The Fat Trap (NY Times Article) - my musings and LINK to article.

As many of you know I'm 5 years post op VSG and I have regained about 30lbs from MY goal and LIKE many others I am STILL waiting for them to provide that MAGIC pill where I don't have to watch what I eat for LIFE.

Ok seriously speaking when I regained those pounds it was at the 3 year mark.  I became TIRED.  I was TIRED of "living healthy."  I was tired of "protein FIRST."  I was well tired of whatever the hell I was tired of.  This morning a MFP friend wrote "I'm so tired and burnt out on trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle..."   It reminded me of when I was TIRED.  I'm sure she's not to the point where she's going to close her eyes like I did and regain weight, BUT, it reminded me of this article that I included the link to below.  

By the time I read this article it was EXACTLY a year after my initial regain and I was floundering, not quite tired AGAIN but not quite giving my "new" lifestyle over 75%.  I'm still in the 75%-95% of my "old" mindset but thanks to this article I'm a hell of alot closer to remembering I made this decision for LIFE.  It was the ONE saving grace for getting my MIND wrapped around the fact this what I have chosen to do is for LIFE and in order to be successful I must make LIFE changes.  

So this year instead of *****ing about the fact that I can't ENJOY carbs the way I used to (yes I still eat the "wrong" foods but I don't BASK in them life before).  I've made NEW favorite dishes.  I use spiral cut zucchini as my "spaghetti" instead of traditional pasta.  I use cauliflower in place of noodles in my Tuna Noodle Casserole. Last night I took cottage cheese and sf pudding mix and added in dashes of almond milk and put it in my mini food processor and it whipped into a lovely little dessert that I then stuck in the freezer for a few minutes...it made a GREAT replacement for ice cream which I had been craving.  

Hope you enjoy...it's a LONG read http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope- fat-trap.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

 

 

Wow what an educational article! Totally makes sense why I have always lost the weight to just put it back on. And that cravings seem to get worse with weight loss. I only wish they knew how long it would take to reset the bodies homoeostasis and if the metabolism ever runs at "normal." Thanks so much for sharing this. And congrats on your long term weight loss....I know you'll kick the 30 to the curb. You got this, you can do it!

Great article! Its nice to see the beginnings of scientific evidence explaining our struggles!

I've read the article before, but it was a great read once again. Just a great reminder of the vigilance and dedication it takes to maintain our loss. This time I book marked it and sent it around to some friends.

 

Ms Shell, I wanted to comment on a point you made about the change you experienced around the three year mark.  I have been looking at the lack of research on weight loss maintenance and the stages that we all seem to go through during maintenance.  I have noticed that around the three to three and a half mark many of us get "tired" and experience some weight regain.  For some of us it is more than for others, but it seems to be a very common theme.  I was just talking to Lizzane about this same phenomenon.   She is also somewhere in the 5-6 year range and she too experienced the the same thing around this same time period and has been on guard or even fighting those few pounds ever since.  I am wondering if this is really a time when I need to tighten things up rather than continuously relax them.  It's just something to think about...

I have seen for many its a pivotal time...which is why I always mention WHEN it started..kinda like the 5 year itch...my best advice be vigilant and aware.

Ms Shell