40 lbs to go and 17 months postop

I had my surgery in July of 2002 and have done pretty good with weight loss (65%). I need to lose 40 more but want to lose 50. I have not done well with the holidays this year but know that with this surgery I can diet without the constant hunger that I had previous to surgery. My problem is that I have been happy with the 70 lb loss and have let the compliments go to my head. I must lose the remaining weight to ensure that my diabetes does not return as I get older (hopefully I'll never have to take an insulin shot again). What are you postops doing to motivate yourselves? I also recently lost my job of 7 years due to economic reasons and will be taking a medical transcriptionist course. So my future job means that it will be very sedentary.

Hi Laurie! I am almost where you are - I am 14 months post op, and need to lose another 40 lbs, having lost 60 lbs. I stopped losing last May. I have tried everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - to try to start losing again. I was insulin resistant before surgery, and now my insulin levels are normal, but the spectre of diabetes is always lurking for me, too. I think I am most motivated by fear - fear that I will gain back what I have lost. I weigh every day and graph it. By now, I can anticipate my weight being up 1 to 1 1/2 lbs the next day if I eat something high in sodium. I just keep working at it one day at a time, hoping something I change will make a difference and I will start losing again. I exercise more now than I have ever before in my life - walking almost every day, weight training every other day, recently added 1/2 hr of bicycling every other day. I had my basal metabolic rate done - according to that, I could maintain my current weight at eating over 1600 calories a day! I should lose at 1200 calories per day, but that has not happened (kept food diaries- honest ones, at that). Between my DH and I, we go through a 5 lb. container of protein mix in about 3 weeks or less. I just live it one day at a time. If I mess up one day, tomorrow is new day and a new opportunity. I try to stay positive. (Also - sorry to hear about your job. Good luck with the transcribing, and may all your dictations be in understandable English!) Sue

You both are to be commended for doing so well. That is awesome. Good Luck in your class. Could that be contributing to the stall.? Sress from loss of job. Have you had any plastic surgery yet? That might be paret of it also. Might try more exercise UGH.

Thanks for replying to my message. I too kept track of everything I ate as well as walking 3-1/2 miles a day for 5 days until this fall when I let stress take over. My doctor thought I needed to add weight bearing exercises to help kick the weight loss in. He said that people my age (45) need weights in their exercise routine. And not the 3 to 5 lb ones. I have always had a lot of stress in my life (from my daughter having cancer 20 years ago, financial woes, the death of my grandmother from cancer 2 years ago, and now the loss of my job) My way of dealing with stress is EATING. Though I think I know what is causing my overeating I feel powerless to stop it. I know I've got to get a grip. I pulled out my sheet that tracks my calories, protein, carbs, sugar, and fluids I've consumed, also check off spots for my vitamins and exercise. It is laying on my kitchen table so I have to pass it to go to the fridge or just about anywhere in the house. Hope this helps. I plan on getting on this message board a couple of times a day (not just looking at the before and after pictures). My exercise tapes are out as well as my weights. Hoping to get a jump on my New Years resolution.

Hi Laurie, Just a thought. Have you ever tried HGH/ Its human growth hormone?Its on line. The stuff you get from them gets your own HGH moving. We ahve it natually in our bodies. When we are youger it keeps us active and feeling young. As we age, it slows down and the aging process starts. WHi*****ludes weight gain gray hair and tiredness. Maybe it could jump start you metabilism. There is warnings on this as well. Could cause some problems. Check the net under human growth hormone and see what you think. I am just checking this out myself and have heard from the health food stores it can help. Please check out the pros and cons in regards to your health history as well to see if its worth it. may effect cancer genes. but i dont know i am not a Dr. Let me know what you think. Or wait a couple weeks. I have some coming.Could tell you how i do on it.Later Debby