I think I am a slow loser...help!

[alisha29 22]

My surgery was 10/22. I started out at 295 day of surgery. Today, 11 weeks later, I am 264. 31 pounds...that is a little less that 3 pounds a week. I know that is a good pace, thus far, and I am well pleased (although I wish it were more), but here is where the problem is....

I can eat anything! Nothing seems to cause me problems! I don't eat nearly as much as I used to, but I do find myself grazing way too much throughout the day. I can't eat big meals, but I fear I am falling into some really bad habits with snacking, that will catch up with me and could be slowing my progress. I don't want to be a failure! When I am home, I have no issue at all. The problem is at work. I teach kindergarten, and think I am eating from stress. The problem is, I eat before I even realize I have eaten! When I am aware of it, I stop myself, but I get in a daze at work, busy, and stressed, and eat without even realizing I have. Please, any suggestions or help??? I am joining group exercise this week, and plan to be more faithful to tracking in my fitness pal...but at work I get busy, forget to track, and then overdo it. Please, be kind in your response, and offer helpful suggestions, share your story and what is working for you.

Seriously...I can eat anything! Sleeve of Steele! Wishing I had some repulsive foods, or felt restriction when snacking....but nothing!

Blessings to all

[ME123 39]

My surgery was 10/22. I started out at 295 day of surgery. Today, 11 weeks later, I am 264. 31 pounds...that is a little less that 3 pounds a week. I know that is a good pace, thus far, and I am well pleased (although I wish it were more), but here is where the problem is....

I can eat anything! Nothing seems to cause me problems! I don't eat nearly as much as I used to, but I do find myself grazing way too much throughout the day. I can't eat big meals, but I fear I am falling into some really bad habits with snacking, that will catch up with me and could be slowing my progress. I don't want to be a failure! When I am home, I have no issue at all. The problem is at work. I teach kindergarten, and think I am eating from stress. The problem is, I eat before I even realize I have eaten! When I am aware of it, I stop myself, but I get in a daze at work, busy, and stressed, and eat without even realizing I have. Please, any suggestions or help??? I am joining group exercise this week, and plan to be more faithful to tracking in my fitness pal...but at work I get busy, forget to track, and then overdo it. Please, be kind in your response, and offer helpful suggestions, share your story and what is working for you.

Seriously...I can eat anything! Sleeve of Steele! Wishing I had some repulsive foods, or felt restriction when snacking....but nothing!

Blessings to all

I'm in the same boat, sleeved 10/18 and lost 32 pounds so far, sleeve of steal and wanting to not want food. I can't wait to see what people write back. Hang in there we can do this!!

[gmanbat 5,889]

Your post is a good one.

I can eat anything as well, but then, I have always been that way. Some foods, (spicy, too dense, such as steak), give me trouble afterward.

The grazing is the secret way the fat sneaks back on. I defeat it by having alternative things to put down my neck. Water is the #1 defeater of grazing. Keep a bottle in your hand as much as possible. Resist the temptation to throw it at bratty little boys. Oops, I had a flash from the past.

sugar free drinks help if you get sick of Water. I like the flavored waters. Be sure to get in your Protein Snacks on time depending on the plan they put you on.

[haragl 26]

First of all remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. I can say that because I know how you are feeling. I was sleeved on 9/24 and have only lost 43 lbs from my high weight and only 35 from my pre-surgery weight. I did really well at my 2 week follow-up and lost 13 lbs but then haven't lost anything since. I too can eat anything. The most important thing to remember is that as long as you are losing and not gaining you are ahead of the game. If you can't enter your food before you eat it then write it down and do it as soon as possible. Stick with the basics, like you are doing, Protein, Water then everything else. Try to plan your meals and figure out the calories and everything the night before that way if you are mindlessly reaching you are reaching for the right things. If you slip then you slip and you just get back on track. You will hit stalls thruout the weight loss journey but just keep doing what you are supposed to do and IT WILL COME OFF. We each lose at our own speed and though it's easy to be disheartened when you read about someone else dropping the weight or it just melting off and yours doesn't seem to be doing that just stay strong and know that you are making great changes in your life that will last a lifetime. Good Luck.

[Banned member 320]

I'm also a slow loser but the main thing that keeps me from grazing is getting in my Protein and literally after that my cravings or need to eat constantly is gone. Also making sure you are getting in your fluids will help. I love Water but after surgery I'm finding myself having to mix it with something because it helps my body digest it quicker and I can drink faster. I mix my water with g2 gatorade. I also exercise and this takes away my appetite. My advice is make sure you're getting 60+ grams of protein, drinking lots of fluids, and exercise. When I do those 3 things I tend to feel better. Once I started getting in my protein I stopped stalling. I may be losing slowly but week to week I'm losing. I weigh every single day because it keeps me accountable. I use a iphone app called "target weight" and I'm able to see my weight loss in a graph form, it's also good to see a trend.

[clk 3,519]

You don't need help unless your diet is the reason you're losing slowly.

There are a huge number of active threads right now (I've even replied on a few!) that address slower loss. If you're eating a balanced diet of Protein, good carbs and quality fats, you're doing everything you can.

We love to read the superman/woman losses while we're researching surgery, but the reality is that many more people lose slowly than quickly. I took 17 months to lose 107 pounds - that's just over six pounds a month but many of those months I had less than a three pound loss.

I'm no less a success for the longer journey.

Focus less on how quickly you lose and more on what you're doing to overcome the bad habits that made you obese. Learn moderation and build healthy eating habits so that once you do achieve goal you have the ability to stay there without a struggle.

And definitely read the recent threads about binge eating and grazing! It's a behavior that you will have to address in order to have a better relationship with food.

Good luck, you're not alone.

~Cheri

[doxieville 799]

Everyone's responses here are great. Well...except throwing Water bottles at boys....????

But seriously, what I had to do it to look at this as a job. This is seriously a LOT of work. I thought I had it figured out at 5 months out, but a few days ago I realized that I had slacked off and was grabbing Protein bars to fill me up because i was too lazy to cook or even eat, healthy fresh foods. So while eventually we should be able to live this way by habit, for now, it needs to be taken as seriously as your job. Good luck! I know its not easy!!

Judy

[Ready 2 Fly 22]

I am feeling same way. I was sleeved 8/31/12 and have only lost 42 lbs. I have been going up and down with same couple of pounds for the last month or so. I am starting to worry that my body just won't give up the fat. But I know I also am snacking too much and am falling back into bad habits cause I also have a sleeve of steel. Why oh why couldn't I have come out of surgery with sugar/chocolate allergies? I am about to clear out my freezer and fridge of all those sweet treats I have saved just in case. Well just in case comes way too often, it is time for drastic action. (I have a problem with throwing away sweets.) ;-(

[dlinnh 44]

well you are certainly not alone - I was sleeved on 11/12 and here I am 8 weeks later and only down 14lbs since day of surgery. I lost 16 prior to surgery. I am frustrated too. Espectially when I read that people have lost 40 lbs in 8 weeks or so. I wonder what is wrong with me. I seem to be doing everything right, short of not eating at all. I'm trying to look at it like this, I haven't gained weight and I know I'm losing inches because my clothes are showing it. People at work are telling me how great I look and "wow" you are losing right - stuff like that. I am disheartened at the slow loss though. I wonder how many slow losers have hypothyroidism like me. I wonder how much that matters....