4 years out.. advice please .. I need a breakthrough

hi...I'm almost 48/female, sleeved 4 yrs ago. Sadly I never lost all of the weight I wanted. I'm stuck at 228 and really need good advice from anyone who's broken through something like this. I'm basically sedentary .. although I've been walking a lot more since covid. I joined ww.. but mentally have to fight eating all day. I don't drink alcohol .. I don't use cream, or have issues with treats/ indulging. I've had an issue being heavy all my life .. and have always been a "slow loser". The thing is.. I must get to "onderland" I didn't come this far ... to only come this far. Any advice from anyone who's experienced this is appreciated ??

To actually lose weight I have to commit to about 800 calories a day and I lose one pound a week. On Weigh****chers that is around 16 points a day.

Wow.. do you eat "zero" points too? Do you feel satisfied on 800 calls? I still have restriction thank god but.. I do have hunger a lot.. very annoying .. just trying to find a reasonable solution

thank you for your feedback

I have to get myself into the "losing" mode. When I am doing that, I really don't enjoy the food. Adding zero points food is still adding calories and it slows down the weight loss. I know that is not what you want to hear. When I eat a lot of zero point foods, I maintain and do not gain any more. But to really lose, I have to cut out the calories from all foods.

My goal weight is 136. I maintain that at about 1400 calories a day. To really know how many calories I am taking in, I weigh and measure everything and record it in My Fitness Pal. To lose a pound a week, I need to eliminate 500 calories a day. That is 3500 in a week or one pound. So when I stay between 800 and 900 calories a day, I do see that drop on the scale.

For me, 800 calories a day is not sustainable, but I can do it for a few months to drop ten or fifteen pounds. It is not fun or enjoyable.

what does a days menu look like for you ? Do you weigh and measure?
dense protein, meat chicken, fish eggs will keep you full longer than anything else.

You may already be doing this, but I drink water throughout the day (sometimes 12 glasses). It keeps me from getting hungry and adds steps for bathroom breaks. It's very simplistic.... I know.

if you're not tracking your food intake anymore, start doing it again. You need to figure out what your current calorie range is and then cut back from there. White Dove is right - a 3500 deficit equals one pound - so you'd have to cut 500 calories a day to lose one lb a week. I personally can't sustain that low a level of calories (for me to cut 500 calories would be around 1000 a day, which I can't (or won't?) do for more than a few days), so I have to be content with losing a lot slower - like 1-2 lbs a MONTH. But you're starting at a higher weight that I am, so you may be able to cut 500 or more a day. But you first have to see where you're at NOW by tracking your food intake...

I know the battle. I would consult with your doctor. If not your surgeon, with your regular doctor and have a full blood panel run - including Thyroid and all of it's parts T4 and all that. Also check vitamin levels. Your body will hold on to nutrition if you are lacking in key resources. Having said that, for me who is 10 years out and had a 40 pound (out of 140 pounds) re gain, psychologically and physically and everything else I needed to (at age 64) go slow and steady and figure out exactly what I need to eat to feel healthy, and what I need to do to lose weight and to keep it off. I can't look at huge poundage goals. It was/is too overwhelming for me. I made a goal of losing 20 pounds in a year, and secretly would have been thrilled to lose 10 ! I have just started month 14 and have lost 43 pounds. About 3 pounds a month. Some months 4, some 2. Our bodies change and we have to change our eating too.

I also really can relate to feeling like I didn't know what to eat or how, or what would work for ME. Spend some time getting to yourself again ! Much luck !!!

I appreciate this advice - thank you!

Here's the advice my dietician gave me. If you follow these three things, you WILL gain the weight you want, but the process is hard.

1. Your meals should be vegetables with a side of protein.

2. You need to exercise every day at least thirty mins (something to do with metabolism and heart disease).

3. Track what you eat either through an app or simply keep a physical log. I would show up with my eating habits to her and she would correct my mistakes.

I think that number 3 might need a dietician to help in extreme cases.