New and would like to join!

Hey folks! im Hilary from Bama and im almost 4 years out from surgery. I lost a total of 130lbs and gained back close to 50 (getting up to 218lbs), if i add all the regain. I have lost 23lbs. since March when my dad passed away. Im normally a stress gainer, because im an emotional eater but ive put forth some conscious effort to watch my food. one thing ive never done is count calories. Ive always looked at if its high protein low carb, its ok. So i couldnt tell you how many calories i eat during a day. im horrible at journalling. i print off pages and pages and do it for afew days and come back in 2 weeks and feel bad that i forgot. I would really like to have plastics at the end of the year. I could have plastics right now but id prefer to be closer to my goal weight of 165. So i need HELP. I dont exercise so thats my main downfall i know. Im hoping at the first of august to buy an elliptical to use. I have a 5 year old son who starts school in August and im a single mom, so going to the gym is just out of the question. Im hoping that i can do the elliptical at night after he goes to bed. Anywho my question is how do i lose and keep losing. I keep gaining and losing the same 5lbs. I did it the whole month of June and so far the whole month of July. I cant get the scale to budge on the downward hill.  I dont feel that i eat extremely bad. I do sometimes but who doesnt. When i eat one bad thing tho i feel as if ive ruined the whole day and eat like crap the rest of the day....i need to NOT do this.
I also hope to join in on the posts of daily eating. I hang out on the Bama Board and try to post a Whatcha Eating Today but it gets bad turnouts so im stopping. I need something to hold me accountable and someone to tell me what im doing wrong. It doesnt help that i havent seen a surgeon since i was 1 year post op. He retired and i never went to another one. I havent been to a nutrionist since i was a few months out from surgery. I know all of this is my fault but starting over seems so hard. Im hoping to get some support and some good information here.

thanks for letting me talk!

have a great day!

Just posting here makes you a member! So join on!!!! 
I believe that exercise is the key.  It took me 4 years to get to goal and was only able once I got serious about exercise.  Your plan to start the eliptical is a great start!  Is there a park nearby that you walk while  your son plays? Thats how I started out round and round at a park.
I'm with you, I eat high protein low carb and don't really count calories or fat and for the most part it works.  My pouch seems to keep me in check as long as I am following the basic protein rules.
Again I say Welcome!!  I am usually quite a frequent poster but am quite busy this summer so I will be back and busy typing at the end of Aug!!   Jen

Thank you so much for your reply! I know when i was a member at the gym, the pounds came off easily. I dont think i eat terribly bad for the most part. I DO think its my lack of exercise that does it.

Thank you!

Hi, Hilary!

Welcome to the group.  It is a wonderful group of people, very supportive of each other and helpful...so ask away!

You asked how do you get back to losing.....get back to basics.  Protein, low carbs, get in your fluids, monitor your calorie intake, and exercise.  It does work...when I am strict about what I know I need to do, I see an almost immediate result.  The hard part is doing it all of the time.  Those old habits do creep back in some times.

As far as journaling....I use www.FitDay.com, and have since shortly after surgery.  It is a good program, allows you to keep track of food, exercise, even moods, etc. 

Best ofluck.....I look forward to reading your posts!  :)

Thank you. I do need to journal online some where that counts calories and such for me. I might be blown away in what i think is "good" is maybe not? Thanks a bunch!

OK Hilary - Yes, calories do count just like they did before surgery.  Our problem is about 0.01% "tummy" and 99.99% thinking.  Hate to tell you this - but you're going to have to turn around about all the things you said you aren't doing and start doing them and turn around all the things you said you are doing and stop doing them

There are still ony three ways to lose weight -  (1)  Eat fewer calories   (2)  Burn more calories with exercise (you don't have to go to the gym - take walks with your son - walk by yourself while he in school)   (3)  A combination of 1 & 2 - which is what we will have to do the rest of our life

PLAN is the name of our needs.  1.  Plan your food at least one day ahead of time and WRITE IT DOWN (LIVESTRONG.COM/thedaily plate) is an excellent way to do this.  High protein/low carb foods can have a LOT of calories.  Know the nutrient content of each item you put in your mouth. (same web site does this for you)  2. Plan your exercise  3.  Plan how you are going to think differently.

WELCOME - I'm so glad you have chosen to join us.  I hope you find this site as helpful as I have.  I could never have gotten back on track/stayed on track without them   The are the most caring, understanding, helpful, and accepting folks I've found.  Don't be shy , let us know how we can be helpful

WE CAN DO (AND ARE DOING) THIS TOGETHER 

Hilary - Failed to mention in my first reply to you - first get your minimum of 60 grams of protein and 60 oz of water (or Crystal Lite) every day then add other foods to reach your calorie limit.  The web site above helps you compute all of that and you don't have to write it down - just click on SAVE and you haveit.  YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!   and YOU ARE WORTH WHATEVER EFFORT IT TAKES TO DO IT   Our surgery is just a tool - and just like you could have 500 hammers, if you didn't pick one up and use it no nail would ever get driven into the board - unless we choose to use our tool of bariatric surgery no weight loss/maintenance is going to be lasting.  This is FOREVER!!  I wish you well. 

Thank you so much for your reply. I will look into those websites. I know what i need to do i think i just needed the support to get there. I dont go to support groups around here so this is the only support i get.

Thank you again for your reply. I hope to be posting more and more!

If you're comfortable, please come often.  We ALL need support!!!!!

Hilary,

Welcome to BOTT. This is a grat group as far as helping you stay on track and making you accountable for what you eat. Everyday Cathy posts Cafe and Cardio and on Fridays we have a weigh-in.

I've only been a member for about two months now, but feel like it keeps me motivated to stay on track even though the scale seems to hate me, .

I can completely sympathize on where you're coming from on the exercise, that is something I have not done since I had surgery. I'm amazed that I haven't added more than 27 lbs to my lowest weight. The two main things are to track your calories, (you might actually be surprised  by how much you're eating. I know I was). The second is to exercise, grrr.

HappyLapBander told me about a book called, "The Beck Diet Solution". I have started reading it and find it is helping me keep my mind on track. This might help with what you said about getting off track and ruining the whole day. It seems like that is one of the main things the book tackles.

Please keep us posted on how you're coming with getting Back On Track. We are in this together.