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Great article, thanks for posting it.  One of my most successful WL attempts pre-WLS was a ketogenic diet. Very low carb, high protein, etc.  I felt terrific, it really is a good diet for me (and by diet I mean way of eating) and is pretty much how I eat today.  My very fit, low-body wt/low-body fat son however, feels best on a high carb diet which we figured out when he was a star high-school and then college athlete. I was trying to feed him my LCHF meals but it just wasn't working. 

Funny thing is that now I'm no longer obese, I do still feel best on this type and have little doubt I'll remain on it.  Which suits me fine! 

I always appreciate your input HALA B   :)

Thanks for posting the article "16 ways to get back on track" - it's excellent! Good to be reminded that none of us are alone on the quest for better health. We all know that it's very easy to beat ourselves up, let's not go there. Instead, practice compassion and apply that to ourselves first! :-)

Hi!  I agree, would love more posts.  So, I'll go ahead even though I'm not particularly interesting.  I had RNY in 2007.  I was 366 lbs at my highest and got down to 185 within the first 18 mos.  Then I took complete leave of my senses and started drinking alcohol.  Quantities of wine so great that I started buying by the box.  When I was drinking, I did not want to cook - so started eating fast food - pizza and potato chips, corn chips etc.

By the time I regained my reason, I had gone from 185 to 310.  I'm back on track now and am currently 278 lbs.  I'm back to taking calcium and vitamins which I had given up while drinking. 

The weight is coming off slowly but steadily.  I'm trying to get a grip on why I gained weight to begin with (old story - lousy childhood) including sexual abuse, neglect.  The surgery gave me the physical answer but the emotional hunger was another story all together.  I come here to see that I'm not alone in my struggle and to gain inspiration and support from others who have walked in the same shoes as me.

hang in there, you have not done significant damage yet.  Before you eat something question yourself - are you feeding your stomach or your head.  I go on You Tube and watch videos on Bariatric surgery or watch an episode of My 600 lb Life (I recorded the whole last season).  I find that revisiting stories of people who desperately would want to trade places with me a sure fire appetite killer.  Hope this helps in some small way.

I hope that your baseball team won!!  I remember when my boys were young enough to play baseball, well little league!  There was nothing like it at all.

I am going to recommit to posting on BOTTS (whi*****identally I haven't done in a really long time).  I am not too far off track but my own personal summers make sleeping difficult so I find I stand in front of the open refrigerator at times trying to cool off.  One thing leads to another and I am eating some carrots, a couple of radishes, maybe a stalk of celery and then I am trying to go back to sleep.

So, meals for today?

Breakfast~ homemade egg sandwich (220 cals, 16 protein, 8 carbs

lunch~ hummus and cucumbers (300 cals, 10 protein, 12 carbs)

dinner~ cauliflower salad with 6 shrimp (170 cals, 15 protein, 0 carbs)

snack~ 100 calorie pack pretzels (100 cals, 0 protein, 10 carbs)

Never say never! You can do this! and sounds like you are off to a great start! You have done an amazing job! You have kept 180 pounds off!

Don't feel ashamed, you are not alone. Maintenance and regain is so hard! But I love the support here. Started posting more and checking in every day like I used to pre and post op.

Focus on a 5 to 10 pound goal at a time, or better yet, Focus on your health and how you are feeling. More energy, less pain and being able to move more. Much more important than the number on the scale.

Things I started doing to get back on track,

Journaling, I really was not paying attention to how much grazing I was doing during the day! So I write down everything now that passes these lips. If I have an off day, I will also journal about what was going on that day that made me turn to food again for comfort.

I quit skipping meals, at work a lot of the times I will miss lunch, so I always pack a protein shake or have a Quest bar with me for those crazy days. When I am too hungry, I will always make poor food choices.

I never eat breakfast first thing in the morning, so I always start off with a protein coffee. I mix a scoop of protein with milk, make a slurry then slowly add the hot coffee. Kind of like a latte. 

Protein first, I usually eat 4 ounces at lunch and dinner. The denser the protein, the longer I feel full. Then some veggies and maybe a couple times a week a 1/2 cup of berries. I found that fruit will trigger me to eat more.

White carbs + me = disaster!! Carbaholic here too! So no refined carbs or white foods like potatoes. 

I use a greek light a fit yogurt a day, to get my supplements down. 

I do not drink 30 minutes before my meals and atleast 30 to 60 minutes after a meal, depends on how full I feel.

I make sure I take my thyroid med early in the morning with water on a empty stomach. I have been on thyroid meds since preop. The levothyroxine will not absorb as well with competition from food or supplements. 

I try not to snack, but if I do I make sure its protein, like a hard boiled egg, lunch meat rolled up with some cheese, left over chicken. If I don't want to eat protein, I figured out that it is not hunger, its something else, emotional, boredom, etc. Then I make some hot tea or other  low or no calorie beverage to sip on.

Love that you are moving more, chair exercises are an awesome idea! 

Hope this helps.

Keep up the good work!!