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Within Reach of Goal Weight - How DO I STOP?!

Leah

Member
I am within 10 lbs of my goal weight and am very satisified of my current weight/size. Question is: How do I stop loosing and start maintaining? I am still loosing 1-2 lbs per week. I am eating high protein well balanced meals, drinking my water and avoiding sugars and most carbs (a still have an occasional cracker or small piece of bread). I have decreased my exercise regimen to 3x/wk instead of 5. Any suggestions?
 
Hi Leah, I haven't gotten that far yet, still working on it. I would talk with my WLS team and/or discuss it in a support group. I suppose that to stop losing, you'll need to increase the calories you are taking in. Check with the experts for a better, more complete answer.

That said....CONGRATULATION YOU BIG LOSER YOU!

Frank

:cool:

 
Thanks Frank!

I guess I could start there but how do you go about eating more calories without stretching out my pouch or slipping back into the same eating BAD HABITS that put me on this adventure to begin with? oh so many questions! I guess i have to make that call to my dietician and/or physician. Thanks again and wish you much success with your weight loss goals!
 
I would increase the amount of vegetables you are eating, also between meal snacks. I guess. I can't wait until I have to ask my team how to maintain my 195 target weight.

Frank

:cool:

 
Leah,

You may want to actually continue past your target weight some twenty pounds or so. It is my understanding that there is a twenty pound rebound after you stop your program. I have heard this from my live support group several times. As far as actual stopping I'd be interested to hear some tips myself even though I'm not there quite yet.

My thought exercise on this topic would be to use a "calorie burn calculator" i.e. http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc to calculate your calorie burn rate and count your calorie intake then compare the two and balance them out until you are consuming as many calories as you burn. If today your calorie intake is 800 calories and your calorie burn rate is 3000 calories then you would need to consume 2200 more calories to balance out to a zero sum. This may take some practice but my own thoughts are this would take a lot of the guess work out of the process.

Good luck and congratulation on your eminent success.

Dennis
 
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I'm on the same page as those who have already posted. My surgeon and dietician have been telling me about how many calories I'll be taking in at different stages on this journey, so I'm assuming when the time comes, they'll let me know where I should be to stay where I want to be.
 
Congratulations Leah. The only way I know to stop losing weight is to increase calories. This can be done by simply adding 1 or 2 small meals / snacks to what you are already eating. Doing it this way will not cause your pouch to stretch out. As for the tye of food, just continue to eat what you have been eating. Speaking to your nutritionist will help to determine how many calories to add to your daily diet.
 
Thanks ALL! I was NOT aware of the 20# rebound and I have visited the website provided (and used it already), so thanks Dcepello! Pat99 I have tried to increase my intake but unfortunately I am DEATHLY AFRAID of increasing my pouch and gaining weight back. I know its a mind thing but its something i guess i will have to work on. Hopefully things will get worked out when i return to my Dietician in two weeks. I'll keep all posted. Thanks again all!
 
Armed with enough information you are in control and are master of your fate don't be afraid jut use your knowledge wisely.
 
Leah-Another thing to consider is to attend live support meetings. I'm sure there will be others there who have faced the same situation you are in and can offer ideas on how they dealt with it. If your surgeon does not provide access to a live support group in your area another good resource is TOPS. You can find a meeting location closest to you on the following link:

http://www.tops.org/FindAMeeting.aspx
 
Leah,

I have run into that dilemma. Unfortunately, the surgeons and nutritionists don't really know what to do. You will get a lot of wonderful advice and suggestions, and they are all good...but for the most part, if you continue past your ideal weight, you are in for a fight.

There appears to be a strong correlation between following the post-surgery diet almost perfectly and losing too much weight. LOL. Our big catch 22. They tell us, don't eat this and that so we don't...then 6 months later, we can't, and the weight keeps falling off. Wouldn't it have been nice if we could turn back the clock a few years and eat the way we eat now? We wouldn't have a weight problem!!! I work at a hospital...they love to joke with me about it.

No way in heck can I eat even 1000 calories. Not happening and I have given up trying. It makes me sick, it hurts, and I end up laying on the bed for an hour wanting to just die. So...just a thought..here is what I have decided to do.

I have to gain 20-25 lbs back.

(I've never heard of the 20# thing except from people that gain and gain and gain. Honestly, all, I think it's an excuse. I could be wrong, but being in the situation, I don't buy into that theory. I watch carefully how other post-op people eat and they are gaining because they are eating or drinking beer and wine - saying well it's light so it's okay. Pffft. It's not okay. So...like I said, I could be wrong big time, but I don't think so.)

I'm just out of the hospital for low potassium. So I'm a bit on the recovery side of things right now. But, I am not waiting to get some weight back on...so just an fyi, this is what seems logical to me, based on my body and how it's changed...

I just got out last night, so gave myself a break today on this...my regime begins in the morning. (taking a deep breath here)

Protein builds muscle. So, I know I have to take in 70g more than the average person...that's 2 shakes a day. So I am having 70g of protein. I don't want to because it makes me feel ill, but...I have to do it. One in the a.m., one at night. I will probably use 6 oz water and make the shake thicker (ick). No additives this go round. I am seeing it as a must to survive. I will drink the shakes.

Walking. I am starting off walking around town every day. Granted, our town is just over a mile long and maybe 1/4 mile wide, so on a good day, I can walk maybe 2.5 miles. LOL. I figure I can zig zag through the neighborhoods to get more distance in.

After 2 weeks, I figure 2 weeks of protein and walking daily, I should have some strength back in my legs and so I will begin working out on my bowflex. Every other day, I will be on that thing...continuing the protein and potassium, and all other vitamins; walking every day and working out 3 x week. The protein works with the muscles and puts on muscle mass. Thus I will weigh more; and probably look better!!!

Taking all the information my nutritionist has given me, adding what information I gather from this site and from others, I know I need to increase my food intake. If I am increasing exercising and my muscles begin to build, I will be able to burn off more calories so am going on the theory that I should be able to eat more calories; thus killing 2 birds with 1 stone, so to speak.

I could be totally off on this, but I don't think I am too far off, if at all. The thing is...you know your body. I love my surgeon, I love my post-op physician, my nutritionist is an angel...but they don't "know" my body. They know what the books tell them. They know what people tell them. I am the one in this body. I know it better than anyone else; as does everyone here. We are the experts now. It is time for us to learn to control our bodies and treat them with great respect.

I look forward to changing my weight on here to reflect 135. That would be WONDERFUL! I figure maybe 2 months to gain some back..hopefully 20 lbs. Maybe that's the infamous 20lbs?????

Regardless, I am giving it a go!

Congratulations again! I wish you the very best in your efforts.

Be strong, be happy, be yourself!

Life is good.
 
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