Hello there

[3chidna]

I got quite the journey ahead. I've been approved for the bypass surgery, but I am hoping to lose enough that I feel the changes I've made would do the weight loss for me.

Unfortunately, it seems that it's not working so well. I'm at around 400 lbs.

I've cut my caloric intake to around 1400 calories a day, I'm exercising...well, walking 30 minutes to an hour most days. There's days I don't get to walking, but I thought the decrease in calories would make up for that.

I only drink water or coffee and only eat lean protein and vegetables. I do have Wednesdays and Fridays where I stray from the diet for a meal, but that's usually including a starch in my lunch or dinner.

I've only lost maybe 6 pounds in 3 weeks and I'm not sure what more I could be doing, I'm getting sick of steamed broccoli and brussel sprouts, especially if they're not helping!

 

[EndingCredits]

Hey there! Firstly, congrats on approval for the surgery! Also, great job on your meals and progress so far. It might not seem like much, but there's a lot more going on than numbers and pounds lost.

When you start on a journey like this there are a few things to keep in mind. Switching to mainly water intake instead of all the bad stuff out there (soft drinks, dairy, alcohol, etc) can really make your weight jump around. Even three weeks in your water weight can be fluctuating, especially if you're still having days or meals where you don't stick to the diet.

I'd recommend you cut out the starch days. The fact that you're losing weight at all means you're doing something right. I look at it like this: your body is either in "pack on weight" mode or "use fat stores" mode. I'm no professional, but in my experience, if you are in fat burning mode and then eat some carbs, such as sugar in your coffee or a starchy meal, your body will always opt to burn those sources first, before fat stores. You want to look at it as building momentum and when you hit a bump (I.e. a starchy meal) it will slow you down.

In my own weight loss journey, I do not allow myself not to exercise. If I catch myself trying to say "maybe not today" or "just fifteen minutes, not the full workout" I will punish myself by doing an extra fifteen minutes. Hold yourself to high standards, if you cheat, you're only cheating yourself!

Its always important to remember that for PERMANENT weight loss, the goal must be a new lifestyle and the absolute goal must be good health. Weight loss is a side effect.

You are doing a great job. DO NOT lose your momentum! Six pounds in 3 weeks IS progress! Do not be afraid to consign yourself to broccoli and Brussels sprouts for the rest of your days. Food is just food at the end of the day, and once you're well into your own journey, you will care much less about what you eat, and more about getting meals out of the way so you can get on with your day!

 

[Kitty_x]

Hey,

My dad had a heart transplant and he needed to lose weight. He did this the same way your saying, by walking though he did do other exercises.

I know it must be hard. Though I'm no expert, I think the body gets used to the same thing. I'd try buying a simple step or if you have stairs at home to just step up to one step and step down and repeat and slowly get faster. My god. Does it get you sweating. If you do find you can challenge yourself a little more, trying holding weights. This is what my dad did anyway.

Good luck!

 

[Omega]

Welcome to the forum.

Go into a supermarket and take the basket to the butter section and put in 6 pounds of butter... That might weigh 6 pounds or 2.7Kg depending on which country you live in. Don't buy it - but you do need the experience of appreciating how much fat you've got rid of.

It really helps to feel that the 6 pounds that you have lost is not a negligible amount - which really seems to be the way you are viewing it.

You should celebrate that achievement... OK - you would have liked to have lost more - but it is a heck of a good start - and you will lose more if you keep up the good new habits... The weight didnt go on overnight - and will not just disappear overnight - but if you stick at it - it is amazing how quickly it can reduce away.

There are a lot more vegetables than broccoli and brussels sprouts - so maybe it would be a good idea to experiment to see if there are some that you like that you are not having... Butternut squash - especially with garlic was a new one for me... Celariac was another one which I never had before I did my big project.

There is no need for food to be boring. You do not have to eat boring food as some sort of self inflicted punishment for having become big.

For your walking - I swear by a pedometer being worn for every step of the day. It helps you to challenge yourself to walk more - certainly more than the less fit you of a week earlier - or a day earlier for that matter. It can really help to list your steps so you can demonstrate to yourself that you are doing some serious exercise (albeit slowly - I was slow at first) and not giving yourself a day off... I found that I could walk further than I ever imagined possible and I speeded up as the weeks went by. Wearing it for every step of the day makes you more active all day long.