Question:
I have had a serious relapse of bad habits and a 15 pound weight gain.

For 3 months I have gradually quit exercising and returned to old eating habits.I need to make a quick and effective change that will result in weight loss and help me get back in gear. My clothes don't fit and I feel lousy. I am not sure what to do diet wise to recover from this relapse. I do know exercise is on the top of my list but I need diet suggestions from someone who has overcome such an incident.I was already having difficulty with lossing all my weight before I started gaining it back. suggestions please!    — tigerlil58 (posted on August 13, 2009)

August 13, 2009
I was just going to post the same thing you did! I have gained back 15lbs. in the past couple of months. I feel miserable and lousy! Mad at myself. I had my surgery 6 years ago.
   — jfwilson1958

August 13, 2009
Same thing with me. Almost 5 years out.
   — MJTAYLOR

August 13, 2009
My surgery weight was 224 in 12/07. In my first year, I hit two long plateaus, that lasted 3 months each, one at 160lbs, and one at 140lbs, both times I said, okay, well this is it, and I am still a success story! But looking back. What I had done was started trying to eat "normal". That is, trying to push the envelope, and eat everything. I could do it then to. In my second year. I started dropping again. How? I went back to basics. For a few days I went on full liquids, just like after surgery. Yogert, creamed soups, popcycles, lots and lots of crystal lite. And then I went back to mostly protein, and a small portion of starch, usually a small baked potato, and some greens for dinner, yogurt and cottage cheese, and a fruit snack, during the day. Very soon, I began losing again! I hovered at 130 a while. Continued my new eating plan, and one day... low and behold, I was at 125. Never thought I'd be there again. Even tho in the beginning before surgery, I had set my goal at 115, which at 5'2". Is about right for me. Long story short. Now I am at 20 months out. I still eat on a six inch plate for dinner. Still eat this same way, and I have a bouncing area between 115-118, depending on water retention, constipation, time of the month etc, etc. Yu get the picture. Take control of your tool. Since I've been sticking with this plan. I get full really easily. I know my pouch is tiny, because I get that really full feeling toward the end of my meal. Usually about 3-4 oz of meat of some kind. Hope this helps and gives you some ideas. This is YOUR journey. Take the right road! Good luck to you! You can do it! Bless ya!
   — lesleigh07

August 14, 2009
You have pointed out a very important lesson that all of us who have had gastric bypass surgery must never forget. We were given the tools we need to stay at a healthy weight. If we fail to use those tools, or lose our focus, then we fall back into bad habits. I came on the website tonight looking for people like me who are 6, 7 or more years out and who have recently gained weight. Lo and behold I found you! What a relief to find someone who is fighting the same battle I am! Your delima is my delima so you're not alone. After losing 100 lbs, I put on 20 lbs in the last year and a half. Menopause has thrown me for a loop, slowed my metabolism, sent me through mood swings that a big band leader couldn't keep up with, and lack of sleep- up in the middle of the night raiding the refrigerator just like old times! I too became depressed and feared that I would end up gaining it all back. Luckily - as the previous respondent noted - I realized the only way to get myself back on track was to go back to the basics. Protein first - not fried chicken, baked chicken 3oz, tuna in water, fruits, veggies and complex carbs only, and exercise. I'm eating "clean" which means eating only organic, natural whole foods. And I'm paying attention to what I'm putting in my body. For inspiration I'm picking up magazines that focus on low calorie receipes that are fun and different It makes me feel good to know that I care enough about myself to take care of me. You should too. Remember how it was those first few months after your surgery? Focus on that feeling and what you did then. Remember how good you felt when those first 20 pounds came off? I got back into exercise. I didn't realize how much I had missed the exercising - gotta have it as it puts me in a more positive frame of mind and I'm less prone to go postal on my co-workers. My advice is to tTake one step now in the right direction, for one day. Give that one day all your attention. Plan it around you and what you need. Plan your meals for that one day. And maybe this will encourage you to want to do again the next day, and then maybe it will encourage you to do it again for a third day. Then throw in a little exercise. Before you know it you will have gotten through your first week, you're back on track and left most of the bad habits behind! So far I'm down 7 pounds. It has been slow, but I know I'll get the weight off again because I'm using the tools I learned from this website, my surgeon and nutritionist. I think of athletes who are in traing and the coach yells "STAY FOCUSED!" Girl, get your groove thing going and FOCUS. My name is Patricia52 and I hope you'll stay in touch because I'll need your help.
   — PATRICIA52

August 15, 2009
I am in the same boat and feeling awful about it. I felt so good for a while and was not ashamed to be out in public and felt my husband and children no longer had to be ashamed of me. After going through some major health issues, surgery, and losing my job; I have gained 30 lbs. I am now actively working more than 50 hours a week and doing computer classes; so I am more sedentary. How can I jumpstart the weight loss? I had my surgery in 2004. Is it a lost cause now? How do you know if your pouch has increased in size? Tammy2004
   — Tammy2004

August 15, 2009
hey yall! man im glad im not the only one feeling this way. i had rny dec 5th 2002 and gained a 25 lbs within the last year.i feel like a failure and fat again...i wanna try to jump start my weight loss again. im glad that this tool allows me to do so after all these years.
   — lisaodonald931

August 16, 2009
Again,thank you for this subject.I am sorry I don't have a answer for you. I will be post surgery 3 years next month. I have never reached my goal weight even though I am still 85lbs down. I have regained 15lbs and I am lucky it hasn't been more. I eat like a regular person and don't get enough protein and to many carbs. I have never exercised. I find it imposible to motivate myself and groups don't help me either. It ends up to be the same crap. There is an old saying "it isn't what your eating it's what is eating you". I think this is where I am and where I have always been. Sorry to dump all this junk! The responces are very encouraging to me! Louise
   — Louise W.