I'm gaining it back....please help me!

I am 5 years out this coming December.  I had lost 120 pounds and have gained 65 of it back.  I have got to gt back on track, but it seems my pouch allows me to eat and eat.  I need to see if anyone else has had this problem and can help me or give me ideas.  Honestly....the answer is to stop eating......but I have had foot surgery and am unable to exercise so that's part of the problem.  No matter how large or small you are......if you have a comment, please give me some of your views and help me.  I just cannot gain all this weight back!  I feel like this is my last chance to get back on track.

HI,

I have seen this happen all around me. I have a lot of coworkers that have had WLS over the years. Some have done really well, some have not.  Its hard to see it but I think gaining control of it before it gets out of control is the best way to deal with it.

I am currently experiencing bounceback weight gain. I will be 2 years post op on december 8, 2008.

My weight has been stable at 138 for the past year.   Well, in Sept 08, we had Hurricane Ike hit our area pretty bad and we had some stressful times, then in Oct 08, I had a birthday and partied like it was 1999!!

Back to reality in Nov08. I gained up to 150 which frightened me. I cannot go back to my prev weight and 150 is far too heavy for me--I am 5'2. I was very happy at 138, even wanted to get to 130 but not in the cards. Everyone says that my current weight is good and that I dont want to look "sick" but I cannot see myself staying at 150. I have to have a cushion and prefer 135-138.

I went to WW meetings and working out and that has helped me to lose down to 145, still working to get to 130 or at least 135. My goal is 135 by the end of the year.

It is more difficult now to maintain weight loss but I am putting my all into it, I have a closet full of size 4 clothes and cant afford to buy more, nor do I want to buy more!!

Good luck to you. You can get back on track, your pouch is still intact, you just have to create behaviors that support your healthier lifestyle.  It does involve saying NO a lot, especially this time of the year.

Angela

Thanks Angela.....you have given me lots to think about.  I have a closet full of size 6 clothes and it kills me to see what all I have started wearing again!  Good luck to you.  Sounds like you are mentally in gear to accomplish your goals.  Happy Holidays and thanks for the post.
Vicki

I've been where you are and it can be reversed.  Your pouch still works.  You've just got to get that head thing under control.  Once you go back to eating protein first, you can retrain your pouch to help you stay on track.  If you can, use fitday.com and make a plan for the day, journal how you feeling and journal what you want.  On a daily basis got to fitday and journal how you did and make plans to keep improving, one meal at a time.  You can do this.  I congratulate you on not gaining ALL of your wiehg back.  So, now make a goal to either maintain or lose more.  You can do this.  Start by planning and journaling and taking it one meal at a time, one hour at a time.  It's our head that gets in our way.  The journaling will help your determination back.  Remember how determined we were to get approve and how vigilent we were in the beginning.  You can do it again.  Start right now, don't wait.  You know how we are with that "last meal."  Go to fitday right now and plan what you know you need to do.  Protein first, no white cards, no fried food, no fast foods.  You can do this, especially for your health, never mind the vanity of how we may want to look.  Please do this for your health.  Lurk and post on WLS grads too.  The support of folks who know what you're going through will help as well.  You can do this.  Just don't throw in the towel. 

Hugs!
Denise

326 - highest weight
216 - lowest weight (nope, I'm no WLS poster child, but I'm still working on it, 4 years later!)
245 - current weight (down 7 lbs in last two weeks)
170 - goal... I WILL GET THERE!!!

Denise,
I printed out your email......gonna use it and remember and read all you said.  I don't feel as alone right now as I did last night.  You have helped me.  You are so right.....IT IS OUR HEADS THAT GET IN OUR WAY!!!  Wow!  That's so true.  I will do it again......and I am going to continue to come back to yall and post and pray!  I'll let you know how it goes!

Vicki

I cant plan meals is my problem can you give me some suggestions i was at 315 at surgery and now im back to 250 im feeling helpless...

If you can find them in you area, stock on South Beach frozen meals, they are high protein , low carb and no sugar.  If you don't have time to plan meals, these are a great help, along with your favorite protein drink.  You've kept 65 lbs. off, so you're not starting at ground zero.  Make a pact with yourself to either maintain or lose.  The batlte is in ou heads.  Once you've mentally decided what you want to do you can take action.

Stay in touch with this board to help motivate and cheer you on, on good days and bad.  Just don't throw in the towel!

I am over 4 yrs. post-op and have re-gained 40 lbs. from my lowest.  I am so disappointed in myself for letting myself fall back into old habits.  I was the "perfect" wls patient and did so well for the first 2 yrs.  Then I just gradually over the next year started messing around and re-gaining a little . . . & then a little more.  In the past year, I've pretty much done everything wrong and have fooled around losing & re-gaining a small amount until now I find myself up 40 lbs.

The good news is that when I do what I'm supposed to, my pouch still gives me an advantage, and I can lose.  When I get serious & eat right, exercise, drink plenty of water or Crystal Light (instead of constant Diet Coke), and--this really helps--track my food on www.thedailyplate.com, I lose weight.  (I much prefer this website to fitday.com for tracking food.)

The bad news is that I haven't been able to sustain this behavior for very long.  I never dreamed I'd ever be in this situation again.  Seriously never dreamed.  Mentally, I feel like I did before wls--totally disgusted, depressed & panicky.  Physically, I can eat  anything without dumping.  I can't eat in the same quantities at one time as I did before, but that doesn't stop me from grazing all day/evening.  I think I feel more self-conscious now than I did when I weighed 295 lbs.

Right now, I'm just trying not to continue to gain through the holidays.  I  have a few good days here & there, but I realistically don't expect to really get back on track in the next month--just being honest.  The one good thing is that I've been making it a point to get out & walk again, even if just for 30 min.  (I used to go to the gym for an hr. almost every day of the week.)  I think that helps me mentally--to feel like I have a little bit of control. 

I faithfully come to OH every day--esp. this Grads board--and I have such admiration for those who have been more successful than I've been!  I am absolutely, positively not giving up--but I'm really not in a good place right now.  I know this isn't the encouraging type of answer you were looking for!  But I just wanted to let you know you're not alone!!

Jo,
Thanks for your email.  You gave me lots of good advice and now I feel I have to help you too!  Let's keep an eye on each other and post regularly.  I know we can do it....we just have to get our heads on straight!  I'm going to take the advice of one of the posters and read my books again that I read before I had my WLS.  I really regret the loss of excercise, but hopefully, before too long, I can begin walking on a regular basis again.  That really helped me.  It helps me to know I am not alone!  Thanks again Jo!  Your email made me feel hopeful!

Vicki

Congrats on not gaining all your weight back.  You and I are in the same boat, having gained 40 lbs. from our lowest point.  My nutritionist warned me about this, but I thought not me.  Well... yes, it's me.  But, as long as we don't throw in the towel and recognize that this is going to be a lifelong journey where we'll have ups and downs.  As long as the trend is going downard (scalewise) or standing still, we'll be all right.  Please don't give yourself card blanche through the holidays.  Track your food on the dailyplate, make a plan including the off limits stuff you plan to eat.  Track the calories.  This will help you maintain until you are ready to focus on losing more weight, which you will do.  We have an advantage.  Remember how we used to lose wieght on diets and t hen gain  back more.  Well, our tool has helped us not do that.  Now, let's make the best of this tool and work it!  We can do it.  With the support of ths board, we can and will do it.  Keep walking...

Hang in there!
Denise