Hi Lib,

I can relate to everything you say and the quantities you eat are very similar to all I could eat for a very long time, consequently I lost more weight than was expected and I never did any exercise.
I had to have a stretch which helped a little but not a lot. I also lost almost half my body weight and am 8kg's under the weight my surgeon set for me.
I am a size 8 now and due to the large weight loss I had my gall bladder out late last year.
Since the removal of my gall bladder I am able to eat a lot more (which is weird) but still don't put on weight as any fatty or full cream products go straight through me.
My weight fluctuates by 2kg's at any time but stays pretty much within this range.
Good luck and I hope you can sort things out at your appointment.

steph

Thank you Kat!

Hi Lib!!

What a great blog, love your story, the layout, everything is great. Know what you mean about sleep, urgh, I could sleep on wet cement most days.

I've got so used to seeing your lovely slim photo that I wouldn't have recognised you pre-op, wowee!!! Congratulations on all of your hard work, your focus, your food choices, all of it has come together for you. I know you are getting concerned with your weight loss but fingers crossed, it stabilises soon.
best wishes
Kat

Hi Lib!!

OMG I just saw your blog and saw your before and after picture!! I am in AWE!!! You are such an inspiration... Maybe I should do what you did, took a pic of me now and later down the track??

Anyway back to your problem, I second countrygirl, you can stop now, and remember to snack often :)

XOX

Yools

Hi Lib,

Thanks for the update. Yeah I think you can stop now too going on your bmi. Just remember to snack often. Nibble on cheese and nuts.

I know its not right to think this but at the moment I would love that problem as I have been on a plateau for about 3 weeks and feel it will never happen. I know from reading posts that it will, it just doesn't feel like it atm. Anyway, I hope things improve for you.

cheers

It seems to have settled a little. I have seen my surgeon he is telling me to stop too! So I have eaten a lot more today than I usually do. I am also on steriods for 7 days then weaning off for 6 more days, and they apparently cause weight gain too so we'll see where I am in 2 weeks! The steroids are for the numbness in my legs.

I am wearing a size 10 and bordering on an 8, who would have ever thought I'd have to worry about too much weight loss.

How are you going Lib? Any updates you can give us?

Keep it up.... sounds like you are making progress..... do let us know how you are going over the next few weeks......

Thanks for asking Greg.

Well my body seems to react happily when I make an appointment with someone, worked with the phsyc when I 'thought' I couldn't eat! And now I have made an appointment with the dietitian I can eat normally and my weight has stablised!

My appointment is on the 27th with the dietitian and I also have an appointment with a neuroligist same day for some numbness in my legs. They have been collapsing from under me, and I took quite a good spill on the weekend, think knee covered in a bruise and carpet burn!

Last night I sat down and ate one of those Le Snac's without a second thought, it didn't hurt, but finishing something feels weird. Its the first time I have really finished anything.

Seems small but is really a big thing!

Hi Lib

I have been out of action for the past 3 weeks due to Bigpong technical problems..How is this problem progressing?
Sorry if it has been answered elsewhere..

Cya

Greg

Thanks guys I know what you say is true. I have a diary ready to get started tomorrow. Will call the surgeon and dietitian on Monday, when hopefully they are back in the office.

Thank you all, I know that I am creating problems for myself, and must force myself through this for my health and my mental wellbeing.

Thank you.

Sorry Lib but after your last post I have to agree with applesauce. It's not normal to eat so little. You need to be making a concience effort to sit down at X times a day and eat X amount of food. You do need to see a dietician, doctor and probably a physcologist.

We are here for you mate. And we care.

sorry it is not a matter of increasing your snacks you need to seriously sort out what you eat and if you refuse to make yourself eat more then you need to go back to your surgeon and do something about it. That is not normal. That is why you are still losing weight. A lack of interst in food is I am sorry to say not an excuse, it is a reason BUT not a thing anybody at all can give you advise on to help you with. It is something you need to get over yourself or be prepared to make yourself drink 3 - 5 suplemental drinks a day until you are eating properly. No I do not want to no I do not feel like it, you simply have to do it as none of the advise anybody has given you in this thread is worth a dime to you as it is your eating that is the problem.

to anybody out there reading this thread and more than about 9 months out and still eating these amounts this is NOT normal DO something about it. You might be over the moon at how much weight you have lost but the reality is long term eating this way will get you into a habbit you may be very unwilling to break. Once you have learnt to eat only these amounts you can get VERY VERY fixated on it and eating more becomes very difficult. Dp be aware of this it is a real problem and one you NEED to draw attention to with your surgeon and take immediate steps in the way of suplemental drinks such as ensure until you are eating more.

applesauce

Good idea Lib... write down exactly what you eat and drink for a week and show your surgeon.... your stomach may need to be stretched...let us know how you go!

Just rushing to reply, so busy at work!!!

I can eat a full cuppa soup in one sitting.

But if we are at McDonalds, I can have 1 maybe 2 at a stretch nuggets.

We went out the other night I had one prawn, and about 3 teaspoons of rice.

Last night I struggled with a banana. I ate about 1/3 of it.

I honestly don't know why I can't eat more. Food doesn't appeal to me, the smell, or taste. I think that I need to keep a food diary and go see my surgeon. Cause if I say I'm not eating much I am sure he'll want an example! So I'll beat him to it!

Hi again Lib. Can you give us an idea of what you are eating everyday and the amounts. At only 3 months out I can eat in one go: (This is not what I eat all the time but as everyone knows the quantity it might serve to give a better example)

4-6 KFC Nuggets with sauce
1/3 Chicken Treat Hot Chicken Roll
1 Chicken kebab on a stick (the one you get from a service station that are packed with chicken)
100-120g Steak
1 egg for breakfast (probably could eat more but that is what I have for breakfast)

I tend to eat protein first and vege and fruit is secondary. I just make sure I get my berroca and multivitamins in. If you are tending to drink more it will go through quicker than solid food but even if you aren't hungry you need to sit down regularly and eat.

Keep us posted.

I do find that eating too fast does pose a problem with me....I do much better eating when things are quiet and calm.. My doctor said that some peoples muscles tense up when they are not totally calm. Even if we do not realize it, it causes our stomach to tighten. Over the Christmas holiday, my family and I left home on Wed and didnot return until Sun......I lost 3 pounds. Monday I was very careful I ate but more important....I sat by myself with the tv, radio, and computer off...Things are much better....It is very hard somedays to be by yourself but sometimes you just have to make time. Take Care

Lib, 2 or 3 spoons per meal at 8 months out doesn't seem right to me.
Make sure you're not eating too fast, and you're chewing it all up well, and if you're still having the same problem, go back to see your surgeon - it may be that you're one of the few that needs a 'stretch' to make it all work properly.
Best wishes...

A few suggestions to add more energy into your diet.......

Enrich your milk with protein powder.
Add cheese to sauces, mashed vegetables, eggs dishes, etc
Melt butter or margarine or dizzle oile on vegetables, pasta or rice.
Use sour cream on potatoes or other vegetables.
Use mayonnaise on sandwich or in salads, try oil based salads.
Use honey on cereal, fruit or in hot drinks.

Hey Lib

I believe there are shakes designed for weight gain for underweight people, a friend was telling me, so don't know what they are - but come from the chemist, rather than optifast which is VLCD. Might be worth a try. I HAVE to make my self eat... I have a routine and try to stick to it. I still could lose more as BMI is 22.5, so no probs, but the weigt still comes off if I have a couple of days out of routine - I don't want to drop much more.
Good Luck
Chook

Lib

You and I are only a couple of weeks apart. I had my sleeve on March 31, 2009..I do understand the tailbone problems.. I do think that will resolve itself when we are more toned. We have lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time. We need to lift more weights and tone up. Lunges are really good exercises to tone you butt. That should help. I am 159 cm and 52 kg...That puts me at 20.5 BMI...I am not really too worried about my weight. Some days I weigh a little less. On those days I pay a little more attention to what I eat. You will have to work hard on those days to make sure you eat enough calories but make sure they are GOOD calories. Go to the diary site and go to calculators. You can figure out exactly how many calories you need to maintain or even gain a little. Having a protein drink can make a difference. Make sure you are taking your vitamins. You need them more now than ever. I would guess that most people do not really need vitamins but those of us who have a sleeve REALLY need vitamins. We cannot eat enough to cover our bases....Take care of your body, its the only one ya got.

Hey Lib
You mentioned drinks and yoghurt, but are you eating proper meals too? No good adding snack foods if you're just not eating real food...

Hey Lib

Sorry to hear you are having a few problems. What about snacking little and often and carrying a few nibbles around in your bag. Like the others said, nuts are good, cheese strings or cubes, deli meats rolled up, protein balls / muffins. There is a site called the world according to eggface, who has great high protein recipes. Although she has had the RNY and not the VSG, she has some good ideas on high protein snacks.

Take care

Hi Lib

These are all great suggestions from the members who have reached goal and maintain it. I like the idea that people go back on full fat regular products like nuts and milk rather than try and get calories from high calorie processed foods. I hope other people also have good ideas for you for weight maintenance.

I remember seeing when you got to your goal and you're under 60 now so I can see where you're thinking. Just know that all of us out here are thinking about you and hoping that your weight stabilises so you can just enjoy being at a healthy weight and don't have to be concerned anymore.

cheers, Kat

the trick is to be 100% consistant. no point snacking and saying you are unless it is every single day with high calorie food. plan it and stick to it.

The nut idea is good, walnuts are the best of the bunch in terms of protein and fantastic fibre to keep you regular.

Maybe you should try protein shakes (Optifast), or snack on some of the Atkins protein bars.

Hi Lib

I know people joke around and say I wish I had that problem (losing weight quickly) but I know it is a real concern, it can really start to play with your head.

I like the idea of eating nuts as they are small and you could possibly get a few in before getting that full feeling

I hope you get some more helpful ideas

Tarnz

Thanks guys...

TTOM is the most regular its ever been
Back on full fat coffee
No diet products at all
As for generally feeling well, not really. My tail bone hurts when I sit too long, I have no padding there anymore, my back hurts and my lower back hurts.


*end of tanty*

country girl is on the money. u need to start eating higher fat foods and nuts are a great way to start, u also need to start slowing down how often u eat as this will make ur body start storing fat. TTOM is ur best indication, if it stops or become irregular then u know u have a problem, its the first indication before other things in ur body start to shut down. my surgeon said that if i start losing to much weight then i should start snacking on donuts and high fat cheeses and high fat dairy products. this sounds really strange when u have been told all ur life to avoid these products! Give these a go and see where u end up. good luck mate xox

Start snacking on almonds and cashews. Nuts, Nuts, Nuts. They are high in fat but still good fat. Boiled eggs seem to go down well for me. They are only smallish. Cheese and bikkies. You can buy small pack in the supermarket to have in your handbag. Are you eating any processed foods. That is alot of peoples problems in being overweight as they live on too high processed foods. But then they generally aren't real good for you but if they help??!!

I suppose you are drinking and eating all full fat products - no diet drinks, low fat milk anymore? Hopefully gutless wonder will come on otherwise pm her. She put on 10kgs from snacking and would have a list of foods she eats to maintain. You are still in the healthy BMI range so don't panic too much but good to see you thinking ahead. If you got below 18-19 then I would be alot more concerned. Is TTOM still normal? Generally this can give you an indication on your health.

When I stop eating my body generally goes into starvation mode and shuts down conserving fat but I think there is a point where your muscle mass is more so this doesn't happen anymore. I would actually love to know where mine is.

Do you generally feel okay tho. With the kidneys make sure you are drinking water but not too much. Water is good at flushing out fat as well. Plus you won't be able to eat as much if you are drinking. Cut back on any coffee as this could be giving you a buzz and speeding up the metabolism. Same goes for tea and all cafeinated drinks.

Hope this makes sense as I was just writing what I was thinking.

I was just after some quick advice.

I struggle with eating. I don't get hungry and if I do, a coffee or drink, or a youghurt fills the void. I was wondering if you have any snack ideas that are high protein.

I am actually a little concerned with the amount of weight I have lost, I was sick over the weekend and lost another 2kg. I have nearly lost 1/2 my body weight. My ribs on my chest are becoming prominent.

I need help with an eating plan. I am going to see the dietitian but he's only holidays and I don't want my body to shut down while I wait to see him. I am getting pain in my lower back and worry about my kidneys shutting down! I might be over dramatising things but I am starting to worry about my physical health.

Thanks in advance.

Lib