Feeling very discouraged over 1 year post op

I had my surgery at the end of March 2014 and for the first 6 months, I was doing great losing weight. The problem I'm having now is that I can eat anything (but in small amounts). I've had no problems with any food (at least not yet). There are some things that leave me feeling nauseous and with an increased heart rate, but no major dumping symptoms. After 6 months (and about 70 lbs), I stopped losing. In fact, I've gained about 12 lbs back. I do feel much better than I did last year, but I was really hoping to have lost more weight by now. I'm only about 1/2 way to my goal. :( Anyone else have this problem? Am I destined to be overweight for the rest of my life? This was the last resort for me.

Thanks!

I had a similiar thing happen to me and I decided to go on a low-carb diet and make sure I got my protein in first and was able to start losing again!  Don't give up and don't drink with your meals!  Drink at least 45 minutes to an hour after you eat and keep up with the vitamins.  You can do this!!!

Thanks Terrycapp,

I don't drink with my meals...no room! :) My problem is that I'm addicted to sugar and chocolate! It's almost as though my brain shuts of and I just eat it without thinking! I think I'll really have to focus on getting sugar and carbs out of my diet! It's soooo hard though. I should never have tested the sugar. That was my downfall and it continues to be. I have to remember the pain I was in right after surgery and think about how I'm sabotaging myself right now...I didn't suffer for nothing. Right?

Thanks for the encouragement!

Since you sound like you cannot control the sweets, you need to get rid of them from your diet. You have to decide what is more important- to eat whatever you want or to get to a healthy weight. If you really want to get to a healthy weight, do whatever it takes to get there and stop making excuses.

The only way to curb the carb monster is to cut it out of your life.  It will be hard for a few weeks, but once you stop eating processed carbs, you stop craving them.  Get ALL processed simple carbs (bread, crackers, sugar, rice, pasta, rice, potatoes) out of your house and don't let them back in until you reach your goal weight.  Carbs go down too easily and we can eat  TON of them, leading to weight gain.  Dense protein ( chicken, beef, turkey, etc.) should be your focus, then veggies.  Limit fruit to one serving per day.  Eat 6 very small meals per day (200 to 300 calories).  That means you will be eating every 3 to 4 hours.  ANYONE can wait 3 hours until they eat again.  Eating very small meals frequently will keep your metabolism running and it stabilizes your blood sugar, which makes you feel less hungry.  If you feel hungry between meals IGNORE IT.  Hunger is not an emergency and if you are eating every three hours, you are not really hungry (you are most likely experiencing "head hunger").

Nobody is destined to be over weight. Your surgery is not failing.  Your choices are what is making you not lose weight.  You have to make the right choices and change the relationship you have with food.  That chocolate is not making you eat it.  It has no power over you.  If you were counting on dumping or getting sick to keep you on the straight and narrow, you were mistaken.  Only 30% of RNY patients dump.   The first few years should be used to re-learn how to feed your body.  I am almost 5 years out and within 5 pounds of my lowest weight.  I still measure my food and eat ONLY what I measure out.  Portion sizes creep up over time and obese people do not have a good grasp on what a proper portion size looks like.  I never eyeball my portion sizes because I can't trust myself to get it right.  Get your measuring cups out and see just how much you are really eating.  Be brutally honest with yourself.   

You still have your tool and can lose the weight if you use it the way it was designed to be used.  You know what you are doing wrong.    Seek out a therapist to find out why you are sabotaging yourself.  Pull yourself back on the wagon.   YOU CAN DO THIS! 

You have been given great advice.  I will tell you that the only thing that helps me is weighing daily and eating less on the days when the scale has gone up.  I don't allow myself any excuses.  I don't say it is water weight, muscle gain or daily fluctuating.  

I just have a goal weight and stay there.

Counting calories works for me.  I maintain 136 at 1400 calories a day.  I eat five or six small meals of 200 or 300 calories each.  I get in my 10000 or more steps a day.  I don't drink with meals.  My scale is my friend and as long as we spend time together everyday it rewards me with the numbers I want to see.

Not weighing daily is the first step for many in the regain process.  This is the last resort and you still have to control what you eat or the weight will come back.

Oh honey, first of all you're doing a great job and you look beautiful!! I know this feeling all too well. The first step was to reach out for support. I had rygbp 12 years ago and my weight has fluctuated back and forth plenty. A pretty good trick I learned is to always keep your eye on the protein. Keep cheese and peanuts and Jerry and protein bars (low carb) in your bag. There will be times you give in to the chocolate, but do NOT beat yourself up for it. Just say to yourself, next te, we eat protein, then have our chocolate. Most of the time, I end up not even wanting the chocolate after. Get yourself some protein shakes too, and keep up with your water and walking! You are guna get through this!

Susie, I'm going to give you a little tough love here. 

Instead of saying "6 months out I stopped losing" the truth is "About 6 months out I decided to disregard the dietary guidelines set out by a SURGEON and eat crap instead."

We can't make our own rules. We did it for years and it took us down the other to morbid obesity. We have put our bodies through permanent change - and the trauma of surgery - to solve the problem. But that road to morbid obesity is still wide open and you, my friend, are on the entrance ramp.

you ask if you will be obese forever. And the blunt answer (some will say too blunt but I need to be frank with you) is that you will indeed be fat forever if you choose carbs and chocolate over healthy diet and life changes.

We only get the luxury of our post op honeymoon one time. After the first year or so, losing is slower and more difficult. You are squandering this valuable time by making poor choices. 

The solutions if suggest are going to take commitment. See a therapist who knows about addiction. Get back to your surgeons office and meet with a dietitian. Commit to attending a support group regularly. There you will have the support and candor that can only come from other post ops - and a solid support community can be a strong shoulder to lean on at the same time it's a kick in the rear when you need it most.

again, some may feel I have been too blunt here but I speak from almost 6 yrs of experience - including battling my way back after a 35 lb regain. I do wish you the best and hope to hear back - that you are back on your feet doing what we have to do.

"Instead of saying "6 months out I stopped losing" the truth is "About 6 months out I decided to disregard the dietary guidelines set out by a SURGEON and eat crap instead."

Well said, Lynn. And good for you for getting back on-track. It is definitely a lifetime battle.