I can't do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am struggling.... Not with the eating portion, but with my in ability to lose weight... My surgeron said I should be losing 3/4 to 1/2 a pounds a day... I have only lost 10 pounds in the month of May, and it is almost over. I have lost 33 pounds, and the scales have not moved in over 2 weeks.... I have done what everyone has told me to do... and yet no weight-loss,... I hope this will pass.... I was so excited about my weight loss, and then NOTHING!! I am so sorry for being so negative, it is so unlike my real personality. I am usually the one who is positive, and upbeat................. This has been such a rough week for me... My God-daughter was in a head on collision, and most of her body is broken, and she is such a good person. The accident was not her fault. Both her leg's are broken, 1 ankle broken, her foot was crushed, and her hand is broken.. I really don't have any problems... just food, and weight.... I need to be more grateful... One of my best friends has been diagnosis as of last Friday, with MS... I got a letter from the IRS that H&R Block did my taxes wrong, and I now owe the govt money..... and I CANT EAT THROUGH my troubles for the first time..... Please pray for me..... Friends.... I will get back to myself real soon.... hopefully!!

Cheri, I do not have the magic answer....I will be thinking about you...wow, that is a lot in one week.... But it sounds like your god-daughter will recover, MS is treatable and YOU WILL loose weight!! I am not sure about you, but I will go between 1-2 weeks without loosing and all of a sudden I am down 4-5 lbs overnight....it does not make sense. How about taking a s-l-o-w walk tonight, thinking about how lucky your god-daughter is to still be alive, your friend has MS, but will get treatment, and you will continue to loose weight.... or perhaps clean out a closet....I find that keeping busy with REAL activies keeps me out of the kitchen AND after a while, I forget about what I am craving....and after the cleaning it will look so good and you will have something to show for your evening. I will be thinking about you and am sending good thoughts your way!! RAE

Cheri! I'll pray for you. Eat protein, drink water, and walk... these are the things we can do to be sure we're moving along well. You know, the standards your Dr. is going by is different from what I am being told. They encourage us if we are losing 1-2 pound per week after that initial big beginning loss. Hang in there, you're down 40 pounds...that is awesome.

Cheri, I know how you feel. Not only have I not lost any weight in the last three weeks, but I've gained two back that I HAD lost!!! It didn't bother me the first two weeks but after week three it got to me. My surgeon was surprised and asked me what happened. I told him I was still following his instructions and didn't know. He seems to think I'm retaining water, as I did before surgery, and told me to have my pcp put me back on fluid pills. I finally got the go ahead this evening so I'm starting the fluid pills again. Hope it doesn't dehydrate me and hope it gets me back on the losing track. I started out the losing gate great and I had such high hopes to lose consistently at least the first 3 months before I hit a plateau. Not THIS early!!!! It's really discouraging me. I'm trying to increase my time on the treadmill and the doc has cleared me to eat normal food just as long as I don't exceed 1000 cals a day and get in my protein and nutrients. To make matters worse, I don't dump and my pouch doesn't let me know when I've eaten too much until it starts hurting and it's hard to gauge because I don't eat the same amount everyday. Some days next to nothing, others, quite a bit more. I hope I don't turn out to be one of those people who don't lose a lot after having this surgery, especially after all the pain and suffering I've gone and still am going through, so I know exactly how you feel. I'll keep your goddaughter and your friend in my prayers. Take care.

Yes you can do this! You have to remember that. You are having a hard time personally and are having to learn how to deal with it besides food. You also have to remember that your body has been through a lot of big changes recently and every now and then it has to slow down and take a break. Some things I was told to watch for when you stop losing weight is the following: How many carbohydrates are you taking in? Are you eating often enough so your body doesn't go into starvation mode? Are you getting enough fluids and protein. This is a hard time but with God you can get through it. It's a test and you won't fail. When you get discouraged, count your blessings. Remember how much worse everything could be. I'll be praying for you and your family and friends to get through this time. Diana

Hi Cheri! Wow what a difficult week you have had. Its really too bad that this surgery can't change our brains along with our stomachs. I too relied on food during tough times. Now I walk and walk and walk. I also deep breath and meditate...candles and all. As far as losing. You will lose! For myself, I have sworn off of the scale (execpt for doc appts). Did you measure yourself before surgery? Are you losing inches? Are you working out? Have you been building muscles? I'm only 4 weeks out and I'm suppose to be eating about 800 calories a day 50+ grams of protien and 64oz of water. That doesn't leave much room for me to eat anything that is a good source of protien. Have you been tracking your eating on fitday.com? I pray that God sends you peace! Hugs, Rachel

Don't just let it be about Weight Loss. I lose, and pause, and lose again and pause again all the time. Sometimes it is just for 2 days, sometimes it is for over a week that the scale doesn't budge. My advice: 1. STOP the insanity!!! Don't weigh yourself every day. Once a week at most, or better yet, just once a month. If you are going to torture yourself, better to let it be less often, don't ya think? 2. Make sure you are getting in your water. Fat flushes out through the urine, and if you aren't making any, you can't flu**** out. 3. Walk 30 minutes every day. Regular exercize is essential for your losing process to continue. 4. Pick your favorite fatty outfit (one that looked hot 30 lbs ago) and try it on today. Observe how it hangs there. Notice the way the arms are too big, how there is so much more room in the tummy, seat, etc. Keep this outfit and try it on anytime you need a little boost. 5. Measure measure measure. When we are pausing, we are usually losing INCHES! Our bodies are catching up with the fat loss, and taking time to let the skin unstretch. 6. Keep things in perspective - when in your life have you ever lost 30 lbs before in a single month? Remember that everyone loses differently, and that your journey will be the most personal experience. The goal is long term weight loss - not quick weight loss. 7. Please, cut yourself some slack. You're doing great! And stressing yourself out over weight loss isn't going to make it any easier. When you feel yourself obsessing, talk to yourself exactly as you would to your very best girlfriend. 8. Keep us posted. You are a beacon of success, and people learn from your journey. Best wishes to you on your journey, ~Lara

I WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS. I UNDERSTAND THE WEIGHT PROBLEM I LOSE ABOUT 25 POUNDS AND I HAD SURGERY 4-14-04. THE SCALE READ THE SAME THING WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE DOCTORS. I WAS CRUSHED. AT FIRST I ASSUMED I WAS EAT TOO MUCH. BUT I WAS IN FACT EATING TOO LITTLE AND MY BODY STARTED HOLDING ON THE THE FAT. YOU JUST HAVE TO EAT AND DRINK YOUR WATER. I WISH YOU AND YOURS THE BEST. AND MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAYS THAT GOD DOESN'T PUT MORE ON YOU THAN YOU CAN TAKE! THERE IS A BLESSING IT THIS FOR YOU I KNOW IT.

Wow!! Thanks for all of your great advice.... It really has helped me to calm down... I do plan to throw away those old scales and weigh only on my monthly anniversary.... so I can stop driving myself CRAZY.... Also thanks for your support for my God-daughter!! Cheri