It is FOREVER. You need a reasonable way to eat and live or you're going to burn out and fall off track. If what you're doing is giving you results, albeit not as quickly as you'd like, then why would you change a single thing? Too many people come off of low-carbing and have a miserable time in maintenance (and some even during the loss phase) so I wouldn't restrict more than you're already doing, again, unless you know something we don't and do need to adjust.

You are doing a fabulous job. We do not all lose at the same pace but if we do the right things, we all lose. You should be nicer to yourself, I think. You deserve respect and admiration for embracing a healthier lifestyle fresh out of the gate.

~Cheri

[carbgrl 119]

I think you're doing great. Check out my stats below. I have hypothyroid. I know it affects my weightloss. Not to mention the years of yo-yo dieting. Maybe post your daily cals, carbs, fat grams... Maybe someone will have suggestions. Don't give up. Keep workin' it. We can do it!!!

[DDFinn 118]

Slow losers unite!lol It may take us longer than some of the others, but we WILL get there. I set small goals for myself so it doesn't seem so overwhelming. This week I reached onderland! My next goal is to lose 2 lbs which will make my total loss -30. I agree, it can be a little depressing to compare yourself to others who are losing so much faster. I just try to remember, this is MY journey,and I am thankful for every minute of it!

[movingtowardnormal 1]

Clk and all my friends here...I feel so much better since hearing you all. This can be a daunting journey. And negativity can be so pervasive. But you guys are right...this is my narrative; my story. How can I realistically look at others and expect to be the same...? I'm me.

As for adjustments, I'm following the prescription to a T. So, I have between 70 and 100 gms of Protein a day, less than 30 gms fat and less than 30 gms carbs...plus oodles of exercise. I clocked 20k at a 13 minute mile this week plus 2 Power vinyasa classes and a bike ride...

It seems I'm doing all I can do and as Clk said, " fast, slow, what's the difference the goal at the end of the road is the same.

Thank you for all your love and respect! It is soooo very appreciated! Many good things wished for all of you!

[massindex 346]

Also don't forget that some medicines you may talk may slow the progress also. Each of us has our own journey but we can get there.

[favoredone 590]

You are doing great!!! Perhaps try switching up your exercise for a few days or eating the same amount of calories per day but break it into 4-6 meal times... I found that when I hydrate properly, pounds come off.. I've been losing inches like crazy!! Pre-op I was a 30/32 today I'm a 22/24 (loose).... I've only lost 40 pounds since surgery 12/19/11...but I've gained so many wonderful things!!!!

My prayers and blessings go out to you... I hope I have a few of those 5-10 overnight loses soon!!!

[ouroborous 519]

The 12-step folks have a saying: "compare and despair." While I don't hold with all of their sayings, I think this one is a good one. Holding ourselves up to any yardstick except our own goals is a game that you are pretty much guaranteed to lose. And it will make you crazy.

Please understand that losing nearly 40 lbs. in ten weeks is incredibly good progress. That would be 4 lbs. per week; they say that for "regular" people losing weight, the most you should ever expect to lose, even if you are dieting like a monk and exercising until you puke every day, is 3.5 lbs. per week (not counting Water weight here). You've beat that by 14%, and you're not done yet!

Cut yourself some slack, give yourself some credit, and quit comparing yourself to anyone else. I'm sure that advice isn't exactly rocket science, but sometimes I think we all just need to be reminded of "common sense."

[nwfoxycici 1]

Don't beat your self up about it . The slower u lose the less lose skin . Im 7 months post op and I been stuck for a few months not losing a pound. Just hang in there remember just because the scale not moving doesn't mean your body is not changing. measure your self once a wk you'll see your shrinking you'll see what I'm talking about . Good luck dear

Claudia

[Isabel'sGma 18]

My Psych told me that if there were two things he could that could help all of us that have weight issues (he is 3 years post op from a LapBand).

1) Destroy the scale

2) Destroy the BMI

A scale does not know what it is weighing, a rock, a frog or a person. He said if there is anything that any of us could do would be to get a tool that uses body composition (body fat, muscle mass, etc). This would allow us to see the changes in our body with the change in our actual makeup and use that tool along with the sleeve. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does so by increasing our muscle, we help ourselves in way more than one way.

The BMI is essentially the same rational. It only takes one small step forward from a scale, because again, it only asses weight along with height.

I am with him, I have looked around and they have body comp scales at Walmart for about $30 and that will be my next purchase after I recover from my post-op expenses and such.