Still Stuck . . . when will it end?? Doomed at 250.

I went in for surgery at 271.4 eight weeks ago and got down to 256 the first week I was home.  I was elated, but it was WAY short lived.  Today is April 18 -- two months from my surgery date --  and I'm at 250.  I've only lost SIX pounds in almost TWO months!  That's less than a pound a week!  I'm about ready to give up that this surgery is ever going to work I've been back to see the nurse several times since surgery, who consulted with a dietician over my case.  She's given me some suggestions and I've tried EVERYTHING.  UP water, UP protein, LESS protein, NO protein, MORE exercise, LESS carbs, MORE carbs, MORE calories, LESS calories.  If it wasn't so depressing it'd be funny.  It's exhausting, and I'm tired of thinking about it.  It's one thing to spend so much mental and emotional energy focusing on something that works, but quite another to spend so much time focused something that . . . well, at this point seems like a total waste of my time. I finally lost three pounds last week.  I'm not even really sure why.  I track all my calories & foods on fitday.com and stay consistent.  I thought the loss was due to something I was doing, but then after about a week of doing that, I'm not losing anymore and have actually gained back two of the four pounds I lost.  That's just stupid when you're eating 700 calories a day. It took me forever to get out of the 250s (got down to 248.3 last week).  But then I was disgusted to see the scale telling me I've now gained two pounds back.  I'm back up to 250.3. For some reason I always gain weight the day after I exercise.  And it's not muscle -- you don't gain 2 pounds of muscle overnight.  Not sure I'm losing inches, either.  I started taking measurements two weeks ago.  Haven't lost any inches. I've heard all the explanations about your body adjusting.  Come on -- for EIGHT weeks??!  What's frustrating is that no one can give me any answers -- "try this" and "try that." I think the surgery has failed and left me doomed to stay at 250 the rest of my life.  I don't even want to get together with the people from my Kaiser class, because I can't bear to hear about how much weight they've lost while I literally fight for ounces.  What did I do this for?  Sorry, I needed to vent.  I give up.

Relax and stop stressing.  You are more than likely at what we call a "stall".  Everyone has them, I had my first one at 3 weeks.  Stick to your high protein low carb and watch your fats.  Remember women really have problems with water weight.  I was very frustrated when I got back from my knee surgery and had gained over 10 lbs in 3 days.  It didn't matter to me what caused it, I was stuck on the numbers.  I not only lost those 10 lbs but 7 more and am lower now than before surgery.   You can ask any long timer on here, I thought I was done losing when I lost 35 lbs.  Not the case now.  One lbs away from 160 lbs.  It will all work out, just relax, continue eating your good foods, eat small meals each day, chew alot, keep the water going and you will be ok.  EVERYONE loses at different rates.  There are people who have lost a ton of weight more than me, and I had to learn, well that is them and this is me.  I am a slow loser.  SO please don't be hard on yourself as you are.  We have all had this happen to us, more times than not.  The reason this happens is no one knows really why, not even the docs.  Heck my doc yelled at me because I was at a stall at 3 weeks.  I mean come on, you can hardly eat, but they were blaming me.  It wasn't.   You will be fine....just enjoy life, everything thing will come in good time hon Diane

Come on girl!  Don't lose your faith NOW!!!  You made this decision to have this surgery because you had FAITH that it was going to change your life.  One thing I learned for sure during this whole experience is patience.  That lesson was hard for me.  I was an instant gratification kind of girl (maybe that is why I was overweight in the first place, huh?  LOL)  I make this promise to you right now.........THIS WILL WORK FOR YOU.  As long as you stick to your plan it will all come together.  Everybody is different.  It sounds like to me, if you are eating 700 calories a day, your are not eating enough. I was at about 500 calories a day at first, then I raised slowly to about 1000.  Thats when the weight really came off.  Are you excercising?  If so, keep it up.  Keep the faith.  And STOP weighing yourself.  I had to do that too.............I was driving myself crazy.  You have to understand, your body thinks it is starving, so it is holding on to that fat for dear life.  A sort of survival mechanism.  It will eventually realize it can live on what it is getting now, and it will let go and shed pounds.  The body is an amazing thing.  Have faith in yours. I went through the same thing...........now, a year and nine months later I have lost  190lbs and I weigh 147lbs.  There are times where you will get discouraged, but keep your eye on the prize.  It is all worth it in the end.  I PROMISE!!!

Thanks for the kick in the pants, Connie.  I REALLY needed to hear that today.  The road is long, and I expected it to be -- but I didn't expect it to be dark too!  A little light  on the journey would be nice -- just so you know you're at least going the right way! Okay, (sigh) one foot in front of the other . . .

My recommendation is continue that protein and really do get a REAL cardio work out!!!! Not just a little sweat, but really do a stenuous work out.

Shoot, I'd be frustrated, too, Sheryl!!

I guess like the others said, give it some time... but, if the pounds don't start coming off soon, I'd really need to sit down with my surgeon and have him double check his work...

Best wishes...hang in there...

Lori

DON'T PANIC!!!! Stay off the scale.  Weigh only at your doctor's office. Increase your intake of protein and complex carbs (romaine salads, etc) to about 1000 to 1200 calories per day. Walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk Don't give up, please.  It will continue to happen for you.  This is not just a diet.

Don't give up. Stay off the scale--it'll drive you nutz. Increase your food intake to 1000 to 1200 calories per day--your body thinks you're starving. Walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk walk. Don't stress, this is not like all the other diets we've been on.  You will succeed. Hugs,

Sorry, didn't mean to post twice.  The darned thing told me my post  had been lost!

I guess my question is -- how do I increase my complex carbs (i.e., veggies) by 2-300 calories?  Complex carbs are . . . 1.  SO filling, so you can't get many of them in once you've finished your protein.  And, 2.  you get SO FEW additional calories from them.  A whole cup of lettuce is only 7 calories, and I can't eat a cup of anything!  That worked really well to lose weight before the surgery, because you were trying to decrease your calories but still needed to feel full, so you got more bang for your buck.  But since surgery, how in the world can you eat enough complex carbs to make a 2-300 calorie difference when you can only fit in maybe 1/4 of that when your pouch is already full of protein?