True confessions

Hi Everyone, Boy I haven't been here in a while, but it sure is nice to see some familiar faces. I have been lurking on the main board because there are so many posts there, but today I was thinking that I would like to hear from someone who had their surgery around the same time as me. It somehow makes me feel like the answer would come from a same perspective. My husband has been in Kuwait for two months now. He works full time for Air National Guard. Before that he was in Afghanistan. He won't be home until end of November and that will only be for a short visit before going of to another Middle Eastern location. THis will continue for another year. Home five weeks gone several months. My youngest daughter just shipped off to Germany - She is Air Force. She will be there two years. My oldest is leaving this weekend for her senior year of college. Leaving me alone to care for my elderly father, 87 yrs. I have heard that stress can slow down weight loss. especially around the middle. I have been on a plateau for about 8 weeks. Not a pound off. Is anyone familiar with this aspect of weight loss? I know all the pat answers... "Are you drinking enough water?" "Getting all your protein?" Are you taking your vitamins?" The answer to all of these are Yes. Will I fail because I can't exercise yet? I don't even know if this is something anyone can answer, but I have no one really to talk to about these things. I only felt comfortable about posting here, not on the main board. Thanks for reading. Roz 240/170/130

Roz - It is so hard to say what could be causing your stall. I stall all the time, but so far not for 8 weeks. I do think it's too early for you to be stalled so long, but it could just be your body trying to catch up. I know our bodies are all different and respond to things differently. I was just talking to my counselor yesterday as I was complaining that I'm not sleeping enough (and am actually choosing to do so...long story involving ADD). She said that when you don't sleep enough you don't produce enough cortisol, which aids you in weight loss. So effectively you can stall from weight loss just by not sleeping enough. So that is one thing that stuck in my brain. The other is, do you know how many calories, carbs and all you are eating? You say you are getting in enough protein, which is great. But what about the other stats? Do you use fitday or anything similar? Do you drink anything that has extra calories in it? I'm not sure what to tell you except to look at your diet and see if there is something you are missing along the way. If you want to post your meals and amounts here maybe we could look at it and give you an idea how it stacks up to everyone else's weight loss. I will say though that you have lost 70 lbs and I've lost 78 - had my surgery 3/10. I weighed 85 lbs more than you, so taking that into consideration it could very well just be that your body is telling you it's enough for now and that it wants a break. Dina

Thanks Dina for your quick response. I have been averaging between 500 - 700 calories per day. I rarely do carbs at all. Sometimes I will just eat a couple of ounces of cheese for dinner. Breakfast usually consists of a protein shake. I use Nectar. Lunch is usually 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese with a tablespoon of crushed pineapple in it and a splenda (I'm addicted). I don't feel much like cooking with everybody gone. My father is a high fat, high carb, high sugar eater. He doesn't like anything healthy and ends up fixing his own dinner. Creamed corn on toast, only white bread. Frozen dinners, crackers with jelly, I'm surprised he is as healthy as he is. He will only drink whole milk or he'll use 1 whole stick of butter in 5 lbs. of mashed potatoes. When I cook he stands over me to monitor everything I put in or don't put in the food and if he doesn't approve, he won't eat. Can we say guilt trip? Whew. I cna't believe I said all that. I thought maybe I wasn't eating enough? But tomorrow my father and I are going on a 7 day cruise. If it is that I am not eating enough, maybe this will help. I am bringing Atkins bars to supplement my protein in case there aren't enough smart choices. I am scared to death though. People usually gain about 13 lbs on a cruise. Roz

Well, you might try Stillman like Louise suggested, but if not, it might just be a natural thing to happen to you right now. I would almost be tempted to do a week of "opposites." You know - turn the tables upside down and do the opposite of what you are doing. I've contemplated this recently too. I have cut down on my fat intake quite a bit since surgery but I have wondered if I upped it and didn't think/worry so much about calories for a week if it would help. I could shoot myself in the foot, but it might be worth an experiment. And you going on the cruise might be a good experiment also. I just got to thinking about it though - I know many people who have the surgery don't really watch their fat intake as much as I do. I don't freak about it, but I just try to have low or no fat alternatives when I can. Like I don't use real butter but the butter spray. But I thought - well hey - they cut out 125 cm of intestine on me. It has to cause some sort of malaborption. I wonder if I am cutting out more than I need to...get my drift? Anyway, let me know if your cruise does something for you. I might be trying this soon too. I keep saying that, but everytime I say that I chicken out a day into it. If I did up my fat intake I could really do Atkins and that would be easy for me to slip right into... Dina

I'll let you know when I get back how it goes. I hope I don't shoot myself either. Roz

Dear Roz: I went on the Stillman diet and so did several others from the over 50 board. It helped all of us break a plateau and the results were astounding. Here is the link - try it for a week. Just remember that you cannot cheat one little bit on it. http://www.lowcarb.org/stillman.html Also make sure to weigh and measure your food and count your calories when you are not on the Stillman diet. Good luck. Louise

Thanks Louise. I will try this as soon as I am home from my cruise. I may need it even more after I get home. I wondered if my age, I will be 50 in Dec. might have something to do with the slow weight loss too. Roz

Hi Roz: I am 57 and lost 74 pounds since March 18th. Why don't you come to the over 50 forum and get to know us there. It is a terrific group of people - very diverse, and very supportive. Some of us lose slower than others. I am very goal oriented so when dieting I go all out to lose as quickly as I can. I have lost 70 pounds more times than I count - only to regain it. This time it will be different! My DH and I take cruises regularly and have for years. I have gone on cruises while dieting and gained nothing. It's just a matter of making good choices. My DD who had surgery 2 years ago has been on 2 cruises since then and gained nothing while on them. She was cautious but did not feel deprived with her food choices. I hope your weight loss picks up, if not try Stillman. Have a great time on the cruise. Louise 231/157/150

Roz - My only thought after reading your posts was - are you eating enough? My doc suggests 900-1200 calories/day. If calorie level is too low, body enters starvation mode and holds onto every ounce. Considering the bypass, the 900-1200 calories are not all absorbed anyway. Also, enjoy your vacation - I recently came back from vacation - I felt like I ate like a horse the whole time - and I lost 8 pounds! Dee

It is really unfortunate that you can't exercise - regardless of the weight loss stall, excercise is the absolute best way for your body to deal with the chemicals that are released by your endocrine system when you're under stress, particularly chronic stress. A couple of other responders expressed concern that you might not be eating enough. I would suggest giving your surgeon a call. With the low caloric intake and lack of excercise, I can see how your body could think you were in a famine. Perhaps your doctor can clear you to do *some* kind of mild excercise and/or re-evaluate your diet and your vitamins. You may also want to try getting involved in some kind of group interaction. I attend several WLS support groups. This fall I'm going to be participating in a bowling league (double points - interaction with people plus excercise). Perhaps you can get support from a religious house? It would be good for you to have a break from your dad and an activity to keep YOUR life interesting, maybe help to distract you for a brief time from missing your family. These are all just stabs in the dark, I have no personal experience on this one. I haven't had a real stall yet - I don't know if I'm lucky, or if it's because I'm younger (31), or what.. I do excercise and if anything, I eat more than enough. Good luck, Jennifer