Question:
ANYONE ELSE FRUSTRATED AT A YEAR OUT AND NOT AT
I just celebrated 1 yr. post-op on 2/14/04. I had my 1 yr. checkup on this past Tuesday 2/24/04. I am also PMS and due for my period on 2/29/04 (NOT MAKING EXCUSES) Anyway, I never went for a checkup right before or right after my period, and this time I had to cause that was the closest time after my 1 yr. that they had. Anyway, As of my 9 mos. post op- I was down 76 lbs. What a miserable day my 1 yr. checkup was. I GAINED 6 LBS! THE NURSE AND SURGEON SAID IT IS PROBABLY WATER RETENTION. BUT STILL I'M FRUSTRATED!!!! Anyway, I am an exercise nut and power walk about 30-40min a day--- 4-5 times a week. My surgeon told me that I am not eating enough. I hadn't been eating the 5 small meals a day so he said that could be why. I also need to up my protein and fluids. I have had some problems with snacking, been there done that!!!! I WISH THE HONEYMOON PERIOD WERE STILL HERE!!!! I am getting married in May of this year. My mom took me to try on wedding gowns last month and it's gorgeous. It's a size 26. The largest. Anyway If I were pre-op, I would have needed a gown specially made. The ladies at the shop told me that wedding gowns are cut smaller to true size. Anyway, my surgeon also told me that I need to stop focusing on what i want my goal weight to be, and just do what I need to do to get there. He said that my body composition is changing. I have read other posts also about losing inches and not lbs. That is possible. All of my clothes are getting bigger and I gained weight. Anyway, I am going to attribute that unhappy weigh in 1yr. day to my PMS. I hate it! If you are a man reading this--- THEN YOU ARE LUCKY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH PMS!!!!! If this post/ question/ whatever you want to call it, comes across in a venting way, then I am. I am here like you are, for support. I welcome any and all responses. I just can't understand how it is virtually possible to GAIN WEIGHT, WHEN THE STOMACH IS THAT SMALL! Yes- I know it stretches over time. I also told my surgeon- Dr. English at Florida Medical-- and he said that I and others need to stop getting hung up over the stomach stretching. He says that is not something to keep worrying about. i asked him if I needed pics of my stomach taken (forgot what that test is called) but he said I don't. Anyway, I hope that if you are reading this then you can relate to my frustration. Please do respond if you are a year out and haven't gotten to the "CENTURY CLUB" YET!!!!! I hope I'm not alone. I know everyone loses differently. Bonnie — Bonnie R. (posted on February 27, 2004)
February 27, 2004
Hi Bonnie, my suggestion to you would be to up the protein and fluids. I
would eat almost all protein and make sure to get at least 64 ozs of fluids
every day. My doc has all his patients eat all protein until goal. Try it,
it may work for you too. You have come to far, don't let yourself get
depressed and give up now. This is a wonderful tool we have been given but
we still have to work at this, really hard!! Feel free to eamil me if you
need support, I will do anything I can to help you. I will not judge or
talk bad to you, only offer you the best advice I can. Best of luck to
you!! Open RNY 8-12-02 down 130 lbs. 5 lbs below doc's goal for me!!
— Sharon1964
February 27, 2004
Hi, it might be helpful to know what you are eating throughout the day, as
you did not report this in your post. Often we just doom ourselves with
what we consume on a daily basis after surgery, not that you are, but some
do.
— Mark
February 27, 2004
Bonnie,
I am sorry that you are struggling. I peeked at your profile, and one issue
that came up consistently was snacking. That will KILL your weight loss,
girlfriend. You wouldn't believe how much a bite here and a bite there adds
up to. Also, really do try to not eat and drink at the same time.. and up
the protein. Keep that snacking under control and I am sure that you will
get a jump on the weight loss again. Good luck, and congrats on the
wedding.
— SarahC
February 27, 2004
I'm sorry that things aren't going as you wish. ? is what are you eating
each day? I think you can exercise and blah, blah all day long but if you
are eating the wrong foods it may slow down your wt loss. Maybe refocus and
throw out the carbs, rice, sugar, potatoes, breads etc. Maybe this will
help you. You are right everyone loses their wt differently, hang in there,
I wish you the best on your wl journey.****400/210/-190 lbs/14th month.****
— Naes Wls J.
February 27, 2004
Bonnie, why not make a commitment to write down everything you put in your
mouth for about a month. I mean everything, including liquids. You can
get some idea then about how much you're really consuming. I do this
periodically just to be sure I'm on track calorie wise and it is surprising
how seemingly tiny little bites and sips of stuff can add up to so many
calories. Some people track their food everyday just to stay on course. I
agree with your surgeon too........just concentrate on doing the right
things, you know the rules, and you will get there. Worrying and stressing
about a goal weight would just make me want to eat.
— SCbabe B.
February 27, 2004
Hi Bonnie, I pretty much agree with everybody else. But I have a question
for you.....have you done a measurement chart? I take my measurements
every month on my anniversary day. It has been really helpful because in
month 6 I lost 15 lbs and month 7 I only lost 4 lbs. But when I campared
the inches lost in those 2 mos, it showed that I lost 11 more inches in the
7th month than I did in the 6th month. That just goes to show you that's
it's not all about the pounds!!
Best of luck to you,
Michelle :) -105
— Michelle_S
February 27, 2004
Bonnie, I know it is hard. And yet so great, right? I am 7 months post
op. 7/10/03 I was 282. 1/1/04 I was 201.5. Today I was 194. A number I
haven't seen since high school. Yes from 1/1 to 2/27, only down 7.5
pounds. Wow, until I just now did the math, I hadn't been looking at that.
For me, it is my own fault. I do not exercise (but I have been busy doing
other things not just sitting around, so that's good at least) but I also
realized crappy food choices have snuck back in, and I know how to
"get around" some of the rules, and have been doing so. I am
sabotaging myself, and it is all my own doing. I have to face that. I set
up an excel sheet to track everything I eat, and I've been writing it all
down, I just have to update the sheet. It will show me the average of the
last 3 days, 7 days, 14, and 30 days on key figures I check - protein,
fluids, vitamins, fruit/veg servings, whether I got in my one V8 and 1
prune juice each day, etc. Also how many g of prot are food or liquid,
calcium. I added calories. Our nutritionist doesn't want us to count fat
grams, carbs, calories etc - just learn to eat balanced, but for me, it
really helps to SEE the calories. Perhaps tracking this will help you. I
was amazed, now that I can eat more than post op, how I really fell into ok
what do I eat next - because I had been getting in so little at first I'll
skip the long story, it was a constant focus on eat eat eat drink drink
drink and I eat so little I can eat whatever I want. Now that that time
has passed, I DO HAVE TO WATCH WHAT and HOW MUCH and HOW OFTEN I eat. It
is down to me working it. I've been making changes to do that, as I want
to lose more. I know how bothersome it can be when you think you are doing
everything right and blah happens. But if you examine truly and fairly
what you are eating, you may surprise yourself. I thought I was getting my
vitamins in about 5 days out of 7 fully and partly on the other two days.
Accordnig to my records I was only getting them in half the time!!
surprise! But it is critical that you not go easy on your estimating. Buy
a scale and weigh things. Measrue things. When you are out to eat and
have cottage cheese - how do you measure that? You have to picture what's
on the plate to a 1/2c measure in your head. And don't try to say that's a
1/4c there, when you know darn well it is a 1/2. You have to study your
foods, portions, sizes, measures at home to do this on the road. Better to
say you ate more than you did than to say you ate less. You'll think
you're getting in just 1000 calories but it could easily easily easily be
1500. This is all about you, you have to be fair and true to yourself if
you want it to work. GOOD LUCK!
— Calleigh Q.
February 27, 2004
One other thing. I quick way that I up my protein is to drink Isopure.
There are two kinds. One is Isopure Zero Carb 20oz 40g protein 160
calories. There is also Isopure Sport Zero Carb 16oz 15g protein. The
regular is kinda funky and takes some getting used to, try the Blue
Raspberry. I thought I'd hate the stuff the first time I tried it, but I
have gotten used to it. It is much better cold. Isopure Sport is a
lighter taste due to the less protein and is a good alternative to the
vanilla/chocolate flavor protein supps. Both come in glass bottles at GNC.
It isn't cheap. But I have it every day to make sure to get in my
protein, and getting lots of that in helps with so many areas of this. As
for snacks, try raisins, eat them one at a time and really play with them.
I chew the skins off then work on the middle. I know it maybe sounds silly
but I like the sweet and it keeps my mouth busy at those times such as PMS
or stressful days when I want to eat eat eat. At work, I get a dish of
carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, or from home red and yellow peppers and just
keep that in front of me all afternoon to work at. It is a healthy snack I
actually like most of, and since it is right there when the PM snacking
hits, I just choose to be lazy and have that. At home, I just don't buy
crap. And if you have kids, they don't need it either!!! At the store
when I am done shopping I look at my basket and say "if someone looked
in here would they think I am a healthy eater, or not." I do this as
a step of pride - examine other people's carts, you'll see what I mean.
And DO let yourself have some treats NOW AND THEN. Have more fruits and
veggies 5 days of the week so on Sat you can have a treat. During those 5
days find things you like that are healthy that can substitute for a treat.
Waffles - a waffle, with an egg, and top that waffle with strawberries and
a little bit of syrup and splenda. This would be for me an ordinary day
treat, not a special one. Nothing bad in there. I find making yogurt
myself is SO much better and is a treat instead of chocolate - it is a
regular day treat. Buy the tub of plain yogurt (I like yoplait's better
than Dannon oddly enough for these big containers) - add strawberries or
other fruit, some vanilla extract, and I use sugar but splenda would be
good. It is as good to me as pound cake. REALLY. Oh and invest in GOOD
spices and vanilla extract. We have Penzey's here, and the prices are
cheaper than at the grocery, and the spices are much better and fresher and
their special vanilla extract just really takes the flavor up a notch as
does their cinnamon. The cinnamon is awesome. Anyway, these were a few
thoughts I have.
— Calleigh Q.
February 27, 2004
Hi Bonnie I am a year out as of Jan 27th. and I have not hit my goal weight
yet, and I just got off a darn plateau for the past two mths, so hang in
there you'll get there soon, remember to eat more though, my surgeon said
to stick to at least 5 small meals a day also so I try to get that in
sometimes it is hard but not too often, I can eat pretty good now, just try
to watch the bad things though, I don't always count calories but I try to
eat now at least 1200 or so day! Some say to eat around that much to
maintain weight or to lose more and it seems to be working so far hopefully
I'll get there too, adn quit hitting these darn plateaus I know it can be
frustrating! Sometimes I feel like I a m eating too much an dthat is why I
am not losing as fast anymore but I know that we start to slow down after a
year but eventually we'll get there your window of opportunity hasn't
closed yet! And as for the weight gain it is probably due to water
rentention from getting ready to start your period! Good Luck to you!
— Melodee S.
February 27, 2004
I am not a year out, but I know a few people who didn't lose their 100 by a
year out. They were exercising, so some people just lose slower than
others. I really wouldn't worry about pouch stretching. The pouch
stretches. It does for everyone. I would just up the exercise to 5 hours
a week, I did that and even at 8 mos out, I went back to losing 1/2 pound a
day.
— mrsmyranow
February 27, 2004
Bonnie, A good place to see what you are taking in is fitday.com. I'm 9
1/2 months out and not at the century mark or goal. I check in to fitday
on occasion to see how I'm doing with my food intake. I'm no one to talk
about how you should or shouldn't take care of yourself. I have
sporadically exercised and not fully committed myself to that yet. I'm
stuck at the same weight for a few months now but I'm NOT giving up. I
bought a tredmill and a home gym to fit exercise into MY schedule. We have
been given a wonderful gift and it's up to our individual selves how we are
going to use it. It's not over if you don't want it to be. If you want to
keep loosing go back to the basics and follow the "pouch rules"
and yes, it will go easier if we exercise. It's up to you - you have the
tools and the support. You and only you have control of what happens next.
Best of luck to you and have a beautiful wedding.
— adeas
February 27, 2004
My thanks to all who posted in response to my concern and post on I'M A
YEAR OUT AND FRUSTRATED. Thanks to all of you for your kind words, advice,
and thoughts. Best of Luck to all of you on your WLS journey, and to
everyone else reading!
Bonnie (in Florida)
— Bonnie R.
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