New, frustrated! How is this possible?

[Cshel37]

My rant and plea for help:

How is it medically possible to eat only 500-600 calories a day and not only NOT lose, but actually GAIN? I have been gaining weight every day for 4 days. Every day I get up and go to the scale and am horrified.

Here are my problems - anyone else have similar? (Grossout factor coming, sorry)

I don't poop more than once a week. I take Miralax, Benefiber, magnesium capsules, nothing works. Last night I did a saltwater flush even - it was mostly inneffective.

I am not having good results with the diet.

Week 1: 7 lbs.
Week 2: 1.2 lbs.
Week 3: 3.2 lbs.
Week 4: .01 (yes, one tenth of a pound)
Week 5 (this week): 0.9 lbs.

As of today, I have been on the diet for 4 1/2 weeks and have lost a total of 10.4 pounds (that's including the weight I've been gaining the last few days).

What the heck is going on? Everyone else is losing what, like 2 or 3 lbs. a week? I don't cheat (not once, actually) and I do a hard, hour-long workout 2 or 3 times a week. I burn about 450 calories every time I workout. I DON"T GET IT.

My doctor won't listen. I think she thinks I'm eating stuff I shouldn't. Or she says it's becuase of my TOM - which is not due for 10 more days, so it's not that. I stay under 30 carbs a day and I stay under 600 cals a day.

Is there anyone here who can relate? I'm so frustrated I feel like crying.

[newyorkmeg]

Why are you eating such few calories? What plan are you following?

[suzanna1]

Cshel ~ Welcome to the board!

What is your current weight and your goal weight? Also, what have you been eating the past few days? Please post a couple of menus.

You are working out really hard. I just walked 30 minutes a day while I was on acute. Maybe try taking it a bit easier and see what happens.

Are you still in ketosis at 30 carbs per day?
Are you drinking close to a gallon of water each day?

[Cshel37]

I'm doing the same as Medi-weight loss, only I'm not going to their clinics. My doc gave me my plan and the phentermine, but it's similar. 500 calories of lean protein and 2 cups or veggies a day. She said I couldn't have fruit, but I always have a cup of fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries a day.

Menus for the last 3 days - these are accurate, and I track them on ***********.com so the calories and carbs are correct.

Saturday
decaf coffee with sugar free coffeemate
my recipe dairy-free, sugar free egg custard cup
2 pcs. oscar meyer turkey bologna
1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
2 poached eggs
1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese

total calories 557, carbs 29

Friday
decaf coffee with sugar free coffeemate
dairy free sugar free egg custard cup
2 pcs. oscar meyer turkey bologna
3 Mt. olive mini kosher dill pickles (adds up to about 1/4 cup)
1 cup fresh strawberries
1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 reduced fat string cheese
1 egg

Total calories 574, carbs 21



Thursday
decaf coffee with sugar free coffeemate
dairy free sugar free egg custard cup
2 pcs. oscar meyer turkey bologna
1 cup fresh strawberries
1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 string cheese
2 Boar's head light beef franks

Total calories 563, Carbs 16

my recipe for the egg custard cup has eggs, splenda, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla and a pinch of salt. They are 77 calories and 1.3 carbs each - again, this is according to ***********.

[Cshel37]

Oh, I currently weigh 166 pounds and want to weight under 130. I don't know if I'm in ketosis, but I'm going to get the ketostix today. I drink lots of water.

[Kismet311]

Where are your veggies?? I would also cut out the processed meats. Good job drinking lots of water but maybe just a bit more can't hurt JMHO.

[Cshel37]

I do normally eat more veggies, or at least I get in a good salad at dinner. It's been kinda hectic around here the past few days and I've been doing what's easy. I have to modify the diet a little because I have a lap-band and it's very difficult for me to eat things like chicken breast which is very dry and hard to get down. I eat fish for dinner lots of times, or I'll make a soup from chicken and broth with some veggies thrown in. I get protein from low fat cheeses, sugar free protein powder, fish and eggs, basically.

[mommy2princesses]

Cshel - You mentioned eating strawberries every day, which I know for myself I have found to be a no-no. The 2 weeks I ate strawberries several times, were my lowest weight loss weeks. For some reason, my body doesn't like them (which is such a shame because they are sooo good right now!). My suggestion woudl be to try eliminating all fruit and sticking to veggies for a few days...I know I lose more when I cut out the fruit as they are higher in sugar/carbs then veggies.

-Keri

[Desert-Rose7]

I see some issues here right away:

Are you drinking at LEAST 128 oz of water a day?
There is a ton of sodium in all that processed meat
Frozen fruits are full of sugar
Are you journaling everything that goes in your mouth? And I do mean everything?
I am seeing a lot of hidden sugar and sodium in the foods you are choosing. Both will contribute to lower weight loss.

You have already had a lap band procedure? Did you gain the weight back and are trying to lose it? If so, you may need to reassess your whole attitude toward food and why you eat as you do. The MWL program is geared toward behavior modification and mindset changes....totally major lifestyle changes. You have to be ready to commit 100%, and doing this without the clinic is difficult at best. They are there for a very good reason. Unless you are seeing your doc once a week and weighing in once a week with the doc, you are going to frustrate yourself in a big way.

Please take a look at the following threads for information and tips and support and encouragement:

Welcome Newbies! Helpful info for week 1.

*~* Jazzed Up July with MWL *~*

Ketosis


Also adding in your stats: beginning weight/current weight/goal weight and height will help us help you, and celebrate your success with you.


Jo

[onajourney]

I had a couple weeks where my weight loss was low and I worked out a lot and was burning a lot of calories.
I was told at my clinic to replace some of those calories burned only if I burned a very large amt. You need calories left for your body to function.

Even though the amt of calories eating is low you still need a certain amt or you can put your body into starvation mode and it will hold on to the weight

I slowed down my work out.
30- 45 min on the bike 3-4 days and walking 30-45 min the other days
It has worked. I started really losing again.

I also starting taking a stool softner which has helped.

I wish you success.

[Cshel37]

Originally Posted by Desert-Rose7

I see some issues here right away:

Are you drinking at LEAST 128 oz of water a day?
There is a ton of sodium in all that processed meat
Frozen fruits are full of sugar
Are you journaling everything that goes in your mouth? And I do mean everything?
I am seeing a lot of hidden sugar and sodium in the foods you are choosing. Both will contribute to lower weight loss.

You have already had a lap band procedure? Did you gain the weight back and are trying to lose it? If so, you may need to reassess your whole attitude toward food and why you eat as you do. The MWL program is geared toward behavior modification and mindset changes....totally major lifestyle changes. You have to be ready to commit 100%, and doing this without the clinic is difficult at best. They are there for a very good reason. Unless you are seeing your doc once a week and weighing in once a week with the doc, you are going to frustrate yourself in a big way.

Please take a look at the following threads for information and tips and support and encouragement:

Welcome Newbies! Helpful info for week 1.

*~* Jazzed Up July with MWL *~*

Ketosis


Also adding in your stats: beginning weight/current weight/goal weight and height will help us help you, and celebrate your success with you.


Jo

Issue # 1 I drink a lot of water, I don't know if it's 128 lbs, but I will start keeping track.

Issue#2 I don't eat more than 2 oz. of processed meat. I wouldn't say that's a lot

Issue#3 I only eat unsweetened frozen strawberries which have 16 grams of net carbs per cup. Well within allowable limits.

Issue#4 I keep a meticulous food journal. I do not sample, taste or take a bite of anything not on my plan. My poor family has to eat dinner that I have not even tasted to see if it's good!

Issue#5 I had a lap band 2 1/2 years ago and have maintained a 70 pound loss. I did not gain the weight back, I just stalled out so I thought I'd give this a go, as I have about 35 pounds more to lose. My behavior has been thoroughly modified.

Issue #6 - I am being monitored, weighed and checked once a week by my physician. She did Medi-weight loss herself and was successful at it.


Highest weight 246
Weight at time of lap band 238
Current weight 166
Goal 129 or thereabouts.
Oh, and I'm 5'1"

Thanks for the feedback - every little bit helps I am going to cut out the strawberries and stick with just veg for a week and see if things improve.

[onajourney]

Cshel37

Congratulations on your weight loss success so far.

I am sure if you keep following the plan as you are. Your body will adjust and you will continue on your weight loss journey and reach your goal.
Hang in there.

You have done awesome so far!

[irabeslim]

Originally Posted by onajourney

Cshel37

Congratulations on your weight loss success so far.

I am sure if you keep following the plan as you are. Your body will adjust and you will continue on your weight loss journey and reach your goal.
Hang in there.

You have done awesome so far!

You have lost a lot of weight! Congratulations! I have the same horrible constipation problem - all my life, of course, this diet made it much worse. I am buying "colon cleanse" pills from my clinic - it has all kinds of herbs in there. I also take miralax daily - most of the time it helps. But, it is something I am constantly aware of.

[Jeffrey]

Another thing to factor in is that you may be gaining muscle mass while losing fat. Muscle weighs more than fat so you could end up with an actual gain and still be losing fat.

I am anticipating a low loss this week, if not a slight gain. I have been running 3.5 miles every other day in addition to a lot of pushups and situps. My scale at home has gone up slightly, yet I am convinced that my fat is going down. I will find out tomorrow when I go into the clinic for my weigh in. Check the receipt they give you and compare your fat mass with the previous week. If that has gone down then you are still moving in the right direction.

[Ortal]

the past four days... could you be retaining water/constipated?

[Cshel37]

Well - I stopped eating strawberries - the only fruit I was allowing myself- and I dropped 2 lbs in one day. It looks like I won't be able to eat any fruit. RATS!!!!!

Also, I feel really PMS-y. My TOM is not due for a while, but DH says maybe the extreme diet messed with my cycle. Anyone else get irregular TOM with this diet?

[Desert-Rose7]

Come on over to our July thread, and you may find more response to your questions.

*~* Jazzed Up July with MWL *~*

Jo

[mommy2princesses]

Yes! I have now been on Medi for 9 weeks and the first 2 cycles on it were very irregular. I spotted a ton (which is very abnormal for me), as well as having lots of cramping. I had heard somewhere (here, maybe?) that as we burn fat estrogen is released - which can cause irregularities. I think there might be a thread devoted to this too if you search for it. Last week was my TOM and everything seemed back to normal! Hope that helps!
-Keri

[Irelandliz]

Hi everyone, I've been at MWL for 27 days and have lost 14 so far. I know in my head this is a lot and more than I've ever lost in such a short time but I was led to believe my loss would be 3-6 lbs a week. I lost 9, 2.5, and 2.5. I have adhered to the plan having the 500 cals of lean protein & 100 cals of veg/salad & feel I should have lost more. I have this week incorporated 30 mins of fast walking 3 times this week, but on my own scale it hasn't budged since my weigh-in last Tuesday! I had hoped for a 20lb loss the first month. I am presently at 209 and have set my personal goal at 150. I'm 5 ft 8. Any advice or tips would really be appreciated! I have been eating almost everything fresh so low sodium, & drink on average about 100 ozs of water and non caffeinated beverages a day.

[AnnK]

Originally Posted by Irelandliz

Hi everyone, I've been at MWL for 27 days and have lost 14 so far. I know in my head this is a lot and more than I've ever lost in such a short time but I was led to believe my loss would be 3-6 lbs a week. I lost 9, 2.5, and 2.5. I have adhered to the plan having the 500 cals of lean protein & 100 cals of veg/salad & feel I should have lost more. I have this week incorporated 30 mins of fast walking 3 times this week, but on my own scale it hasn't budged since my weigh-in last Tuesday! I had hoped for a 20lb loss the first month. I am presently at 209 and have set my personal goal at 150. I'm 5 ft 8. Any advice or tips would really be appreciated! I have been eating almost everything fresh so low sodium, & drink on average about 100 ozs of water and non caffeinated beverages a day.

Hey Irelandliz ~ !! Yea, I guess we ALL wanna lose that 20 pounds the first month "as advertised." However, our bodies are so individual & our MWL clinics can't really guarantee that we'll all lose the same way, even if we all eat the same exact things & exercise exactly the same. I'm in my 4th week & have lost a little over 10 lbs. You're doing great & heading in the right direction through your hard work. Like you, I've never lost this much in such a short time, so we need to focus on our success. Try to let go of the impatience and stick with it. It's all working for you! Oh, and quit weighing so often... I did that at first & got depressed. Now I only weigh at home right after my weekly weigh-in at the clinic to be sure my scale is correct . Come to the August thread (there's a new thread for each month) ~ you'll find a wealth of knowledge & support!!

[AuburnTina]

I started May the 10th and today is August 10th. I have lost 18.4 lbs so far. My weight loss has stalled for the second time. Last time I did not lose anything in a month, My clinic had me do the first week again and the next week I lost 4 lbs. I haven't lost again in 3 weeks. I go on vacation this Sat. and I am worried sick that I will come back with a gain. It has taken too long to get this off. Any suggestions????

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by AuburnTina

I started May the 10th and today is August 10th. I have lost 18.4 lbs so far. My weight loss has stalled for the second time. Last time I did not lose anything in a month, My clinic had me do the first week again and the next week I lost 4 lbs. I haven't lost again in 3 weeks. I go on vacation this Sat. and I am worried sick that I will come back with a gain. It has taken too long to get this off. Any suggestions????

Talk with the nutritionist at your clinic about metabolism and techniques to reboot it and or speed it up. It sounds like your metabolism is slowing down frequently. One technique is to allow you a reasonable cheat day every couple of weeks to help reboot your metabolism. A cheat day only works if you are really sticking with the program and not cheating on any other days.

[Desert-Rose7]

Originally Posted by AuburnTina

I started May the 10th and today is August 10th. I have lost 18.4 lbs so far. My weight loss has stalled for the second time. Last time I did not lose anything in a month, My clinic had me do the first week again and the next week I lost 4 lbs. I haven't lost again in 3 weeks. I go on vacation this Sat. and I am worried sick that I will come back with a gain. It has taken too long to get this off. Any suggestions????

Just remember that you did not get to your starting weight in a month, or a few months. It will come off, but this is not a magic bullet plan, or a miracle plan. It does work, and you just need to give it the time it needs. Be patient, and trust that it will work. If you follow the plan as best as possible on vacation and you do some planning ahead of time, you should be okay.

And follow Jeffrey's instructions above as well.

You CAN do this.


Jo

[AuburnTina]

When you say cheat day, do you mean eat more calories or eat something that has more carbs then you would normally eat. I go on vacation Sat. so this would be a good time to try something different. Thanks for you help!!!

[lins]

My clinic warned me that there is a difference between a cheat meal/day and a binge. Do not binge meaning don't just go out and eat everything in sight. You still have to be in control of what you are eatting, but if you've been wanting pizza allow yourself a slice or two with a salad or eat a kiddie portion of icecream at your favorite ice cream shop....that kind of thing.

On my "cheat day" I ate a small bowl of cereal for breakfast, a normal Medi approved lunch, and 2 slices of pizza and a salad for dinner. Then I went right back to 500 calories of protein the next day. If you cheat frequently this won't work for you, but if you've stuck to the diet then you may just need a boost to get your system working again. Best of luck. It does suck, but sticking with the program does work, it just may take longer than you were hoping.

I wanted to lose 40lbs, and they told me it would take me around 12 weeks to do that. It ended up taking me 17 weeks to do that. Which I am fine with, but it can be frustarting. I get frustrated a lot, but I got even more frustrated when I was overweight. Now I am at my orginal goal, but still have a lot of fat........which means I am still frustarted. That's just life. I know I just need to keep working hard and I will gt through this.

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by AuburnTina

When you say cheat day, do you mean eat more calories or eat something that has more carbs then you would normally eat. I go on vacation Sat. so this would be a good time to try something different. Thanks for you help!!!

I would talk to the nutritionist at your clinic about it, each person is different and they will be able to explain if this is something that could work for you.

[Desert-Rose7]

Correct, Jeffrey. Not all clinics will recommend a cheat day. Mine does not, and I would not recommend it either. This plan really takes a strong mindset and willingness to commit to a major lifestyle change. "Cheat" means exactly what it says.

transitive verb
1 : to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud
2 : to influence or lead by deceit, trick, or artifice
3 : to elude or thwart by or as if by outwitting <cheat death>
intransitive verb
1 a : to practice fraud or trickery b : to violate rules dishonestly <cheat at cards> <cheating on a test>

You are cheating yourself of the valuable gift of good health and a longer life, you are tricking yourself and no one else. I would not personally recommend it, but again that is just my personal opinion,and coincidentally my clinic's belief as well.


Jo

[lins]

I wouldn't have lasted this long on the program if my clinic didn't suggest a "cheat" day every once in awhile. Just my option.

[Dieting2hrs@aTime]

Originally Posted by Cshel37

My rant and plea for help:

How is it medically possible to eat only 500-600 calories a day and not only NOT lose, but actually GAIN? I have been gaining weight every day for 4 days. Every day I get up and go to the scale and am horrified.

Here are my problems - anyone else have similar? (Grossout factor coming, sorry)

I don't poop more than once a week. I take Miralax, Benefiber, magnesium capsules, nothing works. Last night I did a saltwater flush even - it was mostly inneffective.

I am not having good results with the diet.

Week 1: 7 lbs.
Week 2: 1.2 lbs.
Week 3: 3.2 lbs.
Week 4: .01 (yes, one tenth of a pound)
Week 5 (this week): 0.9 lbs.

As of today, I have been on the diet for 4 1/2 weeks and have lost a total of 10.4 pounds (that's including the weight I've been gaining the last few days).

What the heck is going on? Everyone else is losing what, like 2 or 3 lbs. a week? I don't cheat (not once, actually) and I do a hard, hour-long workout 2 or 3 times a week. I burn about 450 calories every time I workout. I DON"T GET IT.

My doctor won't listen. I think she thinks I'm eating stuff I shouldn't. Or she says it's becuase of my TOM - which is not due for 10 more days, so it's not that. I stay under 30 carbs a day and I stay under 600 cals a day.

Is there anyone here who can relate? I'm so frustrated I feel like crying.

Hi Cshel37,

Just a thought. I see you've already stopped eating the berries, but I'm wondering if you want to rethink all the dairy you've noted. When I first started the MWL program, I dropped 6.8 lbs first week. The 2nd week I had some string cheese and ricotta as you've mentioned (don't use any creamer in coffee) and lost only 4 ounces the following week. So, no dairy at all the next week and I dropped 4.6 lbs. Everything else was the same.

I can totally relate to the "evacuation" issues and have found fresh raw spinach to be a help. I try to get in at least 5-6 ounces a day and that has helped. Also, I've found as soon as I get close to the 15gm of carbs, my weight loss slows, if the carbs are not mostly green vegs.

Last thing...I've cut out all artificial sweetners. No splenda, equals, sucrose etc. I stick strickly to foods that note sugar alcohols like maltitol, stevia and xlylitol. And I keep those to no more than 10 gms a day.

Just a thought. Try it for a week and see if you get any better results. I've heard dairy can bind you up anyway.