Back on track from 2010

I'm sorry to say I was one of those people. I stopped needing help and I let this site go. I feel horrible. My journey was to easy. I am seeing that weight gain. Nothing horrible,to the human eye. But to my mind my body it's horrible. 

Im,ready to get back on track. My body feels the best at 121. I need to get back at it. No more than 125

The hard part now is I do feel hungry. My journey until,a yr ago I never did. I made myself eat. 

I have fallen into old habits candy or starch. Both are no-nos for me. They go down easy. 

Where as meats don't and that is,prob why I started to stray back to comfort foods. 

I  never had to exercise to drop weight. I think with age that is changing I have a Fitbit on order and plan,to start my steps and my goal,is 10,000 per day. Which will be hard working from home. But I will figure it out. 

i just want to pass on to everyone in the start of your journey it can be done. You can do this. I'm the happiest I have ever been in my life. Keep focused. 

At 4.5 yrs out, I deal with hunger too but I keep it in check by eating 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. 90% of the time, I only deal with tiny amounts of hunger at various points in the day. 

Thanks for your advice and honesty. I value most the words of those who "got there." From posters like you, I'm learning that maintaining the loss is at least as much work, if not more, than losing the weight, and you no longer have the family-and-friends cheerleading section to add gratifying drama to the loss.

Because I'm just over 5 feet tall and should ideally weigh 110 pounds (I added an extra 10 pounds for excess skin), I came to the realization from posters like you that the way I'm eating now is the way I'll always have to eat. I don't plan to ever re-introduce junk carbs back into my life on a regular basis, no matter how miniscule the amounts. Thank goodness I love fish and vegetables! They're my best buds now.

I agree with you about the value of exercise. I'm getting in a lot more exercise now than I did the first few months after surgery. Lots of walking and swimming. I read somewhere that eating properly is necessary to lose weight; exercise is necessary to improve health. Thanks for reaffirming my weight and health goals.

psychoticparrot

You have already taken the hardest step by saying enough is enough and now I want to get back on track.  Here are some steps I hope will help you. They helped me...  Also, be sure and join the Back On Track Together group.  

Planning/Preparing

Remember when we were preparing for surgery?  How many meetings, classes and such did we attend?  We were told the more prepared we were the better our chances were for success.  And they were right. Go through the house, car and work place and get rid of trigger foods.  Stock up on foods that will keep you on track. I removed every bad carb/sugar temptation and replaced it with lots of protein, veggies, grains and fruits. 

Journaling

Get back to journaling.  This will help you identify when you feel like eating, stress factors and any triggers in your life.  Once you identify these factors, this will help you put tools in place to keep you from eating.  It became clear I was not taking time for me anymore. I worked my day job and then spent the rest of my time caring for my husband.  It was easy to reach for fast, prepackaged food.  Since I purged my home I have to eat clean as there are no other options LOL

Use a tool to track you're eating and exercise like Getting Started with Health Tracker.  Once I started to track ever bite and drink it became clear why I had gained.

Goals/Rewards

Make a list of goals for yourself.  Make them realistic and small.  Some of mine were move more, purge all junk from my home, eat more protein.

Food

In general, a long term post-weight loss surgery eating plan includes foods that are high in protein, and low in fat?, calories, and sugar. Important, vitamins and minerals are provided as supplements. (if you had a different surgery adjust this to your food plan).

Water

Water is our Best Friend. I have to say I never went back to pop or any bad drinks, however I was drinking tea like crazy. What is wrong with drinking tea?  I was either using sugar or 3 equals and 3 sweet n lows per 32 ounce glass.  So I was either pushing to be diabetic or get cancer.  I found once I started carrying a bottle of water around 24/7 (yes had one at my bedside) I lost the cravings for the sugar and I KNOW those artificial sweeteners are not good for me. Look I am old and if you add up all the artificial sweeteners I have consumed I am sure I am at the rat in the lab getting cancer threshold.

MOVE!

I can't say enough about how key this was for me. The reason I kept my weight off for almost 10 years was no matter what, I kept moving.  If I could not go to the gym I would walk. I loved Zumba, bootcamp workouts, lifting weights. When I stopped, the weight started coming back.  So for me I am starting slow to avoid injury by walking and using some of the workouts on my Demand TV.  Find something you love to do and it won't feel like a pain in the *** to do daily.

Support

If it's an option "run" don't walk to a support group.

Keep me posted on how you are doing

Thanks. I know my problem. Like you said I just have to continue to put my tool to work. I know my happy weight. Where I feel best. I've had a great week and am back on keeping track. I am up and moving.