New to Group/ Needing Help

May 13, 2015 will be two years since I had vsg... I've been off track for more than a year now. At 5 months my weight loss slowed to an end and by 8 months I gave up and went back to old ways. recently (since I have not been working) I started gaining. Having gained 22 lbs since September. So no small weight gain but a huge one. I'm sedentary due to work injury (head injury causing massive migranes) I eat basically all junk. Well I won't say that. I eat protein first, sometimes only protein BUT I only eat once or twice a day total and one of those "meals" Almost always is junk food or food that's not good for me. During the rest of the day my coffee addiction has returned. I do not drink protein any more and only get about 20 grams a day. Scared to start getting in protein again because I don't want to gain additional weight. I know the coffee isn't terrible as it has no calories BUT the sugar and tons of creamer I use IS!! I drink about 150 + calories per cup and easily drink 5-8 cups a day. I don't drink anything besides coffee. These are 20 oz cups. So LOTS of coffee. I don't know how to break the coffee addiction. I've tried a few times and within a few hours I have terrible headaches so I'm back to drinking it. I drink it all day and night. It has never affected my sleep so that's not a problem. I think that's everything. Now I'm back trying to figure out where to start!! I don't know how strong I am but I do have one thing on my side.. I still have restriction from my vsg. Today was a perfect example. I made 2 eggs with ricotta cheese and one piece of toast. in one sitting i was only able to eat a quarter of the eggs and 1/2 piece of toast. I ate that all day. but then later I ate two pieces of toast in a sitting. NOT good. I also have no ability to drink with meals. It takes at least an hour after I eat before I can drink anything without throwing up. And lately I can't drink before I eat or I get nauseous.  So any way, I'm looking for the best way to get back on track. Please help. I'm desperate enough to be considering getting the DS and starting over. Honestly I don't even know if I could make it through the preop diet. I'm at a loss. my injury is slowly going away so hoping to be able to start going back to the gym soon. I'm not one that can exercise at home in front of my family but have absolutely no problem doing it in front of complete strangers lol. So again Please give me tips and what has worked for you. I have attempted and failed a water diet several times. I make it about five hours and then I'm done. I have made it a single day two or three times of just liquids but never longer than a day long. So should i give it another try and do liquids ( I swell up terribly ) Or jus****er? and if I do either, for how long has worked for you? Ok I look forward to your wisdom and advice. THanks again.

You can outeat any surgery. Getting DS without changing what and how much you may only vague you yoget really sick, and still gain all your weight back.

Carbs, simple carbswill cause weight with almost any WLS surgery. 

Get off junk food. Pritein first. 

I drink coffee..i add stevia (natural sweetener) to my coffee and add unsweet coconut or almond milk to it. That works great for me. 

Meat, Meat. With fat and some veggies.... At the end..i really don't want any carbs. It takes a week..but that really works. 

Good luck. 

I'm going to try the coconut milk in my coffee and as of tomorrow I'm going to start with sweetener. There is no junk food in the house and haven't had any today. Ate good with the exception of two pieces of toast and my coffee

Toast = pure carbs...eat an egg and slice of cheese or bacon (crispy). That is much better than bread,

If i would eat bread in am i would feel like i was starving by 10am...

I eat 'll ow carbs higher fats diet, with app 1400 cal to maintain.

To lose i need low carb and app 1000 call. 

I use Myfitness pal to track,my calories.

Low carbs for me is less that 40 -50 carbs a day.And in that at least 10-2p gr of natural fiber from nuts and veggies).

Good luck.

Ok today's menu plan

Breakfast: 2 (20 oz ) cups of coffee, sweetener, 10 tsp of powder creamer

Matrix orange cream protein powder mixed with 1/2 cup of milk 1/2 cup of water

Lunch: 1/4 cup of cottage cheese

Dinner: 4 oz of Chicken thigh meat ( may not eat full 4 oz, usually can't )

Snack: Matrix Mint Cookie Protein powder, 1/2 Cup of water, 1/2 cup of Milk

I didn't look at how many calories this is but It's 76 grams of Protein. ( is that too much? )

That looks good... proteins at76 is nice. But try to not go over 70.. you had the sleeve...

instead - I would add healthy fats to the diet - i.e. 1/4 avocado (with that chicken) or add some -1/2 oz of nuts like almonds or brazil nuts. 

very low fat diet - may still leave you hungry -n and once the hunger is tehre - it i svery difficult to stay away from temptations. 

I follow low car - then proteins and fats.. 

Proteins - the body may turn them into sugars..fats - natural healthy fats - we need to burn them. 

this what is working for me... even now over 6 years post op.. if I want to lose some lbs (normal"skinny *****" weight fluctuation) I limit carbs - average proteins and get the rest calories from fats: 

i.e. my snack would be 1/2 avocado; or 1.5 tbs of nut butter, or 12 almonds, or 5 brazil nuts.

meal: 2 eggs fried on 1 tsp or real butter( or bacon fat) and 2-3 slices of crispy bacon.... dinner: some meat + little bit of veggies in real (butter or bacon) fat. Or some raw salad with olive oil drizzled on it.(and a much vinegar as I want)... 

I used to eat cheese .. but eating too many dairy products (whey proteins, cheese, yogurt ) daily caused me to develop allergic reaction to milk - whey, cheese, etc. 

800 cal + 3 meals 200 cal each+ 2 x 100 cal snacks... that what works for me.. 

And when temptation strikes: either 1/2 of protein bar, or 2 large squares of 86% dark chocolate (the best money can buy - because I only eat that once in  awhile)

Jeniflower

You say you have migraines as a result of a head injury and I know those are very painful.  I am wondering if you can tell the difference between a migraine and caffeine withdrawal.  I can tell you from experience that you are addicted to caffeine.  Getting a headache when you try to cut out coffee is withdrawal.  Try to cut back on the coffee until you are drinking normal amounts in a day.  Sugar can do the same thing.  We don't think of mainstream things being addictive but caffeine and sugar are very addictive and there are physical consequences when you try to stop.  Terrible headaches is the major one.  You are afraid to eat protein because it may make you gain weight but you are not afraid to eat the junk that you know will make you gain.  From what you say you do not need to get the DS.  Your tool is working.  You have restriction.  Get out all the materials you doctor gave you after your surgery and review the food plan you followed then.  I do not know anything about the type of surgery you had  so I have no advice on that except try to start over following the plan.  If the post surgery plan was to accommodate healing which you have already done go to the maintenance phase.  If you are unsuccessful get back to you doctor.  He made need to recommend a counselor of some sort.  You seem very stressed and that can't help.  Most of all don't beat yourself up.  We all get off track and it is so easy to wallow in our bad habits.  The first thing we have to do is own up to our sabotaging ourselves.  Then start over with support.  You have support here and accountability.   We understand but we don't coddle.  We are here for you but ultimately you have to do the work. You say you don't know how strong you are but you do know.  You did this before you can do it again.  this time you knowing your tool works should give you confidence.  YOU CAN DO THIS.

hi - i am new to this group.  But i certainly understand what you are going thru.  I lost weight my 1st yr with the sleeve, maintained for another 18 months after - then changed jobs, now very sedentary, and in concert with that, started snacking (the bad sugar stuff) - well 18 months after job change & I am 25 pds heaver.  BUT I refuse to go back over 200 pds, so I am back on track as I am now mad and determined.  

So point being - we can do this!!!!  One meal at a time, no more snacking, cut the carbs, etc