do I need to get tougher?

 Am feeling a little discouraged right now with my weight loss being very slow. 
I was sleeved in late July and am down nearly 52 lbs. since then (21 weeks) so I really should be feeling OK about that. I lost 60 lbs. in the eight months prior to surgery so being down more than 110 from a year ago is awesome but in the last couple of months I've only been losing about 1.5 lbs a wee****ep protein to 80 grams or more, lots and lots of water, my carbs under 40 and about half of that is my super high fibre cereal that I seem to need to keep the bowels moving well.
I go to a high energy aquacize class twice a week and to zumba twice a week and with my new work schedule I have just added a third zumba class to my week.
My doc (not the surgeon who I will see again in Jan. but regular GP) said the weight loss is going fine and I need to consider the total as a huge accomplishment.
But so many people seem to do so much better. I know it's not a competition and sometimes I can be really positive, (like when I realize a year ago I wore 6X clothes and now I'm in 3X and some 2X) but occasionally I get a little blue about it all.
Maybe I need to cut out the cereal too? I can always use meds from time to time clean out bowels but it does seem less healthy in the long run.
Just feeling a little conflicted right now (maybe it's all the Xmas treats I'm passing up in our office?)
Anyhow ... guess there's no real answers for this. Just needed to get some of this off my (now much deflated) chest.
But if anyone has a brilliant suggestion or two, I could sure do with one!
Thanks all and Merry Christmas and a leaner New Year to all.
Lynn

I think the rollercoaster of emotions is more normal than we realize.    I just wanted to post and say that you have done amazing and hope that some positive support helps you feel better about the amazing accomplishment you have already made and are still in the process of doing even more.  Wow.

You have a great plan for working out and even adding more. 

I can only say that the amount of weight you have lost is very encouraging for those of us in the start or near start of this journey. 

Being honest with your feelings is also helpful so we know when we feel the same way...it's part of the package.

Best to you and I have to say it, Congrats on your weight loss!

 I think you are doing great. Dont compare your weight loss to others - it will only drive you crazy. I am only 2 months out and have only lost 1-1.5 lbs/wk since week 3. Following all the rules, exercising, etc. You are slowing down to 1.5 lbs/wk - I am starting out at 1.5 lbs/wk. I would be thrilled to be down 52 lbs in 21 wks. There will always be someone who loses faster than you, and someone who loses slower. This is an individual journey and you are doing awesome!

I was losing 1 lb a week for a few weeks. I read a lot and I came across some suggestions on how to break a stall. Losing 1 lb a week isn't exactly a stall, but I wanted a little more.

Here's what I did and last week and this week I've lost 2 lbs or more:

*Get protein over 70 grams a day (I also got rid of the protein shake. Not easy and not necessary, but I just hate them. To get rid of the shake, I had to go to 3 meals and 3 snacks a day which was fine with my NUT.)
*Carbs closer to 30
*800 calories or less
*8 glasses of water a day is the minimum for a sedentary lifestyle. The general rule for people who work out regularly is to add 1 glass of water for every 30 minutes of strenuous work/exercise.
* Do your workout backwards. If you do the same walk every day, do it backwards. If you do the same weight training, do the sets backwards. Add in some things to your exercise routine that you don't usually do, like a different type of crunch, or free weights. This is supposed to really help with the "body memory" thing.

Change things up and see what happens. It might not change your wieght loss, but it certainly won't hurt anything.

Good luck.

Wow.... what a great bunch of people. No wonder that I like coming to this site and reading other people's posts and replies.
No one told me to just quit *****in' which is really what I deserve most likely...lol. And yes, as my doc pointed out, maybe I have 'only' lost 50 since surgery but for my body, the 60 prior to surgery counts too and if it needs to slow down for a time to recalibrate, it just bloody will and all I can do is go along for the ride, stay on my program and count off how lucky I am that this Christmas I don't weigh the extra hundred that I did last Christmas... and that is a very good thing!
Thanks for all the support and the good ideas... I will work on mixing up my exercise routine more in the new year when classes and such get back into a routine at the gym.
I have been thinking of adding some resistance work with free weights and I have an appointment set up in later Jan. with a fitness trainer so I will talk to her about just that and have her set me up a program I can fit into my schedule.
But in the meantime, thanks for the replies... I was having such a blue evening yesterday and I really must remember to look at all the good, read more about stalls and plateaus (I did the 3-month one real good... lost only 1.5 pounds in more than a month!!) so probably I'm on track for the next one....
Anyhow, I love this site, the humour, the support.... even some of the *****ing and rants can be fun at times...lol.
Cheers,
Lynn

You are doing GREAT; unfortunately, I relate. I guess we are just working so hard and eating so little that our expectations are so much higher. If we would do the same and eat the same preop we probably would lose more but, without surgery, most wouldn't be able to maintain the little amounts we eat now so it's a mix bag.

Outside of that, all we can do is try harder. I am not sure I would cut out the fiber cereal because it helps w/your bowels and, how much can you realistically cut out? We're constantly saying no to this or that so I feel like if you can't have your fiber cereal what the heck can you have?!!!

Just continue to eat healthy, stay active and live well. If the loss isn't as fast as you'd like, at least you will feel tons better. Kudos to you!

Wow. That made me sad. You lost 110 pounds and feel bad. 52 pounds in 5 months.  I know you want more. But can you want more and still feel good about your accomplishment?

Stir in some metamucil or benefiber.  Cut out the cereal or have it 3 times per week. A good Zumba instructor should have a lot of variation from day to day. So, I'm thinking that the best adjustment you can make is in your diet. You can cut carbs some or just let your body lose at its chosen rate.  You did lose 110 pounds afterall.

End the year celebrating! You are starting 2012 much healthier than 2011!

 Well, you know... I really do feel good about my weight loss. And seeing the faces of people who haven't seen me in months is a hoot... oh the double takes!
And buying smaller clothes, that's a real bonus but the biggest one is how much more energy I have. People have actually commented that I walk much faster than I used to and frankly a year ago a zumba class would have killed me and I would do the minimum in aquacizes as I just could not keep up.
Those are such wonderful changes and on the good days, I am super proud of myself.
I guess I have just always like to do the best possible in anything I do so I guess I figured I would somehow totally nail this sleeve.
The truth is though, I am losing, feel good, my blood tests etc. are excellent, taking fewer meds and hope to get off others soon .... the positives are many. And so what if I don't set any weight loss records. This is certainly the best that I have ever done since my chubby pre-teen days.
So I will just work on my attitude which clearly needs an adjustment.
And I think I will keep the cereal in a couple of times a week as it's so much better when things keep moving and, frankly, I wasn't losing much faster before I added it into my diet. But I will be vigilant, will keep the protein up and mix up my workouts more.
You guys are right! How can I feel bad about all that I have lost? 
Life is good and the sleeve has been good to me.
Thanks,
Lynn