for those who have gained back weight....

For those of you who have gained weight back post WLS can you give me an idea- in hindsight- as to what you feel brought the weight back on?  What were the bad habits that you fell back into?  Was it portions or the grazing factor and choices of foods?  If you look back and see- what are some of the things you wish you had never started again?  Also- when did your "honeymoon period" end?  I think I am nearing it and I have gotta get back on track before I am in real trouble!

Hi Karen, I reached goal in one year, maintained my weight for another 18 mos. or so, then discovered I could tolerate sugar...the beginning of my demise!!!  For me, weight gain began as occasional treats, but eventually poorer choices, grazing, and I've just gotten to the point of virtually no self-discipline...I eat whenever, whatever, drink with meals sometimes, etc.  I've just simply spiraled completely out of control!!  I cut out sugar completely through lent, lost a few points and got better control of myself.  The batte continues! Good Luck! Kathy

To "almost" quote Adam Sandler--Sugar is the devil ok I love waterboy...:-)  and I think it was more like debil but anyway....when I found out I could tolerate sugar, thats when my fight began. I never actually made my Docs goal but at 3 years + postop I am only fighting almost constant 5 pound flux...guess im lucky its not more  but I do work hard. Diana RNY 9/17/03 DR. Roe 360/200/still aiming for 180

Hey Karen -  I have yet (nearly 4 years post-op) to reach my personal/doctor goal weight; however, my honeymoon period was over around the 13-month mark - and that is about the time I discovered I could handle most sugars (within reason and moderation), as well as most carbs.  Basically, when my appetite came back, so did the ugly habits!  I wish I had never tested the waters on sugar or on the starchy carbs - it opened too many doors for the old, creepy habits to find me!   Kudos   to you for planning ahead and getting yourself prepared for what might possibly (or might NOT) happen. Good luck!!  Hugs! Kristi 

I'm 15 months out, and never went beyond 103-105 loss except for a couple more pounds for about 10 minutes. I can't seem to lose anymore, and I fight 2-3pounds  up and down weekly. I can eat too much, never did dump except ONCE early on. Grazing is a big issue, and I think this is caused by what's called head hunger. I don't ever really feel hunger, unless i go without eating for 7-8 hours. I would guess wanting to eat out of boredom or because it's there is our biggest obstacle.This is an old habit, and it seems that we can maintain good habits only for a while. Keeping junk out of my house and drinking lots and lots of water seems to help me more than anything.

I can pretty much pinpoint what caused me to gain 10 pounds over about 3 months.  I go to Starbucks every morning and have been doing this forever.  But I would once in a great while get a slice of their bread or a muffin but I noticed I started doing this like almost every day and then I'd starting snacking throughout the day and the killer...I started eating out all the time.  About 3 weeks ago, I went back to keeping track of everything I was eating on fitday and since then I've lost 9 of the 10lbs I gained.   Kerri

That is awesome!  I have to get back on the wagon.  I got a gain and I fear it won't go away.  The snacking, the high calorie stuff and that darn sugar!  I wish I dumped!  But you know I need self control.  I have to realize that I am in control and I can do this.  I have help with the tool but that is it help....the rest is me.  And I can do it.  I have to start with fitday.  I never used it before.  Is it easy? Debbie

It's really easy.  It will caculate calories, fat, carbs, protein intake.  It also calculates about how much you burn in a day based on age, height, activity level.  I actually plan my meals about a week a head of time and pin it to my fridge.  That seems to work better for me because then the whole day's food is already planned.   Kerri :)

For me it was several things, using food to cope with a mentally ill child, mentally disabled sister and elderly frail father.  So much responsibility, and so little patience once I get tired...but eating seemed to help me get through it.  Until I gained 30 pounds! Now I am trying to find other ways to cope with stress, frustration and fatigue.  And back to basics, goodbye carbs, goodbye chocolate, and goodbye diet wild cherry pepsi!

Hi, Karen.  I think for me it was that I never really changed my habits in the first place, to establish new and better ones.  I basically was working on the restriction and malabsorption that we all have.  When I could start eating more normally, I did.  So that means I just began eating pretty much the same way I always have, except in smaller portions.  I have never dumped, except a little on ice cream, which I now avoid 99% of the time. I think you are wise to examine these issues and get control while you still have the opportunity.  My lack of attention to these details caused me to regain from my low weight of 162 back to about 188 right now.  I have managed, through exercise and a little more attention to what's going in my mouth, to keep from gaining any more.  I have been stable at this weight for several months now.

I am more than willing to take the blame for my mistakes, but I will add that everything I ever read about gastric bypass surgery indicated that patients should expect a bounce-back gain of about 10% of weight lost once they reach their lowest weight.  I don't know if this is because the "experts" know we return to bad habits, or if this is just a common occurrence that cannot be prevented by any means.  So I will excuse myself from the blame for 10% of the weight I regained (10 pounds)!!  I'm completely responsible for the other 16 pounds.

Aside from making poor food choices too often, I think I do tend to graze much more now.  I can't eat a lot at one time, but I can eat a lot at a lot of times, and that's not a good thing.  Some people are lucky, I think, in that they lose interest in food after WLS, and can't eat certain things, or they dump on sugar (wish I did).  I always had a "cast-iron" stomach, though, and now I guess I have a cast-iron pouch, unfortunately.   Long story short, you're thinking is definitely in the right place.  Exercise, continue to follow the rules, minimize sugar and carbs, drink plenty of water (not with meals though), and try to follow a healthy eating pattern.  Gee, this sounds so easy when I see it in writing here!  LOL   Best wishes, Carlita