Confusion

I am 8 weeks post op.  I think my first stall lasted 2-3 weeks (the last 2-3 weeks).  The funny thing, I have definitely been loosing inches because my pants are extremely too big!  My shirts have loosened a bit (Part of me is not happy about that, the other part is because the part that has not loosened up is my breast area).  My stomach has gone down, but everytime I look in the mirror, I still feel very large. 

I realize I am only 8 weeks post op, but my main issue...how can I follow the program and "gain" 5-10 pounds overnight?  How come it then takes me about a week for the 5-10 pounds to come off?  My husband says I am gaining more muscle, but 10 pounds?  I am confused!  Below is the exercise I do...

Monday - Friday:  I go to the local YMCA
30 minutes of the elliptical - WOW, I could not even do 5 minutes prior to my surgery.  Now, very easy and graceful!
30 minutes on the treadmill OR 30 minutes on the universal rower (sp?) machine
3 sets/15 reps on (3) universal machines - to work my mid-section, inner thighs, and hopefully prevent too much bat wing

Sometimes I walk in my neighborhood for a brisk walk, 30 minutes...

My protein usually is between 75 - 95.  My water intake goes up and down...between 48-64 ounces.  Everyday, I try to push to 64 ounces.  Calorie intake is between 650 & 950.  I am not starving myself...I try to make sure I do not snack throughout the day, just my 3 meals and 2 snacks...again, trying to push my liquids...

Don't get me wrong, I have been very happy with my weight loss so far, but again, I wish the pounds were coming off.  My hot dog rolls have gone away from my neck, I don't look pregnant anymore, I can fit size 18 pants comfortably and I even was able to get into my "hoochie" size 16 jean shorts .  They fit like they did the last time I wore them 3 years ago .

I just want to know if this is normal or am I doing something wrong.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  I am excited to have my 2 month visit with my surgeon next week and will also be asking him these questions when I see him.  I keep a food diary and excerise diary to keep track of my progress.

Thanks for your feedback!

How's your sodium intake?  Have you tracked periods of gain against your tom?  Do you track your body water %?

I'm a gainer too and it takes a long time for me to loose it.  I exercise and comply with my diet, but still have frequent periods where I re gain and must re loose.  For me it is metabolic and related to my various meds.  And then there is water.

 I'm up 4 lbs this week and in a two week stall but I'm not freaking out because my body water is up 3% as well.   I know that my tom and recent sodium intake are responsible. 

Hope I've been helpful. 

You can't gain that much overnight in fat or muscle. But you can in water. The inches are more telling, but it also helps to track your food and exercise. Combine that with the inches and the scale and you can get a better idea of what is going on.

For example, in the early months I had several slowdowns in my weight loss. I looked at my logs and my eating was fine. But my exercise had gone down. Another time, I was eating more to get more protein in, so I upped my exercise.

Lately as I'm at goal, I am trying to figure out how many calories I can eat and not gain. I am having a lot of water weight fluctuation and it is driving me crazy. I was thinking that when I was eating 1650 calories a day, I was losing but when I upped it to 1800, I would gain. That made no sense so I looked at my numbers and it turns out my eating has been exactly the same over the past four weeks and I'm exercising more.

So it's clear that whatever is going on is not from overeating or under-exercising and I can relax. But if my logs showed that I was eating more or exercising less, then I would know that I should be concerned about that weight gain and make some changes.

Wow--awesome exercise! Good for you! I am 2.5 years post-op and lost 140 pounds. I went from a size 26 to a size 8, losing about 30 pounds the first month and about 10-12 pounds a month thereafter. Now I am trying an 8-week running program to get to the point of being able to run for 2 miles without stopping. I'm almost into week 3 and it's going pretty well, except for the sore muscles!! :)

As for your problem, check your scale! I bought a brand new one for my weight loss transformation, just to be sure it was as new and accurate as possible. Sodium intake--which is in a lot of our meat products--can have a HUGE impact on weight. I can feel it in my fingers and toes whenever I eat too much--it's crazy! But seriously, looking at your protein intake, choose low-salt alternatives, and stay within 60 grams a day. That's what my doc said. Also, go high-fiber and add raw vegetables to your diet. You have to chew and chew and chew, but that's good for you, and constipation will be a thing of the past. LOL!

For protein, I take my crock-pot and the family-size boneless skinless chicken breasts, dump them in there with about two inches of water, and add some pepper, rosemary, and a little bay leaf. Cooked on low for 8 hours, the chicken is so tender and flavorful it falls apart, but doesn't have too much salt in it. Always weigh your portions, and I separate them into freezer bags so whenever I want I can pop them into the microwave and have good chicken without too much bother! It works for chicken tacos, too--just instead of the herbs, add 1/2 to 1 full packet of taco seasoning to the water, then take 2 forks to shred the chicken when it's done cooking. I usually have a taco salad with lots of lettuce, avocado, mild salsa, and a smidge of sour cream, while my boys have tacos with a bit of shredded cheese and salsa on top. 

One thing that really helps me is to keep a food diary. I got the Netzer Dieter's Diary at Barnes and Noble and it's perfect for keeping track of everything. You can find out your baseline metabolism by taking your current weight and multiplying it by 10 if you are active, 8 or 9 if you're somewhat active, and 7 if you're sedentary. That's a rough estimate of the number of calories your body needs just to exist and stay at the same weight everyday. Then, you figure what your weight loss goal is for the month, and subtract those calories from your daily intake. Try to stay within the calorie restriction--remember, your body must be forced to use the fat which has accumulated, or it will just sit there forever. 

You are doing so great with your exercise! It took me much longer to start on that because I was worried my guts would rupture or something! You should have seen my doc's face when I told him THAT! Best of luck, lady! --Heather

Thank you for your feedback!  After talking with my cousin who had the surgery, I am going to stay OFF the scale!  I feel (and realize) I am getting a bit obsessed with how many pounds I am losing and need to focus on my diet and exercise program.  The inches are definitely coming off (I organized my closet and about 95% of my clothes no longer fit without looking sloppy). 

Again, thank you!