Question:
Why am I doing this? HELP!!

I will shortly be 5 months post-op. For the last few days I been eating everything I want and I mean everything. Yes I do protien. But,I also have had too many carbs. I have been excercising every day for the last 3 weeks 20-30 minutes twice a day, but I figured I'm burning off the calories so why not have whatI want? I've had some chips, I've had two handfuls of cheese crackers and other high calorie foods also. Tonight was the worst I ate regular ice cream with marshmallow topping and a teaspoon of peanut butter. I prayed I would dump but I didn't. In fact, I never have dumped. I wish I would. Just once! I really feel that would be the best tool. I've had to rely on willpower and I'm begining to feel I'm just on another diet. I know I'm not. Yes, I know no diet would of even got me down 70+ pounds in these few months,BUT...I'm really messing things Up! :o(    — RobinLPN. (posted on August 15, 2002)

August 15, 2002
First, congrats on all of the weight you have lost. Second, you are exercising alot, which is great!! And third, you have realized you snacked a little too much, so that is good. I am 11 weeks post-op and snacked on cheese doodles a few nights in a row, and asked myself what i am doing?! But then i got advise from others saying, yes it's not the best in the world, but we're not doing this to diet, and try cheese instead of cheese doodles, etc. SO instead of real icecream, next time try frozen yogurt, and the peanut butter isn't so bad in my opinion, it's protein, i eat it for snacks! Next time instead of chips, try baked lays, i know people eat them as a snack. This is a tool, make it work for you, but don't starve yourself of living a good food life either! You're allowed to enjoy some treats once in a while, just don't make them high carb/caloric treats everyday, that's all! I don't dump either, so I know that people like us have to work a little bit harder at it! I think you took the first step in doing it better for next time, you already posted for help! goodluck! :)
   — Lezlie Y.

August 15, 2002
I know exactly what you mean. I've been doing the same thing (three months out). It really scares me to be honest. I've never dumped either. Most people will tell you not to consider yourself on a diet. I agree with that, but I realize that it's super important to get use to eating healthy. The foods you eat in the first year are the most important, in my opinion. If you make it a habit to eat healthy now, you will keep those habits. My advise is to get rid of those foods now. Get them out of the house. Just go to the frig and start taking out anything that you know you shouldn't eat. Give it away or throw it away. Don't get me wrong, I see nothing wrong with an piece of cake once in a while. I don't think anyone should live on a diet all the time. Just try to make good choices now, and reap the results for years to come. Good luck and congratulations.
   — Sarah K.

August 15, 2002
I have to agree with the fact that as long as you are first and foremost admitting to not doing such a good thing, you are still on the right track. Think about our past diets...wouldn't you sit there and eat the wrong foods, yet trick your mind into thinking it was ok "this one time". There is no fooling ourselves this time around...our body is in charge now, not our brain-washed minds. Whenever I get off track (which is more often than I'd like) I think about the things I had to go through to get this surgery, and the pain I was in being SO overweight. Nothing is worth going back to where we once were. Good luck and God Bless.
   — Kelly C.

August 16, 2002
Hi Robin, I am six months post-op, down 71 lbs. I too was eating too much, especially too many carbs. And I was also scared that I was screwing up! I ended up on a one month plateau (no weight loss at all) at the 3 month mark, lasted until 4 month mark. What I did was went to www.fitday.com to get an idea of my daily intake of calories and carbs. Turns out I was eating way too many carbs, and a little too many calories. So we can fail on this WLS!! That was enough to scare me into reducing my caloric intake, and making carb intake very low. I basically follow a low-carb diet (similar to Atkins), eat low-carb EAS protein bars (low sugar too), and finally stopped the plateau, and the senseless eating. It is still a huge battle with my mind! I have to force myself to do something else (other than overeating) in order to stop my mind from thinking of the food. I recommend that you stop buying the "bad for you" stuff, and stock yourself with some "good for you" things. You need to satisfy the needs though, maybe sugar free fudgsicles, air popped popcorn, peanuts or cashews, etc. Good luck, this sure is HARD!
   — [Deactivated Member]

August 16, 2002
Well, I see that I am not alone in this adventure! I too have been doing naughty things in the past 2 weeks that have really gotten me in trouble in the gas department and diarrea dept also! I have overdoing it on the carbs and also I have been hitting the snack machine like crazy! THIS LETS ME KNOW THAT I HAVE TO KEEP MYSELF ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND REALLY TRY HARD TO EAT RIGHT! I NOTICED SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON THIS NOT EATING RIGHT BINGE THAT MY BOWEL MOVEMENTS SMELL WORSE AND THE GAS THAT I HAVE LINGER IN THE AIR A LOT LONGER! SO NOW I AM BACK ON TRACK AND I DON'T QUITE KNOW what got into me but now I have learned my lesson to not be bad for too long or I will suffer from terrible gas and cruel bowel habits and not to mention not shedding the weight like I should!!!! Do you guys find that when you indulge in too many carbs that you suffer from gas or indigestion problems? Or is it just me! Well, I have gotten rid of all of the bad foods and replaced them with good food so that temptation won't get the best of me and I hope you all have the best of luck also! GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL AND REMEMBER WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER! TAKE CARE, SHIRLEY
   — Shirley M.

August 16, 2002
Robin, its wonderful that you can exercise so much and as long as you do, you will probably be able to continue snacking and not gain weight. You know, normal weighted people do similar things as you are doing-want to snack? well, then, add an extra work out session...see what I mean? It sounds like you can continue your snacking, but perhaps make a few changes to what you are snacking on. For example, do you have to eat regular ice cream or can you stand the sugarfree, lo-fat stuff? Lite microwave popcorn instead of the cheese crackers and chips? Or perhaps make a deal with yourself...you can have 1 scoop of regular ice cream and then you have to have the popcorn instead of the chips. I'm a firm believer in snacking, after you get in your protein and water and include exercise. I agree that one of our goals was to not be on any more diets. I want to eat like normal people, and normal people do snack, and usually every day! Its moderation that will help guide us thru. If I want a piece of chocolate cake, I buy it-eat a few bites and THROW away the rest-satisfied the craving but didn't buy a whole cake or even have a whole slice...moderation. Good luck.
   — Cindy R.