5 years out and back to square one

Hi everyone! I had VSG in August 2010. I initially lost 90lbs. I got pregnant, got divorced, and alot of "life" has happened in the past 5 years. I've strayed from my plan. Ive lost sight of my goals. Basically, I've failed. I have gained back around 50lbs since giving birth almost 3 years ago. I've finally shaken myself out of my depression over my failure and im ready to jump back in the saddle and kick this weight gain's ass!

Only problem is that i have completely forgotten all my training and habits pre-baby. I need some help with my diet and nutrition. I dont check up with my doctor anymore either, I havent heard from them in probably 3 1/2 years. I have no idea if they are still even around. Should I be doing that? I guess I just havent pursued post-op visits because i knew i'd get lectured, and i really can't have any more negativity coming at me. I beat myself up enough, trust me. Someone else telling me what I already tell myself would probably send me back over the edge. 

Sooooo anyway.. what should i be eating? What should my calorie/protein intake be? Any help or pointers would be appreciated.

It sounds like you've been thru the blender in life the past few years!  But you survived,  and you are ready to move forward. 

Just as review - some important rules are:

1. Eat dense protein first - this closes the pyloric valve and maximizes restriction.
2. Avoid fluids before, during and for about 1/2 hour after meals - also to maximize restriction.
3. NO GRAZING.  Plan on 3 or 4 meals or some combo of meals and snacks and stick to it.
4. Go low carb if carbs cause food cravings for you, as it does for many of us.

The way I do my diet is to have 3 or 4 meals/snacks per day.  I plan 3 to 4 ounces of protein per meal, and then I fill up on healthy low-carb veggies.  My meals usually have between 250 and 350 calories each.  When I am losing weight I try to stick to 3 meals per day.  In maintenance I can eat 4 meals per day.

I eat a lot of casseroles with meat and veggies.  I avoid shakes and bars, preferring "real" food.

So I make a chicken and broccoli casserole with soy sauce and garlic salt that is delicious and so healthy.  Or the crack slaw with is also delicious and healthy.  I'll use my crock pot and I have a ton of recipes where you throw some chicken in with a few other ingredients and 6 hours later, I have a healthy meal. 

I've posted a lot of my favorite recipes on the recipe forum, and there are a lot of good ideas there.  I find I have to have a lot of healthy and tasty alternatives so I can resist the foods I shouldn't eat.  It takes some effort but this is about health and longevity (especially for me, as I am older), so its worth it.

Best of luck getting back on plan.  You can do it.

Carol

This is excellent advice.  Carol, thanks for posting so many recipes!  I'm off to check out some of them. :)

Hi,

I'm sorry you've had a difficult time recently, but I'm glad that you're back on track.

1st remember to be nice to yourself, you've been through a lot.

2nd, find a doctor or go back to your doctor for your blood work, you need to make sure that is all in align and ask them for a NUT appointment. 

3rd, start walking again - that is the wonderful to get the body moving and it releases all those good endorphins.

4th, limit the carbs, eat the protein first and try to stick to 1000 calories a day - way/measure and journal everything.

5th, if you're not taking your vitamins, start.  Those are a sure fire way to let your body's immune system break down.  and

6th,  when you're feeling down, go back to number 1 above.  You're worth it, you're a beautiful person and I'm sure a wonderful mom.  

Good luck and keep us posted.

Yes, call your doctor. Or any other bariatric surgeon. After 3+ years you should have bloodwork done to see where you stand on vitamins and whatnot.

General rules:

• 600 - 800 calories (or more if you're quite a bit out, but no more than 1000)
• 60 - 80+ g protein
• > 40g carbs
• 64+ oz water
• Protein first and foremost, maybe a bite or two of veggies after

Check the daily "what are you eating?" threads for ideas of what others are doing.

Ok, so you have had a rough period. I know personally I gained 40 pounds AFTER each pregnancy, and I feel pretty confident the whole crazy homormone thing had a lot to do with it. And the sleep deprivation too. Ok, so back on plan. I have experienced periods of eating a lot of slider food/regain and feeling like the restriction is nil. It is still there, so the great news you can get back on plan and make some terrific progress at feeling better. Take it one choice at a time!

1. Lean protein and green leafy veggies. They are your best friend. Measure and weigh. 4 ounces or less protein, plus green veggies.
2. Stick to foods low on the glycemic index, and not too much carb at one sitting. The goal is not to flood your system with insulin, which then triggers hunger and cravings and further makes weight loss harder. 
3. Most here do well going low carb. If you don't have blood sugar issues, try that. Under 40 g.
4. I ate 3 meals, 3 snacks and did great... but I also would have blood sugar go low. This leaves me prone to grazing. Others do better if they keep it to 3 meals. Figure out what works best for your needs.
5. Plan your food. This helps a ton eating off plan, getting caught going to drive thrus, etc. Keep snacks in your purse that are on plan, pack a cooler, whatever it takes.
6. Exercise. In my case, my evenings are my struggle time. I put my exercise right in the middle of this period so it kept me out of the fridge and kept me active. Hugely helpful! I would make a daily goal of 30 minutes, because I found the hardest part is just getting started. Most always, once I got going I would go an hour plus.
7. Life happens. Decide today that this will not be an excuse. I am a cancer patient, and in the last 2 years had 6 major surgeries and a bunch of associated crap. Set backs happen, work through it. Remind yourself daily that in times of trouble eating healthy HELPS you to cope, and eating like crap TRIGGERS you to feel worse. Truly. 
8. Protein- I do best at 120 grams, but I am 6'2''. I would would suggest you go at least 80 unless you have health issues or doctor's directive to not do so. Protein at every single meal and snack, period!
9. Find high quality tasty protein that you enjoy and is light in calories- and keep them stocked. Here are my go to items: greek yogurt (substitute this for dessert/sweet tooth cravings), Costco rotissiere chicken for meals, in salad, in sandwiches (low carb Torano wraps), protein shakes, light cheese sticks, turkey pepperoni, Kays Naturals protein snacks, protein bars (careful with this, they trigger for some people), shrimp fish, tunafish on a bed of spinach and light mayo, eggs (boiled, cooked anyway), chicken, sirloin, turkey (ground). 
10. Get the crap out of your house. Period. You are not helping yourself or your family by having it. Raise your beautiful child to enjoy healthy foods- what a tremendous gift! 
11. I found protein shakes for breakfast always led to my lowest calorie/highest protein days. I still use them, especially for a quick meal or when work is nuts. 
12. Change your routines to avoid triggers. In my case, for example, I changed my commuting path to avoid Tim Hortons. I do not order food via a fast food joint. Whatever is causing you to slip, change it. 
13. Get your labs done. I am worried about you. Even if you just go to your regular doctor, anything. Make sure your lab levels are good. 
14. Consider using Patchmd for your vitamin. They are the only thing that has got my levels adjusted in range, easy to use, and no pills! Whatever you choose, just ensure you take a quality multi with iron. 
15. If you do not elect to go low carb, my carb targers were 30 net at a meal,15 net for snacks. This kept me nice and level. You might be smaller than me, so you may need to adjust a little. 
16. Weigh and track everything, no excuses. I swear it helps!! Even if you document your three crappy days, it still helps! Look for patterns by using the charts/reports feature. This was HUGE for me, as I saw a very clear pattern that revolved around my period. Thus, when my weight loss stalled or went up I would not freak out- I knew it would adjust back. In the beginning, track how you feel after meals too- it might help you to identify trigger foods. For example, I love steel cut oatmeal but realized whenever I had it for breakfast my calores for the day were signifciantly higher and I fought hunger all day. 
17. No processed food/white carbs. Avoid rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. Shop from the perimeters of the grocery story- whole foods type thing. 
18. You are a family momma- my Instant Pot pressure cooker is a HUGE help in quickly and easily preparing healthy nutritious and delicous food. Do a search under "instant pot" for posts explaining. You don't "need" this, but if you struggle with getting food on the table that is not chicken nuggest then it is worth looking into. I am not a cook- it is that easy. Put ingredients in, push a button. No babysitting, stirring pots.  Eat great. 
19. Find a support group to attend. Watching patients preop and newly post op can do wonders for your discipline and motivation.
20. Don't BS yourself. No playing ostrich. Own it if you do it, but learn to be gentle with yourself. It is not all or nothing! My NUT gave me some of the best advice that helped more than any other advice: Don't strive to be perfect, strive to be consistent 90% of the time or more. Learning to fall of the wagon and crawl back on is a crtical skill. Remember, it doesn't mean you can't have something yummy once in a while, just plan for it. 
21. Acid can mimic hunger. If you find you are hungry shortly after eating, consider a PPI.

Sorry so long, but you seem sincere in wanting to be back on plan. Use myfitnesspal.com to track if you don't already have something. You have regain, but not a catastrophic amount so it is wonderful you are diving in right now instead of allowing it to get worse. Hang in there and check in to OH often for support!

Been there except I regained 90lbs. Went through extreme depression too. 

I finally decided to give OA a chance and it's helped me get 50lbs off in less than 4 months - I am almost 5 years out. 

What I do:

Made a plan. I will eat no more than 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Usually it's 0-1 snack with occasional days of 2. I absolutely do not touch food any other time. Grazing is/was/will always be my number 1 biggest sabotage. 

Made food choices. I personally choose to completely abstain from all flour and added sugars (with the exception of maybe condiments). I also abstain from my personal triggers (those things I start and cannot stop) like peanut butter, chips, popcorn, etc. 

Focus on that protein and veggies. I try and use my sleeve as it was intended to be used and that's by focusing on my protein. I do eat things like corn tortillas, rice, potatoes BUT my meals are centered around meat. I almost always follow my protein with veggies. If I have room, I'll have a FEW bites of whatever carbs I have. I find that after meat and veggies, I'm pretty satisfied if not full. Some days I will have a carb kind of snack - like today I had sweet potatoe fries. I do this because I have to avoid feeling like I'm in a diet mentality and avoid feeling deprived. But I'm ok limiting those kind of snacks to maybe once a week. But I also adjust my meals and choose not to have carbs with my meal/s. 

Use small dishes - I personally weighed and measures and tracked all my food for YEARS. For me, that causes an extreme obsession with food and calories that I stop seeing the big picture. I can't deal with it so I don't choose to do it. Having done it for years I am pretty good at estimating my calorie intake though. I use small plates and bowls that are between 1/2 cup to 2 cup capacity so I naturally watch my portion sizes. 

Eat mindfully - one of the hardest things I had to LEARN. As a food addict, I never cared to stop and even taste my food or listen to my body. I've taken classes and therapy and read books on mindfulness - specifically for eating but also for life in general. When I eat mindfully, I usually eat less. I'm far from perfect as I still have meals I tend to inhale (especially when I'm in a hurry or have things to do) but I make it a habit to at least try. 

Monitor my moods/emotional state and how it affects my food choices. I go to therapy. Hate going but forces me deal with issues rather than eat over them. When I get the desire to eat - I think of HALT - hungry, angry, lonely or tired. I have a sponsor through OA I can check in with and talk about food and non food related issues. I try to write about things so I have clarity. 

All of these things give me peace and serenity around food so that it becomes just food. Of course it's a delicate balance and when I get lazy and don't use these tools, I start thinking about food and wanting to eat. 

I started gaining weight also. I crept on very slowly until....BAM!!!! My pants don't fit anymore. I knew I was gaining weight but I had no idea how much until I finally got on a scale. I'm up 35 pounds from my lowest weight. After having a pity party, I decided to do the 5 day pouch test. I googled it and researched it. Some people swear by it. Others think its a diet fad. I decided to do it because I wanted to de-carb my body and get back on track. I'm telling you, its the best thing I could have done. It reset my thinking. I no longer crave carbs. I no longer graze for food. I now am satisfied with my 3 healthy, low (no carb) meals. And I am drinking 64 ounces of WATER every day. I am no longer eating/drinking any artificial sweetners. (That has nothing to do with 5DPT but I think those sweetners are evil). BONUS- I lost 10 pounds (I know it was water) during the 5 day pouch test and 2 since. It is not intended for weight loss. It is intended to reset your stomach, brain, body.

I know it will not work for everybody. I really needed it and it definitely got me back to where I need to be.

Hi! I would love get back on track with you if you need a partner. I gave birth to twins in February and am up 40 lbs. The scary part is that I don't even feel like I had surgery anymore. I feel like I have lost all my restriction and know that I really just need to get back to the basics with dense proteins first. I have actually gained 10 lbs since they were born from stress eating, which really ticks me off, but I realize I need to forgive myself and just get back on the wagon. My surgery was 5 years ago and I would give anything to have that newbie restriction again. Anyway, best of luck to you and I know we can both do it if we want it bad enough! 

Don't feel bad.  It is a common problem.  Watch "Forks over knives" on Netflick.  This will get you back on track.  I am 4 years out & had gained 20 pounds back.  My wife was told to watch this 2 month ago.  She has been trying to lose weight for awhile the old fashion way.  Always had high blood pressure & a fast beating heart, & arthritis. After 2 months following these Doctors advise, we both have lost 20 pounds.  I am back & feeling great.  My wife of 44 years her blood pressure would sometimes pop a blood vessel in her eye, is no GONE!  it is 115/68.  He heart rate use to be 150 to 180 per minute is now 68.  2 friends who have diabetes started this the same week we did & are no off there meds.  This has been a life changing for the wife & I.  Good luck to you.