Question:
AM I GRAZING? I NEED A SUPPORT GROUP

FOR STARTERS I NEED TO FIND A SUPPORT GROUP IN CHARLESTON WV. IM 6 WEEKS POST OP AND IM STUCK ON A PLATEAU. IVE BEEN HERE FOR TWO WEEKS. IM DOWN 27LBS FROM SURGERY IT SEEMS TO DROP IN FIRST WEEK OR TWO, WHILE I WAS ON LIQUIDS. I WANT TO GO BACK TO LIQUIDS TO SEE IF I CAN LOOSE MORE. IM STUCK IN THE FRUSTRATION PERIOD. I NEED TO COMPARE WHAT IM EATING. IS GRAZING EATING EVERY TWO HOURS SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND NOT ALWAYS GOOD FOR YOU BUT AN OCCASIONALL BITE OF SOMETHING WRONG, I KNOW IM EATING A LOT LESS THAN I USED TO BUT I SEEM TO BE ABLE TO EAT MORE LATELY AND NOT GET SICK AND IM WORRIED. I FEEL HUNGRY EVERY TWO HOURS AND I CAN EAT 1 OZ ROUGHLY AND FEEL FINE. IS THAT NORMAL? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A NUTRITIONIST SOON IM FALLING THROUGH CRACKS AND KEEP GETTING THE APPT POSTPONED BECAUSE OF THEM BEING BUSY.THANKS AHEAD OF TIME ANGIE MATHEWS    — ANGIE M. (posted on June 28, 2002)

June 28, 2002
Here are answers I found in the Q&A database:---------- 01/12/02: Charleston does have a wonderful support group. The president is Joe Richards and vice president Vickie Hanson. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 15th, at 6:00pm at the old Cagneys building. The same building Dr Stickler's office is located, on the Court Street side. Hope to see you there. - Rebecca Nicholas 01/11/02: Yes, Dr. Stickler has a support group. The leader is Vickie Hanson who is listed under the WV Peer group. She would be glad to tell you about it. I belong to Morgantown, WV support group of Dr Bergstein but I know Charleston has a great group! - Marilyn Childers
   — BethVBG

June 28, 2002
I think you are doing just fine. I, too, had an early plateau (weeks 3-6 for me). I had lost just 20 pounds and thought it was over! Still, I made it through and reached my top goal at 7 months and my current weight at 10 months. Your hormones are going nuts right now, too, so that makes everything seem worse. My dr recommended eating every 2 hours and if you are only eating one ounce, you are DEFINITELY not overdoing it. You do want to continue to eat because if you cut back too much your body will go into starvation mode and hang on to the fat--you REALLY don't want that! So keep eating every couple of hours--protein first and other stuff if you have room--and drinking as much water as you can get in. Stay active. The weight WILL come off. There is no way your body can maintain its weight on what you are eating! Also, take your measurements. Often on plateaus you are not losing weight but you ARE losing inches. Don't panic, you are doing FINE! Good luck and happy losing!
   — ctyst

June 28, 2002
I am only 3 months out but when I start losing just a pound a week then I up my water and I start walking an additional 1/2 mile a day. Once I start this in 4-5 days I take off around 7-10 lbs, it is amazing but this has worked for me so far. I was recently stuck on a 49 lb loss and I upped my walking on Monday by 1/2 a mile, last night I got on the scales and had lost 8 lbs. I now walk a total of 3 1/2 miles a day in the am when it is cool. It takes me about an hour to walk it but it is definitly worth the results. Good luck RK 57lbs lap rny 4-9-02
   — Robin B.