Help! Weight Gain

Hello all, June 4, 2007 marked my two year anniversary.  I had a total weight loss of 165lbs.  Although I exercise daily, i have gained 15 lbs from my total loss.  I crave bread constantly.  Is this normal?  Any advice would help. Thanks,  Victor

Hello!  Carb (bread, sugar) cravings are pretty common, and unfortunately, the more you eat, the more you'll want.  I'm very much like that with sugar/chocolate.  About the only thing to do is go cold turkey on them, and increase your protein consumption.  Also, keep in mind that many of us do have some "bounce-back" regain.  Most surgeons tell their patients to expect it, and that it's usually around 10% of the weight you lost.  That's the average for most folks.  Stopping it there can be tricky, though.  I suspect a lot of your problem is probably with the bread, as mine has been with the sweets.  Good luck, and congrats on how well you have done. Carlita

Victor go back to the basics, do a protein train, cut out the carbs, Remember "Nothing taste as good as Skinny Feels" DivaMichelle

Hi Victor, I really feel your pain! To, me sugar and bread and basically almost any simple carbohydrate sends my body into a hunt mode. If I eat one of those things I will go on a relentless hunt for more and the cravings are just insane. I am trying to find more moderation in these things but bread and sugars are something I am trying to abstain from for now because the more I eat the more I want. When I eat them my brain releases seratonin (happy chemical) and it is that chemical release that I am addicted to. Now, hear me when I say my friend, I am no expert on this but this is how I work and it has lead to a bounce back of about 20 pounds. I am finally getting a grip on it with the help of the people on this board and my own research. Good luck! Molly

We talk about this in support group and it seems a bounce back of up to 10% of your total loss is pretty normal.  That's why they suggest that you lose as much as you can in the first 18 months.   I'm at 16 months now and am under goal.  I'm prepared for the bounce back and hope it puts me back where I really want to be.

Victor, I hate to bear the bad news, but for most of us carbs are the equivalent of cocaine to an addict.  We think we can handle just a little, that it won't bother us, that we can stop when we need to.  I know personally I start out justifying a slice of whole grain honey wheatberry bread with tuna as being "good for my body".  Then, the satisfaction wears off and I crave more bread.  I move on to a little pasta or a slice of not so healthy bread.  Before I know it, I am scouring the cabinets for hostess cupcakes or driving to the donut shop for a "fix".  I had a huge regain, but it literally started with just a few lbs and I let the carbs come back in.  I could blame it on stress or the medications I was taking because both of those caused carb cravings, but the bottom line is that carbs only trigger cravings for more carbs.  Some people do fine with a little whole grains, but there is a fine line between what's good for you and what's too much.  Once you cross it, you have the cravings and the possibility of regaining again.  I agree with the other posts, quit the carbs cold turkey and you will probably notice that you are full on less food, the feeling lasts longer, your cravings subside, and you will drop some weight.  Good luck on this.  I know it's not easy because so many of us battle it too.  You aren't alone, that's for sure!   Angela

Victor, I noticed on this thread that many people seem to expect a 10% regain as normal.  My surgeon doesn't accept that - no regain is acceptable unless you are under your desired weight.  He is now having al lhis patients who have reached their stopping point in losing (read that as goal whether it is the number they wanted to reach or not) weigh daily and if they gain more than 2 pounds, they immediately go on all protein til the 2 pounds are gone.  That way, the regain doesn't sneak up on them. I just wish that he had done this when I first stabalized.  I wouldn't be struggling to lose over 20 pounds now if I had known to do that. My advice is to stop the bread.  The more carbs you eat (especially starchy ones like bread, potatos, crackers, etc. ) the more you will want of them and other fattening, non-nutritious foods.  I got to the point that I didn't want meals - just junk.  I think when I realized that I was eating more Triscuits and cheese and other snacks than meat and salads was when I knew I had reached rock bottom, so to speak.  Before anyone jumps in and says that Triscuits are a good source of fiber - I know that but they are also a good source of calories and not much in the way of protein - and cheese really isn't a good protein source - too fat, too high in calories and way to easy to eat too much of. Patty

OMG I can SO relate to that business about eating so many snacks an carbs that I was only interested in having snacks/goodies instead of a meal, I had NO interest in real meals at the point I found this site and started  to "time out" myself.  Now I am looking forward to tuna with celery sticks or chicken with broccoli rather than obsessing constantly about cookies and such now that I have detoxed from the carbs. I pretty much agree about the wt gain, it is not inevitable just because it happens so often does not mean it HAS to happen.

I am now eating just salad at night and I do enjoy it.  Last night I had mixed greens, seedless cucumber, cherry tomatos and radishes  with a little fat free Caesar Salad.   It tasted as good as anything I've eaten in years.  Other than the salad, I had my two protein drinks yesterday.  Funny how our perspective changes when we detox from all the junk. Patty

Wow! Patty, you DO sound just like a newly postop patient. I remember my first real food after surgery. It was sooo yummy. AND I craved healthy stuff. Interesting!