What is the matter with this now?

Lynda, I don't know if it's true about the 18 - 20 pounds - but I want to find out. When I first heard that, I wanted to believe it. BUT, it doesn't seem possible to me that we would be able to lift it. I will try to find out what the thing actually weighs - just out of interest. Get your knees seen about - the wls was too late to save my knees and believe me, it's worth the surgery if you have to do it. I can't imagine what it would be like to be pain free. I walked a little over 5 miles this afternoon - in two different walks. But it took a 10mg hydrocodone for me to be able to do it and I was still in bad pain. Was going to have to take the pain pill anyway so I thought I might as well get some exercise too. Keep us informed about your knees. Patty

Hey Joanne--the same things happen to me. I have the metabolism from Hell. Even yesterday at my PCP she commented about how slow my heartrate is. I guess that is why I am so mellow and happy all the time I am not an emotional eater--I eat because I love the taste of it--I love the smell even more. The worst things happens to me--when I work really hard to try and lose weight--I get on the scale and have lost a little--somehow that seems to give me an excuse to eat more. Don't care if you want to hear it or not--it does take time--a life time--we need to committ to forever. At least we are all in this together! It makes me feel better to know I am not alone.

My doc had my heart rate and blood pressure taken a second tim ebecause she couldn't believe how slow it was. The day of surgery, I was in the prep room waiting for the or to open up and they took my pressure and pulse. My pulse was 48! The asked me if I was sure I was still alive and that was pre-op! I wasn't nervous at all. When I go to my pcp, the nurse was questioning if her equipment was working and I asked why. She said cause the reading wasn't right. I asked and what it said and told here that 54 was pretty normal for my pulse. Even my temp runs low, 96.8. Never thought there was a connection with my weight though as far as metabolism. Just feels like my body is all messed up. Like I don't even recognise it anymore. I know this whole this is a lifetime commitment but I didn't think it would take a lifetime to start losing again. I can be an anything eater actually. I can eat cause I am happy, upset, smell, desire, stress. You name it, it is my demon. I too just plain out and out love food and eat it for pleasure. Joanne

Joanne, i am sorry you are having such a hard time. I can only speak from my own experience. If I try to be "all or nothing" I fail. all protein and no carbs for ME would last about 3 days max. Then I would go on the binge from hell. That is just me. So I have over the 3 years worked out a plan that works for me. I do eat healthy carbs. In moderation. 1 peach, not 5. 1 slice of whole wheat bread on a sandwiich, but no white bread. I don't know if it would work for you. I generally eat 6 oz meat, fish, or chicken divided up for the day. I eat 3 servings of milk products, altho I do not drink milk ( no liquid calories for me) I eat cottage cheese 3/4 cup), yogurt(1 carton lite & fit) , reduced fat cheeses(1 oz slice). (never fat free cheese just the though makes me want to ) I eat 2-3 servings of of whole grains.(1 slice of ww bread, 1/2 c cereal) I eat kashi high protein crunch on my yogurt (about 1/4 cup) I eat usually 2 pieces of fruit a day and 1 of them is always a banana. I eat as many cucumbers, tomatoes, snap peas, green beans, broccoli, etc raw as I can. I eat other veggies cooked too. I like a variety. I may have spagetti squash topped with diced tomatoes and fresh basil, fresh tomatoes sliced with fresh mozzarella, blue cheese or feta and basil on top drizzled w/ a dab of olive oil. I eat veggies at least 2-3 servings a day if not more. (1 cup raw, 1/2 c cooked) it is summer so I eat a ton of zuccini or yellow squash. split lengthwise, marinate in italian dressing and throw on the grill, I go to the farmers market see what looks fresh and healthy and come home and play with them. I use real salad dressings with olive oil and taste to it. A little bit goes a lot farther than I thought it would in my obese & eating ff imitations days. real food prepared nicely satisfies more than crappy stuff. since I do not tolerate sugar alcohols I do not eat sugar free candy, cookies etc. I will eat a small amount of S'F icecream if it had < 2 gms sugar alcohol. If I want a sweet I have a very small amount of a real one. 1 real cookie (except in extreme stress) I dont keep those things in the house so If I really want it I have to go to the store for it. I decided if I was going to eat candy I was holding out for something special ie Godiva chocolates. ( they are very pricey so 1 is about all I am going to buy anyways.) I will sometimes have the sf fudgecicles. I totally get it about LOVING food. I eat well. I will never be a person who subsists on protien shakes. NOT EVER. I need flavor and eating crappy stuff just because whatever is not going to happen for me. I eat fresh, quality stuff. organic as much as possible as it has more flavor. A little bit of a real food satisfies me way more than an imitaion fat free low carb styrofoam tasting substitute. I don't think my metabolism is that good either, but starving doesn't improve it. I wish you only the best. I think expecting to see a change in 3 days is also setting you up for failure. Maybe you need to discard your scale? focus on health. get your cardio in. have fun & enjoy life. It had been a long journy for me and a long struggle as wih every other person here. I am finding therapy helpful. I also am reading a book called "how much does your soul weigh?" and doing the exercises in it to develop an ability to love my self a little bit and get a new perspective on the role of food in my life. I've lost the weight, now it is time to find "me" whoever that is.

I wish I could give you encouragement but it's just hard to lose once you get out this far. I went 2 months with no loss eating an average of 700 calories a day and working out every day, some days I worked out twice a day. I can sympathize with you. Strangely enough recently my surgeon put me on maintainence even though I was still at 218 lbs. He said all I had left was the fat plastic surgery would remove and muscle. He increased my calories (800-1200) and the weight started dropping again. Mind you only a few pounds but I hadn't seen a drop in weeks prior to increasing the calories. I still hope to reach 195 before having plastic surgery in October. Having said all that you know if you stick to your program it will happen in time. I have often gone 2 weeks with no weight loss no matter how compliant I've been so 3 days doesn't seem like a long time to me. Back to basics of protein, veggies, fruit. Best of luck to you. Pat RNY 1/20/04 410/213/195 (plastic surgery to take off the last 30 lbs-ending 165)