Hangers on--those last few pounds

I need some help you guys. Rny was 4/26/2002,  started at 286 ended at 136. Maintained 142 for the last two years. Between last November and February of this year gained up to 157. Changed diet up- no skin on meats, more fish, increase fruits and veggies. More apt to think it was the quality of food I was eatting and not the quantity. (can't eat much still) Keeping a journal of intake, this does help. Get my water every day 64oz,  a six small meal person. Admittedly I don't  exercise as much as I should. Working ten hour days, two teens-- feel kinda tired a the end of the day.  In spite of all this the changes I've made have helped me lose down to 150-151. been there about a month now. The needle won't budge. Getting discouraged and down about it.  Any more diet tweaks for someone as far out as me that you can think of?  What exercises are good for a pear shape like me? ( I think all the weight went to my bottom half) I try to squeeze in some walking. Please, any suggestions would be appreciated. Dee Dee 

I'm five years (RNY 8/02) & dealing with re-gain as well. I started with www.5daypouchtest.com & got back on track. Since then I've lost 15 lbs. My trouble is excersize & water. The #'s haven't moved for me yet this month . I know the  discouragement & down feeling all too well so pleasedon't  feel alone. The support & posts from others here really help as you know so definately keep in touch.  Check it out !  Take care

Your reply makes me feel better. I feel like I have lost control, Don't want to mess up this tool that I was given. I will keep in touch here, forgot how much better I felt when I had the support of others. Congrats on your loss, gonna check out the pouch test tonight. Thanks for taking the time out to reply. DeeDee

Stick to your guns and give it more time before being too hard on yourself. Cuz it sounds to me like you're doing most of the basic things correctly right now.  If what you are doing now was working as recently as four-five months ago, what you're doing now should work *IF* you give it some time and patience.  Maybe you shouldn't expect all the excess weight to disappear in a month or two when it took four months or more to put it on. I admire the fact that you are getting on top of this situation and that you have done so well for six years already.  You're so close to where you want to be (less than 10 pounds away) that I'd really be resolved to take a gradualist approach to this.  It's not worth the fallout to start with the gimmicks/quick fixes/yo-yo'ing that can come with impatience, is it?  And if you stick with what you are doing, and in a month or two the scale still isn't moving, you could review your eating habits and exercise and probably make just one small change that would take the rest of the excess weight off by the end of the year.  Just one small change.  It might be an extra walk or two each week, or cutting out a particular food, or cutting out the sixth meal a few times a week, or whatever would actually be something you could maintain & live with.  One small thing. Good luck!!  Let us know how you do, it's inspiring to see you doing so well.  And you *are* doing well so far, believe me! Suzy C.

I appreciate that you think I am doing ok with everything. I guess I feel so badly because this is the one thing I should be able to control. What I put in my mouth is up to me. I just have'nt been as diligent as I should be. I remember how easy it was in the begining to lose weight and now it just seems to be taking forever.  Sigh, Yes I am my worst critic, I'll admit that. One thing I could do is start going to the support groups, just being able to communicate with you guys today has been a tremendous help. I needed the pep talks, and I want to thank you for the positive thoughts. Dee Dee

It's so easy to get too comfortable after a while. (i know!)  But you have been working at it!  It takes so much longer to lose weight after all this time...but don't give up...you have a great attitude towards it and you are giving it a good try... I'm a bottom heavy gal myself...never was a light weight...and I find myself quite comfortable in the low 160's...I'm considering losing a little more and get below that into the mid 150's. But it's not that important to me. You can do it and you are...Give it time...Stay on top of it. I still bounce around on the scale although lately I seem to have stabilized...I find that the lower I go in calories, the more I bounce around...Go figure?!!!  I'm clueless about that...It makes no sense to me whatsoever.  Good luck...and stay and post! Anita

Thank you Anita for the pat on the back! I stopped the six small meals and went back to three a day with protein shakes. I am also measuring my food and find that I can eat less and (so far) not feel too hungry. Boy, after all this time I would have thought that protein shakes would taste better. I still hate them! They help me to feel full and maybe the extra protein plus the cardio kickboxing I signed up for tomorrow will help. Thanks for the good luck... I need all I can get! Dee Dee