Disappointed - Minimal Weight Loss 9 months post op

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I would also try going for the leafy greens like spinach and kale instead of broccoli and mix veg. I love those but they can be a bit carb-y. Also think of nutritious Snacks. One of my standby's when I am feeling really munchie is peeled and slice cucumber with with a splash of lime & Sriracha. It hits that crunch and spice craving I sometimes get. For my chocolate cravings I make a sort of mock hot coco with vanilla Protein powder, cacao powder and a splash of milk or cream of choice & Water. The key is to literally just have a splash of dairy, no more than a tbsp.

[KathyRS 29]

I'm going to answer this as a therapist and a college psychology teacher. I'm not going to even try to answer this as a sleeve expert, because I'm only 6 weeks out, and got nothing to say there. First let me say, Wow! You just don't quit Girl, do you?! I admire that! It sounds like you might be suffering from something called learned helplessness. It's that overwhelming give-up feeling when you try to control something that experience has shown you can't be controlled (or certainly seems like it can't). The solution is to have a lot of successes until that feeling recedes. Sounds impossible, right? It's easier than you think. You set some goals that you can achieve. They need to be goals that are easy, and completely under your control (NOT the scale). Then you congratulate the heck out of yourself each time you achieve them. So for instance, you might decide you are going to drink the minimum amount of Water each day for a week, and then do something you like (example, buy yourself flowers once a week) The next week you might want to add something else to it, like eating a good Breakfast, or taking your Vitamins daily. It's important that these are small goals. What your mind needs right now is tangible successes. Plenty of them. This helps build up your psychological strength to keep going with this, and to really problem solve until you get what you want. Also, when I read what you wrote, I read a story of strength and perseverance. Remind yourself of your past success in not giving up completely even when it was so hard not to.

[KathyRS 29]

Also, sounds like from reading more than your original post, you are already doing a bunch, so adjust your goals appropriately so they are still under your control, and easy for you, and don't forget to congratulate/reward yourself!

[Giselle426 3]

@@KathyRS wow thanks for everything you wrote, I also think I need some therapy personally just because of all these feelings pertaining to my self image. I really like everything you wrote and I see what your saying.

As far as me not giving up, ive been over weight most of my teenage-adult life and I do not have a specific weight I want to be but i do want to be healthier and not have all my clothes fit me ugly as i feel they do now. I definately am trying - also coming from a hispanic family that really just blurt things put like what happend? u use to be smaller or if you lost some weight you would like nicer... Etc and things like that I feel like I just want to loose weight and be happier and healthier!

Others have had soo much success even without working out - a personal friend of mine specifically - and im here trying hard and shes down to 145 right now with no effort a year out! like its a bit discouraging - i will change up things i do and eat and hopefully find some more success!

[Giselle426 3]

I would also try going for the leafy greens like spinach and kale instead of broccoli and mix veg. I love those but they can be a bit carb-y. Also think of nutritious Snacks. One of my standby's when I am feeling really munchie is peeled and slice cucumber with with a splash of lime & Sriracha. It hits that crunch and spice craving I sometimes get. For my chocolate cravings I make a sort of mock hot coco with vanilla Protein powder, cacao powder and a splash of milk or cream of choice & Water. The key is to literally just have a splash of dairy, no more than a tbsp.

Im def going to try this!

Different kinds of veggies also i love sirracha! And i like cucumbers so im going to try that too!

Thanks

[Halfagain 68]

Hello All

I hope that someone here can really help or give my some light at the end of the tunnel.

Here is a quick background on me. In 2010 I had Lap Band surgery and lost about 120lbs in about 2 years! (YAY for me) than between 2013-14 I gained about 70lbs back! I switched jobs and went back to school full time and just stopped working out with all the commotions in my life. ANYWAY! In October 2014 I had my lap band removed since it had slipped and on Jan 2015 I had the gastric sleeve surgery!

So everything was great for the first 3 months I lost 35 lbs, No lets fast foward to 9 months and I have lost in total 45 lbs! and the bulk of it was in the first 2-3 months as you can see. I am completely discouraged right now! By the time years ago with my lapband I was down 80+ pounds and now I am working out almost twice a day - doing (on and off) 21 day fix and just hating that I have not LOST any weight in 6 months at all! I know a stall but this is crazy! I do not think anything is going to happen anymore. My surgeon says to workout more the nutritionist says to measure out my food more? ... I am not going to pretend that I have been eating EXACTLY great because I have been eating more and bad things a lot more often and recently because I am sooooooo discouraged !

Any suggestions? This is causing my such slight depression because I was down to 212 at my lowest when I had lap band surgery and right now I am at 240-42 and do not see much relief in sight and I feel so overwhelmed with grief (if that's even the right word) because two wls later I am still really big - and who knows if I ever end up going back to my highest weight of 320 (GOD I hope not)!

HELP?

Hi Giselle426

I am thinking of you and your struggles with losing weight. I will be coming into the sleeve in December 2015, after having my band removed in September 2015. Thank you for sharing your journey thus far, and I hope you will continue to keep us posted. I have seen some great responses/ideas here. I plan on incorporating some of these myself.

I'm going to answer this as a therapist and a college psychology teacher. I'm not going to even try to answer this as a sleeve expert, because I'm only 6 weeks out, and got nothing to say there. First let me say, Wow! You just don't quit Girl, do you?! I admire that! It sounds like you might be suffering from something called learned helplessness. It's that overwhelming give-up feeling when you try to control something that experience has shown you can't be controlled (or certainly seems like it can't). The solution is to have a lot of successes until that feeling recedes. Sounds impossible, right? It's easier than you think. You set some goals that you can achieve. They need to be goals that are easy, and completely under your control (NOT the scale). Then you congratulate the heck out of yourself each time you achieve them. So for instance, you might decide you are going to drink the minimum amount of Water each day for a week, and then do something you like (example, buy yourself flowers once a week) The next week you might want to add something else to it, like eating a good Breakfast, or taking your Vitamins daily. It's important that these are small goals. What your mind needs right now is tangible successes. Plenty of them. This helps build up your psychological strength to keep going with this, and to really problem solve until you get what you want. Also, when I read what you wrote, I read a story of strength and perseverance. Remind yourself of your past success in not giving up completely even when it was so hard not to.

Hi KathyRS,

I am sure I am not alone in the group who thinks of all the wrong things I have done, and forgets to look at the right things. I appreciate your reminder. In the past I have found it hard to diet at a 80% effort. If I wasn't 100% on plan I would just backslide into old habits. While I plan on 100% effort coming up in December, are there any books or things I can work on so I have more of a mental safety net if I do mess up on a meal, so I don't give myself the allowance to just throw out the entire day?

Thanks again Giselle426 and KathyRS.

[Daisee68 2,493]

I highly recommend seeing a therapist that specializes in eating disorders and/or bariatric patients. Therapy, for me, has been as much if not more if a tool for me in this journey. Remember if we could just make ourselves do this, we all would have done so and skipped the surgery. A therapist will help you see things in your behavior that you don't see yourself.

Also, veggies are great but always remember proton first than veggies if you have room or as @@Djmohr has suggested per her NUT in other posts, 2 bites of Protein then 1 bite if veggies. I would also say you are working out too much for your body to efficiently burn correctly.

[drmeow 323]

I would also say you are working out too much for your body to efficiently burn correctly.

+1 Yes, this much activity, especially so much cardio, tells your body to hang onto its calories for later in case it needs it. Cardio is great for your heart but will NOT lead to weight loss, esp with poor eating. You would be better off doing weights alone about 3 times a week, and on the other days do some cardio but not more than 30 min each day.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had my band removed (after over 10 years!) in Sept 2011; revised to sleeve in Dec 2011. I lost over 150# post sleeve and maintaining.

You have received much great advice so I won't rehash that (go back to basics, Protein, track, get hydrated, etc etc) but I will say that sleeve vs band were very very different "sensations" for me. forgetting about the first few months post op - I am talking now over the long haul, they felt different.

For me, the band was much MORE restrictive, but I didn't feel satiated. I still felt hungry but i was much more prone to vomiting due to the fickle and intense restriction if I had any fill. It drove bad habits (I started eating easy foods like sliders as opposed to dense Protein and veggies for example) but i can see that for some people it REALLY helped them eat less, The sleeve feels less ":tight" - I don't get pain or any of the other sensations but it is more like i get satisfied on a small amount of food.

A key lesson somebody told me about the sleeve was to not "seek feeling full". I think that was partially because at that point, niether my brain nor body had any idea what a normal feeling should be! I retrained myself to seek "no longer hungry". That helped alot. The other thing that helps alot is eating moderate carbs and eating according to the "rules". If I go back to eating junky food, my hunger goes way up. If I eat correctly, my appetite is VERY well controlled, even 4 years post op.

It is a complicated balance and I guess we are all different.but that is what has worked for me. Best of luck to you - it isn't easy and I think you are so smart seeking help to get on track for your goals.

[Bndtoslv 292]

I had my band removed (after over 10 years!) in Sept 2011; revised to sleeve in Dec 2011. I lost over 150# post sleeve and maintaining.

You have received much great advice so I won't rehash that (go back to basics, Protein, track, get hydrated, etc etc) but I will say that sleeve vs band were very very different "sensations" for me. forgetting about the first few months post op - I am talking now over the long haul, they felt different.

For me, the band was much MORE restrictive, but I didn't feel satiated. I still felt hungry but i was much more prone to vomiting due to the fickle and intense restriction if I had any fill. It drove bad habits (I started eating easy foods like sliders as opposed to dense Protein and veggies for example) but i can see that for some people it REALLY helped them eat less, The sleeve feels less ":tight" - I don't get pain or any of the other sensations but it is more like i get satisfied on a small amount of food.

A key lesson somebody told me about the sleeve was to not "seek feeling full". I think that was partially because at that point, niether my brain nor body had any idea what a normal feeling should be! I retrained myself to seek "no longer hungry". That helped alot. The other thing that helps alot is eating moderate carbs and eating according to the "rules". If I go back to eating junky food, my hunger goes way up. If I eat correctly, my appetite is VERY well controlled, even 4 years post op.

It is a complicated balance and I guess we are all different.but that is what has worked for me. Best of luck to you - it isn't easy and I think you are so smart seeking help to get on track for your goals.

@cowgirlljane you are such an inspiration to me! I am a horse person too and a revision patient.

[More than this 116]

I find that after exercising I get hungry. So the thing I do is have some Protein BEFORE I exercise. As for carbs, they taste great but eating them makes you crave more of them. You need to cut out the junky carbs...the ones that have no nutritional value. And remember, over-exercising won't help you in the long run as it tires you out & your body thinks it needs more fuel in order to run. The best & quickest fuel? Carbs. So that's a reason that would make you reach for them. So exercise & eat in moderation. Don't overdo things. Once you get things under control, then increase your exercising slowly so that you are getting the benefit without increasing your need for a quick refuel on bad carbs.

I go for my surgery next week. Looking forward to losing!!

[MichJohn77 39]

I don't know what kind of exercise your doing but when I felt like I stopped losing I started crossfit workouts. They seriously change your body! Try that and going back to basics. Protein protein protein. Get your Water in! Hope it helps. Don't give up!

[Veronica Page 488]

I have no shame in saying that I go to OE meetings. They have helped sooo much. Its helps me figure out why I turn to food. Is it emotional is it an actually physically hunger? Plus it put me in contact with people who know what I'm going through and when I'm really struggling with wanting to binge I have someone from group I can call. Just like anything food is a real addiction and can be found so much more easily that your common addictions. I had to learn how to basically re-eat. It sucks and yes occasionally I cheat or slip and have things I shouldn't but instead of a binge on that food, now I have one and then can easily go oh you naughty girl you know this is wrong and just move on. It is hard to change eating styles and learn how to eat properly, but with determination and will power you can really work your revision and lose this weight and have the long lasting effects you are seeking. Rooting for you!

[Giselle426 3]

I'm going to answer this as a therapist and a college psychology teacher. I'm not going to even try to answer this as a sleeve expert, because I'm only 6 weeks out, and got nothing to say there. First let me say, Wow! You just don't quit Girl, do you?! I admire that! It sounds like you might be suffering from something called learned helplessness. It's that overwhelming give-up feeling when you try to control something that experience has shown you can't be controlled (or certainly seems like it can't). The solution is to have a lot of successes until that feeling recedes. Sounds impossible, right? It's easier than you think. You set some goals that you can achieve. They need to be goals that are easy, and completely under your control (NOT the scale). Then you congratulate the heck out of yourself each time you achieve them. So for instance, you might decide you are going to drink the minimum amount of Water each day for a week, and then do something you like (example, buy yourself flowers once a week) The next week you might want to add something else to it, like eating a good Breakfast, or taking your Vitamins daily. It's important that these are small goals. What your mind needs right now is tangible successes. Plenty of them. This helps build up your psychological strength to keep going with this, and to really problem solve until you get what you want. Also, when I read what you wrote, I read a story of strength and perseverance. Remind yourself of your past success in not giving up completely even when it was so hard not to.

@@KathyRS I just re read this post because i literally needed to! Im still in the same as i was when i first wrote this post but i really needed to re read this! Thank you and good luck to u!

[Giselle426 3]

I just wanted to repost a little bit of an update, I personally still feel discouraged and although I no longer workout twice a day anymore and im measuring more my food, im still not seeing any difference in my clothes, or not even that far - I still feel and see someone that needs alot of weight to loose.

More than that I feel so uncomfortable in my clothes as next month in December I make 11 months post op! - severe disappointment.

Before Nov started I set a goal of atleast. 5-10 lbs loss and im at the same weight of 239. From when October. And a hit i recieved to this was seeing a good friend of mine at a recent function who looks phenomenal (if theres a greater word id use it) at a year and a half post op.

Today when I got dressed for work I looked in the mirror and said to myself, am I just meant to be this size as I turn 30 next year and just in general even after being smaller about 2 years ago?

I havent given up I recently purchased a crossfit pass to see if a change in workout can help and I hope to start it after thanksgiving!