Starting month six post op and my reality is...

My surgery was Nov. 18 and I have lost 53.4 pounds since starting my pre-op diet. I am not a poster child for success...yet. My reality is that I feel amazing physically but mentally I am struggling. I have not been good about journaling and tracking. I don't know if my reality is that I'm a "slow loser" or a bad patient. I haven't given up by any means but I don't feel confident that I'll get where I need to be. Is it all possible?  Or what if this is just the new me?  Anyone else feel this way?

I think I'm doing okay with my food. I know I am 1,000% better than I was pre-surgery. But is that enough?  I'm just not sure I have it in me to be good enough. 

You can do this. Look at how far you've come. Start tracking. Myfitnesspal is good to use if you haven't tried it yet. Goal weight is hard. I waffled but my body didn't. I stay between 131-133 and size 6 or 8 and small tops. Skin removal would be great if insurance would only cover it. Hang in follow the program and you will get where you need to be.

At 5 months out, the surgery is still doing all the work. You can make crappy choices and still lose. But it will catch up to you. Not only will you never get to goal, but you will gain it all back. I am 6.5 years out and know quite a few people in real life who had surgery the same time as me who have already gained almost all their weight back. It can and does happen to people who are not learning a new lifestyle.

If you are really not sure you are eating what you are supposed to, I suggest you get out your food scale, measuring cups and truly track every bite that goes into your mouth. Then I would take your food diaries with you the next time you meet with your NUT.

I was 100 percent I would get to goal and stay here because I did what I was supposed to 99% of the time until I got to goal. I made a promise to myself that I would learn a new lifestyle and not make excuses.

its normal to feel this way ,  I used too especially since  I am a  11 yr  journaling  freak ,  never used to be  I hated it  many times ,   till I decided to make mine more  very personal ,    I would start off with  my mood for the day ,    then I would buy small  hard coverd books with about 100 pages in at a dollar store , different colors and such ,  I also used   different color highlighters ,    that kinda make me  make  my food diary  more colorful and neet so  each book I would fill I used to place it away , when I went out to eat I would  write on napkins what I ate  etc , then my fitness pal app was on my phone, such a more easy  convient  app you can download , it actually counts your calories and protein for you ,    that made me lazy  ,     so after 11 yrs each day doing these books ,  I decided to  stop my fitness pal and go back to the basic  food diary  ,     many times I would read back old  ones I did to see how many  down days I had ,    or   days where  I felt like just treating myself , since I kept track of my moods ,   theres so many other ways of doing it to keep you wanting to do this ,   even get stickers so each day you complete  your page stick a  sticker on  you be amazed how fast you will take pride in your journal  ,    I wish you the best and I hope this may help some ,    remember for each book  you do and I wouldn't get thick ones , you can look back  years from  now and say  this what I used to eat 10 yrs ago  ,  or if you become stuck at something  you  may  want different to eat you may find it back in previous pages      

I still question if I am doing things right, and trying to figure things out... it is part of the process. That being said ...you have to know if you are doing everything you can be doing. I don't always journal, for me it makes me too obsessive, but I do do it periodically for a couple weeks and then I stop again... just to check on myself. I weigh myself everyday and record it once a week on Wednesdays... for me weighing myself everyday keeps me honest. Are you getting your fluids in? Are you getting your protein in. Are you eating protein first meals? When I had surgery I decided this was my job... and I needed to treat it that way. I go to support groups. I come on here and read... Only you can examine what your doing in the end. That is why coming on here helps, gives you ideas. Good Luck.

You've gotten good advice.  I journaled my food daily for the first 3 years and now journal for about 2 months twice a year to see if/where I've gotten off track.

I went weekly to support groups and was on OH daily to keep me accountable for those first years.

I also read, read, read to keep my thoughts on health and making new habits.  Just click on my name or picture and find a reading list for my first few years.

I find, even at 6 years post RNY, that I have to stay on plan and be accountable.  It is WORK and it is for LIFE - but so worth it.

Best wishes,

Penny