7 Years out and Gaining - Need Inspiration please!!!

I am looking for inspiration. I had surgery in 2006, was very successful and kept the weight off until 1 year ago. I started an anti-depressant and shot up 35 lbs in 6 months. That was on top of the 15 or so that I had gained after hitting my low weight, and I was ok with that extra 15 from my low, since I had gotten pretty thin. However, 50 lbs up from my low is NOT OK! Now, even though I had kept most of the weight off, I had let foods back into my diet that I shouldn't have. Now, I'm trying VERY hard to get the weight off again and am having one hell of a time. I'm very upset. Very discouraged. I've been trying for about 5 months with little to no results. I almost feel like it can't be done. I'm looking for someone to tell me it can, because THEY HAVE DONE IT! I want so badly to hear from someone, who lost the weight, re-gained, and was successful at taking it back off again. If this is you, please write! Everyone who I was in contact with on my message board back in 2006-2007 has also re-gained, so I've heard. This makes me even more discouraged. And to those out there who think it cannot happen to them, PLEASE be careful to not let "bad" foods creep back in your life. I was 5+ years out and thought I was in the clear, running around in my size 6-8 pants. And now....miserable. HELP PLEASE!!

Hang in there!!!  I gained after hitting my low and I have lost half of that regain.  I had to take it back to basics, low-fat proteins first (whey protein shakes like dymatize elite, fish, poultry, then pork/beef) at least 60-80 grams a day, weighing my food so my EYEs would see how much a few ounces actually looks like, using the small plates again, and staying away from processed, sugary, crappy foods.  You can do it!!  I know it's hard to push the bad foods out again, but it is possible.  You worked for so long to get where you are, don't give up now.  You deserve to be healthy.  I would also recommend you have your Vitamin D, magnesium, and potasium levels checked.  We tend to get out of the habit of checking our Vit D annually when we get out a few years, but becoming deficient in it can cause muscle pain, depression, etc.  Maybe you could get off the anti-depressant if it turns out to be you are just Vitamin D deficient!!  :)

Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to write. I did go off the antidepressants months ago. I made some drastic life changes (quit my job and moved) and that took care of the depression :-)  But I should get my levels checked since I've been bad about taking supplements. Thanks again.

Here is my advice... I should mention that every five  years I struggle with a 20lb weight gain.

Get active

use an antidepressant that does not cause weight gain, like buproprion

follow the pouch rules, all of them

eat grain-free (the Bariatric diet is grain-free, so are the paleo and primal blueprint diets)

eliminate processed foods from your diet and only eat real food

First I would say hang in there. Being aware and wanting to so something about the weight gain is an excellent decision.  Feel good about yourself and move forward. Continue to take your vitamins, PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN is so crucial ...Be aware of your body, know when it is full and realize when to push the plate away. I am amazed that after five years this tool still works! So eating sensibly, and begin to  make healthy food choices.  Also begin to get active.You can do it! Also stay active on one of these forums. In January I weighed 190 pounds. I knew I could not continue to go that route. Right now I am 176. When I saw the scales reached 190, I thought my scales WERE broken. So I went to Kmart and purchased a new scale, and the NEW scale read the same thing... smh! But the weight is slowly coming off. The weight is not coming off, like when I was 300 plus pounds. I could lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks. But so far I have been losing honestly 3-4 pounds a month. As far now I will take that. It is  a hard journey, keeping the weight off. I am going to stay determined and focused. Good luck you can do it!

Thank you so much for your message. I'm working on it...I just get discouraged and want to quit. But to see you have gone down from 190 to 176 is inspirational. Than you again for your encouragement! 

I too am experiencing some serious stress again over this.     I had my surgery October 2008  i was 248 and went down to 143  My ideal healthy weight is 145 - 150     I was ok even when It crept to 153  but now Im at 167     At the end of last summer I was 150  and now I have gained 17 lbs in 4 months     Im driving myself insane.     I will admit that I have been a little more lax and have let my 1 glass of wine slip into 3 glasses of wine here and there but I have even cut that out, I have been exercising more and I am so upset.   I went to my primary dr and told her I just dont feel ok  they did bloodwork and the only thing out of wack was my Vitamin D  was Severly low   they said it should be 46 - 100 and mine was 6.    so Im currently taking Vitamin D Therapy  100,000IU per week.    In addition Im having extreme bloat and gastric pain  I have an appt on thursday this week with the GI    Im so scared to death...    I eat fiber filled foods,   I try to get protein however Im not a meat eater much so I do cheese and its wreaking havoc on my bowels I think.   

Thank you for your post because I too would like any advice from anyone :)

Try something completely different: hire a life coach or personal trainer or someone--pay someone to help kick start you. Even for a month or two. It helps a lot.

I  had my  surgey in 2005  the one  thing  that has  worked  for  me  is  making  sure  I  have  people  I  am  accountable  that  are  there  for  me  on  the  hard  times  .. My  life  today  today  is  no differnet than a  year out .. My  doctor  told  me  I  needed  to  look  at  food as  fuel  for my  body  and  not a  reward ..  I  just  want to  encourage  you  can take  back  the  control  you  had  that got  you where  you  wanted  to  be  ..  The  surgery  is  a Tool  and  only   works  if  we  use it  .. I know  alot  of  people  that  have  been successful  also join  groups  to  make  sure  they  get  the  support  the need ..  You  deserve  to  be  healthy and  you  can achieve it !!! Keep  posting  and  communicating  with  others  on  here there  is  support  and  caring  people that  help  you .. Your in  my  prayers !!  If  I can  help you  in  any  way  please  let  me  know !!  It  is  not  easy  but  it  is  worth  every  effort  it  takes!!!!