Need some advice

Hi my fellow OH family I recently moved to Greensboro North Carolina {Guilford County area} and I am looking for some support. I moved from NYC and am no stranger to OH. I had my surgery October 22nd 2004. and have lost a total of 140lbs as of june 2006. Now here is my problem I have only been here for 2 1/2 - 3 weeks and have been eating like crazy I dont know why { is it the fresh country air}. I still cannot eat alot at one sitting but I do find myself picking all day long{ I didnt do that before} and since I have been here I have been doing alot of cooking. Its not like in nyc where if I didnt want to cook I could send the kids across the street and they could buy from just about any place to get something to eat and that really helped me keep my eatting down not having to cook big meals all the time just my own and I basically kept on track. So I weighed myself last night and to my surprise I have already gained 11 lbs wow!!!! I couldnt believe it. I realized I was starting to gain, my back was hurting me every night and I could feel some difference and see it in my stomach{looks like Im pregnant lol} all of a sudden.I thought it was gas or something. So as of this morning I searched for the Plateau Buster Diet and am under way. But question is is this what is going to get me back on track? or is there something else I should be doing. today I can say I have been very good and I drinking alot of water and everything. I feel like I have failed myself and I dont want to go backwards really in tears last night I couldnt believe I had fallen off the wagon {as I call it lol} and I am questioning if I can get back on the right track after allowing myself to go wrong. I hope I am not just rambling and someone can understand where I am coming from with all of this. I need to know if there are any support groups in the morning or during the day in my area and I guess I could really use a friend in my area I can call on for mental support. Any advice please give it. I also would like to know where I can get good protien shakes here in NC I am still learning the area and if there are any recommendations on brands. I am really not a big fan of the shakes I do so well with everything else but the shakes make me feel so ill. Thanks for listening and I hope to get to know many of you. Sophia

I have found that after being out of surgery for almost 3 years it is so easy to slip back, in very small increments into past behaviors, and I have to really watch things. I try to set boundries for myself...like eating nothing made with processed sugars, no useless carbs, etc...and one of my big things...no eating after 8 pm if at all possible. You have to find and set a boundry that is comfortable for you. Because if I find myself going beyond my set boundries...and I do...here comes a pound...slipping back on...and then I find that it is time to get rid of it...which is very doable now. It is so easy to let little things slide....just tonight...standing at the local choke'n'puke waiting to pay for the gas for the truck...there in front of me was a wonderful walnut brownie....man would that taste good...I mean...I couldn't eat the whole thing...or could I?...but hey...it's made with sugar...so no...but then I looked at the calories and such...680 calories...in one brownie...that's half my intake for the day!!! Needless to say...din't even consider it again...but the scary part was ...3 years ago I wouldn't even have looked at it...but today...I thought...maybe...just a little...but fortunately that voice kicked in and slapped me pretty good... Listen to the reason why you are eating, when you are eating...those are the biggest factors in weight gain. Boredom eating is a real killer for the post op...just have to stay focused. Good luck!!

Sophia , Although I don't know anything about the area you are in, I can tell you that in NYC you probably did a lot more walking than you are doing there in the country where you have to drive to get places. With that in mind, get out tha****er bottle and drink (it will help fill you up and get your metabolism moving) and get outside and enjoy some of that fresh country air you were talking about. Stay out of the kitchen and use the time instead for some exercise. How great would it be to explore your new surroundings? Slipping backwards is something that none of us needs to do. You have come way to far to go back into old habits. Now that you have moved, just make new better habits. Move it and you will loose it! I am here if you need an ear. Best, Amy