Need help !!!!!!

I had my wls 3/2002 and things were going great , I lost 100 lbs in 7 months and a total of 132 lbs in 14 months. Now here I am 4 yrs. later and I have gained 48 lbs in 1 yr. :-( Got back in the habit of nibbling at night before bed and my eating habits are bad. I am back to the old, this is the last time and tomorrow I will do right but it always seems to replay every day. Maybe its because I have been going through some tough times and I turned back to food for comfort. I just need some encouraging words or ideas to help me get back on track, I would greatly appreciate it, thanks.

some weight gain is pretty common with some of us...I for one have gained some. I think the key to mine is some poor choices and not enough exercise. I have taken Belly Dance for almost a year, but as I reflect on this, I can't recall ever breaking out in a sweat....I think sweat is the key to exercise. I plan on a new strategy toward exercise. I'm looking into the Zumba...... You can do it, I can do it, we all can do...we just need to do it, that is the hardest part I'm having. Darlene

Darlene, Thanks for the encouraging words and its good to know that I am not alone with this, I am glad I have found a place to vent and get the helping hands I need. WE are in this together and now I believe we CAN do this !!!!.

HI Rhonda. There seems to be alot of struggling going on these days. I'm an emotional eater and have had some stress lately~I saw those bad habits creeping back in to my life too. It was my coping mechanism for so many years and I guess I haven't learned a new way to cope~yet! I'm working on it. You can overcome this so don't give up! Look at all you've accomplished so far! ((((((HUGS)))))))) Tracy B 328/150 5'9"

Thanks Tracy, I feel better knowing that I am not alone with this and thanks for the kind and encouraging words. We are in this together. We can do it !!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Rhonda - I think most of us know where you're at, how you're feeling, the distress, anxiety, fears and inevitably the "stinking thinking" that can spiral it out of control. I might be WAY off here, since I can't tap into your brain, all I can do is talk to you about MY experiences. My thoughts and how my brain-matter sorts it all out and puts it back together for me. If you can take any thing away from this that helps, great! If not, don't take any of it personal and realize I'm talking thru;/to MYSELF and that's how MY world saw it for me. My best advice to myself (when dealing with my 22 pound weight gain) was to make a SERIOUS commitment and finally stop talking out my a$$. It's easy to constantly beat ourselves up, and say "tomorrow I'll do better" ...but that kinda thinking got me to 400 lbs. I can easily manage and correct a 20 or 40 pound gain and make some real and permanent changes. It's obtainable within this margin but (for me) it's damn near impossible to manage if I need to lose 100 lbs, 200 lbs, etc. I had to TRULY believe it was a make or break it kinda time for me. Either get control and make some changes that I could LIVE with long term or (predictably by our past) the weight gain will continue to a point that I would completely give up. That scared the every luvin' crap out of me. I obsessed about it constantly, all the while, tossing sweets and carbs into my pie-hole. I remember the exact moment that I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted - lol, October of 2005, with my home made clam chowder! It was to die for and SEVERAL high caloric servings was so easy to push back - oh, did I mention it was the best in the entire wide worlds, too? Yep, that good. It was a whole delicious pot of awesome tasting ....uh, CALORIES!!!!!!!!! By mid March, I was up a total of 22 lbs, which had originally always stayed within 5 or 10. Rather then go over everything I did, the changes I made, etc, I'm going to cut and paste a link below to a post I made to this board just a few weeks ago - I did finally get back into my "skinny jeans" and I also gave some extremely LONG details on how I went about doing it. Fair warning, as is with every thing I send out, it'll be a long read. Save it for when you have NO distractions. Also, I highly recommend you check out the links that I'll also include on calories, weight loss and exercising. Having a website that could look at my current weight and my goal weight and tell me how many calories based on "x" days and detailing WHEN I could anticipate my goal. It was a real motivator to have a true DATE to strive fo. Not some date I yanked outta the sky - but based on facts and data and height and metabolism and exercise levelsm and and and, etc. That kinda stuff I can understand and accept as substantiated data, you know? Back then, I was 197 lbs, way too close to the damn 2'sies again. I wanted t get back to 175 (which is what I weighed when I went to Hawaii 2 years ago, it wasn't my lowest (that was 168) BUT, I felt very healthy, energized, etc. For me, to make this new attempt work I needed to research my favorite HEALTH foods. I don't mean just the typical rabbit food - if we really LOOK, you'd be surprised how many things are deemed healthy and LOW in calories. For me, it turned out to be SUSHI. It's nothing for me to have that 3 or 4 times a week, for dinner. Lunches are normally roll ups, or cottage cheese/tomatoes/onions mixed together which really is one of my FAVORITE lunches. I don't feel like Im punishing myself, I really like cottage cheese dressed up that way. Same with the roll ups, bread is a treat that I reserve for my restaurant moments. Since Japanese restaurants do NOT serve bread, I bypass that a lot lately - which probably means I have it ONCE a week if we're doing girlfriend kinda lunches. I don't feel cheated or like I'm giving it up, it's just not a priority if I'm getting FULL on things I really enjoy eating (but are healthier). Find your HEALTHY foods and then work within the calories that the charts says you should stay in. For me, that includes allowing sweet TREATS, if or when I want/need it, I just remember to COUNT the calories!!! We seem to train our minds to believe that if we dare have a small piece of cake, or a coupla' oreos, or a serving of pringles, we're doomed for failure. NOT SO, just count the calories and then stop when you hit your ceiling. Although I no longer count my calories after RE-reaching goal, I still do a visual run through and I always measure any of my "wasteful" calories, for accuracy. You know, stuff like SWEETS or DRINKS (alcoholic) ..those calories are so stupid I don't dare guess at them and will always measure it out. Who knows, maybe Ive trained myself to stick to a healthier lifestyle much longer then even I thought I could, because once I reached my skinny jeans goal, Ive manage to lose 3 more. My 'new' goal is to lose 10 more while my hubby's deployed. Can I? Who knows, it's the winter hibernation months coming up. Which is typical for weight gain where my body is concerned. I still figure if I focus on a weight loss goal, even if I don't reach it, I can actively avoid GAINING over the winter is a major plus. Here are the links I mentioned earlier: The ENTIRE thread/link to my post to the grads board on my weight gain and how I was able to take it back off - and NO, it was not easy, so I won't mislead you. BUT, it was very DOABLE and isnt that all we really can hope for? A level playing field that allows us to lose the weight like any of those who've never had the surgery and still manage to maintain a healthy lifestyle. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/wls_grads/postdetail/22936.html?vc=0 Daily calories intake to reach goal: http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/calories-goal.php Calories burned per type of exercise: http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jumpsite/calculat.htm Okay - enough for one reply, hope some of this helped - good luck to you ~ Lei

I would think that you need to have another fill done; how long since your last one? These things do lose their fills slightly over time from what my dr says. I would do that and have a new commitment on getting back on track; attending a support group perhaps would be in order; wouldn't hurt to join wg****chers for a boost; i know dieting is an ugly word but wg****chers might get you back on track; join a group of ladies that exercise regularly and meet for coffee or something fun included in the workout meeting. If i feel the urge to snack, i drink something instead; if it's sweets I crave, i drink something sweet or even eat a teaspoon of peanut butter or a teaspoon of chocolate syrup; i know that sounds crazy but it works for me; I make sure i put it up and wash the spoon so not tempted to eat more of it; I also brush my teeth afterwards to discourage eating more of it,too.

Hi Ronda, I had my surgery in 2/04, had been maintaining what I lost but never reached goal. I gained 10 lbs and I don't eat very many carbs because I have food allergies & gluten problems, I avoid all gluten foods. so I don't feel that I should have been gaining, Then I found a book called "Losing your pounds of pain" By Doreen Virtue, PH. D. Since I have read her book Iam no longer gaining, l lost the 10 lbs in a week. Now I am on the losing side again and hope to reach goal. The book open my eyes to why people eat. My husband has even notice the differance in my attitude. I know I blocked out things from my past, and after reading her book I have left go of the pain that caused me to let my weight go up to 563 lbs. Like I said the book has open my eyes, I no longer feel empty trying to fill up on food. I had started to fear that I would regain the 325 lbs I lost. Not anymore, I can't believe that this book has help me so much. I had gone to counceling and it help with some things but not my weight problem. I highly suggest you find the book and let go of the pain that is causing the pounds to stay or come back on. Good luck I wish you well. DQ

I knew that I can count on the people here. I am receiving some great advice. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart . Lei, wonderful advice and D.Q I will get that book. Once again thanks. I also did good today For breakfast I had eggs and sausage, a protein bar for lunch and for dinner I had grilled chicken and veggies and plenty of water. I am also having a problem that I will discuss next time that I have been having since the surgery . I will post that in a new posting. Take care