Need Advice!~

Started this journey earlier this year-startedat 235 had vsg in may at about 205lbs...Now down to 165...It has really been a struggle for me........I have never felt the restriction I thought (hoped)  would feel with this surgery......I have changed alot of my eating habits, still haven't  drank a soda since the beginning of the year and been exercising more than I ever did before 

However like this whole  month I haven't lost a lb at all....--I noticed lately I felt hungry ALOT  more than I have in a long time...I also started eating more carbs than I have  in a long time though too and feel a little guility about that considering I did so well all year so far......I started drinking my protein shakes again in the am...I had quit drinking those for a little while so hopefully that will help- I still take my waterjug with me to work and sip on it daily and try to resist all the bad food that is brought into work which isn't always easy...

I also started taking Zoloft and had 2 funerals I had to deal with so not sure if maybe some of it is stress related.......I just don't want this to fail.....It seems like im not gonna lose  anymore since I been stuck at this weight so long now and little restriction......

Also wanted to post

235 End of Feb 2011--
230 March 2011 -5
218 April 2011 -12
209 May 2011 -9
191 June 2011 -18
183 July 2011 -8
178 Aug 2011 -5
171 SEPT 1st----7
164-Oct 1st----  0
 164 -Nov 1st-0
       Dec 1st 2011
       Jan 1st 2011

164-135 goal- 30lb more lbs to go!

Hi.  I am brand new to this site, and hope you add me as a friend.  I am having my VGS in less than one week...and I haven't ever before this 2 week pre-op diet, realized really, just how much emotions are involved in my relationship with food.  Friends, even the best of friends seem to come and go...but food has always been my "Bestie"...it's weird, how my body knows what it "finally" needs to do, but my mind is playing serious tricks on me, it's not fun.  I am sure that because you have had 2 funerals, and other stressors, this has had a total impact on you emotionally...you are turning to your former-best friend.  Food brings comfort, and maybe you are not getting enough from those around you....maybe.  I sure am NOT a psychiatrist or anything, but from personal experience-this could be something to set you back, if you don't get a handle on it NOW.   Be firm with yourself......don't take yes for an answer when it comes to these decisions of should I eat this or not...let it be NOT...you have come wayyyyy tooo far to let a burger kill your high.  I will pray for you.  And, I am truely sorry for your losses. Hope to hear back soon.

(((Hugs))) take heart!

1st; be merciful to yourself. You are under a great deal of stress. Did you know that when you are under stress your body starts to make cortisol (the stress hormone). One of the downers to this naturally occurring hormone is that it holds onto belly fat. Yes, true. So when under stress you have to be extra gentle with yourself. Make sure you are getting enough (and not too much sleep). Kudos for keeping up on the water. Engage helpful things to counter stress; and exercise is one of the best. Since you are already exercising, you may want to play with intensity and / or duration to see which counters the stress better. (notice here it is the relief of stress and not weight loss--get to the root the weight starts budging again.) Other helpful distractions for me include magazine reading, bubble baths, pedicures, talking / getting with girlfriends. Make sure you keep time for some "baby-you-time" stuff. When under stress it is quite normal to crave carbs. I'm not one to say "never"; but you do want to limit this as carbs (more specific sugars) are what that cortisol will store in the belly during high-stress times---so you don't want to give it too much here. Get just enough sweet to counter the taste, then fill up on protein and go for a walk to burn the sugar before it can get stored. And, carbs will crave carbs. The more carbs you eat, the more your body will crave it. And for me, I found most carbs I gravitate to are sliders, and do not give me restriction. So, make sure during those time you are doing something to get restrictions ie pairing with raw fruit, veg, or dense protein.

And I do want to make sure that you are keeping clear on how this weight loss works. You are no where close to being a failure in this--in fact, it looks to me as if you are on target. I lost *most* of my weight by the 12 month mark, but it took another 6 months to get the last 30 off. The smaller you are, the closer to "normal" or "goal", the slower it comes off---it makes sense. Your body needs fewer calories to maintain a smaller size, and you don't have as much "reserve". It IS NOT NOR SHOULD IT BE as fast of weight loss as it was in the beginning of the journey. Nevertheless, you are no where yet done. In the last 30, I lost between 4 - 5 lbs per month. Don't lose sight of that is success--any move forward is. You will need to remind yourself of that--and change the negative self-talk. And at this point too, all swelling is done, and you should have less restriction; but I suspect it is good. Measure out some dense protein, or weigh it; say around 10 oz of beef or chicken, don't drink 10 minutes prior, don't drink during. Eat slowly and chew, chew, chew. Stop when you are "not hungry" (not "full"--but one bite shy of "full"); then remeasure, do the math and you'll see what your tiny tummy will hold. I bet you'll be surprised.

Sum up, don't be hard on yourself, keep doing what you know to do, and resist going back to the "old way" as the "old way" didn't work for you before. You can do this, I know you can!

Thanks for all the tips.....I checked my fitday and the last time I lost a lb was 9/22 so almost a full month now.......Not sure what's going on......maybe just a stall again but im trying hard to break it...:) This is prolly the 2nd or 3rd stall I had since May but def the longest and hardest it seems like.....I actually saw 163 on the scale a few times and now it's saying 165 so those couple lbs are floating back and forth like it did with my other stall....

Im also gonna talk to doc about starting a acid reducer again.....I also ran out of my B1- he only had me on that for 3 months.....not sure if that will make a difference or not......

Carbs do NOTHING to fill me up.  If I ate a lot of them, I'd be hungry all of the time too :)

I suggest:
- ALWAYS EAT YOUR PROTEIN FIRST, at both snack time and meals.  If you want a carb, have it after eating your protein
- Only eat at your designate meal and snack times (for me, it's no more than every 3 hours)
- Track everything you eat, and make sure that you hit your protein and calorie goals

Thanks so much for the reply's- I have decided not to take my zoloft gonna ask the doc about anything else that I might take - last time I took  it . it made me gain weight and don't wanna chance it this time-----someone was saying there is a new one out that actually doesn't make you gain weight so might ask and see if that one will work for me.....

-I also ordered my axid again so hopefully that will help and drinking my protein shakes....


I still haven't lost a lb and actually gainned one....I been floating from 163-166 .......longest stall ever......when will it break :(