I need some help

Hi again, I am having some struggles and I need some help, perhaps some words of advice or just a few people to toss these thoughts out to. My weight loss has slowed down dramatically. It seems that that numbers on the scale are just going up and down up and down. Around Christmas I weighed in at 254, but alas, that was a low low number, and the next day it was back up to 257-258. I know you all know what I am talking about, that low number first thing in the morning that is a drop from the night before of like 4-5 pounds, and you don't see it again for another week or so!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr So this morning I weighed in at 247. Now I know that is anywhere between 7-10 pounds from the Christmas weight, but I'm just frustrated. I still have about 50 to go to reach my goal of 200. While to some that may seem high, it's really a good weight for me. On the day I got married, at age 20, I was 188 pounds. I didn't have an ounce of fat on me, I am as my Daddy always told me "a big girl." So why the post?? Well, I realize I need to eat more food in order to lose weight. Never thought that would be true but I know that it is. I get in about 1000 calories a day. My menu rarely varies and I find myself getting very very full after only a few bites of food. I take vitamins and drink anywhere from 100-150 ounces of water day, more on days I go to the gym. I am not sure how to go about getting more calories in. My initial thought is perhaps a protein shake of sorts, maybe Boost or a Slim Fast?? I truly don't know, but I do know that I really don't want to eat more food. Not only do I not want to but I'm not sure I can consume more. I eat 5 times a day. Breakfast, a mid-morning snack (usually a cheese stick or an apple), lunch and dinner and then a snack after dinner (sugar free jello pudding). Does anyone have any ideas? I think I should probably be eating at least 1200 calories. Thanks for any advice. Donna

Donna, can you eat larger portions? Two cheese sticks, a larger amount of whatever you have for lunch and dinner. I don't like the taste of SlimFast any more, but if you like it, go ahead. Best of luck. Kasey 365/210 (nonop)

Kasey, Thank you for the response and honestly that is my whole issue. I can't really eat large portions anymore, and if I am eating all day I feel like I am stuffed all day, and that is a memory of days gone by. I know I brought this up a few months ago. I never thought I would have an issue with not wanting to eat. I still can't fathom it. I have been eating my entire meal at dinner, even if it does stuff me more than I wish to be stuffed. I am planning on adding a mid-afternoon snack, perhaps on the way to the gym. Thank you very much for your post. Donna

Hi Donna, Could you manage an afternoon snack between lunch & dinner? Maybe a protein drink or bar or some deli meat. You don't say what your current menu consists of... Is there a way to change some of what you eat to items higher in calories? Add a glass of milk somewhere during the day or add 1/2 a protein drink to you smallest meal of the day. Don't know if any of this helps but I will keep you in my thoughts and wish you the very best of success at working this out. Blessings, Maren

Maren, I have been thinking of things to do that won't be so filling and yet would give me some calories that are rather healthy. I was thinking of the carb control chocolate milk as a drink during the day. I was also thinking of adding some nuts. I don't think vegetables added would do it, they aren't incredibly high in calories. I don't want that horribly full feeling throughout my day. I want to feel a tiny bit of hunger and respond to that, not eat because I have to shove food down my throat. It's such a struggle. Being fat, getting smaller, figuring all this out. Makes me want to scream sometimes!!! Thank you Maren for your response, I'm going to give it a lot of thought. Donna

Donna, You really do have to eat enough calories to loose weight. I think that is why I used to get so frustrated. I would try so hard and really deprive myself without losing. Then I would just give up and go back to eating whatever. So my weight went up and down. When I started LA, I had to start eating more. Yes, some of the foods were different. But it was definately more to eat. As I got smaller, the food was decreased slowly. And now during this stablization phase, the food is increasing. My advice would be to get enough lean protein - chicken, fish, shrimp. I avoid pork and processed meats because of the sodium. Boiled eggs are also a good protein source. Fruits and vegetables are important too. Lynette

Hi Lynette, I don't feel deprived at all, which is why I didn't feel the need to add more foods. I feel great, and I don't crave or want more, which is my ultimate goal. I feel I am still tweaking this at just over 7 months out. Figuring out what works, what doesn't work, etc. I know how water affects me, have that pretty much licked. But the weight loss is odd and had me concerned. I can only imagine that with increased exercise and metabolism that I need to eat more. I have gotten some good tips from all of you and that doesn't surprise me one bit. I can add more fish, although I eat tons of chicken and turkey. I eat lean pork once a week and eggs for breakfast every other day. I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables but they aren't so high in calories to be making much of a dent. I am going to begin by adding a snack in the afternoon and perhaps a glass of carb control chocolate milk in the morning at some point. I thank you for your post Lynette, I knew I could count on you guys!! Donna

Donna, you are so supportive of everyone here. It is a struggle, but something I heard the other day has stuck with me and I believe it. Our bodies have a memory and when we are losing and revisiting weights that we were at earlier in our life it wants to stay there because it is comfortable there. Were you at the weight you are now for a long time earlier in your life? While you are very much correct in the fact that you have to eat enough food, a plateau is very normal and shouldn't concern you overly. When your body is ready and it will get there, it'll show up on the scale. Also, take your measurements because while the pounds haven't changed you may very well have lost inches. You know how you can be sick and not have a fever? The scale is one "symptom" not the only one. Everyone has given some great ideas and I hope that you feel better about your plans. Good luck. Mary

Hi there Mary, You know, I had to really think hard about where my body was the most comfortable. I only remember being 188 when I got married in 1985 (I had dieted down 22 pounds to get there), 280 when I got pregnant with my now 16 year old son in 1989, and 342 when I begged the doctor to STOP weighing me when I was 8 months pregnant with my now 13 year old son in 1992. It's strange how we apply weights to certain events. I guess perhaps it doesn't help that I never owned a scale or a mirror. Oh well, back to the original question. I don't know. I just know it kept on going up and up and up. I know that plateaus are to be expected and I'm overjoyed with being down 95 pounds since July. But are we ever truly happy??? I'm not changing anything that I am doing, other than adding a few more calories. I'd just like to see the scale hit 200 at some point in the next 6 months. Thank you for your post, you have given me a lot to think about. Donna