Having a little bit of a problem......

Hi.......
Long time no see..............er.......hear from.    I know I've been away for a while...ya know with Christmas and New Years....anyway, I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to check in.  BTW, Dawn, you look mahhhhvelous, Sweetie!
Back to my question.....I seem to have hit a plateau.  I know...it's only been about 3 months, but my weight loss has been something of a mystery to me.  I finally made it out of the 200's........but I can't get off 199!!  Go figure!    I can't seem to recall what the fix was for hitting a plateau.  I just need a quick reminder. 
Thanks.........in advance,

Kellyn  :-)

Kellyn, plateaus are very normal.  Your body is just catching up to the weight loss.  Continue to take your measurements and I bet you're still losing inches.  Give it a couple of weeks to see if you start losing again.  If it doesn't happen, start logging your food intake (if you're not already) and see how you're doing on your protein & calorie counts.  You probably want to increase your protein intake in the meantime.  I always found that when I hit a plateau that if I upped my protein, it kickstarted the weight loss again.

You're only 3 months out so give it some time. 

Ann...
Thanks for the encouraging words.....I have noticed that I am losing inches even though the scale doesn't seem to want to move.  You said that if I upped my protien, it should kickstart my weight loss again.....I notice that I'm barely eating at all, not because I want to, BUT that I don't seem to want ANY food.  I have no cravings or desires to eat....even my favorite foods........MEXICAN!!!  And when you guys talked about your tastes changing......you weren't kidding!  I can't believe how the taste of some things makes me want to hurl!  I know that if I don't start eating, my hair will start falling out!  This scares me!  I don't like any kind of seafood.  I try eating an egg in the morning....doesn't always work.  I need some ideas and some recipes..........if possible. 

Thanks,

Kellyn  :-)

Kellyn, you probably won't feel hunger for another 3 to 6 months.  At this point, you might want to add another protein shake if you can't get a lot of protein from food.  I was lucky in that I didn't have any problem eating different foods.  Chicken is a good source of protein but you don't want to eat it 3 times a day.  You can also do some very lean burger (96%) and make chili or even a cheeseburger (fat free cheese) with no bun.

I might suggest getting an unflavored protein such as AnyWhey and putting a scoop or two with yogurt for breakfast.  I also have a blender and will do 3/4 cup of fat free, lactate free milk and 2 scoops of AnyWhey and then put it over cereal.  There are a lot of carbs in cereal so you don't want a steady diet of cereal but it helps to give a little variety.

Another little trick that I learned is to vary the amount of calories you take in each day.  I always kept up with my foods on Fitday for the first 18 months.  By varying the calorie count, your body doesn't know what it needs to hold on to or if it's going to get too many calories.  This way it burns everything.  If you are doing a steady diet of a certain number of calories (say 750), then your body is used to that and is thinking it's going to starve so it stores more of those calories instead of burning them.  If you go from 600 to 1000 throughout the week, it will result in more calories being burned.  Add this to upping the protein and you should be lose the weight with fewer long plateaus.  Keep in mind that when you reach a certain point (6 months or so), you will hit a long plateau.  I think mine lasted 2 1/2 weeks but I've heard of them lasting a month or so.  This is quite normal so don't get worried.  It's frustrating but it doesn't last forever (it just seems like it).  Remember, you didn't put on your weight in 6 months and it's going to take longer than than to lose it.  By the time you're a year out, you will have lost a major portion of the weight and you will have many WOW moments.

Hang in there and keep coming back & posting on OH.  We're here for you.  Also, check the recipe forum or other member forums (melting mama).  You'll find many recipes, some tasty and some that don't quite work for you.

Thanks again, Ann....
Hunger pangs won't start for 3-6 months from now or 3-6 months out?  I'm not missing them one bit.  And I noticed that you wrote "another protein shake".....I haven't been drinking protein shakes.  I have no idea what kind or where to get them.    And, what if, once I spend all that money to get them....I don't like the taste.....hell, even water tastes weird to me.....and I live in the White Mountains where the water is good straight from the tap!  I know I have a lot of questions.... sorry.  I love the results of this surgery, don't get me wrong, I just want to make sure that everything stays positive....
Thanks again,

Kellyn  :-)

Kellyn, you're supposed to get at least 60 grams of protein per day, preferably a lot more.  At 3 months out, you're not able to get anywhere near that amount from the foods you eat.  If you can find a GNC, you can go there and they will let you sample some proteins.  I also think there are other protein samples available for purchase on the web.  You can go to Vitalady.com, bariatricadvantage.com and just google the web for bariatric protein samples.

You must get enough protein or you will lose all your hair, muscle mass and do harm to yourself that can be very hard to reverse.  Do you have any support groups near you?  If not, please use this forum and the other forums available here to find out what to do and why.  Hunger usually starts to come back at 6 - 9 months out.  In the meantime, you must make yourself eat and get all your protein in.

I also hope you're taking all your vitamins and supplements (calcium, vitamin D3 and any others that were advised).  I can't stress enough how we RNY'rs need to get all the protein and vitamins & supplements in to stay alive.  I don't want to scare you but RNY makes you malabsorptive which means you're not getting enough or in some cases none, of the things you need from the food you eat.  This is what causes the weight loss but it not kept in check can kill you. 

Hi Kellyn,

Ann is so totally right.  You really need to find a protein drink that you like.  The body needs so much protein to protect against burning muscle and the added protein will help with that.  It also will help you to keep your beautiful hair.  I did not do protein drinks for the first couple of years and lost a lot of hair. It also will help with the plateau problem.  I know that if I increase my protein I loose, if I skimp on it I stall. I have never ordered from bariactric advantage, but I do order from Vitalady often.  She has samples of almost every kind of protein that is good for us.  Remember Whey protein is the best, soy....not so much.  I have thyroid issues so I NEVER do soy.  I hope this helps.

OK, guys..........
You're scaring me.    I take 2 multivitamins and a calcium tab in the morning and then 2 more multivitamins at night.  I don't get much meat in..........I've been trying to eat an egg in the morning.......doesn't work every day, like today I had oatmeal..........3 bites.  I am going to google bariatric protein samples as soon as I get done with this message.  I feel like such a dork for not knowing how important protein was for my body and thinking that protein was included in the vitamins that I am taking.  Ann, you said that we had a 'menu' section where I could find recipes ........I don't know where it is.  Help? 

Kellyn  :-)

Kellyn ~ ~

Protein girlfriend!  www.vitalady.com  GREAT sample pkgs then you can buy the big jugs from cheaper sources after you find the type you LOVE!!!

Now that you've been enlightened by Ann and others; be proactive!  Go for it! 

Basic shopping guide:
about:  23 to 30 grams of protein in one scoop (serving), Whey protein (Isolate is the purest most absorbable but some of us dump on the whey isolate so sample), no more than 90 to 140 calories per serving (don't want to drink your calories), stay low carb, mix with water and not juice or milk (again, it's so you don't drink calories....EAT your calories for better satiation).

Proven proteins that are good quality:  Champion  Pure Whey Stack (choc is a dark flavor), Syntrax Nectars (like Crystal Light fruity flavors and ice tea flavors), Syntrax Matrix (choc is milk choc flavor), Isopure, Any Whey is flavorless with kind of a coffee creamer hint when stirring into soups, puding, etc.

Shoot Jenel at Bridges at email and she'll send you some flyers on protein.  Their nutrition and support groups are this coming Tuesday.  I'll be there!  Any chance you can make it and I'll save you a seat??!!!

Hang in there....it's a big learning curve at first and just getting water and vites in is an accomplishments the first few weeks/months!

Huggggzzzz,

Try this http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/recipe/