Needing encouragement!

I had VSG surgery about 5 years ago and did great staying on trac****il this past year when I went through a bad relationship. Became stressed, depressed and went right back into my poor eating habits. I have regained 15 pounds over the year. I am angry with myself when I look in the mirror. Gone up a size in my clothes which makes me truly sad. I haven't gained all of my weight back but swore I would never go back to my food addictions and comforting myself with food. Now it feels like starting all over again. How do I get that passion back again to care for my health and break the cycle of eating the wrong things? I ended the poor relationship that was tearing me down. Now I have to find me again. Help me with some encouragement please? And ideas of how to begin again and get this weight off now before I take on more. Thank you OH family!

Do you have any pictures of yourself when you were at your highest? If so, look at them and ask yourself if that is the you, that you really want to see again. To me,that would be all of the encouragement necessary.

I would suggest focusing on repairing the emotional damage from the bad relationship. When the head is right, the rest will fall into place. 

Good luck to you!

First: Good for you for making some changes and deciding to recommit to your health (physically & emotionally) Second... stop looking back... regret is a pointless emotion. Life happens. Learn from it. New plan of action :) 

Touch base with your Dr. and let them know exactly what you have shared here, life happened and you have made some changes and need to get back on track. My guess is they will suggest some counseling (chat about depression, stress management, food addiction, etc.) They get it. Obesity is being more and more looked at as a chronic condition that requires lifelong treatment, no finish-line and... one therapy/tool does not fit all... for many of us its combined therapies... surgery + working on the head stuff. 

Track your food & drink and what movement you are doing on one of those free apps or online (my fitness pal, fitday, lose it, etc.) and bring that info with you to your appointment. Generally the eating stuff is clear when you see it in black & white... upping protein, drinking more water, losing the simple carbs, moving as much as you can. It's a pain to track but do it for a week or 2, it's a nice reality check and people that do it studies say lose more, so there's a bonus. Ask to chat with a dietitian for some help with healthier alternatives to some of your food choices, you are welcome to check out my blog (link in signature) for some ideas.  

Stay connected to here, real life friends & family, support group, etc. Talking helps... depression likes solitude. So keep hanging out and every day aim for a little better than the day before, all we can do :)

Best to you,

~Michelle "Shelly"

First, feel great about the fact that you've taken care of yourself by ending an unhealthy relationship that wasn't good for you.  That is a hard thing to do but you did it. 

You've also reached out and alarmed at 15 pounds.  15 pounds is doable.  I've had two regain periods and the least of those was 32 pounds.  I lost it but I wish I'd put the 911 on myself at 15.  You've highjacked that upward trend at 15. 

Treat yourself the way you deserve to be treated.  You did a very loving thing for yourself by ending a relationship that wasn't good for you.  Now end the habits that you've went back to that caused 15 pounds to creep up on you.  You lost your weight before and you can do it again.  You've got this.  By returning to that passion and health focus by breaking the cycle of unhealthy choices, that will make you feel so much better about yourself.

I admire the courage and love for yourself that it took for you to end a relationship.  When you break the cycle of eating the wrong things, your confidence and care for yourself will return. 

The two regains I had were due to some difficult situations that came up in my life.  I don't think I'll ever be immune from turning to my old comfort of eating comfort/trigger foods BUT I will be much more aware of that propensity in the future.  I'll catch it earlier. 

Go back to what you did when you were newly post-op.  Focus on protein first, make sure to drink water, exercise and vitamins. Before you know it, you'll be back on track.  After one day of eating the right choices and other healthy habits, you'll be able to build on that to create that back on track momentum. 

Treat yourself just like you would anyone else you love. 

Thank you so much. Your words of encouragement truly inspired me and was exactly what I needed to hear to help me shift my focus on the positive rather than my getting off track. I remember when I had my wls I realized this was coming to grips with the fact that I am addicted to turning to food for comfort. That doesn't just magically go away.I had to fight against and think about my choices. I can do this. I did it before, I CAN do it again. Thank you again for reaching out to encourage me! God bless you!