Alice in Wonderland feeling....

I feeling like Alice when she was just falling, spiraling down, down, down.... I am 2 years post op this month..lost 100lbs but never reached my goal..i'm still over 200lbs...But I was happy with that, believe it or not, just because I am grateful that I am healthier and had no major complications.... BUT...I haven't lost any weight in over a year-and wasn't discouraged because truth be told, I was content with my little meat on my bones-no hanging skin- I swear I never wanted to be skinny in the 1st place..BUT now-I gained like 10 lbs. And that may not seem like anything to anyone- I am so depressed because I have no motivation or support to do anything about it. I feel hopeless..and I graze all day. I might as well be back over 300 lbs!! I read advice about going back to basics-BUT DOES THAT REALLY WORK??oR IS MY WINDOW OF Opportunity closed.???? Please help.

Hi Vicki, First off...don't be depressed. I think that a lot of us go through this phase at some point or another after WLS. It is proven (statistically) that there will be some weight gain within the first or second year after the weight loss stops. The graphs show it's so. Does everyone gain? Maybe not. But, a majority do gain 5-10, maybe more lbs back. It's' a fear we all have, I think. But, we can stop this from happening if we break the cycle of self sabotage. Throw the junk food away! Get it out of your house. Choose good food if you're going to have a snack. Protein rich meats, cheese, etc. I'm 13 mos out and am at a stall. I've lost 130 lbs and have reached my surgeon's goal of 75% loss of fat. My personal goal is to lost 150lbs. To get to 175 lbs. My scale hasn't budged from 203-205 in a few months now. It's getting me mad, but like you, I won'g be disappointed if it doesn't move another pound. I'm happy with the weight I've lost and I think I look pretty good, so, se la vie...so to speak. Could I be doing something to get the extra poundage off better? Of course. I could be on a regular routine of exercise, but I'm not. I do snack daily, but it's not with bad foods. Only once in a while (maybe once a month) do I get those gotta have the salt and carbs cravings... If we fall of the proverbial wagon, so to speak, it's easy for us to get back on. Wipe ourselves off and just start new tomorrow. If we catch our bad choices early in the day, don't keep eating the rest of that day, just make good choices for the rest of that day and start over again. (If this makes any sense) There's not really any rocket science to this WLS diet thing. Just eat three good protein dense meals a day, eat the protein first, drink lots of calorie free liquid a day, water load prior to a meal to make yourself feel fuller, and exercise to maintain or keep losing. Here's the post op Maintenance Diet Program that Dr Aranow gives to his patients. It's like my code of living..and it does work, if you work it. ********* MAINTENANCE DIET FOR WLS SIX MONTHS OUT/PLUS As I'm sure you have noticed, your pouch and appetite have grown. This is a natural and normal process of pouch stretching that occurs over a two-year period following your surgery. While Lap Band and Gastric Bypass pouches dilate at different rates, the ways in which you can maximize your sense of fullness to compensate for this stretch are the same. Once you have reached the 6-month postoperative period, you need to start practicing the techniques listed below. Start gradually if you are still in the period of rapid weight loss. If you are still struggling to reach your protein goals, then simply review these techniques so that you may understand what is in your future. There are 6 techniques you must practice in order to maximize your sense of fullness, limit your appetite, reduce the need for between meal snacks, and improve your weight loss success and maintenance. 1.FLUID LOAD: Drink fast and hard fifteen minutes before your meal using a calorie free beverage. DO NOT SIP! Drink as much as you can as fast as you can. Your goal here is to temporarily stretch your pouch and put it into spasm. Drinking in this fashion will give you a full/uncomfortable sensation. When you eat 15 minutes later, you will find you fill up more quickly and possibly your appetite for this meal will also be diminished. This is the single most powerful tool for reducing portion sizes. USE THIS MANEUVER TO AVOID BETWEEN MEAL SNACKS!!!! Make sure you always have a water bottle on hand so you can drink when the need arises. 2.DO NOT HAVE ANY LIQUIDS WITH YOUR MEALS OR FOR 2 HOURS THEREAFTER: This allows your undigested food to slowly empty from your pouch. If you find your thirst at meals and after to be uncomfortable, make sure you have fluid loaded adequately. If you have, then the next step is to try and go "cold turkey" for 2 weeks without drinking at mealtimes. This will allow your brain's "thirst center" to reset. After the 2-week period has elapsed, you will find your thirst after meals to be diminished. 3.FORK AND KNIFE FOODS ONLY: Your procedure only limits the passage of solids. Therefore liquid calories are not delayed and will not make you feel adequately full. This mean NO SOUP< YOGURT< PUDDING< AND ESPECIALLY NO PROTEIN SHAKES!!! Eat every meal seated at the table with a fork and knife. 4.THREE 15 MINUTE MEALS A DAY: Your goal is 3 meals a day. You should spend no longer than 15 minutes eating. Use as small a plate as possible (tea saucer). It seems like a ridiculously small meal but given your very slow metabolism, it is all you need. 5.BALANCE YOUR DIET: You do not need to be on a high protein diet. In face, over years, high protein intake will lead to less success than a balanced diet. All you need is approximately 50 gms of protein a day - a deck-of-card-sized piece of meat is about 3 oz. The remainder of your diet should include fiber, fats and complex carbs. Make sure to have some starch in your diet. A common problem seen 1-3 years after surgery is "hypoglycemia" -feeling of tremulousness and nausea and hunger occurring between meals. This ia a sign that you have inadequate carbohydrate reserves in your system. By keeping at least 30% of your diet as complex carbs (like grains, potato, etc.) you will prevent this sensation and the need for between meal snacks. The end result is you'll eat less. 6.DON'T DIET: Don't think that going on a strict "diet" will speed your weight loss. Short term periods on Atkins, Stage III shakes, or other severely restricted diets will only cause yo-yoing. Practice a balanced diet. If you want further weight loss then work on the techniques discussed here. If you need further help then please see Dr Aranow or the program dietician!!! Good luck, paula

WOW--THAT WAS AWESOME INFORMATION. THANKS SO MUCH. I was told to start my protien shakes again by my nutritionist...why would Dr Aranow suggest otherwise?

Hi Vicky. Paula pretty much covered all the bases. You may want to ask your doctor about the Protien shakes. I usually have one after workouts at the gym just to help heal up after weight lifting. You have done a great job so far on your "Journey" So no more of this stuff about you failing! Look at your before and after pictures to prove that you are quite the sucess already. This "Journey"we are on last's the rest of our lives and there will be bumps in the road for all of us! Belive in yourself and all will work out! Take Care

From how I understand it, Dr Aronow's position (as interpreted by MOI)..is that the dense protein from the meats fills us up and keeps us from getting hungry longer..the protein shakes go through our system too fast and thus we are hungry again too soon, and not as satisfied...... Hang in there..sometimes making small changes makes a big difference... good luck.... Dorota

Hi Vicky.... Great Advice from Paula and Julio. Don't Panic. Don't beat yourself up. YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY BABY. I don't believe your window of opportunity is closed. It may take more effort than before, but very doable. Come to support group meetings. There is one tonight at Norwalk Hospital at 6:30 on the 5th floor across from the cafeteria. (why do they all meet near food?!) My other suggerstion. Go see Nancy Murphy. She will get you on track to continue to lose more weight. It is possible. She is in Fairfield at the Brick Walk. Fairfield County Lifestyle Consultants. She knows her stuff. Also, think about consulting with Mary Ziller, FCB's primo psychologist for a session or 2 to get focused again. HTH. Towanda