Oh no! I shouldn't have beamed about it! Help...

catje1977
on 5/19/11 4:30 pm, edited 5/19/11 4:31 pm - Raamsdonksveer, Netherlands

Hi guys

Hmm, I posted last week how I am 6 months out and doing great. That still is true, I still have lost around 118 pounds, but... maybe I shouldn't have been so enthusiastic and proud about it. Feels like things are taking a turn for the worse...

I am stuck, what is worse, I gained weight again. Playing with the same kilogram for a week or two now.  Have not really lost anything significant in 4 weeks. me gaining weight now makes me down. Is this it already? I KNOW people keep losing after the 6 month mark, but it feeels like I am going downhill again, I do not know why. 

I have lost 60% of mu excess weight, which makes me a success a LOT of docs here are of the opinion that you will lose 60-75%, so they would say: well, you're nearing the end of your rainbow; count your blessings! (really, a lot of people over here get stuck at this 60-70% point and just accept it. I told you guys before that we lose way LESS than you guys over there, also due to different sets of rules)

I do worry: would our pouches be different from the USA ones? If I see what I can eat, versus you guys, I wonder about it. I average 1100-1200 cals a day but I see  most of the USA people at 6 months are still at 700 or so. I do not know HOW you achieve this while getting in 80-100 grams of protein! How do you guys do that?

Furthermore: gaining weight/being stuck a long time  on 1200 calories seems not right either..

I will admit: gym has not been a priority, so that might be the one to help me get over this stuck point.

But I just want to scream out: I do NOT want to be done yet! I still weigh 248 pounds, so I would like to lose at least another 60, and then I STILL would be very overweight. This stuck/gaining thing makes me very afraid and nervous that I will just start to gain weight back and never get there! I want to be a long term succes so bad!

I already eat very different from my dutch counterparts, I eat virtually no bread/pasta/rice and the like. I will admit that some sugarfree snacks have sneaked their way into my life.(not daily)  I need to cut those out.

Does anyone have any comforting thoughts or maybe words of wisdom for me? Is this nornmal? How can I break through it?

        
ephraimmeir77
on 5/19/11 5:50 pm - CA
I don't know if it is true in general of Dutch WLS people but lack of exercise can be a key factor in weight loss. It helps keep the metabolism moving and turns the fat into muscle. The way I get in protein is with high protein FAT FREE choices like FF Greek Yogurt, FF Cottage Che es, and FF Turkey Breast. Are you using Fat Free products? Calorie intake the biggest factor in weight loss with or without surgery. That is a FACT.  Good luck. Perhaps give us a breakdown of your daily intake and we can analyze it together.
Ephraim Osgood
            
seattledeb
on 5/19/11 6:01 pm, edited 5/19/11 6:03 pm
Unlike the above poster, I don't eat FF anything..yuck.
You are doing very well. It's quite normal to have a stall at 6 months. Expect more along the way.
What I did when this happened to me would be to try and change one thing...exercise more, drink more water..it always worked but maybe it would have worked anyway..but by doing just one thing different I didn't get overwhelmed.
Take a deep breath..it will pass.
Deb T>

    

catje1977
on 5/19/11 6:18 pm - Raamsdonksveer, Netherlands

thanks Deb

I'll try not to be too balck and white about it and not try to change it all in one go. I'll just focus on building exercise habits

        
catje1977
on 5/19/11 6:17 pm, edited 5/19/11 6:19 pm - Raamsdonksveer, Netherlands

Thanks for the insight so far. i KNOW excersise should be more than the once a week (if that) it is now.

I eat generally:

250 ml skim fruit yoghurt with protein powder and calmagd powder (and a bit of allbran for...you know)

generally for lunch a home made tomato soup or a salad with chicken/tomato/cheese/onion with low fat dressing. sometimes eggs with lean bacon

snack: sometimes a SF cookie, sometimes cucumber slices with some cheese or meat spread, sometimes an atkins snack

dinner: what the rest is eating minus the carbs (so meat and veggies or meat and tomato sauce sans macaroni) Or another salad, or chili. Or tomato with low fat mozarella

snack: SF icecream sometimes or greek yoghurt (low fat, not ff) with some sugarfree preserves, or some fruit or some nuts or a piece of cheese

drink: min 2 ltr of water (or crystal clear and the like)

usualy 2 tea a day (green and pu-ehr)

usually 1 latte machato a day (skinny from my own machine, 60 cals)

No alcohol, no carbonation, no added sugar stuff, no simple carbs

I I snack it is usually nuts. I have strayed and took a minibag of crisps last week. I have falen into the habit of taking a sweet snack like sugarfre cookie or atkins endulge thingos.

Sometimes I eat a protein bar or protein drink in stad of  a meal

when we go out to dinner I do eat meat and 2 or 3 fries.

I eat low fat most stuff, but not completely fat free (i am guessing my constipation would be even worse!)

 

Am I really that wrong right now, should I ban all the snacks again?

        
(deactivated member)
on 5/19/11 11:31 pm - Boston, MA
 I think you are doing great, and a 6 month stall is normal.. no way are you done losing yet!! I'm only 2 months out and I've stalled twice for 2 and 3 weeks at a time and I'm still down 60 lbs.. try doing something different when you aren't losing, more protein, or exercise more or cut out the carbs or sugar free snacks.... not all at once just do one of those things and see if it gets your body going again.  I eat 800 calories a day, I was told to continue that until my next appt which is at 6 months, I don't know if the calories will increase then.  I CAN get in 70ish grams of protein on 800 calories I do that by eating almost all protein, no to little carbs, and bascially I do not snack at all.. if I do it's on a piece of beef jerky or cheese.  I eat a LOT of beef jerky low calories and high in protein and it goes down easily for me (the salt is the only downside).  Usually I have a protein shake for breakfast just becacuse it's easy and I can get in fluids that way too ( I do have a problem with drinking enough) lunch I'll have either chili or meat/cheese and dinner I have chicken/steak/fish and veggies.  I throw in a greek yogurt every now and then if my calories are too low.  Maybe 1 or 2 times a week I might have a sugar free treat like pudding.. but that's about it.  I get cravings for sugar like mad and I do NOT dump... but when that happens I try to have a bite or two of protein and that stops the craving for me for some reason or I'll have a sugar free popsicle or 3 or 4 grapes.

good luck to you!
MarilynT
on 5/19/11 11:57 pm
You are not done yet. You are simply having a stall.

Trust the process. If you are doing all your doctors want you to do, you can lose more.

Good luck.

Marilyn (now in NM)
RNY 10/2/01
262(HW)/150-155(GW)/159(CW)
(updated March 2012)

Kim S.
on 5/20/11 12:17 am - Helena, AL
Ephraim, it is physiologically impossible to convert fat into muscle.

However, you are correct about the importance of exercise. 

If you do not adopt an active lifestyle, you will simply live in a smaller version of your previous obese body.  Metabolism will likely still work at a very low percentage.  One of your main goals should be to improve your metabolic functionality.  For long term weight loss and then maintenance, you must build muscle tissue.  Your body will need more fuel to keep the muscle tissue "fed", which results in better metabolism of the food you eat.

You cannot survive for life on 700 calories per day.  By two years out, you will likely be able to eat like a "normal" person.  If you resume "normal" eating, and you haven't changed your metabolism, regain is likely.  You will be much healthier if regular exercise (6 days a week for an hour each day is a good goal) is part of your life--you'll be less susceptible to regain.

I always tell people I'm obese but in remission.  We have to work extra hard to maintain "normal" weight.  The same things that made us fat before are lurking in the shadows.  You don't see people on the exercise and fitness forum talking about stalled weight loss or regain.....that is because they have made regular exercise a part of their lives and it is working to aid them in achieving their goal.

Kim
             
     
Paul C.
on 5/20/11 3:23 am - Cumming, GA


I think the importance of exercise as part of the losing phase is drastically overlooked by many people due to the fact yo will lose weight no matter what.  What most people don't realise is how crucial it will be to maintain the weight loss until it is to late.

You don't have to hit the gym and be an animal but investing some time in brisk walking and building or toning lean muscle mass will go a long way.  When you body finally decides it is goin to want more than 700 calories a day if you have an exercise plan in place you are better prepared to be able to address your bodies needs.

I think the reason those on the exercise and fitness forum don't obsess about stalls and such is that we have changed our mindset from this being about a number on the scale we want to see and focus on the things we want to do.
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op  (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03      
      First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (
PR 2:24:35)   
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
Tessie W.
on 5/20/11 1:38 am
I think the number one thing for all of us to remember is not one body is the same.  It really is about figuring out your body and what works best for you given this awesome toole we have!

I am almost 11 weeks out and my pattern seems to be stall or small loss for a couple weeks and then I will have a big loss of like 5-7 pounds in one week.  My surgeon wants me to average 2 pounds per week...  obviously I am losing more than that when I look at averages.  I do wonder if she tells people that  so they won't feel defeat if they are a slow loser.  My age also plays a huge role in things.  I am 51 and post menopausal.

My exercise is pitiful and I know I have got to up my game, if for no other reason than my body will look better!!  :-) 

My plan calls for balanced meals and even includes rice and pasta!  At this point I should not go higher than 3/4 c per meal, but may go up to 1200 calories a day.  I am to have 2-3 oz. of protein at a meal and then if I am able balance the rest with veggies, fruit, carbs...  while I am permitted the simple carbs  I try to make them whole grain/complex.

Ultimately - it's calories in and calories out, but out bodies love us so much more when they are "good" calories!

My loss is best when I get between 1000 and 1200 calories.  I do however have a low day here and there just to keep my body guessing!

You are doing awesome!!!!!
           
              
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