Tips...

Hi .... thanks for approving and addingadding me to the group. I'm 44. First joined this site when I was 42. WLS - sleeve 05/06/2014.

I've been overweight since grade school. Depression, childhood sexual abuse and binge eating led to super-morbid obesity in adulthood.

I wanted to find the right combination of diet and willpower and support. It took 5 years for me to get up the courage to have WLS in 2014 (I quit 2 programs before following through). Highest weight was 385.

I lost 75# and have gained back 25 of those. My original goal was to lose 175; my doc and I thought that was feasible.

My (awesome) psych recommended that I not make many life changes the first year. But with my coping mechanism -- food -- gone, I realized how much I hated my life. So I changed. Quit my job, decided to get an advanced degree.

It's wonderful, but I'm in denial about my lack of weight loss. I eat allllll the wrong foods. I eat too fast. I hate to cook. I'm an emotional eater (stress, anger. Oh my, anger.)

I'm a fan of Dr. Fuhrman's eating style and have had success on it .... but can't stick to it for more than 2-3 days ...

WLS was supposed to be "it" ... and it's not. And I'm scared I'm out of chances.

I used to belong to the sleeve boards a few years ago but left because of rude, snide, hurtful comments. Praying that my skin is thicker this time around. 

If you could give me one tip to get back on track, what would it be?

One tip? How about 3? Or 4?

1. Weigh daily. It is a good motivator
2. Measure all your food and journal it every day -before you eat it. It is an eye opener. 
3. Ditch carbs - most of it, even "so called good carbs". I get proteins and non starchy veggies. I even avoid fruits. Fruis and starchy veggies like potatoes, beans, even carrots - turn into sugar in our body. Even milk products (except cheese and some Greek yogurt) or mostly carbs. 

If you can go low carbs for a few days and eat least processed food - real food like meat, eggs, fish, with some veggies - like broccoli, califlower, cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, celery, etc - you may have it rough for a few days, but after first 3-4 days your hunger should go down and you should be able to stick to good - whole food diet. 

Recognise head hunger - "want something" vs real hunger. 

When I am decarbing ...I will make or buy lots of food that I can eat - I.e baked chicken, pork loin, baked turkey, steak, beg roast..low sugar ham, eggs.. Cucumbers, no sugar added pickles, ...

Then I will eat as much as my body wants but only from that list.  And when I feel hungry - but not hungry enough for the chicken or HB egg - then I am really not hungry but have cravings... 

It is ok to be hungry...if it is not the time for my meal - I drink water, or coffee or green tea... Until it is time for my next meal. 

I do give myself permission to have a few servings of fruits one or 2 times a week - mostly berries.   I buy some fruits once every 2-3 weeks ..and after that is gone - no more until the next time I can buy fruits. 

A serving of fruits is I.e 1/2 cup of berries, or a very small Apple...or 1/2 of a big one. 

I use mustard, reduced sugar ketchup, some mayo etc. To add more flavor. 

I don't eat low fat... Low fat = to many junk stuff... I eat avocado, some nuts (premesured) ... 

Good luck. 

Thank you! All good stuff. Appreciate it.