Almost a year and only down 30

Hi all I'm Kat..Im from Jacksonville, FL. I had my vsg done 10/21/16. At first all was great I was losing pretty fast. I got to 30 lbs lost in Feb of this year and just hit a wall. I'm up or down 5 lbs every week for 6 months. Granted, I had gall bladder and umbilical hernia surgery in February and May of this year, plus I have chronic pain with Fibromyalgia, inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis in my hips and back. I've been having a hard time with my lower back again and will probably need another surgery or possible neurotransmitter put in. I am hypothyroid and on anxiety and depression meds. I also have sleep apnea for which I'm about to have surgery for to hopefully help. I have been swimming and walking to the best of my ability. I just went back to the gym from an almost year long hiatus. They have done numerous cat scans saying that nothing is wrong with my sleeve and I don't need a reset, but I don't see any other way to start losing again. My body can't just be done with all of the pre work just to lose 30 lbs?? Anyone else out there like this and anyone who got passed it what did you do? Thanks in advance:)

You talk about exercise, but not what you've been eating. Are you still weighing, measuring and tracking everything you eat? Are you getting enough protein, and keeping your carbs low? Are you getting enough fluids in every day? Are you avoiding simple carbs, sugar, and processed foods?

If you give us an example of what you have been eating, it will be easier for us to give you better advice.

I am probably not getting the protein I need. I am staying away from carbs as much as possible and don't eat much processed food. Salads, Chicken and veggies are about all I eat. I drink a lot of water and protein shakes. Even before surgery I was on a diet where all I could eat nothing but fish eggs, meat, and cheese. Only lost 7 lbs, until I started working out. I could eat right but if I don't exercise it never comes off. I thought this was going to help the ghrelin hormone to back off but it doesn't appear so since I'm hungry a lot. Lot of stress in my life right now. I'm so lost I don't even know what to do.

Do you know what your calorie intake each day is? Have you been tracking and weighing what you eat?

It sounds like you are in maintenance and eating to much in order to lose.

What you eat isn't nearly as important as HOW MUCH you eat. You can absolutely eat 2,000 calories a day of chicken, veggies, and protein shakes; most folks here need to restrict to 600 - 800 calories to lose weight.

Post exactly what you eat in a day, and we can help troubleshoot. Measure out how much chicken so we can get a good calorie estimate.

Ghrelin doesn't disappear for everyone. We also struggle with "head hunger" as well, which is emotional rather than physical.

Check the caloric content of your protein shakes as they vary greatly. When I was looking for one as part of my pre-op diet, I found how varied they are in terms of protein and calories. I saw some that were 300+ calories with very little protein. I love Muscle Milk (100 calories and 20g protein per shake) and highly recommend.

I think others have already mentioned scales for food, measuring of food, etc. I'm fairly new to this all, but I have lost 30 lbs in one month alone so I really hope that you can find a solution as it's such a difficult journey to go through and not see the results you want.

Have you had your thyroid checked out?

Also, I'd give up cheese if I were you. Protein, protein, protein.

My two cents - Spend a week or two tracking what you eat and drink ... not just what you eat but the daily calorie count. Also I know this isn't something you can exactly control ... but inflammation itself can cause you to hold on to weight. Perhaps look into inflammation fighting foods.

What are some inflammation fighting foods? I have arthritis and would be thrilled to add these foods to my diet.

Here's a link to an article put out by Harvard medical school on the subject. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation

Hi Kat

I opted for VSG following chronic pain following an accident, huge weight gain from medication (both for pain & depression/anxiety) and physical immobility. It was the perfect storm, so I totally feel for you! My surgery was 3rd Oct 2016 so we are close to each other's surgery dates too. I have had good weight loss but also many stalls along the way.

I agree with what everyone here has said about tracking your eating. Have you tried my fitness pal app? I have found tracking thru this invaluable and committed myself to putting EVERYTHING I eat in EVERY day. It will give you a clear view on what you are eating and hitting your markers for protein while keeping an eye on sugar/carbs. I'm on it and if you want to join a community of us feel free to friend me 'Caleykins' is my username

I would also recommend following a keto diet this helps shake things up and i noticed this made a big difference.

I found medication played a huge part in why my weight would stall or fluctuate. Especially any steroids (for arthritis it's quite common) or antidepressants/anxiety meds can be culprits. And of course stress hormones and thyroid / adrenal issues can mess the body up terribly. It might be useful to check into this side of things with a specialist? Worrying about not losing weight can only be adding to that! So like I said I truly feel for you.

If you want to pair up on mfp and keep each other honest I would be happy to do it. I've found myself slipping into snacking and compulsive eating behaviour so I'm many no means perfect but keen to keep on track. No pressure though.

Wishing you all the best, take care.