Question:
I'M DESPERATE--Can someone help me PLEASE!!!

I am 8.5 weeks post op and for the past 4 weeks I have lost 1 lb. a week. After the first week of this I started drinking 9 glasses of water a day instead of 5-6, getting at least 60 gr. protein/day, and eating 1000-1200 cal./day (up from around 800). The doctor's office told me to do this because my body was in "starvation mode". Nevertheless, it has continued for 3 more weeks! How can a 293 lb. person not lose weight on this many calories!? I am so frustrated, and the dietician does not call me back. PLEASE HELP!!!    — Susan B. (posted on August 8, 2002)

August 8, 2002
I'm no expert but it sounds to me like you might be eating too many calories for only being 8.5 weeks post-op. (I'm 3 months post-op and I can only eat 500-800 calories per day.)The water & protein sounds great. You didn't mention if you are exercising yet...?
   — Jennifer A.

August 8, 2002
Get yourself a pedometer. Make sure you are walking over 5000 steps per day and then after a couple of weeks increase yourself to 7500 and then 10000. You can get your metabolism into high gear. Good Luck!
   — Sue A.

August 8, 2002
Altho I don't have a magic answer to your question about your plateau, I can offer some words of encouragement. I know you are feeling frustrated after only four weeks, but please remember, you ARE on a journey. This is going to take some time. I've been on a mega-plateua after 8 months and cannot get the scale to budge. Number one, stay off the scale so much. That way, you won't be so discouraged so early in the game. Put it away. As long as you are doing everything right, the weight WILL come off, but everyone is different. Hang in there. We have such a bad habit of comparing ourselves and this is a personal battle, which you WILL win. Enjoy the ride and relax a little.
   — Annie H.

August 8, 2002
I am amazed that your doctor has put you on a 1000 - 1200 calorie diet. I'm almost 4 months out and I usually range anywhere from 500 - 800 calories / day. That in conjunction with daily exercise and I'm down 64 lbs. Since you've not been able to reach your nutritionist, I would suggest 1st. watching the carbs (use www.fitday.com - it's free), exercising at least walking at least a mile a day and then see if you get the change that your wanting. Good luck... unfortunately we don't always get the support we'd like from the medical society. Just remember this is your TOOL and the better you personnally use it the more weight you'll loose and the healthier you'll become.
   — lindajenkins

August 8, 2002
I am 5 1/2 months out and I use the fitday.com to calulate what i am eating and activities. I eat around 500 - 700 calories and I burn through working out at about 300 calories a day. Eating the 1000 to 1200 is usually to maintain once you have gotten to goal. Good Luck and God Bless.
   — Chris9672

August 9, 2002
Hi Susan, I was also on a plateau, that lasted for one month, and I was at the 4 month mark then. I used www.fitday.com and discovered that I was actually taking in too many calories, especially carbohydrates, per day. I think your caloric intake is a little too high, I would lower it to max 1000 per day. And I would reduce the carbs considerably, try to eat NO CARBS (although very HARD to do!!), and increase exercise. I hope you are exercising. I didn't start right away, waited about 2 months, and then I began walking 5 days per week, 30 minutes. At the beginning, in 30 minutes I only walked one mile, now, I walk 2 miles in 40 minutes. 30 minutes is not too hard to do, I found I could either do it in the morning before work or after work, when the family is eating their "normal" dinner! If 6:30 PM comes and I haven't done my exercise yet, I jump on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Good luck!
   — [Deactivated Member]

August 9, 2002
I decided on my own that the 700-800 cal. was not enough, so I upped it to 1000-1200. I then started losing again. I also get about 90g of protein. This leaves me to ask you, how is your exercise? I walk very briskly 30min. per day. That's it! My doctor says that exercise without sweating a lot is useless for some people. Me included at this point. I have been on so many "diets" that my metabolism obviously hates me. Try upping the exercise or making it more intense, and see how it goes. Best of Luck, and stop beating yourself up, you are still losing...not gaining.
   — Tina B.

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