It's What you Eat

I was one of the lucky ones who made it to my goal the first year out.  It's been a tough road ever since and it is because of the carbs.  

I've seen so many people online and in my support group and have been messaging me here who have let too many off program foods onto their lives too early and completely fallen off course.  It's always the same culprits:  carbs. 

Fat free and sugar free can be a false promise for us.  I see so many indulging too early in cookies, ice cream, chips etc.  I'm even not a fan of protein bars, protein chips etc.  highly processed junk (even with protein in it) is still JUNK.  REAL food is always better. With a shake at least there is little carb content and it is still protein first. 

When you are a long timer, you kind of see the big picture. You know how much harder this journey wil be longer out.   Dinosaurs like myself want people to be a success but we see people set themselves up for failure or a struggle all the time. I can't tell you how many times I've seen newbies talking about how they didn't have a problem with food only to realize that yes, at 6 months out, the pouch is not keeping them in line.  It's scary. 

The false promise is that first year where moderation a seems easy peasy and when you can eat junk and still lose.  This only goes on for so long. 

you HAVE to focus on nutritional habits. You have to find new foods to replace the old junk.  There will be a certain point that your life will return to the sameness of your preop life and it will be you and all the food again.  

Please work on change. This is the whole point of surgery.  If you don't, you'll eventually be right back where you were.  

Thanks barb for this post!  People need to know.  The glory year only lasts so long. 

If I can help anyone in your journey please add me. 

Dawn (who struggles every day)

I just hit my 2 mths. I'm down 58.8 lbs. I'm still 200lbs away from goal.  Looks like I'm gonna have to keep carbs under 50 and get at least one hour of exercise a day.  It is gonna be hard. After a full day of work, I'm dead on my feet. Oh well. Got to be done! Maybe I work w 30 mins after work and work up to 60 mins. My energy levels are really low. I want to lose at least another 75lbs by July. 

I am glad thi**** a nerve for those who want to listen....

Mandalious.....carbs under 50 is great....and again, not NET carbs....but their real count....

Exercise.....its great....I recommend it.....why not try to just be more active in your daily life....park farther away at the grocery store....take the stairs and not the elevator.....get up from your chair at home often.....dont set yourself up for a thought process like " I must get 60 minutes of exercise" a day to succeed.....its the EATS that are the most important......and you will feel like moving around more as you lose.....

You can certainly lose another 75 pounds by July.....watch the carbs and dont eat any unnecessary foods.....drink tha****er...or tea....or whatever you need to keep hydrated and hunger at bay....

Net carbs? Real amount?

I log my food in fitness pal. I just go my the amount that it says "total carbs"  try to keep that number under 50

that right?

Exactly!!....some like to count net carbs....which is the carb count less the fibre count to get to a net figure......I think its a false promise......

I was doing this for quite a while because the folks at TWH said that's what I should do.  But I think you're right.

I still find tracking fiber useful, though, because when my fiber is high, then I know that the carbs I am eating are at least decent ones.

I appreciate your advice. Everything you've mentioned is on line with what my surgeon and nut want me to do as well. One of my favorite quotes is "You can't outrun your fork." So true. I know this first hand. Lost over a hundred pounds 7 years ago. Stopped watching what I ate, but continued topunish myself with exercise thinking that was enough. That led to a 40 pound regain and me getting the VSG a few days ago. I worked out every day for at least an hour, would run 5-6 miles at a time and still regained! It was the food. It's always the food. Another god quote is, " Fitness happens in the gym. Weight loss happens in the kitchen."

Anyway, thought I would throw my two cents in as someone who desperately tries to hold onto weight loss with exercise alone.

Love the kitchen quote. I am going to put that on my cupboard

I'm 65 days out.  And I want to say THANK YOU!  for telling it like it is.  I take your wisdom to heart!