Bounce Back Is Real
I am experiencing the dreaded bounce back. In the last 10 days the scale has been going up even though I really didn't change anything drastically. As I thought, it is kind of disheartening to see the scale go up no matter how welcome it is. The worry about will it stop is always there. Ironically most of my clothes fit the same. I was a little disappointed because I thought I would be able to get into my favorite pants but not yet. I didn't get rid of my clothes from the last few sizes so I shouldn't need to buy any more clothes. A few of the smaller pants that I got in the girls dept are a little tight so I have tossed those to go to Goodwill. No loss there. I'm just going to keep an eye on it and be prepared to cut some things out if it gets out of hand.
I have stopped tracking and I think I will start that again to see where I am at compared to a month or two ago.
I have stopped tracking and I think I will start that again to see where I am at compared to a month or two ago.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
Hi Tazz,
This post is very confusing to me. I thought that you were underweight and trying to gain back some of what you lost. If that is the case, these pounds that are coming back sound like a blessing because it means that your body is healing itself and allowing the added pounds that will nourish you and help you attain better health.
Bounce back is something that we all fear. I can understand your fear that you will just keep going up and up, but that probably isn't the case as you know how to track, eat properly and take care of yourself.
In my view, bounce back is when we are our optimal weight and then we suddenly start to put on pounds for no reason. Most of the time people write about bounce back, then admit that they are eating more carbs, junk food etc. That's not bounce back, that's unhealthy eating. Those pounds will come on regardless of whether we are WLS folks or not. My surgeon (and I agree) doesn't call that bounce back because we know exactly why it's happening. He doesn't even feel that 5 pounds come back "for no reason" and it's generally because we start slacking in some way instead of staying strict with our guidelines for good health.
I bet you'll be just fine Tazz!!
This post is very confusing to me. I thought that you were underweight and trying to gain back some of what you lost. If that is the case, these pounds that are coming back sound like a blessing because it means that your body is healing itself and allowing the added pounds that will nourish you and help you attain better health.
Bounce back is something that we all fear. I can understand your fear that you will just keep going up and up, but that probably isn't the case as you know how to track, eat properly and take care of yourself.
In my view, bounce back is when we are our optimal weight and then we suddenly start to put on pounds for no reason. Most of the time people write about bounce back, then admit that they are eating more carbs, junk food etc. That's not bounce back, that's unhealthy eating. Those pounds will come on regardless of whether we are WLS folks or not. My surgeon (and I agree) doesn't call that bounce back because we know exactly why it's happening. He doesn't even feel that 5 pounds come back "for no reason" and it's generally because we start slacking in some way instead of staying strict with our guidelines for good health.
I bet you'll be just fine Tazz!!
HW: 249 SW: 229 GW: 149 Age: 63 - Body by Sauceda - 12/2011
Sorry it is confusing, probably because I have such mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I am happy that I am getting to a healthier weight but of course there is always fear that it will get out of hand.
I have heard some people who have gone along eating the same way and not changing anything and they can still gain, especially if they have a malabsorptive procedure becouse the body can adapt and over time grow more villi which makes it easier to absorb more food.
I have just checked what I have been eating and the calories are pretty much as they were a month and 2 months ago so I can only assume that my body is starting to absorb more of what I eat.
I will probably start posting my meals again and using myfittnesspal.com to make sure I am keeping myself honest. As far as the weight gain I don't want it to stop but maybe it would be good to get it to stablize for a bit and go up slowly.
I have heard some people who have gone along eating the same way and not changing anything and they can still gain, especially if they have a malabsorptive procedure becouse the body can adapt and over time grow more villi which makes it easier to absorb more food.
I have just checked what I have been eating and the calories are pretty much as they were a month and 2 months ago so I can only assume that my body is starting to absorb more of what I eat.
I will probably start posting my meals again and using myfittnesspal.com to make sure I am keeping myself honest. As far as the weight gain I don't want it to stop but maybe it would be good to get it to stablize for a bit and go up slowly.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
I completely disagree with your surgeon's view of bounceback, btw.
First, I don't think you can pick some ultimately arbitrary number of pounds and claim that only that amount of weight gain is bounceback and everything over that is the fault of the patient. There's no way that it can be 5 pounds for me at 5'1" and a lightweight and 5 pounds for a 6' man who lost 400 pounds. It's going to be different depending on all sorts of factors including surgery type, gender, age, amount of weight lost, how far out, etc.
Plus, there are many physiological explanations for bounceback that have nothing to do with slacking off or "going back to bad habits."
We know that our bodies have a very strong drive to maintain a certain weight. This is our set point. Fighting to get below our set point is impossible for all but the crazy and why diets don't work. WLS works in part because it changes our set point. That's why we all don't just regain our weight as soon as we get to goal.
But it's also why some people bounceback -- they lose weight below their set point because they are in a dieting mentality and want to see how low they can go. But their bodies fight back at some point and they go back to their set point.
We also know that every surgery has aspect of it that lesson over time. DS and RnY have malabsorption that lessens. RnY has a stoma that loosens. DS & VSG have a sleeve that expands.
Finally, we know that most people, whether they've had a weight problem or not, tend to gain weight as they get older.
All of these factor in to the reasons why people gain some weight from their lowest point without doing anything different.
Because malabsorption lessens, someone with DS or RnY who is 4 years out can be doing everything exactly as they were at 1 year out but they are absorbing more calories. The same amount of food that maintained their weight before will now be too much food. This is not the fault of the patient. It's biology.
Then add on to it the things that cause hunger to increase and satiety to lessen. More ghrelin being produced for DS/VSGers. Bigger stoma for RnY. Bigger stomach for all of us. Those aren't our fault too.
Then, yes, we don't eat the way we ate at 6 months out when we are at 3+ years out. And, for some of us, it is a discipline issue. But for many of us it's a matter of sustainable behavior. I can do anything for 15 minutes. I can diet strenuously for a few months. I can't live like I lived during my first 6 months for the rest of my life. I can't live on meat and veggies and the occasional bean or nut, but never eat any other carbs ever again no matter how wholesome or healthy.
And, I don't want to. I don't think I should have to live like that or that not being able to live like that is a character flaw. I don't think having dessert once in a while is "going back to bad habits" either.
The thing is, when I was a pre-op and early out, I was totally convinced that bounceback was the result of people being lazy and undisciplined. And, of course, it was never going to happen to me!
But then I had some. Plus about 90% of people have some. And my sanity returned.
At some point (probably while watching Dr. Roslin's "Does the procedure fall the patient or the patient fail the procedure"), I realized that when 90% go through something, you have to stop blaming them and thinking they are doing something wrong and start looking for other causes.
Because 90% of the people who have WLS are not undisciplined. And, if someone who treats obesity thinks that, then I think they have some Fatty Hate they need to deal with.
I know I have some -- but I'm working on it. It helps that I don't hate myself. Because logic dictates I can't negatively judge someone for behavior that I don't negative judge in myself!
First, I don't think you can pick some ultimately arbitrary number of pounds and claim that only that amount of weight gain is bounceback and everything over that is the fault of the patient. There's no way that it can be 5 pounds for me at 5'1" and a lightweight and 5 pounds for a 6' man who lost 400 pounds. It's going to be different depending on all sorts of factors including surgery type, gender, age, amount of weight lost, how far out, etc.
Plus, there are many physiological explanations for bounceback that have nothing to do with slacking off or "going back to bad habits."
We know that our bodies have a very strong drive to maintain a certain weight. This is our set point. Fighting to get below our set point is impossible for all but the crazy and why diets don't work. WLS works in part because it changes our set point. That's why we all don't just regain our weight as soon as we get to goal.
But it's also why some people bounceback -- they lose weight below their set point because they are in a dieting mentality and want to see how low they can go. But their bodies fight back at some point and they go back to their set point.
We also know that every surgery has aspect of it that lesson over time. DS and RnY have malabsorption that lessens. RnY has a stoma that loosens. DS & VSG have a sleeve that expands.
Finally, we know that most people, whether they've had a weight problem or not, tend to gain weight as they get older.
All of these factor in to the reasons why people gain some weight from their lowest point without doing anything different.
Because malabsorption lessens, someone with DS or RnY who is 4 years out can be doing everything exactly as they were at 1 year out but they are absorbing more calories. The same amount of food that maintained their weight before will now be too much food. This is not the fault of the patient. It's biology.
Then add on to it the things that cause hunger to increase and satiety to lessen. More ghrelin being produced for DS/VSGers. Bigger stoma for RnY. Bigger stomach for all of us. Those aren't our fault too.
Then, yes, we don't eat the way we ate at 6 months out when we are at 3+ years out. And, for some of us, it is a discipline issue. But for many of us it's a matter of sustainable behavior. I can do anything for 15 minutes. I can diet strenuously for a few months. I can't live like I lived during my first 6 months for the rest of my life. I can't live on meat and veggies and the occasional bean or nut, but never eat any other carbs ever again no matter how wholesome or healthy.
And, I don't want to. I don't think I should have to live like that or that not being able to live like that is a character flaw. I don't think having dessert once in a while is "going back to bad habits" either.
The thing is, when I was a pre-op and early out, I was totally convinced that bounceback was the result of people being lazy and undisciplined. And, of course, it was never going to happen to me!
But then I had some. Plus about 90% of people have some. And my sanity returned.
At some point (probably while watching Dr. Roslin's "Does the procedure fall the patient or the patient fail the procedure"), I realized that when 90% go through something, you have to stop blaming them and thinking they are doing something wrong and start looking for other causes.
Because 90% of the people who have WLS are not undisciplined. And, if someone who treats obesity thinks that, then I think they have some Fatty Hate they need to deal with.
I know I have some -- but I'm working on it. It helps that I don't hate myself. Because logic dictates I can't negatively judge someone for behavior that I don't negative judge in myself!
HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
Visit my blog at Fatty Fights Back Become a Fan on Facebook!
Starting BMI 40-ish or less? Join the LightWeights
Marie, as always you have lots of well thought out responses. You're right about the difference between a LW woman and a 6' man are valid. Malabsorption also plays a part in this but I have seen RNY folks keep the weight off. You're right, many people experience bounce back, but not all. I have always said that it's not how quickly we get the weight off, but where we are in five years. I think Kaiser gives us that hard line about bouceback so that we are scared into sticking to our program. I know they scare me, but for today I have my parameters. Those occasional treats may have to go if I can't keep the scale where I'm happy with it.
HW: 249 SW: 229 GW: 149 Age: 63 - Body by Sauceda - 12/2011
"You're right, many people experience bounce back, but not all. "
And not everyone who loses 100+ pounds without WLS gains all their weight back either. But 95-99% do. So should those people feel like a failure because 1-5% don't? It's the same with bounceback IMO.
And not everyone who loses 100+ pounds without WLS gains all their weight back either. But 95-99% do. So should those people feel like a failure because 1-5% don't? It's the same with bounceback IMO.
HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
Visit my blog at Fatty Fights Back Become a Fan on Facebook!
Starting BMI 40-ish or less? Join the LightWeights
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