FW: [MGB-PostOp] For Marie-what if I fail???

[Guest guest]

This was originally posted to the post op list, but I thought pre ops would

benefit by reading it as well. I have permission from Vicki to repost it

here! Amy.

Re: [MGB-PostOp] For Marie-what if I fail???

Hello everyone.

I have been reading these posts for so long now and have lurked and seldom

posted. I usually found that my questions were answered by someone else and

there was no need to clutter up for forum with my posts. However, I am

seeing a real trend here that I think could be counter productive. It seems

that our expectations for weight losses are really getting unrealistic. It

is probably the result of some very miraculous stories.

My one year anniversary for the MGB is coming up this month. In one year I

will have lost about 80 pounds, far from the average, but it is still a

tremendous amount of weight. I have an additional 40 pounds or so to go

before I reach my goal. I know I will get there, probably within the next

six months to a year. I was plateaud at a 55-60 pound loss for nearly five

months. Frustrated? Well, yes. Scared? Yes, again. But what were my

choices in the matter? It was apparent. I would just have to do my part

and

have faith that results would follow. I tried several combinations. Diet,

lots of water, exercise. More exercise, more water, less diet changes, and

so on.

Finally, mercifully, the scale began to move again. The key element is,

much

to my sorrow, exercise. I hate it. I will always hate it. But, after a

five month plateau, those scales began to move again with a vengeance. I

also moved my workout to 6:00 a.m. so that my metabolism gets going first

thing and keeps churning all day while I am at work. I so wanted the

exercise thing not to be true. I dropped 17 pounds in six weeks after

moving

my workout to dawn. That's what a tremendous difference the 45 minutes of

exercise made at the start of my day. 17 pounds. Gone. And now, I am

slowly working my way down the scale again, a pound at a time.

I eat what I want. I never feel deprived or left out. I do pay attention

to

my " fullness " factor. But there are no foods I cannot tolerate. I make

sure

I drink 64 ounces of water a day. I know it is not good for me, but I have

a

couple of Diet Cokes a day. It doesn't cause me any pain and I drink them

very very slowly. I am not saying anyone should start drinking sodas. I'm

just trying to let you know how little I have had to sacrifice to enjoy an

80

pound weight loss.

The exercise? Well, it certainly becomes easier when you see the tremendous

results after six months. As hard as it is to get going at 5:30 every

morning, there is no doubt that it is working miracles. In fact, my body is

in better shape (muscle and curve-wise) at 40 pounds over my goal than it

has

been in my entire adult life. What I see in the mirror is good. In fact, I

like my figure better now than I did when I was very thin. It is toned and

womanly. I would be okay if I didn't lose another pound, but I want to try

to get to my goal over the next few months. And it took one year to get

this far, two-thirds to goal.

My message is this. It is unrealistic and unfair to think that any of us

can

lose gobs and tons of weight in a matter of weeks, no matter how much we

want

it to happen. Yes, we have seen some unbelievable miracles in some of the

MGB patients, but overall, that is not going to happen for most of us. Our

weight losses are going to fluctuate, and maybe even stall out for months

like mine did. But, in the end, I will still have the results I was after.

The path to get there won't be the same as your journey. Don't torture

yourself by comparing yourself to others. It is nearly impossible not to do

it, I know. But it isn't fair to yourself and it isn't fair to Dr. R.

Please know I am not being critical of anyone who expresses concern for

their

perceived slow losses. I was the queen of worry for five months when my

scales barely moved at all. Five months. That's a long time to be on a

plateau. And I would probably still be there if I had not decided to find

the right combination for me to get things moving again. You can find

yours,

too, if you get really really stuck. But please don't be worried when you

are only weeks post-surgery. It is too soon to know what kind of loss

pattern you will have. After a few months, you will settle into a pattern

or

get stuck like I did. Then you can analyze what needs to be done. For now,

do what the good doctor says. Relax. If you follow good nutrition, drink

water, and exercise, results will follow. Maybe later than sooner, but it

will follow.

I support each and every one of you and wish you the very best. Now, you

know why I never post. I don't know when to shut up! Good luck everyone.

Vicki in Oklahoma

MGB 7/19/99