Need help getting back on track

Hi everyone! It has been a lonnnng time since I've been on this website. I think I need to get back on for my own health and sanity.

I had my RNY on December 19, 2017. Highest weight: 287 lbs; lowest weight: 171.5 lbs (fall of last year). I'm now hovering at around 182 lbs. Not only do I want to get where I was last fall, but I'm also worried about being off track in general. I was pretty happy at almost 170, but I'd really like to see maybe 160 or lower as I've never been there in my adult life.

All that to say - does anyone have tips to get back on track? I'm thinking I should try doing mostly protein shakes for a few weeks and then adding healthier stuff in just to get me out of my carb rut (free bagel Mondays at work, free booze, free chips - it's so bad)! I really want to live a healthy lifestyle for the long hall and I thought you guys might be able to help. Thanks in advance!

Don't bother with a liquid diet; it won't help you build the healthy habits you need to get back into to lose weight and stay on track!

Start logging, weighing, and measuring all of your food. Pay attention to your carbs and protein; most people here have the most success with high protein and low carbs.

Some people try an AMAW ("all meat all week"), or modified to allow dairy, to ditch the carbs and get back to a protein-forward diet. It'll get you completely off the foods you shouldn't be eating and force you to get back into good habits!

Thanks so much! I was hoping that mostly Premiere Protein would get me away from the carbs. I think you're right though. Maybe 1-2 shakes a day and then mostly meat, eggs and a bit of cheese/cottage cheese/yogurt. I have a grocery store right down the block now (as of a few weeks ago) and they have great meat and seafood counters. I can see myself getting a lot more shrimp in my diet :-)

Yes, shrimp is great! I love shrimp ****tail and eat it often.

Definitely hit up the grocery store and stock up. I eat a lot of lunchmeat, sliced cheese, frozen meatballs, and Greek yogurt.

You can do this!!

We had surgery around the same time. How I keep on track is to use my fitness pal to track everything that goes in my mouth good or bad and stay under 1200 calories a day. I also exercise. You have to move I go to a local gym(planet fitness) 3-4 times a week. I am restricted to just elliptical these days but as soon as the doctor release me I'll get back to the gym classes they provide free with all memberships. So I'm sure before you started this journey your surgeons said weigh measure and exercise. It never changes it's for life.

Thank you. I used to use My Fitness Pal, but I stopped. I definitely need to start using it again. It's easy to forget how many calories are in the "extras" like condiments and beverages. I was working out pretty consistently for a while, but it's been a few weeks because I moved. Now that my home is pretty much set up, I need to get back to that too!

The only reason to drink protein shakes is to get in nourishment when you are not able to eat real foods. At this point they are just a quick way of adding extra calories. Concentrate on meat that will fill you up and increase your protein.

For the 320 calories cost of two Premier Protein shakes, you could have six ounces of turkey breast or four ounces of filet mignon. Eating all meat or meat and low carb veggies will get you back on track and be enjoyable

Thanks! That's a great way to think about it. I would certainly prefer steak and seafood!

Yep, nix the shakes and eat real food!!! I lost 58lbs last year by going really low carb and logging everything that passed my lips. I found I lost steadily (1-2lbs per week) on 1200 calories per day. YMMV.

It really got me back into the groove and I'm maintaining pretty well this year (so far)

My tips after being bad on vacation. I gained 6 pounds at 1 year out. I came home and was totallly addicted to carbs again. This is what I did to get back on track.

1) Cut the carbs. I ate basically a carivore diet for 1 week to get me back in ketosis and get rid of the carbs. Not eating carbs for a week reset my body. I ate steak, ground beef, shrimp, salmon, pork tenderloin, dark chicken meat, bacon, eggs and a bit of cheese. I lost 7 pounds in a week. Stay away from cold meats etc. For me they don't keep me full.

2) Drink more water.

3) IF-Intermittent fasting. I didn't have breakfast just ate lunch and dinner. I had a bulletproof coffee in the morning. I know we are told low fast but I enjoy eating higher fat and it doesn't bother me. Keeps me full. Some people can't tolerate fat some can. Some people have to eat more often. I don't if I keep my fat and protein on point. I sometimes had to have a snack before bed (boiled egg, piece of cheese, etc) or I wake up starving at 2:30 am. You have to find what works. IF really works but hard for weight loss patients.

4) Allow your body to rest after excercise. The more I workout the more inflammed I get and it stops my weightloss. I make sure if I do I long hike or lots of weights, I take a rest day.

5) After a week ultra low carbs you can increase your carbs with green veggies. I would stay away from fruit, corn etc. Keep your carbs under 20. Then slowly increase.

6) Track everything that goes in your mouth. Everyone is different. I am 14 months out and I can only eat 700 calories under 20 carbs to lose weight. It sucks but that is what it is. You need to decrease your calories and carbs until you start losing. Then stay there until you get to where you want. Then slowly increase again to find your maintenance.

This is just what worked well for me. I am back on track and losing about 2 pounds a week. If I stall I carb up for one day then right back to where I was. Good luck!