11 months and suddenly falling apart

Hey guys, Hope everyone is doing well. I have been away from the site for some time and actually, now I can't seem to find my way around. Anyway, I got here. Here's the scoop. I am about 140 down, which is great. I have not done a lick of exercise, which is BAD! But anyway, the reason I am writing is that I seem to have stopped obsessing over the WLS and feel like it's slipping away. I don't know if this is good or bad, but it sure is scary. I think I am eating a lot. I control my sugar intake. I am not one of the people who has a bad reeaction to sugar. Believe me, that's no gift. I wish I had some sort of reaction that would force me not to eat it! But, it's not a huge effort not to eat sugar. I am a FOOD eater. I am still very drawn to pasta..in ANY form. I am also an excellent cook. Another one of those good/bad things!! In fact, I have been really taken with cooking for the last few months. I think since I have been eating less, I have been enjoying what I eat more. Hence, the new fascination for the culinary arts! I am wondering what anyone does to renew their UMMPH!!! To put a little spark in their weight loss situation. I started at 334 and am down to around 296-298. I am not too far from goal, and actually, I am thrilled with right where I am. Of course, I would like to lose the rest... Get comfortably under 200. Is this it? Does it just stop? When can you be in danger of GAINING??? Does it come back on as fast as it went off? I don't know what to expect or anything. I klnow this was all so fast and wonderful, I don't think I bothered to think about the next step. Ok, if you have any words of wisdom, please pass them on. I could use a boost. I go to support meetings every month, but it was cancelled this month, and I think the June one is the same night at my school's graduation..UGH!!! I need some support..and to talk to people who know..people who have been through this and are ahead of me..with me..behind me..anyplace in this journey!! Thanks lots!! Rossana

Rossana, I think I wrote that post!!!!! I am experiencing the same things. I am almost 3 years post op. Have gained 10 pounds. Feel crappy. Don't exercise like I should. Have become a great cook - my family is very happy with that. I also don't react that badly to sugar. There is some reaction if I eat too much, but (sigh) no dumping. You're right - I never thought about what life would be like "maintaining" or getting to "maintaining". I am not obsessed with WLS anymore. I actually post more on the boards now that I ever did - why? I can't eat regular meals - but they are darn close to it. I admit that I am not perfect, never have been and probably never will be. Today, I am being a bad girl. PMS big time = comfort carbs for lunch. It will only be lunch (ok, its pasta with ricotta and mozzarella and tomato sauce) - there has to be some kind of protein value there, right? You're not falling apart - just seeing things differently. The WLS fog that we are in - so focused on getting the surgery and then the lower numbers almost daily on the scale - really play havoc with our emotions. Kathy

Rossana, I feel like you were reading my mind when you wrote your post. I will be 11 months out in a week and I have the same issues/fears that you are having. I also can eat sugar with no dumping. The worst day of my life post-op was the day I realized this. Since then I have had a terrible time controlling my sugar intake. I cannot go one day with out a piece of chocolate. I hate it! I have been trying to focus on my food addiction, the one thing the surgery did not take away that I wi**** had! I beleive, if I better understand my addiction I can overcome it! Boy, I hope I'm right. I have lost 138lbs and feel the way you do, if I could just get down below 200, but this last 30-40lbs feels like it is going to be the hardest. Losing has slowed tremedously for me. I didn't lose at all in Apil, I must have been on a plateau. But the first week in May, boom 5lbs. I just ordered some protien samples. I am trying to find one I like. One of the "long timers" (5+ years out) in the support group I attend told me when I crave something sweet to make a protien shake, chocolate of course, and it will help quell the desire for the candy. Nothing else has worked and she has been on this journey long than I, she must know what works. So I am going to try it. Good Luck! Christine 6/22/05 364/225/???

I just had my surgery last month, so I am not at the point where you are at, but I would like to give some words of encouragement. Please don't beat yourself up for being stuck at a weight loss plateau. As we all know, when we get depress the first thing we do is eat and plateaus happens to all of us. Secondly, from what the nurse has told me in my support group, we have to exercise if we want to reach our goals and maintain our weight loss. I am addicted to discovery health channel and was watching a show that was discussing this issue. The panel use what call WEPNS(pro-nounce as weapons) to help be successful with weightloss surgery. W- Drink plenty of water E- Exercise P- Protein NS- No Snacking Hope this helps, Carla

Rossana, If I could, please let me throw some caution at you. I am two years out and can eat everything and can gain it back too. My only salvation is exercise. This has kept me in control and has given me the ability to keep the weight off. You can easily gain the weight back as you are further postop so you have to have a plan for yourself in staying in control of what you put in your mouth. I too can eat sweets with no problem and that is one of my downfalls. The other is grazing. It is easy to add up calories throughout the day when you graze. One day I counted the calories and I was well over 2000. That put the fear of God back into me. Exercise is a must to help you burn those calories. It is not an easy road. I thought I would stop thinking about my weight when I got thinner. NOT. I think about it constantly. I am down about 90 pounds from where I started. I wear size 6 dress pants and size 8 jeans. I now run everyday 5-7 miles a day, 6 days a week, and I still could stand to lose another 10 pounds to be comfortably within my normal bmi. I am just at 25 now. I weigh 143-145lbs. But I do eat and can eat a lot. Not so much at one sitting but like I said in the grazing. I gained a few pounds (3-5) last month and it drove me to join weigh****chers. What I like about ww is the support, which is the same no matter if you have wls or are doing it through ww or south beach or whatever. We seem to have the same struggles and I enjoy being able to sit in a support group and listen to others and learn about tools to help overcome the difficulties. Boy am I rambling. Sorry. I just wanted to warn you to get a plan together to help you maintain or reach your goal. It is easy to lose sight of this in the beginning but you gotta have a plan for when you get your appetite back. Hope I haven't been too preachy. Sherri

Why dont you get a partner in weight-loss & join a gym & support eachother & reach your goals together!You can push & motovate each other...theres strength in numbers!Good luck!

I am 2.5 years out...and I must admt its harder than it used to be. My top weight was 480 lbs and I am hovering around 200lbs now. WL is so slow now; I feel discouraged sometimes. I am studying to be a dietetian which makes me more aware of food, and I have done a lot of exercise. I have to say body image and food issues continue to be the enemy. I am terrified of weight gain....I am lucky that sugar makes me sick in large amounts, but I have discovered I do okay with small amounts. Not a good discovery because I can now it a candy bar over several hours...I am very much carb affected. If I start out the day eating carbs, even healthy cereal; I crave them all day long. My best tool is to start each day with protein, cheese, yogurt or eggs. Then I do better every day. I have trouble with pasta, but not rice..Soi I try to limit my consumption. I used to be very active with my supoort group, but since school is held on the night of my group, I haven't been there. I need them and I want to go back. They were amazing. I also realize exercise is a key. Before I started back to school, I was at the gym 5 days a week. I need to recommitt. I am also considering returning to OA meetings. I hate them !!! But On some level, I am still food addicted...I think I need some thing like that...Let me know if you have any suggestions. In regards to body issue...I knew what to do with a big body, but this small body left with big body skin is driving me to distrraction...I want to feel sexy and I just can't... Well that's all for now,,,If I think of anything else I'll let you know,,, I am in need of a good therapist....I think... Kelly