One-derland!!!

I’m smiling form ear to ear today because I’ve finally done it! I reached One-derland this week! It has not been easy, and I still have a long way to go, but I know I will get there.

My motivation came from my very near miss with WLS. I had my appointment (for VSG in Mexico) scheduled, my flight booked and vacation time from work requested. Then I realized that I was going to be forced to follow a liquid diet for a couple of months. After the liquid phase I would be required to eat mostly protein and give-up most carbs. If I didn’t do this I would gain any lost weight back. I’ve seen people lose weight after WLS then gain most back because they failed to change their eating habits. I just realized that I would HAVE to change my habits regardless of surgery.

So I decided to try this on my own one last time, giving it a concerted effort. I decided to really be honest with myself about my eating and exercise, and to really follow through. I chose to not just give-up after a few weeks this time, like I have every other time in the past 12-13 years. And I chose to start with a liquid diet because I would have had to do that anyway with WLS.

What’s working for me? I have been drinking 12-14 8oz glasses of water a day. I have a fiber drink everyday, which (among other things) keeps me full for hours. I still have a couple protein shakes a day. My meals mimic those of a good WLS patient, protein first. I’ve almost completely given up starchy carbs. Except for a bite every now and then off my hubby’s dinner plate, I don’t eat pasta, potatoes, bread, chips or tortillas anymore. In week 12 I started exercising 30 minutes 3 times a week. I have little by little increased the duration and frequency of my workouts and am up to 60 minutes 5 times a week this week.

Like I said, I still have a long way to go, but another thing that’s working is not thinking about the big number. I just try to end my week at least 1 or 2 pounds lighter than the week before. So, I’m in it for the long haul.

congrats! thats great news!

That is so good to hear!! I'm so glad you are on here. It sounds like you have lots of experience and good advice to share with us. I'm in the 230's and want to be down to 199 so badly! I'm also taking it in small sections because the big number is just too big to think about. :_) Can I ask what type of workouts are you doing these days? Working out is a whole new thing to me. I also had to lose a good amount of weight before I could begin to move. I'm in that place now and would love to hear about what you are doing.

I have an elliptical at home and my workouts have been on that exclusively. I hop on, set the resistance and warm up for a couple of minutes at incline 8 for a minute then 9 for a minute. Then I go for a minute at 10, then a minute at 11, then a minute at 12, 13 and 14 (the highest my machine will go). Then I drop back down to 10 and repeat that 5 minute cycle over and over until I’m almost done. At the end I drop the resistance and incline for a couple of minutes. That type of workout is supposed to be great for the heart.

 I have to ask, are you still planning on the surgery? or are you goiong to finish this with diet and exercize changes alone. congradulations on ONEderland!!! that is my goal for the end of the year! I think i may try the post surgery diet also... did you have a DR following your restrictions? how low did you get your calories to? im sorry there are a ton of questions i have but as i said I would love to also try some thing dramatic. my weight seems to cling to me!

I am definitely not planning on the surgery. I figure, regardless of surgery I have to do everything that I’m doing now. And if I had the surgery I would never be able to indulge. I don’t indulge a lot now, but I do sometimes. And I want the freedom to so every once in a while. I don’t judge those people who have WLS. I just decided that it wasn’t the right thing for me.

Most days my calories are pretty low, around 800-1,000. And yes I am seeing a doctor on a weekly basis.

My weight always seemed to cling to me as well, regardless of how low my calorie intake. I think I have carbohydrate sensitivity. As soon as I stopped eating the starchy carbs my weight really started to drop.

Ask as many questions as you want. I’m happy to share what's working for me. Good luck!

 I have an appointment to talk to my Dr and see if he would be willing to follow me on a Verry low calorie diet like yours. I am nervose about going at it alone expecially since I do a lot of weight lifting as well as cardio workouts.   I had a hudge drop in weight back when I stuck to a low carb diet, so that may be a sensitivity thing with me also, though I have hyperinsulimia, that also is effected by carbs... 
once again Congrats on Wonderland, I hope to find you when I get there  My scale finally chose this week to start to go down again! yea!

I was just rereading this thread this morning and realized how close you’re getting to one-derland! You must be SO excited. I’m very happy for you, and can’t wait to read your one-derland post!!!

 oh my gosh, CONDRADS!!!!!