Eating More

Advice Needed!  I feel like I'm going nuts. I don't want to stop losing. I just celebrated my one year surgiversary and I was told that I have to stop losing and to start eating more calories. I was told I could stop at 9 months and lost about 15 more. I'm at about 145 (my goal was 160)and they figure because all my weight was in my tummy I have about 15lbs of skin and that puts me at the low end of the BMI
 
I like watching the scale go down, on the mornings it does it makes my day. I'm not starving myself or anything like that; I eat between 1200-1400 calories/day. I just can't bring myself to add enough calories to stay the same.  I think some of it is that when I look in mirror all I can see my belly and maybe if I lose a little more it will get smaller. (I have to wait at least 18 months from surgery for insurance to even consider plastics).

How did you get over the losing mentality?
 

Your post is nearly word for word what I was feeling about a year ago. It's really hard work, mentally. Even still, I hate when that number on the scale goes up a fraction of a pound. You know, when my period comes I go up from a pound to two and a half pounds and I could die from the depression...even when I know it's water weight...It's a killer. I totally understand. I didn't want to lose control over the situation. After years of the free-fall of gaining weight, I finally had to super grip on that control and didn't want to lose it...Eventually, I loosened my grip. I still hold on but not so tight that my knuckles are white, if you know what I mean. I'm still in control.

Maybe start exercising so you quit losing but if you do that, you'll have to eat a bit more to fuel that muscle..Add a few high protein snacks, carbs are good but the good carbs and not white carbs like bread or pasta..In moderation they aren't bad but easy to get hooked.

It isn't the number, but your perception of the number. You have to work on that. That will come with time and thinking it through.

You will need to stablize before they can consider plastics so you have about 6 months to get that down..

Good luck.

I could have written this post myself...

The honest answer... plastic surgery my friend.. I truly do believe b/c we look like a deflated version of ourselves when we were obese with that panni there (stomach skin) and I am having an LBL on the 28th to hopefully get over this.  I am very happy with the new me otherwise.. just need the gut to go.

Good luck, you have done marvelous!