Almost 7 Years Out ...Getting Back To Basics

I had RNY on March 17, 2004.  My heighest weight of record was 360lbs.  AFter that I never got on a scale...I may have tipped up to 375lbs easily.  Prior to surgery I had lost a total of over 100 lbs down to 268lbs by eating a vegetarian diet then re-gained up to 310-315lbs or so.  On the day of surgery, at the encouragement of my surgeon that it would be best for my organs, I lost approximately 10 lbs, to weigh 300lbs. 

Post wls, my lowest weight was 160/162lbs.  I never reached my personal goal weight of 145 150lbs although my surgoen felt my weight was fine.  My stable weight was 170-175lbs for years then around year 4 I slowly begin to gain.  I was a bit disappointed to learn that he didn't do an aggressive bypass and while he made my pouch smaller, he was very conservative with the amount of intestines bypass.  This put the pressure on my years later to really work this tool.

Can anyone help me with the basics...particularly working out, protein supplementation etc?  Oh and I welcome work-out tips.  I want to and weights to my workouts too.  I also need to know how I should mix up my workouts for maximum benefits.

Well, if it helps, I've seen people with so-called "aggressive bypass" gain weight. The size of our pouch and intestinal bypass makes a difference, yes, but the further out you get, the less of a difference it tends to make. Around year two your intestines are growing longer, stronger villi capable of grabbing more nutrients from food. This happens whether you have a small or large pouch and an extensive or liberal intestinal bypass.

So, you are right that we still do have a tool and to maintain we gotta work it!

I'm only 3 years out but I find the "protein first" rule to be essential. If I eat my protein first (and focus on lean proteins like fish, chicken breast, etc.) my overall portions tend to be smaller. My surgeon intentionally doesn't bypass aggressively because he doesn't feel that we need to be stick people (his words, not mine). So I can eat a good deal and I never got to be a teeny tiny person.

BUT...I work out...I eat my protein and, if I do say so myself, I think I have a beautiful body as a result. It's not a size 6 body but it's mine!

So anyway, get your protein in first and always. Whole grain starches when you eat them, drink plenty of water, take those vitamins and get moving! You'll look better and feel better.

You know something...reading your post I'm like duh...I have not been eating my protein first. In fact, I have been eating the carbs like brown rice first so I could have it before getting full. I've been eating carbs, veggies and protein here and there. I'be been feeling very sleepy when I eat things like pasta, brown rice, or non-veggie carbs literally to the point of carb coma.

Now that I'm thinking about it... I've also been eating entirely too fast. Usually it's the ache and belching after I eat that reminds me that I ate too fast. This morning I actually ate my oatmeal very slowly and wasn't starving by 9:30-10:00 like usual. I will get back to practicing this. Protein first, then veggies and salads, and then carbs last if I'm still hungry.

BTW...it's refreshing to hear someone just be satisfied with where they are. I'm working on that.

Yeah, see that’s where the head stuff creeps in and that’s what I try to warn newbies about but they are too into the “purple cloud of WLS love" to hear me!

 

I tend to do that too. Eat what I like to eat first because I know I won’t have room if I eat what I SHOULD eat first.

 

And not to get too existential on you, but that’s a head thing. That’s me trying to fulfill a need for pleasure with food when I should be looking at my life and figuring out where I am lacking pleasure. Because I don’t NEED some of that stuff I eat but I like the way I feel when I’ve eaten it. It makes me feel good. So what makes me feel good besides food?

 

The further out we are the more we have to ask ourselves those questions. One of the tools to long-term success, in my opinion, is a healthy amount of skepticism of our own thought processes. I don’t trust my appetite at ALL. That’s not to say I don’t eat. But I don’t trust that when my brain goes, “I’m hungry" that actual hunger is fueling it. I question it, I vet it, I put it through a process and after that if I STILL have determined I am hungry, I eat. And I don’t feel guilty about it.

 

This is a life long battle, isn’t it?

Wow!!!  Very well put.  I almost want to cry.  This is absolutely a life-long process of making wise choices.  And you cannot let up for one second thinking that you are "normal" by any stretch of the imagination.  I believe that's what I'm facing...after all these years...that if I don't make wise choices the fruit will speak for itself.  We can't hide weight gain. 

I actually found myself sneaking to eat things I know I shouldn't over the past year.  And you're right...there's always an origin.  I've lost two babies in the past 2 years.  The last one was especially challenging for me.  I admit I turn to food in a way I thought I never would.  It was subtle but nonetheless I sought comfort in it. 

I don't know you but you have been a God-send to me today.  I haven't been able to admit to my DH...not even myself...the kind of pain I have been in over the past two years.  It's only by grace that I didn't go coompletely out of control and gained back all of my weight.  I'm very grateful for that and I'm committed to making this journey one step at a time.  I KNOW I am stronger than I have acted in the past two years.

At almost 42 only God knows if a biological family will be for DH and I however I have control on living a healthy lifestyle for myself...to enjoy the life I do have in the meanwhile.

Thank you so much for everything you've shared with me today.  It means so much.

Hi there! I'm a gal in waiting. My surgery date is in March. I have been reading through this site and came across the ones of you that have been out for a number of years now. I'm trying to prepare myself for what lies ahead. My mind and how I use food for so many things. You have touched on the whole shoot n shabang!  So I'm paying special attention to what your saying. You are our future, and we need to hear what is heading our way up the road, and start preparing for it today. So, I'm waiting for surgery, what do you suggest I be doing in the 6 wks prior to my wls? What do you wish you would have done different? I'm wanting this to be successful, not for just right now but always. I don't want to start regaining weight and the cycle to start again. I always want to see the freight train coming, and know what to do before the crash. So I need some expertise here to succeed......Thanks for the wake up call!

I agree with the previous poster. 

It will also help a lot to record and analyze what you are eating. Sometimes, we don't have a realistic picture of our nutrition.  You may already be getting in enough protein.

It seems to me like grazing is the biggest offender when it comes to weight gain after bypass.  I was grazing and not limiting my foods to specific meals.  It turned out that my grazing on things like handfuls of nuts, chunks of cheese, and spoonfuls of peanut butter was actually adding up to a lot more calories and fat that I thought. 

I know I'm eating more than I should be.  However I haven't been getting as much protein as I need unless I take a pea protein shake.  60 grams of protein at minimum is what my surgeon recommends though he encourages around 80-100 gms per day to keep me fuller longer and weight stabilized.  If I get 80-100 ounces of water in a day...then I'm challenged to successfully meet protein requirements and the only way I can do that even at almost 7 years out is to drink 1 or 2 shakes a day.

I will focus on staying away from grazing in between meal and snack times.

All of your posts have been so beneficial to me in my preop stage.   I have been reading everything I get can my hands on, going to support group meetings, asking questions, and not one person has ever mentioned "aggressive" vs. "conservative" bypass.

Now I think I should ask that question of the doctor.

Keep doing everything you are all doing -- and by the grace of God, we get through so many of life's challenges.

Lauren