Hi Ashley, I was wondering where I might find the shortened version of a progressive post-op diet.  I am about 10.5 years out and have regained 75 pounds.  Your story is very encouraging and I am really hoping to get back on track.  Thanks

Ellen

I am not sure why this is happening and you should always see your doctor for things like this. But to me it sounds like it could be diverticulitis. It is very treatable, I have it and my grandmother has it. They usually have to do a colonoscopy and then they put you on antibiotics. My grandmother can't eat when it flares up. So just to ease your mind, don't worry too much. 

My plan doesn't advocate calorie tracking, but the days I have in getting around 800 calories. I focus on eating three small meals a day instead of calories. 

I am losing weight, as you can see in my signature below. 140 pounds down in the last 17 months. 

Thank you. I really appreciated the suggestions about mini-goals not related to the scale. I was not recording my foods as I did in the beginning, also I was not going to exercise as often as I used to-not just at the gym-but on my job getting up and walking or being active. Also I was not drinking my fluids. So these mini-goals not related to the scale actually in the long run will contribute to weight loss on the scale! Also it makes me accountable each day and helps me realize that I am accomplishing something! Thanks!

I will be nine years out next month. Having surgery 9 years ago there were not a lot of options... for me surgery was the "last" choice I had to lose weight and get healthy.. I dieted, I exercised, I did therapy, tried medications etc etc etc.... I went into surgery with the thought of if this doesn't work, I have no other options... so I WILL make this work. I WILL lose weight and do what I need in order to be successful. Going in I had friends who had surgery before me, some successful some not... I learned from both of them... the do's and don'ts if you will. I never set a large goal for myself... just mini-goals I could reach, celebrate and keep motivated by.. reached one goal, set another.. this kept from being disappointed... I only saw de-motivation by setting a goal like losing 10lbs in a month or being at goal weight in 8 months etc.. those were not realistic to me and seemed so far off in the future I couldn't wrap my mind around it. Set yourself mini-goals and work out a rewards system... the goals shouldn't all be scale related... they can be anything from losing inches, logging your food for a week, running a mile, doing something you couldn't/wouldn't do pre-op etc.... then reward yourself with non-food rewards.. massage, new shirt, even simply acknowledging you set at goal and achieved it can be enough.

It is a lot of work, but think putting in a year or two of work you will enjoy the benefits a thousand times over for many many years to come. For the first two years post-op I went thru working on losing the weight, weighing/measuring food, working out, learning how to eat properly, learning about nutrition, working on my personal issues.. then it moved to learning how to maintain the weight loss in the long term and settling into normal life. That two years seems like it was another lifetime to me... doing what I need to do now is second nature... its how I live my life daily.. I don't have to think about it any more... so two years of work, so far, has given me 7 years of being healthy and happy.