UGH UGH UGH... weight gain

Hi all... it's been awhile... I had my surgery back on 11/12/2013. I have not been very good lately and have gained weight. Just under 5' and back to 178. I am going on vacation in 80 days... really really want to drop 20 pounds before then... dropping 40 more is my ultimate goal. I KNOW losing weight too fast is always a no-no but ...... any quick fix suggestions? Back to only Protein Shakes and water??? HELP please.

Do not drink protein shakes. Do drink water, cut out carbs, eat dense protein, exercise and do count calories. You will not lose the 20 pounds in 80 days unless you go too low on calories, but ten pounds is a good goal. A pound a week is excellent.

That means cutting 500 calories a day from what you need to maintain. At 178 you are eating at least 1800 calories a day. Use My Fitness Pal to track everything and aim for about 1200 calories a day.

Bounceback regain in year three is almost universal. It is not because you are bad as much as because your body has recovered from being starved after surgery and is learning how to hold on to weight again.

Many people look too skinny during year two. I have never seen anyone who looks too skinny after year three.

Hi- Can I ask why you say no protein drinks? When you say dense protein do you mean, chicken, turkey, fish, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, jerky? I am new at this only a week post op - but I see my future as the above with protein drinks.

I drank protein shakes for the first two years. When I had regain in year three I had to stop the protein shakes to get that weight back off.

Whereas I'm three years out and still have a shake for breakfast every morning. It works for me and I'm still losing weight. So, some things work for some and don't for others.

You're right about the things that count as dense protein. :)

Thank You!

Why do they not work for others and cause regain? I can't imagine having healthy protein drinks can cause regain. Is there something about that for some people further out?

I honestly have no idea.

My surgery was in August 2011. I did very well up until I took a new, more stressful job. With the stress I went back to eating as a way of coping....but I did not realize I was doing that until I had gained some weight. I was also recently diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder. Also take Vyvanse. My problem is that I cannot stop eating the wrong things. Carbs are still providing comfort is my guess. Once the carb eating begins it is incredibly difficult to stop.

Could I ask how you are dealing with your Binge Eating Disorder?

Currently I am going to an eating disorder specialist, who is wonderful!! One of the issues they are having me deal with is to eliminate the "food rules." That means there are no bad foods. I struggle with this SO MUCH!! They are telling me that my body has a natural weight that it will settle at when I stop eating for the wrong reasons. I am 62 and have "used" food for at least 53 years.

Are you able to not use food to cope with life?

How do you get your brain to stop wanting to eat all the time?

What type of eating program has been successful for you?

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your insights. I really want to recover from this terrible problem and think of food the way a normal person does.

As you probably know from your past experience with fad diets, there are no quick fixes.

Get back to your plan and the way you were eating when you were losing weight. You say that you've "not been very good lately" so you clearly know what being good with your eating entails :)

Track everything you put in your mouth and prioritize dense proteins.