My fear has become reality - gained weight

It's been a long time since I have been on this website.  I was going to post on SparkPeople and decided that I have an original website to come back to.  I am just starting to keep track of the foods i eat on SparkPeople.com. I am addicted to M&M's and sweets.  I can eat larger portions than I use to. I have gained 25 lbs since my lowest weight of 175.  It is devastating to get on the scale and see 200 lbs again.  My clothes are getting tight and yet I can't seem to stop the eating habits that i picked up on, like grazing all day and night.  I eat because I'm bored and watch TV when my husband goes to bed at 8 p.m.  and then the grazing starts heavy unitl i go to bed at 10.   I also found out that I am beginning menopause and I wonder if that is contributing to my weight gain. I'm only 44 and for the past 2 1/2 years life has been great. I have been living again and now I am spiraling out of control. I still dump when I eat too fast or eat the wrong type of foods, but not on M&M's or small chocolate treats. I don't eat ice cream, chinese, fast food burgers, pop, caffine.  I eat on small desert plates & bowls, I try to drink 3 pints of water daily, I exercise daily by walking or doing water areobics.  I have some good habits but the bad habits are winning this race.  It is soooo hard giving up the addiction.  I am consumed by the thought of food and my weight every day. I want to do the right thing but when i get home and the M&M's are there, I grab them and eat. I am planning on going back to a support group called "Back on Track" for those who have had weight loss surgery, but that is on the last Thursday of each month and now I have to wait until May 31st. The weight really has started to come on fast these past couple of months.  I am thinking that menopause is causing the speed of weight gain but I also know that I have terrible eating habits. Any response would be helpful.  Thanks for hearing me spout. Cathy

Hi, Cathy!  I can totally sympathize w/you!  I am about 2-1/2 years out and have recently gained 10 pounds.  I have NOT changed what I'm eating and have increased my exercise to no avail.  I, also, am going through menopause hot and heavy and I am convinced that this is it!!  It's the only thing that's changed!  I'm sorry to be no help - but at least I can sympathize! 

Thank you for responding.  Menopause - I'm so young, only 44.  On one hand it is going to be okay to have it, no more monthly but not the weight gain associated with it.  I am trying to get back to basics.  It is so hard breaking the snacking habit I have created.

Hey Cathy ... you took the first step.  You realized you needed to do something, then you actually put it in writing.  I too freaked out when I had a 20 pound gain in 10 months (my 15th-25th months post-op), and quite a few people on this board have struggled as well, and although its not easy, it can be done. 

You mentioned sparkpeople.  Do you plan/track/journal your food?  What do you tend to graze on?  When I gained my 20, the carb monster had a hold on me.  It started with pretzels.  26 pretzel sticks.  One serving.  Fine.  But then the bag just kept calling my name, and I couldn't stop until they were gone (it wasn't just overnight, it seemed to have creeped up on me).  Then I moved on to baked pita chips, then microwave popcorn.  Started with one cup of popcorn, then two ... and as soon as my hand went from the bag to my mouth, forget it.  I was up to almost 2 bags of microwave popcorn a day, which also meant my protein intake was next to nil (and I always seemed hungry).  I will no longer bring a big bag of pretzels into my house, if I DO bring in pretzels, it will be an individual serving bag.  Funny thing, now I'll buy a big bag of carrots, and when on sale, I'll pick up a pack of 4 bags of individual-serving carrots, and I rarely open the big bag, but I will tend to grab the individual serving.  Can you clear the sweets out of the house?  Can you make sure you're stocked with string cheese, yogurt/cottage cheese (individual servings), things like that ... so if you do tend to grab something, it won't be as bad? I know you've heard this, and no, its not always easy, but perhaps try going back to the basics ... what we learned initially, and try it for one day.  Then another day, and hopefully you can break the hold the m&ms and other sweets have on you. You know, I often say surgery was the easy part ... and now 4 years later its very difficult, in many ways. I wish you well, there is a lot of great encouragement, empathy and even some tough love here, so stick around.   Best to ya, Karyn

I am trying to use sparkpeople to track my intake of food.  I just need to be honest with myself and stop blowing my addiction off.  I love the carbs as well as sweets and you're right i need to just start from the beginning.  This is a tool I need to relearn how to use.  It seems as if i'm never full in between meals.  Another thing is to be kept busy. I am trying to have more fruit and veggies in the house. I notice if I prepare the veggies ahead of time then it is easier to grab and go.  I noticed that i also eat the sweets and then want something salty.   

1st.  Go have your hormone levels checked, then know this is only a small part of the problem.  While water aerobics are great there is a bigger picture.  You might want to add weights to your exercise program as building muscle helps to continually burn calories.  How much cardio are you getting in besides the water aerobics?  You know what your eating problems are.  Perhaps it is time to talk to someone about them.  The surgery was a tool to jump start your weight loss.  Maintaining the weight loss is a lifestyle.  Good luck.

HI Cathy Please take the time and read my post Stop the weight gain There are some very useful tips YOu now know you have to do something about it and you will Stop with the m&m's and get those empty calories out of your life until you loose those 20 pounds You can not wait until the end of the month you need to start now I am sure you will get back on the right tract Lauretta

I had my hormone level checked on April 13 and it came back low and the doctor says that i am entering menopause.   The place that I workout at has hydrolic weights and I use to use them last year when I was going at 6 a.m. but now I go for water aerobics at 4:30 after I get off work.  I am not a morning person. I can only handle getting up at 5:45 a.m. for so long and then I stay home and sleep until 6:30 a.m.  Now that the weather is nice I have been going for a 2-3 mile walk - 4 days a week and 3 days of water a week.   I really enjoy healthy foods, love fruits, veggies, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese but i also enjoy the carbs and sweets.

Hi, Cathy.  No, you're not alone at all.  Most of us have problems with food and the habits surrounding our food intake.  I'm also addicted to sweets (especially chocolate).  I have also re-gained about 25 pounds since my lowest post-WLS weight.  Depending on how much weight you lost, give yourself a break for about 10% of what you regained.  It's to be expected - the majority of our docs tell us to expect a bounce-back gain following WLS.  For me it was about 10 pounds - I'll take credit for gaining the other 15.

I haven't changed my eating habits all that much lately, but I did increase my exercise and I feel that is really helping me to maintain at my current weight.  I do different things, but make sure that I work out at least 3-4 times a week, and more if I can fit it in.  I do cardio and some weight training, mixing it up with Curves, and a fitness center at my job.

Could you try changing your routine a little?  For instance when your hubby goes to bed at night, instead of watching TV (which really contributes to bad snacking I believe) could you do some exercise then?  And you really need to get rid of the M&M's.  If you feel you can't live without them completely you will need to find a way to eat them away from home.  It's hard, but we do have to find ways to make the good habits outweigh the bad ones.  We're not always successful, but we can't give up!!!

You're right I need to stop bringing the bad foods in the house.  I have been contemplating going for my evening walks when Dave goes to bed, but am worried about being out in the evening alone with two small dogs.  Maybe I will need to find another form of exercise in the house that i can do.  Last night I got home after water exercise and ate and then started doing some cleaning, laundry and my husband came looking for me asking why I wasn't sitting with him watching tv and I told him that I need to be kept busy because I am running scared for my life/weight.  He understands but is unable to join me in exercise due to him getting up at 3:30 a.m. to go to work.  He is working two jobs this year to pay for an Hawaii trip next February for our 20th anniversary. What a good man.   Thanks for writing.