Overweight at last!!!! THE SCALE MOVED!

May 14, 2008

I've been on a 10 day road trip with a bunch of artist friends - flew to Seattle, then drove to the Columbia Gorge, to Hood River then up to Eastern Washington and back down again.  Lots of exposure to restaurant food, eating in public, loss of control over having my own food around.  I was also pretty active since we were out painting, hiking and sightseeing.  I had a really good time, did lots of shopping for cute, body fitting tops (my sister being my own personal "What not to Wear" guide - without the $5,000 credit card though.)  Flew home last night.

Got on the scale this morning to take account of the damage:  and the scale finally moved down!!!!  I am finally out of the 30 BMIs!  I am 29.7 BMI!!!  And just 1.2 pounds till ONEDERLAND!!!  I can't wait!!!

I'm almost scared to post this, for jinxing the end to my 4.5 month stall, but I really hope the is the beginning of a new period!!!

Yipee!!!

As for what I was doing on vacation:  nothing radical.  Trying to eat as much protein, but having to settle for things like:  tuna salad (no bread), hamburger patties, some carbs in crackers, some really good dinners out (great black cod on morrells and spinach) and a few bites of dessert.  Lots of hiking interspersed with several days of sitting in a car.

So just changes, I guess that might have been good for me.  For whatever reason, I am so glad.

Redefining Success

Mar 13, 2008

I think we each need to redefine success for ourselves.  We each know, knew or will know what weight is reasonable when we get closer to it.  The major reason I chose weight loss surgery is that the loss can be maintained, as demonstrated by the high percentage people who have lost over 50% of their excess body weight.

For some people achieving and maintaining a BMI of 18 - 24 will be their success.  For some of us it might be achieving and maintaining a BMI above 24!  Just think what a relief to your body and your mental health to look good and feel good, whether you are 5' 4" and 150 pounds, 5' 9' and 180 pounds, or 5'7" and 135 pounds.  If your blood pressure, diabetes, GERD, or whatever medical measures you chose are improved, then I would consider that a success.

Some of us have been losing weight and getting down to numbers that we would have considered a laughable fantasy, others of us have been doing everything we can, only to find that our bodies are healthier but the scale doesn't drop like it does for others.

I find myself in the position of looking the best that I have for over 15 years, wearing size 14 pants, size large tops, getting compliments right and left.  If I look at the scale and my BMI, I have a way to go, but I have recently decided to consider myself a success story at this point.

My blood pressure is terrific, my blood tests are all normal, I am active, I look good.  I plan on continuing my eating plan for the next year (800 calories a day) and see what happens, I'd love to lose another 50 pounds, but would settle for 35, and will take whatever I get!!!

I think that goals can motivate you, but if you base your self esteem on a number you may find that you define yourself by that number alone.  If you find, as I have, that your body has a different number in mind, it can set you up for crippling doubts, short-term last ditch bad diet thinking, rather than long term healthy eating.  So keep yourself open to what happens!

Phone consult with nutritionist at LapSF

Mar 03, 2008

I made an appointment with Jeanette at LapSF, she is their nutritionist.  She was really nice, I wanted to have her evaluate my current eating habits in view of the long period of no weight loss I've been experiencing.  I am glad that this service is available from LapSF,  the "aftercare" is a bit limited since I don't live near the office, but this phone consult worked well for me.  (If you have read previous posts, you will know that I had a very discouraging talk with Dr. C. in October, and really don't want to follow up with him, he just told me I need to lose faster  . . .  which believe me, I would  if I could.)
 
I talked to Jeanette this morning, she seemed really nice, practical and REAL.  She said my calories looked good (I sent her a log of my food from Wednesday - Saturday from thedailyplate) - 600 - 800 calories ( I was being pretty good since I knew I'd be sending it all to her. And once I decided to do it, it wasn't hard to stick to those numbers. ) She also said quantities looked good (like 3/4 - 1 cup of chili for a meal).  She said exercise was good - 3 x a week at 45 min of cardio and to do my weights also.  I sent her my weight chart and she didn't yell at me at all!  She really didn't say anything about it, just asked me about my goal and gave me some suggestions and said to email her anytime with questions and to stay in touch.  Foodwise she said to look at the protein bars (I have been eating a South Beach Diet protein bar every day or so when I have to run out the door) and to try and find ones that were less than 130 calories and less than 6 grams of sugar (she said thats more important that the carb count).  Also said to have low calorie snacks like carrot sticks and to keep the 3 meals calorie dense and satisfying.  I described the protein balls to her, and mentioned the Splenda concerns and she suggested just using sugar, since us Sleeversters don't dump on sugar.

It was so good to just have a normal conversation and be told that I'm doing the right thing!!!  I told her that Dr. Cirangle told me I was losing too slow, and she said, yeah, she hears that he says that a lot, but she didn't follow up with any scold of her own, so I think that she has a bit more prosaic view of the whole weight loss game.  Really, its not like you can't lose weight after some magic time period!  It would be nice to lose quicker, but I don't think any of us has a lot of control over that!

She was a personal trainer, so she is big on exercise, and thought that my routine was fine.  Thats good, because its a very good week when I actually get all 3 days in!  She didn't give me any predictions or set any goals for me, she asked what my goal was, and I said that I'd love to be 159, and that if I was 175 for the rest of my life that would be OK, but I'll try for the lower weight because it would be a normal BMI.  I do remember being 150 (when I was 35) and it was brief and never felt like a weight I could maintain for long, but that might have been because of the starvation I'd endured to get there!

I think that things are going to start moving again, I lost a "new" pound on Sunday, which I gained back on Monday - after eating less than 500 calories!!!  (salt I think) so I'm hopeful that I'll reach onederland sometime soon.  I will take out an above the fold ad in this forum when that happens!

I'm feeling 100% better now that I've checked in with her.  I feel like I'm getting follow-up from the office, and helpful, real advice, rather than unrealistic expectations (guess who?)

Still Stuck

Feb 28, 2008

I have not seen any progress on the scale, its very wierd.  I am eating less than 700 calories a day, AND exercising.  I have an phone appointment with the surgeon's office nutritionist on Monday.  I'll send her an email with my food logs and exercise for a few days and we can discuss.

I finally identified the feelings I have been having when looking at my friends' successes after WLS.   I remember when I was trying to get pregnant, it took me two years (I was 40 years old when I started to try), and I had the same sinking feeling of a mixture of envy and loss when my friends were getting pregnant left and right.  I was happy for them, but felt excluded from something that I was longing for so much.

I feel better about identifying that feeling and my history with it.  On the other hand I have been successful, just not a meteorically as some of my sleeve sisters.  But it has been very hard to keep the faith these past 2 months of no progress on the scale.  I have to say that my clothes are probably fractionally looser, but not dramatically.

I hope the nutritionist can help.

I took the online PCOS test that Noel had posted, and I don't have that, so its not insulin resistance, on that account anyway. . . .


Extreme dieting

Feb 19, 2008

I am willing to do some extreme dieting here, IF I see some results.  I have been stuck on the scale for almost 2 months.  I've been eating well, have been exercising, but no go.  So, rather than just sit here, I am willing to see if some extreme measures will have an effect.  I am having 3 high protein EAS shakes a day (150 calories and 27 grams of protein each) and a few other low carb choices to see if I can't kick some metabolic butt.

After one day of liquids I managed to gain a pound, so not sure what the heck is up!  I might have to forgo the scale, but I don't want to get too many expectations built up and then get disappointed after sacrifice and effort . . .

So - this is not EASY!!!  But it is easier than without the VSG, I am not fighting real hunger, mostly head hunger and emotional issues.  And I'm fighting from a good place - I look so much better and feel lots better than I did 46 pounds ago!!!

Feeling frustrated

Feb 12, 2008

I am being so good, eating according to plan, not grazing, not eating empty calories, keeping on track, I am even exercising!!!  And I am still stuck within a couple of pounds of where I was in mid December.  I wouldn't feel quite so bad if I didn't have friends who had the surgery near the same time as me who are doing so much better - like 20 pounds more loss than me.  I feel really left behind.  (Not mad at them, just consumed with my own feelings of disappointment and frustration and wondering what is wrong with me.)

I think I'll track my eating for a few days and send it to LapSF along with my weight chart and see if a nutritionist can help.  (I refuse to talk to Dr. C, I have not found his input to be helpful.)

From the Trenches

Jan 27, 2008

I am reporting from the trenches in the War On Carbs, its not a pretty sight, morale is a bit low due.  Results are slow and minor, but there is some movement each day, like 2/10 of a pound.  The troops are hoping for some major gains (losses) in moving into enemy territory, everyone is hoping for a surge into onederland, but there are 8.2 pounds standing in the way.  These are tough pounds, and have been around for more than 10 years, so it will be a war of attrition.  The attack plan is to stick it out, as long as it takes, hopefully the USO will show up sometime with some cute new jeans or other Non Scale Victories to keep up the spirits of the troops.

Signing out for now, off to make an EAS super protein shake for 27 grams of protein and almost no carbs.  Yum . . . (not really.)

War on Carbs!

Jan 25, 2008

I am so tired at being stuck on the scale, I have declared WAR.  I am really restricting myself (since yesterday) and the scale budged (1/2 pound!) today.  I am having EAS protein shakes at least 2X a day, and one serving of Wendy's CopyKat recipe chili and one high protein bar.  Also some cheese if I want it for snacks.  I WILL stay under 40 g of carbs AND track everything on DailyPlate.

Saturday I have an all day class, so I should be able to stay busy.  The hardest time for me is the evening, so I have lots of SF gum, tea etc. and watching WestWing on DVD!!!

I hope this pays off, I am really tired of being stuck, I need to lose again!!!

The Diet Mentality

Jan 18, 2008

I think I know what the Diet Mentality is:  certain foods are "good" and certain foods are "bad".  When I eat "bad" foods, I am being "bad".  I think there is also an element of perfectionism in the Diet Mentality.

Several posts on the VSG board lately have talked about the Diet Mentality and how to get away from it.  I think that I have all too easy a time getting away from that mentality, and that I actually need to work on HAVING a Diet Mentality.

I have been stalled for a month, although I did lose a pound earlier this week, after logging EVERYTHING onto Fitday.com, being vigilant with carbs, getting lots of protein.  But eating that way felt very artificial and full of effort.  Not because I was hungry physically, but I think I must face that I am still using food emotionally - as a treat, a reward, a break.  Even tiny amounts of food.

I am not sure that my stall has actually been caused by my eating, as I expect I am just about as "good/bad" about following the rules as most people.  I suspect that I have reached a setpoint that is particularly hard to break through - here at the age of 53 and having considered being the weight I now as the end point of my dieting (or my willpower!!!).

Anyway, I feel that anyone investigating this surgery, or any WLS perhaps, should be aware that the only way to lose weight is to radically restrict your calories!!!  The WLS surgery helps you do that, but it still feels like a diet to me!!!

No big conclusion here, just my thoughts at this point in time!

How old are your fat cells?

Jan 11, 2008

I am experiencing a long stall, no loss at all for the past 4 weeks, just bumping around up and down the same 2 pounds.  This has been frustrating and I get very jealous when I see others experiencing steady losses, but honestly, I am doing quite well on my eating plan, so there is not much I can do about it.  I certainly can't QUIT!!!  How could I even do that?  I suppose I could go ahead and really cheat, graze and consume bad things, but I don't want to do that, so I just keep on keeping on.

I have been talking to a good friend on this board (same age and just 1" shorter than me, beginning very close to same BMI) and comparing our weight histories.  I am wondering if maybe my body is hitting up against old setpoints in weight.  Right now I am fitting nicely into size 14 jeans, which is something I have not been able to do for at least 15 years.  I am 10 pounds from the lowest weight I have hit (very briefly!!!) within those years, and I don't think I was a size 14 at the time, probably a 16.

My good friend has been thinner for longer periods more recently than me, and she has lost about 16 pounds more than me in the same time period.  I am theorizing that she did not spend as many years at this weight as I did, and so she just zoomed right on down.  I am going to post this as a question on the board, but thought I'd try and clarify my thoughts.

I really am feeling good at my present weight, and looking good too, but that may mostly be compared to my higher weight.  I really want to loose enough to get to a healthier BMI and less than 35" waist (for health - I'm close :  36" now!!!).  Ideally I would end up between 150 and 169, and I expect to be able to maintain at the higher end, but I'll wait and see I guess.

I haven't weighed less than 175 since I was 35 years old, and that was when I went on a Diet Center diet to lose enough to fit into my mother's wedding dress and got down to 150.  175 was pretty good for me, but 150 was good too - not too thin by any means, and great for clothes!

Just some thoughts.  Also this past month while scale has stayed the same, my size 14 pants are going from so tight I had a hard time buttoning them (but looking great) to getting looser around the thighs and waist.  I love it!!!  The ones I wear most are a little lower waist, and at first I hated the feeling, like they were falling off, but now I'm getting used to it and kind of like it!  Whoa!

My other good find:  Wendys chili recipe from  copykats:

Wendy's Chili

Makes (at least) 8

2 lbs. fresh ground beef
1 qt. tomato juice
1 (29 oz.) can tomato puree
1 (15 oz.) can red beans, drained
1 medium onion (1 1/2 c.), chopped
1/2 C. celery, diced
1/4 C. green pepper, diced
1/4 C. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin (I used 1/8 cup and it was great)
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each: black pepper, oregano, sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Methods/steps

In a frying pan, brown the ground beef; drain. Put the drained beef and the remaining ingredients into a 6-quart pot. Cover the pot; let it simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

Recipe from the website CopyKat.com




About Me
AK
Location
30.1
BMI
VSG
Surgery
08/14/2007
Surgery Date
Apr 30, 2007
Member Since

Friends 36

Latest Blog 44
Overweight at last!!!! THE SCALE MOVED!
Redefining Success
Phone consult with nutritionist at LapSF
Still Stuck
Extreme dieting
Feeling frustrated
From the Trenches
War on Carbs!
The Diet Mentality
How old are your fat cells?

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