Can't stop losing

[Taradawn15 148]

Hey Everyone,

It's been forever since I've been on here, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has had this same issue. I'm starting to get frusterated. I'm 17 months out from my surgery and was very fortunate to have had a mostly smooth weight loss journey along the way. A few hick ups here and there but for the most part a very successful journey, physically and emotionally. However right now where I am struggling is with stopping the weightless. It's so weird to be on the other side of this weight issue, first overweight and now underweight. Let me tell you people are just as cruel when your underweight as they are when your overweight! I've had a very stressful last 3 months with health issues with my children the Army moving our family and my husband coming home after a year gone to Korea. With that stress I have found it easier to avoid food instead of running to it when I'm stressed. Now I clean or workout when I'm overly stressed. Anyways I had stalled out at about 140, which was 10 pounds below my doctors goal for me and 5 pounds above my personal goal. However I was very happy with it, a size 7/8 looked great on me. I sat there for about 3-5 months and was hoping to stay there. I upped my calorie intake to 1100-1200 a day and was doing good, till January when I moved and, well life happened. I've tried to keep my calorie intake up but most days I get between 900 and 1000 a day, and my weight is continually falling the last 3 months. I've lost 30 pounds, 10 pounds a month which is my fastest weight loss ever and I am now underweight and way to skinny am I hate it. I am a size 2-4 which is smaller than I was when I was in JR High my husband is not thrilled with it as I am super boney, my ribs are constantly showing and my hips jut out like crazy. He's constantly afraid of hurting, which he accidentally does all the time. It's super frusterating, have any of you ever experienced this? How did you get the weight back on afterward? Any suggestions/support would be super appreciated. Thank you all and I hope you are all still enjoying your journey.

[AmyV 82]

I just had surgery so cannot speak from experience, but I did share this exact concern with my doctor as it was my husbands biggest concern also. The doctor did say there were ways they could help someone put back on some weight also. I don't know what the method is, but I would definitely suggest seeing a doctor about it. I realize what a pain that is after moving, but this is really important to your overall health and future!! I hope you get some good answers from others too!!! Take care of yourself!!

[BKLYNgal87 503]

Wow. Sounds like you've had a rough couple of months, and if I had to guess, the stress is the biggest contributor to your continued weight loss. It may be time to meet with your doctor for a physical to make sure you are okay health wise. If he or she thinks you need to gain some weight back, there's always Ensure shakes and strength training at the gym.

[roundisashape 712]

I'm sorry you've had such a stressful few months! Hopefully things will calm down for you soon. AmyV is right on the money, a doc or nutritionist might be able to help with some tips. In the meantime, if you're really not up to eating more, would you be comfortable adding more liquid calories - say in the form of an extra Protein shake or something every day?

[michelle68 46]

I was going to suggest liquid calories...there is also something called benecalorie...you can add it to liquids to boost calroies.

[Taradawn15 148]

That's a good idea, I'm sure I can add in a Protien smoothie a day. Saw my new doc and nutritionist last week, they where both unhappy with my weight, said I need to gain, but didn't really give me advice on how to. The doc told me to stop working out which is dumb in my opinion. I just worked hard the last year to change my life style and don't want to through it all away. If did switch it up so now I'm doing more strength work and less cardio every week.

[BKLYNgal87 503]

That's a good idea, I'm sure I can add in a Protien smoothie a day. Saw my new doc and nutritionist last week, they where both unhappy with my weight, said I need to gain, but didn't really give me advice on how to. The doc told me to stop working out which is dumb in my opinion. I just worked hard the last year to change my life style and don't want to through it all away. If did switch it up so now I'm doing more strength work and less cardio every week.

Hmm yeah this is not very helpful advice on the part of your doctor. Try the liquid calories, and/or add some higher fat Snacks to your eating plans every day, like cheese and nuts. I mentioned Ensure above because my brother, who is in the Marines, swears by it every time his CO tells him to gain 5 or 10 lbs.

As for working out, you can lower the intensity of the cardio routines and spend more time building up muscle tone with weights. Exercise is a great stress reliever and if I were you I wouldn't give it up because it helps with much more than just weight loss. Most important is to increase caloric intake and see how things go from there. Please keep us updated.

Edit: Oops. I just realized this thread was in the Vets forum. ::skulking away now::

Edited March 13, 2014 by BKLYNgal87

[Taradawn15 148]

Thanks for the advice and support everyone, I was super nervous about posting as i didn't want yelled at by people who are in the opposite position as me. I am so thankful to have just been met by positive helpful feedback. Thanks again, and I'll keep you all updated.

[lsereno 2,525]

I suggest using an eating plan to regain. During times of stress, I have to have a plan or goals don't get met. Pick a calorie goal, design a meal plan that meets it, and stick with it. For example, goal of 1500 calories per day. 500 calories before lunch, 500 before dinner, and 500 for dinner and evening snack.

Use high calorie foods you enjoy, such as nuts, Peanut Butter, ice cream, healthy fats like avocado, and full fat dairy. You will probably need to eat three meals and three Snacks to get there.

Lynda

[M2G 1,836]

I'm sorry you are having this trouble, as you said it's no fun on either side of the coin...under or overweight neither one is healthy for you.

I just want to echo was Lynda said...adding in healthy fats, calories and planning out your day in regards to your meals should help you get a handle on it.

I also just want to say this. (Not to be rude or stir up drama) but I just want to mention that sounds VERY UNUSUAL for most sleeve patients. At 17 months out most people are just usually hitting their goal weight or they have found a few pounds have climbed back on etc. So to drop 30 lbs in 3 months, well are you sure you don't have another medical condition going on? Can you have a dr. appt to just run blood work and check that everything is ok? That seems pretty worrisome! I hope you can stop the loss and regain a few lbs of muscle!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I agree with Isereno ^^^^^ Plan, and get in more calories, if you don't track, you might try that... I wouldn't stop exercising, but choose your poison... don't over exercise...

[Taradawn15 148]

I'm sorry you are having this trouble, as you said it's no fun on either side of the coin...under or overweight neither one is healthy for you.

I just want to echo was Lynda said...adding in healthy fats, calories and planning out your day in regards to your meals should help you get a handle on it.

I also just want to say this. (Not to be rude or stir up drama) but I just want to mention that sounds VERY UNUSUAL for most sleeve patients. At 17 months out most people are just usually hitting their goal weight or they have found a few pounds have climbed back on etc. So to drop 30 lbs in 3 months, well are you sure you don't have another medical condition going on? Can you have a dr. appt to just run blood work and check that everything is ok? That seems pretty worrisome! I hope you can stop the loss and regain a few lbs of muscle!

Thank you,

I didn't think your post was rude at all, I fully agree that is very unusual. In the last month I have undergone a huge battery of tests, blood test, brain and spinal MRIs, pee test, and next I do some nerve testing. At this point other than being stressed and underweight I am very healthy as far as we know. But I have started food journaling again, and also started a health journal so I can see of there's any trends there that I'm not noticing. Yesterday started a planned menu with 1300 calories, 1500 is a bit much and at this point not very realistic. Hoping to get things under control here soon and get back to healthy. Just posted on here to see if anyone had been through anything similar so I don't feel so crazy, lol. Thanks everyone for the support and help.

[It's all new 453]

While this issue is unusual - I don't think as uncommon as you might think. I only personally know three other sleevers. All four of us had no problem hitting goal, and two of the four of us struggle with keeping our weight up. For both of us, keeping weight on under stress is the biggest problem. And, when you add exercise it gets even trickier.

Recently I have been under enough stress to have to switch to primarily liquids. My stomach is too tight to allow for enough solids to get my calories - it has been a physiological reaction to stress. My weight has dropped to 121 lbs, and it drops more every day. My doctors goal weight for me was 155. My goal was initially 145, although I ended up thinking that 130-135 wasn't bad. It sounds like you went to the doc already, which is what I did as well. I also had testing to find my BMR so I would know my actual calories needed - and I need at least 2,000 calories to maintain my weight if I don't exercise, and more when I do exercise.

My approach is to add high calorie liquids. A combination of Peanut Butter and Protein shakes is good. Other foods to try are: Guacamole. Ice cream. Whole milk and heavy cream. Ensure. Etc. The healthy fats are obviously from nuts, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, etc. Unhealthy fats are from dairy. At this point, it is more important to me to keep my weight on than to worry too much about unhealthy fat (within reason).

The problem is, being underweight has the same increased mortality that being obese has - and we did not go through all of this to end up with essentially the same issues we started out with. I just try to force the liquids in, don't worry too much about the comments from others, and know that under less stress it will get better.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

It just goes to show how different we can be. My BMR is closer to 1300-1400 without exercise.... I have more of the problem of keeping it off. It took me three years to get to goal, and that was a pretty high goal at that...

[StratusPhr 127]

Hey Everyone,

It's been forever since I've been on here, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has had this same issue. I'm starting to get frusterated. I'm 17 months out from my surgery and was very fortunate to have had a mostly smooth weight loss journey along the way. A few hick ups here and there but for the most part a very successful journey, physically and emotionally. However right now where I am struggling is with stopping the weightless. It's so weird to be on the other side of this weight issue, first overweight and now underweight. Let me tell you people are just as cruel when your underweight as they are when your overweight! I've had a very stressful last 3 months with health issues with my children the Army moving our family and my husband coming home after a year gone to Korea. With that stress I have found it easier to avoid food instead of running to it when I'm stressed. Now I clean or workout when I'm overly stressed. Anyways I had stalled out at about 140, which was 10 pounds below my doctors goal for me and 5 pounds above my personal goal. However I was very happy with it, a size 7/8 looked great on me. I sat there for about 3-5 months and was hoping to stay there. I upped my calorie intake to 1100-1200 a day and was doing good, till January when I moved and, well life happened. I've tried to keep my calorie intake up but most days I get between 900 and 1000 a day, and my weight is continually falling the last 3 months. I've lost 30 pounds, 10 pounds a month which is my fastest weight loss ever and I am now underweight and way to skinny am I hate it. I am a size 2-4 which is smaller than I was when I was in JR High my husband is not thrilled with it as I am super boney, my ribs are constantly showing and my hips jut out like crazy. He's constantly afraid of hurting, which he accidentally does all the time. It's super frusterating, have any of you ever experienced this? How did you get the weight back on afterward? Any suggestions/support would be super appreciated. Thank you all and I hope you are all still enjoying your journey.

The exact same thing happened to me. My doctor's goal was 150, I wanted a five pound "pad". I hit 145 and kept dropping. I'm not sure what I thought would happen, maybe I'd level out....whatever, it did not happen. When I woke up one morning and weighed 132, I knew I must call and get advice. Duh, "up your calories" is what my dietitian told me. I was eating three meals a day, period. No Snacks, nothing and I couldn't eat MORE at one time, so she told me to add two or three Snacks and play it by ear. Increase calories a little at a time. I NEVER ate more than 800 in a day, usually closer to 650. Nobody can tell us what it will take to gain or maintain, but I managed to retrain myself to start snacking, but I log it all, it's planned! I gained ten - twelve pounds and now I maintain between 143 - 146. I need 1200 - 1300 calories per day to maintain, if I drop to 1100, I'll lose, if I get 1400 for a couple of days, I'm up a pound or two. There is a fine line!! Good luck, just log it all and up your calories, you can do it!!