diet after 2 years

Hi RAE It's funny but on the lower calories I am not losing more weight. I am really at a loss right now. Thank you for the suggestions. I am going to try it and take in a protein shake before bed. Talk to you later Mechelle

Hi Mechelle, I , to have been away from the web site for a LONG time. I remembered how much suport I was abl to pull from this site before, and just after my surgery, so I'm back. I, too eat about every 3 hrs, and feel symptomaticaly a sugar drop when I go longer than that. I eat a little at a time. Usually beginning with 1-3 oz protein, then veggies. Still do very little "Breads". Just can't eat the rest of the day when I eat bread-like a rock in my tummy. I drink alot of water, and drink most of my 8 glasses 1st thing in the am, or I just don't get it in... I try to get to Slim & tone 3-5x/wk. Exerccise helps allow me to eat,be hungrier. USUAL snack is salade...then I don't feel guilty for intake. Can usually eat a whole cup of lettus. I've set a date for April 2007 to have the "rest" of my weight off.

Hello, I'm not sure if this is any help but what the heck it can't hurt! right? The lowest I was at was 157. I'd love to be there again. That was for about a minute then I got up 167. I've been there give or take a pound for over a year. It will go down to 160 but then creep up again. I work out regualarly, watch what I eat. I pretty much stick to protein with some carbs. I weight and measure. STay away from sugars.Try to get my vegis in and drink alot of water. I'm happy were I am but would love to get back into the 150's. I'm wearing sizes 10's and some 8's. Never in a million years did I think I'd be wearing those sizes except in shoes! I notice that when I have a week go by that I can't work out that I very quickly lose the firmness in my waist. That drives me nuts! If I don't drink my water I find I'm more hungry too. So my water schedule is jsut that a schedule. I drink 8oz in the morning when I first get up. BEfore I even have breakfast. While I'm walking the dog I'm chugging the water. About an hour after I eat breakfast when I'm on my way into work I'm also have a decaf coffee or tea. During the daytime I'm sipping water on a regular basis so that I have another two 8oz glasses total then as I'm driving home from work I'm drinking another bottle of that stuff! Then another hour after dinner I'm chugging again! The last one I drink just before I go to bed. Yup that means Im up during the night but it also means that I'm full when I go to bed and it flushes out the system. Its not easy doing the required liquids but this works for me. I did find Im in love with the snack well sugar free cookies shortbreak in particular. Can't have them in the house. I ate 6 cookies in a few minutes time without even thinking about it. When I realized what I had done (i was reading while standing a big no no) I threw the whole box away. Those cookies are evil. Just cause they are sugar free doesn't mean they dont have calories!!!! I also count the calories. I eat about 1500 to 1800 a day. I read somewhere that is what you need to eat to maintaine. If you don't eat enough you can become sick. 1000 seems like a very small amount for anyone. In fact if I don't eat enough then I don't lose cause my body says hey your starving we better hold on to some stuff here. we sure do have a different life than we had before. One i'd never change I'd never go back to before. I like being who I am now. I love not wearing a seat belt extender in the car or on planes. I love being able to walk and breath and go up and down stairs without even thinking about how awful i feel. I feel fantastic. i can run! i fit in a kayake! good luck and god bless, pam

I'm so glad to see people posting on this! I, too, am struggling, and back after being gone a long time. For me, I left because my daughter was paralyzed in a terrible car accident. My whole FAMILY has gained weight. i'm with the person who said I hit a low of 157 for a minute, and I'm up to 166-169. I used to waver between 158 and 163. I had a bony spur grow into my spinal cord, so I am on a ton of medicine, and can't exercise at all. I JUST got back into water therapy, and have been told i have to have ANOTHER cervical surgey to remove the hardware. I long to be free of all the weight I set out to lose. My doc wants to see me at 140. All I can do is take a day at a time. I got into eating candy which stopped my weight loss. I still can't eat very much at a sitting; for me, it's WHAT I choose to eat. I'd love to continue this kind of thread, and help each other out. I've always been told to eat 1/3 of what I used to eat, and a mixture of protein, carbs, etc. I just gave up sugar, because it is my downfall, and hopefully that will help me. I've never counted calories ... but I think it's more important for me to eat every 3 hours in small amounts, focusing on protein, and getting in my water. Oh, and I need to take vitamins again. i think I struggle with cravings bc I don't take my vits. Hope to talk with you all soon, so we can all get "back on track." Jaime

I, too, haven't been on in a while. I am three years out and still struggling to find things that I don't throw back up. It certainly has lessened, but still, one day I can eat something and the next it makes me sick. I drink Boost religiously as I have developed so many new health problems since my surgery. My absorption is so poor, I am on Iron Dextran for life. My heart valves are falling apart and I have developed fluid in the pericardium. Can't say for certain I wouldn't have had the majority of these even if I hadn't had the surgery but I guess I will never know. I fluctuate between 142-144 at 5'10". If I don't consume a considerable amount of calories in a day I lose way too quickly. I have to eat constantly, and twice as much if it comes back up. I would do it all over again even though I get terribly frustrated with the after effects. I see people who are the size I was and my heart goes out to them. I vividly remember those days and will never be there again. Best of luck to you all and know that we have made it this far. Each day is a mini journey through our struggles with food. We set ourselves up to fail when we demand perfection. Erin M.