Really in a slump here and depressed!!!

I really need help here. I had surgery July2006 and was doing pretty good for some time. I started at 410.Loss down to 270 and now I am easing upward! And not to mention the fact that now I have developed low blood sugar sometimes dipping to 42. I hurt my back trying to do Curves and it really knocked me out of the exercise world for over 2 months. I went to my Surgeon and he said you have got to eat SMALL FREQUENT MEALS each day and increase the exercise. But I CANNOT AFFORD THE nutrisionist counciling and I just feel like giving up not to mention I am soooo tired of my blood sugars dropping constantly. And I am scared beyond belief that i AM GOING TO RAISE BACK TO 400!!! I need desperately to find out what type of SMALL meals my Doc is talking about. I need to find out what a SMALL MEAL consist of???? I know it seems like I am a piece of work... but I am at a total lost!!! I feel tired, scared, ready to give up, a failure, desperate, and the list goes on and on. I am either battling constipation or diarrhea..I just really feel a failure and this is not the way a 58 year old woman should be feeling at this date and time!! Im AFRAID to eat for fear of GAINING WEIGHT.... Yet afraid I CANT GET MY BLOOD SUGAR TO STAY UP AND IN CONTROL!!! Can ANYONE help me????

first-hello!!!! i have occasional low sugars too and it's no fun...it's kindof cuz what i am eating is not the right thing so my sugar spikes too hig then too low...hence-the idea of small frequent meals/protein snacks i think the best way maybe to help determine what you should be eating would be to find out what you ARE eating now...do you journal-online or on paper? many ppl think it helps! could you list for us some of your current meals??? also-try taking a look at linda s' thread about what we are eating and what's eating us... did your nutritionist not make meal suggestions for you at any time??? i'm sure other folks will be more help here...if there is one thing this board has no shortage of it's advice!

Wow, welcome back, haven't seen you here since last Sept....sorry your feeling so down and depressed. You have a good doctor to advise you to eat smaller meals more frequently. That is key for the low blood sugar....you need to keep foods going into your system on a regular time frame...... I eat 5 - 6 small meals per day. I cut my meals in half and eat half at a time. I have breakfast at around 8ish, then brunch 11ish, lunch 1ish pre dinner around 3ish and dinner @ 6ish.... then I may have a bed time snack......in between these meals I still do protein shakes...... I have had some weight gain, but I know what mine is from, it's NOT from these small frequent meals....it's called CARBS....I have an addiction to carbs.....carbs are evil to me and will probably kill me..... You don't really need a nutritionist to help you plan your meals. You have down so well now without one..... Exercise, do you walk? can you walk? swim? I'm not a Curve's fan so that is why I am asking what else you can do.... Stick around awhile and see how the others are doing.....go to the Grads board and read our struggles there, they have lots of help also...... Good luck, keep us posted.

Give us a sample of your intake and maybe we can help. The fear of gaining is present for all of us. Exercise doesn't have to be a strenuous work out in a gym. It can be as simple as a nice walk each day and gradually add distance and rate of speed. Do it slowly at first and take pleasure in your surroundings.  I eat several times each day. a "meal" might be as simple as an apple and two tablespoons of peanut butter or cottage cheese. My Nut said to always have my protein first and eat a GOOD carb with it.  Are you drinking enough liquids? For me, that balances the constipation/diarrhea issues. Check into Linda's "What's are you eating today" Several of us post daily and help each other tweak our menus. Annette

There is GREAT advice here. Small meals are perfect, as long as the choices are perfect. PROTEIN first, especially dense protein such as chicken. Vegetables, fruit . . .

Stick around here for great advice and support and LOVE.

By the way, are you taking your vitamins????

I too have a problem with low blood sugar and know just what you are talking about. They can be real energy zappers that's for sure. I agree with what everyone has said. A small meal isn't a meal it is a small meal. Some peanut butter on a spoon or on a few whole wheat crackers, some cheese on a few whole wheat cracker, you get the idea I am sure.  As for exercise my doctor told me that he likes walking and if you start out taking a couple of steps that is better than nothing and then the next day he is happy if you add another couple of steps. Just add something each day even if it is just one step more than you did the day before. They all add up.  You came to the right place since these wonderful ladies are so full in information. And it is information that works. Good luck and keep posting and it will come since it works if you work it.

Hello... I posted this in my 4 yr anniversary post just as a little window into what I'm eating now that I'm in the maintenance phase and trying not to regain: Today I ate: protein SF hot chocolate with low carb "milk", 3 oz ahi tuna, 2 stick pretzels, 1/4 slice whole grain bread with artichoke/goats cheese spread, 1/2 cup pinto beans with 2 oz cheese & 1 corn tortilla, crystal light and later I'll have a banana with 2 Tbsp peanut butter As I said, I'm not really actively trying to lose anymore, just trying to maintain. So, to keep losing, you might want to eat a little less, but this illustrates about 5 "little" meals. Hope it helps.

GOSH I LOVE All of you!!!Thank you sooooo much for your support, info, and response. Thank you Margo,Darlene, Annette,Connie,Brenda, and Nancy for all your great advice. I know now where to come when I need help and kind words that is for sure. Been away tooooo long. I will answer all your questions later as I have to run out and pay some bills. But believe me... your info is exactly what I needed to get me going  back in the right direction.Atleast now I dont feel so helpless and have some ray of hope. God Bless each of you and see ya later,                                                      Lorraine

If you have back problems and have access to a pool (which, I know, can be expensive) that is really good exercise ... even just walking in the pool. It's low impact and really works you out. I used to swim when I was 347 pounds and did I care that some people might comment about this cow in the swim suit ... not at all, because I was exercising and I felt good afterward. I wish I could go back but I had to quit the Y due to financial problems. Now, I have a little exercycle (cost: $39 or so on QVC) that sits under my dining room table in my condo. Not fancy, no fancy electronics, but it does the trick. I pedal on that for 30-45 minutes, then do weights and the band exercises for my knees, then get down on the floor and do leg lifts and butt lifts. I do about an hour total of exercises. It doesn't cost me a thing. It's a good workout too. I'd rather be swimming, but you know what? When I had the Y membership the past two years, I wasn't using it as often I shoud. I made so many excuses. Now, I'm exercising almost every day.  I can't give advice on the low blood sugar because that's not my expertise, but I do have problems with exercising motivation. I have pushed myself to get my knees and legs feeling better; wish I could say they did (I have a bad back too and bad knees ... one replacement knee doesn't work as well as it should).  Good luck to you! Keep your chin up!