Question:
HELP? Is this true? gained can I loose it again?

I am 2 years post op, Have lost from 286 to 170, over the past few months have slowly put on weight.. 179. I desperately want to get on track and loose down to 150. Is it true that if I go back to the pouch rules... protein, exercise, water, etc... that your pouch will get smaller, and the dumping will come back if you go back to bad behavior. I have noticed in the past that if I get back to the basics for a few days, then if I "blow" it, I tend to dump... but If I continue the bad eating habits, the dumping is less frequent... has anyone else had this happen? I have started walking daily, and now that the weather is nice, I am golfing... I have also been eating much healthier.. please tell me there is still hope to get the weight I gained, plus some more off? Thanks for listening!    — Kay W. (posted on April 16, 2004)

April 16, 2004
Yes, it is true - you can get back on track. I don't know how much the dumping will be affected but I was stuck at 200 pounds - I started the Atkins diet and dropped 10 pounds. But then I got stuck again - now I'm back on the pouch rules eating the quantities that I did right after surgery and really restricting my calories. I can tell that my pouch is "shrinking" again in terms of I feel full sooner. But the truth is - that happens to everybody. Evan without bypass surgery, if you cut back on the amount that you eat your stomach will shrink. But to what you really wanted to know, I am losing weight and inches again at a satisfying rate - but I am having to control what I eat just like I did in the beginning. There is no diet, or surgery, that will keep the weight off if you return to the bad eating habits that made you obese in the first place. Good luck!!!
   — Etta M.

April 16, 2004
I was 267 and went down to 134 and now am between 140-147 depending on what I eat. I have went back into my 130's when I do the pouch rules, but keep gaining soon after b/c I eat so much junk now. I rarely dump now and I use to dump on everything. Summer is comming and I would like to get down to 130, so I am starting the pouch rules again, just went shopping for it:o) Yes you can lose it if you get back to the pouch rules. Good luck!
   — Sandy M.

April 16, 2004
We have almost the same stats. 2.5 yrs out,I was 300, down to 170 but I have gained back to 185. I also used to dump alot and now hardly ever do, if at all. For the past month,I've been back to working out, upping water and protien and watching my carbs. Some days are better than others but so far NOTHING! The scale hasn't moved at all! I'm terribly frustrated so if anybody has any advice for me too, that would be great!!
   — Kris T.

April 16, 2004
Yes. I use the South Beach diet as it's healthy for post-ops and really helps with the carb addiction. I gained 10 pounds (during a family emergency) and got it back off with South Beach. Go back to your pouch rules. The tool still works, and your're right about the dumping, although my pouch doesn't seem to get smaller at this point.
   — mom2jtx3

April 17, 2004
YES! YOU CAN LOOSE IT AGAIN:) Way easier than pre op too! This is from my profile. no date bad eating got me to 205:( September 14th 2003 201 October 10th 2003 197 November 5th 2003 194 November 8th 2003 191 March 21h 2004 194 April 17th 2004 191 My weight tends to increase in the winter, long nights, short days and rotten weather. Back to basics, lots of water, protein, exercise, q
   — bob-haller

April 18, 2004
Hi Kay, the answer is yes, you can lose again, but it will depend on how much work you want to put into it. First off, your exercise has to be raised up a knotch. Walking and golfing is not cardio. To lose weight you need heart pumping cardio, like treadmill, dancing, etc, at least 3-5 times a week. This will boost your metabolism to burn those calories more efficiently. 2ndly, and no secret here, you have to eat less calories.Whatever amount you are eating now, it is causing a gain, so start cutting down a few hundred calories a day until you find the amount needed to continue losing. I don't believe that going back to the pouch rules will shrink the pouch, rather, the rules just make sense and will help you to lose weight. We need lots of protein and water(the more the better) daily. Eating small meals frequently is also a good thing. It allows the metabolism to keep burning and will keep you from getting hungry if you eat good foods when hungry. I can also attest that if you continue the bad habits, the dumping does go away. Your system adjusts to the sugar or high fat and compensates, so if you can cut back or even better eliminate those foods, it will go a long way towards helping you to lose weight. Good luck!
   — Cindy R.