I had surgery Oct.4 weighing in at 317. I'm now 260 so we are going about the same rate. I'm also 5'3". I'm struggling with water too. I got dehydrated and my doctor wants me to drink a gallon of water a day. I still haven't been able to do it yet. My computer is broken so I'm at the library so I can't read all the time but wanted you to know. I understand where you are coming from. Betty

1/17/05 B- (1) scoop Isopure with 4 OZ Soy milk Lunch- 1 1/2 piece grilled chicken, a little mash potatoe & carrots. Snack- 1/4 cup of vanilla light and fit yogurt Dinner- 1/2 cup of lentils with 2 pieces of potatoe and a few bites of chicken. late night-1/2 banana with tble spoon peanut butter. Becky- I too work odd hours, I finish around 10pm. Kathleen- 319/now-252 =-67lbs

Hi Christine - I too, feel I'm a slow loser and was getting depressed. I even asked by surgeon if he forgot the bypass part of the surgery. This is how I got the weight to start falling off: hope it works for you. In the first 2 1/2 months I lost only 20 lbs (most of that in the first 3 weeks post op). I was ready to give up and OD on pizza and get it over with! I decided to give an honest hard look at what I ate and drank, when I ate and drank, and how much did I exercise. The site www.fitday.com helped me track it. It's free and calculates everything for you. I also take my measurements weekly. I found out I was eating too little and my body took its sweet time adjusting to the changes that took place. I made sure I got 50 - 60 gms protein, at least 50 oz fluid and STAYED AWAY FROM crackers that I ate with my tuna. I was a carb-o=-haloic and have to watch my intake. (I drank 1 protein shake for breakfast even though my surgeon does not believe in them) I also made sure I exercised (walked at leat 1 mile 3x week). Low and behold, I started losing weight (25 lbs), another 15 inches and went from a size 22 to a size 14 in a few weeks!! My fear now is that I am getting too confident and will start eating the wrong foods. I baked cookies with my granddaughter this past weekend and nibbled so I took them to work for my coworkers to eat! Please, keep on doing what you know is right and let me know when you start losing or have a WOW moment cause it will happen. It has to if you eat properly! Joann

Please don't let that discourage you, you have done great by losing, Everyone has a different metabolism, some lose weight faster than others. I know people that have lost very slow, but in the end it payed off and they are at their goal weights, I started out losing fast but am now tapering off and losing slower, but hey still losing weight is a lot better than gaining. I lost 50 pounds in the first three weeks, altogether in 12 weeks I have lost 85 however I am noticing now that I might be just losing 1/2 pounds per day that is 3 and 1/2 pounds a week and for me that is slow. However the main thing is that I am still losing. Your still losing so please be encouraged a pound lost is a lot when we have been unable to lose weight for a long time. Keep up the good work, and yes this was all worth it.

Christine, Do not get discouraged... 39lbs is better than not losing at all... you also have to realize that you started out under 300 lbs to begin with.. those of us losing alot of weight we started out alot bigger and lose the weight a little quicker.. I started at 333 and have now lost 73 lbs... but was also 55 lbs heavier than you... dont compare to others... just be proud of the loss you have... My experience with other friends who have had this surgery... the more you exercise, you are turning that fat into muscle and muscle weighs more than fat... I exercise about 15 mins a day that is still about all I can do... I walk alot while cleaning the house and moving around... but I have not gone all out on the exercise... I want to lose the fat not turn it into muscle... I will go all out on the exercise once im down 100 lbs... then I will start working on toning and shaping... I KNOW, I KNOW... not everyone *****ads this will agree.. but we have to do what works for us and what our Dr.s agree with... Good luck, hang in there and you are doing great... keep up the good work and remember we are all different... DONT GIVE UP... It is happening... yes granted we would love for all the weight to be gone tomorrow.. but, we must realize that we didnt gain the weight overnight and it is going to take time... Keep your head held high and smile... i cant say it enough... BE PROUD OF YOURSELF... YOUR DOING GREAT... Leslie 333/260/170