First post here, weight gain question at 1 yr out

I posted this on my rny forum, but heck, I'm so close to a year out, just a week more, I'm hoping maybe some of you will have even more insight for me about this and that it's ok to post this here. Question: 3 weeks ago I was 163. 2 weeks ago I was 166. Today I am 169. I usually still eat less than 800 cals a day. I am extremely frustrated and upset by the gains and just don't get how this is possible.

Melissa, are you exercising?  What about sodium maybe it's water weight?  Are you drinking enough?  TOM maybe? One suggestion if you aren't doing it is journal your food......we do an accountability post on the grad board every day (posted by Carla) for ideas and suggestions and also to really know what we are doing....consider joining the post, it can be eye opening. I had a 8 lb regain earlier this year BECAUSE I became lax and wasn't focusing on my food intake.  I've done the 5 day pouch test two times, feel much better on my choices although some days are tougher than others. Good luck!

Don't think it's sodium or water issues, I really mostly eat the same kinds of foods every week and don't try much new. No tom as I've been on depo for the past year and don't get periods anymore. I have never exercised before or since surgery, I know I should be but if I've been eating the same way for so long and the weight was flying off why would I suddenly start gaining weight now when not changing anything even w/o exercise? I hoped the first week of gain was a fluke as it happens here and there, but this is the 3rd week in a row. A typical food day for me might be: 1 egg, 1 slice whole wheat toast =130 cals 9g protein 1 protein shake = 110 cals 25g protein a meal usually including some type of meat and veg, usually averages to around 100 to 200 cals, about 10g protein 1 more protein shake = 110 cals 25g protein a small snack like yogurt and a T of kashi nuggets 80 cals, 5 g protein So that is only 630 cals. Some days if I am extra hungry I'll eat something else but never more than 200 cals at a time, so the most I would eat in a day is 800 cals. I can't fathom how I'm suddenly gaining weight, I can't handle the idea of having to eat less than 600 cals a day to continue losing weight  and reach my goal but it seems like the only way as I can't handle starting a new exercise program right now.

Melissa, Welcome to WLS Grads!! You did it! Take a look at the carbs in the Kashi, low in calories but I am sure you will see a high carb. I was picking on a 1/2 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch for 2 months just about every night...put on several lbs. I revisited the nutrition panel on box since I have a habit of pouring it into a lock and lock container to keep it fresh. When I saw there was 35 carbs in just a 1/2 cup I gave it to my husband.  I thought I was eating healthy...yes healthy if you are not trying to maintain or loose. I think your diet looks good but you may want to up your protein. I went from 129 to 134 in days....I am back to 129 but still want to get back to 125, I stay around 800 as well...sometimes less, I just don't get hungry. ~Ginny

I didn't hit my lowest post-op weight until 1 year 9 months out.  I think you need to be patient and give it more time (in addition to the suggestions from cajungirl).  I had lots of long stalls from 1 year out until I got to my ultimate low 9 months later, even doing all the right things.  I know its disheartening, but if you do all the things cajungirl recommends and it still doesn't budge, you may have to just be patient and let it happen when you body is ready to let go of more weight.  Please don't get discouraged so early on. Betsy

I'm no expert, but I would guess that you are not eating enough.  At almost a year out, you should be eating more to keep your metabolism up. You should calculate your basal metabolic rate on a website and see what you should be getting closer to.  I would guess it's like a little hibernation syndrome here. Dawn

I think the starvation-mode theory has some traction here.  This may be one of those situations where eating more (of the right foods) would be a good idea, counter-intuitive though that may sound. Also, if you don't exercise, you are condemned a life of eating less because you're not burning those calories, your metabolism will be slower (we burn more calories for hours after we've exercised, not just on the activity itself), and you won't build muscle (which burns calories at a higher rate than fat).  You could look upon this as another phase in the WLS journey.  If you weren't always intending to live on 800 calories (boy, that would be frustrating, I sure couldn't do that forever), then consider what your next step was going to be regardless of the scale.  Don't wait/live for a goal weight number; actively pursue the lifestyle that supports it, whatever that may be for you.  Otherwise -- won't this start to feel like a failed pre-op diet, where you cut back and cut back and finally get sick of it b/c the results aren't satisfying?  If that was you then -- don't let it be you *now* Good luck!! Suzy C. Exercises for lots of reasons, one of which is so she can eat more ;-D

Hi Melissa, nice to see you again. I'm like some of the others, I think you may not be getting in enough calories. I find that I will start regaining if I don't eat enough. I'm one of those that can't hold much at a time, but I eat NINE (yes, 9) times a day. I do a work-out every morning that takes about an hour and burns about 400 calories, and I'm supposed to eat at least 1200 calories to maintain my current weight, so I need about 1600 calories every day. I'm not sure what your activity level is, but I would imagine you should be taking in at least 1200 calories a day, if not more. I sure would give it a try! Try not to let those few pounds get you down too much - you may just be fluctuating. When I start creeping up, I'll log my food on sparkpeople and try to do better for a few days, and it will come back off in a couple of weeks. I just hope to continue doing it that way instead of waiting until I've gained 50 pounds and then think "Oh sh**, when did that happen?" Of course, you know to try to eat a lot of protein and fiber, and lay off the white carbs. They say "a calorie is a calorie" but my body seems to know the difference somehow. Good luck with everything, and please keep letting us know how you are doing.

I have to chime in and agree that I think your caloric intake is too low for 1yr post op. I would try upping it to 1200 cal and see if the scale starts moving downward again. Good LUck!

I read every reply and want to thank everyone who did. I think I'm at the point where I need to accept that I do need to start getting in exercise or 'activity' which is a much less daunting word for me and I guess eating more even though it terrifies me to do so because what I'm doing now isn't working anymore. It took me a long time to get to this many cals as I had a lot of issues with food for the first several months post op, but it seems like whenever I increase my cals I stop losing or gain but you are right I can't live on 800 cals a day forever and need to find a way to increase food and activity and a way that I can live with forever. Been reading this group for some time, esp the daily what did you eat today posts, very helpful.