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Your steak sounds like my roast. get good quality beef roast - sirloin tip, round. Preheat oven to 500. Cook roast 5 minutes per pound. Turn off and leave in oven with door closed for 2 hours. Pink in center ... yum. I season w/ garlic salt only.

Kate,

You are certainly going about it the right way. We all need to catch this before it gets out of control. I have two challenging times that I've learned that I really need to watch it. The first one is between Thanksgiving and the New Year and the second one is the month of July. Now that I know the more dangerous times, I intend to watch those more closely. Thanks for taking the time to share your insight with our little group.

John

I am 4 years post-op, and originally lost exactly 100lbs following RNY.  From about 2-3yrs (about an 15 month time period), I regained about 35 lbs.  While I think that 20-30% regain is statistically normal, I was not willing to live with my regain, so about 10 months ago, I got back on the program.  I have lost 39lbs, so I am now at my lowest post-op weight. 

For me, returning to immediate post-op protocol was not feasable --first, because i actually have an appetite now (which I did not have for the first 8-12 months post op), also I found that my immediate post-op food choices included a lot of processed, sugar-free, food replacements (i.e. fake chocolate, soy chips, etc. . .) and my choices were based soley on tallying protein grams, sugar grams & other individual pieces of info from nutrition labels.  Now I try to eat real/whole foods, and I am a firm believer that whole foods are greater than the sum of their parts (things measured on nutrition labels).    Below is what I did to lose the weight:

The first thing I did was get back on the scale.  I have found that weighing myself every couple days makes me mentally more accountable (I know all about the day to day fluctuations, etc. . ., but I find that I avoid the scale when I have been eating poorly & that when I avoid the scale I continue to eat poorly--wierd vicious cycle)

Second, for about 4 weeks, I went back to a protein supplement (drink or bar) every three hours, and then a dinner of only protein & veggies.   This was really a re-set for me & a way to get rid of the carb cravings, but something I am unwilling to due long-term b/c most of the protein supplements are not "real food" in my opinion--also I don't like the idea of being on a diet, I just need to figure out how to have a good relationship with food & my body for the long haul. 

Third, I cut out all artificial sweeteners (except for what was in the supplements, since that seemed to be inevitable)--This actually made a huge difference in my hunger.  There have been a couple times in the past few months where I have had a diet soda, and I can immediately tell a difference in my desire to eat crap & in the scale.

After the initial protein heavy reboot period & the elimination of artificial sweeteners, I physically feel  much more restricted (like I did in the 6-12 month post-op time frame). Also, I try to eat as much "real" food as possible--no low-fat, partially-hydrogenated, high-fructose, or sugar-free stuff.  Other than taht, I don't have an official plan or diet that I eat.  Just try to eat when i am hungry & only quality food.

Another very important (IMHO) componant to me getting back on track was to get a full lab panel done including vits & minerals, standard CBC panel, and hormone levels.  I had PCOS prior to my RNY & was told that RNY would cure the PCOS, so  I would not longer need to take Glucophage (metformin).  When the blood work came back, my cortisol levels & testosterone levels were both seriously out of whack and in line with active PCOS .  As such, I went back on Metformin ( my new PCP has advised that this will likely be a lifetime maintenance drug for me).  I also adjusted my vitamin intake where the lab results indicated deficiencies.

Finally,  I also found a great psychiatrist, who has found the perfect drug ****tail to handle some of the depression/anxiety issues that I have (these are pretty persistant and not necessarily  related to weight gain).  With the depression/anxiety under control, i have had an easier time not abusing food or eating when not truly hungry.

Not suggesting that this is "THE" way to get on track, just sharing what worked for me.  Good luck. :)

I have come on here in response to a thread on the lapband board from John ( I think!). I fit the criteria exactly and so thought I would just come on to share.

I lost my excess weight (109lbs) in about 15 months, deliberately put back about 5 or 6 as I was too thin. Maintained ever since (over two years).

But I maintain by doing exactly what all my (slim) friends do. That is, I eat healthily quite a lot of the time but also indulge myself a lot too! After something like a long holiday when I have eaten too many desserts and drunk too much alcohol, i come home about 10lbs heavier. I did just that over Christmas.

But I have found every time that as long as I deal with it immediately, the weight comes off quickly. Last time (after a month in the US) I gained 8lbs and lost it all in 3 weeks. I just go right back to all the "rules". My belief is that this is going to carry on working as long as I keep on doing it quickly!

Again, this is like my slim friends. They over-indulge every now and then and then work for a while to lose it.

So when people ask, I say I am maintaining. But that maintaining inlcudes blips!

Just hope this carries on working!!

Kate

New favorite simple recipe as of today is;
3-4 oz chicken chopped up small
2T greek sauce from Costco- only 35 calories and tons of flavor
mix together and place on a lightly toasted 100 calorie sandwich thin with spring mix lettuce.

Your soup sounds good; I may try it this weekend. I need to go grocery shopping first; the cupboards are bare! I avoided the commissary during the holidays but will go this Friday.

Mary