Feeling stuck and REALLY need some help

So after 6 months I will FINALLY meet the surgeon and start the ending process of insurance approvals and getting a surgery date on the 25th. i have been working with the nutritionist weekly for the entire time, Ive changed my eating, increased my activity and drink so much water that i hear it sloshing inside me sometimes. Yet I have lost NO weight, I repeat NO WEIGHT LOST. When I meet the surgeon I am sure he is going to tell me that I need to lose weight. I have not lost anything for 6 months though. What am I supposed to do to make this actually happen? Also, seeing as though I have been stuck with no weight loss this whole time (nutritionist says this is ok so long as I am not gaining, that's why she believes in WLS) This also has me concerned that I am never going to lose weight. Surgery or no surgery I feel like I am stuck in this oversize very painful body FOREVER. Please, veterans, I need so reassurance that surgery IS going to work. Did anyone ever feel like I do? Also what the heck can I do to make the Dr happy and lose a few pounds so I can FINALLY get this done?  

Hi floweringgemini,

Everyone's surgeon is different about the weight loss.  I know that when I went into surgery, I still had 12 more pounds to lose, but they went through with it anyway.  In fact, the only way I was able to lose any weight at all prior to surgery was because I got a severely infected ulcer on my leg and my body burned crazy calories in the healing process.  Sorry, but I don't know what to advise about losing weight now.  *hugs*

That said, the surgery does work.  As long as you stick to the eating plan, you will lose weight.  Take my word for it.  You just have to stick with the plan and go forward.  *nods*

Tried and true,

-LB

Are you even sure that your surgeon and insurance company want or require pre-op weight loss?  Very many do not.

You don't say what you have been eating for the six months, so it's not really possible for us to tell you what else you should do. If your nutritionist/dietitian had you eating a diet that was not really designed for weight loss, but was designed for diabetics to keep blood sugar stable (which is what many of them -- like mine -- focus on), it isn't surprising that you didn't lose any weight. Most of those plans don't cut enough calories OR carbs.

If you really need to lose some weight, there is always the all protein shake liquid diet that some surgeons out patients on immediately before surgery. You might not want to do that, though, and then end up also having to do it for two weeks right before surgery...

Lora

Hi, my surgeon does not require a 2 week liquid diet. Only 24 hours of clear liquid leading up to surgery. I have been at 1550 calories and on the 9th i was put to 1400 calories and 70 grams of carbs. She has had me on a diet that could help lose weight but definitely not gain.

this is yesterdays tracking and below is another day just to give an idea of what Im eating. Please keep in mind that the snacks are spread throughout the day and not all at once :)

4 x protein shakes and a protein bar are 810 calories!!!!   That's a lot on top of food - no wonder you are not losing ...  If I were you, I would do one or the other, not both.

You can't possibly be eating this every day and still maintain the BMI reported in your profile.  You're either eating things you aren't tracking or you're not tracking accurately.

Actually my bmi is 51. The other one was from when I started 6 months ago

Relaaaaax, please. Deep breath!

Did you have to do this 6 month diet change per your insurance company, or was this of your own volition? If you did this on your own, and your surgeon or insurance company was not involved, you may not even have to lose weight. If you were losing at the behest of your insurance requirements, and you've done everything you needed to and STILL didn't lose weight..well, you've just proven to the insurance company that you are the perfect candidate for WLS!

Meet with your surgeon, and just go from there. Don't stress just yet. If he requires weight loss and you don't lose...it will be okay as long as you are trying your best. I didn't lose weight during my 6 insurance-required weigh-ins. In fact, I gained a few pounds.

Even if you have to do a month-long liquid diet and you don't lose a lot of weight even then, it will still be okay. They will not cancel your surgery. I lost 13 lbs during my 30 day Optifast diet-and I didn't cheat at all, and other people going through my program at the same time lost a lot more, but my surgery went ahead as scheduled.

You WILL lose weight with surgery. It may be wonky at times, and stalls will happen...but you will lose.

I wish you much good luck!

This 6 months has been strictly because of my therapist. I have BCBS and in NC there is no waiting or dieting period at all. My therapist that did the psych eval would not clear me because she said I wasnt ready so OK I was pissed at that but turns out it was a good thing. The only thing is the surgeons office wanted me to lose 5-10 to shrink my liver. I came off of ATKINS when I started so naturally I gained weight when I actually started eating more than 20 grams of carbs a day. My high weight was 312 in August I am hanging out at 306-307 now no matter what it wont go lower.

You are getting good habit of tracking what and how much you eat. That is great. 

I did notice you eat quest protein bars. 

For Some people they are great - but some, like me , can gain weight on them. Most likely due to my gut micro-bacteria, my body uses all the so called fiber and converts that into pure sugars...(i tested my BS response after eating those). That sugar gets absorbed and causes my body to increase insulin production, not only for a short time, but it lasts longer time.  Too much insulin causes lower blood sugar, hunger.. And prevents fat loss. 

I actually gained weight when I was eating the quest bars.  If your body is like mine - chosing a different "snack" may help you more. Now I eat nuts (1oz = 170 calories) and even though they are higher in fat, I can lose weight and maintain on higher calories... 

I learned a very hard lesson - most protein bars are glorified candy bars.  They are so highly processed that my body digest and absorb all, causing me to either stop losing or start gaining.