Help With Getting Back On Track

Greetings,

So I really hit a low point with some financial stress that I went through with a small business I have and reverted back to my old ways of dealing with things - very poor food choices over a couple of months. I feel terrible, but I am ready to get back on track.

However I have some concerns. I am able to eat anything and even drink at the same time now - a year and a bit out from surgery. I don't get the "foamies" if I eat too much, etc. I don't get the full feeling that I was still getting right before my crash.

What I am saying is - I am worried that the "tool" that was supposed to help me is no longer there to help keep me in check.

I know the stomach can't be stretched to what it used to be, so I am fine with that knowledge after doing some research. However I am wondering once I go back to eating properly, drinking more water and getting my protein - will things go back to how things were prior to my 2 months of screwing up or is that probably gone forever now with feeling full, etc. Like I never had the surgery.

I looked into a pouch reset - but it seems there is a lot of misinformation out there. That this is not a real thing from what doctors have said - like drinking just shakes for a week again or whatever will NOT reset your pouch.

I would appreciate feedback on the above and if anyone went through something similar - what was your experience to get your sleeve back on track.

Thank you very much.

FW

At this point your tool is pretty much gone and the only way to weigh less is to eat less calories than you burn. The tool works for between 18 months and 30 months for most people and stops when you go back to regular eating. It will never again be the same as right after surgery. But you can count calories and exercise and lose more weight or maintain your loss.

You had the VSG correct? You need to focus on dense protein first and then if there is room a few veg. Your stomach restriction isn't gone - you are probably eating foods that slide through and that you can eat in volume so you think you have stretched out the stomach. TBH what they leave isn't that stretchy.

My advice is to measure out 3 ounces of dense protein like chicken, steak, whatever protein you wish and eat that first each meal. If you don't feel full add some veg - no drinks with that and no carbs like rice potatoes, etc. In a few days you will see that your restriction has been there all along - you probably got off track by eating foods your shouldn't. If you are eating sugar/processed foods and a lot of grains those have got to go.

You had the VSG correct? You need to focus on dense protein first and then if there is room a few veg. Your stomach restriction isn't gone - you are probably eating foods that slide through and that you can eat in volume so you think you have stretched out the stomach. TBH what they leave isn't that stretchy.

My advice is to measure out 3 ounces of dense protein like chicken, steak, whatever protein you wish and eat that first each meal. If you don't feel full add some veg - no drinks with that and no carbs like rice potatoes, etc. In a few days you will see that your restriction has been there all along - you probably got off track by eating foods your shouldn't. If you are eating sugar/processed foods and a lot of grains those have got to go.

Hey Paula,

Thanks for responding. I am also in Toronto.

Yep. Had the sleeve.

Yes, it has been a lot of slider foods, but even something like pizza or a burger - I am now finding within the two months of being off track, I can eat more pieces or eat the whole burger pretty quickly - when the months prior, I would sometimes not be able to finish the burger or just have two pieces of pizza max.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think burgers, pizza and say pasta are slider foods. I would get nauseous prior if I ate too much of those foods and even threw up on a couple of occasions from getting the foamies. I assume those days are over now.

I am getting back on track now - did a really good shopping of meats and other protein.

I will update as to how things are going.

Thanks!

Pizza, buns are definitely slider foods. Eat the burger on a lettuce wrap with cheese if you want but no bun. Same with the pizza, and pasta, potatoes, rice, bread, soda, alcohol. I do low carb and lost all my regain. I don't do processed foods and have cut out all sugars and flours. That is what works for me. I realized once I started regaining very quickly after surgery that surgery alone was not going to fix my food issues. I had to have a very hard look at my eating patterns - I could not moderate certain foods - mostly sugary and carby foods. I had to accept I am a sugar addict - this was not easy but I now have 3 years of sugar sobriety under my belt and I am not going back. For the first time in my life I am not binging, I am not dieting or restricting and my weight has stabilized and I only have one size of clothing in my closet. If this sound like something you would like to learn about check out Dr, Vera Tarman's book Food Junkies - she is a Toronto doc specializing in addiction and food addiction in particular. I belong to her website that is very active and has tons of podcasts and supports.