Obese again

Hi May babies, I've been off the boards for months, I guess because I didn't want to face what was going on with me. I've heard that if you can't be a Good Example, at least you can serve as an Awful Lesson so in that spirit I'm coming out of hiding. After I hit my 100-lb weight-loss mark last May, I stopped exercising completely. Nothing could get me back on that treadmill; it was as if my body just went on strike. Naturally I re-gained a few pounds over the next couple of months. Then I developed a craving for watermelon -- a LOT of watermelon, morning noon and night. I was eating a lot more than 3x a day, but it was just fruit, right? Naturally, I re-gained more pounds over the next couple of months. Then I thought I'd take myself in hand, and started replacing some of those fruit servings with a protein bar. Pure Protein (chocolate flavor) is really nutrient-efficient -- good protein per calories -- but it too can turn out to be not your friend if you eat them like grapes. Two, three (or more!) a day is much too much. Fine, I thought, and went back to fruit: this time oranges -- two at a time, two or three times a day. Naturally, I re-gained more pounds over the next couple of months. Did I mention that I never drank water? Or that my lifestyle became even more sedentary than before, with long mid-day naps whenever I could snatch them? As for vegetables: too much trouble to cook. Long story short: here I am 10 months later, up 36 lb from my low mark last May, with a BMI back in the "obese" range. I finally faced the music last week, pulled out my old post-surgery diet plan and put myself back on the clock for eating only at specific times. And posting everything onto fitday to make sure I stay within limits. I've lost 5 lb, but still have 15 to go to get back into the "overweight" category. I haven't gotten back onto the treadmill yet, but am feeling not as averse to it as I did last year this time. Thank goodness the "tool" is still there working, so I can't complain of hunger. It's just my head that needs a major reconstructive effort. Thanks for listening. It helped me to admit I have a problem! Donna 256/156/187 ...??

..."It helped me to admit I have a problem!".. they say that is the 1st step.. sooo... Hiiiiiiiiiiiii Donna.. I'm glad you posted to remind everyone that it is just a tool.. and to not take it lightly.. weight can definitely creep back up on us all.. I too have found myself eating more of the wrong things.. and I really need to keep myself in check also!! Best wishes to you Rhonda

Hey Donna, Boy do most of us know how you feel. It is so much easier to eat now and we have to remind ourselves that...just because we can...doesn't mean we should. One thing I did last summer after a 10 lb gain was put myself back onto the plan and make a ceiling. A ceiling that I wouldn't let myself get above before putting myself back on plan. This tool works so well. I've probably been back up to that dang ceiling 3 times. I want to kick myself everything too. But, I get back to my plan and the weight falls right back off. I had lost back down to 146, my all time low, right before my breast lift last month. But, after the surgery carbs just seemed so much easier with the nausea. So, back off the wagon I fell. This weekend I realized to that ceiling of 155 I was once again. So, I'm going to the grocery store today to stock up on meat, veggies, cheese, and fruit. I will do my 2-3 oz of meat at the start of EVERY meal and veggies. I will do fruit, cheese, and nuts in small amount for snack or after my meat at meals. I too am hoping to get back to exercise after tomorrow. I have a meeting with my surgeon tomorrow and hope he releases me for all exercise. I'm turning soft for sure. Good Luck Donna!!!!!!!!! Christie 245/155/138 p.s. If you are a female looking into a breast lift and would like to see before and after pics email me.

Hi Donna, I completely know what you're going through! I too have found my way on the upward swing over the past few months and it's really affecting my self-esteem, self-confidence, body image, etc.... I need to get back on the program and stop with the chips, cookies, soda (yes I drink it all the time now!), and chocolate. Ok - the chocolate isn't going to be completely erradicated from my diet but I will limit it to one piece a day. I think that is livable. Does anyone have a good post-surgery plan they could email me? I wasn't given anything more than what to eat 1-3 weeks post surgery and I cannot go back to that diet again. (mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, etc...) Thanks! With the weather getting warmer, I'm trying to get out for walks and exercise more without making it a chore. This is taking work but I'm working at it. We can all do this! We've been through so much already that we owe it to ourselves to take control now before we get too out of control. Our tool is always there to help us. We just need to get our minds back on track. (easier said than done I know....) We can do this! Jessica 301/170/135

I'm right there with y'all. It's really ahrd to stay on track. Now I know why Carnie Wilson's second book was titled "I'm Still Hungry". I had lost down to my lowest of 148, and am now at 162......so I have gotten back on track to try to lose this 12 pounds before we go to the beach next month. I'm just glad I am not the only one. Let's encourage each other to be LOSERS again! Thanks for sharing, it got me outta my lurk mode! Love, Stacey 276/162/148

I am right there with you. One of my doctors, who is treating me for tension headaches and I was having trouble sleeping, put me on Ambein. I was on this for 3 months. I didn't know exactly what it was doing to me. I have been living in a different town from my husband do to some other issues. A few weeks ago he came down to help me pack the house. The last three months have been fuzzy but I remember somethings. The last two weeks however, I don't remember anything. My hubby let me know last week that I would forget that I would take them and end up taking more than I was suppose too. Plus, when I was on this drug, I would eat anything and everything I could get my hands on. Needless to say, I have gained around 30 to 40 pounds in the last three months. When he told me how I had behaved as well as my eating during this time, I stopped taking them and flushed them that day. I called my doctor and told him everything that had happened. He is now hoping that the Ambein at least kicked started my body to go to sleep at night now so he doesn't want me to take anything for a week. The good news is that my hubby did tell me and I fixed the issue and I am sleeping again without meds. That is the happiest thing in my book. Now, I have to get back on track, use fitday each day, walk on the treadmill again since I got it back in my apartment. The only thing I am having trouble with now, is my late night snacks. I guess my mind got use to getting them again and it is a fight not to eat fruits, cheese and crackers, and other goodies after dinner. I am going to work and get back down. I know I will mess up here and there, hey, we are only human. I am going to start coming here again for support. I hope things work out for you as well as all of us who have slide back some. Toni

Wow! How happy am I that I took a look at this board today! I haven't been on here in long time, not even lurking, because I have been a BA-A-A-A-D girl, people. Lots of anything and everything and now I have concerns my tool may no longer work! I'm back to eating in portioned control, getting in tons of liquids and protein and still mustering up what it takes to exercise as well as getting back on the vitamin track. I don't mean to say it like this: but I'm really glad to hear I'm not in this situation alone. That is can and maybe DOES happen to everyone. I became pregnant (SWEET JESUS, I know!) at 4 mos post op, continued to lose though and got down to a final weight loss of 112. I have regained about 10 pounds since Olivia was born last June. I'm in 14-16-18's depending on the cut, but damned if I'm going back into anything above an 18! I have over 50 pounds left to lose to reach my original goal and being under 200 will be a thrill. I only ever got down to 201, i think. I'm at 213 now. Has anyone had stretched stoma issues or repairs done?