Slow weight loss, need advice.

Hey all,
  I know we shouldn't compare ourselves to others and everyone is different but I am looking for some suggestions to maximize my weight loss. I do trust the DS but want some advice.

I only lost 5 pounds this month and am concerned that I am not losing what I thought I would (10 lbs a month-ish) . I am excited that my body seems to be changing and for that I am thankful but I want to be sure I am doing everything I need to in order to lose the last 65 pounds to get to goal.

I track my food in Fitday everyday and I usually get between 50-75 carbs a day. Those carbs are almost completely from Flavored Greek Yogurt, some veggies, Sobe Life Water etc. Almost no flour carbs with the exception of the occastional Low Carb Tortilla or Rice Crackers a couple of times a week with Cheese. etc.

I get AT LEAST 100 grams of protein a day. I get all of my protein from food as I tend to vomit protein drinks within a few minutes of finishing them.  I can drink EAS Ready Made protein drinks but have heard they are not as good as other protein drinks, something to do with not the best form of protein?

So, if I get more protein, I heard that is easier to lose weight,  does anyone have an opinion on weather eating the protein will work or do I need to add protein drinks. Does the amount of protein make the biggest impact or is it that with protein drinks the protein is more bioavailable?

Does anyone have an opinion on weather or not EAS ready made protein drinks are as good or not as good as other protein sources? I haven't given up on trying different powders but so far it's not going well. Is there a difference in ready made protein drinks and the powders? I am wondering why the EAS and other ready made drinks go down (and are whey) but the others (powders) do not.

I am having trouble getting in enough fluids, I am getting the minimum of 64 ounces of fluids but I used to get about 100 ounces. I am working on upping that number again.

Any other suggestions on things I can be doing better? I am just terrified of not making it to goal and I don't know if I am being unrealistic expecting to lose 10 lbs a month.

Thanks for the advice. Kj

You are halfway to your goal in three months.  'nuff said.  You are doing fine!!!!!  Relax  :-)

Hi Kj,
  I'm not sure how tall you are, but your stats at the bottom show you weighed about the same as I did at surgery.  I now stay around 155-160.  Honestly?  I think you're doing GREAT.  As you said, everyone is different and it's not always a good thing to compare yourself with another.  Some lose like gangbusters (usually male!!), and others not so fast.  But you know this already....
  May I ask a question please?  Why are you terrified of not making goal?  I will admit not looking to see what it was.  There was a discussion not long ago about if you were a failure if you didn't make a normal BMI.  My opinion was no.  Mine stays 26-27 and I think I did great.  When I was at a normal BMI I looked skeletal.  Not pretty.  Of course, this is just my opinion.  I really hate to hear people beating themselves up because they never made a normal BMI.  Again, I did not look to see if that was your goal.
  Kj, you are doing such a great job.  Look at your protein and carbs, fantastic!!  I think you're going to be a great success.
  Deep breaths hon!

Wenda

I just didn't know if I had unrealistic expectations, I know I am kind of obsessing about how much I am losing each month but I also don't want to just assume that I am doing ok when others that had surgery around the same time and basically the same weight are losing more. 

As for a goal, I am 5'6" and I was hoping to get down to the top of the BMI chart for my height (150) but would be totally happy to get to 170 as this is the lowest I have been as an adult.  Wenda, I guess I am just afraid of failing, of this not working for me. It's a Mind F*ck, I have people ask how much I have lost all the time and I feel almost guilty if I don't lose a lot since the last time they asked. The pressure...haha! 

I guess I was just looking at the Lab Rat Data and seeing that I was on the low end of losing this month. It's just mind blowing, I haven't paid attention to what I weighed for the last 10 years and now I am just so focused.  I just wanted to talk to someone who has been there and see what you all think. 

I totally get you.  I hope you ease up on yourself a little , you really are doing great!

As for expectations....Look what you've done in three months, that's awesome!  I see no reason why you won't continue to be as successful as you are now.  It IS a mindfuck to not pay attention to what you weighed for so long and now it's something you HAVE to know.  A total 180.

Failing?  No damn way.  You started winning the day you decided to have the DS.

Keep up the good work Kj!!

Wenda

I lost weight more slowly than most & reached normal BMI.  It took me 17 months to do it, though, that is 140 pounds to reach normal BMI.  It actually took me 5 months to lose the last 16 pounds to get to 25 BMI.  I had started exercising & was gaining muscle, which made the weight loss slower . . . but that is ONLY a good thing.  See?  Bottom line/ goal/ measure of success is not ONLY just to lose weight ASAP.  Your progress is good, sometimes your body needs a slow down.  No need to freak out.

About protein.  Eating more protein will not, in & of itself, make you lose weight.  It's IS more calories after all.  BUT!  What it will do for most people is help them to cut down on carb-based calories if that's something they need help with.  Carbs, especially some types, will make you crave them more, which for some people is really hard to control.  Cutting back on carbs & upping your protein to replace that typically leads to  a total calorie deficit bc they end up eating less & likely absorbing less calories overall due to the simple sugar content in some carbs.  That's why upping protein is helpful to lose weight, but that doesn't mean that eating more protein in & of itself - particularly when eating carbs is not a problem for you - will make/ help you lose weight.

I don't think you're slow, I think you're a lightweight. You just have less to lose and you aren't going to see big numbers every month. Mine were -21, -10, -1-, -8, -6, -5, etc. It took me 11 months to get to goal but normal BMI in a little less than 6 months. Hang tough, cut the carbs a little and drink your EAS if it agrees with you.

--gina

Look at it in the long view. You've lost half your excess weight and you're just three months out! That is FANTASTIC! It took me about seven months to lose half my excess weight, and two years and two months to lose 100% of my excess weight. This is a marathon, not a sprint :-).

You're doing fine.   It doesn't hurt to up your protein and your fluids, but you're more than halfway to goal at four months out.    You've got a lot of time left to get there!