I think I need to face the music...or pay the piper

...or any other phrase that might describe facing up to taking control and being accountable. I had my RNY in May of 2003. My experience was great and my weight loss was successful. No complications ...smooth sailing. Until a couple of years later. It seems I had hit a plateau which at the time I was OK with. I weighed 165 which was better than the 298 I started at. I felt good and ate healthy and got enough exercise. At some point I can't remember the weight started to creep back...first 5 lbs. then 10...I can remember looking at the scale weighing in at 176 thinking I had better do something...that was a feeling i would become all too familiar with. Little did I know that would be the beginning of where things stand now.

Today I weigh approx 212...and things have to get under control or I know I will undo all of the things I did and end up feeling miserable. I don't quite feel miserable today, in fact I feel pretty strong and confident that I can manage to turn this around. After all I know what I am doing wrong....not following the rules....drinking with my meals....eating more carbs and sugar than I should be...and not exercising enough. The one thing I am doing is taking vitamins. So it isn't all bad :-) trying to stay positive here.

So today I am admitting that I am out of control and also committing to gaining it back...(gaining control back...not weight...so no pun intended!)

I have always been a lurker in this group, but I am seeing people make positive changes as well as some who have gained and then got back on track. Today has to be the day that I make some changes and Get BOTT!!

Thanks for listening....and for the motivation to take the step to admit.

Regaining control... starting right now....
Not in an hour, and not "tomorrow".
I do have days, or hours that I do slip back into old habits... but once I realize that... I try not to put myself down ... realized that what was done - can't be undone... and focus on the present moment.  Starting immediately... Good luck to you, Felicia...  

I think its probably the biggest, yet hardest step to take, is to stand up and say i have gained, but for me, after facing the music myself and accepting that it was a reality, telling others and admitting it to others was the turning point for me..

once i had openly acknowledged that i had gained, i think the next most important thing was to keep focussed and to do that meant logging into oh everday and even if not posting i read posts daily to get my head back in the game..

For some reason when i got off track i put my head back in the sand and stopped weighing so on some lvl even if subconciously i knew i was gaining but did not want to have to face the truth..

You too can do this, you too can make the positive changes that you see people making here, just take it one day at a time one min at a time if you have to..  I wish you all the best as you continue on your journey..

Jump right in and join the crowd.  You can do it!

I agree with Hala and Linda, it can be done.  I know, I been there and slowly but surely I gotten back on track.  You can do this.  You have already written down what you need to do.  We are all here to help you in any way we can.  Start now.

Thanks to all of you! I have to tell you it felt good to admit it. For some reason it was like a starting point.

Today was a great day...One day down following all of the rules! It is good to know that there are actually some of us who have indeed gained control instead of more weight. All too often I have read numerous posts like mine and wondered...so is anyone actually beating the monster! And now to know there are those of you out there I will pull some strength and hope from that.

 Hi Felicia,

This is the hardest step to take and you may stumble along the way but putting your health first is so important to you and all  your loved ones.

Let us know if you need help with anything.  Come here often, email, reach out as we are here. If you are like me, carbs were the biggest reason my weight started to creep back up. And I stopped working out.  To get the carb cravings out of your system try this for two weeks....

Again we are here for you!  Kudos to you and your choice to take back your life~

*No alcohol

*No artificial sweetener

*Only water, tea, and coffee.  You can have low fat creamer. You can flavor water with lemon.

*Veggies include: broccoli, peppers, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash.

Breakfast Picks:

-1/2  cup egg beaters with 1 cup veggies

- ½ cup skim milk/1 cup ice/ ½ cup berries mixed into a smoothie (berries can be strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or mixed)

-½ cup oatmeal, 1tbs slivered almonds/1 banana

Snacks (2 a day)

-1 cup lowfat yogurt

-14 almonds

-2 rice cakes with 1tbs of peanut butter

-1 piece of turkey rolled in lettuce with mustard

-string cheese (low fat)

Lunch

-2 cups lettuce/ 4 oz of lean meat/ 1 cup of veggies tossed with vinaigrette

-whole wheat wrap with lettuce, mustard, and 4 oz of lean meat

Dinner

-6 oz of any lean meat 

You can use salmon, beef, pork, or chicken as long as it is lean.

You have to have protein and the veggies

-2 cups of steamed veggies

Good advice & support from everyone so far. I would just like to add the suggestionS of finding a local support group you can attend monthly (at least!) and also to try a food journal (I like My Plate at livstrong.com). YOU CAN DO IT!!