It used to be so easy......

Hi everyone After 11 months of a relative easy journey, I now find myself getting hungry and the old food demons are returning. I am fighting them but seem to be in a funk for the last week. All food looks good and there is nothing that has made me sick. I don't get full from my usual portions and find myself looking in the refrigerator an hour after eating. Luckily I don't have bad stuff around but the temptations are there. I am so afraid of getting back to my bad habits. I am scared to death. I had a great vacation in Vegas but have been distracted from my usual routine. I finally kicked myself in the butt and got back to the gym today. Hopefully that will help. I need a routine to settle into, a good routine. They say confession is good for the soul, so I am sharing my deep concerns with my OH family. Hugs to everyone Sheryl XOXOXOXOXO

Good Morning Sheryl, I find that I too am eating more. I have gone from 310lbs to 159, a size 26/28 to 8 & will be one year out Oct 14, 05. I Love the size I am now & I'm afraid of gaining the weight back . Even though I am not hungry I want to eat all the time or I eat too much. The sad part is I know its all in my head & I know I'm not hungry I just think I am! I have fallen and I'm trying to get back into the routine of eating slow and smaller portions. I get scared sometimes, I don't want to gain the weight back. Don't feel like you are alone with this evil demon. Oh well, I will try to get back on track & start over in following the rules & guidelines. If you ever feel a need to vent or just talk you can email me at [email protected]. Hang in there. Its just the little gremlins in our mind that keep saying feed me, feed me we just have to fight back. Stay in touch!

Hi Sheryl, YOu and I had surgery on the same day. Hard to believe it has been 11 months. I exercise everyday and that makes me feel better about my food choices. Sometimes they are not always "perfect" but they are a lot better then they used to be. I try not to get too down on myselft but sometimes I still do. I have to remember that one extra serving of something is not the same as having a huge hot fudge sundae. I still journal everything that goes into my mouth and I try to stick to 800 calories a day and 80 grams of protein. I go to group every month and keep in contact with people that continue to give me good food ideas when I get into a slump. This really helps. I know it will be something I will have to watch everyday of my life too but sometimes I hope that I will be able to let myself relax just a little bit. But I get so scared sometimes too. I used to be a size tight 26 jeans and last month on vacation I bought a size 4. I can't wait to have PS and see what happens then. I am too stubborn to go back I think. But I know what you mean totally. Take care. Lori 5'3" 278-149-140

Hello all, I am feeling the same way you all are. The only difference is that I have felt this way from day one. I very rarely feel full and I swear that I am eating more now then before. People keep saying that it not possible but I beg to differ. I know that I am not doing what I need to do but I am so discouraged these last few months. I know that its to be expected to have some depression but I am tired of constantly worrying about losing the weight. I guess it has alot to do with the fact that I have so much weight to lose. I hear how people have gone from a 26-28 to below a 10 and I am just so happy for them. But int he same breath I wonder when my time will come. I began this journey at 450 pounds and here I am 11 months out and I am still over 300 (approximately 315-317). I went from at 30-32 to only 26 with some 24's. I tell myself not to compare myslf to others but its easier said then done. Its like I have no support from people around me(I just moved to a new city)that undestand what I am going through. I have tried to find a support group but no luck so far. I am trying to get back into a routine but that hasn't worked either. I guess I will have to keep trying and hope for the best. Its getting harder and harder to firgure out what to eat. Its like I have reverted back to my old habits completely. If I could have just one great day maybe that will help. I guess I am on yet another plateau because I have been 315-317 since the end of June. Some suggestions on how to get back on track would be so helpful. Erica 10/12/04 (11 months, 1 day and 2 hours)

Erica Hi! I am now one year out and I find that I want to get back to my old habits and eat all the time even though I don't feel hungry. Its all in our minds and I find myself going to the refrigator and always looking in or grabing someout out to munch on even if I'm not hungry. Its habit not hunger and its hard to fight. Most of the time I try to eat fruit I keep it on hand when I do get this way. I don't have the answers but I have been told go back to the basic when you started this journey. Start out with extremely small meals, write it down & keep track of what you eat and how often this will tell if its just habit or nervous eating. I started out at 310lbs now down to 159 and have not lost any more weight to date but I'm not worried about losing more just hope I don't gain it back. Make sure you're getting your protein & vitamins in as well as drink lots of water. The water helps you lose and remember you will stall from time to time then for no reason your body starts losing again. It takes about 2 years out for your body to adjust and stay normal. Hope this helps take care in my thoughts & prayers!

Sheryl, I had my surgery Oct. 7, 2004 down here in Louisiana. I feel hungry constantly some days. On good days only MOST of the time... There are times when I get full. I can't for the life of me figure out what will make me feel full or keep me feeling full longer. I do try to eat my protein first. I walk every day, less when the family is around. I have only lost about 65 lbs and I can eat a lot more than any of the other gastric bypass or lap band folks I know. I had strictures and they stretched me 2 times. I also have had many many complications. I was thinking that my doctor had stretched me too much and maybe that was why I was able to eat so much more. I DO eat more now than I did prior to surgery. I have had 2 other surgeries and 3 drain tubes since my initial surgery (that I can remember) and maybe something with one of those procedures made my pouch stretch or made the opening stretch. I can only guess and that gets me nowhere fast. I dump on more than 6 grams of sugar per sitting and am pretty sensitive to greasy foods too. Thankfully! If I didn't have such strong adverse reactions to bad food, I'm afraid I would be eating a Ding Dong and chasing it with french fries. I'm not gaining but I'm not losing. Walking helps me with the depression. I haven't lost any weight in about 4 months. I have a support group meeting next week and am hoping the scale will be kind(er). My doctor told me to start drinking water right before and with my meals. He said that they tell people not to drink because it will make the pouch fill faster. In my case, that is a good thing. Maybe it would help you. You might want to ask your doctor though. He might not like someone contradicting him or my doctor could be kookie. You never know. I'll say a little prayer for you to receive the kind of guidance you want when I ask for the guidance I need, too. Good luck and may you be a big loser! Kimberly 272/208ish/145

Hi Kimberly, I too had strictures, 5 of them. I also think the last time he stretched mine too much cause now I can eat alot more. Is there anything that can be done to fix the problem? Thanks chastity-139

I, too, have found that I am eating more now out of head hunger. I decided to start going back to see my nutritionist to help get me back on track. I saw her yesterday and I am trying to go back to basics. We talked about my making good food choices at least 90% of the time and allowing myself to have a small treat a couple of times a week or so. She said not to deprive myself, but do it within limits. I am having a hard time with carbs, I love them!