14 years post gastric bypass - trying to lose the weight I've regained
marniehecknauer
Posts: 4 Member
I am only 60 pounds shy of being back at my pre-gastric bypass weight. I have a lot of health issues, the biggest being deficiencies related to malabsorption. At the age of 40, I had a total knee replacement, which is now worse than before I had the surgery. I've had second opinions only to be told that the immobility and excessive swelling in the knee area happens to about 3% of women that have knee replacements under the age of 45. Now my 2nd knee needs to be done, but why in the heck would I take the chance on that one turning out just like the first one?
Mobility can be an issue for me and I currently have a sedentary desk job. I had worked part time for several months which required me to be on my feet for 8 hours shifts. That made walking & standing the day after very painful. Much of due to my high weight.
Two years ago, i started working with a personal trainer and was very dedicated into being very careful with my diet and keeping track of everything I put into my mouth, down to every tic tac and piece of sugar free gum. I worked with my nutritionist during that time as well. After 90 days of doing everything by the book, and I mean strictly by the book, I lost nothing. Zip, Zero. Notta. My nutritionist finally said to me that she couldn't understand why I wasn't losing weight. She was stumped. She works in the gastric bypass clinic for pete's sake. They are supposed to help and she had no clue. I was on my own and to this day remain on my own, over weight, and disappointed.
I have decided to give it another go. My son recommended not only tracking calories but following an eating plan using macros. He has been doing it for over a year and has lost almost 100 pounds. He was chubby when he started, but he's always been athletic and very muscular. Now he is super fit. He lost all the weight he gained after being very limited after two injuries and surgery. Hopefully he'll be able to shine some light into the dark hole I've been sinking in, a little bit deeper as each year passes.
If any one has any post gastric bypass experiences and or successes they would like to share, I am open to just about anything at this point.
Mobility can be an issue for me and I currently have a sedentary desk job. I had worked part time for several months which required me to be on my feet for 8 hours shifts. That made walking & standing the day after very painful. Much of due to my high weight.
Two years ago, i started working with a personal trainer and was very dedicated into being very careful with my diet and keeping track of everything I put into my mouth, down to every tic tac and piece of sugar free gum. I worked with my nutritionist during that time as well. After 90 days of doing everything by the book, and I mean strictly by the book, I lost nothing. Zip, Zero. Notta. My nutritionist finally said to me that she couldn't understand why I wasn't losing weight. She was stumped. She works in the gastric bypass clinic for pete's sake. They are supposed to help and she had no clue. I was on my own and to this day remain on my own, over weight, and disappointed.
I have decided to give it another go. My son recommended not only tracking calories but following an eating plan using macros. He has been doing it for over a year and has lost almost 100 pounds. He was chubby when he started, but he's always been athletic and very muscular. Now he is super fit. He lost all the weight he gained after being very limited after two injuries and surgery. Hopefully he'll be able to shine some light into the dark hole I've been sinking in, a little bit deeper as each year passes.
If any one has any post gastric bypass experiences and or successes they would like to share, I am open to just about anything at this point.
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Replies
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@marniehecknauer, welcome!
No matter what you've done in the past, the only way you will lose fat is to eat at a calorie deficit. I say listen to your son and start tracking every single thing you consume. If you track your macros in such a way that a certain balance will keep you satiated so that you stay in your calorie goals, then you're on the right track!
You said you worked with a nutritionist and tracked everything you ate but didn't lose weight. Well, that's because your calculations were off (it happens, we all experience that at one time or another) and you were simply eating more than you realized. Also, i suggest if you need help to work with a dietician instead, as they have educational standards they have to meet. Anybody can hang a sign on the door and say they are a nutritionist because it requires no education. The red flag regarding your nutritionist is that she could not figure out why you were not losing weight.
Good luck!13 -
I agree with everything SLLRunner said. While I never had a gastric bypass, I did spend years wondering why I wasn't losing weight. I thought I was doing everything "right".
Turns out that I wasn't doing everything right, because I was eating too many calories. I was eating well, But I was eating too much.
When I joined MFP and accurately logged my food and found out how weight loss worked (my body needed so many calories to maintain my current weight and I was eating that many and then some!), it was an eye opening experience.
Please read the forum stickies so that you can learn how to log your food and how weight management works. It sounds like you'll have a great ally in your son.
Best of luck to you! You can do this. Believe me, if I did it, anyone can.4 -
I really have and still am learning a lot about eating since joining mfp. I too never had gastric bypass but over the years I kept putting on the weight, I'd take some off then put it back. I have lost 52 lbs so far with another 20 to reach #1 goal. I may try to go for an extra 10 lbs loss after that but I will be ok and in a healthy bmi at that point. I am going to be a person who must log every morsel that goes into her mouth. I've learned my "normal" eating habits is what put me where I've been. I'm in my 60's, I should have done this years ago. I too will need a total knee replacement but when I get it done I intend to be in the best shape so that my rehab will go well. Even though I'm older Ii'm not ready to throw in the towel. So welcome to mfp and lets get started!2
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@jgnatca thought you might like to chime in.1
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I agree your son can be a great resource since he's been there. Just make sure your blood work is in order and you work with a dietitian to address the malabsorption issues and work off of that. Dietary guidelines for the general population will likely not be appropriate for you.2
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I don't have anything else to add to what the others have said, but Op welcome and I'm cheering you on-you can do this!
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I've also had GB and gained a good 60lbs back within the last 5 years. I think that our systems are just different now. It's so much harder to lose weight now because our bodies don't process foods the same way. Any ways that's what I tell myself. I'm in the process of losing weight and watch my macros, eat less than 1200 per day and excercise 90 min 5 days on 2 off. I recently went 3 weeks without losing a single pound. Then I upped my protein to 100+ and broke through. For us gastric bypass patients we need more protein than the average person. Also cut all simple carbs. Best source to get 100 grams without blowing calories is the premier protein shakes1
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lwoods0315 wrote: »I've also had GB and gained a good 60lbs back within the last 5 years. I think that our systems are just different now. It's so much harder to lose weight now because our bodies don't process foods the same way. Any ways that's what I tell myself. I'm in the process of losing weight and watch my macros, eat less than 1200 per day and excercise 90 min 5 days on 2 off. I recently went 3 weeks without losing a single pound. Then I upped my protein to 100+ and broke through. For us gastric bypass patients we need more protein than the average person. Also cut all simple carbs. Best source to get 100 grams without blowing calories is the premier protein shakes
Going three weeks without losing a pound can happen to anyone.
It happened to me. There's a common pattern of weight loss called "stall-whoosh" and it just seems to happen.
I knew my logging was on point and posted a thread on here about it at the time. I got a lot of suggestions, but the best was just to trust the math and wait it out because it can happen.
Weight loss isn't a linear process and it's helpful to remember that.
If it helps for some context, I've lost almost 95 pounds. At the point my first three week stall happened, I was down my first 40 pounds.2 -
I am three years post op and thankfully am running on my original knees....so far. I respect your experience and I wish you the best as you work towards health and strength.0
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Agree with all said before, you just need to be very precise in your tracking. Also what I found is that it is important not to overestimate your activity level, always go with sedentary and if needed add the calories you spend with your activities. I have my Fitbit flex and it is tracking my steps which really helps. I lost over 170 pounds that way and was struggling with weight all my life, so just be very precise. Mathematics is your friend in losing weight :-) Add me as a friend if you need some help.1
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Agree with all said before, you just need to be very precise in your tracking. Also what I found is that it is important not to overestimate your activity level, always go with sedentary and if needed add the calories you spend with your activities. I have my Fitbit flex and it is tracking my steps which really helps. I lost over 170 pounds that way and was struggling with weight all my life, so just be very precise. Mathematics is your friend in losing weight :-) Add me as a friend if you need some help.
That's a stunning loss! Kudos to you.1 -
Agree with all said before, you just need to be very precise in your tracking. Also what I found is that it is important not to overestimate your activity level, always go with sedentary and if needed add the calories you spend with your activities. I have my Fitbit flex and it is tracking my steps which really helps. I lost over 170 pounds that way and was struggling with weight all my life, so just be very precise. Mathematics is your friend in losing weight :-) Add me as a friend if you need some help.
Cool beans, kiddo!! Congratulations on job well done!
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