My scale is not moving......

I HATE the scale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is not moving. My eating has not been great, but it has not been bad enough by itself to warrant a stoppage on the scale. I could deal with a plateau I guess, but the frustration I feel is because from out of nowhere I gained 4lbs and now I can't seem to take them off. I like my carbs, and it is hard to go without them ( stupid stuff like measured out portions of animal crackers- or pretzels- 1 or 2 servings a day). But I don't eat bread- and rarely pasta. And no real sweets. The only thing I can think of is that I am not getting enough protein in, so I am going to try bumping up my proetein to 80-100 grams and see what happens. I'll even give up my carbs if I have to, but something has to give. I usually measure inches when this happens, but even doing that nothing is happening. Its been a couple of weeks since the scale has moved- and I know some people have had longer plateaus- but this is the first time this has happened to me. And it brings out all the negative feelings of failure and self worth that I have had every time I diet. I hate that part of it.... trying to figure out why, when there is probably no other rational reason than that my body is just adjusting, and the scale will move when it decides to. I've been exercising more than I did in the beginning, and sometimes my arthritis flares up so maybe its fluid retention because of inflammation But do you KNOW how frustrating this is???? The other thing I notice is that I am hungrier, and it feels like I can eat more. Whats that about? Geez this is hard work..... There are days when I feel like this consumes me... ( pardon the pun) The weight loss is really obvious to people who haven't seen me in a while. But it all seems so painfully slow to me that at times it really scares me. I honestly think that I will eventually lose more weight but then there is that little scared voice in the back of my head that says.. what if WLS isn't going to work for me anymore... what if I am one of the horror stories we all hear about? You know.. the ones who have gained all of their weight back?? But aren't you supposed to lose it all before that happens? The most dangerous thing I can do is to compare myself to other people. It makes me crazy. My best friend had the surgery about 13 mo. ago- she was a big time binge eater ( I am a grazer).. She still vomits daily- more often than not ( also has major heath concerns that weren't helped by the WLS) and can't and doesn't eat as much as I do. She has lost almost 150lbs. She is losing more pounds per month than I am, but at a considerable price. I rarely get sick, and when I do, it seems like a major ordeal. I can't imagine vomiting daily- even for the extra pound weight loss. So I have already accepted the fact that I am a slower loser, its just going from SLOW to STOP that has really frustrated me. I just had to vent, rather than try to eat since that will only complicate matters. When I think about it I could cry. I probably have the most to lose on this messageboard, and have lost the least since surgery. I feel angry and cheated today.....I'll have to just get over my big self and move on. On the bright side, my friends, I have decided to open my own Farmer's Insurance Agency ( after 20yrs in the insurance biz). I am really excited about that, and I know in truth that without this weight loss that I have lost so far, I would not have had the stamina or the ambition to undertake something like this. Thanks for listening ( reading). I feel like you are all friends...and wonderful partners in this journey. Marcy -83

If you're selling tickets for the boat that you're in, I think I need to buy one for myself. My scale is not my friend, either. I did the buster diet, and I did lose ~3 pounds that I had gained, and I've lost ~1/2 additional pound. But man, it took a lot to do it. I kept telling myself "I can do this, it's only 10 days".....well, 10 days is hard. My scale didn't move for 8 weeks (other than up those 3 pounds--glad they're gone). I took my measure ments, and I haven't lose any inches in the last 4 weeks. I also worry that I'll be the "one failure" out there. I'm going to keep trying, though. I'm going to do the buster diet again next week starting Monday, and keep at it for 5 days, and then relax on the weekend. We'll see how long I can keep that up, or if I see any true scale movement using this method. I like my carbs, too. I love those little peanut butter cracker packs, and crackers in general. Not a big bread eater, or potatoes. I'm trying to chose "carb like foods" that have protein in them--like some cereals do. I did miss having fruit and veggies on the buster, and I wan't to try to fit those in to the plan some how. I guess I'm not really going to continue the buster if I'm eating fruit and veggies--a more accurate statement would be that I'm watching my portions closely all week, and then not worrying about it on the weekends. My husband reminds me that he struggled to lose his last 50 pounds--he litterally worked his buns off to get to goal (he had RNY 3 years ago). I know that I could work harder, and it will be easier now that the weather is warming up here. Just wanted you to know I'm struggling, too. I'm not ready to admit defeat, either. I see my doc on Monday afternoon, so we'll see what she has to say about all of this. Diana

Marcy, you and I could be twin sisters. For some reason, we're both fighting the same demons...both those of the food and those of the scale. I've been working this past week to eat much healthier. I blew it yesterday, but it could have been worse. My dietician said that I should try eating 1200 calories a day, and although I have done that, it hasn't really helped. 1200 is my average these days, but I really need to try to get them back under 1000 and see if that might do the trick. I'm at a complete loss! According to all the nutritional information that I have read, to lose a pound a week, I should still be eating 1400 or 1500 calories a day. So you'd think that even if I ate 1300 calories (which is a lot of food!) I'd still lose weight. Of course, it can't be that easy. My protein is consistently high, and I've been doing better with drinking liquids and getting all my vitamins in. And I work out faithfully. I'm also pushing myself harder at the gym...faster speed and incline on the treadmill, heavier weights, and a 15 minute stint on the bike a couple of times a week, too. I sweat so much that I stink! And what happens to the scale? Nothing! I keep worrying that I, too, will be one of the rare failures. I can eat more than a cup of food at a time, depending on what it is. I'm working on not drinking with my meals so that I fill up faster, maybe that will help. If I hit 200...better yet, 199...I will be reasonably happy. But I'm so stressed out by wondering if I'll ever make it to ANY of my goals that I feel like I'm going nuts. And to top things off, my mother is about to have WLS (lapband), and I'll be in a month or two, she'll have lost enough weight to weigh less than me. And that kind of sucks... As much as I hate to hear that you are feeling really frustrated and scared, I am so glad to know that there are other people like me. Others who aren't perfect, but by all laws of nature and calories in versus calories out, should be losing weight anyway. Hmmm...maybe we have NO metabolism. Maybe we'll start gaining weight on just 900 calories a day. THEN what are we going to do? Hang in there...we'll get this figured out eventually. Pamela -94 on a good day

well it seems all of us july babies are at a stand still , i am calling dr tom for some advice .. I had my scale move finally to 168 the other day only to go back up to 173 . but it is that time . i have been 170-173 since jan i think . and i have lost -100 i am so happy w/ that but i see what i eat and do and i want my scale to move .. it is very frustrating . i think i am gonna go back to protein shake for b. eat lunch and small dinner and another shake .. i to eat and drink maybe that is killing us . but i at times have to wash my food down .. also i only drink propel it has sodium in it maybe thats it i just hate plain water . nestle has a new strawberry splash water w/ splenda it is less sodinm and is good so i have been trying that . i am just stuck .. oh my and shorts is around the corner and my thighs look so gross in shorts . it is like a wrinkled old prune .. i def. need lower body lift i thnk .. i have been shopping like crazy though . fashion bug buy 1 get 1 for a $1 oh i just got me some clothes i am in a misses size 12 and jrs size 15 . and a medium top .. needing a tt and a boob lift .. lol anywho i cant do that starve myself diet some of you are trying now what

Well, since it would appear that almost all of us July sugery partners are going through the same thing - I guess that makes us normal and those still losing abnormal! Seriously, my weight loss really slowed down to a crawl right about Christmas! I hadn't lost but 1 lb all of last month and thought I was done. I was fine with that, no problem - then off drops 2 more lbs! Okay, maybe I'm not done. I haven't done any plateau busters. Honestly, I don't do any formal exercise ****asionally I'll do my WATP, but not regularly) and I don't always get in all my water. I do get in my protein, vits and supplements every single day. I guess I'm odd, as I don't have any strong desire to hit the century club, or wear a certain size and I refuse to 'diet' to lose any more weight. The surgery itself took care of portion control for me; and my picky pouch doesn't like high fat foods or anything with more than about 10 grams of sugar per serving. I do eat carbs, but in the form of salads or veggies most of the time. I do sometimes eat a bit of potato, or a bite or two of pasta; but more often than not, my pouch doesn't like those much. I do eat low-fat Triscuits with some cheese, this gives me fiber and some crunch too. So all this to say that, for me, if I'm done - I'm okay with that. I'd rather be done now, then lose more and regain it later! That would really freak me out. I'm thrilled to be in a size 12. After my TT and boob lift, I know I'll drop at least another size. I can live with that. Traci -87

Marcy do you have ESP???? I feel like you were reading my mind!! I came to the board today becuz I have had all these same thoughts and I was really depressed. I lost nothing the whole month of March then lost 3 lbs the first week of April and I've been bouncing ever since!! I wasn't able to get to this board a few days and came today with the hope of getting a lift in my mood!! I read what you wrote and felt like, well atleast I'm not alone and maybe this is normal!! I too have decided to change my life in another way something I would not have had the confidence to do before. I'm going back to school (College) It's a community college and I will be able to do some courses on line. I told my husband I couldn't do it when the kids were little so I'm going to do it now! At age 56 soon to be 57 this could be a challenge but I think now I'm up for it. Btw you're not the slowest loser I've only lost 75 lbs and I still have atleast 40 to go ! Thanks for posting it helps to know someone else is having the same feelings I don't feel so isolated.