Question:
Have I blown all the hard work?

I have regained 20lbs of the 160lbs. that I lost since the surgery. I have slacked up on the excercise and I am eating the wrong foods. Is there any hope that I can get going again?    — Robert R. (posted on August 27, 2002)

August 26, 2002
160 lbs? YOU GO!!!!!!!! First off congratulations. Second off, just try and get back on track. I read somewhere that you can reset your "dumpometer" by not eating anything with sugar in it for a while. Second of all, I also read that you can help your tummy shrink back by going back to the basics. You know fluid diet for a couple of weeks. I think I would buy me a bunch of protein drinks and just drink those all day long. Good luck and god bless. Open Rny 10/4 down right at 120lbs
   — TONYA B.

August 26, 2002
Follow the 'Pouch Rules for Dummies'. I have found that waterloading right before eating has helped me.
   — Cheri M.

August 26, 2002
First congratulations on your weight loss. Dont beat yourself up. You have realized that you may have started something destructive. But you realized it. We are all human and sometimes when the food calls we hear it all to well. You can try drinking more water, exercising more, or just find something anything to do when you want to eat, get out of the house. I was eating too many sugar free ice cream things, so this week I didn't buy them, I cannot behave when they are in the house.
   — domestic G.

August 27, 2002
I don't know about going on fluids for a weeks! i have had many a plateau in my journey. (open RNY 6-20-01 at goal now). I have lost 172 lbs. My surgeon suggests DENSE meat for satiation. So drink lots of water until about 15 min. prior to eating, never drink with meals or for 1 hour or so after meals, eat dense meat (steak, fish) and a few steamed or fresh veggies. Measure it out on a saucer, not a dinner plate. Eat your assigned portion, then stop eating! Stay off of not only sugar, but artificially sweetened products. Personally, I avoid: pizza's, pastas, breads, white flour, sugar, processed foods, fast foods, sodas. If I cheat once in awhile, it is with breading on the meat, likes progresso seasoned bread crumbs. Best of luck to you. That is one of my biggest fears, regaining the weight.Exercise almost every day. Either walk, or aerobics, or swim, bike, etc. Alternate exercises. Crunches never hurt :-)
   — Barbara B.

August 27, 2002
Robert, I have always been told that after the initial weight loss, we all regain about 10 percent of the loss-in your case, your right on target. However, you don't want to go further than that, so the other posters have some good suggestions on how to get going again....not easy, is it?
   — Cindy R.

August 27, 2002
hey man 160lbs!!! WOOOOHOO congrats on that. Anyway, I do not think you should beat yourself up too much, we had enough of that with the hundreds of diets we tried in our lifetime. I know that most doctors state you will gain 10-20lbs back after you level off. Just remember how far you have come!
   — smedley200

August 27, 2002
First step is recognizing that there is a problem. Second step is doing something about it. IF you can not get yourself back on track in the next week or two, try and get some help. Go to your suport group meetings, seek out an obesity counselor. Catch this before it becomes a big problem. You have done fantastic, marvelous, and even wonderful!! I know you can pull it back together>!
   — Vicki L.