gaining weight!!

I have noticed for the past month i have been slowly gaining weight. first let my clarify that I had surgery a year and half ago. I have gained 12 pounds in one month. I Have gotten back on protein shakes but they just dont seem to satisfy my hunger. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! 

Hi, I'm only 10 months out so definitely not an expert but if I were in your position the first thing I would do is start back measuring and weighing food and tracking everything I put in my mouth to find out how many calories are being consumed daily. You're probably taking in too many calories. 

Go back to dense proteins and veggies and plenty of water. 

I think the thing you need to do is be honest with yourself. What ARE you eating? Write it down. Add up all the calories and see the numbers. Are you mindlessly nibbling (a definite issue for me even as a pre-op). I have a friend that is 4 years out and every so often the pounds will start creeping up on her. She takes a step back and writes everything down and low and behold... it's not one little piece of chocolate that she ate... it was the whole dang bar! :D  I'd say use your calorie calculator app and check out what's going on. Good Luck!

Weight gain is caused by eating more calories than you burn, plain and simple.

Log everything you eat-- and I mean EVERYTHING, a random bite of something, the BBQ sauce you put on your chicken, whatever. See how you're doing on calories and protein, then evaluate where you need to go.

When I had a twelve pound regain the first thing I did was talk to my nutritionist.  She told me no protein shakes.  That is just adding liquid calories that do not keep you full. 

As everyone told you, log all of your food.  Also weigh yourself everyday.  This is called Bounceback regain and it is tough to lose.  For me, it took a strict 900 calorie a day diet for 12 weeks to get that weight back off. 

I weigh 136 and maintain on 1400 calories a day.  To get an idea of what it takes to maintain, multiply your goal weight by 10.  To lose a pound a week you must subtract 500 calories a day from your diet. 

This is hard.  It is so nice for about a year after you get your weight off and it stays off no matter what you eat.  But that honeymoon comes to an abrupt end and the hard work begins.  The only thing that works for me is calorie counting and daily weighing.  Start now before the 12 becomes 50. 

I will have to agree with the replies here. I am 18 months out, and I am still losing some. It is very slow, but still going down. Protein drinks will not keep you full, period, so if that is your fall back plan, you will be disappointed. The best thing you can do, as others have said, go back to solid protein first, then veggies, then fruit if you are still hungry. Restriction should still be there. I still weigh my portions for lunch and super. Breakfast is always eggs and sliced strawberries. One thing that helps me to stay within a good calorie range, is to plan my meals and eat the same meal everyday that week. Then I count the calories on the first day, and I don't have to count them everyday. I know people will say they need variety, but I don't. The thing (besides weight loss) I am most proud of is, I no longer want, crave or need sweets. I haven't had cake, pie, cookies, or ice cream in 18 months. I have no taste for these things any more. I was a sweet addict prior to this surgery. I think it is because of the high protein, lower carbs that has washed my system/brain of these. I also haven't had crackers, bread, rice or pasta in 18 months. I only have a protein drink if I am out of pocket. Then I make it a snack and include it for my liquids only.

SW 291 GW 150 CW 145

12 pounds would be a huge amount to gain in a month.  I bet some of it is water weight, and it will come off pretty quick. I find my weight jumps up when I eat carbs or drink alcohol due to the tendency to hold water. 

When my weight goes up, I go back to basics - three meals a day, no snacks.  Eat dense protein first and fill in with healthy veggies.  Weigh and measure food and log everything I eat.  You'll be back on track in no time.

best wishes,

Carol

You don't say if you're in maintenance, but as you're so far out, if you're not, you must be close.  For me, trying to find the balance was so difficult.  During the losing phase, I knew what to eat and when, and though it wasn't perfect, I was almost on autopilot.  Once I got to maintenance, I had to do things a bit differently.  However, what I needed to do and what I did, over time, were not the same.  I got complacent, and started adding too many carbs.  I knew I couldn't handle the sugary stuff, so luckily I stayed away from them.  At first it was fine, but then I found I didn't keep to the limits I'd set.  I began grazing and eating mindlessly - a real danger for me.  I also stopped using my tools, including coming here, weighing myself every day, etc.  Suddenly, my smallest sized jeans were very uncomfortable and the next size was getting snugger.  I was uncomfortable in my own skin.  I had to go back to the way I ate during the losing phase and using the tools as well.  I am still losing what I regained.  When I get back to maintenance, I've realized that I will still need to eat a certain way and use my tools daily.  Now is the time to work on using and firming up the plan you had in the losing phase, and, when at goal, gradually adding a few calories a day bac****il I reach that balance.  Best of luck!

I can totally relate to your post.  I too am working on a 12-15 pound regain which took about 3 months to put on.  To the OP back to basics.  I cut my calories to between 800-900 a day.  I cut my carbs to 20 or a bit below.  I track what I am eating.  I weigh once a week as the scale has too much power for me.  I have lost about 5 pounds.  I am almost 3 years out and it is not coming off as quickly as I want it to, but oh well it is what it is.  I am in it for the long haul.  I also am working with a therapist about my relationship with food which goes way back.  Obesity is a complex issue and you will need a great deal of support.  We are more alike than different when it comes to food.  If one of us can do it, we all can.  It is really about making the choice everyday about how we want to live our lives.  Start right now, don't put yourself through the pain of eating when you are not hungry and the emotional and physical pain that goes along with that decision.  Best. 

Try denser proteins instead of a protein drink.