Question:
None of the usual rules are working for me?

It is absolutely AMAZING. If I eat, I do NOT lose weight. I have backed up to fluids for two weeks again to jump start the weight loss. When I plateau from this I will eat a little food to jump start the weight loss again... and then when I plateau from that I will go back to all liquids. I lost 24 lbs on all fluids with NO protein. And then I lost a little more when I "first" started eating. Now though, if I continue to eat NO WEIGHT comes off and I am eating with the "rules"... no/LOW carbs. The more protein I get the weight does not move. What is happening with me? I wonder?    — Eleanore Davis (posted on September 25, 2003)

September 25, 2003
Not having protein in your diet is dangerous for your health, so even if you have to stick to liquids, drink protein shakes to ensure you get in enough protein. When you say that when you eat no weight comes off, what are you eating, how often, how much and for how long did you do this. Are you drinking with or right after meals, eating too many calories when you do eat, and how is your water intake and exercise? Its a complete package and if you fall down in some areas, it can impact your weight loss. Plateaus are not uncommon for some, and you should continue to get your nutrition from food as opposed to all liquids and stick to it for a while, even if you lose no weight because of a plateau. Eventually it will move again. You get discouraged too easily. Ride out the plateaus.
   — Cindy R.

September 25, 2003
From your profile, I see you are all off *seven weeks* post-op. I cannot imagine forcing yourself back and forth into a liquid diet to jump start weight loss at that stage. Is it possible that you have unrealistic expectations about how fast your weight is supposed to come off (a pound a day? every other day?? or you decide to go back to liquids on day three???), whereas your priority should be healing up properly (including nutritionally) from the surgery and re-learning your eating habits for the long run. I think you should have a serious sit-down with your doc and/or nutritionist so they can explain how you ought not to be doing this to your body at seven weeks post-op. Plateaus are normal at this stage (if you've even had time to have a true plateau). Sorry to post such a heavy response, but you have to ask how you expect for your body to heal, or to learn how to live with this surgery successfully in the long run, if you are going to extremes already.
   — Suzy C.

September 25, 2003
Eleanore-- Just a hunch here, but I will venture a guess that the usual rules of biochemistry and medicine apply to you in much the same way that they apply to the rest of us. Consequently, heed the advice of the other posters and discuss your expectations and your eating plan with your doctors. Also, consider if you want to now start planning for a lifetime of healthy eating and what steps you need to be taking to achieve that lifetime goal. The system you are following may be promoting different types of losses (maybe you are losing muscle mass by your lack of protein, maybe you are losing a lot of fluid as your sodium intake dips with your all-liquid phases); however, you are clearly not following a plan for a lifetime of health. Good luck.
   — SteveColarossi

September 26, 2003
Please do not go into the yo-yo dieting practices that never worked for us before. This procedure will work, but you need to get rid of the scale and focus on your health, not the numbers on the scale. I felt on some months as if I was never going to lose all of the weight and here I am now at a little over a year out and I am struggling with finding the appropriate maintainance program (I NEVER thought I would have to figure out how to STOP losing) Although I am certainly not an expert I do know that your body has gone through so much these last few months, and as long as you are eating plenty of protein, drinking 8 (or more) 8 oz. glasses of water, taking your vitamins and getting excercise, YOU will lose weight. There were times that I would go a full month without dropping one pound and then it would pick up again, but I stayed with the plan and I trusted that I was doing what was right for my body. If you want some recipe ideas, please e-mail me and I can send you a few ideas for the time frame you are in. Please, if you do only one thing, make sure that it is to NOT DEPRIVE yourself of vital nutrients. Your body has gone through some major changes and going back and forth on liquids and cutting out protein are just not good choices now. Do you have a support group for WLS patients in your area? If not, make sure that you get active in the ones on-line. This in a very emotional journey to begin with, but if you deprive your body, it will only make things harder. E-mail me anytime!!!! Good luck!!
   — Dana B.

September 26, 2003
Weight loss is not your primary concern. Good health in. Get your protein in or your body will attack your muscles and organs.
   — mrsmyranow