Stuck !!

I haven't been on for a while and have been stuck at 215 for several months but I sure don't help myself and have been eatting anything and everything since Halloween. Candy is my absolute downfall !! I need some moral support and dietary hints. How to get enough protein, what to eat. I will go back and read everything written on here from the posts but if any of you could clue me in to what you're doing. I am completely lost and scared to pieces...really afraid of the weight coming back on. My doctor has retired and I don't know where else to turn. If any of you are in Alaska and can steer me toward a support group I would be most appreciative. Camai

Hi Camai! Ok, here's a link for a support group in Fairbanks. If that is not close to you, perhaps they can help you find one that is: http://www.obesityhelp.com/ohsupportgroups/AK.html Now, about that candy. Get rid of it if you haven't already. If you know there is a trigger food, get it out of the house, out of sight. Do you log your food on sparkpeople.com or fitday.com? Both are free sites and I know that logging my food and seeing my totals really helps me stay focused. I didn't do very well in December, only losing 3 lbs, but I also know what I didn't do that helps me lose: 1. log all food 2. exercise daily 3. drink 80 to 100 oz of water per day 4. eliminate all but one snack per day 5. 60 to 70 grams protein per day (per my surgeon, some folks need more) these are the things that I have done religiously the months prior and I was losing much better, and even though I know the loss slows now at 8 months, I know that if I do these things I will be more successful and maybe they can help you too. If you can't find a support group i Alaska, remember we are always here for you! Inky

Yeah I do understand where you are at and I think many of us are in the same boat. Well one thing I did was started over with a cleansing diet which is going back to the beginning from the liquid diet then all the way back to regular foods. It helps get that extra junk out of your body so you won't crave it again....If you are interested in trying it let me know...I can tell you more about it then

I was stuck during the month of December as well. So much junk around made it really hard to keep up my willpower. I finally just got rid of everything after new years and started tracking everything I put into my mouth. I went shopping and bought the things I should be eating...yogurt, soy crisps, 75% fat free cheddar cheese. veggies, chicken, whole grain lite english muffins, etc. It has been working. even though the loss is slow I am back to loosing 1 to 1.5 ponds a week. If only I could get the exercise moving I know it would be higher. Just make up your mind that you are going to continue this journey for yourself! Get rid of the junk and keep going. We all fall down now and then...what matters is that we get back up and keep plugging forward.

Hi Camai, Don't despair! A lot of us are going through the same thing. Unfortunately, even with tiny stomachs, we can easily sabotage the surgery at this point, so if we want to get to goal weight it's truly up to us. I was having a hard time with this for a while, furious that I had to get back into "diet" mode, but I finally realized that "normal" thin people watch what they eat and don't go overboard. They can enjoy a little treat and not eat a whole pizza or cake. If they eat too much at one meal, they eat less the next, instead of giving up for the day and bingeing. This surgery gives us a chance to eat like them and be satisfied, so that's why it's a "tool" we have to work, but not a miracle that does everything for us. We have to teach ourselves how to eat for the rest of our lives, because what we were doing pre-surgery obviously wasn't working. The first thing I would do if I were you is to set yourself up for success. That means getting rid of everything in the house that isn't good for you, like candy, crackers, chips, etc. Substitute healthy things for those items. I like the microwave popcorn 100-calorie packs-it's a big volume of snack food and very satisfying. Also, I measure 3/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean cereal out and munch on it during the day if I'm craving something crunchy. Laughing Cow originial swiss Light cheese wedges are great-I spread one of those on 3 sesame thins or soy crisps and it's very tasty. If the other people in your house want to eat junk, they can eat it outside of the house when you're not there. Also, if I'm really craving something non-nutritious, I make myself drink a big glass of water first, telling myself that when I finish the water, if I still want the treat, I can have it. 99% of the time the craving goes away by the time I finish the water. What keeps me on track (like the others here) is logging on to thedailyplate.com and planning out my entire day on there. When I do this I find that I'm much less likely to give into temptation. Also, even if I have one bite of cake or donut or a piece of candy or whatever, I force myself to log it there, and that also keeps me in check. It also helps me see that my entire day isn't ruined. Don't give up-you've already lost a lot of weight, which is great, and you will be able to lose more. You just need to tweak a few things and you'll be fine. Keep checking in here-getting support is crucial to your success!