I told myself I wouldn't, but apparently I am

We had surgery about the same time and we have lost just about the same amount. I think we are doing great.

My weight stair steps too. Nothing, nothing, then boom! 5-7 gone at once. I am trying to eat more frequently, not more food, just small portions about 100-150 calories. I might eat 6 times a day. That is what broke my stall and I was amazed.

I do aqua jogging in the pool 3-4 times a week and my body has definetly changed. I am wearing clothes from 1994! Went from a tight fitting 5X to a 2X on top and still a 4X on the hips.

Are you sure there haven't been changes you aren't acknowledging ?

I logged all my food. I didn't measure everything but I measured a lot. I also exercised a lot and logged all that too.

I also really pushed the protein and made sure to get all my water in.

I think logging so you know what you are really eating and have a record when the weight loss slows down makes a big difference. Studies show that people who don't log are often eating 1.5 - 2x more than they think they are.

The exercise really helps too because it gives you a boost on those weeks where water retention might be masking your fat loss. I exercised from 2 weeks out and increased my exercise every time my weight loss slowed down and I am convinced that's why I never had a stall.

THANK YOU guys! I really appreciate the kind words and the advice. Like, a lot! I know I'm just being silly and what I've lost in the time I've lost it is awesome! I'll try to focus on that... and maybe (re)start journaling my food. Again, thank you.

And I LOL'd at the HEATHER MARIE JONES.

If you want to see failure, you will see it, regardless of reality.

83 pounds in 5 months is nothing short of outstanding.  But you see it as failure?  All because you are comparing yourself to others?  I suspect that this has been a long term problem for you.

I would suggest that you consider adding some counseling to your program,  You can find low cost, or even free counseling in most areas of the US.  You need to find out why you see yourself as a failure, and overcome that obstacle.

If you don't, you are very likely to be one of those that gives up, and regains a large percentage of your weight.  Please, for your own sake, get some help with that problem.

Luckily I don't see an 80# loss in 5 months as a failure. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I questioned whether I was on track and said I was a little bummed I couldn't fit into smaller pants. Thanks for the input though! 

You are doing awesome - I'm almost a year out and haven't lost that much!

Other posters recommended The Diet Solution by Judith Beck. I've ordered it and started implementing the recommendations. You might want to try that.

I had my surgery a week earlier than you and have lost 75#, whi*****ludes 21 lost pre surgery. You are losing faster than me, but I'm good with that. I figure I'm shorter (5'3/4"), so my body doesn't burn calories as fast. It does make a quicker difference on the size of clothing I wear. I'm walking as often as possible, about four days/week. I am much more active as far as home projects.

Go buy a few stretchy pants &/or tops that are really snug right now. They will see you through several sizes and won't look baggy. I just got rid of a pair that had lasted four months!

Good luck!

Lois

Hey Heather,
Average weight loss for the sleeve is 10-20lbs your first month and 5-10lbs a month after that.
So - basically - you are KICKIN' it!!!!!!  lol

Keep up the awesome work!  What ever you are doing - keep doing it :)
xo

Um....look at me. Same surgery date and about even weight loss.

I did lose track of things and plateaued for a month or two at about 3 months. Stopped keeping track, was lolly-gagging at the gym, wasn't really hitting my protein and calorie goals, making poor food choices. Then my surgeon kicked me in the a$$ and I went back to basics. Weighing, measuring and keeping track of cals, protein and liquid intake.

On a good week I will lose 4 lbs and on an average week I will lose maybe 2-3. I have a phenomenal work out buddy who drags my butt to the gym or out hiking (my new obsession) 4-5 times a week and I've found that the working out more than anything has really jump started my loss. It's awesome to feel my body getting stronger and having more stamina but I still don't get that high people talk about. I'm pretty tired all the time and find that I have to go to bed earlier than I used to stay coherent.

At the gym I alternate cardio (I like the elliptical machine over the tread mill and I've even been doing the stair master) and do nautilus equipment every other day there. When doing cardio only I spend about an  hour on cardio and on nautilus days I do 20 mins cardio before I do the circuit. When we hike I LOVE it because it's so beautiful and I get a HUGE calorie burn compared to the gym (I have a heart rate monitor that tells me how many calories that I burned and it's a good thing because seeing the data makes me feel accomplished and when on the cardio machines my heart rate is displayed).

As for your clothes, I would take a cold hard look at yourself in the mirror. I guarantee that a number of items are just too damn big but you are wearing them anyway.

Good luck!!