Need to lose weight!!! july is my 5 year anniv..

Hello everyone,

I need some suggestions... First of all let me tell you that I'm 49 years, old, going thru menopause.  Had a abdominal hernia repair 7/2009, had a lipoma removed 4/1/10, and my ovaries removed 4/15/10 and  I quit smoking 2/1/10.  In the couple of months I have gained 10-12 lbs.  I feel totally depressed.
I usually excercise regularly, I am a zumba fan (4 days a week high impact dance cardio), but I had to stop excercising for over a month due to my 2 surgeries.   My regular gyny said that menopause can cause weight gain.  Also no smoking causes it too!!...
I know that 10lbs may not  be much for some,  but when my size 6 pants barely fit me and my size 8 pants that used to fit me big are tight, I feel depressed.
I used to wear a size 2x, so I know that size 8 is no big deal, but I feel that for 5 years I have done so well to keep my weight off and all of a sudden I've gained this weight.
I am 5'3 and weighed 221 lbs.  went down to 141, then my average weight 148-149.. now I weigh 160!!!   I've been wanting a full body lift but since I had the other surgeries I will weight several months before I go under the knife again.
I've been reading all these post with such wonderful suggestions,  do the 800 calorie diet, southbeach diet, etc,... etc...
I have such a hard time figuring out how many calories are in things I eat..
I just want some input.. anything will be greatly appreciated!!
Monica..

I have such a hard time figuring out how many calories are in things I eat..

That's funny because every package or box I open has a nutrition label right on it.

Also, if you're eating at restaurants a lot then STOP...that will help weight loss and solve your "no label" problem.

AND, if you're eating fresh fruits and vegies without nutrition labels...don't worry because apples and broccoli don't make you fat.

Perhaps try the 5-day pouch test to "get back on track?".  I am contemplating it....

It sounds like you've had a lot done and your body has been under some real stress.  I know exactly what you're talking about though, 10 lbs IS a lot, especially to someone that is 5'3.  You and I have very similar stats for pre-surgery.  Congratulations on stopping smoking too!  That is a huge step towards your health, even though it makes you gain weight.  Hopefully that is only temporary.

I too have a hard time figuring calories.  I don't always eat things out of boxes and cans, so when I make a dinner or lunch, I have to try and figure it out.  Sometimes it just can't be done.  Stick to the simple things to eat that's easier to figure out - at least for awhile.  Measure your meat - stick with 4oz, even if you're still hungry.  Eat some veggies for your carbs, stay away from refined sugar and carbs.  Have you posted on "the daily plate" or another on-line tracking program?  That really is an eye opener and finds the hidden fats, calories, carbs, etc.

Perhaps start posting your daily menu with us so we can see what you're eating - we can then give back some more constructive feedback.

Hang in there - you can do it!

Hi Moni,

Congrats on 5 yrs weightloss success and YES you are still very much a success story, I'm celebrating my 5 yr in June ...I feel your pain, around 3 1/2 I put on 8 then 9 etc up to 15 extra lbs from what I felt was my ideal right up until x-mas 2009...Jan 1st I wound up my control and set myself on course to drop back...I"m not kidding myself of anyone, at this point it is difficult to give up things I have grown accustomed to adding back in...I've modified in many small ways from alot of suggestions put out on the boards - I suggest you take what you think will work from the ideas put out there and customize a plan that is workable for you, I've dropped off 7 of the total 15, I know the rest will come, patience and practice is the key...

One thing I can suggest...I've been hearing of a test that can be done to determine how many cals you personally burn in a day, its like finding your RMR/BMR except more complex than just using the paper formula...I checked my @ my local support group and they tell me there is a doctor in my area ( about 50 miles away ) who does this testing ( need special equipment )...You might look into this also, it allows you to find out what the magic consumption calorie number is to maintain your current weight, then you will have a number to work down from to lose those extra pounds...

I know you can do it, best of luck & continued success in your journey...

I too am almost 5 years post-op.

The easiest way I find to count calories is to use fitday.com

It's a free service and you can keep track of everything that you eat. It tracks calories, fat, protien, and carbs. You can use their extensive database to caculate calories on items that you can't find labels for. Also, you can create your own foods and add them to the database.

If you are looking for a way to figure out what the calorie/fat/etc. counts are in a serving of an entire recipe I recommend this site:
http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
You can input your recipe directly and it will give you a complete breakdown by serving.

Both site, together are really helpful.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

-Elizabeth