Checking in...

Hello positive attitude people!!

My plateau just broke... I've slipped under 230 pounds for the first time in many years (started this journey at 384, 328 on surgery day, Feb. 9, 2010). 155 pounds down since January 2008!! Woo Hoo!

I've just started my third week of regular cardio at the gym. Working on making it part of my lifestyle. It's amazing to me how much progress I've made in just three weeks in terms of how mu*****line I need on the treadmill to get my heart rate up to 140 or 150... time to add some weightlifting to tone this increasingly flabby-flappy bod.

I feel good, enjoying fitting into clothes from wayyyyy back in my closet. But I'm haunted by the negative RNY stuff I read on the interwebs... there are some very vocal very unhappy people out there... some of them post on OH boards, too. We're not all doomed to regain, are we? I'm fortunate that the "head hunger" demon hasn't been too bad and I've largely stuck to my eating plan, getting in tons of protein, lots of liquids, all my vits, etc. My labs were awesome at my six-month appointment with the surgeon. Now that I'm moving again (I was on strike for a couple months, ha ha) I'm really working my program like I'm supposed to. But... I feel fragile in my new behaviors and lifestyle. Does it ever get less fragile? Do you ever feel like you settle into a groove of healthy behavior? How best to get to that place where it all feels "normal?"

Loving that you're all there... thanks for reading!! I'll write again soon about my dear honey-bunny, who had her bypass in August. She's lost 60 pounds! It's great being able to support each other in the journey.

The incredibly shrinking Greg

Who is that man?????  OH MY GOD GREG!!!  You look fabulous!!!!  I just love love love it!!  I swear I need to do a before and after for WLS Success peeps! 

Welcome back and it's great to hear from you.  NOW the serious stuff.  I'm so glad you brought up the subject about the bad stuff.  Wow....I really wanted to get involved in that thread but to tell you the truth I was afraid.  There are many stages of how people get in those "places".  First I will give you the golden ticket on how not to get there.  Make absolutely sure you take your vitamins and have labs done.  Weigh every day once you get to goal and settle on a number that you "cannot" go over.  Weigh every day and the moment you go over a couple of pounds...FIX IT.  Fix it while it is small.  Make it an absolute as Molly posted about and you'll be fine. 

The reasons people become unhappy are:
- they regain a small amount (or a large amount) and feel defeated and a failure again so they go into a self destruct mode and gain even more, don't take vitamins and get angry.
- some are non-compliant from the beginning and suffer due to vitamin deficiencies.
- some have cross addicted to drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling or all of the above and they don't want to admit it or seek help or cannot get help.
- some were horribly depressed and are still depressed (and angry)
- some were expecting the weight loss to make life perfect and it didn't so they are still looking to find something from the outside to make them happy.  The ones that are unhappy often do not want to be unhappy alone. Misery loves company.  Many of them seek out and attack the ones they "assume" are happy. Again misery loves company.

There are many reasons and many combinations of reasons.  There are some that have absolutely legitimate complications and pain.  Let me repeat that. There are some that have absolutely legitimate complications and pain.  They are the fewer however.  I know hundreds of people that have had this surgery and only a few have had serious complications and many of them were fixed.  Even some of the worst tell me they would do it all over again.  The truth is there are many different ways to have problems but again the majority are mental and/or non-compliance.  The thing is...both of those are in our control.  If you do what you are supposed to do you will have a much better chance of having no problems.  And let me say again.....There are some that have absolutely legitimate complications and pain.

I'm repeating that sentence because someone might try to take my words out of context to hurt me.  So Greg....enjoy your beautiful life and don't worry about things that have not happened.  SEE yourself as a success and you will attract it into your life.  See it, believe it, receive it.  If you have any questions, please ask me but don't worry. 

Can't wait to hear about your honey bunny.

Also...yes you do settle into normalcy.  The way to do it is to set your lifestyle and stick to it.  Again, read Molly's post about absolutes.  I absolutely will not eat over 8 grams of sugar.  I don't eat things I want to stop eating because you will lose the craving if you stop eating those things.  I was addicted to Coke and couldn't stop drinking it before surgery.  I can't even remember what it tastes like now.  Give yourself some time.  It took me about 3 years to get accustomed to seeing myself in the mirror.  It took about 3 years to quite dreaming "fat".  You'll settle into it...just make your decision to be healthy and stick to it. NOTHING IS WORTH eating that will make you feel guilty and ashamed later.  We don't need that junk stuff.  Again....if you stop eating it you will lose the cravings. 

Let me know if anything I said is confusing OK?  So glad to see you.  You look MAAAHHHHRVELOUS!
hugs, Y

You look amazing!!!

keep up that cardio its great for you!

Greg

Hi there!  I'm by no means an expert, but I can tell you that I am very analytical and have done TONS of research on WLS topics.  I completely agree with everything Yvonne has said in her reply.  Sure, there are the exceptions that have some legitimate physical/medical whatever reason to regain some or all of their weight, but it seems the vast majority that regain more than 15% of their lost weight are simply eating more calories then they are burning.

You've probably seen various versions of the 'rules'.  Sounds like you are working hard and focused on following the rules for long term success.  There are many, many people that do have long term success, and you should be in that number too!

I've just finished reading Connie Stapleton's book "Eat it Up!".  I met her at the OH conference in Houston.  OMG - what a great book.  Her version of the 'rules' are packaged as GDE's = Gotta Do Em's.

They are:

1. make consistently healthy food choices (protein first)
2. maintain portion control
3. exercise on a daily basis
4. drink plenty of water throughout the day, but not with meals
5. eat breakfast
6. plan your meals and follow your plan
7. keep food and exercise journals
8. get plenty of sleep
9. utilize a healthy support system (support group meetings and on-line support)
10. participate in individual and/or group counseling for at least a year

I know you can do this. You deserve it.

Great post MO.  You know just being part of any addictive disease, denial is part of that.  Some post-ops want a miracle surgery and want to blame others when they don't put in any of the work.  I have always said that if you respect and nurture your surgery it will do the same for you. If you abuse it you can expect a poor outcome. 
hugs, Y

Greg Congratulations on breaking your plateau and accomplishing all you have. You look great.
Dont you just love being able to move ?