8 months out and I am not losing anymore.

Ive lost 6-10 lbs in the last 2 months. The scale has stopped moving. I am 8 months out. Down 141lbs since oct. 2012 and 120 of that is post surgery. So Thats great to lose 140lbs but I am still 260lbs! So I guess some of that is allowing some bad stuff back into my diet, but I guess I didnt realise how hard it would be to eat so few carbs. I just really dont like cooking and I eat out too much. I always try to eat the best I can out, but i do admit to letting some bad things back into my diet. I need some kind of reset for my body. Any ideas? Is my body done losing or it it just a stall? I feel like my weightloss has been more stall times than losing times. 

Congrats on your progress so far!  Here is what I would like to share based on information I received from my Doctor and my Nutritionist.  My advice would be to get really strict with your calories. By that I mean make sure that the calories you are consuming are protein rich. No snacking, eat slowly so your pouch has time to fill up and you have time to achieve the feeling of fullness. Make sure you aren't sabotaging yourself by drinking with meals. We all know it just washes the food out of the pouch which defeats the purpose of surgery to begin with.  Look at what you are drinking. Are you sticking to calorie free beverages? You and I both know that drinks and sauces are filled with sugars and hidden calories. As for the bad choices eating out, take protein bar or shake with you when you know you won't be able to resist the calorie rich fast food options.  Having a protein supplement that you really like is a key to success here.  I personally love Nectar Fuzzy Navel or really any of the Nectar line for that matter. Quest protein bars are delicious and make for a great substitute when you have a sweet craving. Just keep in mind what portion of your calories eating it will take up.  I also advise being accountable with every bite you put in your mouth. I use myfitnesspal on my iphone.  I log what I am going to eat before I eat it that way I can see just where it will put me for my calories for the day.  Many times, after doing this, I change what I am going to eat to avoid going over my fat/calorie/carb total for the day/meal. I would also look at your exercise.  Perhaps increase your physical activity. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or go for a walk before dinner.  Don't get discouraged. You have come a long way.  Best wishes on your continuing journey :)

Its not a stall if you are just losing very slowly.  A stall is losing nothing at all for several weeks.

It sounds to me like your lack of weight loss is a combination of 1) not being as diligent as you need to be about your foods choices 2) the natural slow down in weight loss as you get smaller (your daily caloric deficit is smaller when you weigh less because it takes fewer calories to fuel your body), and 3) the fact that you are starting to see the effects of the gradual loss of the caloric malabsorption (which starts right after surgery and ends anywhere from 12-24 months out, but usually about 18 months out you are absorbing most of the calories again).

The second two things are out of your control.  so that leaves item #1.  How often are you letting "bad" things into your daily eating?  What kinds of things?  Large amounts or small amounts?  Enjoying a few tortilla chips is different than eating a Hostess cupcake.  Having some kind of dessert once a week is different than having ice cream 4 nights a week before bed.

Also, how much are you trying to limit your carbs? (I mean, do you track them daily and have a certain number you try to stay under?) Do you limit ALL carbs or only certain kinds?  It can be a balancing act for some people. If you are actively tracking carbs and trying to stick to a very low number (or aren't tracking them but are constantly thinking about NOT eating carbs), it can be like when you are dieting... The deprivation can cause you to crave something even more.  Not all carbs are bad. The carbs in a non-starchy veggie, cheese, or yogurt are GOOD for you, for example, whereas the "white" carbs in white rice, bread or other flour products (that are not whole grain), or sugar are not.  Also, this new eating lifestyle needs to be just that -- a lifestyle, not a diet.  If you are still operating in "diet mode", you are probably going to continue to struggle.  My surgeon told us to only actively track protein intake, and that if we made healthy food choices and ate a protein-forward, balanced diet the carbs would "take care of themselves". 

I don't like to cook much, either (I'm single and I hate having SO many leftovers), so I eat out probably more than a lot of people here do, but there are definitely ways to still make good choices when eating out and there are ways to eat healthy meals at home without having to do a lot of cooking.  If you give me an idea of what kinds of things you eat at home or eat out, I can probably offer some suggestions.

Lora

Hi ****rogirl, your post was so inspirational. Thanks for the way you always spell it out for those of us on here still trying to figure it all out. I actually printed 2 copies of your post and plan to keep one at home and posted at my desk.  That way when I get to feeling down, I will read it again and refocus and make sure I am logging my food. Thanks again for always being there for us!!

I'm 11 months out and I slowed down drastically at 9 months. In the last two months I have only lost 5 lbs. Still a loss so I am not going to complain. I did stall for a long period which made me mad. I consider myself a slow loser at 11 months I have lost 78 lbs. It's 78 lbs that I never would have lost without the surgery. I am happy with it and hope to lose about 20 more pounds. Slow is okay for me as long as I keep losing.

Hi Babs, I am also a slow loser. Thank you for your post, I do feel a little better knowing there is someone else out there that has only lost about the same as me.  I had surg on 9-5-12, and lost 28 in the 6 months before the surgery. So total lost sinee I started is 93 lbs. I am 11 months out too and mine has slowed down alot. I am not exercising like I should and I do have something sweet every now and then. I know I should work out more and I am trying to get better with that. But I like what you said about not ever losing any if you had not had the surgery.  LIke you said, slow is okay, as long as we keep losing.... eventually! 

I also like April's advice. Funny I never thought about tracking the food before-hand to check how my totals Balance out & therefore make adjustments before I indulge & eat my meals. Genius & yet so simple! Thanks!!