Keeping the Weight OFF!

Hello, I had gastric bypass surgery in January 2003. I have just recently found that I am gaining a little weight back. Does anyone have a solution to this. Please help me! I do not want to gain my weight back at all. I was 115 and now I am up to almost 140. Tell me what I need to do and I will do it and see if it works. Thanks, Tracey

Don't know if it helps, but I am starting back at basics today. I haven't gotten to my goal yet and want to lose another 40 lbs..... I am doing only protein drinks and protein bars today. Started with a protein shake and then every 3 hours switching. Hoping to get a "jump start". Dawn got this from Vitalady.... Hang in there....and remember where you came from! Susann

1st OFF, WELCOME TO THE BOARD, MS TRACEY ... ALWAYS GLAD TO ADD ANOTHER TO THE FAMILY. THE GOOD THING IS THAT YOU DIDN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU PUT ALL YOUR WEIGHT BACK ON TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR YOURSELF. 25 #s WILL MELT AWAY IN NO TIME. YOU KNOW THE DRILL ... BACK TO BASICS 64 - 100 OUNCES OF CLEAR FLUIDS A DAY - WATER, CRYSTAL LITE, ETC ... NO MILK, FRUIT OR CARBONATED DRINKS 75 - 100 (or, MORE) GRAMS OF PROTEIN A DAY ... MS SUSANN & I ARE DOING A MODIFIED PROTEIN FAST & WE CAN GET IN AS MUCH AS DOUBLE THAT AMOUNT OF PROTEIN - THAT TELLS YOUR BODY THAT YOU AREN'T GONNA STARVE IF YOU STAY ON LOW CALORIES SO IT WILL RELEASE THE FAT & YOU LOSE. I STARTED LAST MONDAY CUZ I HAVE ABOUT 30 #s TO GET TO GOAL & I "HIT THE WALL" ... SO, I'M USING WATER/PROTEIN POWDER SHAKES (5-6 A DAY) ... NO MILK! ... WHICH ARE UNDER 120 CALORIES EACH, 1 PROTEIN PUDDING A DAY & 1-3 PROTEIN BARS A DAY KEEPING MY OVER ALL CALORIES BETWEEN 1,000 - 1,200 A DAY. MY NUTRITIONIST AT MUCS LOOKED THIS OVER & SAID TO ADD 2 CUPS OF VEGES & I SHOULD BE OK AS LONG AS I TAKE ALL MY SUPPLEMENTS, WHICH I TAKE A LOT OF THEM. SO, I GOT LIMA BEANS, GREEN BEANS, CORN, MUSHROOMS & SEASONED STEWED TOMATOES & MADE LIKE A VEGE STEW & EAT 1/4 - 1/2 CUP AT A TIME. SUPPLEMENTS - ONLY QUALITY ONES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FORMULATED FOR GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS, LIQUID OR SUBLINGUAL B-12, & CALCIUM CITRATE AT THE VERY LEAST. EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE. DON'T KILL YOURSELF, JUST GET MOVING & IF YOU HAVE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT OR A GYM MEMBERSHIP, GET YOURSELF THERE 6 DAYS A WEEK ... WORK OUT EVERY OTHER DAY & CARDIO EVERY DAY. KEEP A FOOD/EXERCISE DIARY NOTING CALORIES, PROTEINS, SUGARS & FLUIDS TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR DAILY PROGRESS. IF YOU STICK TO THE MEAL PLAN I JUST MENTIONED OF MEGA PROTEIN, YOU WON'T BE HUNGRY, YOU WON'T BE CRABBY, YOU WILL HAVE ENERGY ENOUGH THROUGHOUT THE DAY EVEN ENOUGH TO EXERCISE, & YOU WON'T GET THE SHAKES. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHITE CARBS AT ALL ... STAY COMPLETELY AWAY FROM ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL CARBS. YOU WILL GET SOME SUGARS (very, very few) FROM YOUR PACKAGED PROTEIN PRODUCTS & VEGES. THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH. DON'T CHEAT. THAT'S IT ... YOU'LL LOSE. GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICK

Thank you for the information. Where do you get your protein bars. I need them quick.

I GET MINE AT THE VITAMIN SHOPPE ON RIVERS & ASHLEY PHOSPHATE IN N CHARLESTON, BUT YOU CAN GET THEM ON THEIR WEBSITE AS WELL. I USE "POWER CRUNCH" PROTEIN BARS, "OH YEAH!" PROTEIN BARS (the 3 flavors with the whole peanuts, not the flat bars) & THE "ROCK 'N ROLL" PROTEIN BARS with whole peanuts. EAT HALF THE OH YEAH! & ROCK 'N ROLL BARS AS THEY ARE BIG ENOUGH TO ACT AS 2 NORMAL-SIZED PROTEIN BARS. NORMALLY, I WILL EAT 6 SNACKS A DAY ... ALTERNATING 3 SNACKS WILL BE SOME KIND OF PACKAGED PROTEIN WHETHER SHAKES, BARS, PUDDINGS OR DRINKS. IT KEEPS ME AWAY FROM FOOD & GETS ME QUALITY PROTEIN. THEN, THE OTHER 3 SNACKS, I'LL EAT PROTEIN & VEGES - REAL FOOD, STAYING AWAY FROM WHITE CARBS. I STICK TO ABOUT 200 CALORIES PER SNACK & 1,000 - 1,200 CALORIES A DAY. MY SNACKS ARE A COUPLE BITES OF REAL FRUIT PIECES (I'VE NEVER EATEN A WHOLE PIECE OF FRUIT YET ... OR, SF POPCICLES OR NSA FUDGECICLES. ON THE RAREST OF OCCASSIONS, I MAY HAVE 1 PIECE OF SF CANDY, BUT AFTER SURGERY I FOUND THAT MY OBSESSION WITH SUGARY FOODS DISAPPEARED. I REALLY DON'T EVEN WANT DESSERTS ANY MORE. THE PROTEIN BARS ARE LIKE DESSERTS IN THEIR TASTE. YOU'LL DO GREAT ... I HAVE NO DOUBT! GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICk

Oh yeah, nooooooooooo alcoholic beverages.

Don't panic. It's possible to loose the weight that you have gained back. I have seen people do it on OH all the time. I would personally start with the 10 day plateau buster diet. Then go back to basics! Protein first, no drinking wtih meals/wait 30-45 minutess to drink!!! (I'm a firm believer that this messes a lot of people up), drink 8 glasses of water a day and get all your protein in! visit the grad board as well. There are others struggling that are years post op. You are not alone! I hope you can get those few lbs. off! Just my two cents! Kay

Thank you Kay! I am glad that I haven't totally messed things up. I do drink with my meals because I was getting choked on all of my food. That is the only reason I have started that. I was eating the wrong foods but I am going to start back on the basics. Thank you so much!

OUR NUTRITIONIST, MS DEBBIE, SAID THAT IF YOU NEED TO DRINK WITH YOUR MEALS, JUST POUR YOURSELF ABOUT 4 OUNCES & THAT WILL KEEP YOU FROM DRINKING TOO MUCH & FLUSHING YOUR FOOD THROUGH YOUR POUCH TOO QUICKLY (which allows you to eat more than you need & also blocks the "full" feeling you need to signal yourself to stop eating) ... I'M LIKE YOU, IF I DON'T DRINK SOMETHING, I GET THIS HARD LUMP IN MY POUCH & THEN ALL NIGHT LONG, IT FEELS LIKE A BUNCH OF ROCKS MOVING DOWN MY INTESTINES WHICH IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE & CAN BE PAINFUL AT TIMES. NOW, I JUST GET A SMALL JUICE GLASS & THEN I SIP ... IT WORKS WONDERFULLY. WE ARE SOOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU GETTING BACK ON TRACK ... KEEP POSTING YOUR PROGRESS HERE & SOAK UP ALL THE SUPPORT YOU NEED! YOU'RE ALREADY A SUCCESS IN OUR BOOK! GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICk