How Much Did Carnie Wilson Regain?

Thank you for saying this! I also know two people personally who have had WLS and they too have kept their weight off - one is 6 years out, the other is 8. And of course, they do NOT say "oh yeah, its sooo easy, I eat whatever I want all the time, never exercise, etc..."!
They can't stress enough the importance of staying on track with the original "plan" regarding protein intake, low junk food intake and exercise, but the fact is, after observation that is kind of how naturally thin people eat and live (unless they are one of those irritating freaks of nature with that mysterious thing called a 'metabolism'), so I guess it makes sense. 
I guess at the end of the day Carnie's journey scares me. I hated being 300+ lbs and I never want to be there again, and I hate that sometimes I feel doomed when I read about her :( 
But again, our lives and our weight are our own responsibility, or so I've heard!

I did want to add when I said that my maintenance was not that tough, that I too do not say it's sooooooooo easy, I eat whatever I want and don't exercise.  I actually do yoga for ten minutes in the morning and evening and walk the dog twice a day.  I eat fairly boring because I can no longer have food be "sex in a plate".  You are absolutely right!! You eat and live like a naturally thin person.  Of course we do have to figure out HOW to do it.

I hope I can put some of your fears at rest about Carnie.  She did not have the knowledge of addiction and cross addiction that we have now.  The field is still relatively new and education is key.  Even when I started I didn't see another post-op for 3 years!  There were no support groups but in a weird way, it helped because I never saw anyone gain it back so I didn't know any better.  I slowly started seeing the addiction aspect and several years ago I started talking about it and boy was I beaten up by patients and professionals alike.  Now it is common every day talk.  The surgery is really the smallest part of the process and learning to live with the attitude of gratitude is really key to our recovery.
hugs, Y

 I was very tiny as a child and remember my parents always encouraging me to eat more so I would not "blow away", but I also remember eating so many speghettios at 3 that I threw up,  sneaking ex-lax at 4 because I thought it was chocolate, and hiding in the closet at 5 because I could not stop eating after just one piece of Valentine's day candy. I have never had a healthy relationship with food.   I do not know why.  My childhood was normal, no trauma and yet the food abuse/addiction started very early. At 3-5 years old I had problems with food and now realize it is a deep seated problem with perhaps biological not psychological roots.   I loved the "sex in a plate" comment because that is exactly what food has been for me for a very long time.
I am one of the few that will say...Food does not need to get right with me....I need to get right with it!!! 


Sure I have gotten myself under control and taken responsibility for my choices, lost the weight, and promised my self never to let myself lose control again (and yep...my food was always boring during those times of success - I think that may be a big key Yvonne). Told others how they could do it too.  I have done it several times and ended up right where I started a year or two later.  I realize I have no control over food and know that surgery is not going to fix that. I am struggling with some of my preop changes and at first I was worried the changes were too easy, not enough, but now its getting hard and that is scary to me.  I know that when I have surgery that I will lose weight but keeping it off is what has me really worried.   I don't want to be a failure and I don't want to be judged as a whiner because I choose to talk about my success, failures, and fears.  I have the knowledge of addiction and cross addiction and there are support groups aplenty and yet I realize, the addiction may still win.  I think that fear is healthy and hope I never lose it completely. 

I have seen longtime veterans with close to 10 years of success or more (like Yvonne) treat those that have regained with respect and offer genuine help and positive support.  Even Vitalady, the real WLS goddess (IMO) has admitted that it is not too hard to slide back into the old ways.  
If you are fortunate enough to break free, thank GOD, celebrate, live life to the fullest you can...but don't hate or berated those that do not have the success you have.   Even if they are whiners or drama queens in your eyes.  They have enough pain and guilt with out you adding to it, even if they are a public figure and the rest of the world feels they are fair game.

 

 

Adore you! You always have something supportive and thoughtful to say!

Peace,
T

Thank you Dawn...treating those with respect is all I know how to do.  We are all unique and precious souls and we each have our struggles and some are more obvious to the outside world than others.  We have many who cross addict to drugs and alcohol or sex or gambling but until it makes your life unmanageable, no one will know.  It your cross addiction is food, it is there for the world to see.  I want so much for so many and if I can help one person not slide back into that hell we put ourselves back  to, I am there.  Thank you so much....so very much for your kind words and it makes me happy that you would say such nice things and even better that you do understand how much I care for those that have regained or for those that have struggled.  I know if we can catch some things  early so that is is avoided, all the better.  Thank you too for your kind and compassionate heart and I feel honored to be your friend.  You made so many excellent points in your post.
hugs, Y

"...it is a deep seated problem with perhaps biological not psychological roots."

I SO agree! Pre-op, I was ALWAYS hungry. Even when literally stuffed, I still WANTED food. In many ways, the very best thing my DS has done for me is to change that. Now I honestly have days when I only eat because I know I have to, not because I want to. (And frankly, that's a pretty miserable feeling, too.)

I also agree about the 'boring food' thing---that's usually why I always eventually fell off the diet wagon. That's one of the really important ways post-DS life has been different from me---I have no 'forbidden foods', so I've never really felt deprived.

I'll never be a size 4---but a 14 is SO much better than a 34!