starting over

I had gastric bypass in 04 since then I have had two babies.  I had my last 5 months ago.  I can't seem to get the weight off.  I am going back to basics.  Wish me luck!  Penni

I do wish you luck, and I'm sure you can do it.  For me, that's the great thing about the RNY.  It changes your digestive processes enough that your body can work with you instead of against you.  I always felt like even trying to lose weight was a lost cause since I knew I wouldn't be able to stay on it long enough to lose what I needed and then I would just regain anyway.

I had my RNY in 05 and regained 20 lbs.  But I've found that when I eat the way I know I should (i.e. no grazing or baked goods--my downfall) and consistently get in even just 20 min. of exercise a day, the weight comes off. 

But I've not had babies, and I know that makes a difference.  So even if it is slow, I encourage you to keep at it. 

Dont worry Penni you can do it.
I think taking those first steps in realizing - verbalizing - identifying the problem & then acting on it is great! You are on the right track in going back to utilizing the tools - this board is a great source of support, energy & knowledge - tracking - exercise - making the right food choices - getting reacquainted w/ your pouch.
I had my GBS done in 04 too & little by little have managed to let the weight slip back on. I was 292 at my heaviest & 164 at my thinnest. Now im back at 224. So I know I gotta get my tail back in gear.
What im trying to say is dont be too hard on yourself as it happens to a lot of us. Making that "life change" is hard - but it can be done.
We can do it together :)

I have two plans,. The one that often gets ppl back on the straight and narrow and then the one for the seriously derailed, which was me at 13 yrs.

What is your regimen with protein supps, water, vites? then food

What are the 2 plans please? thanks

I'll post them here but separately. The regulr starting over plan worked for me for years, but the AGAIN plan is what I had to do when I was desperate.

Maybe I can help you start over. YOU have to do it. One thing is to start
recognizing the physical portion of the disease. I could've told you that
you don't care about bfast, don't start eating til mid day and have trouble
slamming on the brakes at night. That is how our disease works.

We start out ok. Then as life starts smacking us down, the serotonin level
goes down. We eat food (carb) to raise serotonin level ( and label it
emotional eating, because it makes us feel better. DUH, it is a chemical
feeling). OUR serotonin level doesn't just go up to a nice comfy level, it
shoots thru the roof, then a lil later, KA THUD, back in the basement.
Repeat cycle. Hence, the more carb we get, the more we want (need) to try to
level out the serotonin, which cannot be leveled for us because it's broken.
Of course, this is taking the blood sugar on a wild ride as well. You can
see the cycle.

SOOOOOOO, you do protein drink (30g each, no added milk, fruit, juice) , small non-carb meal (well, complex carb on
the side is ok, once you get out of the binge cycle) 2-3 hrs later, protein
drink, "sensible meal". Protein drink (esp mid-day, about 2-3pm in a normal
person day) and protein snack. Yet another protein drink
before dinner to lower volume or prevent grazing while prep. About 2 hrs
after dinner, when the S level starts to plummet, stick in a protein shake,
followed by a protein snack. Maybe like meat & cheese with grain cracker or
bread. You'd have to experiment & see if it triggers you. If the craving is really bad, you can do another protein.

All meals are over in 15 min. You take your food on a plate to the eating
place. You can eat anything but milk or sugar & white carbs (right now),
preferably normal fat, not fat free. You can have a big fluffy salad, if
you want. With breaded chicken, with normal dressing--I don't care. What I
don't want is white bread or saltines with it. See?

And of course, start sucking water 30 min after eating and get as much as
possible.

Does it sound do-able?

Vites go (roughly) like so:
iron + C with the first non-dairy, non-caffeine protein or meal (no eggs or whole grains)

1 multi
2 calc (if mine)
1 A-25
1 D-5
1 E

with next protein drink or snack

1 multi
2 calc
1 A-25
1 D-5
1 zinc
1 E

with next protein drink or food
another pair of calcium (or use UpCal D in all shakes EXCEPT the one taken near iron)

B12 any time

If you take HSN or B-complex, it can go with either multi-grouping.

And another 2-3 calcium before bed

And the usual set of "rules",
64+ oz of water, as in water
no drinking with meals
distinct "meals", not grazing
limit sugars to 6 g per MEAL
try to avoid "white" things, like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta

Good snacks:
cheese
beef sticks
jerkies
tuna
chicken (don't care about skin)
smoked salmon
other meats or fish
some protein bars

Issue yourself a portion in a Ziploc bag to take to work or on the go. Control your portion in advance, before you are hungry

It's all about rhythm. Creating a system that keeps you in a "I'm doing the
right thing almost all the time" frame of thinking. That alone helps keep
the serotonin level closer to smooth, esp for US, with the 100# of guilt we
carry at any weight. Ditch the guilt to keep the S level from dropping. If
you fall off the wagon, then by the next meal, you get back on. One slap to
correct yourself and stand back up, do the next one right. Keep the
serotonin level smooth, not whacking all up & down like a yo-yo. You can
ALWAYS insert another protein in the trouble spots until you get a grip on
them.

Starting over AGAIN:

Surgery 10/94
The Peeps Incident spring, 2000, 6# regain, lost in 2 weeks
The Fruit Pounds, summer 2002, 8# regain, lost in 2 MONTHS
The Fudge Pudge, summer 2005, 15# regain, lost two YEARS later


I had fallen into the vat of fudge in June 2005 and could not get out. I went from "just a bite" to being able to eat several donuts a day within a few weeks. And yes, I do dump on sugar, but not if I outsmart it (stupid!).

I ultimately gained 15#. Finally in late 06, I went off sugar completely for 3 months. NOT ONE SINGLE POUND came off. Then, all I did was taste pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. I don't even LIKE pumpkin pie! But the sugar was on me again, like the proverbial white on rice. I didn't gain any more, but I also couldn't stop eating sugar! Very scary.

In April 07, I realized I HAD to get those 15# off by June 1. I went back to my original doc. He's the least fat- judgmental person I've ever met. He put me on his special program. I already do 6+ protein shakes, powder + water, so adding more is no big deal. Whereas my original get-back-on-track includes moderate carbs, that just didn't work this time. His plan is simple. The protein drinks as I was doing, the more the better. BUT food, "if it doesn't walk, swim or fly, don't eat it". Yes, no nuts, seeds, grains, veggies or fruit. I think it included cheese and eggs, but didn't ask.

I don't LIKE meat/fish/chicken. I do 5 small meals per day + protein drinks, so the best I could do was very low carb protein bars. I chose Rockin' Roll (identical twin to Payday or Nut roll?), smallish bar, 21g protein, but only TWO g net carbs. So, I had a whole bar twice/day and two halves. I tried to eat meat for the 5th meal. Some days I was in a meaty mood and ate a meal of that, skipping a bar. Yes, I used gravy, sauce, mayo.....something with the meats. It was only about the carbs, not the fats.

The funny thing was, after I went completely clean, in just 3 days, the cravings stopped, and I felt........ lighter, less sluggish.

The end result being that I did lose the wt by my goal date AND I felt better. It was actually about 6 months before I even toyed with potatoes or bread again. The last "sugar" I had was 4/1/07.

While fudge or butterceam frosting are for sure my Gateway drugs, I suspect there are more and so I just don't even go there. My staff had donuts, and I was drawn to the ones with sprinkles, so I took the box out to shipping. It's always about texture with me.

My analogy about sugar is thus: I had a dangerous destructive relationship with sugar. He OWNED me and called all the shots. I broke up with him. But he called me and whispered, "It'll be ok, we'll meet in a public place." So yeah, I'd pick up a cookie at the bank and I couldn't get back into bed with him fast enough. I'd break it off again, and then he'd call and say, "It'll be ok, we'll meet in a public place." And I'd pick up a mini-candy at the doctor's office. And I'd be back in bed with him within 24 hours. This sugar, he is one guy I cannot even touch, let alone kiss one time! Bad stuff.

Many others have broken off with him for months or even years, and then he calls, whispers the magic words and BLAM, back in bed with him we all go.

I tell me it's not the "forever again" sugar I can't have, it's just the first bite. It's easier that way.

Great reading Michele...anyone needing a lift to get back on track should be able to get something out of  your post. Protein (mainly greek yogurt or salmon) is all I eat besides many vits, supplements & isolated whey drinks but every now and then I want some sugar & then I am awake for a week. I learned very early and when that urge comes drink water until I can't think about another drop.

As much as nobody ever wants to hear this: you can't be "ju7st friends" with sugar. He is a demanding lover and abusive when you give in. It's all or nothing, I think.