I'm Scared For the 1st time!!

YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT NOT GAINING WEIGHT AFTER WE'VE EATEN MORE BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY ARE HUNGRY ... YOU'RE RIGHT, MS BARBARA ... IF I GAIN WEIGHT, IT'S ALWAYS A FLUID ISSUE ... I CAN FEEL IT IN MY HANDS & FEET ... I'VE NEVER GAINED WEIGHT FROM EATING MORE - NOT EVEN ONCE IN THIS ENTIRE 6 MONTHS. YOU MAY HAVE A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT OUR BODIES NEEDING MORE FOOD & THAT'S WHERE THE "HUNGER" COMES FROM ... I HIT A BAD PLATEAU & "EVERYONE" TOLD ME I WAS EATING TOO FEW CALORIES. I INCREASED MY CALORIES & LOST WEIGHT ... SO, THIS NEW "HUNGER" MAY BE BECAUSE WE'RE MORE ACTIVE & OUR BODY NEEDS MORE FUEL TO KEEP US GOING & HEALTHY. BRITTY DIDN'T SAY THAT ABOUT THE 18 MONTHS ... DR BYRNE SAID IT IN HIS SEMINAR & SHE JUST RELAYED THE INFO TO ME. HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT OUR BODIES FIGURING OUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO THEM AT ABOUT 18 MONTHS ... BUT, HE DIDN'T SAY WHAT THAT MEANT ... LIKE, DOES OUR WEIGHT LOSS STOP OR GET HARDER? ... IS IT EASIER TO GAIN WEIGHT? ... WHAT? I NEED TO E-MAIL HIM & ASK FOR CLARIFICATION. THE NEW "HUNGER" & BEING ABLE TO EAT MORE DOES "SCARE" ME, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I'M WORRIED I'LL SLIDE BACK INTO BAD HABITS ... I JUST NEED TO REFOCUS A BIT TO REGAIN MY COMFORT LEVEL. YES, I DO AGREE THAT WHEN YOU GET TO THE POINT OF NOT STRESSING OVER EVERY BITE, THIS BECOMES FUN. MS CHERYL & I WERE STRESSING OURSELVES REALLY BAD AS WE CAME UP TO THE 6 MONTHS, THEN WE JUST SAID, "FORGET THIS, WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE KNOW IS RIGHT & LEARN TO ENJOY OUR NEW LIVES". THE JOURNEY IS SO MUCH EASIER THIS WAY. YUP MS DEB ... RELAX GIRL ... YOU'RE DOING FANTASTIC ... NOW, ENJOY THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABORS & MAKE PEACE WITH THIS JOURNEY! YOU LOOK FABULOUS! GOD BLESS Y'ALL DAWN & NICK

Deb: I am with Barbara for sure. I try to make good choices when I eat, but if I am truly hungry I eat. I too have the "head hunger" thing sometimes, but that is normal and goes away soon enough. Hang in there and we will all keep each other on the straight and narrow as time goes on. Susann

I can scare myself more often than I wish!! Just did it last night. You will be able to eat more as time goes on, and the hunger DEFINITELY comes back. I wi**** had stayed away longer than the first 6 mos or so. I've been taking topamax lately to curb my appetite (off label use of the drug) to help me with losing these last few pounds. For me, I just had to come to terms with the fact that it's okay to go up and down a few pounds and it's okay for me to eat. Like I put on another post though, I do weigh every day though so that I always know where I'm at with my weight loss. Hang in there.

I weigh every morning like you do, Ms Kimberly. It keeps me honest & doesn't let me slide back down that slippery slope of overeating cuz it keeps me accountable daily. If one day isn't that great, then I just begin again the very next day after my weigh-in ... No way to mess up for days or weeks on end! Ms Deb & I were talkin' & I was on an anti-depressant before surgery because it curbed my hunger ... If things get too rough with the hunger, I'll go back on it. We just need to find ways to keep this working for us!

In my opinion..being a little scared is healthy. It means we are aware and are trying not to fall back into our old habits. I do not have all good info though. I will be 2yrs post-op on May 4th. After about my 18mo mark I have been on my own. My weightloss/gain is all on me. My hunger and craving have ALL come back and my tolerance for lots of things have gone way up. So if someone mentioned that there seems to be a 18mo cut off..I don't think it would be sayign that you won't lose weight after that point BUT you are more on your own as far as not having it fall off as easily. Of course there are always people that are exceptions to the rule. I never thought it would happen to me...and of course I pray it doesn't happen to any of you. But...I just want all of you to know that it is possible and the bounce back weight IS real. I have gained 5lbs with in the last few months w/o changing a thing. I will admit that I am not an advid exercisor but I know that if I start I will lose those 5lbs. Five lbs may not sound like alot but for me it makes the difference of my pants being a little loose to making them tight...which sucks. Maybe being a little 'scared' will help you to make sure this doens't happen to you. Last summer I was only about 8lbs from my goal of 130lbs...but 138 didn't stick around. My normal weight was between 140-142....I was 146 and about fell over. If I would have drank more protein shakes at the beginning (they always made me lose faster) then I would have lost more weight initially and I am sure I wouldn't be having this issue now. I wish you all the best of luck and we all have to remember that our bodies are all different and all react differenty. I wish you al the best of luck in your journies. My advise.....drink drink drink protein shakes!!! HUGS TO ALL!! Julie

I'm comin' up on 6 months & I'm finding the same thing ... That my appetite is coming back after having absolutely noooooo appetite at all, I actually get "hungry" now & can eat more ... I hate it, but I think this is the way our body normalizes ... Just so we keep eating wisely while enjoying what we eat so this doesn't become a burden instead of a healthy lifestyle. Yup, freaks me out, too ... But as long as you're losing, I'd say you're ok. You're real close to goal, aren't you, ms deb?

Hey Deb .. I was reading through the older posts and I found this one. Just want to remind you of what you told me about "fear". Fear is the absence of faith!! (said in love) If you are determined to keep the weight off ...you will. Don't let "satan" move in and remove your faith in yourself. You are God's child and your faith in him will get you through anything. Love Ya Sweety, Suuz KEEP THE FAITH !!