This Much I Know...

Hi Friends - I've been poking around a lot at other Boards and have deduced from my sluething...
1.  Most boards have lost nearly all activity by 5-years post op;
2.  I guesstimate approximately 90% of long-termers have gained a significant amount of their lost weight back and they are terrified and lost and not knowing what to do to put an end to the weight regain;
3.  Approximately 20% of long-termers report that they never were able to lose all of their weight in the first place;
4.  The folks that report sustaining success are those who have subscribed the the theory that I try so hard to live by each day - that each of us has a certain amount of life energy that we get to "spend" every day in whatever manner we choose-the ones who redirect that energy away from food and toward passionate, truthful, loving living are the ones who are much more successful in keeping their weight off. And a loving life begins with loving the self;
5.  I will keep coming here and posting, because this board has sustained me and supported me while I walked this path;
6.  Starting today, right now, I will STOP feeling frightened about the weight I've regained and instead I will celebrate that I am able to move and live and laugh and love in a body that for now, for today has very few limitations (except those associated with a 52 year old lady with bad knees!)
7.  I will continue to come here to ask for what I need and I trust that there will always be a Marcher on the lookout for our behalf.

This much I know - these things I've learned. And so the journey continues... you all are very dear to me. Your Reenie

That is exactly why I am still here, too!! We grow quiet at times, but, usually pick back up eventually & help each other through good & bad times. We I hope are all still family
(sometimes disfunctional), but still family.
Great Post!!

Marilyn C (Bearlady)

I've been battling the fact that I am no longer a size 8 or 10. I loved those numbers...
I am now a 12 or 14. While I am not in love with those numbers what I am happy with is that it is not a size 26 or 28.
Today In the dressing room I had tears in my eyes when I tried on the size 14 that fit perfectly. I also remembered that 4 years ago I had tears in my eyes in the same dressing room when I tried on that size 8. The tears were for the same reasons. I was wearing a size I never thought I would -  again,.
but i'm healthier than i've ever been.
maybe someday i'll lose the weight again.
maybe I won't.
but right now i'm ok.
and i got a nice new outfit for work on monday!
it was on clearance!
life is good.

So Reenie... #2... Why the regain? 

Body starts to compensate for less calories and the metabolism slows down even more?

Snacking?

More calories?

Less exercise?

Why?

Hi Connie, I think you answered your own question - all of the above! The bottom line is (and as always, I'll speak for myself, although in reading probably over 200 posts from people this far out who have regained, I'm probably speaking for many in similar situations) - I have gotten lax about my program; I'm eating foods that I shouldn't be eating; I'm eating more than I should be eating; and I'm not exercising or working out to the extent that I was 3 years ago. I'm slacking off. This isn't rocket science - to lose weight, we have to burn off more calories than we take in; to stay at the same weight, we have to burn off the same amount of calories that we take in. To not gain fat, we have to limit the amount of fat calories that we take in. This is hard work on a daily basis - as we all know. Living gets in the way - stress, jobs, family, bills, any number of things takes over our very good intentions of taking care of ourselves. I think this is it anyway. How are you doing? I miss you. Maureen

sometimes when i am working out i'm thinking about what i've eaten for the day which is well within the calories to lose but i continue to gain...
i wonder if my body is waking up from the surgery saying hey your suppose to weigh 300 pounds! maybe my body is saying i've been alseep for almost 5 years and let you get away with being smaller now i'm taking back my territory!
thats a small thing that pops into my mind sometimes wheh i'm sweating up a storm rethinking what i've eaten and wondering why the scale doesn't go down it only goes up.
im not saying that its gone up tremondously or that it is every single day.
but it seems like no matter how hard i work and watch what i eat it doesn't zoom down like it did almost 5 years ago.
of course back then drining 30cc's was a thanksgiving dinner!
hey lets remember our first days!
getting out of bed! wasn't that a hoot???
walking the mile around the nurses station!
wearing those nightgowns!
not unbacking a thing I brought from home!
wishing someone was at home to put those stupid socks on my feet!
I still have my little plastic 30cc cup sitting on my shelf in my study above my computer...tothink it took me forever to drink 8 ounces of protein drink before they'd let me go home...i'm telling the truth here now...i poured most of it in the sinki in the bathroom!!!!
remember the first time you finally went to the bathroom and had to call someone to help??? ok too much information! hahaha
ahhhhhh then...remember the firsttime you got on a scale after surgery? in less than 2 weeks i' dropped 25 pounds. WOW was that a fun day!
first meal was a 1/4 of a scrambled egg and i had to push the plate away i was so full.
i want those days back! hahaha

I think you're onto something here, Pam. There has to be some scientific explanation as to why we're gaining, even though we're not eating a helluva lot. I admit that my program isn't nearly as stringent as it was 3 years ago; I'm lucky if I get a good solid workout in twice a week; 3 years ago I was working out like crazy 5 days a week. But the calories I'm taking in still amount to around 1,000 a day most days - and I'm gaining. There has to be a connection between being morbidly obese for an entire lifetime and regain after WLS because soooooo many people are regaining the weight.  Yes, we know that our fat cells - those little buggers that were so full of fat for most of our lives, a bazillion of them in our bodies - we know those cells just lie in wait to fill up again, and that will be the case the rest of our lives. Is it as simple as that? Those cells are slowly filling up again? I dunno. But I intend to have a very serious conversation with Dr. A when I see him in April. Have a good day - and yes, it's good to remember those first few weeks! I'd give anything to have that feeling of satiety again!!! Maureen

Pammy,

I agree with you.  I think my body thinks it's supposed to weigh 300 pounds.  I feel like I'm in a battle with my own body and it's trying to sabotage everything I do to lose weight. 

I remember sitting on my couch and eating 2 sporkfuls of Taco Bell beans and cheese.  I was in heaven and thought it was the best thing I'd ever tased in my life.  2 small bites and I was stuffed. 

Hugs,
C.