Question:
how do you explain this???
O.K., I need to rant for a minute, so please bare with me. I am getting very discouraged. First, my husband, who did NOT have WLS and only needed to lose about 50 lbs., is losing faster than I am! He has just cut back on his eating and he eats a little healthier. Mind you, he still sits down with a plate full of food. We both are working out. I sit there with my little 3 oz. of food and he loses more EVERY week than I do!! Then, I watch Dateline last night about the different people trying to lose weight for their reunion and low and behold, one of the guys, who was doing Atkins, is dropping weight like crazy. I think he lost 50 lbs. in 3 months and I've only lost 55. . .BUT HAD SURGERY!!! What is up with that??? My friend at work, another lightweight, who is also doing an Atkins diet, consistently loses about 5 lbs. a week. At 3 months out, I'm doing good to lose 3 lbs. in a week!! Let me just say this, I am exercising religously, I get in a minimum of 60 grams of protein and 64 oz. or more of water. I eat very little carbs. . .no white carbs at all. My calorie intake is between 600 and 800, usually leaning more towards the 600. Sorry folks, but I am very discouraged right now. I guess I expected to lose at least 5 lbs. a week for at least the first 5 to 6 months. I am 48 and diabetic, so I know I'm supposed to lose a little slower, but gee whiz, it seems as though everyone who hasn't even had the surgery is doing better than I am!!! — Kathy S. (posted on April 23, 2003)
April 22, 2003
I did the Atkins diet and lost 125lbs about 2 years ago. Guess what, when
I started eating bread, pasta and sugar again I gained it all back plus
some. Men lose weight faster than women so just keep working at it and
don't get discouraged.
— gunter73
April 22, 2003
I have a very strong feeling that you are NOT EATING ENOUGH!
Your body is in a starvation mode if you are only taking in 600 calories a
day!Eat more and you will have success!
— BOOMASMOM
April 22, 2003
Hi there! It might also be very possible that you're not eating ENOUGH
calories, and your body is kicking into starvation mode. You should have
between 1000 and 1200 a day, unless your doc tells you otherwise. BTW, if
it's any consolation, I'm also a lightweight, 11 weeks out, and as of
today, down 47.5 pounds. I'd like to be losing more, faster, but as long as
the scale keeps heading in the right direction, I'm not complaining...
— johanniter
April 23, 2003
I too watched the show last night. I KNEW the Atkins dieter would do the
best! I also knew the woman who did the over exercise would lose the least
too. How come? I've been there. I also was pretty sure the Slim Fast guy
would'nt do to well ether (to much sugar and carbs in it). What did
surprise me was the person who was hypotised "supposly" did so
well. That never helped me at all. I did Atkins for awhile but could'nt
stand going without bread and pototoes. The Carbohydrates Addict Diet is so
much easier and better balanced in my opinion. I'm two years out and still
30+ pounds from goal. Perhaps I'm going back to CAD again. It was easy and
pretty much painless. lol But does'nt it make you mad to go through WLS and
someone who has'nt can beat us with all we had to go through? Rrrrrr.
— Danmark
April 23, 2003
I know this is a revolutionary suggestion but try adding a little fat to
your diet and, as others have said, a few more calories. If you are
drinking milk stop that for a week. Add a handful of almonds or
walnuts--they're good protein and a source of healthy fat. Conversely, eat
an Atkins food plan. It isn't very different from my doc's
protocol.<p>If you still feel your body isn't cooperating do a web
search for at the "Wendie Plan" online. This woman maintains that
she has to fool her body into letting go of fat. She varies the amount she
eats day-to-day some days she eats 1400 calories and others only 6 or 7
hundred. She says it keeps her metabolism from deciding she is either being
starved or entitled to too many calories. There is a perverse logic in it
and the times I have wanted to kick start my weight loss it has seemed to
work. I don't know if it has any scientific validity.
— phoebe
April 23, 2003
Kathy,
Do you remember what the woman who was exercising needed to do to kick her
weight loss into gear?-Eat! She wasn't getting enough calories(fuel)and
hence her body was in starvation mode hanging onto everything. Once she
started eating more her weight loss started! Does your surgeon have a
nutritionist you could speak to? Maybe it's time to kick stuff up and your
body's going to burn more. I'm not a nutritionist or Dr. so I would speak
with them before doing it.Hopefully they'll have some
suggestions/modifications for you. I don't know where you are in your plan
soit's best to go back to the source. Best wishes and continues success.
— Linda M.
April 23, 2003
Morbidly Obese people are DIFFERENT than normal-weight people. We don't
lose weight like they do, thats why we had surgery. Surgery does not
necessarily make us the 'best' or 'fastest' losers, it just makes us
losers. With your dedication, you will make it to your goal, and while
they are bouncing up and down, your dedication will allow you to maintain.
Thanks for listening.
— [Deactivated Member]
April 23, 2003
Men always lose weight faster. I was irked when a male friend of mine gave
up one thing - french fries - and lost 20 lbs in about 6 weeks! (And he
still ate fast food, just not the fries! Not fair!) The other thing is that
you may be building muscle, which is denser than fat. I said this yesterday
- the scale is not the only indicator of how successful WLS is for you.
Are you wearing smaller clothes? Do you feel better overall than before you
had surgery? Do you feel like you are being deprived of any particular
food? At 3 months out, I also agree with the other posters - not enough
calories. It's not a race to see who can lose the most or lose the fastest.
The goal is to be healthy - and you will get there!
— koogy
April 23, 2003
You're definitely NOT eating enough. Your body is hanging on to every
ounce because it thinks you're starving. Remember also that you've been
given a tool to keep your weight off - it will be interesting to see where
your husband and the folks on TV are in a year. Sounds like you just
needed to blow off a little steam - hang in there - if I can make it anyone
can! You'll get there!
— ronascott
April 23, 2003
Ditto to what the others are saying about upping your calories-you should
strive to get closer to the 800 and not the 600. By 1 year post op you
should be up to 1200 or so calories a day. Men do lose faster than
women-FACT, so don't measure your loss against a mans. And keep this in
mind, all those who are losing by doing Atkins, and other types of diets,
check back with them in 6 months to a year and see how many of them have
gained it back plus some. We might be losing slow but steady but at least
we have a better chance of not gaining it back with our tool! Also, change
your expectations-you set yourself up for failure when you
"expect" to lose 5 or 6 pounds a week. I'm a lightweight and had
months where I lost just 6 or so the entire month yet still am within 7
pounds of goal. Your body will lose at its own pace. Your doing fine in
your eating and exercise-just up those calories.
— Cindy R.
April 23, 2003
My sister had WLS 2 years ago - another sister and I went on Atkins at the
same time. Guess what, during that first year, I lost 40 lbs and regained
almost 60 lbs. My sister, who was on Atkins, lost nearly 50 LBS, kept if
off for a few months and regained it back, plus a few extra lbs. The sister
who had WLS, lost over 200 LBS, kept it off and is healthier then she has
been in years!!
I had my OPEN RNY done on 3/20/03....no more yo-yoing for me! Keep up the
good work - you may lose a bit slower, but your chances of keeping off the
weight is far greater than any diet out there!
— teresa M.
April 23, 2003
i understand your frustration. my husband is 6'8 and doesn't have a weight
problem and can eat anything and everything he wants. remember this isn't a
race. i know it will be hard but only focus on yourself...not on anyone
else. btw...i did atkins too and lost 70 pounds in 6 months...but gained
back 110 in 12 months.
— franbvan
April 23, 2003
Only 600 to 800 calories? You have to have calories to burn them! I didn't
see how far out you are, but you definitely could use more calories. I
don't count calories, but at 7 months post-op, I know I get <i>at
least</i> 1200 a day. You should look into this....Best of
luck!!........Karen (lap rny-9/20/02- down 127 pounds)
— karmiausnic
April 24, 2003
May be hard to swallow (no pun intended), but you really need to eat MORE
calories...no crud calories but good calories. Good luck and I feel your
pain (my hubby can eat anything and never gain a pound!).
— [Deactivated Member]
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