gaining weight

 hi i am postop 5 yrs. i weighed 268 the day of surgery. i have done well. but i went clear down to 106 lbs. scared me so i started working to put on a little weight. well i now weigh 162 and cannot seem to stop putting on weight. please give me some advise. how to i stop gaining weight? i do not exersice and i  can eat chocolate.   ty   kathy

Kathy, My friend is going through the same thing.  I can tell you she doesn't eat the way she is suppose to.  She feels a nibble here and a nibble there will not hurt her.  She also drinks with meals, which is a big NO NO!  Go back to what you were told to do in the beginning.  I know you can't just have protein shakes but add in veggies, fruit and watch those carbs.  Let the sugar go and drink, drink, drink your water.  I sure hope this helps...my heart goes out to you because this is my biggest fear ,that I did all this, just to be back to where I was before surgery. Call your  Dr. and talk to someone in the office about your problem and go to support group if you can - I know you may be embarrassed but I would rather get help than go it alone.  Take care and I hope this has helped. I am 2 yrs. out and I do get on those scales alot too.  deb k

sKathy, You have done the hardest thing, you admitted your problem.  Now you must fix it, only you can.  There are so many things you can do to help yourself.  I speak from experienc, I gained 60#s before I ever got to my goal and I basically started over.  Use this surgery as a tool not a cure.  Find out why you are eating .  Support groups are a must.  Good luck and I am so glad that you reconize you need to do something.  I will keep you in my prayers. Darlene

Hi Darlene, I too have gained back 50+ pounds and am encouraged to see that you were able to start over.  Did you just go back to basics?  How long did it take and once you started losing, did it seem to go well.  Looking for any encouragement to get me back on track. Feeling like a failure Sissy

Sissy,  I just started in January.  I only lost 1# in Feb, but at least I am no longer gaining.  I went back to basics, 600-800 calories, 60-80g protein, and 64oz water.  I also started exercising.  One problem that I had was grazing/snacking.  At the end of Feb when I went to the doc. ( I go back on Friday 3/23 so I hope I am still losing. ), the doc gave me an appetite supressant to help with the grazing/snacking.   Just go back to basics, and the thing that has helped me the most is the yahoo support group from my surgery center and OH. It always helps to talk to folks who are going through the same thing.  Good luck to you and I hope you succeed at getting back on track.  Stop feeling like a failure, start working toward success.  You can not keep concentrating on the past, just start changing your future. Darlene

Hi there, Kathy! Wow!  I understand your "place"... I've experienced the same dilemma:  lose too much and work hard - very hard - to regain weight!   I became so good at it!!!  I'm 5' 7.5' --- dropped to size 2/4      (I looked emaciated!)  (from a 24/26) and regained up to size 16!!!!  (I refer to sizes  - works better "mentally" for me). In order to gain I had begun  1) Drinking WITH meals and 2) eating simple CARBS often. I actually went from 128 - 172!!!!!    I started feeling sluggish and had a wake-up call when I caught myself reaching for some of my "CHUBBY pants"  (kept some as a reminder in a separate closet), because my size 12/14's were too snug - and the truth be told - I was feeling SLUGGISH again. My body really likes being in the size 10 or 12 range.   Sooooooooooo... I faced it.  I made the decision to take control of my eating / fueling habits for the simple fact:  I had not gotten my GUTS CUT OPENED AND REARRANGED to eat myself back up to DEATH. It took a couple of months to get back down to 158 - 162 but I've been there for almost 3 years now!   WITH THE EXCEPTION of last month!  On some new medication that made me CRAVE salty stuff - ATE ATE gained 8 pounds - of which 5 came off in the past week.  (Heck , old days a healthy BM could give me a 2 pound loss! hahaha!)  I know TMI! :) Please don't think I'm all "smug" about this - I fully realize this is a lifelong CHOICE to adopt & keep (MAINTAIN) healthy habits! EXERCISE?   Unfortunately I don't seem to be motivated to exercise for "me".   It's as if taking control of my "eating" uses up all my control! ha!  BUT, I've become passionate about those in my life whose lives are being compromised by BREAST CANCER , and as a result have registered for and AM IN TRAINING FOR a 3 Day (60 mile) WALK in August! I HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT MOTIVATION and then I "move"!!! Now walking is EASY - I'm doing this to train for the walk - to raise $$$'s for SOMEBODY ELSE!!!  Make sense? SO, if you're finding yourself having a difficult time "exercising" for "you" - you might consider making the effort for another loved one... hey --- may work, may not.  The point is - if and when we learn WHAT motivates us toward change  - THAT in itself helps us actually MAKE change! I'm confident in you that you will make the changes necessary to give yourself  a HEALTHY body...   in 5 years you could have gained it ALL back if you worked hard enough at it.  But you've kept off 100 pounds!!!!  Kathy - you CAN DO THIS!!!! Thanks for being honest and posting your struggle! Judy

Kathy, You really need to exercise and stop eating chocolate for starters. Go back to the basics the the previous posters said

Kathy, I'm almost 2 years out & already worrying about gaining!  I've put on 5 lbs, & am struggling to get that back off. 5 turns into 10, & that turns into 20! I'm a sweet addict... i LOVE cake, cookies, chocolate.... you name it anything bad, i LOVE it! There was a product reviewed on my local nyc news called sugarest, which is a lozenger that you just let dissolve in your mouth, & you are suppose to not desire sweets, & if you give into temptation, you won't like the taste!  Well, i ordered it, & i'm amazed that it DOES actually work with sugar / sweet cravings! I tasted some ice cream after using it.... it had no taste! I'm hoping i can use this to control  my desire for sweets. It'll just be a matter of keeping some of those lozengers with me during the day, & first thing when i get home from work! good luck!

thanks very much everyone for ur caring and replies. i am now back to basics and have joined CURVES.   it is a great exercise program. i have already lost 2 lbs because of my going back to basics in my eating. thanks all........kathy