Requesting success stories

hi friends

i could use some motivation and would love to hear your success stories about how you fought back against regain and kicked it to the curb.

I have predictably regained about 20 lbs from my lowest point 18 months ago and want to get rid of most of it again.

Thank you very much for inspiring us!

helfer

I had RNY in 2007. My body knows that I starved it afterwards and it will always be trying to get that weight back.

First weapon is a smart scale. Weigh every day and know whether gain or loss is due to muscle, fa****er, or bone density.

Second is My Fitness Pal. Track everything you eat or drink and know how many calories are involved.

Third and extremely important is exercise - Find a fitness tracker that fits your exercise. Mine is in water, so I need a tracker that works in the water.

The 20 pound regain is normal and expected during year 3 after RNY.

This is the theory:

The intestines have hairlike appendages called villi. They grab the food that comes through and hold it against the wall of the intestines so that the nutrition and calories can be extracted from it. After surgery many of those villi are gone. Food goes right through without the calories being absorbed. That is called malabsorption.

Sometime after 18 months, the body has figured out what happened and is smart enough to grow lots of new villi so it is no longer being starved. The calories are absorbed again and the weight comes back on. Regain will get worse every year if not dealt with by diet and exercise.

The less you weigh, the less you get to eat to maintain that weight.

I have regained and lost it again at least three times. Each time it was easier to regain and harder to lose.

Look at last weeks "what's on your menu RNy" thread. Everyone is so motivational. Whether they are on their way to goal or at goal or above goal, it's an inspirational group to be sure! I'm fighting regain myself and stories won't help me, sadly. I need to cut carbs and calories and buckle down and do it. It can be incredibly depressing but I'm also in such a better place (physically) than pre-RNY. So it's up to me to mentally commit. I wi**** was like that glorious year 1 where my pouch was tiny and I dropped multiple pounds a week. Alas it takes a ton more effort now.

I think we are worth it and just need to take action. I understand your situation and it's hard, there is no minimizing that. My only advice is don't let 20 creep to 30 then to 40. If you can't lose, try to stop the gain. Best of luck!