XPOST - What makes you think you won't regain the weight!

Excellent post, Donna.  I couldn't agree more about a positive outlook and being accountable (and not blaming the surgery) for any downfalls.  You have a fabulous outlook, good for you.

Donna you said it perfectly - I too get frustrated with the all or nothing thinking of what type of WLS is doomed for failure..... my body- my tool - my screw up if it doesnt work - every time I try to eat 4 oz of lean dense protein I know without a doubt that Dr Christou did his part...... the rest is up to me !

I wish you lived handy boy could your positive attitude spend some time smackin me upside the head!

big hugs hon- Happy New Year
deb

ps
http://www.mindbodyhealthservices.com/index.html

I am going to order Dr Stapletons book- Eat It Up and I have been viewing her video's on youtube- I love that she is a straight shooter and does not sugar coat it - right now I am obsessed with obtaining the tools to make this work - kinda like when I was in the research stage - but now its too make sure I am equipped to get'r done!

I know I won't regain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

This is my second fear of surgery, 1st one was I wouldn't wake up.  I did wake up, I'm a week out and it's not easy, I constantly am thinking how to "eat", it may still be a food obsession but it is an obsession to eat right and healthy. 

Bottom line is I'm almost 40 and this is it, I want to live and I have been given this tool to make that happened, I never want to feel like I did 5 months ago, I feel alive now and want to stay that way (that's after 23lbs).  I am a scale slave already and hope to remain that way so nothing sneaks up on me. 

So I will remember and will need to be reminded (that's why I'm here),   " I know I won't regain!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "   and if I forget I give anybody permission to kick my soon to be skinny butt.

I am terrified that I'll regain! But I think that in itself is what keeps me on track. I frequently look at "before" pics of myself....... I never want to be that person again! I remind myself what being overweight has done to my mother, who is diabetic and struggling to keep her legs...... I never want to have to do that either!
It makes me even more scared though, when my weight loss has been so slow! This is supposed to be the easiest time to lose the weight and yet I've only lost 62.5lbs in the last 10.5 months........ I'm worried that when my "honeymoon" period is over, that I'll regain.
All I can do is what I'm doing though and hope that it's enough :)

I'm expeting a bit of a regain, but feel confident that I won't regain all my weight back.  That being said, I'm trying to keep at a lower weight just in case - I aparently like sugar in the form of chocolate, and eat lots of it every day.  This could cause me to gain weight down the road unless I lay off the chocolate a bit.  I'm thankful for the super-malabsorbtion, because I can eat a lot of food - I would have already gained some back if I didn't have the malabsorbtion, I'm sure. 

Great thought provoking post, Lorraine!

I plan on getting to goal (not really sure what that is yet, but will know when I get there) and will stay there because I have adopted a new lifestyle, not a diet this time.  I plan to continue to weigh daily and come here to get and give support (as this is my only support), for as long as possible.  I will be counting on cooperation from my sleeve as well!

Great post Lorraine !!!! I am about 1 1/2 years out. I did have additional surgery back in October for Gall bladder and a repair from the original surgery. Feeling great.........not gaining......but that is for today. I take each day at a time. I am very careful about portions and know that I dont tolerate sugar and fats. Maybe that is fortunate for me.I dont get on the site as much as I would like to. Going through a divorce (nasty) and dealing with a lot of stuff right now. Hope to get back to being a regular when things settle down.Take care............................
nancy

Thanks for this, Lorraine. Lots of food for thought (so to speak!!)

To be honest, I am not even convinced, in my heart of hearts, that I will ever make goal. I am not confident about keeping it off, either. But it's so early in my journey that it all still feels a little surreal.

I guess it's because, like most of us here, I have failed so many times before.

I have much work to do to increase my confidence and belief in myself. I know this is attainable, with the support of friends, family, and all of you here.

I've gained up to 155lbs, yes even with the power house DS.  I'm completely to blame as I shove lots of carbs in my mouth.  Thank God I malabsorb 80% of the fat I eat or I would be back up to 200lbs for sure. 

I commend you on the post. I think it is important to be ABSOLUTELY real when it comes to WLS.  If you came to the Windsor meeting last night, that's what we talked about.  There were members who gained 2 lbs during the holidays, those that gained 5 and those that gained 10 lbs.  This is reality folks. None of us ever go into surgery saying "DAMN! I cannot wait to have some regain!".  I hear people always saying "NOT ME!" but no one ever plans to fail along this journey. Stuff happens.  We lose focus. We lose motivation. We have to deal with emotions.  Life happens.  Some of us develop new coping mechanisms for our feelings and can deal with things okay and not let a few lbs get in their way...but many of us go back to old habits and have a harder time.

If you've followed my webpage, you'll know that in my first year I was absolutely focused on my journey. Walked to/home from work and did 4 miles a day.  I was damn near perfect. The second year was a little tougher and I played with weight over the holidays like most people.  The end of the second year I had some personal issues and had a lot of stress and I turned back to food again for comfort, for pleasure...gained weight, beat myself up excessively for that til I damn near felt like I was a complete and total failure and that I deserved sh*t.   It's not uncommon after a few years out to regain some pounds as your body adapts to the surgery.  I was horrible to myself and guess what that meant? That meant I continued the cycle with my poor habits. I got into counselling.  I found when I got obsessed about going carb free and doing pouch tests and all that to get on track, it only fed my eating disorder. When I relax and not worry so much about what I put in my mouth, I make better choices. I have to stop beating myself up all the time!

The fact is that many of us will regain along our journey.  Part of it is that we can't beat ourselves up too much or we just perpetuate the cycle.  Attitude is everything here folks. As support group coordinator, nothing makes me more sad then to find out about people in our group who are failing. Most of them become focused with other things (they go back to school, get married, have children...and other things take priority in their life). They lose their focus on themselves. Then they beat themselves up.  I hear of ladies in our group who have gained 10 pounds and have become virtual hermits because they are ashamed over 10 lbs! I hear of others who have become obsessed with not gaining so much that they are refusing to eat and are hospitalized.

We have to work on balance.  Balance means that accepting that we are individuals, we are humans, we are going to make mistakes, we are going to fall, we are going to fall along our way, we are going to give in to emotional eating from time to time to have a coping mechanism....but we ultimately have to stop beating ourselves, jump back on the wagon to good health and take the time to focus on us and healthy habits. It's about not letting the mistakes overpower all our accomplishments. 

At our meeting last night, we had a member who gained 10 lbs. Worried absolutely not. He said very simply, "I enjoyed the holidays. I will get back on track.  I don't worry about the 2 weeks I spent having fun. It's the other 50 weeks that matter".  He's got a plan and he's okay with that.

I suggest people think about regain and not assume that it won't happen to them. Be realistic and make a plan.  Or accept that you might put on a few lbs and you are okay with that.
Sometimes we have to stop worrying about the number on the scale, and focus on how we feel and how we are healthwise. So what if we have a 5, 10, 20 lb regain....stuff happens. Make a plan for when it happens. Don't beat yourself up. Just work on getting back on track.  Give yourself leeway and if you get over it, toughen up on yourself and make better choices for a while. Go to your support group -- that's when you need it the most. Never be afraid to walk in those doors.

Dawn

Dawn