Suggestions, Opinions, and Advice please.

Hi everyone.  So...I am about 7 1/2 months out.  My heaviest weight was 279lbs, and my current weight is 167lbs.  My goal is 135-145 by April 15/16.  So... I still have 22-32 lbs to lose.  I have been exercising daily, taking all of my vitamins, drinking between 1.5 and 2 Liters of water a day, and following the plan my center gave me. This plan includes 3 meals, plus 3 snacks if I am hungry or need it. The meals are supposed to include 3 oz protein, veggies, and 1/4 cup healthy starch or fruit if I still have room (which is about 50% of the time).  Snacks are supposed to be protein based.  I get more than 80g of protein daily, and between 500-900 calories. I usually dont get snacks in... maybe 1.  Recently (the last couple of weeks), I have stopped losing weight.  I have changed the type and frequency of my exercise with no change in weight.  I have tried measuring changes by the way my clothing fits, and that hasnt changed either.  Ugh.  I dont want to be done losing yet.  I still have a lot of weight to lose to be in the normal BMI.  So I did some reading.  It sounds like a lot of successful weight loss happens for people when the have very low carb in their diets.  I thought I would try that out and see if it helps.  I am wondering what peoples experience has been with this?  How many carbs is considered low enough?  What is this whole net carb thing and do you use that when calculating total daily carbs?  Do you find that you are dizzy and light headed (i have been the last few days since doing low carb) and what can be done about it?  If I do this, can I start incorporating in healthy carbs once my weight is normal without gaining?  My center seems to think carbs are important, but I have heard so many different opinions about this as a long term lifestyle change.  I just want to start losing again... What are your daily nutritional goals for calories, protein, sugar, fats, and carbs? Any advice to kick start my metabolism and start losing again.  I have seen so many successful people on here... I am hoping you can share your secrets.  Also, a friend suggested I might like to try these as a treat someday.  What does everyone think about these numbers?  Are the carbs really as high as they look or are they lower in net carbs???  How would you count this if you were going to have it as a treat?  Is it an okay choice?

Chatilas Bakery Sugar Free Donut

Serving Size: 3 oz Amount Per Serving

• Calories110.0
• Total Fat3.5 g
• Saturated Fat0.4 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat0.0 g
• Monounsaturated Fat0.0 g
• Cholesterol0.0 mg
• Sodium20.0 mg
• Potassium280.0 mg
• Total Carbohydrate23.0 g
• Dietary Fiber6.0 g
• Sugars0.0 g
• Protein8.0 g

While I'm just starting out I can't speak into most of this, but I have watched countless YouTube videos of others' journeys and their experiences with "stalls".  All of them have had various stalls at certain times that left them concerned that they were done losing the weight and that their honeymoon stage was over.  They just stayed consistent and the stalls eventually broke and they continued to lose.  

Net carbs are the total carbs (23g) minus the dietary fiber(6g) which would give this donuts a "net carb" of 17 carbs.  For me, I wouldn't eat this except for a very rare thing.  Eating this would lead me to start thinking "One little piece of this one wouldn't be too bad...."  my treats are things I make that I can't get outside of my kitchen.

Many people find that a low-carb dietary pattern is easiest for them to sustain; however, there's nothing magical about low-carb, high-carb, or weight loss.  It's simply the low-calorie way of eating that's easiest for them to maintain.  Switching to low-carb at the same number of calories per day isn't going to make you lose weight.

As for the donut, it's a donut.  It's a treat, not a snack.  As a treat - a rare indulgence - it's probably not the worst but don't turn them or any other treat into a habit.

 

What is your surgeon's plan? Are you suppose to be on low carb or low calorie or what? You should discuss whatever you are doing with your nutritionist. Different things work for different people.

For me personally, I have to follow low carb eating due to the fact that eating carbs makes you crave carbs just as eating sugar makes you crave sugar. Carbs may not necessarily cause stalls or even weight gain, but it will cause you to want them more and who wants to deal with cravings? Just my opinion. 

I had my surgery 2-2-15 was 257 now 167.  Had many stalls along the way.  For me, they were all emotional stalls.  I experienced this over and over,  It was usually around a weight I was sometimes for a very long time or a weight that I got to after eating from some traumatic event.  I am just 10 pounds from my goal and love the way I look so losing the last ten has its issues but I am going to just allow my life to unfold.  I hope this helps. 

Thank you.  After reading your post, I reflected on my stalls, and previous times in my life that I was at that weight.  I think my stalls may be for the same reason.  Thank you for bringing that to light for me.