New Year ...New Focus

ok, it has been more than a year since I have been an active poster. My goal (I don’t do resolutions) is to post at least once per week.  I have gone back to a therapist and when we discussed my regaining of some weight and my food obsessions he asked if I was going to any support groups. I said no and that I used to use OH as my support group but I stopped even coming to the group for check in’s, support and friendship.

He suggested that I reconnect and stay with the group. He said that I needed to have like type minds in 'my pocket' rather  than what I have been using for comfort... which we all remember to be our former best friend... food.

So with that all being said, I am 233 as of today, I am starting fresh as of tonight and I hope to reconnect with all my OH friends.  Happy New year and Cheers to all of us for a lighter 2009! ~Sharon

Hello Sharon

                Welcome back, I see you had your surgery one day before mine. Sorry to hear you’re having problems but it happens too many of us. The good news you can get back on track with some support. I am an OH certified support group leader and I know how important it is to have a good support system. Statics have shown that people who have had weight loss surgery that regularly attend some kind of support group have the best success. I am a support group leader of two groups one here on OH and one in my town. However both of my groups are for men only but I regularly attend a support group for men and woman in my town sponsored by the hospital that I had my surgery at. Things are a bit slow on this board lately so I would like to recommend another support group here on OH. It is called Back on Track Together here is the kink to it. www.obesityhelp.com/group/backontracktogether  The leader of this group is a good friend of mine. Cathy Wilson is a staff member of OH and she was the leader of the support group I attended in my town she is also the person that trained me to be an OH support group leader. If anyone can help she and her group can. So please check her group out and good luck.

                                                                                                              Alan Hartman

Thanks for the words of encouragement!  I did join Cathy's group yesterday and made a promise to myself to come back to the site every night rather than snack after dinner. (which has been a weak spot for me)

By the way, congrats! You have done incredible!!!! 

HI and Welcome back.... I know the feeling... I too drop out of sight for a while and just started coming back not too long ago.... I have gained back some weight and am at 223... Funny you would pick today to post this, because when I got up this morning I decided today was the day to work on getting back on track... I had eggs for breakfast instead of cookies and I will have a turkey wrap for lunch instead of chocolate covered raisins and I will chew gum instead of munching on cookies and candy all day... Don't know what I am doing for dinner yet, but it will be a sensible dinner and no snacking at 11 pm for me anymore....  OH and Water Water Water instead of all the pop I have been drinking....

 

We can do this if we stick together and keep coming back here for support.... I also starting battling another addiction recently and that is alcoholism.... I am sure that played a big part in my weight gain, and then when I gave that up, I switched back to the junk food... So now I am putting both of those things out if my reach and out of my mind.... I want to be healthy and be around for a long time for my kids and my grandson....

 

I see a therapist and a psychiatrist too, and they both suggested that I get back in touch with my group as well.... This is a great place... we just all need to get back to posting... I miss everyone here...

 

I have also started posting on my state board again... Not a lot of responses from my posts, but at least I am getting things out there....

 

You have come to far to stay down... we all fall sometimes, but we need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move forward again.... You can do it and I know you will....  ONEderland here we come again!!!!!!

Good Luck and I hope to see you around here regularly again.... I know I will be checking regularly!!!

 

Well, time to switch the laundry.... Have a good day....

 

HUGS 2 You,

 

Hi there and thanks!!! It sounds like we are both at the same place. I too woke up and said I WILL not allow this to continue.  After reading site after site, I have decided to gather the materials to do the 5-day pouch test.  From the other OH'ers it seems that it is the kick in the butt that I need to get my head back into the proper eating mindset.

Funny how your former menu sounds very much like mine.  Some days I would seriously wonder  how I made it through the day without ANY protien. The only  thing I can say that I have not gone 'off plan' on was my suppliments.

I think that is because a former co-worker died right before I had my RNY. She stopped taking care of herself, diet wise as well as suppliments and passed out while driving. In NH you dont have to wear seatbelts and as she was coming down a mountain road she rolled her car and was ejected. Her mom works with me and made me promise that if I strayed from the diet that I had to promise not to stop the suppliments. 

Besides the logging into the OH site I am going to start my journaling again. The Dr. stated that I need the support (there really isnt any groups near where I live.) so OH will be my lifeline.  I have also begun logging everything that has gone into my mouth again. Good god, I dont understand how I could have eaten so much with such a smaller stomach. BUT there is not a doubt why I have gained 35 pounds back!  

This too will be history and you and I will make it so, together.  Please keep in touch and I promise to do the same. Best of luck with your challenges... but remember you are not alone!   

Hello Sharon and Shawn,
I too am right at the same place the two of you are at.  A lot of grazing and eating what I am not suppose to eat, not enough protein,  I am back on some what of track, I am starting the 5 day pouch test again and I WILL MAKE IT THIS TIME.  I have read on my of 50 site some of the girls tried it there and have gotten back on track and lost a few pounds to boot.  I have only let myself get to my comfort zone range of 140 to 145, if I see that I am over 145, even by one pound, I get scared to death, I do not want to go back to my 255 at all.  Last week I did get to 147 and I felt just awful,  I cant let this happen, I have worked so very hard at this and I just cant.  So I got rid of  all the high carb stuff in the house, YES, poor pathetic me, ate them and paid for it dearly, I used the excuse "these cost alot, cant throw them out"  I went grocery shopping yesterday and I thought I would buy me some of those 100 calories snacks, well I was so proud of myself that I said "NO YOU CAN DO THIS CHRISTINE" and lo and behold I left those suckers there on the self.  I dont need them and I actually patted myself on the back when I got to my car without them. 
WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER, WE MUST DO THIS, WE WILL DO THIS,  all we need to do is support each other.
Shawn good for you and your not snacking and making the right choices as well.  I starting logging again on FITDAY.COM  it really helps me to know where I stand for the day.
I know that I can eat a whole slice of pizza, with no problem and still want more, I do not get that full feeling and I wish that I did to where I felt just miserable, but I dont, I do hiccup and I know that it is time to stop eating.
So lets all get back on track and get back on the program, WE CAN DO THIS, I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP, AND I AM HERE FOR YOU IF YOU NEED MINE.
 

Chrissy, I am there for you!! I wish I was more cognizant when I started bouncing back up.  Good for you for always being aware!!! 

One of the steps I need to do to be healthy is to contact my Dr. I haven’t seen him in more than a year. (I chose not to contact him on my 2nd year surgiversary, I was ashamed).  I am going to schedule an appointment with him.  I have been listening to many of the iTunes podcasts from OA (overeaters anonymous) and honestly it has actually helped. I have felt out of control and almost drawn to food like an addict. I never used to like tootsie rolls or hot tamales candies and over the past year they have become an obsession for me. I think it is because they are small and give satisfaction because of they are difficulty to chew. I have also become a sneaky eater. I sneak food? Why is that huh?   Hey, did you watch the Oprah show last Monday? It was terrific. I am not someone who often watches her but I do admire her for her brutal honesty about her weight issues. If you missed it you can watch it on-line.  So much of what she said hit home for me. She and Bob Greene are doing a webcast tomorrow night (8pm EST) I am going to try and view   Well enough of what I USED to do and back to what my goal is for 2009. Accountability and clearing clutter! I say clutter because over the past year I have let ‘stuff’ come into my life that pushed me to the back of the line. Work, family, and quite honestly anything else that needled its way into my path. I started by literally cleaning my office at home and work. I then did the same to many of the rooms in my home. If I haven’t used something in the last year I sent it to recycling. All those magazines I said I would get to… gone. (Ok except for the self and shape ones… I like to read those while I am on the elliptical). I stopped all my subscriptions to my food porn. (I cant believe how many web and paper magazines I subscribed to that related to food preparation!!) Without the distractions of guilt feelings that I should be doing “X" I can focus a bit more on me. 

Hey Chrisy!!!

 

WTG on bypassing those snacks when you were shopping.... I need to do more of that... Although today I ran to the store and I was good and got some lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes..... When I get the munchies tonight, that is what I will eat...

 

I did good for one day without all the grazing, but they I went back to grazing again, at least this time on better things though... and I am drinking lots of water.... I Finally pulled some meat out of the freezer too, so that I can thaw it and cook it up... I have been so bad about getting my protein in... my problem with though is that it constantly gets "stuck".... I am eating too fast and not chewing good enough.... I have to retrain my brain again....

I know the feeling about not wanting to throw things away, but you know the food banks are really struggling to keep their shelves stocked these days, you could always donate the stuff that you shouldn't eat to your local food bank....  My problem is that most of my "shopping" is done at the food bank... LOL....

 

You are far from pathetic, just cost conscious.... If you don't want to donate the stuff, then just make sure that if you do eat it, you eat it in moderation... I know you can do it... Look how far you have come already....  We all can do it, if we just put our minds to it....

Good Luck and keep posting...