Oh Boy!

hello all, I had surgery on 10/24/05. I am nearly 6 months out. I started at 327 pounds and now weigh 249. I have been this weight for at least 3-4 months now. I dont dump on sugar. I am a non-reformed grazer. I promise myself everyday that I will do the protein thing, the execise thing, and the water thing. And then I dont and spend the rest of the day beating myself up for being such a failure. (gee, now why does that seem so familiar to me?) My question for you kind souls: can a person be happy with a small weight loss and still not be a failure? I feel about 100 times better than before the surgery. Even though I weigh 249, I am pretty happy. I know I'm still fat. I know what I need to do to reach my surgeons goal for me. But i wont do it. Am I a WLS failure story? Thanks for being here! willby thinsoon PS: guess I'll have to change my screen name

Well, to me, the object of any WLS is to be healthy. Are you healthy at 249? It's possible. From the way your posts reads, it sound like you are. It been said that if you lose a certain percentage of your excess weight, then that's enough. Unfortunately, I can't remember that percentage right now! *oops!* Anyway, I don't consider not being thin a weight loss failure. HOWEVER (well, you whould have known it was coming), my concern would be if not changing your eating, exercising, grazing habits would lead to weight gain a year or 2 from now. Also, if the lack of protein,etc. will call health problems since you have the malabsorption component. Anyhoo, those are my thoughts!

Have you thought about counseling? This transition can be very hard. You need to drink your protein drinks and water, and exercise. the tool will not do it alone. WLS is a tool not a cure. it is an aid WITh exercise and nutrition. (supplimentation too) why are you testing your pouch by having sugar in the first place? the more sugar you give your pouch the more it gets used to more and more. also did you know sugar starts its absorbtion in your mouth? Please seek counseling to deal w/ food issues and body issues. Don't give up! you can do it. are you in any support groups in your area? think about going.

You've lost 78 lbs. in a short time. You are most definitely not a failure!! Perhaps you can get some counselling to help you to form better eating habits by figuring out why you do it in the first place. Please believe that you are a success.

I had my surgery two months before you, August 1, 2005, and at six months I had lost 80 lbs. like you, having stalled for a month or two, but then it started to fall off again. As of today I have lost 105 lbs. Your body is probably just adjusting itself to the sudden weight loss and it will start to come off again. That being said, you should try to find some form of exercise that you enjoy -- it is not all going to the gym - I refuse to do that too! I found a friend to run/walk with, we run/walk around the neighborhood, the park, the beach, and talk up a storm - it's more like a therapy session in fresh air. Take tennis lessons, go hiking - try not to think of it as exercise, but rather entertainment. I don't do the protein shakes or bars either, but do get required protein grams with "real food". I went on a quest for tasty very high protein low fat products, that I look forward to eating, so I'm not looking for that sugar fix (not to say that I don't treat myself occasionally). As for the water, I only use the 16 oz bottles, because they are not so intimidating to start or finish. I have made it a habit to finish one bottle with the vitamins I take every morning, and then one with each calcium tablet I take during the day. I take 3 calcium tablets daily and they are not supposed to be taken together, so it kind of tricks me to get my water in. Hope I'm not sounding too preachy, just sharing what works for me. Good luck!