Question:
4 MONTHS OUT, HOW LONG CAN I STAY ON A LIQUID DIET?

I FOUND THAT A ALL LIQUID DIET WILL BREAK THE PLATUE THAT I WAS HAVING FOREVER AND NOW I AM SCARED TO EAT NORMAL IN FEAR THAT IT WILL COME BACK OR I WILL GAIN THE WEIGHT BACK. IS THIS COMMON? WILL I GET OVER IT? SOMEBODY HELP ME PLEASE. HOW LONG IS IT OK TO STAY ON ALL LIQUIDS? I WILL DO IT FOREVER IF IT MEANS QUICKER WEIGHT LOSS..ONLY DOWN 52 LBS IN 4.5 MONTHS AND VERY WORRIED AND DISCOURAGED.    — Karen Kay (KK) O. (posted on January 31, 2003)

January 31, 2003
I was also on a plateau (even gaining) due to falling back into BAD habits. I went back on liquids for a week and started losing again. However, this week I started trying to eat and stopped losing again. Apparently those bad habits are willful than I am! I'm going back to liquids again for a while longer until I feel in control again. I hope it helps. Good luck!
   — jen41766

January 31, 2003
I thought for half an hour, trying to come up with a kind and gentle way to say this.. but I'm not sure I made it. The surgery you have had to help you lose weight is a tool, and any tool can be broken or damaged if it is abused. Because you say you are worried and discouraged about your current behavior, it seems you are asking for help to face the problem and deal with it. I've not had this difficulty but it sounds like you need to get in touch with your surgeon and/or someone qualified to help you deal with this and get on REAL food. Anyone can go on a liquid diet forever and lose weight, but when you start to eat real food, you will gain back just because your body isn't used to it. You need to trust in your tool and in your own ability to deal with any other food related issues in your life, so you can move on into a more 'normal' (relative term) way of life. You say you've ONLY Lost 52 pounds in four months.. have you ever lost that much weight that quickly before surgery and kept it off? It's time to stop depriving yourself and deal with whatever issues are causing you so much fear that you are forcing yourself to stay on liquids when most others are back on solid food. If what I've had to say makes you mad, I'm sorry, but you DID ask for help. Good luck.
   — Joscelin

January 31, 2003
I must agree with Julie on this.. I don't think I could have said it any better, so that half hour she took to think about how to tell you to *stop starving yourself* was well spent!
   — gina C.

January 31, 2003
Hey, I get that you are fustrated, & that's normal. What is also normal is for the weight loss to slow down after 3 months. Are you using fitday.com at all? It really helps me follow my losses & plateaus. I can see the patterns & trust that this too will pass. Are you taking in enough calories? I've heard time & time again that if we don't take in enough, our bodies try like hell to hold on to what we do have. Are you losing inches? Are you drinking enough water? keeping your salt intake down? Another thing, & this may not apply to you, however for me, when I'm holding on to anger & resentment, I'm also holding on to my fat. So maybe you could chill out & do something fun.
   — LionGirl2k

January 31, 2003
I agree with nancy weight loss is slow the third month it was for me but your not going to get adiquate nutrition from liquid diet you should of trasitions along time ago to blender diet and then to semi-normal foods. There are allot of high protien foods you should think about trying. when I first had surgey I weighed 242 around nov and now I weigh 190 so am 3months out and down 50lbs yes I want to lose more no I don't want to lose it quickly I give you some explamples of what could happen heart problems due to quick weight loss saggy skin dehydration kidney failfure. Just be safe.
   — sheri B.

February 3, 2003
Hi Karen. I am only 1 1/2 weeks post op, so don't have much experience with this, except for I thought the same thing about staying on a liquid diet for as long as I could. Then I asked my nutritionist, and she explained to me how it is not going to work correctly, you "need to make your new tummy work". Anyways, it really makes sence. Plus, just a liquid diet, if you count your calories up, you could be getting the same amount of calories by eating. Just remember to eat protien first, then your veggies, etc. A scrammbled egg has less calories than a cup of milk. You really need to eat solid food, it stays with you longer too. Good luck. wish you the best. ~ Sandy
   — Sandy H.