I really need help and input

I asked for help in the daily maintenance thread and I am sure that was wrong place to ask for help. I didn't mean to make that mean face but now I can't delete it!

I've been trying really hard for about 4 weeks to take off my regain. My lowest was 130 but my goal was 135 . I creeped back up to 145. I didn't mind the first 5 which put me back to my original goal. I kind of expected that would happen, eventually.

I've managed to get back down to 142 after a little over  week of tracking my calories and carbs. Now for 3 weeks I am stuck at 142 and go up to 142.6 if I eat one single thing like an evening snack. I have been exercising and doing extra cardio. I don't know what else to do.

All I know is, I don't want to go out and buy new pants. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me that I should be able to lose 5 more lbs.

I tried the back on track forum but they are mostly RNY patients on that board and I think their plans and their issues are different than people who have had the VSG.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I know I want to really become active again on this board,  because this is where I belong. Thank you so much  in advance! Any insight is really appreaciated. It seems so much more difficult 3 yrs post op than it did, say, for the first year. I feel lost.

Hi

First, don't beat yourself up over a little regain. It happens to lots of us as you can see from reading this group. But you don't have to accept it .  Sounds like you are doing the right stuff with food journaling and exercise. Its just going to take longer than you would like to get rid of those pounds since you are probably only a couple of hundred under your maintenance amount so each pound may take a couple of weeks to lose.

How is your protein? My surgeon says get 70 g per day for the rest of my life. Keeping your protein up will help you feel less hunger and in my case, it speeded up weight loss. So track your protein too and make sure you get it in like you did in weight loss. Ditto the water or other no calorie fluids. Drink like a fish. I don't quite understand why this works but it doesn.

Yeah maintenance is hard as is getting rid of a little regain but its so worth doing. Just keep at the good habits one day at a time. Don't think in terms of the rest of you life. Just do it for each day and it adds up.  

And please stay with this board. It provides me with so much daily help its immeasurable. Its a daily reminder that you have to keep up certain habits and its so helpful to see others doing it too.

Diane

Yeah, I didn't even know this board existed. . . found it by accident and so glad I did!  Our issues are definitely different than those on the VSG board.  As time goes by, old habits rear their ugly heads. . . as our support group psychologist says, 'the docs don't operate on your head!'  So true. . . my knees are a mess and putting off a knee replacement VERY SOON, and it's ruined my exercise.  Didn't realize how CENTRAL exercise was to my well-being, state of mind, etc.  Without it I feel LOST, just like the previous poster.  Have regained 5 pounds and am so sad. . . just can't seem to get that old positive energy I had up to 2 yrs. post-surgery.  Feel like I'm hanging on by my fingernails.  Glad to know there are others who feel the same and are battling back.

Yes, I know it's hard. I battled a 7 lb. regain for over a year and a half, and that regain happened just after the 3 year mark. I've lost 5 lbs. recently, and that was probably due to the combination of having another surgery (after which I wasn't eating much for a month) and going on thyroid meds. The reality, for me, is that jus****ching what I eat wasn't enough. I already do that! Unfortunately, I found that that I needed to really cut out ANY recreational food or drink as well as cut portions, harder to do now that I get hungrier. I did that for a couple of weeks and found that I would only lose very little and, like you, gain it right back if I veered off plan even a little. I know that other people have had more success with losing, so, like everything in maintenance, it's very individual. It sounds like you're doing all the right things! Are you eating veggies for snacks? Try one of Elina's soups, if you haven't. Definitely hang out here for support!

Take care,
Lizanne

Thanks everyone. I was so good about coming here to this board, when I first got to goal.  

  It really helps me to know there are others who don't really find maintenance a breeze.

Some people have told me just to accept the regain because it's normal. I am just too afraid that
the lbs will just keep accumulating and I need to keep my eye out or I'll just keep regaining more.

what type of exercise are you doing? Any weight training?

You are right to keep your eye out for regain and try to nip it before it becomes overwhelming. It is when we stop being mindful that the weight can sneak up on us.

Gail

I use 2 different elliptical machines at my gym. I also use the treadmill and alternate between power walking and jogging. Sometimes I do elliptical for 30 min and treadmill for 15-30 and sometimes I'll just split my 60 min up equally between the 3 machines.

I've been doing weight training for a long time but i know I need to vary my routine more. I need to look online or in some books cause I can't afford a trainer right now.

If your current weight training regime is the same, you can vary the routine, by increasing the weight and adding another set to what you are already doing.

I don't know how many calories, carbs, or protein you are eating, but this far out, the calorie deficit through exercise becomes even more important, than during the weight loss phase.

gail

I would tell you that those people that tell you to just go with the flow will most likely watch their weight flow right back up to where they were in a few years.  Do not become complacent and fight the regain just as you are already committed to doing.  I would tell you to cut your calories back to under 1000 or maybe even 800, increase dense lean protein and non carby veggies and eliminate carbs as much as possible. Watch your sodium, and increase water.  You know, the usual stuff.  It still works.  If it was me, I would put together a detailed plan of exactly what I was going to do, write it down and implement it.  I would tweak anything that didn't work and I would do it until it worked.  I would be very tenacious and not give up.  That's what would work for me. 

I forgot to add, I would probably live on my soups for a week or more and watch the weight just fall off.  At least it does for me.  Good luck to you and it's good to see you on this board.  This will work, I know it will.  Hugs.

 I would disagree with Elena - because I have never seen you relax and enjoy your weight loss. even at your lowest weight, you have been anxious about regain.  this tightening down and eating less than 800 calories seems painful and tense to me. 

can you do something to relax more?  I can see you are active - but what about yoga, meditation, chanting - more low key stuff?

that's my advice..might be worth exactly what you paid for it!