Need to stop losing

Sybul C.
on 3/24/11 10:16 pm - Alma, AR
O.K., here's the thing.  I'll be 3 years out this summer.  I am riding the scales at 120 lbs more or less a pound or two.  I am down to a size 2 and they are baggy around the hips a little.  I need to actually gain some weight.  At least 10 lbs according to everybody that is now worried that I am becoming anorexic (I am not).  I even let up on the exercising and am still losing a lb here and there.  My labs were basically fine except my liver enzymes we a little elevated.  I have to go back they want to rerun that one.  I feel fine.  The depression has let up a lot.  I find I still eat in losing mode.  It's hard to change and try to take in more calories.  I don't know what to do.  I need to eat more and expand my diet but I just don't get hungry and if I'm busy, I forget to eat.  That's why I'm still using the protein powder and bars as supplements to my diet.  I've never been a big breakfast eater so I still use 2 scoops of powder in my morning coffee to make sure I get the right amount of protein in my diet every day.  I eat 1-2 protein bars a day as snacks in between lunch and supper.  Usually I'll eat 1/2 a lunchable, sometimes even a whole one but it is too much for my pouch to handle and I get uncomfortably full.  I eat soup cause I can get more of it in, and then snack on almonds and low fat ice cream most nights too.  I have even had a few small amounts of sweets without any problems.  They just don't appeal to me much any more.  How do you switch from the "diet and lose" mode to maintaining your weight?  Any suggestions?

                            
susandoeshair
on 3/24/11 10:40 pm - Alexander, AR
Hi Sybul,

I feel ya, sister!  I remember when I got down to 117 I stopped thinking losing was fun and started to get scared. Finally, I talked to my Nut and told her while I knew how to gain weight....hence the need for WLS, I didn't know how to do it in a HEALTHY way! 
So...she had me add avocado slices to sandwiches, switch to full fat cheese and mayo, salad dressings too, almonds for snacks and things like that.Whole milk lattes replaced my skinny ones, and I'd get a fruit smoothie a couple of times a week. 
Of course, I never saw how thin I actually was until, now a couple of years later, I see some pics taken then. I DID look frail and anorexic!!!!

You have to realize this is as much for your health as losing was. You just have to wrap your head around it

Susan

 

Sybul C.
on 3/25/11 4:30 am - Alma, AR
You're right.  I do still do the fat free, low fat, 2%milk, diet everything.  I am still eating on my 4 inch plate too.  Maybe I could try to start increasing portions some.  I'm still at about 1/2 cup with something solid.  I'll call the nut. this week and talk to her.  thanks for the advice.

                            
Laureen S.
on 3/24/11 10:40 pm - Maple Shade, NJ
Hi Sybul,

Does the place you had your surgery in offer post-op support, meaning access to a nutritionist, because they know best how to approach the issue.  I know my nutritionist said that there was a formula for how to figure how many calories are needed to lose, maintain and gain (under a 1000 is still in the losing mode for most, 1400+ was maintain, as to add weight I don't know, though I did have a friend who had gotten too thin and they suggested she up her caloric intake to between 1600 and 1800 per day). . .  you might want to consider adding calories by making shakes with ice cream instead of coffee to add in some calories. . .  maybe someone else has suggestions. . .  wish I had the issue of not feeling hungry, unfortunately for me I am the opposite, hungry every two to three hours, though I am mindful of what I eat when I eat. . .

Good luck with finding your solution.

Laureen


My Mantra is that I do not determine my success by the number hanging in my closet, nor will I let the scale determine that success either. . .  It is through trial and error I will continue to grow and succeed. . .  Laureen

"Success is a journey, not a destination."  Ben Sweetland

Sybul C.
on 3/25/11 4:34 am - Alma, AR
I guess you and Susan are right.  I will call the nut.  I didn't even think of that.  I'm sick to death of every one telling me how I'm way too skinny.  It's like when I was big, they were always telling me I needed to lose weight for my health.  Then when I had the surgery, it was like I was a cheater going that route.  There was nothing easy about it for me.  At least it did work.  I just don't want to have to get back to the point where I have to struggle to keep the weight off again.  Thanks for the advice.

                            
Karen S.
on 3/25/11 5:16 am - Wailuku, HI
Aloha Sybul.....Thank you for sharing your experience. I, too, have had the problem of getting way too skinny and people telling me I looked like a concentration camp survivor. I never could figure out why it is OK to tell someone they look awful, sick and gaunt when they are skinny, but would NEVER mention my being 320 lbs.!!

I'm tall...5'11" and my weight got down to 150 which is just way too low. I gradually began adding pasta, potatos, real mayo, snacks of taro chips, apples with peanut butter, and even cookies and cheesecake occasionally. I did manage to get back up to 185, and then when I just went back to eating normally with emphasis on healthy, it came off again. So I'm back down to 168 and eating pretty much whatever I like. However, like you, I do not get hungry very often. Have to remind myself it is time for breakfast, etc. Evenings are my snacking time which I know isn't good, but that's when I have cookies & milk, or a small PayDay bar.

I guess we are lucky in many ways to not be dealing with regain, and I am thankful. It is so individual and the suggestion to talk to your nut is perfect...right on. Good luck to you and congratulations on your success.

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen
 
Sybul C.
on 3/25/11 10:01 pm - Alma, AR
Thanks for the advice Karen.  Believe me, my mother-in-law, bless her soul never had a problem telling me how fat I was at 320 lbs, lol.  A funny side note though is that my favorite Aunt with Alzheimer's became convinced that I was an imposter when I lost all that weight.  There was no convincing her that I was still me.

                            
lightswitch
on 3/25/11 8:08 am
 Sybul,
I, too, lost, of course, mine was from not being able to eat because of ulcers and no one believing me until they perforated and then they said why didn't they show up on the mri.  Anyway, even after they revised me and gave me absorption power, I still had to really make myself gain.  I don't really know how much weight I got down to.  I know that I was starting to have to buy my clothes in the kids section--not fun.  I was below 100 pounds by  a few pounds the last time that I looked at the scale. 
I have never been able to eat sweets--nor fatty foods.  Mayonaise makes me hurl as bad as any extra sweet thing.  I cannot eat a lunchable either and I don't think it has anything to do with my pouch.  I think it's they are just not healthy foods and even when they have meat in them, if you notice they are fatty meats and cut pretty thick and then flat breads or pizza stuff.  I did soups for a long, long time.  When I did start gaining, let me tell you, it was the most difficult thing that I've ever done.  But, I want to have plastics, my wls and my medical doctor refused to even consider it until I got above 125 pounds.  Well, over the last couple of weeks, I've started losing again too.  I can tell in my clothes.  People are commenting again.  I am not trying and am eating my usual peanut butter for lunch and cheese for snack and stuff for dinner like chicken or fish.  
Like susan and Karen, my advice is to you is stick to meat, use real butter, and avoid pouch feeling foods like pasta or rice.  
WLS is a journey but we don't ever think that we will be on more than one journey.  your nut will help you determine how to flesh out your diet. 



Sybul C.
on 3/25/11 10:07 pm - Alma, AR
I get worried about ulcers too.  I have quit smoking several times and went a year after surgery without them but still fight that demon.  My doc said he would reverse my RNY if I get one so I keep trying.  The only lunchables I eat are the ham and cheese but I do know what you mean about them.  I can't handle really fatty things either.  I ate, ate, ate, two days in a row and it made me feel sick.  I'll get it figured out.  Thanks for the advice. 

                            
Lifebeauty
on 3/25/11 10:03 pm
Guess it's hard either way, being too big or too small.  I've noticed that my choice of surgery did not put me in the mindset or cause me to get too small fast enough for me. Working to find the happy medium.  Think I will see the nutrionist too.  Thanks.
Z

 With  I will succeed.
HW: 280 - LW: 190 - GW - 180  
Unfilled 8/15/11 - WT:  209
1st Fill 11/29/11 - WT: 215.5 - 3cc
2/20/12 - New Goal - Get n Onederland
2nd Fill 4/26/12 - WT: 224.0 - 3cc
Z

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