Question:
Discouraged with weight loss
Hi Everyone: I am so discouraged and depressed with my weight loss. I had lap rny on August 21, 2002. In 9 weeks I have lost 33-34 pounds. I have to struggle and fight for every single pound. I walk 5 miles per day and my sample menu is as follows: Breakfast - protein shake with water, lunch: Tuna fish salad or turkey and cheese or some other high protein meat, dinner: fish, vegetables, snack: 2 spoons of peanut butter or nuts or cheese sticks. I always consume 64 ozs of water or more. I lost about 23 pounds in the first 4 weeks, but the next 5 weeks were awfully discouraging. Yes, I have lost this amount of weight on a diet, but not kept it off. Everyday is such a struggle. Not because I am hungry, but I keep wondering when weight will begin to go. I am a firm believer in weighing every day. I want to see what I was doing the day before, and then repeat that process in order to lose more. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks - Grace — Grace H. (posted on October 23, 2002)
October 23, 2002
Grace, please dont be discouraged. This is a learning process for us, and
we have to experiment with our eating to find what is the key or works for
us.
One thing I noticed about the sample meal plan you listed, though is sounds
very healthy, if you are eating as small of portions as I currently am (at
3+ months post) it would appear your intake of protien is low. Any time my
weight loss has slowed down and I evaluate my meals, I find I have let the
protien slip.
Just a thought for you.
Take care,
— Nene B.
October 23, 2002
Grace, I know you do not think this, but since you started at
"only" 230 pounds, you are a "lightweight". Your weight
loss is pretty normal for someone that started at 230 pounds.
— Vicki L.
October 23, 2002
Grace, sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing, just be
patient. I have no magical words to speed up your weight loss but sometimes
lightweights lose slower than others.IT WILL HAPPEN.. One morning you'll
get on the scales and you will be at your goal:) Please don't get
discouraged, just keep doing everything your doing.
— Lynda T.
October 23, 2002
I started at 252. I am 4 1/2 months post-op. First month I was down 25
lbs; month two, a total of 35 lbs; month three, a total of 50 lbs; month 4,
a total of 65 lbs; now at 4 1/2 months, I'm down 76 lbs. See, that is slow
for some, but that puts me at 173 lbs this morning. Those numbers are
approximate, but within 1-2 lbs either way. Now, you seem to be doing just
fine! If you follow a path like mine, you could weigh 154 lbs by your
fifth month out. That's pretty darned good if you ask me. And, still
going... Don't be worried, you sound like you're doing a great job!!!
— cjabates
October 23, 2002
My average was 16.5 per month. Consider this, you may think it is slow
loss; but the habits that you are forming now (all the exercise and good
eating) will last you a lifetime- no matter WHAT weight you end up.
— Karen R.
October 23, 2002
Don't be discouraged! I had open RNY on Aug 6, and have lost about 38lbs
to date. I think it's great! I was discouraged my first 6 weeks too, but
I found once I quit obsessing with it all, put my scale away, and just
lived my life, it's amazing how much easier it got. Any doctor will tell
you losing more than 2-3 pounds a week is not safe or healthy. You're
going to lose the weight, eating such a limited diet, you can't help but
succeed. Just remember, 10 pounds a month is 100 pounds in 10 months. It
will come off...just be patient.
Good luck,
k.
— Kay S.
October 23, 2002
I think that there is a myth out there that we are all going to lose the
weight over night. Of course, I too wanted to get up off the operating
table having lost the 170 pounds I want to lose. You will go through slow
times. Keep up the good work. You are doing it all right.
— tulagirl
October 23, 2002
I too have been a slow loser. I am 4months and 4 days and I have lost 66.5
pounds. I also feel each pound has been a struggle. I dont buy into this
lightweight/heavyweight stuff either. I had 130 to lose and it is slow. The
2 things that help me are measurements taken one/two times a month(41
inches gone) and tonight I figured out how much bodyfat vs lean muscle mass
I lost. 56 pounds of yucky fat and approx 11 pounds of muscle lost. I think
these are great numbers! My body fat has went from 52% to 39%. That is
huge!! Whether my evil satanic scale tells me I've lost enough or not I
guarntee My body knows and it shows. You are doing amazing!!! Email me if
you ever want to vent or chat about slow loss!
— Adriane T.
October 23, 2002
Just an addition to all the good things everyone else has said :>)
Your theory about weighing each day so if you lose you can repeat what you
did the day before has a big ole hole in it. Weight doesn't come off in a
day. It may seem like it, but it actually shifts around and then one day
you may notice three or even four days weight drop off. So while you think
you've not had a good day today, you may have actually. It's really best
to keep a weekly journal of what you eat and then go by that WEEKS weight
loss to see where you are succeeding or not. Best of luck to you!
— [Deactivated Member]
October 23, 2002
Grace your diet sounds perfect and you sound like you are doing really
well. I think that heavy and light things has some relevance but you are
doing amazing.
My take on the whole thing is this put the scale out of your way for awhile
and bask in the fact that you are eating great and exercising wonderfully
and that is some the reasons you had this surgery and you are mastering
them. The scale is one tool one indicator that this surgery is working but
could you have walked 5 miles before this surgery without supporting oxygen
and a car near by incase you passed out : p Let the scale go for awhile so
that when you do visit it you will see a change that is little more
encouraging.
Good luck honey!!!!!!!
— Peggy A.
October 23, 2002
Hi Everyone:
I am the original poster. Thank you all for your responses. It makes me
feel so much better to know that you all understand what I am going
through, and cared enough to write. I am psyched today because of your
help. I can do this. Thanks so much. Love Grace
— Grace H.
October 24, 2002
Of course you can do this! Grace, you are doing everything right, just
stay the course. Lightweights do lose slower, its a fact. But as the
months pass, the weight will continue to go down. And do NOT compare your
loss to others. You will always find others who lost faster than you, even
ones who started out at a lower weight! It is self-defeating to do so. As
for weighing every day, i do it too. However, that said, I have made a
promise to myself. If I can't "handle" what I see, then don't do
the daily weigh in. There are occasions when I will gain 2 pounds. But
instead of getting depressed, I let it pass and a week later the two gained
are gone along with another 2. I have also been told that what you eat
today may not affect your weight for a few days, so throw out that theory
of checking what you ate the day before and repeating the process.
— Cindy R.
October 24, 2002
Dear Grace, you sound like you are doing very well with your diet and
exercise. Some folks have very stubborn bodies that it takes them a while
to get the message and just give the weight up. But it will happen. I also
personally noticed that each time I was stuck on a certain plateu, it was
at a weight that I had been at before. The longer I had been at that
'setpoint' weight, the longer it took to bust the plateau. 230 took a while
for me. Walking is very good, but if you can incorporate any weight lifting
this might give your body a jolt. Sometimes a change-up in exercise helps
the body get over a slower loss. I completely agree with the person who
said not to compare yourself to others, this journey is so intensly
personalized; I have been constantly amazed by how different we all are in
this. Good Luck to you!
— Cara F.
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