VSG Maintenance Group
Those last 15lbs...
To all of you who've hit goal, I'd like to ask how difficult/ easy it was to get those last 15lbs off.
I've been eating anywhere from 600 - 1000 cals a day. I'm usually at 800. The weekends could be at 1200 since I don't track cals.
Typical menu:
1/4 cup cheerios
2 HB eggs
1/2 red pepper
Small can of Tuna
3oz chicken w/ salad
1 cup soup
The scale hasn't moved a bit. I'm thinking it's possible I could be gaining muscle from all the gardening and outdoor activities I've been doing but...damn, it would be nice to see that scale move down again.
What would you do/change/add?
How much liquid are you drinking? And have you calculated how much protein that is? At the end I was at 100 grams protein and 100 oz of liquid.
The last 15 lbs came off me pretty easily (and took another 30 friends with them), but I hear others say the last 20 lbs were a battle. I really think it's pretty personal.
Good luck! I know you can get there.
Highest weight: 335 lbs, BMI 50.9
Pre-op weight: 319 lbs, BMI 48.5
Current range: 140-144, BMI 21.3 - 22
175+ lbs lost, maintaining since February 2012
How many grams of protein/day? How many carbs? Not tracking on the weekends can eliminate any loss during the week. Are you exercising? Including weight training? Gardening is good, but I think that variety is crucial for keeping your metabolism humming along.
Personally, I would eliminate the Cheerios, but it seems to be the only starch that you have. Are you mixing anything with the tuna or chicken? What kind of soup? Is it high in protein?
You might also try varying your calories/carbs per day. Perhaps, 800-1000-1100-1200/day, to see, if that might stimulate your metabolism. Increasing your protein can also help, if you are getting less than 80 grams/day.
Are you losing inches? Are your clothes fitting differently?
Gail
Personally, I would eliminate the Cheerios, but it seems to be the only starch that you have. Are you mixing anything with the tuna or chicken? What kind of soup? Is it high in protein?
You might also try varying your calories/carbs per day. Perhaps, 800-1000-1100-1200/day, to see, if that might stimulate your metabolism. Increasing your protein can also help, if you are getting less than 80 grams/day.
Are you losing inches? Are your clothes fitting differently?
Gail
" 
I'm really a newbie at this.. so, not sure if I can really advise!
I've been trying to drop down into the 135-140 range.. but even the 10lbs from 155 to 145 is giving me a fit!
I've been at about the same cals as you, carbs in the 20-40 range.. and it's just slow as molasses.. I'll drop down a couple pound**** my cycle, bounce up and hold till the next one. Maybe 3-5lbs off a month is the speed now? It seems that the usual rules apply, drink a lot of fluids, keep the carbs low, try to keep the cals constantly low (my issue at times..) and patience. My wonderful husband keeps on reassuring me that my body will give it up, that I'm not done (he's been right every other time I've doubted myself..)
I need to do a couple things myself: up the workout intensity, get more consistent with the cal ranges.. been having low-low-low-high-high days... not bad if I was intentionally cycling, but I'm not! I'm coming to the realization I likely need to get my butt to a gym. I can get with the program for a few days, then I fall off with house distractions.. If I had a destination to get to where I was focused on me, I think I'd be more regular with the workouts..
No real advice, just commiserating with you
I've been trying to drop down into the 135-140 range.. but even the 10lbs from 155 to 145 is giving me a fit!
I've been at about the same cals as you, carbs in the 20-40 range.. and it's just slow as molasses.. I'll drop down a couple pound**** my cycle, bounce up and hold till the next one. Maybe 3-5lbs off a month is the speed now? It seems that the usual rules apply, drink a lot of fluids, keep the carbs low, try to keep the cals constantly low (my issue at times..) and patience. My wonderful husband keeps on reassuring me that my body will give it up, that I'm not done (he's been right every other time I've doubted myself..)
I need to do a couple things myself: up the workout intensity, get more consistent with the cal ranges.. been having low-low-low-high-high days... not bad if I was intentionally cycling, but I'm not! I'm coming to the realization I likely need to get my butt to a gym. I can get with the program for a few days, then I fall off with house distractions.. If I had a destination to get to where I was focused on me, I think I'd be more regular with the workouts..
No real advice, just commiserating with you
Elina,
Wow, that's strict.
Once you reduced your carbs down to 20, followed that program and lost that last 10lbs, didn't your weight go up once you started adding carbs again? I'm so afraid that's going to happen and all that hard work will be for nothing.
I haven't been drinking much either. I never have though. I'm a "2 cup of coffee, 2 glass of water" type of girl. The only other time I have liquids is if I drink broth/soup. Strangly, I don't have much of a problem with BM's because of it. (Thank God!)
Wow, that's strict.
Once you reduced your carbs down to 20, followed that program and lost that last 10lbs, didn't your weight go up once you started adding carbs again? I'm so afraid that's going to happen and all that hard work will be for nothing.
I haven't been drinking much either. I never have though. I'm a "2 cup of coffee, 2 glass of water" type of girl. The only other time I have liquids is if I drink broth/soup. Strangly, I don't have much of a problem with BM's because of it. (Thank God!)
Everyone is so different. I lost weight consistently during the weight loss phase eating 40-60 carbs/day. I never dropped below 40 carbs/day on a consistent basis. When I started exercising and weight training, I needed the calories and carbs to perform the workouts. Plus, with less fat reserves, it does become more a matter of creating a calorie deficit, through decreased calories and exercise. Strictly lowering your calories, does result in the loss of more lean muscle mass, once one has lower fat reserves and is fairly close or in a normal BMI range.
For my last ten lbs, I was eating 900-1000 cal/day, 40-60 carbs, weight training 2-3 times/week, plus some cardio thrown in 2-3 times/week. It came off. Aiming for 0.5 -1 lb /week will help to keep your lean muscle mass, so that your metabolism doesn't cra**** is a journey, not a sprint, especially since you are this far out from surgery.
Drinking water/fluids is vital to flush the waste products out of your body. Higher protein intake causes your metabolism to work faster, since it takes more energy to break down the protein.
For me, I could not, nor would I want to drop down to 800 cal/day at this point in time. It worked during the first 6 months, but with my workouts, I wouldn't be able to function effectively at the low amount.
How much sodium does your soup have? Soups and broths generally have a lot of sodium. Elina's recipes are healthy, low sodium, and chock full of protein.
Finally, are you able to have your body fat tested? That might help to give you more information.
Gail
For my last ten lbs, I was eating 900-1000 cal/day, 40-60 carbs, weight training 2-3 times/week, plus some cardio thrown in 2-3 times/week. It came off. Aiming for 0.5 -1 lb /week will help to keep your lean muscle mass, so that your metabolism doesn't cra**** is a journey, not a sprint, especially since you are this far out from surgery.
Drinking water/fluids is vital to flush the waste products out of your body. Higher protein intake causes your metabolism to work faster, since it takes more energy to break down the protein.
For me, I could not, nor would I want to drop down to 800 cal/day at this point in time. It worked during the first 6 months, but with my workouts, I wouldn't be able to function effectively at the low amount.
How much sodium does your soup have? Soups and broths generally have a lot of sodium. Elina's recipes are healthy, low sodium, and chock full of protein.
Finally, are you able to have your body fat tested? That might help to give you more information.
Gail
"
(deactivated member)
on 6/13/12 1:58 am, edited 6/13/12 2:18 am
on 6/13/12 1:58 am, edited 6/13/12 2:18 am
I hear ya!!!! My body does not want to give up those last 15 pounds. I had surgery about the same time as you, I'm keeping my calories low, protein high, carbs low, and I am walking 4 miles most everyday, doing a lot of sit-ups and push-ups (girl push-ups), and yet, the scale doesn't move.
When I had my breast reduction 4 months ago, the plastic surgeon told me that I was at goal, and that the rest of the fat was attached to my excess skin and would only come off through plastic surgery. Of course, he stands to gain money by telling me this...LOL. So, I refuse to believe him. I was 126 pounds and solid muscle when I got married at 27 years old. I was a gym rat. I know that I can be much slimmer than this.
The gym is 40 minutes away, but I may start making the drive again soon and kicking up the exercising. I think at this point, exercise is my only hope combined with low calories, high protein, low carb to get the rest of this stubborn weight off.
Will you join me on posting your daily food "daily crunches and munches?" that accountability helps keep me on track. Plus, I post on my fitness pal, and leave my food diary wide open. Public humiliation helps keep me straight...
I'm trying to be strong, with a good attitude, but I have been getting jealous of the people who "can't stop" losing. It seems so unfair...but, that's life, most of us have to work our butts off to get the rest of the weight off. Most of us are metabolically challenged from years of yo-yo dieting.
But, we can do it, and I choose to turn jealousy into positive energy and do more more sit-ups with it!!!!
When I had my breast reduction 4 months ago, the plastic surgeon told me that I was at goal, and that the rest of the fat was attached to my excess skin and would only come off through plastic surgery. Of course, he stands to gain money by telling me this...LOL. So, I refuse to believe him. I was 126 pounds and solid muscle when I got married at 27 years old. I was a gym rat. I know that I can be much slimmer than this.
The gym is 40 minutes away, but I may start making the drive again soon and kicking up the exercising. I think at this point, exercise is my only hope combined with low calories, high protein, low carb to get the rest of this stubborn weight off.
Will you join me on posting your daily food "daily crunches and munches?" that accountability helps keep me on track. Plus, I post on my fitness pal, and leave my food diary wide open. Public humiliation helps keep me straight...
I'm trying to be strong, with a good attitude, but I have been getting jealous of the people who "can't stop" losing. It seems so unfair...but, that's life, most of us have to work our butts off to get the rest of the weight off. Most of us are metabolically challenged from years of yo-yo dieting.
But, we can do it, and I choose to turn jealousy into positive energy and do more more sit-ups with it!!!!
