Share your "slow loss" success!

[bettyb71 38]

Here is another question. As one other poster said, it's hard to get a lot of calories in when you get full so fast. At the beginning I was doing a lot of shakes to make my Protein marks, but quite frankly I am tired of them so I only do 1 for Breakfast with an extra scoop of unflavored protein in it. Now, i am eating more regular food so I am not getting calories or protein in. AND I am just not that interested in food anymore (never thought I would say that out loud) I am exercising 6x a week, cardio and weights, so now I think I am not eating enough calories because of the exercise. I am so confused as to what is right. My NUT has not returned my email, which is a whole other story. I asked my MIL who had bypass done about 17 years ago what she ate afterwards. Her words to me, we didn't bother with all the low cal stuff because we couldn't eat that much anyway so we just ate normally, just less of it. She lost 130lbs in about 9 months! i just wish I had the guy from Extreme Weight Loss living with me so he can tell me what I should eat and how much to work out.

[clk 3,519]

I was sleeved on April 4th 2013. Sw 270 weight today 220.4. I am 5'2" so I'm down almost 50# in 4 1/2 months. I have a hard time exercising due to my stupid knees. Which I hope will get better as I drop more weight. I know 50 lbs is really a lot of weight I just feel a little jipped that you can't really tell I see people I haven't seen for a while and it's not noticeable that I'm smaller. I can tell that my clothes r a bit looser but I'm still in mostly the same clothes. * sigh*.

I didn't start changing clothing sizes until about 60 pounds out. Plus sizes are incredibly forgiving and stretchier than straight sizes! For a reason, I'm sure. But I didn't need any new clothes until about sixty down but from that point onward I shed sizes fairly quickly. Once I was out of plus, the "regular" sizes could drop with anywhere from ten to twenty pounds. I even skipped over an entire size (12) on the way down - just flew from 14/L down to 10/M and didn't pause on the way. My current size is far less forgiving - I have about a ten pound window where my clothes fit and if I get too large I'll have to size up. It's one way I stay accountable!

Here is another question. As one other poster said, it's hard to get a lot of calories in when you get full so fast. At the beginning I was doing a lot of shakes to make my Protein marks, but quite frankly I am tired of them so I only do 1 for breakfast with an extra scoop of unflavored protein in it. Now, i am eating more regular food so I am not getting calories or protein in. AND I am just not that interested in food anymore (never thought I would say that out loud) I am exercising 6x a week, cardio and weights, so now I think I am not eating enough calories because of the exercise. I am so confused as to what is right. My NUT has not returned my email, which is a whole other story. I asked my MIL who had bypass done about 17 years ago what she ate afterwards. Her words to me, we didn't bother with all the low cal stuff because we couldn't eat that much anyway so we just ate normally, just less of it. She lost 130lbs in about 9 months! i just wish I had the guy from Extreme Weight Loss living with me so he can tell me what I should eat and how much to work out.

I eat real everything. Unless you have a reason to avoid fats, sugar, salt or some other ingredient, eat real food. Stay away from the fake stuff. Number one, it's fake - it's usually made with unpronounceable ingredients and barely counts as food. Two, real fat and real sugar are more satisfying. Being satisfied keeps you from the desire to binge or graze. And finally, you can't eat much - even at three years out I can't eat much - so why would you waste your precious space and calories on anything less than outstanding food?

I'm not sure how far out you are from surgery but I lost the desire to eat for nearly the first whole year. Food is boring when you never feel hungry and can't eat much. Eating is a chore when you have to do it around the clock to get enough calories and nutrition. And frankly, pushing protein non-stop gets old. I got to a point where I thought I'd scream if I saw any more eggs, tuna or chicken breast.

I still drink a Protein Shake each day. I still have a lot of restriction. Where I was with my sleeve around 14 months out or so is where I still am - so I find that I can eat a larger variety of foods if I boost my protein with one shake a day. I mix with coffee, tea or Water and have one each morning. When I was in loss, I made myself drink two a day. I had to, otherwise I'd never reach my nutritional goals.

Once I had room to actually eat a little bit of salad or some vegetables and a few small bites of cous cous, rice or bread, I was SO much happier about food and eating. Not only did I find I was able to get in more carbs without sabotaging my loss, but I felt so much better. It stopped feeling like a diet and a chore.

What is right is what works for you. It's the balance of protein, carbs and fats that will help you lose weight without feeling deprived and without slowing your loss. It's the way you eat that you can easily carry over into maintenance, so that you can stay at goal weight for the long haul. And that magic formula is different for everyone. Some people cannot do carbs at all or they stall out or trigger cravings. Some people need more than others (I eat about 40% carbs) with only beneficial effects. Some people can do moderation and enjoy all the foods they want to eat but stop before it gets out of hand. Some people are never able to go there. It's entirely on you, your body and your relationship with food.

If I were you? I'd add in a second shake - find one you don't just tolerate, find one you actually enjoy. And then from there track your nutrition and branch out. Try foods you didn't try prior to surgery. Your tastes have likely changed. Eat something besides chicken breast! Get a variety of foods and increase your carb intake a little bit. See how that affects the scale. If it keeps going down (albeit slowly) there's nothing wrong with making your diet more enjoyable and easier to maintain for the long haul. I give any adjustments about two weeks to see how they're really doing and how they make me feel. If you're working out a lot, odds are good that you need to eat even more than you are eating, especially if you're already pretty sure you're not doing too great on that front. You need to find a way to balance it. That guy from Extreme Weight Loss can tell you what works for most people and he can get you results, sure, for as long as he's working with you! But he isn't going to be able to tell you exactly what to do for you to get results that you can keep up forever. The people on those shows? How many actually maintain their losses for the long run? I read that 80-95% regain their weight.

Off on a tangent: Those shows make me really angry. They don't help anyone. They increase the idea that obese people just need to want it badly enough to lose weight - they teach non-obese people that it's a simple matter of working hard enough and eating right and that anyone, even the morbidly obese, just need to get off the couch to lose the weight. It is not that cut and dry. They get results because of a strictly regimented routine that nobody - not even people that have been on the shows! - can maintain for the long run. Nobody in the real world has six hours a day to exercise, I'm sorry. Furthermore, they teach us, the obese and formerly obese - that our entire self worth and our attractiveness are entirely dependent upon the number on the scale. We're only a success when we reach a certain weight. That's not uplifting. That's the opposite of uplifting! It's defeating and negative and frankly, just serves to make skinny people view all fat people as lazy, and makes fat people view themselves as lazy, unattractive and unworthy. It's just one of the many reasons people like me that are living close to goal feel bad about a measly 7-8 pounds and let a half pound bounce on the scale (totally normal fluctuation!) ruin their entire day.

/end rant

~Cheri

[sheilarae 84]

Cheri, thank you for your ranting! It is so true! I have to keep reminding myself that this is a lifetime choice and not be in such a hurry to lose the weight. Although I've only lost 27 total, (have about 50 more to go) I've gone down 2sizes in clothes. My new school clothes I bought last Spring are very baggy and I'm wearing them this Fall anyway. My badge of courage ! Thank you for your encouraging words. I've read other posts from you and you are my hero!!

[Heyher 581]

At the end of week three in my stall. And I gained. I can't gain. I need to lose. I still want to drop 5 lbs (well now it's 7) before my final dress fitting at the end of September. These damn steroids have been messing with me for so long it's getting old. I want to slip back into old habits of throwing up my hands and saying screw it I'm going to GiGi's for a cupcake. I know I can't and that's not helping. Not being able to binge on Cookies or ice cream or rice is pissing me off today. Ahhhhrrrrgggggg!!!!! I hate you head hunger!!!! Why are you so evil??!?

To scream or to cry. That is the question.

[sheilarae 84]

Scream or cry or both but don't give up. It will come.

[bettyb71 38]

Cheri, thank you! I am so happy to have found this community to ask questions of, to rant to, to discuss topics that no one else understands. My husband was sleeved 3 weeks after me, so we do discuss a lot, but we are in the same boat with many questions. I am starting to eat a little more normally this week and I have lost a pound. Not sure if it's because I was due or because I am just eating without thinking too hard about it! I was sleeved 9 weeks ago and I can't believe how much this changes your life! I knew it would change, of course, but I can't believe how all my thought processes have changed.

[grandmacathy 30]

Thank you Cheri. You seem to know what to say and when to say it. Totally agree. I wish everyone a NSV this coming week.

[musiclover 61]

Great thread! I am a slow loser. I'm 13 weeks post op today and I've lost 35lbs. It's slow and I stall a lot. I have good restriction, my portion sizes are tiny and I've all but given up drinking alcohol which is a big deal for me. I could be disappointed with my weight loss but that would be stupid ad for the first time in my life I KNOW this is going to work and I will be slim! There are days when I fret and worry that I will be the one who fails or my next appointment with my surgeon will stress me out as I'm not on target but it's working, I am losing weight and I can see it now and feel so excited about the future! I do pleased that I don't obsess about food any more or over eat any more this is a freedom from an addiction that has ruined my life and for that we should be grateful. x

[Maureen60 0]

Hi Maureen' date='

If you're not using the app called myFitnesspal I highly recommend it. It tracks your food / drink intake & exercise. I love it. It keeps me accountable. A stall is very common in weeks 3-6 & the alcohol & popcorn are very high in sugar/carbs. Log them in MyFitnessPal & see how your day totals up. My nutritionist said to stay under 800 calories, under 50 carbs, have at least 64oz of Water & 75 or more grams of Protein.[/quote']

Thank you for the helpful info. I will find that app and start watching

[aroundhky 1,174]

Update........

FINALLY!!!! Felt like I had to starve myself the past two months to make a push for goal weight...........but I finally made it (21 and a half months after my sleeve). I'm a little weaker since I've not lifted weights quite as often, upped my cardio and cut calories/carbs. So I'm going to get back to my normal routine of lifting more, a little less cardio and up my cals and carbs slightly and eventually settle back into the low to mid 220's.

On the sliding type scale......it finally balanced just under 215 1/2 and closer to 215 1/4......so I'm rounding down and calling that my goal weight of 215. If I stripped all the way down I think I would have lost half a pound of clothes. I had to get down to my shorts and socks to get the 215 1/4. Since I was at the gym and the scale is located by the Water fountain.....I couldn't strip any further. :wub:

[bettyb71 38]

Update........

FINALLY!!!! Felt like I had to starve myself the past two months to make a push for goal weight...........but I finally made it (21 and a half months after my sleeve). I'm a little weaker since I've not lifted weights quite as often' date=' upped my cardio and cut calories/carbs. So I'm going to get back to my normal routine of lifting more, a little less cardio and up my cals and carbs slightly and eventually settle back into the low to mid 220's.

On the sliding type scale......it finally balanced just under 215 1/2 and closer to 215 1/4......so I'm rounding down and calling that my goal weight of 215. If I stripped all the way down I think I would have lost half a pound of clothes. I had to get down to my shorts and socks to get the 215 1/4. Since I was at the gym and the scale is located by the Water fountain.....I couldn't strip any further. :wub:[/quote']

How awesome to hear that far out your still losing. Certainly encouraging and may I say, you look great!

[aroundhky 1,174]

Thanks Betty!

[zenandnow 514]

Update........

FINALLY!!!! Felt like I had to starve myself the past two months to make a push for goal weight...........but I finally made it (21 and a half months after my sleeve). I'm a little weaker since I've not lifted weights quite as often' date=' upped my cardio and cut calories/carbs. So I'm going to get back to my normal routine of lifting more, a little less cardio and up my cals and carbs slightly and eventually settle back into the low to mid 220's.

On the sliding type scale......it finally balanced just under 215 1/2 and closer to 215 1/4......so I'm rounding down and calling that my goal weight of 215. If I stripped all the way down I think I would have lost half a pound of clothes. I had to get down to my shorts and socks to get the 215 1/4. Since I was at the gym and the scale is located by the Water fountain.....I couldn't strip any further. :wub:[/quote']

Great job! Congrats on making goal! You look awesome, I bet there are a few ladies at the gym who wouldn't mind the clothes-free weigh-in!!

Thanks for the inspiration, it's so encouraging to hear stories from the vets. Makes me think I can get there too.

[aroundhky 1,174]

Thanks and probably VERY few want to see such things.......

Yes, things really slow down several months after the sleeve....but it doesn't mean the weight loss has to stop entirely. With me 1/2 pound loss a month was better than say a 2 pound gain. . You can do it!

[Chimera 644]

Congrats on goal! What an awesome achievement! I have started noting the weight I was from last day of the month from the previous year - lets see for last August I weighed 222 lbs. - and this year I weigh 50 lbs less. I will take it! I am going to continue to try and stop comparison with those fast losers and just be mindful of my own progress and success - and the fact that I am not piling it all back on - which is what has always happened in the past. Just going to be that better version of myself and keep slogging away at it