3 1/2 Years Post-Op and Gaining -- HELP!!!

Hi all, i am 5 years post op and NEED Help also. I have gained 40 pounds, I have forgotten how to use this board to search for meal intake, exercise ideas etc. Mostly I need a diet guideline. I would love to hear from others who have gained and gotten back on track I need information and inspiration. Thanks, Open-RNY 5/12/02 270/170/208

Hi all.. I am 2 1/2 years post op and i have gained 15 lbs .. i never reached goal weight, but i was happy at 20 lbs over my goal weight, I cant seem to get back on track, help help help Alberto

Heidi-- first: take a deep breath!!! One more time.... for real. Now let's look at some amazing facts re: you! Over 3.5 years ago you went through the mental gyrations that led you to make a LIFE-ALTERING decision to have your guts cut open and rearranged. No kidding. You went through the mental process to make this decision, albiet probably one of the most DIFFICULT decision of your lifetime. Yet you CHOSE. You thought. You processed. You CHOSE. Second: you have KEPT OFF an AMAZING amount of weight. Yes you've gained back some. HOWEVER, if you look back at your previous "diet attempts" I dare say you could have chosen to have gained MOST of it back by now if you wanted to. If you were REALLY failing and really out of control. But you've kept off FAR MORE than you've gained. You're SUCCEEDING at so much! I'm PROUD OF YOU!!!! Make sense? Okay, we may have been physically altered but we did NOT have a lobotomy. You've come to the place of the most DIFFICULT part of this journey: re-programming your HEAD!!! This process of the "re-programming", however is for the LIFETIME... Our "stinkin' thinkin' " : our thought patterns, our self-sabotage-thinking ways, our "cant's" and "don'ts" and "do's" and "I'm out of controls" and all the thinking that causes us to FEEL like we're spiraling out of control --- ALL OF IT we CAN take control of. You've slipped back into some careless ways. You acknowledge that. You've stated that you're eating emotionally again. Emotional challenges are a fact of life. We , all of us, will always have them. We can count on that. Most of us will slip and eat "emotionally" periodically. I would think most "normal" people (whomever "THEY" are) WOULD - occassionally. Sure you might need some meal plan ideas. Sure you might need some nutritional adjustments. HOWEVER, I would challenge you to start making small shifts in your THINKING. (Small shifts will strenthen those "CHOICE" MUSCLES!! ) 1. work at being PRESENT when you eat. whether you CONSCIOUSLY choose what & when you're eating or NOT -- you ARE still choosing. Might as well choose - ON PURPOSE. 2. work at fighting the "helpless", "hopeless" , "I'm a failure" thoughts. Heidi it's not easy. But it's so worthwhile. 3. work at PAYING ATTENTION to your current habits. Once you see what you're really doing - then you can make logical (rather than emotional) changes! 4. Learn to separate WHAT you're eating from WHO you are as a PERSON. You may be making some poor eating / drinking choices sometimes but (examples) you're : kind, generous, thoughtful, loving, creative, passionate, of high values, integrity ... etc. Bottom line, Heidi - learn to celebrate yourself. This, by far, (for me) is THE MOST CHALLENGING part of the JOURNEY and yet is also BY FAR the MOST REWARDING. HEIDI, (and all others who are at a similar crossroad) you've done AMAZING -- YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Judy: WOW, you really hit the nail on the head. I had a lot of lightbulb moments while reading your reply, thank you. It's not like they are things I haven't heard or know, but it's another thing to be told it with point blank honesty. I appreciate it very much!!! I just got a new newsletter from Barix (where I had my surgery) and in it was a on-track daily log. It has a side where you plan your meals ahead of time and a place to record what you actually ate. I've been recording what I eat occasionally thru this journey, but I've never actually sat down, planned EACH AND EVERY day and accounted for what I actually ate based off my "plan". I think it will start to teach me accountability and keep me from overeating and force me to look at my "out of control" eating habits. Also has a place for exercises, goals for the day, positive feelings about today and difficulties encountered today. Also has plaes to record how many portions of protein, veggies, fruits, breads I ate that day. I have appreciated EVERYONE's positive comments, encouragement and brutal honesty about my struggles. It has been EXACTLY what I needed to hear to get my rump back in gear! THANK YOU! Heidi