Needing insight

Hi Everyone, I haven't posted in a while (which is part of my problem I think.. you really need a support system!). I have been very busy lately with school, a new job, son graduating and my brother's wedding I'm in this summer... and I think I've neglected a few things.. It's nice to get back on here and read how everyone's doing.. I haven't felt like I've been doing so good. I'm at 193 - 100 lbs gone from when I started this journey, but I feel like I"m making the worst food choices ever and not sure what to do.. and some days it seems like I can eat a lot! I realize it's still (and forever will be) an addiction for me. Thank God I can't eat like I did before surgery, but I hate that after all I've gone through I still can't seem to control myself and I do feel like I am "failing". Where do you get "self-control"? It is so hard for me. As was mentioned in an earlier post, even though the scale isn't moving, people who haven't seen me in a few weeks keep telling me I'm getting smaller..but honestly, I don't see it.. I still feel and see the fat me. Obviously I know I've lost weight, but without looking in the mirror I feel like the fat me.. and poor food choices aren't helping. I am excercising , but have even slacked on that since coming back from vacation... *sigh*. So... any advice out there on getting out of this slump? I still have 30 lbs to go! I'm amazed when I see people on here who weigh in the 130's and 140's. I think 193 is where I"m bound to stay! (But I'll take a size 16 over a size 26 any day!) Thanks for listening! Kim

Kim - I'm right there with you. I've lost 123 pounds down to 165 and I've been making poor food choices and haven't been moving at all. I'd like to lose another 15 pounds. I have been seriously thinking about either going to Overeaters Anonymous or going to a dietician. I'm torn though - I don't want to belittle the others at OA - they may think - oh, sure, she has an eating addiction. And my insurance doesn't cover a dietician so I need to save up some money before doing that. I went to a speech of one that was really inspiring but she's about 20 miles from my office (Houston traffic) so close to an hour. I don't really have answers for you -- just wanted to know you weren't alone in your struggle. I've been trying to take it day by day and not beat myself up. I told myself this weekend that I needed to go buy protein snacks and start planning my meals for the work day. I've been hitting the vending machine lately. Good luck and feel free to email me for support.

I am going to a NUT in a few weeks. I have been on my own for the last 6 months. I need someone to help me with maintenance! The place that I originally had WLS with went under, so it has been interesting... There is a program offered through my husband's company, EDS, that I just signed up for. I need all the help I can get. This will ALWAYS be a challenge! Robin

BTW, I weight 165 and that is where I want to stay. I will take a size 12/10 any day!

Kim, I am feeling so much the same as you...its a pain in the ____(fill in the blank). I am down to 170, from 312 at the start of this journey (and that wasn't my highest) so I am happy, but I really would like to lose more. It's just that I am falling into some really old habits that I don't want to fall into. I am looking at TOPS or another support system also. I do go to a WLS support group once a month. That helps. We will get by, we are learning as we go along. Good luck - God bless. Cyndi

I find good planning helps to keep me on track... when I dont plan out my meals for the week is when the extras start sneaking into the diet. I have to limit myself to eating out lunch 1-2 times a week (hardly anybody here brings lunch which is tempting... so many good places around) and limit myself to eating out dinner 1-2 times a week as well. I make sure I buy enough at the store and plan out a few meals for the week and a few backups (always have something easy like soup or tuna on hand). I find when I havent decided what dinner will be early in the day I end up snacking all evening or going out to eat/picking something up on the way home. Also using fitday.com helps me because I actucally see where all the calories are comming from. Getting out of the slump... I would make an appt with your NUT... I saw mine 2 weeks ago and its helped so much. Mine is extremely helpful and always gets me motivated to get myself back on track... I can openly discuss any eating issues and she offers suggestions that I *can* do... like telling me if I like something to not completely cut it out... jus****ch how much of it I eat. Anyways... that has been my biggest help recently... I get 6 free visits a year with her under my insurance plan and am going to committ to seeing her every 2 months. Good luck!

I keep my staples on hand at all times. I stock up at work by bring a box of Zone Protein Bars which I eat one a day for breakfast. I bring in a bag of flour tortilla wraps and a 1 lb package of turkey breast with mustard for lunch and I buy water bottles by the case or diet ginger ale. I also keep cottage cheese with pineapple on hand and string cheese. I find when I keep the quick grab foods handy I eat them without munching on empty calorie pretzels or other garbage. Just when I think my weight loss has stopped because i will remain the same weight for weeks I will drop a few pounds all at one time. I try not to stress about it and tell myself where ever my body stops is where I am suppose to be, but really I want to hit my goal that I have in my head! I am struggling with the last 12 pounds. And I sometimes doubt I will get there. dana

Kim, First off, your picture is deceiving, did I hear you say you have a son graduating this year? You look amazing and I would never have pegged you at older than mid to late 20s. I don't have great advice. I, like Karen, can completely empathize with what you are going through, I am there too. We live in the sticks, so I have my son signed up in all kinds of things, just so he has social opportunities. He has something on the go every night except Fridays. So I have fallen into the quick to prepare, but nutritionally shallow food choices trap lately. I have been anemic so I have that tired feeling that leads me to crave carbs in the pre-bedtime hours. I have not been following my rule about not eating at least a couple of hours before bed, sometimes that's the only time I have. On the upside, I am way more active than I have been at any point in my adult life. Going to the gym, or doing something unstructured has never worked for me. I like social or group activities. I am going to Tang Soo Do, which is a form of Korean Martial Arts. I am also coaching youth soccer this year. So I have considerable external pressure to make sure I get out there. I have also started walking several times a week with co-workers, but it is an expectation that if we are all here, we will walk. Anyway, I certainly feel for where you are coming from. I am glad to see you back on the board. I don't know if a structured type of activity would work for you, but it has been a true gift for me.