[ThinkSlim]

Hi My name is Toni and my BMI says I'm Obese I've been dieting for several years until last month when I found this forum. I began researching more and more and find some other similar forums and did more research.

I had my big "uh oh!" moment in May this year when my scales told me I was 30 lbs away from 300!! And I'd been dieting since the beginning of the year, gaining and losing the same few pounds.

As I read more into what went on for Weight Loss Surgery, I began following the diet plan for those who were about 6 weeks out, the soft foods phase and beyond. Tó date I'd dropped 24 lbs, although the last two days I've stopped at 247.4 lbs - I suspect this is my body readjusting itself again. It did this somewhere in the 250s for about 3 days, reshaping.

Now I'm totally committed to following the diet plan and the exercise plan and am totally loving the results. I totally agree with what has been prescribed by the doctors and have even tried to offer some "advice" elsewhere, unfortunately the normies think that the plan is stupid and would never work!!

What have I learnt:

I've learnt that we do need more protein in our diet, just not high fat like Atkins.
I've learnt that our dinner plates are the size of a football and our dinner plates should be the little side plates.
I've learnt that 30 minutes exercise is no where near enough to help the body lose weight, I do at least an hour on my exercise bike and I've learnt that you can break up the cardio into 10 minute lots and that's ok. I do extra exercise playing golf, bowling and baseball on the Wii with my Hubby who also needs to lose a lot of weight!
I've learnt that you do have to count your calories, how many people have you heard groan about doing that?!
I've learnt that you have to match your eating calories with your exercise calories in order for the body to use up the already stored fat. I've got plenty to go And I've learnt you don't eat your exercise calorise though many folks don't like hearing that.
I've learnt that to lose all this weight I do have to eat between 800-1000 calories per day. Try convincing THAT to the normies!!! They think you're insane!!!
I've learnt so much and I have to thank each and every one of you for being my Teacher. For all the pain that you've had to endure to get here... you guys absolutely rock!!

So... Hi again and lovely to meet you all
Because I'm a Non-Op, I call WLS... Weight Loss Success


Height: 5'7"
Highest Weight May 2011: 270 lb
Goal Weight: 135 lb
Need to lose 135 lb
Current Weight: 247.4 lb
To Date Lost: 22.6 lb

[pretty woman]

HI and Welcome,
THere is a non-op forum on this site, look at the home page.
It sounds like you are off to a great start. Keep following the plan-it looks like you
are doing grrrrreat!

[DocSanae]

Welcome to the board, thank you for joining us.
(((((HUGS))))) May your journey go well.

A word of advice about the amount of calories you need.
Below 1000 is too low, it will throw your body into starvation mode, lowering your metabolic rate (which will reduce the effectiveness of exercise) and make it hold onto everything you eat, which will actually slow down your weight loss.
Too low calories mean you will also lack some essential nutrients that your body needs to keep on functioning and stay healthy, and lose weight. You may very well be in the danger of developing various deficiencies. Keep your caloric intake to 1000-1200 kcals, preferably 1200 kcals. You may need some vitamin and mineral supplementation even at 1200 kcals.
Take a good look at our successful non-ops, their reported daily intake is around 1200-1500 kcals, and they have still lost to the order of 100lbs.
Also, if you are watching your calories, then calculate how much you are expending daily--not just exercise, but your total expenditure for supporting your body's functions and life--and keep your intake 500-1000 kcals below your expenditure. As you lose weight, your expenditure will also become less because you have less weight to carry around, so keep on keeping your intake less than 500-1000 kcals of that until you reach your goal weight. Once you are at goal, your intake needs to equal your output.
Good luck!!

[ThinkSlim]

Thanks Doc I'll switch it up when my body says it's not losing any more. Got no problem there for now, there's plenty in storage to use up I do have to get me some vitamins though, even someone who hasn't had weight loss surger still needs a boost in vitamins.

[DocSanae]

The *essential* nutrients are so called because our body doesn't stock them up/can't make them and needs to be *imported* at regular intervals to prevent health issues from lack of them. You don't want a slim but sick body. The 1200 kcal intake ensures that your body is able to have on board those essentials that it needs to keep alive and function well. If it can't function well, it's going to need to put a hold on losing weight, and won't be able to effectively burn what you have stocked up, so the stock will still be there, and you will lose your essential *body parts* instead.
Case in point. Lack of good protein intake will make your body break down your muscle-- not fat-- to keep on running. Lack of calcium will weaken your bones and teeth. Lack of iron will cause anemia, which in turn will make your blood too thin to carry the amount of oxygen needed to burn the excess.

Where muscle is concerened. You need your muscle to burn off the excess stored in your body. However, when you lose weight on *diets*, often you lose more muscle than fat. This means that your body will not be fuel efficient. To top off, when you regain, you will regain with fat, not muscle, so the next time you are at the same weight as before, you have less muscle and more fat than before, making it harder to lose the next time. Exercise will build your muscle, but you have to provide your body with the material to build that muscle in the first place. These protein aren't stored in your body for use, they are already in use as your muscles. So, you need outside sources for them.

Also, the very low calories that WLS patients are on isn't forever. Most surgeons recommend their patients to steadily increase their intake so that around 6-12 months post op, the intake is about 1000 kcals, and past the first year, 1200-1400 kcals at the least. These patients are also under close observation the entire time for any deficiencies/health issues stemming from the surgery. That's why the very low calories in the early days are viable. If you are doing it on your own, make sure you get regular checkups at your PCP, to make sure your health is good.

[ThinkSlim]

Lack of good protein intake will make your body break down your muscle-- not fat-- to keep on running. Lack of calcium will weaken your bones and teeth. Lack of iron will cause anemia, which in turn will make your blood too thin to carry the amount of oxygen needed to burn the excess.

Lucky I'm NOT lacking these good foods in the diet

Exercise will build your muscle, but you have to provide your body with the material to build that muscle in the first place. These protein aren't stored in your body for use, they are already in use as your muscles. So, you need outside sources for them.

Good thing I AM eating high protein and exercising at least an hour every day

Also, the very low calories that WLS patients are on isn't forever. Most surgeons recommend their patients to steadily increase their intake so that around 6-12 months post op, the intake is about 1000 kcals, and past the first year, 1200-1400 kcals at the least. These patients are also under close observation the entire time for any deficiencies/health issues stemming from the surgery. That's why the very low calories in the early days are viable.

Yes and the current 800-1000 plan is working very well I must say. I do have a looong way to go before I even have to worry about upping the calories.

Thanks again for the tips Doc. I will definitely change the diet and exercise around when I'm AT goal. Got a long way to go before I'm there!!

[Tupper_Mom]

Way to go!! I've done pretty much the same as you...When I got here, I committed to living by pouch rules, as I had absolutely every intention of doing WLS, the first was a bust (long strange tale that if you really want to know I'll search up the thread that's in and I'll send you the link) The second surgery, my Req. is still sitting somewhere...who knows where...awaiting a call-back to get the ball rolling...however...I no longer qualify, I am very pleased to say!!

I have myfitnesspal on my phone, so calorie counting isn't that big a deal for me...it's habit breath in, breathe out, enter lunch LOL For me i ball-park about 1200 calories a day, and have recently joined the century club (101 lbs lost WOOHOO!!)

Only thing I didn't notice in your list of things you do, that I have found to be a HUGE help is water!! I do my darndest to make sure I get at least 64 oz a day. When my weight loss slows down, I kick up the water and things usually pick up again

But I gotta agree...the one's on this board who've done surgery, and have so willingly given of their time and knowledge are my heros and inspiration...without them, I'm sure I'd be nowhere near where I am today!!!

Welcome to the most wonderful weight loss place on the net (IMHO!! LOL)

[ThinkSlim]

Tupper_Mom... I found your story through one of my searches, was led to it by someone who mentioned your journey on a thread and after reading your story I then absolutely knew that I could do the same.

Thankyou

BTW... I do keep up with the liquids, I just don't document them. I also have MyFitnessPal on my phone (android) and use it eveyday to log my eating and exercise calories.

Well done and congratulations on losing over 100 lbs. I'm daunted by that only because I've still got just over that to lose. It seems such a long way away.

[DocSanae]

Sounds like you've got everything down pat.
Just make sure your blood labs are good along your journey to make sure all is well.

[ThinkSlim]

Thanks Doc

Another pound down today.. woohoo!!!
May to August... 25 lbs gone just by following the rules