15 months out - looking for advice

Here's my story in a nutshell: Lap RNY 10/25/2005. I've lost 172 pounds. I've been hovering around the same weight for about 3 months now (between 217-225). My daily calorie intake has crept up to between 2,000-2,500 calories per day. I work out 4-5 times per week (40 minutes on ellipitical trainer each time, plus some weight lifting). When I can get my calories back down in the 1600-1700 range, I start losing again. Here's the rub, though. I can't or don't seem to be able to keep myself in that daily range. Intellectually I'd like to lose another 40-50 pounds. But I'm beginning to wonder if I'm mentally sabotaging myself because I'm afraid of what it will be like to be "normal." I've been seriously overweight my entire life and I know how to handle it. And I'm sure I could handle being "normal," but I'm wondering if I'm subconsciously keeping myself down. The other thing is that I feel like it's going to take forver to lose this last 40-50 pounds. The first 170 came off pretty easily, but now it's just like trying to lose weight before surgery. And I wasn't very successful at that, so I wonder whether I can succeed here. Anyway, just thought I'd post and see if anyone has had a similar experience. I'd appreciate any thoughts, insight or encouragement you can offer. I'm trying to find my way back to center, so I can continue on my journey to a healthy, happy me. Kellie Lap RNY 10/25/2005 396/224/165?

I'm at about the same stage in this game as you are.... 1 month behind you, 157 lbs lost, and everything seems to be working to keep these last few lbs on..... BUT and that's a big BUT too! Whenever I feel like I'm not making progress, I go back and look at my weight loss over the last few months and realize that I'm still making progress.... it maybe slow and I may have to really work at it.... but I'm still moving in the right direction..... and that's what really matters! So, buck up girl..... you know how to use the tool and it's still there.... so BACK TO BASICS.... protein first, good carbs second..... water, water, water and EXERCISE..... Getting into a rut in your exercise routine and with what you eat both slow your metabolism down..... so..... Shake up your routine.... Good luck! Karen 356/199/???

Karen, Thanks for your suggestions - it's helpful to know I'm not sailing in this boat alone. I'm going to do four things: 1. change my exercise routine by doing some different cardio, plus adding weight lifting; 2. making a daily meal plan in the morning that has 1300-1600 calories (I pack my lunch in the morning, so this should be something I can do pretty easily); and 3. back off on the amount of carbs I've been eating. Although I'm eating "good carbs," I think I'm eating too many grams on a daily basis. 4. stop allowing myself "treats" so often. I'll limit myself to once a week at a maximum. I know those calories add up fast. Thanks again for your suggestions and your support; I really appreciate it. Kellie

Hi Kellie, are you having problems staying within your range because your hungry all the time or grazing or some other reason? I had a smiliar experience where as soon as I hit my one-year mark, the weightloss stalled for about four months. I was still working out and I didn't think I was eating more. Eventually, I joined weigh****chers to help me better track my food intake. so far, so good. As far as advice is concerned, I would just give you a couple things to consider. Consider changing up your exercise a little bit. Your body may have become accustomed to doing the elliptical. Also, consider adding another day and doing more weight training. If you feel the need to munch, consider munching raw veggies - not fruit but veggies. They have far less calories and sugar than fruit and other things. Anyway, you can definitely succees with this. Good luck! Hugs, Tracy

Tracy, Thanks for your suggestions. I think I'm having trouble staying in my range for a couple reasons. One is definitely grazing - a bite here, a bite there, and those calories add up fast. Two is that I'm hungrier than I used to be, and I mean actual belly hunger, not head hunger. (Thankfully, I can still distinguish between the two.) I think some of that may be because I'm eating less dense proteins (more soups, chili, etc.) because of the cold weather. I do find it helpful to keep track of my daily food intake; at least I know why I'm not losing. I'm just trying to push myself past this point and stay the course. I outlined some of the things I'm going to try in my response to another poster. I think I'll add a couple things to that list - snacking on veggies when I get the munchies, and going back to eating more dense proteins (chicken, pork, beef, eggs, etc.). Thanks for your suggestions and your support, and particularly for the hugs; it's appreciated. Kellie

I find my caloric intake creeping up but it is due to an increase in carbs--so I really have to watch those. If I eat starches or sugars, it just makes me want more of them and less protein. Also, do you "justify" the extra calories because of your exercise? Whether or not you are sabotaging yourself, well, you might need to talk to a counselor about that. But I'd worry less about the subconscious than the merely undisciplined. That's my problem. I need to give more intentionality to my choices. Focusing on the choice of the moment--whatever the motivation--seems to help me feel more in control, even when I don't make the best choices. I have been spoiled by the quick weight loss, so I try to keep things in perspective of about 2 pounds a week average is reasonable. It is slower, but it is also evidence that I am becoming "normal" in my weight loss struggle. It is tough, but you can do it. Make sure you have some good support people in place if possible. Best of luck, Sally

Sally, Thanks for your thoughts on my situation. I don't think I'm "justifying" the extra calories because of my exercise, but I haven't really thought about that issue very much. I'll give that some thought and see whether that's something that's an issue for me. I think that being undisciplined is part of my problem. I still have to think about everything I eat -- how many calories, how much protein, how many calories have I had today, what are we having for dinner -- and I want to be able to just eat "normally" without having to spend so much time on it. The other side to that is that I committed to myself that I was going to follow through on the things that this surgery requires in order to be healthy; healthy diet, exercise, lots of fluids, right amount of protein, etc. So maybe I'm just being whiny about doing what I agreed with myself to do. I sometimes feel like I have a little devil on one shoulder saying "It's just one bite, go ahead," and an angel on the other shoulder saying "Don't listen to him." I have great support people in place, but they don't understand what I'm going through in the way that the folks here at OH do. So I really appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. I'm going to keep working on getting myself back on track - Kellie