Anyone gained after reaching goal and successfully get back to goal?
Hello All.
I reached goal in October 2019 (1 year post surgery), and maintained for 4 months. Then slowly regained 10 pounds before Covid hit and working from home resulted in falling completely off program and gaining another 20 pounds!
I'm currently reviewing my Bariatric binder, to make sure I return to the basic program. I would love to be back at goal by October 2020 (I figure 4 months seems reasonable, although I am hoping I reach before then!)
Any words of advice, or tips to get myself out of feeling sorry and mad at myself??
Sunny,
Yes, I am more than 2 decades post of a wls surgery... I got to goal at about 16-18 months..it was a total wtloss of 130 lbs. I have had weight changes from almost every major stress in my life.
The last time was the extended illness of both parents and i kinda burnt the candle at both ends for a while.It was the cortizol factor..when stress was relived, i immediately dropped 20 lbs... that came with increased sleep hygeine/ability.
.I gained almost 50 lbs.. got back to goal, but it did take a while...within the last several months...have been at goal and a couple times just below. .
The key is go back to your diet rules given by your surgeon. stick to them get in your protein and cut your carbs as low as you tolerate.... drink lots of water...lemon water is good if you like it.
Sunny,
Good job! Exercise will build muscle mass and it is heavier.- .. increasing exercise/tolerancee is important..but i would reduce those extended walks to 3 a week ... and do isometrics every night at bedtime.
..I build my exercise into our daily life- when we go to purchase- i park further out in the parking lot and walk..., I operate our weed eater and do all the trimming.( 2 acres).i also use the push mower regularly and rake our yard for the hay for our chickens and rabbits winter roughage.
My reason: Our Nutritionist /thru clinic said one of exercise tips for more effective weight loss was to divide exercise into 2 or 3 sessions in a day.. to divide the time allotted and begin day with a session and end day w/ a session.. to boost metabolism first thing and last thing..and thru many of your sleeping hours..
From my Surgeons advise, if it did not work pre surgery., it won't work after.. I also would ditch the calorie counting..ie it is extra work/time wasted (for me) if fat/carbs are both low and Protein are in uppper end of rx'd range.. IF you have the protein your body needs, My RX is 90 grams Protein( increase 2-3 servings in a 24 h. to boost weight loss. This is low fat..protein. nothing with visible fat, or skin...(after surgery the hidden fat in a chicken thigh would make me sick.).. and 20-50 carbs daily, low end for weight loss.and the Carbs are kept, very low.. 20--30 /24 hours..to increase weight, loss .
You need to consider this is your intake- until further notice. It is a LIFEstyle change..You want and need a life to enjoy with children/spouse/family etc. getting and maintaining your health will enable you to do things you would never have been able to do before.
About 2-3 years post op... i quit my nursing job-burnout- and began unloading 18 wheelers, by hand( only thing i could find and had to move to continue) in a warehouse... it was very hard work , continual isometrics some days.. and for me was long hours. I was sore for months as i increased my ability to out perform most others..Since at that time i was the only female "Lumper"..My supervisor would give me hard loads to do at a reasonable pace and he would determine pay for hard loads based on the time it took me to do it the first time...Someone askd me how I did it .. "Protein powder and Prayer, not always in that order!", was my standard answer.
I personally do not tolerate many green leafys or other foods that are known to cause gas.. but consider for veggies.. summer or zucchini squash baked-they are full of liquid, and go down easy.Broccoli, string beans, tomatoes...
Do not forget if you have a muscle or ligament injury to add a multi-form Collagen( there are 5 types, in some capsules.) to your regimin.. that will give protein boost as well..
Now is the time for pen and paper for you to record what levels you need to go to to get your loss moving well. Maybe a weekly summary as a Journal entry? You will hit plateaus.. its normal. add liquid, change something...don't stress about it.( that will mean a longer plateau.)
If you had NO problems maintaining after wls, you probably did not have the right surgery... The surgeon only gives us the TOOL to manage and maintain..Following the rules for life- YOUR life is the most important form of self love you can express.
. Think about it.. when you came out of hospital post surgery... where was your weight? Mine was 5 lbs heavier than when i went in, from fluids etc. (a 5 day in- hospital surgery then,an Open surgery - not scope procedure.)I had 10 procedures rolled into one.. because of bad gall bladder,hiatal hernia ,cysts and fibroids.
I have also added intermittent fasts...as i tolerate..basically 14 hours without a food. I do put lactose free milk in my coffee to maintain my blood sugar.(relative hypoglycemia from age 20) then late-heavy protein breakfast. mostly farm eggs, scrambled.bacon/sausage (2x wk).a pc of 40 cal bread, a thin sliced...it takes me about an hour most days to eat heavy protein meal. my pouch is between 4-6 ounces.
You have this. You can do it. Hang in there.!
I am a little over 3 years post op. I had some complications and was actually underweight until last Fall. I was desperately trying to regain weight and resorted to some healthy and some not so healthy ways to try to do that and after covid the regain was a real thing due to me not using my tool correctly, (by that point). Once I got back in touch with my bariatric team by zoom I learned it was actually happening to many post ops and they supported me in getting back on track...or at least on my way to it. I have eliminated some harmful ways I was coping and I lost the regain very rapidly. I am working now and the basics. Life will always throw curveballs but it is never too late to just try again and adjust the sails where needed. It can be normal to feel sorry and mad at yourself but don't stay there. Learn from it. Adjust. Move forward.
I wish success for you in whatever you decide to try. You can find your groove again. It won't be like the honeymoon stage but it is doable.
I am also trying to learn more about meditation in order to stay more in the present rather than the past or too much in the future.
Have a great week full of positive choices =)
