Had an awesome NSV that I really needed. When I started I promised myself once I reached goal that I would never get above 170 that was the long-term maintenance plan. Today I weigh 177. I am going to own it and move on but I have been feeling really down because I never even got down to my actual goal. and three weeks ago my scale read 162. I would say water weight but my pants are sooo tight. How can I be actually fatter that fast?!

Anyway, a friend-of-a-friend always made horrible fat jokes at my expense and made fun of me in group settings. He has been talking to everyone lately about how good I look and asked me out this week. 

I politely turned him down informing him that I lost weight, not my memory. That was the most empowering NSV for me yet. It felt like validation for the fat girl inside me, she was worth it all along.

Hold your head high and get back on track.  Try to post your menus everyday on the menu thread. If really helps keep me accountable for everything that I put in my mouth.  

Good for you on your nsv. ANY man who would speak so poorly about you when you were big is no real man.  You deserve way better than that.  

I say, YESSSS as I fist pump!  Way to go!

You go girl!  I also have weight fluctuations and it messes with my head so much.  UGH.  We can do this!!!  

Nelly,

First I want to tell you I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND. I experienced the same thing (i.e. gaining weight back so fast) on my honeymoon. We were on a cruise and I ate the prescribed sizes but I let myself eat dessert and empty carbs (like noodles. I was so happy to have spaghetti with meatballs).

Worse, was my honeymoon for WLS was over!  It took me a week to PACK ON THE excess pounds (I think it was 7) and it took me 3 weeks to lose it.

The sad fact, I am afraid, is that somehow we are metabolically different than the people who are normal sized who eat all sorts of things (including noodles and dessert).

I believe we will forever have to concentrate on our diet and exercise to maintain our newly acquired slender bodies.

However do not despair!!! Here is why:

1) We have a TEAM of people behind us that WANT to help us and HAVE SEEN OUR SUCCESSES!!!  These include your surgeon, nutritionist and psychologist. Your family, your personal trainer at the gym, other gym folks, and the people at work

2) We have the power that comes from awareness of our condition: You now know that you can put on a LOT Of weight in just a week. Knowing this, you probably wont let yourself "go" for so long.  You KNOW what it is going on. You aren't sitting around asking yourself, "What happened? I dont know where all this weight is coming from"

3) We have the power that comes from the knowledge of knowing how to eat to effectively use our tool...HELL, WE GOT A TOOL!: Yep, you know that you can hold only 0.5-1 cup of food in your pouch. You know that to remain satiatied you cant eat or drink at the same time or for 30-45 minutes after.  You know protein first (i.e. half a cup) and non starchy veg second (i.e. half a cup). You know how much water to drink in a day and how many vitamins and kinds of vitamins and minerals you need. YOU HAVE TRAINED FOR THIS PRE-OP and you consistently DID IT POST-OP!!!

MOST IMPORTANTLY

4) YOU ARE A SUCCESSFUL COMPETITOR AGAINST MORBID OBESITY. YOU ARE WINNING because you are not back to where you were. HOWEVER MORBID OBESITY IS RALLYING. SO STEEL YOURSELF, ACKNOWELDGE YOUR EMOTIONS, REMEMBER YOUR TRAIINING, BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR TRAINING AND PREVIOUS SUCCESSES AND GET BACK IN THE FIGHT!!!!

You are amazingly correct. I love the support here. I am trying to visit often to stay accountable and enjoy this wonderful community of people with the same struggle. There aren't many official support systems here in AK.

 Playing "Eye of the Tiger" for NellyinAK

Gaining15 pounds in 3 weeks would require a TON of extra food. Most of it must be fluid retention. But fluid can be slow to come off too.

"I lost weight, not my memory."

I LOVE YOU FOR THIS!

Thank you, thank you, thank you on behalf of all the people out there who feel like they have to "take what they can get" in terms of dating or friendships.

We need to make that into a t-shirt.

I agree, that was an outstanding response.