I'm not really disappointed in what I've lost. I had a moment of sadness after reading so many 30+lb losses. I lost 18lb pre-op, so my total loss is 37 lbs, which is great. I count my loss since the weigh in right before surgery for things like this, but my grand total that I track on my ticker is the weight I re-entered the program at (which also happens to be my highest ever). I do realize that I'm doing well, that my body is different than other's, blah, blah, blah... it's just not always easy to make your brain understand. Don't you still have this urge to look in the mirror in teh morning and expect to see something very different than what you went to bed with last night? It's a case of counting chickens before they hatch. It's the thrill of Christmas Eve all over again. The big gift is hanging there right in front of your face, but you have to wait to actually get it. And in the process of waiting to get the gift, somebody is threatening that if you don't behave, you won't get it.

Are you getting all your fluids? Are you getting all your protein? Those are prime reasons for hunger. Also, is it truly "empty belly" hunger or "head hunger"? I would check in with your doctor or nutritionist. As far as the slow weight loss, I'm going through that myself. I haven't lost as much as most people, but I'm trying to be patient. Remember, there are plateaus in weight loss, and they can last quite a while. 20 lbs in less than a month is nothing to sneeze at. Don't give up. ~Shirley

I had a 4 week appointment yesterday with my nurse clinician, and she told me I should probably still take a shake as a meal replacement, cause I am still (and will be for a while) unable to eat all that I need for protein. She said use it as a replacement because otherwise it could cause an overload of calories for the day, and because to sip on it through the day would be similar to grazing, which is the equivalent of snacking. However, that is my surgeons program. you really want to call your surgeon and find out what their rules are. They would really rather we call and ask questions, rather than cause ourselves harm because we were afraid to ask. Hey, my surgery was also on November 20th! Cheese is good. One of the things they told me to try was to get a peice of thinly sliced deli meat (real stuff, not the pre-packaged stuff) and wrap it around the cheese stick. Loads of protein and flavor. Probably won't (and shouldn't) be able to eat the whole thing, but it's a boost. I don't know what you are allowed to eat according to your program. Have you tried corned beef ha****'s good stuff, there is a reduced fat version available. You can also mix a little egg in with it and boost the protein that way too. Refried beans with nacho cheese on top? Turkey chili without beans with or without cheese (this can also be put on top of a little bit of baked potato. Do you like seafood. Crab meat is an awesome source of protein, and you can mix it with a little creamed cheese to put on a cracker (you can find canned crab in the same area as canned tuna). Salmon is good. Are you eating cottage cheese, or yogurt? Some protein powders are good when mixed in with these items. Unjury unflavored is fine this way. Also, look for Eggface on the main board, and click on her picture (easy to find cause her avatar is literally a face made of bacon and eggs). She has a wonderful site where she has tons of tasty looking recipes for protein rich drinks. I just got some of the ingredients, so I haven't tried any of them yet. Anyway, that's about all I've got for now.

Well, do I really want to say? I've lost 19 pounds in 4 weeks (from the weight I went into surgery with). Makes me kind of sad when I read all your losses. Why haven't I lost more? I understand that we all lose at out own rate. I've been working out, and working hard at it. I've been watching my food, in fact just got going on food a week ago. Now I'm kinda depressed, but my nurse clinician said I was doing fine, and I was happy with the 19 pounds. It's more than I've ever lost in any given month in my life. I just don't want my window to close before I lose a majority of my excess. What number do you all use as your starting point (when did you weigh to get your start number) for determining how much you've lost due to the actual surgery?

Hi Diana, I had my Lap Rny on 11/19 and have lost 22 lbs to date and only 3 in the last 10 days which feels PAINFULLY slow. I'm trying not to worry about it though and will be hitting the gym for the first time as a post-op today so hopefully that will have an impact. I'll be sorely disappointed if I don't eventually start dropping more quickly though! Keep up the good work girl!