Getting back on Track~

Morning~ 

As of Monday I started back on Protein Shakes. I know its only a few days. I am 6 years out and my food intake wasnt helping me. I never drank while eating and always waited 30 min after, If i got thristy, always ice chips. Not seeing a result yet on my weight. My Question for you all, is it harder to lose weight 6 years out. Did i stretch out my stomach a bit. Does it go back into shape. I am making a appointment with my surgeon today~ Any advice would be great. Thanks and everyone have a great day~

I am not bypassed but wonder why you have gone back on to a liquid diet? Won't that just pass through without making you feel any less hungry?

I am not getting enough protein in. So i should not do protein shakes? Just protein in general??? I still do get the full feeling. So thats a good sign.

No. I thought you meant you had gone back to a completely liquid diet which people sometimes assume might be a good idea! I don't! Sorry, misunderstood.

It is more difficult to lose regained weight than it was when you first had surgery.  The good news is that you can lose regained weight but it will be at a slower rate so it will take longer.  With a RNY, right after and generally up to one year (shorter or longer) our malabsorption and restriction are the max for the procedure.  

Go back to basics of how you ate when you were around 6 months to 1 year post-op.  A great way to get back on track is to log your food to be accountable to yourself.

You lost it before and you can do it again.  Consider joining the Back On Track Together group in my signature line for extra support.

Thanks Cathy~

I cant remember what i ate at 6 month. I think it was just protein~ and i did shakes. I will look on the back on track group. thank you once again

You have already taken the hardest step by saying enough is enough and now I want to get back on track.  Here are some steps I hope will help you. They helped me...  Also, be sure and join the Back On Track Together group link in my signature area.  

Planning/Preparing

Remember when we were preparing for surgery?  How many meetings, classes and such did we attend?  We were told the more prepared we were the better our chances were for success.  And they were right. Go through the house, car and work place and get rid of trigger foods.  Stock up on foods that will keep you on track. I removed every carb/sugar temptation and replaced it with lots of protein, veggies and fruits.  

Journaling

Get back to journaling.  This will help you identify when you feel like eating, stress factors and any triggers in your life.  Once you identify these factors, this will help you put tools in place to keep you from eating.  It became clear I was not taking time for me anymore. I worked my day job and then spent the rest of my time caring for my husband.  It was easy to reach for fast, prepackaged food.  Since I purged my home I have to eat clean as there are no other options LOL

Use a tool to track you're eating and exercise like Getting Started with Health Tracker

Once I started to track ever bite and drink it became clear why I had gained.

Goals/Rewards

Make a list of goals for yourself.  Make them realistic and small.  Some of mine were move more, purge all junk from my home, eat more protein.

Food

In general, a long term post-weight loss surgery eating plan includes foods that are high in protein, and low in fat, fiber, calories, and sugar. Important vitamins and minerals are provided as supplements. (if you had a different surgery adjust this to your food plan)

Water

Water is our Best Friend. I have to say I never went back to pop or any bad drinks, however I was drinking tea like crazy. What is wrong with drinking tea?  I was either using sugar or 3 equals and 3 sweet n lows per 32 ounce glass.  So I was either pushing to be diabetic or get cancer.  I found once I started carrying a bottle of water around 24/7 (yes had one at my bedside) I lost the cravings for the sugar and I KNOW those artificial sweeteners are not good for me. Look I am old and if you add up all the artificial sweeteners I have consumed I am sure I am at the rat in the lab getting cancer threshold

MOVE!

I can't say enough about how key this was for me. The reason I kept my weight off for almost 10 years was no matter what I kept moving.  If I could not go to the gym I would walk. I loved Zumba, bootcamp workouts, lift weights. When I stopped, the weight came on.  So for me I am starting slow to avoid injury by walking and using some of the workouts on my Demand TV.  Find something you love to do and it won't feel like a pain in the *** to do daily.

Support

If it's an option "run" don't walk to a support group.

Keep me posted on how you are doing

thank you~ so far I have had 80 grams of protein 

WAY TO GO

Well, you are 6 years older then when you first had surgery so that in itself makes it harder to lose weight.

I know know how much weight you want to lose but based on your ticker, if that is current, you want to lose, say, 32 lbs, the way I always looked at it is even if I only lost a pound a week then I would reach my goal within a year.  Yeah, today a year seems like a long time but I guarantee you when it gets here it will seem like it only took a few days.

More important then losing the excess weight is learning how to eat in a way that you never have to go down this path again.  Develop good habits that will keep you where you want to be.

You are already at a good start with not drinking with meals and working on the protein.  Look at some other of the things that you feel have kept you from reaching your goal and see what you can do to change them, too.

For me, WLS wasn't about losing weight.  I've done that many, many times.  It's about never having to lose the weight again.