Ignore net calories. You can never judge accurately what you burn. Weigh your food. Scales are accurate, measuring cups and eyeballing are way off.if you know what you are taking in, you'll know how much to adjust.

I'd advise being honest when it comes up.  

Thanks so much for your reply!  Water is not an issue for me, I drink 80+ oz every day and I use the Lose It app to track my food, but I've only been paying attention to the total calories and not which foods are making up those calories.  I have to go back to the basics with protein first, thanks for that reminder.  Great advice, thanks again!

I also posted a variation of this on the RNY board - a few reflections on my 6 year surgi-versary. I'd love other grads to add to the list!

Yesterday actually, was my 6 year surgi-versary. It's been a wonderful ride, no doubt about it. Yes, I've dealt with regain and had to face that head on in the last several months (pretty successfully!) - but I'm really close to the perfect weight for me and not complaining one single bit!

So to celebrate, here are a few things I've learned about living with RNY. Other vets - feel free to add to the list!

1. Follow the rules. We made our own rules for many years. Our own rules led us to the place called morbid obesity. Now we have agreed to follow the rules set down by a surgeon, forever. The temptation will come to make our own rules once again, or at least to see what we can "get away with." Don't. Just don't. 

2. When it comes to food, stick with the basics and you'll have solid success. Protein first. Veggies. A little fruit if there's room. Eventually, maybe a little bread on a special occasion (and for me it has to be r-e-a-l-l-y good bread, not just anything). We have to be careful - always. I read an article a while back that said when it comes to weight loss, "there is no after." As in - before and after. There is before. And there is now. We can never say we're "done." Success is, for us, a verb. We have to keep on keeping on - succeessing, as it were!

3. If we think that thin people can eat anything they want, and therefore we will someday be able to eat anything we want.....we're wrong. Flat out wrong. Most thin people are vigilant and disciplined about food. 

4. Ditto exercise. I've been a devout exerciser....and then not so devout. The best mentor I have simply knows and teaches she MUST live an active lifestyle in order to maintain her weight, her health, and do the best she can do. I guess there are some people somewhere who do indeed love to work out, but I'm not one of them. Still, I have to push myself to do what I can push myself to do. And it is a PUSH. 

4. If you face regain, it's complicated. We know the answers with regard to what to eat. But we often don't really know what is actually going into our mouths. We have to log it, for better or worse. We have to face guilt and shame and fear that we've failed, even after surgery. But we CAN get hold of ourselves again, and turn the trend around. We have a powerful tool that will work for us, as long as we work with it. Set a weight range and let alarms go off if you hit the upper end of that range. For me, if I find myself avoiding the scale....it's sure to be trouble.

5. Savor the NSV's, however far out you may be. Every time the jeans zip right out of the dryer, every time you get a compliment at work, and even every time you do something without worrying about how fat you are....it's a victory. It gets harder, because it's hard to celebrate the things that become routine, but be conscious every time you cross your legs, or fit easily into a theater seat, or whatever it may be for you. Be mindful and try to keep a perspective on how life might have been without the miracle of surgery.

6. Pay attention to your body. It will let you know when you need to move, when you're hungry, when you're tired. I'm still working on this. I know that for years, I turned to food rather than resting when I needed it. 

7. If you're tempted to test your body by loading up on sugar, pizza, alcohol, or whatever else might strike your fancy, really give this a serious look. Pause and think about what you are doing and why. It is hard to be mindful (and what a buzz word that has become). I know that the old habits lie in wait for us. They are right around the next corner, waiting for us to be weak or impulsive or...well, whatever. They are patient and they never truly go away. We are vulnerable to those old habits - still. Always, I think. 

Hi all, I am 7 yrs out from RNY and have slowly regained about 30lbs over the last 3-4 years.  I was doing great until I had a total hysterectomy that put me down for about 8 wks...I stopped exercising entirely during that time and never went back to it.  I have fallen back in to some bad habits...drinking with my meals being the biggest one.  I still can't eat a lot at one time and I know my problem is not over-eating.  About 6 months ago I got serious about losing this regain and actually started to lose again...then my mother passed away unexpectedly and I put it on the back burner again.  So, 2 months ago I got serious again and joined my local gym.  I have been very consistent with going...I do cardio and weight training.  I feel like I have exercise under control...my diet is the problem.  I don't over eat, if fact if anything I don't think I'm eating enough.  I know early after my surgery I had stopped losing and that was the problem, I wasn't eating enough.  I aim for roughly 1700 calories a day, but I rarely even get close to that, especially after burning 400+ calories at the gym every other day...some days I may net only about 700-800 calories.  Has anybody else had this particular problem and if so, how did you overcome it?  I just can't seem to make myself eat during the day.  I can literally go all day without eating and it doesn't bother me...I try really hard to not do this but it seems to be happening day after day after day.  Just looking for any kind of tips or advice...my scales nor my tape measure have not budged in 2 months and I've had blood tests run and everything came back normal...so what gives?