What's the farthest "OFF TRACK" you've been, & how did you get back on??

I have posted here MANY times, and you all are WONDERFUL! I am so messed up in the head! I'm only a year and 2 months out, and ALREADY feel like I haven't lost enough, and feel like a damn failure!! I know I've lost an awesome amount of weight, but it's like the novelty has worn off, and now I feel like a fat slob again. I have been wondering if my body is done losing or if more will come off?? I literally haven't lost since around January! How does one find this out??  

Hello Melissa,

Let me congratulate you on the weight you have lost which is a wonderful accomplishment. No you're not finish losing, but what you do from here depends on you.  I am three years post-op and have not yet reached my goal, but the novelty of my weight loss has not worn off.  As I speak from experience you have lost more weight, much quicker than normal and your body is adjusting to the change.

When you had surgery they operated on your stomach, but your head...and old habits do die hard.  You have probably gotten comfortable and feel like you can go back to eating the things you use to eat.  In our case no....

You can lose the weight and reach your goal.  Remember how regimented you were when you first began...get rid of the junk food and go back to the basics and visit us here on the boards.  There's a wealth of help and information here. 

PROTEIN - EXERCISE - WATER - JOURNAL (write it down) - REST

Dreamgirl119

I understand how you are feeling. I believe everyone goes through moments like this so don't give up you can do it. I am 5 years out and have become discouraged myself. I the previous person said the doctors work on our stomachs but not my head. I had gotten within 10-15 lbs of my goal but believed I was still 'fat' so I sort of gave up. I knew I was not eating right but did nothing to stop it. I kept saying tomorrow but of course it never came; 30 lbs extra did though. I had begun feeling that I had completely forgotten how to eat correctly. Well this week I finally went to see the dietitian like my doctor wanted me to do last October. It was the best thing I have done since my surgery. She was wonderful. We set up a plan for me to follow which it really helping. I have already lost 2 lbs! Don't get me wrong I am still struggling but I am working at it. I plan to get back into those clothes in my closet that I thought I was 'fat' in, lol. Maybe you should talk to a dietitian; ask your doctor if he can recommend one. It might help. Good luck and God Bless.

Hi. I've regained 120 pounds. Got back on track in early March. Lost 42 pounds and am on my way. I started working out with a trainer and that is helping. But, most importantly is not grazing.

I am scheduled for a revision from my RNY to a DS in August. I can't wait!

Coming here on this forum really helps!

You can do this!

Good luck.

Lucy

Hello Melissa,

I never reached my goal and I regained 80 of almost 300 pounds I had lost.  Now I have lost 30 of 80 pounds gained and that has been since March 5th on this year since I have been posting back here on OH.com.  I had stopped for 3 years.  Read my Blogs for my journey since March 2010.  My main goal this year is to loss the regained weight.  When I do this I will move on to reaching my ultimate goal.  The support team and groups here on OH.com have helped me a lot!!  I have taken so many of the suggestions I have received and they have paid off in volumes.  Keep posting and reading and encouraging here and you will get the tools you need to get back on track.  This is a lifelong journey and we are not failures. 

We are failures when we give up on ourselves and believe we are fat slobs.  Negative thinking and thoughts like these are great sabotages for success and working on positive thinking is the 1st step to getting back on track.  Hopefully you will find that her on OH.com.  Get whatever help you need to get by on track.  Do whatever it takes to help up and you can lose the rest of your weight.  But lose the negative thinking is key to moving forward to bigger and better things and a healthier life.

I have 3 P's I live by these days: 
Perseverance - Never giving up on our health and self.
Patience - unhealthy habits will take time to overcome, so do beat yourself if it takes time and many relapses to overcome them.
Positive - thinking and attitudes.

You can do it Melissa!!!  I know you can!  KIT and we are here if you need us. 

I am only 2 years post op - and it is a challenge.  I gained 15 lbs from my lowest. But I already lost 10 and that where I would stay.  I can lose more - but that would not be nice or healthy.
As heavy as I am - I have a very large frame and muscles. So I fit into small size 6.  (or 8 - tops). My body fat % is low - so really  - there is no more i should loose - unless I want to be unhealthy.
But - I gained the extra 10 lbs - when i also started drinking wine very often.  My moment was when I put on pants that used to be loose - only to find out that they got tight. 
So - I got back to basics, stopped drinking alcohol all together, stopped any starchy carbs, and ... also got stomach virus in a meantime (do not recommend - but it was a fast way to lose 5 lbs) and I am back to within my goal range.  
It takes a lot of discipline to do that - but it can be done.   

But - unfortunately - I had better body image when I was size 12 than now - that I am size 6.   Not sure why and not sure what to do about that.  On one side I know I look OK, but on the other- I feel fat.   

Hi
I'm so glad to have found you. I had surgery in 11-01 and never reached my goal of 150. I did lose 80 pounds but regained 20. I've lost that same weight so many times, as Erma Bombeck said, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet by now! I found advice about going back on liquids for 1-2 weeks the same as post-op, so I'm starting that today. I'm really encouraged by reading how some of you have started losing again even after several years. Good for you!! And thanks for sharing that - I needed to hear it!!
Maggie

Wow, it is so nice to not feel alone!  I am also 14 months out and haven't lost a pound since X-Mas.  I lost 61 pounds and wanted to lose 9 more (minimum) and subsequently gained 8.  I have tried to psych myself up to do the 5dpt but can't deal with the idea of an LD - I actually get kind of pissed off - why should I have to do an LD?  I should be able to get back on track eating actual food.  And another day goes by with me eating 1800-2200 calories with no loss.  One thing I have continued is regular exercise, but it isn't enough to lose weight.  For some reason I am having trouble staying at 1500 calories or less.  I think I am choosing the wrong foods and need to get that in order.  At work I just feel hungry (not sure if I am or not or if it is just stress/boredom) and by the time I get home I want to graze.  then I get too full and that sucks too.  Alcohol has been an issue for me too - I started drinking vodka about 6 months out and that is about when the weight loss really slowed down.  then it started interfering with my depression meds as well.  I am trying to wean off the alcohol but it is hard - the cross addiction aspect of this surgery was a huge surprise for me since I was never a heavy drinker.  But I certainly ate for comfort and it frustrates me that I can't get any comfort from food anymore.  I am always worried about getting sick.  I ate 1 scoop of ice cream last night and  got sick - I know ice cream does that but I do it anyway. 

Lots of issues to work through, but it is nice to hear that others have issues too.  So often support groups and even OH forums don't want to talk about this stuff.

Hi
I had surgery in 11-01 and have never reached goal. I finally decided to stop sabotaging myself by eating the wrong foods, not following the advice I was given, etc. When I found this site the other day, and also the info about going back to a liquid diet, I was happy and relieved (quite different from your feelings about it, I guess). I'm on day two of the liquid diet and I'm amazed at how good I feel. I knew my eating was making me tired, depressed, etc. but didn't realize the extent of it.

I hope you will give the liquid diet a try - just commit to one day, to show yourself that you can do it. Then if you want to do another day, it will be easier. You aren't as hungry the second day.

I'm planning to do one week on the liquid diet, then return to eating the way I know I need to eat. Not just to lose the weight, but to feel better. I think if you can commit to giving up the alcohol just for that one day on the liquid diet, you might feel a huge difference.

I eat for comfort, too, and sometimes when I stop doing that, I have to think hard about the feelings I'm trying to suppress. You understand that you turned to alcohol for that reason. Maybe if you can prepare yourself for the feelings that will surface, you can make it through just one day. That's all you need for now.

Best of luck!

Maggie

Alcohol - I know the battle.  I gained 10 extra lbs when I started drinking.  And I know how difficult is to stop.   But I did it - i got help from one of the people from here.  I reach to her and she responded.  it took me 3 weeks to completely get off my wine (it still calls me name) but i know i can't trust myself.  I wish i just could have 1 glass of wine every 2 -3 days.  but once I open the bottle - I drink it in 2-3 days and then reach for another.  i was never a heave drinking before RNY and could care less if the wine was in the house.  i could drink it - or not.  Now - i can't.  i had to remove all alcohol from the house.  maybe one day - I can have it back in the house. 
i think for us post op RNY the need for alcohol may be due to low sugar levels.  during the day - i am fine but when evening comes -and if i am hungry - I can literally taste the wine ... in my imagination.  But for a good few weeks I have not have a drink and can leave the store without buying any alcohol.  I have beer in the house - but since I do not like it - I know that it is safe (for cooking). 
If you need to do something about your diet - and all liquid is difficult - try to do what i do some days - i would drink protein drinks, and water and teas during the day (protein shakes made with water - not milk - that has a lot of carbs) and then have a low carb meal at dinner - low starchy green veggies + meat or fish or eggs. I add some nuts (as a dessert) and some berries (low sugar) and have a great day.  that way - I do not feel deprived, get 10-150 gr proteins a day , a lot of water, and a nice meal at the end of the day.  i can eat like that for weeks... and my system is no deprived, and i do fine.  some days - exchange the dinner for lunch - if you have too. 
or have additional green salad for lunch (with a lot of low sugar veggies) with a lot of lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, etc. and oil + lemon juice as salad dressing. 
it is like an Low fat Atkins.   Just make sure you get enough fats in your day (fish, 1-2 tsp of oils), etc.