Accountability and new beginnings

I've been dreading to write this post, but the time is right so I will just bite the bullet. 

I'm 3 months shy of my 3 year vsg surgery. My first year was amazing and I lost close to 90 lbs. My original goal was to lose another 10 but I was happy where I was as was my surgeon. I hadn't been that thin for many many years. I continued to eat right and exercise for the next few months, though soon after I started to have some big cravings for popcorn and apples with peanut butter, the occasional frozen yogurt. Meanwhile I went back to school for the next year and went off plan almost completely, and stopped exercising too. I was gaining weight slowly, or so I thought. I didn't worry about 5-10 lbs because I still looked good. My weight crept up slowly but surely and I knew it was happening, but I blamed it on a rough year in school. Everything I bought didn't fit. I stopped weighing myself and really didn't think it was too bad. Of course I was in denial. The idea that I failed my sleeve, failed myself, failed my surgeon, just was too hard to accept. I decided to visit the OH site and read some posts yesterday. I was inspired once again by some of you amazing newbies and fellow vets and committed to weigh myself this morning and start anew. I expected to see a much smaller number (funny how we lie even to ourselves). I'm embarrassed to say that I gained something between 35-40 lbs (my scale isn't digital). I felt and still feel like I wasted my opportunity, like a failure and had I not been so lax, I wouldn't be in this predicament. I knew what I did wrong, I am taking full accountability. It still really sucks. I'm very disappointed in myself. I refuse to change my ticker with my current weight until I get back to where I was. 

But... I started fresh once again today. Cottage cheese for all 3 meals. Little watermelon and frozen mango, and 10 glasses of water and an ice coffee with skim. Tomorrow I will get back on the treadmill. 

Sorry this is such a long post. Had to get this off my chest. I'm hoping by my 3 year in August to have lost at least 10 lbs. Any advice? The vsg is an amazing tool and I have no regrets for having the surgery. 

Also wanted to add that some of the vets who helped me on my journey in the beginning were amazing and thank you so much Frisco, Elina, DocHollywood and anyone else I missed. 

Thanks for listening. And best of luck to us all! 

Oops-meant to say 4 year surgiversary! 

I'm glad you are getting back on track.  Yes, the stresses of life do get in the way of our plans.  But your sleeve and the restriction should help you get back to where you want to be.

You know how to do this.  You'll do great!

Carol

Well I'm glad you're trying to get the weight back off again. You fell off the wagon, it happens. There is a back on track forum that can give you some pointers & support.

For my 2 cents, I'd ditch the watermelon & mango & put protein first. Do you really like cottage cheese for all 3 meals? I've been in the mood for it too, but it's almost a slider food. You won't feel satiated for long on that. I think you're better off eating dense protein like chicken, go back to weighing & measuring everything & put it in an app like My Fitness Pal.

The treadmill is cool, I hope to get one eventually myself, but you do know you can't exercise your way thin right? It's only healthy for the body, but it won't speed up weight loss.

You also might want to look into therapy or some kind of support group to get to the reasons behind your eating. I figure it'll be a way to make the weight loss more permanent. After all you're doing a lot of work, why not get as many tools in your toolbox as possible.

I'm only a little more than a year out, so you probably know some of this stuff already & your post reminds me to be vigilant even whenever I do reach goal. Good luck!

Everything 1lasttime said.

You have done the most important thing... You assessed where you are and are getting back on track.  You brought denial into reality.  You know what works on your plan.  You can do this!!

Ditto the advice to ditch the watermelon and mango.  The body reads fruit as sugar.  Fruit will definitely slow or even stop your weight loss.  Skip the slider foods like cottage cheese and go with dense proteins that will keep you felling more satisfied, longer.  

BEING HONEST WITH YOURSELF IS THE BIGGEST PART GIRL! YOU WILL ROCK THIS NOW. YOU GOT THIS. IT WAS A LITTLE BUMP IN THE ROAD AND YOU ARE TOALLY OWNING IT. ONCE YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS. I WILL WISH YOU LUCK, BUT YOU DON'T NEED IT! CHEERS! KEEP US POSTED.

Good for you for getting on that scale, looking the number in the face and accepting that you screwed up.  What happened isn't fatal - it's totally fixable.  And yeah, there are no special snowflakes in this group.  If I went off plan for an entire year I would easily put back on 30 lbs....easily! 

I'm going to echo advice that others have already posted on here:  1) ditch the fruit, all fruit until you're back to maintenance weight, 2) stick with real meat (dense proteins) and some low carb veggies for meals. Cottage cheese is great for a mid-meal snack, not for a meal this far out.  You'll set yourself up for the hungries big time once your motivation and enthusiasm wear off.  

Don't give up on yourself - YOU CAN DO THIS!