Sad, Frustrated, Disheartened - 6 month supervised diet
I have been debating whether to post this for the past week. It is not in my nature to be negative - but I am struggling with this to the point of tears and thought maybe you wonderful folks can offer some words of advice or comfort.
Since December I have been working out 3-5 days a week (30 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of strength training) I have been watching what I eat - logging everything on sparkpeople.com. While I can tell things are tightening up, the scale has moved only 2 pounds.
TWO POUNDS in 3 months of consistent exercise! I keep telling myself that this is a lifestyle change for exercise to be a regular part of my life, and I need to not give up irregardless of my lack of results... but it's getting so hard
At work I pass on the cookies, cake and muffins that are constantly around - and I stick within the 1600 calories I have to deal with each day. I've cut out almost all sugar and very little bread of carbs, unless they are from veggies.
I am so panicked that I won't even be able to lose the 10 pounds by the end of May when my 6 months supervised diet is up!
I just don't get it! I am so disheartened and terrified that since my body won't give up the weight now - what if it doesn't after the surgery?
Have any of you been in this position? How did you deal through it? Is there a light at the end of this tunnel for me?
Thank you for your words of wisdom.. I really appreciate everyones willingness to offer advice/support on this board.
Stephanie
p.s. My nutritionist doesn't seem concerned about this as long as I am doing all the things they ask of me.. sigh..
Dr. Benn gave me an incredible tool.. and I intend to make the most out of it!!
This is the reason I had my RNY. My body hung on to my excess weight every time I tried to get rid of it. I had yo-yo dieted for so many years that nothing worked anymore. I would eat practically nothing and exercise tons without results. I did not lose anything in the six months prior to surgery, even the 10 day pre-surgery liquid diet...I only lost 4 pounds. But I am proof that the tool will work on a body that loves to hang on to the weight. I was considered a light weight but have lost 120 pounds and did that in about 8 months.
Keep your chin up...follow the rules...it will work. Come here any time and get support.
~ SANDY ~ 5'9" HW 291/SW 274/GW 174/CW 155
Starting BMI 40.4 Extremly Obese ~ Current BMI 22.8 Normal
Thank you Marsha and Sandy... Your words mean more to me than you can imagine - Oh wait... You CAN imagine, because you've been there!
It is growing increasingly difficult to quit second guessing myself and beating myself up, "Am I REALLY trying as hard as I can?" etc.
The other day I thought to myself, "Maybe this is God's way of affirming to me that I really am making the right decision to get this tool to help me finally achieve the results I am working SO hard to achieve?"
Again, thank you so much for taking the time to tell me your stories.. it really helped cheer me up and give me some hope!
Stephanie
Dr. Benn gave me an incredible tool.. and I intend to make the most out of it!!
Stephanie, I finished my 6 month diet not long ago and I didn't lose much either. There were many days when I just wanted to chuck it and eat whatever I wanted, but what helped me was thinking about the other benefits my efforts were having on my body. Here are just a couple . . .
Stress relief
Getting as healthy as I could so surgery was less stressful on my body
Creating good habits for after surgery
I was also easing my depression symptoms
Hang in there!! 
Tonya
I just finished my 6 months of supervised diet last month. During the 6 months of logging everything I ate and all exercising I did, I lost a whole 4 pounds. I had no sugar, no pop, no coffee, watched everything I ate and stuck to high protein foods. I was walking on the treadmill for an hour a day and doing an hour of cardio in the afternoon. I'm starting my 2 week liquid diet tomorrow and hopefully will loose some that way too. I'm looking forward to this surgery more than anything because I know with it I'll loose the weight. Nothing else has worked for me. It does get discouraging, but stick in there. It's all worth it in the end.
Oh, Stephanie, I'm sorry the scale still hasn't moved for you. You really sound like you are doing everything right.
All you can do is what you've already been doing. Obviously from others' stories, you aren't alone.
I'm so impressed by your dedication to exercise and to your 6 month diet. As we've discussed before, you are so much further along in lifestyle changes than I was when I had surgery.
Hang in there, hon!
Anna
A) - you're building muscle. Which weighs more than fat - so even if the POUNDS aren't dropping, I'd be willing to bet you have less FAT on you than you did before! You body IS benefiting, even if you don't see the numbers you want to see.
B) - the #1 thing I read that caused me a
moment - some bodies just process foods differently than others. You can take 2 people - feed then IDENTICAL diets, put them through IDENTICAL exercise routines, and get different results. One person might only absorb 40% of the calories they take in, and LOSE weight - while the other absorbs 90% or MORE of their calories, and GAINS. Is that fair? HELL NO! But it is what it is. That was the moment I decided WLS was the right answer for me, and the RNY in particular. I'm almost 160 down. I'm thinking it works. It'll work for you, too - just keep your dedication and faith where they belong - UP FRONT!
Imperfect does not = unsuccessful
What an inspiration you are! I will definitely take your words to heart - and keep on keeping on.. Some days it's easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel than others.
Then again - in December I was thinking to myself - "SIX months! That is so far away!!" and now here I am almost 3 months later, boy the time has flown by.
I'm thinking about trying an Atkins approach for the next few weeks to see if I don't see more results that way. I could always lose the weight doing it that way - but I felt AWFUL.. The goal is to get the 10 pounds off.
Who would have ever thought such a small number would be SO difficult?
Dr. Benn gave me an incredible tool.. and I intend to make the most out of it!!
