8 minths out-stall or gain?

[Intelligentslug]

Hello, I am a little past 8 months since surgery and have lost almost 79lbs. However, I have been stuck at 175 for a few weeks now and today was up a pound. I can eat more than I use to and am wondering if this is a natural and expected stall or a gain. I am still exercising and making healthy choices. I have remained true to my nutritionist’s diet recommendations. Trying not to panic. Looking to you for your experiences.

 

[missyinacage]

Hello. It may be a stall or it may be you're eating more. I had lost all my weight by 9 months out so that part seems about right to me. Try tracking your intake for a few weeks and see if you are actually eating more than you think. If not, you may just have hit a stall or a plateau.

 

[Intelligentslug]

Thank you. How much did you lose at 9mos? How did you know you were done losing? Was it an amount you were happy with? How challenging do you find it to maintain?

 

[Intelligentslug]

I struggle a lot with eating very fast and taking big bites.

 

[Cash]

I struggled to eat too fast and taking big bites for at least a year following. It is quite painful when you over do it. Really it is still a matter of calories in and calories out. So, you have made this major investment, spend a little more on a Garmin, or using an online diet and exercise tracker. We need protein. Most other nutrients are included in the vitamins or are pretty easy to get. My most common daily diet is one egg and dry toast, bagel, English muffin, etc. for breakfast. Then half a sandwich for lunch. Soup or just any kind of beans are great for lunch. Supper is our main meal. I eat anything as long as there is a handful of meat and a handful of veggies. After that I am on my own to snack or drink a glass of wine, etc until bedtime. You will find that there are levels where you will have to change some kind of habits to continue to lose. I found after a year that exercise was completely different without all that extra weight. Walking is the best! Swimming is good as is yoga. Try to avoid exercise that involves wear and tear on the joints. Our joints have had to carry a lot of extra weight most of our lives. So, start small, or if you have to add a yoga or water aerobics class if you're already walking more than a couple miles and do not see making your walks longer. Longer walks depend a lot on your age, weather where you live, etc. I now have a Peloton. I still walk for five miles four days a week but needed something to add and I love riding the bike.

 

[missyinacage]

I had lost just about 100lbs by 9 months out. My goal weight was 170 originally. I got down and stayed at 158-163 for about another year. Gained a few pounds after that and stay between 165-170 even now.

Honestly, the few I've gained is due to a bit of slacking in my daily habits. I am more willing to have a sweet snack or even forego dinner for popcorn on movie night. Not great habits, I know. But 99% better than my old habits!! And I stay mostly diligent, because I really cannot imagine going back.

You can certainly lose more after 8-9 months, it just takes more work. Not that it was ever easy. But after that initial weight loss, here's where you truly start building your new habits. I eat the same thing for breakfast and one snack every day. I find the more choices, especially when I'm hungry can lead to less than ideal decisions.

It IS calories in/calories out. Track and see where you're at. Use an online calculator to see how many you need. Figure out how that works for your hunger/food needs. I do NOT track calories every day and would never suggest doing so. But it doesn't hurt too have an idea of where you are and what you need.

Sleeve should lose between 50-70% of your excess weight. Bypass 60-80%. No surgery expects 100% of excess weight results. Focus on keeping off what you've lost and then work toward losing more, if that is important to you.

 

[dianeseattle]

Tracking is so important. If you didn't become obese because of a disease (like a dysfunctional thyroid gland) or long bedstay after an accident, then your problem is in your head--mental & emotional.

In other words, what you're up against is probably less physical than it is mental.

An easy way to determine this is to keep a food journal. Write down everything you put in your mouth, whether it's just sampling from a ladle to see if the soup needs salt or eating that spear of asparagus someone left on the plate as you're scraping off the food before dishwashing. EVERYTHING.

My experience all my life in a huge family with constant extended family gatherings and church potlucks is listening to people with their mouths full of food, chewing and at the same time saying, "Oh, I've got to reduce." That was back in the day before people used the word "diet."

If my relatives were confused and frustrated about their weight, they never did the one thing they had the power to control: track every bite.

Assuming you don't have a physical condition that's causing your nausea & other symptoms, get a journal and start tracking. And don't lie to yourself or say, "Oh, that's doesn't count. It's just a piece of lettuce." YOU'RE FAT! OBESE! OVERWEIGHT! You have an eating disorder, even if it's not bulimia or anorexia. If you didn't have an eating disorder you'd be of normal height and weight. You probably look forward to eating more than any other activity in your day.

I wrote this post as if I were talking to myself because these were the thoughts and actions that used to rule my life. This is why I became obese and RYGB was my final alternative.

After surgery I lost 115 pounds in 14 months. I've kept most of it off since I hit my goal in 2009. But I've also experienced some slacker time when I ate lazily and gained 20 pounds because unfortunately, you can't have brain surgery to change your psychology. But for sure, I never want to be morbidly obese again and I'm getting old. I remember reading that by the time you hit middle age, you have lost about 35 percent of your ability to burn calories.

Just get a journal and keep it with you constantly, Write everything down, from what you eat to what you think. Talk to a therapist. Talk to your surgeon. Talk to us. We support you.