Welcome To My Pity Party

[queenmab]

I don't know why I do this to myself, but I am constantly scouring the forum to see how long it has taken folks to lose their weight. It's so amazing that in 3 or 6 or even 12 months that people have lost 100 pounds or more!

I started my journey at 278 wanting to get to 150, which is 20 pounds more than my BMI suggests for my height, but where I think I will be comfortable - after all, the last time I weighed that was my first trip to Weight Watchers at 14 years old.

I had my VSG procedure on July 11, 2011. As of December, I had lost 49 pounds, which I thought was good progress, but sloooooooooooooooow in comparison to all the folks out there. And, here I sit at my 7-month mark and I am still THERE. I am just not progressing and I am sooooo frustrated.

For the past 3 weeks, I have added 3 MORE days of jogging to my exercise routine (which was 3 days of walking, 3 days strength training) and I can't make the numbers move. I drink so much water, I might be part fish. I track and log my food nearly every day. I just want to cry. I changed my physiology to help me do what all the diets in the world could NOT do and it's not working! Really?! Why? How can I be that person? The magical 6 months have come and gone and I'm not half-way to my goal!

Now what do I do?

[Munchkin]

Can you post an example of what you eat, how much you eat and how often you eat? Are you measuring yourself, maybe losing inches?

[Trustin Sleever]

Plateaus are very difficult. They really mess with your morale, don't they? I'm so sorry.
Whenever I hear people lament that things aren't going as quickly as they want, I always say the same two things:

1. Don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to where you used to be. Remember back when 49 lbs was impossible, because there are a LOT of people reading this who see your progress and envy you (like me, for one).
2. Don't focus on results, focus on behaviors. Behaviors are the only part of this journey that you have a real shot at controlling. So every day, focus on the eating and exercising behaviors that you CAN, and eventually, the results will catch up.

Best wishes and hugs.

[kimfj2]

I want to come to your pity party too. CAn I have an invite?

[WorkInProgress]

Call your surgeon. See a nutritionist. Hire a personal trainer. Get blood work done. If nothing else, these people can reassure you that you are doing all the right things. Don't suffer by yourself. Seek out those professionals that are supposed to be taking care of you. Good Luck.

[Lea]

make sure you are getting your protein and not starving your body...and I think you are doing great with the exercise!

[nycbiscuit]

It's hard not to compare.
But it's not a competition.
Celebrate the success you've had. And speak to some professionals about how you can improve.

[Froggie]

I can't add much to what the others have said except are you getting enough carbs? If we put our bodies in to much stress, we stop losing. We need some carbs for energy and weight loss. Does your surgeon offer follow up nutrition counseling? Good luck and keep us posted.

[rylynn]

re you losing any inches?

[Grace]

And I'll say just the opposite of Froggie. Are you getting too MANY carbs? Many of us with glucose intolerance just can't drop lbs eating more than 20 carbs a day.... Perhaps look back at what you were eating at the beginning. I wonder if it might be more basic foods than now. I know I've slipped into processed foods lately and it's slowing me down. It happens.

[queenmab]

Thanks to all for your support and advice! I have made a f/u visit with my surgeon for next week. I'm hoping she will have some answers for me. I do try to keep my carbs in check, but I don't always win that battle.