Bummed !?!?! ~ #@#%*&@#$

Okay guys ... I am really bummed right now and am venting if you don't mind ... please take this post with a grain of salt ~ half of it is about right the other half is my little personal pity party ... Problem is I am not losing or extrememly slow losing and don't really know why. *sigh* It has been this way for pretty much the past couple of months. I think I have lost about 5 pounds again this month. I know 5 pounds lost is not 5 pounds gained, but I am so afraid that I am blowing my chance (my window of oportunity)I thought I was on a plateau and then it finally broke only to find out that it broke for a couple of days then whamo ... right back to the scales not moving. I know, throw the scales out ... but I am addicted, traded my nasty ole food addiction for an even nastier scale addiction. Don't know if I am not eating enough or if I am eating too much. I am finding the further out I am the more I don't want to eat anything anymore. Am I exercising enough or too much? Don't know if I am eating wrong or exercising wrong or if my body is just saying WHOA ... that's enough. Could you give me an idea of what your day is like so I can compare mine to see where I am going wrong? I am not even seeing it in my clothing now either ... Also, I used to be able to look at my pics and see a change ... but even that is fading fast ... Help drag me out of this well of despair please!!! Please tell me it will all be alright! So sorry to ramble on and on and on ... but I am getting pretty depressed about it and rather than continue to smoother myself in pity ... I thought I would come here for some support and hopefully some ideas? Please? If not ... you all wanna come to a great little pity party? *sigh*

Tammy, You just sent me the most wonderful encouraging post about my whining. Would it be okay if I copied and sent it back to you? You are so good at supporting people and keeping them on track, (and no I don't think you were hard on me!) How about taking all you said to me and apply it to yourself. You've worked very hard and have done well, so take a look at what you are doing and reevaluate. Even with the food log, make an appt with the nutritionist at PMRI and have her take a look. Count protein grams, water.. and I don't think you can excersize too much. I hope this helps.. ps.. remember the red sweater??? Take care Tammy!

Hi Tammy, It sure is crummy when we get into a rut isn't it. Reading your post a couple things struck me. "Don't know if I am not eating enough or if I am eating too much." Sounds to me like it would be a good idea to get yourself a notebook and do some serious food journaling. Also take note of the type of food making sure it's not particularly carby or salty. Get a definite fix on what it is you're eating. " am finding the further out I am the more I don't want to eat anything anymore." Could be a starvation mode type thing and your body is hanging on to every last bit. Once again, write it down and be as vigilant as you were in the beginning. Remember, juggling that calorie intake up and down different days keeps our bodies confused and losing ( usually ) Keep track of what you're drinking too. I bet you can beat this stall just by going back to basics and really paying attention to what it is you're doing. One last thing, save this post and send it back to ME in about three months

Hi Tammy, Please don't be so discouraged. I'll tell you how I handle a day. In the morning I will drink 2 cups of decaf coffee with splenda and non-dairy creamer. I will then have a 8oz protein shake made with water. Between the protein shake and lunch I drink 16oz or more of water. For lunch I may have some cottage cheese (4%) and two saltines with some peanut butter. Then I may drink a cup of hot decaf tea and more water. if I have a snack it is usually maybe 8 goldfish crackers, or some celery with onion dip.Dinner will be some meat, veggies and possibly a bite or two of potatoe. More water or juice to follow and then depending on hat time dinner was and how late i am up I will have a snack of some cottage cheese, or some fruit. I exercise at home making sure to walk around and jump around as much as possible. I do from time to time have a cookie or bite of something "bad". I think you need to eat to loose the weight. There is such a thing as too much protein or too much exercise believe it or not. Also, I don't avoid carbs all together. I just make sure the carbs I eat are "natural" carbs such as whole grains, fruits and veggies. You are doing great tammy! Things do slow down!! Peace! Hope

I'm praying that you will find the courage to get through this part of the journey. Keep your faith. You are doing great. Don't let this little hurdle stop your momemtun. Stay focused. Your family needs a healthy positive Tammy. The old Tammy is gone, let the new one shine. ((HUGS)) Elissa

Hey baby girl - you need to but a smile on that wonderful face!! Remember ratio?.... You are losing faster then me & I am near the century mark? Or how about that you have lost 70+ lbs. in 5 months. You are doing GREAT. You know what PMRI said to me the other day? When they weighed me & saw what my loss was the nurse looked twice & said is that right? That is what we usually see in A YEAR - not 5 months. And you are very close to me - and I started like what - 50 lbs. heavier? Here is the thing. The 1st few months we lose a lot faster , then it levels off - fast. You go from losing 22 - 25 lbs. a month for the 1st few months- to losing 10-15 a month. (Well that has my trend) That is *IF* you were fortunate enough to have those big losses early on - which you obviously did judging by the amount you have lost. That said - it is okay to feel disappointed now and again as your body adjust to losing at a slower rate. I can't make you stay off of the scale & neither can anyone else, but, if you are going to check it daily - you have to take it with a grain of salt. Maybe post a MONTHY calendar above the scale that says what you weighed 10/20 - 11/20 - 12/20 -01/20 - 2/20 - 3/20 - you get the picture.... so you are seeing THE BIGGER picture progression. I don't think I'll ever "See" as much change in my own pictures as I did in my 1 mo. post op picture. Whoa. That was a big difference to me but not so much. As far as clothes... girl... how many sizes have you dropped? You gotta level out for a while sometime - it has as much to do with body style & shape as it does weight - especially for those of us that are vertically challenged. I have lost all this weight & I have only lost 1 size that I can count on... one... sometimes 2 if it is a big cut. Don't set yourself up for disappointment by "worrying" that you are done losing weight. You are not done. You are leveling out some, your body is getting more used to running on this different amount of fuel and so the change is not as great but changes are still occurring. And let me ask this.... in the GRAND scheme of things... what does it matter if you steadily lose 1 lb. every 2 - 3 days? Or every week or two drop 3 - 8? In the end you are still losing the weight - but your body's way of letting it go may just to be to drop a few lbs. at once every 10 days or so?? It has been that way for me too. I'm a closet scale addict. I sometimes will get on there everyday too just outta curiosity. & here is the trend I have noticed; I will stay stuck on the same weight for two weeks (probably checking every other day) - then forget the damn thing for a few days - check again - 5 or more lbs. are gone? Where did they go George? Beats me? You are doing great. I would just encourage you to focus on the bigger picture. Make that list of your weekly or monthly stats & tack it up. ((I can see you now making a DAILY chart... lol..)) You are doing great & if you feel bummed, get out some old pictures or see if you still have a pair of pants from your largest weight. I bet they fall right to your ankles!

Hi Tammy, I am so sorry you are bummed! Everyone who posted before me has pretty much said it all. Your body is just taking a brief breather... things will pick up very soon! I just know I am going to have the same problem some day because my work envolves a huge industrial scale and that is all I do all day is weigh linen carts to be shipped out. How tempting is that? So I am sure someday you will be looking back at this experience and giving other people advise....Hang in there this too will pass. Hugs Dana

(((((( Big Hug ))))))

Tammy, You are not allowed to whine. I happen to have the no-whine agreement that you signed back in January. Not losing weight? I decided not to take the message with a grain of salt, since that is not real good for the blood pressure. Are you taking your measurements monthly? If your exercising hard you may be gaining muscle mass. Getting enough water in every day? Getting that protein in? I still do two smoothies a day, plus my fortified protein flaxmeal oatmeal. In addition I have my two regular food meals (usually some kind of salad with beef, or buffalo, or shrimp, or chicken). I would also suggest joining one or two support groups. That extra burst of enthusiasm twice a month is great for motivation. At the session on Monday night, we thought about a field trip to Hershey's monthly meeting. It will definitely be o.k. because you are losing. And look at all the positive energy you generated by posting your message. Your bud, Rob