At my last appointment with my surgeon, he told me to increase my calories slowly from 500 to 700 in the next month.  I am approaching goal, and since I had been doing so well I balked a little bit at the idea of increasing calories.  Seriously, I was frightened.  But even with being sick earlier in the week, I did as my doctor said.  I am around 600 calories now and have found something strange happening.  First, my mini-stall I was in broke.  (I call them mini stall – they last about 5-9 days and I bounce up and down on the scale around the same 2 lbs or so).  The stall broke, and at first I thought it was due to the stomach bug I had.  But since then – I keep going down, even with the increased calories.  And not just going down slowly – but at an increased pace than I experienced the past month.  For instance, the first day the stall broke I went down .6 lbs.  The next day – 1.2 lbs.  This morning – 1.8 lbs.  I don’t even know what to think really.  Is this a normal thing to happen after an increase in calories – or is this still attributable to my illness (that I seem to have completely recovered from).  Any information, thoughts or insight is appreciated.

For my second concern – I am getting closer to my goal.  I am now only like 23 lbs away.  At the rate of my loss (normal – not the recent increase) I should hopefully reach goal by October or November.  Here’s my concern about reaching goal.  I now know how to lose – I can follow that plan pretty well.  By all accounts, I definitely know how to GAIN.  What I have not accomplished is maintaining - ever.  I am finding that I am anxious and nervous about hitting goal and then the idea of trying to maintain that goal.  My surgeon said that after I hit goal, it should be close to my next follow up visit, and he wants to see where I am body and health wise, as he still thinks my small body is more suited to a lower goal than the 115 I have set.  I could probably keep on the losing path – but my true goal is to be HEALTHY.  I know that healthy means maintaining, and then the anxious thoughts come rushing back in.  How to maintain without ending back on a vicious cycle of gaining and losing and gaining and losing?  Does anyone else have experience with this or these kinds of thoughts?  I seriously am open to most input.