It's been a long time since I was last here...

Good Morning everyone! It seems like forever and a day since I have been back on this site. I had my Gastric Sleeve surgery on 02/28/2011 and started as 276#. During my 1st year, I lost 100# and have been able to keep it off until about 5 years ago. Since then, I have gained back about 25 pounds and had heart surgery in 2018. What a scare there, I can tell ya! Since then, it seems like I have no energy to do anything and with this pandemic thing happening, it's been a lot worse. I just want to come home from working (thank goodness I have a job that is essential - I feel for the ones that have lost their jobs due to this crazy CoVi-19) and just want to get into my PJ's and not do a thing!

That being said, I need to get back to where I was before I had my surgery in 2018. Any suggestions on where to start? I have gone over my post-surgery diet plan from Dr. Rodriguez and it seems so distant to me that I don't' think I'll ever get back to under 200 again, must less my goal weight.

Any thoughts (good or bad) are welcome - no judging here! Feels good to be back and I promise I'll be here going forward.

Desari

I'd just like to point out that compared to where you were, a 25# regain is not that bad. Also, by the time you lost that last 25#, you were probably already out of the honeymoon period where the weight just "magically" melts off. So you had to work for that last 25#. Since your tool (the sleeve) is still there to help you, losing that 25# again is definitely do-able - you did it before.

I'm only a little over 2 years out, and I'm sure the vets on here will have better advice for you. But here's my suggestion: start by recording everything you eat, without judgement. After you have, say, 5 days of records, look at the patterns. What foods do you eat most often? Look for a small change you can make *without feeling deprived*? Incorporate that change into your diet, and then a while later look for another small change. You probably know from your history how many calories, or carbs if you count them instead, you need to stick to in order to lose weight. So make one small change at a time until you get there. It's important not to feel deprived, because it's going to take time to lose the weight, and you need a food plan you can stick to.

Drink lots of fluids; it really helps keep the hunger pangs at bay. I'm not really a breakfast person, so I try to get in 1.5 liters before I eat anything. That allows me to save most of my calories for the evening, which is when I am the most hungry. You may be different, of course. Figure out what works for you.

Good luck!

Desari63,

It looks like you've already made one of your best steps, coming back here! I'm fairly new, but finding that there is so much real support here from people who have been around the block and know their stuff about being successful but also about not beating yourself up for a bit of regain! Good luck, I'm sure you're going to get back to being on the right track again!

Its been a long time since Ive been on as well. Im 8 yrs post op 2012 and since 2015 from a 22 yr break up, knee surgery and stopping the gym 6 days a week I have gained 60 lbs back so your ahead of me lol We have to focus on going forward making that change and not dwelling on the past and what we haven't done correctly. Check out the book "Chasing Cupcakes" I could tell people all day what they need to do but it seems I cant get my own **** together, so your not alone. I did join Weigh****chers... Try and stay positive find a support group and post more on OH. I do feel that the oldies leave and its years before they come back. But maybe its the positive newbies that we need right now. Go back to basics and track all that you are consuming. Good luck!

Jen

You guys are great! I knew coming back here was the right thing to do.

Liquids - all I have been drinking is water with the exception of about 24 oz of coffee that makes at the beginning of my day and drink throughout my workday (8 hrs). I really only drink coffee while at work - never at home and once that's gone, I go right back to water. When I get home, it's water until I go to bed so that's about another 64oz. You'd think all I do is pee..LOL!

I had decided to start journaling again this morning before I made that post so it's nice to know we all think alike. I need to get back to where I started on this journey so getting all the "crap" food out of the house is essential but when you have a hubby to feed, well, that gets hard to do.

Amen to positive newbies to put us back in line as we were newbies at one time ourselves. I was considering revision surgery but with my heart stent, it scares me to go under the knife one more time so I'm willing to give this a BIG try one more time. I have made some wonderful friends from here that live around me and would like to do so again so if you all need anything, message me and I'll give you my cell number so we can talk it through.

Lots of love and prayers for you all!

Desari

Repeating a reply I posted elsewhere:

I regained 20 pounds last year due to life stresses but lost it all via WW. I went to the weekly meetings pre-Covid, then Zoom meetings since then. During the loss period and now back in maintenance I track my food, weigh and post on OH every day.

It looks to me like we all need each other, both long-timers and newbies. You all have the experience to share with us and maybe we have some new questions or ideas that might help inspire. I'm sticking here!

Thanks everyone!

I'm so glad I decided to come back here again and after such a long time! Love you all of you and I'm here if you need to talk. I'll post an update tomorrow.

Desari

First, I'd like to commend you for losing 100 pounds and keeping it off for 5 years! That's really good work. Obesity is a powerful foe, and you are doing well!

I have a similar story. I am 7 years post op. I lost 225 pounds, maintained for about 3 years, then I broke my arm, and started sympathy eating, and I've had a hard time regaining control. About 6 weeks ago, I finally got back on plan, and I'm doing much better.

I'm not quite sure why I'm succeeding this time, but part of it is:

1. I decided my health was worth fighting for. I wasn't going to give in to the disease of obesity. It is worth fighting for our health.
2. I got back on my low carb diet. I'm very sensitive to carbs and if I eat them, my food cravings are overwhelming.
3. I gave up all alcohol. I was drinking a glass or two of wine every day, and that was just too many calories.
4. I got back to cooking healthy low-carb, low-cal meals for myself. I find I have to have good tasting alternatives to help me resist the forbidden foods. I can tell myself, "I won't eat that pizza, but I can have that chicken in spicy peanut sauce over spiralized cucumbers that I love."

If you can get back on plan for a week or so, it gets easier. The momentum helps and it feels more hopeful.

good luck. You can do this!

Carol

Dear CAPPY.. (and this post started out as part of a reply to someone elses post but it is for Everyone) ... Well hello stranger... I have often wondered about you. When I first started out on my journey March 2015 you were one of my biggest inspirations.. There are quite a few that I have not seen on here also so perhaps we can "draw" them back in as well.. Yes, I am also "allergic" to carbs.. lol... Some people are lucky enough not to be so "carb sensitive" but then again, that is what got us to where we were when we started our journey. You always had such inspiring recipes.. Bring those back out.. I never got to goal weight of 150ish.. I made it down to 172 then my doctor started me changing my way of eating "no more protein shakes, get your protein from foods (which is a the right idea) but it took me out of my routine. Then started getting more slack and occasional treat here and there. So, now up to 198 (did hit 210 but kicked myself enough to get it under 200).. And like y'all, I have definitely had my stressors too.. Father passed, less than a year later, husband passed, then 5 back surgeries, two shoulder surgeries, raising a teenaged granddaughter, back to work (medical field), turned 70 and family begged me to retire.. So I retired this past May and time on my hands but cooking for a family of 5 and kind of hard to cook just for me.. Anyway, we all have things to deal with.. We need to just do it.. One biggest part of anyone "slipping the slippery slope" is the lack of one word..COMMITMENT.. No matter how we decide to try to get back on track, whether it be WW or Adkins or Keto or just journeling, none of it is going to work without COMMITMENT.. (I guess I need to remember how to make a new tracker because I'M COMMITTING TO GET DOWN TO .. well, get back down to at least 170.. and then keep going.. ) :)