Uh-Oh: Bounceback?

Hi May babies -- are any of you going through this? I hit my low mark of 156 a couple of months ago, almost immediately bounced back 2-3 lb, and have been bouncing around like crazy ever since. For a while there I thought I was really losing it ... my weight went up to 164 and I felt like the side of a barn. I've been struggling but can't seem to break the 159-160 mark. I think the problem is lack of exercise. I never really got into working out like many of you successful losers do; still seems too much like work and punishment and not enough like fun. But could it really be the case that a 5'5 person could consume less than 1200 calories a day and still be overweight? For my BMI to reach 'normal' I need to see 145 on the scale ... and it's starting to seem unreachable. Do you think this is the end of the road for a 55-year-old non-exerciser?Any advice?

Dear Donna, Are you still getting in your required grams of protein and all of your water? I have noticed for me that when I don't get in the protein and water my weight goes up and down like yours. I also am a non-exerciser, just never could get into it, so I know what you mean. But as long as I make sure I get in the protein and water, I usually see a loss on the scale. Hope this helps!! Laura Lap RNY 5/18/04 329/193/160ish?

It's not the end of the road. As for exercise, I really think there IS something out there for everyone. Your profile doesn't tell much about your life in general, but I saw that you have a teenage son, so maybe he'd like to show you how to lift weights? Weight-lifting build muscle mass, which in turn burns calories for you (in fact, it's ONLY muscle tissue that burns calories, fat and other tissue just sits around doin nuffin), even when you're at rest. Two sessions a week can be enough to build and maintain muscle mass that can allow you more calories or help you burn off those last few pounds. Another great thing about lifting is that it helps prevent osteoporosis. One of the best benefits is the entertainment value. The guys in any weight room are just soooooo nice to look at. They're so busy preening and checking themselves out they hardly notice lil ole me. Weight training won't help with your cardio health, which it also vital, but if getting into an exercise groove is hard for you, take it one step at a time. The most important thing for me getting into exercise was finding an exercise buddy. Plain and simple. I have a terrible time getting away from my family for some "me time", but I had no problem getting out to exercise, and that time was spent gabbing and talking with another grown-up. It was hugely rewarding, and made the then-humiliation of getting sweaty and jiggling my chub painless and easy. Be careful with the 1200 calories. After so many months of watching, it is sometimes the case that we make errors calculating portions or other things. Go back to the beginning of weighing and measuring things, just to be sure that it really does all add up to 1200. If it does, I think you can safely assume you won't gain weight, especially with the malabsorption factor. Your metabolism depends entirely on the amount of muscle tissue you have, which you will naturally have lost when you lost weight. Age attacks muscle mass, but as long as you fight back, you can win the metabolism war. "Normal" can be defined in so many ways. The "average American woman" is 20 lbs overweight, so if you define normal as "average", then you are actually right at or below normal. Huggers, Susan

Hey Donna, I agree with Susan. Exercise is vital to loosing and keeping the weight off. Before the surgery I dieted but no exercise. So what happens is you stop dieting and the weight comes back on double becuase you have no muscle to matabolize the fat. I do see a personal trainer 2 times a week to at least get in weight training. He gets on me all the time because I do not do enough cardio. I know how you feel because I have been stuck at 170 for a month and desperately I want to get into the 160's.......lol. My surgeon said to decrease calories by 150 a day and increase cardio by 15 minutes each time and the weight should come off. Hope this helps! Huts, Christine 307/170/150

Donna. I am going through the exact same thing!!! I recently joined a gym thinking I needed to up my exercise routine. It is so frustrating!!!!! I have talked to both my nurse and surgeon and they say that this is very common, but it is scary to me!!! I don't want to start gaining my weight back. I worked too hard to get rid of 102 pounds!!! I try to really push the water too..... Teri