Weight Loss Slowing - Able to Eat Much More!!

Help fellow Marylanders... I mean - kick my ass and help me. Don't be kind - kick my ass!! I'm only 12 weeks post op and I'm already able to eat so much more then I should. It scares the living heck out of me. I started my WLS journey day of surgery I was 272. Today I'm 219. This is a loss of 53lbs since the date of surgery which was May 11th. I started at size 22/24 and I'm in a size 14 now. I'm sure most of you are going to say "this is great" "why are you complaining". Well, I work out 2-3 hours a day 6 days a week. I pay out my butt for a personal trainer 3 of those days every week. However, I haven't lost a single lb in the past two weeks. UGH!!!!!!! Now, I won't lie. My hunger has come back full force and I'm not making the greatest choices (however not HORRIBLE choices either). I'm really scared that I'm already getting in 800-1000 calories a day. I drink anywhere from 120-150oz of water a day. All of my vitamins are being taken. Protien is between 50-70g. Example of daily food eating: B ~ Protien Shake (GNC Why Protien) S ~ 100 calorie packs (Are these okay?) L ~ 1/2 Light Whole Wheat English Muffin w/ turkey and cheese S ~ String Cheese D ~ Protien Meat of sorts S ~ 2-3 crackers with NSA PB Is it normal that I'm eating like this already? PLEASE be honest with me and kick me into gear if need be. I need it!! Thanks. Megan

Megan, It sounds like you're right on track. Your weight loss may have stalled because you're not getting enough calories in. Go to www.thinnerself.com and do the calculation for maintaining your present weight. I think it'll be somewhere around 1700 calories a day. Try not to obsess about the fact that the scale hasn't moved. Everybody loses at their own rate. My weight loss started slowing down at 9 months. From the end of May through the end of July I lost maybe 6-7lbs, but I lost like 9 inches off my abdomen. Look at it this way, the scale isn't the only way to measure success or movement on this weight loss journey. Just keep up what you've been doing and it'll all work out HTH Take Care, Terry

Hey girl. As you know, I'm right there with you. It's ******g me off!! I've only lost like 40-some pounds. I also can eat more then I could before. But what do you expect, we're twins! Whatever you go through, I go through like a week later! This is too funny. Let's get together soon. Danielle

Megan I am 2 1/2 years out from WLS (2/2004) I had a house fire and lost everything when I was about 9 months out. This event in my life set me back on my weight loss journey. However, by the end of the first year, I was down about 105 lbs. I held that weight until about March of this year (3/2006). In March I was 2 years out. Let me back up a bit. In December, I had decided to join a gym as I was playing around with the same 5 pounds - lose 5 - gain 5. In March, I decided to do some serious tracking and joined Weigh****chers. I knew I had to get the nutrition "thingy" down. I have lost about 30 pounds since March. I have found that good nutrition, exercise, tracking, and accountability (I attend my Dr's support group pretty much every month - even though at times I really do not want to attend) has helped to keep me on track. A weight loss of 30 pounds in 5 months isn't bad for someone out 2 1/2 years out. About the eating part. I am normal and eat like a normal person. Sometimes my pouch holds what seems to be a lot of food. On other days I am hard pressed to get in anything. I do not have problems with most foods. Like eating it depends on the day. Some foods (including things I should not eat) sit better than others. I am pretty much normal now. And that is what I wanted to be. My best advice to you is to keep working it and find what will work for you. We are all here to support you in any way we can. Debra

Megan, You are doing great! There are some great tips as well. At almost 3 years out what I do when I feel I need to take "control" is go back to writing down everything I eat and measure with scale, etc. I've read all the sites too about calories to maintain and for me if I ate what they say I would gain. You may want to talk to your nutritionist, they can provide a lot of suggestions. I think I've posted this but measuring and taking pictures of yourself regularly (every couple of months) can help you when the scale isn't moving. Losing inches and exercise will change the shape of your body even when the scale isn't moving. I know it's easy to say but getting hung up on a weight will drive you crazy... I drive myself crazy every day but I'm getting better.. Best wishes, Lisa

Thanks everyone for your responses. It's just frustrating - but your replies made me feel much better. I'm always so scared that i'm going to be a failure at this.

Hi megan I hear that from many post-opers who say they can at at 10, 11 or as in your case 12 weeks out.I don't understand it,when I was at 12 weeks out I couldn't eat much of anything.It took me over a year to try a hot dog or a slice of pizze.I guess some people are different,becarful because the weight will go back on..........steve