Reasons for slow loss -- based on my support group visit

 I am pre-op and I went to my first support group meeting tonight.  The sleevers and the lap band people meet together.  Several people were talking about their slow losses or long stalls, but during the conversations, the following points came up --which seem to me to be warning signs for us all:

1. They weren't tracking their food
2. They asked if carbs were important.
3. Can I ea****ermelon?
4. Ohhh, I discovered frozen yogurt!


I just had my first visit with the nutritionist, and she reviewed this information as well.  So it seems to me that it seems like some of the basics get overlooked or misunderstood. 

There was also a woman there who had lost a lot!  And she provided answers to many questions -- the same types of answers I see here from successful losers. 

So to a newbie like me, it seems that you MUST do your homework, understand your diet restrictions and make a commitment to follow them (and really, to me, you have to track your food to know if you are following your plan).

I left the group meeting feeling like I get much better info and support here.  Have others attended support groups and had similar experiences?

 What are u tracking.... Calories,fat,carbs,protein????  

The support group I go to at Stanford (not where I had surgery, but close to my house) is wonderful.  The group leader is a bariatric RN and had RNY so she really knows what we're all facing because she's been there. 

I learned a long time ago that if you want to be sucessful at anything - do what the successful people do.  This is not a journey for the lazy...there are things that you need to do to be successful and tracking your intake is definitely one of them.  There are a few people out there that can do it "their way" but I firmly believe that following in the footsteps of the successful losers (and I use that term loosely) is a great way to become successful as well.  Good luck in your journey and I think that was an insightful observation on your part.

Deb

I go to a support group led by a psychologist, a bariatric nutritionist and the bariatirc nurse manager of a center of excellence bariatric program/hospital. It meets 2x per month and about 1x per month one of the 3 surgeons affiliated with the hosptial/program also comes to the group. It is a great group of folks, all of whom are quite successful in their weight loss journey, whether they be sleevers or RNY folks. We have a lot of laughs in the group as well as share a lot of wisdom.  We are often given free samples of protein powders, vitamins and/or shaker bottles.

The group leaders consistently stress balance, moderation, listening to your body, being gentle and kind to oneself, eating carbs along with protein throughout the process, regular exercise and learning. I find the group to be extremely helpful as the folks are respectful, kind, caring, knowledgable and succesful.

  The group leaders consistently stress balance, moderation, listening to your body, being gentle and kind to oneself, eating carbs along with protein throughout the process, regular exercise and learning. I find the group to be extremely helpful as the folks are respectful, kind, caring, knowledgable and succesful.

This is what my support group is like as well.  We have a mix of lap, rny, and sleeve folks in it.  Extreme anything behaviorally is not the mantra.... not that they would bash the low carbers or the low cal folks though.  It is just that there is a more holistic focus on the process then the simple under 800 under 40 approach.  Before people go off on that last statement, I do not think that the under 800 cals and under 40 carb group ignores all other aspects at all.  It is just a little different in we focus on sustainable behaviors, identifying behaviors that sabatoge and strategies to deal with them,  and a little less on the diet mentality.