Almost 2 years Post Surgery and Stuck

I had a sleeve gastrectomy in May 2013.  I lost about 100 pounds, but now am going up and down by a few pounds and there's really no more weight loss.  I still have at least 30 pounds to go.  I eat junk.  I overeat.  I'm at a loss as to how to break this pattern.

You know what you need to do - you just have to do it....so DO it.

If you really "can't" then see a therapist.

Dear Valerie,

Thanks for your understanding response.  It sounds like you don't have a clue what I'm going through. By the way, I have been seeing a therapist for more years than you can count on your fingers.  I am being treated for major depression.  So, there's much more involved here than just DOING it.

Stop overeating. Stop eating junk.

No, there really is not another way to lose weight. You do it or you don't. You choose what to put in your mouth.

If it were that cut and dry, why the need for bariatric surgery or all of the other weight loss "aids"?

I think there is a whole lot to be said for having SUPPORT.  I'm looking for someone who is experiencing the same emotional battle with food day after day after day to share feelings and motivate each other. I already know what I have to do...

Soooo, did you want me to pat your widdle head and say "there, there, it's okay that you're sabotaging your success even though you know better" ?  Sorry - it's not my style.  You admit you eat what shouldn't and don't do what you should.  What exactly were you expecting?

I can't tell you "HOW" to get your butt in gear.  You either want to do it or you don't.  If depression is the issue and a therapist cannot help you, then perhaps you need a new therapist instead of coddling from an online forum.

Why did you even have to reply, if you were going to be so nasty and insensitive???

It's unsupportive, "know it all" comments like yours that  only contribute to the problem.

It sure does sound to me (with the intensity in which you express yourself (it's a very angry tone), that I hit a nerve somewhere.

I wonder if you struggled through this whole process yourself?  If so, I  hope you found someone who supported you through it, without being condescending and critical.  IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

There is no easy way to break your habits of eating junk and overeating...you just have to buckle down and stop eating the bad foods, and you have to start weighing or measuring your food out per your food plan ( if you were given one ) and don't eat anymore per meal than your plan specifies. Talk to your nutritionist or dietician if you have one at your disposal. ( My surgeon provides those types of services for life. No matter how bad someone screwed up even years out, they can get help through his office. ) 

Go back to your basics: for me that is dense, lean proteins, Greek yogurt, cheese sticks, lunch meat, non-starchy veggies if I have room, plenty of hydrating fluids, and strict portion control. 

Eliminating junk from your diet will not be easy, but it's got to be done so you can get your weight loss going again. You'll have to "white knuckle" it for a few days, maybe a week, but if you stick to your basics-it can be done. 

Congratulations, Audrey on reaching your goal weight.  153 pounds! 

Thanks for your response.  I can see from what you wrote how you have been able to achieve what you have!

Everything you said makes sense; I've met with the nutritionist and have several books to help me.

My problem is I have major depression and with this illness comes a serious lack of motivation, feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.  I take lots of meds and see a therapist, so I am in treatment, but they haven't found the right meds to bring me out of this.  I hate to say this, but right now, eating is more important to me than losing the weight.  Eating is my addiction.  It does for me what nothing else can.

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent and pats on the back for you with your success!

I have bipolar and I know how much it sucks. It took me 5+ years to find the right combination of meds, and I gained plenty of weight in the meantime. So I can absolutely empathize.

You acknowledge that eating is your addiction and it's most important for you. Sub in another addiction and see how your claim sounds. "Drinking is more important to me... it does for me what nothing else can." The red flags are obvious there.

Trying to survive from day to day absolutely blows when you have no hope for tomorrow, or the day after, much less months or years down the road. And often we'll grasp at whatever straws we can. But you KNOW that you have a food addiction and you openly acknowledge that it's bad for you.

No, it's not going to be easy or fun. But accepting and enabling this behavior is not OK.