We can do this! Back on track!

Hello,

So today is my 3 year surgiversary and I thought I would post. I've been a member of BOTT since June, but this will be the first time I have posted. Quick outline of my story....

I had surgery after hitting my all time high of 440. Was focused and did terrific on the pre-surgery diet. Lost close to 55 lbs. Had surgery 3 years ago (September 2010) over the next year lost an additional 125 lbs.... then STOPPED lol. Over the next 18 months my weight creeped up until I had gained 35-40 lbs back to nearly 300. During that time I soul searched... finally in May of this year I had an epiphany. I wasn't following the plan. Or at least I thought I was. Or I was being dishonest with myself.

In my case I listened to way too many pieces of bad advice, or worse looked at what people said they were doing and said if they can so can I. I still had a poor grasp on portion control, nutrition, exercise... you get the picture. Thats when I rediscovered my maintenance plan from the NUT and made an appointment.

I am happy to report that once some facts of post RNY were re-explained to me, I have lost the regain and more. A few weeks ago I hit my post surgery goal from the surgeon, 240 with 200 lbs lost. Of course I like to link of it as 245 since I had to lose the same 45 twice LMAO

I've got my sights set on losing another 20 lbs, maybe more. We will see where my journey leads. I'm even seriously considering PS in a year or so when I maintain my final loss. For me I have to keep my calories between 700-900, get my protein, avoid foods which stall me out, avoid alcohol and exercise at least an hour per day to lose. Glad to see similar posts to this here, since I was beginning to think I was the only one (right?) dealing with this.

The biggest piece of advice I've had to take for myself has been to focus on perfecting The Plan which works for me. It seems to be soooo individualized when you get to this point. The calorie & behaviour band is no narrow.

I apologize for the long post, keep up the good work and keep going!

Chrispy

Welcome, Chrispy, and no apologies needed for the length of your posts.  I enjoy a long post, and hearing about the struggles and triumphs of others.  Looks like you've got a handle on the situation, and that can be very encouraging for those still trying to find their way.  Congrats on reaching goal, and looking forward to hearing more from you.

Thanks for sharing...I think my next thing to look for help will be for talking too much, or is that typing too much, because I can go on and on and on....I might have to see if there is a ....  Go-onandonandon-anon! - LOL

I have lost half of my regain - I figured that out a couple days ago!  What an accomplishment I feel - and fear....real progress.....probably why I keep talking....

My husband's daughter is also here - makes it more of a challenge to consistently stay the course - we are going out to eat more as well as taking in some shows...

I did some good preplanning for work lunches and fluids for the week though, so feel good about that.

Talk soon...way past my bedtime and I have a big week...we are in closeout and boy, oh boy, the countdown is on...tick tock, tick tock....

Louise

How did you lose your regain.  What did you do.  Did you eat 800 to 1000 calories a day.  Did you exercise.

Signer,

Did I get your name right?

I did a combination of things.  I gained back 30+ pounds slowly over 4 years - I thought it was less time, but in checking my health tracker, it was 4!  I think I just was not ready to admit it nor talk about it with anyone.  I had so many other things going on with my life, I just could not take on another thing and I sure was not going to hop back on the dieting merry-go-round.

I attended a WLS seminar with my friend, to support her, and she got the sleeve.  I heard about revision that night and did some research.  I saw this same Bariatric guy and had an Endoscopy to make sure all was well inside with my pouch and stoma and all that, which is was.  I was pretty sure it was not the surgery that had failed me, but I wanted to rule it out.  The doc encouraged me to take full advantage of all their support options and resources and to go back through their Nutrition 101 class.  I am also signed up at a Physician Assisted Weight Loss clinic.  The bariatric physician I went to is setting one up, but I did not really want to be part of the new group, so I signed up at an established place...I told myself I would do it for 12 weeks and then reevaluate.

So here is my plan:

I attend the support groups at the bariatric practice - they have one run by the doc, one by the psych, and one by the nutritionist for nutrition support and one that is usually run by the nutritionist that is more of a catchall.  They are at different times in the hopes of people working so many different shifts can usually make at least one a month.  In September, my goal was to make all four and I did - yay for me!  I signed up and attended the Nutrition 101 and it was a great refresher - I did tweak my supplements a bit to be more in line with the newer research out for bariatric patients.  They also have some other classes and support, but I have not yet attended, so will have to update later.

I belong to this BOTT group and participating helps me to see how others are doing, as well as how they are overcoming challenges and I feel like it is a safe place to share feelings.

I log my food intake and liquids on MyFitnessPal.com -  I love their huge database and they have a barcode app so you can scan most of your food.  The logging works well for accountability - it also works well for willingness to write it down and be honest or maybe choose something else to eat.  One of the major things MFP has helped me to do is stop snacking and eating between meals as much , which may help my sleeping, too.  I do not use the MFP to track any exercie - I heard it then allows you too many calories.  The other reason I use MFP is to get used to the idea of how much I am eating to lose and how much will I need to be eating once I get to maintenance.  MFP also lets you customize many of the features of the site, so I edited the protein to a higher number,  and added fiber to the selection.

I also belong to a closed group on Facebook - for Qsymia users and/or people taking the combo drug of Qsymia, before it was available.  Because it is a closed group, only the group ca n your posts.  I used the Qsymia site to calculate my target calories and the recommendtion came back at around 1600, so that is what I am using.  I may have to adjust thtat downword, but for right now, it works for me.

I weigh once a week at the weight-loss clinic and I see the doctor once per month - more frequently if necessary.  Two weeks after I started the program, my blood pressure dropped like a rock - since then 6-7 more weeks after that I have been drinking more decaf and I am off my blood pressure meds on sort of a trial basis - so far so good.  I have also cut my anti-depressan donet in half.

I lean more towards higher protein and less carbs.

The best thing about what  I am doing is that I feel like I am making changes instead of going on a diet that I will eventually go off and I do not feel deprived.

Sorry to go on and on....describing what I do takes a lot longer than doing it.

Louise

 

So really really awesome!!!!

Yes, you got my name right. Thank you so much for explaining everything to me. I appreciate you taking the time.

Congratulations Chrispy on a job well done!  I think sometimes people think I am crazy when I tell them for me to lose I must lower my calories between 800-1000.  It is the only way my body related to weight loss.  I maintain around 1200 and gain weight when I go above that number.  It is just the way my body works.  Please post often as we would love to hear about your victories or anything else you would like to discuss.  Congratulations again.

EXACTLY!! You know my Dr told me once that to lose I would have to eat less than 800 calories per day. I didnt listen of course, not until now. You should have heard the arguments between me and others too funny. Especially since some of those are post WLS patients. Somehow we get it in our heads that if "joe" is at goal at 165 after losing 100 lbs then we can eat like him. I think a good starting point for everyone is 1200 and see what happens. If you need to lose and dont, lower it and see. I posted the other day that this is part science part art. Thanks for the response.

Congratulations on finding what works for you. I think we buy into the cookie cutter mentality way to quickly. We're on the same journey just different paths.

Best of Luck to you.

- Iris