struggling

I haven't posted in a while, probably because I've been avoiding the boards like the plague. I had surgery in October, and by February I had lost 40 pounds. Since then, I have gained about 8 back. I definitely haven't gained as much over the past three months as I would have before surgery, but I did not have surgery only to lose and then gain it all back.

I am not really sure where I lost the plot. Work was crazy busy for about a month and half, and I skipped the gym a lot and did not plan meals well. Now I am finding it REALLY hard to get back on track (to the point where I just had crackers and cheese for dinner just now).

I have NO restriction. I have had three fills for a total of 2 cc. I am afraid of what my surgeon is going to say about my gain. My next fill was scheduled for 6/9 but I can't wait that long so today I moved it up to 6/3. Even if I still don't have restriction after this fill, maybe the appointment will be like pressing the reset button. Who knows.

Okay, just needed to vent. I am going to go read months of posts that I have missed. :-) THanks for reading. :-)

 You are not the first, or last person to gain some weight. 8 pounds really isn't that much at all. Your surgeon has seen it all. I had to swallow my pride and go back in about 5 weeks ago. I had gained some weight (more than you), but got a fill and started over. I have been on fire with eating and exercising every day since. Going to the surgeon is always a re-motivator for me. I am down 15 pounds since I went in.

Just go, get it over with and continue. You will feel better once you go in :)

 Oops, just realized I haven't updated my tracker FOREVER!!! Hope I did it correctly...I hadn't adjusted it since Sept.

Hey there,

Dont be down on yourself. Decide to get back on track and take action! Talk with your doc,  schedule regular exercise every day and plan every meal. Some of my secrets are:
 1. MOST IMPORTANT, log and account for every calorie eaten. You have to burn more calories than you take in so know what you are taking in at all times. I use the phone app and website www.myfitnesspal.com. I LOVE IT!!!!  It is clear, easy to use, tracks exercise and food in-take and IT IS FREE!!!!!
2. always keep a kashi protein bar in my purse - this way if I accidently miss a meal or snack I have something preventing me from going to vending machines or fast food.
 3. keep large bag of raw carrots or cauliflower or sugar snap peas in lunch box for when I think I must "snack between meals and planned snacks."  I consider any vegetable a "free food" eat as much as I want. At first I use to carry hummus or light ranch dressing to dip but now I consider that extra calories and just do the raw veggies. 
4.  ALWAYS TAKE THE STAIRS OR PARK THE FARTHEST FROM THE DOOR. I try to pack in as much energy burning activites as possible.
5. I try to tell myself everyday to do the best I can- following my diet and working hard when I workout - but if I have a bad day...then tomorrow I will do better. I try not to be too hard on myself when I slip. I try not to deny myself anything I want. I just try to remeber that moderation is the key.

I was banded 7/6/11 and am down 81 pounds. The points above, and a very supportive family, is what I contribute my weight loss too. Hang in there and have some determination.

Good luck!

Monica

Gaining just proves you need a fill. I didn't get much restriction till I was at 5 ccs so don't panic just give it a little more time.

Uh, if you have only 2ccs in your band, it's probably not doing anything for you.  I had 3cc's put in during surgery!!  Go to your surgeon.  You are paying for his services so don't worry about what he thinks!  He's there to help you, not berate you and nobody can be harder on us than we are on ourselves!  Tell him you have no resistence, that you're hungry between meals and that your WL has stalled and in fact you're gaining weight.  That should warrant a fill. 

Once you do that it's up to you to make the right food choices.  You said you aren't sure where you lost the plot but then you listed exactly everything that you know is counter productive to losing weight.  You lost 40 lbs, which is awesome, but you stopped doing the necessary maintenence, (fills), required for a band.

I'm confident you know what to do.  Get the fill, get rid of any junk food in the house, plan for dense protein meals and snacks, and do what you know! 

Life's struggles will always be there.  Learning to deal with them in ways other than food is the hard part.  If you have the opportunity, seek out a therapist that will help you learn to deal with stress and other emotions in a new way.  It's really helped me since I started therapy a year ago. 

And...no more hiding!  Come here and come here often!  Nobody understands better than us what you're going through.  Isn't it funny how we hide from the very people that can help us most when we fall off the wagon?  This board and our surgeon should be the first place we turn, not the last!

Welcome back!  You CAN do this!
Lisa O.