Question:
Has anyone just ever given up and not worried about what they ate?

Maybe it is just the mood I am in. I am not sure. I am 16 weeks post-op tomorrow.I only weigh on Fridays. I am 48 pounds down. I guess I am discouraged. I feel great about the weight loss. I have never lost that much before in this little of time but.... So my question is Instead of worrying about protein protein protein and should i do this or that has ANYONE out there just ate "normal" and still lost weight? I know smaller portions, but not worried about protein and am I doing this right. My weight loss has slowed down to 1 or 2 pounds aweek unless I am on a plateau and I have had 2 of those already. If i just eat smaller porions of all foods will I still lose weight? Don't get me wrong I just wondered if I ate like normal people and still lost weight wouldn't it be easier than always worrying whether I am doing everything right. Right now I wonder if the weight loss would still be about the same? I just thought I would lose faster.I know I am a Lightweight, I just wanted to vent and ask if anybody has just not watched what they ate and still lost weight? I hope this is not to confusing Email if you like. Lynne    — Lynne K. (posted on October 31, 2002)

October 31, 2002
Of course you could *try* this, but IMO you'd be defeating the purpose, slowing yourself down, and possibly damaging your health. Remember that you no longer process foods like you did pre-op and by not consciously getting in your protein vitamins water etc. you may be setting yourself up for major health concerns further down the line. Personally, at 16 weeks and until relatively recently, I "paid" for eating the wrong foods in the form of diarrhea. Now, at 14 months out, I do pretty much eat 'normally,' just in much smaller portions; but I still avoid breads like the plague and I always eat my proteins before starting in on vegetables. So my answer is, do your utmost to stick with the program; and see your surgeon for bloodwork and checkups for at least a year before you start doing serious deviation from the whole thing. A year goes by really fast, trust me!
   — BlueGray

October 31, 2002
Lynne, Here's the problem. If you eat smaller portions of "normal" food, you will probably continue to loose weight slowly. But, if you don't get enough protein, you will probably get sick. Because your meals are so much smaller, the amount of protein is also smaller and may not be enough to keep you healthy. Protein is one of the essential nutrients for life. In fact, the word protein is derived from a Greek word meaning "of first importance." The thing that I wonder from your post is why are you so worried about doing this "right?" There is no absolute right or wrong. It sounds like you are being really hard on yourself. Eating high protein meals may be boring and difficult, but it isn't complicated. Is it your craving for other foods that is driving you away from the protein, or is it just a desire to feel normal? Please don't get too down. Your profile said that you started out 108 pounds overweight. A los of 48 pounds means that you have lost 44% of your excess weight in 16 weeks. That's fantastic!
   — Amber L.

October 31, 2002
Complex question. I do protein supplements & vite every single day, no exceptions. That leaves me free to eat sort of whatever. I do not "diet". I avoid milk & sugar, but do eat carbs & fat. Not only, not excessively. I don't HAVE to eat certain things, because they're covered. BUT, for my program (no milk, no sugar) when I throw caution to the winds? Very simple. My jeans don't zip. Soon. Not months later, days later. I pay the price immediately. So, I tried to answer your question in 2 parts. No, I don't "diet" or follow some pre-determined eating plan. I supplement, I avoid milk & sugar, and do the small meals. AND when I deviate from that, I gain wt. So simple, so brutal.
   — vitalady

October 31, 2002
Hi Lynne: My answer to your question is yes and no. I was having so much trouble in the second month losing weight. I was keeping my carbs under 20 grams per day and keeping it low fat. The weight loss was awful. Since then, I begin each day with a protein shake (35 grams of protein). I avoid most milk and sugar, but do eat carbs and fat. When I say I avoid sugar, I do not worry about sugar contained in things such as tomato juice. Carb wise I eat macaroni and cheese, soups, potatoes and crackers. I do not eat bread (it tastes awful), and have not even tried sweet/carb foods such as chocolate, candy, etc. After drinking the protein shake in the morning, I only need 20 more grams of protein throughout the day. I do eat all kinds of cheese, turkey lunch meat, meatballs, turkey meatballs, salad with cheese and hard boiled egg, all kinds of fish, and usually once a week, fat free sugar free small frozen yogurt from Dairy Queen. I also eat nuts. After I began the program of adding carbs and fats, I have actually begun to lose weight. So I guess what I am saying is, I make sure to get the 55 grams of protein, 35 grams in the morning, so I can make more or less the choices I want during the day. For lunch or dinner, if I am having say fish and macaroni and cheese or turkey and mashed potatoes, I always eat the fish and turkey first. If I have more room, I will eat the carbs. It is funny, carbs alone, not carb/sugar combos, do not cause me to have more cravings. I found that counting carbs and having nothing I enjoyed in my diet, not only stopped me from losing weight, but made me miserable. One other curious thing is that I have been lactose intolerant to a small degree since I was a child. However, of course, I could always eat ice cream. Since surgery, I have avoided milk, skim milk and have yogurt only occasionally. Milk seems to make me feel very bloated, and appears to hinder weight loss. Also, I cannot seem to digest chicken or turkey, unless it is ground meat or lunch meat. I found that obsessing completely, and eating only protein and no carbs and fat, was extremely depressing. To top it off, I did not lose weight. By the way, I always drink at least 64 ozs of water/water substitute per day. I think if you get your required protein in, you can pretty much eat most of the things that you crave. My best advice is to get that protein in early in the day, so you don't have to worry and obsess about it so much. I hope this helps. Believe me, I know how hard this is. I wish you much luck. You will do fine using your own good judgment. Love Grace
   — Grace H.

November 1, 2002
You are at your 1/2 way mark at the 4th month my Doctor said for sucess of this surgery you had to have been at the half way mark at the end of the 4th month and you are there.. You are doing great go to the opening page on Obesity help dot com and do the BMI calculator and then go see where it says you will be weight wise at each month YOu just feel like your not doing well but You are relax walk eat the proteins stay away from the liquid calories and take your supplements you are 1/2 way to goal just think how much better you feel then 4 months ago keep sight of the light at the end of the tunnel Kathy
   — Kathleen M.

November 1, 2002
Hi! You should not be discouraged by your weight loss at all! 48lbs in 16 weeks is fantastic and only losing 1 or 2 pounds per week is exactly how you should do it. As far as throwing caution to the wind and eating whatever, I wouldn't recommend it. I mean, enjoy the things you like (within reason) but keep up with the protein. The reason is that if you don't, your body will use your muscle stores for energy and that includes your heart muscle. Now that you are losing weight and becoming healthy again you don't want to risk your heart and muscles do you? I eat a regular diet with a focus on protein. I don't avoid milk or sugar (well, I do avoid thing HIGH in sugar)and I can go out to dinner and easily order off the menu. And I do have some carbs, usually one like bread, a tortilla, or pasta per day. I'm sure that you will find your stride soon and what fits your lifestyle as far as eating goes. Good luck! I am 12 wks post op -51lbs.
   — Jean T.

November 1, 2002
Hi Lynne... yes. I ate normally, or reasonably normally when you consider that I dump on sugars and fats, and lost all my weight. I continued to lose weight, very slowly for two years following wls. I am now a smaller size than I have ever been before, although I still weigh about 15 pounds more than the insurance charts say I should. I don't deprive myself. I crave hard candies now and I do allow myself to have some in the evenings. I eat mostly vegetables...because that is what I want to eat. I listen to my body and try to do what it tells me. I take supplements, exercise daily, and get enough rest. I feel incredibly healthy. Just this morning a co-worker said to me "you seem to be getting younger and youner. What is your secret?" Clean living. Good healthy diet, and exercise, that's the secret. I also worried that I wasn't losing fast enough the first year and spent alot of time counting calories and protein grams and agonizing over fluctuations on the scale. Stop weighing yourself, if possible. Let your clothes tell you how you are doing. When I got to size 8, (at about one year out) I was so ecstatic I went out and bought lots of new clothes, never dreaming that I would actually get smaller. Now, at 2.25 years out,I am a size 4 and still having a wonderful time buying clothes...thank goodness for Marshall's and Ross. To answer your question...Yes! You can relax and eat normally. But what is 'normal' will probably change for you. NO...I can't eat ice cram and french fries any more. Do I feel deprived? NOT A BIT. Would I do it again...you betcha. Good luck. and relax. Some of us just lose it a little slower. :))
   — Anne G.