katesuccess

Yes, @PinkPolkadot619 having a trainer has helped immeasurably. Just be sure you get one who listens to you and whose approach and knowledge you can respect. I'll bet you can tell from the first get-to-know session. Mine knows I'm really wanting to lose weight, and so has finally convinced me that for my history and metabolism I need to be more consistent with my macros as well as getting to the gym 4 times a week if possible, but 3 times a week without fail. It's actually working, albeit slowly. @@CowgirlJane I'm really sorry you've got a kidney stone - ouch. I know from your posts that you're really active so I imagine this makes it much harder. Hope it's over soon! You are so right about getting on a gain right away - I wish I'd done that when it started to creep up, and done it more reasonably. I tried to go 'drastic' - like back to original post op diet - and that made me more susceptible to going headlong off plan more than I might have. And like so many have said, @hjtj112, - we ARE getting on it now, and that's what counts, and this time we aren't starting from 268 lbs (289 in my case) either. Give yourself an 'attagirl' for that one!

"I feel your pain" as they say! My highest preop was 289, and had gotten to 165 after 18 months, now 190 and I could kick myself. Clothes tight; check. Eating wrong foods; check. Not moving enough; check. Take heart though, I got back on track four weeks ago and am feeling much better and doing better on all three counts. You can do this @hjtj112 and I wish you well with it. My biggest learning has been that this time it's going to take a lot longer. I don't have that helpful momentum, and am now learning I need more calories within more specific macros. This means I'm really lucky to lose 1.5-2 pounds a week instead of that euphoric 3-4 I could lose before. Still, it is going in the right direction, and I'm slowly shifting into knowing this is what is best for me. (My trainer would be so pleased to hear this!) Let us know how you're doing--good luck!

Thanks everyone. I did up my Water, @@CowgirlJane, and I think I might have slacked off on it a bit before. I like MFP @@erp, but I wish we could check off food as we go through the day. I do like seeing the pie chart of when i eat as well as how my macros are spread. Also I was working at keeping close my macro goals but not worrying too much if I was under them. My trainer asserts that staying constant will be key, and in my phase of trying to lose again I need to be way more consistent, keeping within 5 g of them. Admittedly I'd been off there too. I'm crossing my fingers, logging food, going to the gym and (sigh) trying again.

Hi folks. I've searched the boards the past few days and can't find anyone posting this anywhere recently, so sorry if it's a re-ask of an old question for everyone. I'm almost 2 years out from VSG, lost 130 lbs and then this winter have gained 25 (gasp!) back and am working really hard to lose again. Problem is, I'm not able to. I really want to re-lose my stupid gain, and then get the remainder off and get to goal. My current macros are 1300 calories, ~150 g Protein, 50 g carbs, 50 g fat I'm working out with weights 45 minutes three times a week and generally active otherwise. Been here doing this two weeks now, and no loss! Help?!? What are you all doing in terms of macros and general exercise?

Thanks both of you! Good ideas. I'm cut-pasting in here @@CowgirlJane so I can answer your email. We both think towards the same things, clearly! -------------------------------------- I assume you just started the strength training....when you first start lifting your body can hang onto Water. It isn't really a problem except for that b#tch the scale.I started weight training when I was first approved to after surgery, so well on my way now, and I do like it. Hope you measured when you started because wouldn't it be exciting to see tape measure improvements! It will be eventually I hope, but to compare now to where I was 25 pounds ago is pretty depressing right now. It may be a little while before I can measure how bad it is--but I will, if nothing else for reference point. Good idea. I found that high intensity interval training jump starts the metabolism. I do sprints on a spinning bike since my knees can't take running. Kick boxing (at least my class) was a HIIT routine too. I was doing that for a while with a treadmill, and I think didn't keep it up long enough. I'll put that back into my routine and see if it helps. This probably won't fit with your trainer's plans, but intermittent fasting really works. I think one reason is it keeps the body guessing, but that is more my own idea than any kind of fact. There are downsides to intermittent fasting for some people.it took me awhile to figure out, but it was triggering anxiety. I do a modified version that doesn't seem to do that. I think I remember reading a post of you doing the 5:2 plan in modified version, no? It's a good one to pass by her (trainer) and see. She does some switch up days as she preps for competitions, which seems a similar principle. I'd sooner do that than go back to sub-800 calories per day. That was awful. I'll read the link you added, @OKCPirate - thanks. So I am 4years out and last year I did get 10# over goal. It took forever but I am under goal again. I have noticed that lately my weight jump alot more than it used to...either that or my scale is going wonky. Could it be your scale? I noticed the same thing, so got a new one a month ago--didn't exactly qualify as 'retail therapy' but I like being more sure of it's accuracy. I'm better weighing daily usually, but she's convinced me to try doing it weekly for a while and see if it helps me feel less lousy about that number every day. I may have to hide the blasted thing to keep from using it though! Thanks again - I really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to think things through and post.

Thanks folks! It's helpful to hear how you're doing it @@AvaFern and your skinny/strong made me smile! I may be closer to the opposite, but I sure understand it. @@CowgirlJane - your posts are always so on-target I love reading them, so I appreciate the question. I get 150g Protein in with a morning Protein shake and then several small meals of mostly protein and some veggies the rest of the day. I don't do many carbs, and no bread/rice/pasta/potatoes and trying like heck to stay off sweets. They're my worst downfall. I'm getting in about 60 ounces of Water a day, though some days I know i'm closer to 50 or 70. I know two weeks isn't a lot to go on, though I've seen results sooner than that my first year between plateaus, so I wondered what the rest of you did. My trainer has better background in nutrition than either of my nuts did in the WLS process, so I'm doing these macros based on her advice and my docs original long term plan for his patients. just call me impatient and no-where-near-goal!

Not sure if anyone is still following this thread, but if so - HELP! I lost 130 down from 290, and the regained 25 being self indulgent. I'm trying hard to get it off--3 days a week at gym and logging food--but can't seem to start losing again. For those of you still losing more than a year out, what are your macros? I'm at 1300 calories, 130-140 G Protein and under 60 g carbs. No bread/pasta/grains/potato/corn/beans and almost no fruit or sugar, except what is in veggies. This is on my second nut's advice. First one just kept repeating the government pyramid at me and was no help at all. Ideas anyone? I'm going crazy here.

I'm 21 months post-op, and had a full blood panel done last at 14 months out by the WLS clinic that's part of my HMO who did the surgery. It was a nasty shock to discover this followup blood work was NOT covered, and so I paid a bucketful for it. Since then I've had a partial one as part of a check up with my GP, (covered) and it showed elevated B12, so I went off the stuff with doc's agreement. I've had a history of anemia, and lately felt low energy when I shouldn't have, so am back on half doses of Iron again. I'll test each year with my GP now, since the WLS clinic folks didn't seem to give a hang, barely scanned the results, nor were they the least bit helpful when I talked to them about my struggle to lose even though at the time I was staying strictly on plan.

You're absolutely right to my thinking @Julie norton ! I've backslid over the holidays and the month after (what was I thinking?!) and could have written @kyleebean 's original post myself, only I gained more. Not good. The battle does indeed begin at the store for me, and I've started in the parking lot now, by saying out loud as I walk in, "I'm not buying any junk today!" or "I'm not getting anything off plan in here." Silly, but it's helped a lot. Something about speaking it out loud makes it more absolute for me.

Hey folks - I've been the worst about checking in, and haven't even been to PB for over a month I think. I'd been letting my weight creep up for a couple months, but I really went off the rails the week of Christmas, and then several weeks afterwards too. I'm back on track now, and starting to lose the 25 lbs I'd gained since October. Man that's hard to write!! Harder still to have to re-lose it. Darn!! Interested to hear how you're all doing; @ @punkinvine @2babutterfly @s_suther Hope you're all doing well. I saw this quote on a daily service I subscribe to, and thought it described really well how I"m feeling. Anyone else similarly? “He knew that under the tall grass of an apparently untamed future the steel rails of fear and habit were already laid. What he suddenly couldn’t bear, with every cell in his body, was to act out the destiny prepared for him by his past, and slide obediently along those rails, contemplating bitterly all the routes he would rather have taken.” -Edward St. Aubyn

@@CowgirlJane, you have been more helpful and relevant to me in this process than my doc, nut, and in-person support group all together! Your posts are thoughful and honest, and sometimes I sign on just to read you, @@LipstickLady, and @annvsg. You (and the other vets) have given me hope at times it flagged and great answers when I was baffled--and made me smile or laugh out loud countless times. I'm still struggling to get to goal, and find your thoughts and experience helpful especially because you are so 'real' about your life and the ups and downs of it--medical issues, kids, dating, age and surgery included. Alls I can say is THANK YOU!!!!!

Love this thread! My hubby also brings it home, and we live in a condo with a security entrance, so NO chance of trick-or-treaters either. Our deal is that he can only buy the stuff I don't like. It pretty much works too. (Yes, you may buy Butterfingers or candy-corn, NO you may NOT buy anything Reeses or straight chocolate!!!) And @Julie norton I laughed out loud at the chocolate siren! YES - that's me too. Seriously, it's my crack.

So I've had a better couple of days and made it to the gym last night. My resolve is stronger today too having not eaten off plan yesterday and Friday. Hope everyone else is doing well. I also did the little sticky notes on my closet mirror to count down pounds to goal. I hope to get to pull one off soon!

I use them all the time - pick up an eyedropper bottle at Whole Foods for the peppermint, OR buy the Sweetdrops mint version (also at health food stores). I use 4 drops of peppermint Sweetdrops in my chocolate shake every morning, along with a double shot of espresso - and my Peppermint Mocha rocks! I've also used English Toffee, Orange, Caramel and others. If an actual extract, definitely use an eyedropper. If using those made-for-coffee flavors from the coffee aisle (little plastic squeeze bottles) than one squirt is perfect for me. Experiment and mix it up. Another favorite of mine is to use Coffee flavor and caramel together - Caramel Macchiato!

Rough week food-wise, and I'm not proud of it. I'd planned to go back to a couple days of just shakes to get stricture back, a and just couldn't do it. And while I ate more junk than I ever should, I still lost a pound from a week ago (when I noted I'd gain ten). So today was somewhat better, and got more of my Water in. I feel slightly more in control, and wrote down my best tactics for staying with this, just to remind myself. Good luck everyone. I'll hope to be back on soon with a few days of staying on plan strung together!

YAY! That's great news. I found my hubby and I doing a bit of drifting as I lost weight and he actually started gaining. I figured it was depressing to see me do so well when he wasn't losing at all. Plus that whole go-to-the-gym thing when he never wants to go with me. He was seeming all depressed and forlorn about it, until last month when he got defensive about not wanting to work on his health; I said, "You will do that in your own time. You didn't harass me or judge me or give up on our marriage for the last 30 years because I was so overweight, I'm not about to do that to you! I love you and am with you." If we didn't have a good marriage to start with though, that conversation would have gone MUCH differently! He's been a great supporter, cheerleader, proud-hubby, and never ever tried to push food on me or act like surgery was 'cheating' or anything. And while the compliments are fewer now (I'm not actively losing right now) he does say so when I look nice. I truly hope your guy's behavior means a turnaround for him, and that you two have some fun going out together!

My daughter (no weight issues) takes a couple tablespoons stirred into a glass of Water every day - she was told her PH was off. It's helped immensely, and her acne cleared up right away. She went off it for a week and noticed the difference immediately. I tried taking it for a while (pre-op) and found it no help to me at all - but hey, we're all different! Let us know how it goes--

Also check in on how much Protein you're getting, and if it's evenly spaced throughout the day. We only absorb so much at one time, so taking it all in during a few hours won't help as much. Get up over 100g if possible. It helped me in that loopy feeling. Some people also have a longer term affect from the anesthesia (I've seen up to 3 months memory issues with some of my folks!), but this has been long enough it's unlikely - have you had it before? If so, were you similarly affected? And yes - bananas are good that way!

Hi folks. This sounds like the thread I need to work just now! I'm 17 months out from surgery, lost 120 lbs and plateaued. That was okay - good to learn to live at that weight for a while, and it was great in terms of activity, health, etc. Then I found myself slipping and having 'treats' and more calories, and pretty much going off my plan every day. Now I"m up 13 lbs and furious with myself because I'm having so much trouble getting back on consistently. I'm fine for a few days, then I crash (into chocolate) and burn. I know I do better adding one basic thing back each day or so - so today is NO night eating, and going to the gym will help as incentive (I haven't slacked off on that one at least!). Anything that helps you all when you feel like you're off track? Signed, the Chocoholic.

HOORAY! Thanks Alex -- much appreciated!

@Alex Brecher, I second that!

So sorry you're going through the angst of dealing with this! I really think you've gotten lots of good input and ideas, and a plethora of ways to try to make things healthier between you two. I hope they help. Sadly, it's not very encouraging that he fills his time with things that exclude you, and then turn you away when you try to join in. Talking is definitely called for, though he sounds like he might not be super-receptive. In marriage it absolutely takes two of you to do that work. I do a lot of marriage counseling (part of my profession), and sometimes (maybe not you, and I'm not saying it is!) but sometimes I've had to say that I can help them (or one of them if the other is refusing to work on things) to have a healthy separation or dissolution, but that without both on board working on the marriage, it isn't going to get any better. And it's okay to ask yourself if this is really how you want to live. People do change, you just can't make them change. I hope things go better soon--and that you enjoy those friends who DO cheer you on! Good job on all you're accomplishing!!

YES!!! I miss the Vet's Forum too. I'm not at goal yet, nor am I 'maintaining' - so I don't qualify to post in the Maintenance forum. The Vest allowed those of us still working to lose but more than a year out to have a place to post and connect - and one that wasn't all about the newbie things that are so important to cover, but less relevant to me. Maybe we should start a thread called Veteran's Thread - ??

These are great - My surgery is now 17 months past, and I've plateaued the past 5 months, sadly. I did maintain though, and now am beginning to lose again (yes!) so my fall NSV is having the pleasure of donating sweaters that are too big, even though I thought they would still fit. Guess I'm smaller than I thought - hooray My other NSV is the pleasure of being back on track - such a good feeling!

Yes, @@VSGAnn2014! You nailed it - what wonderful advice. Only thing I'd add is that when I'm overwhelmed with too too much (like non-stop mom in your case) I find starting back to all those great practices at once is too daunting, and when I don't manage to do them all yet again, there's the failure thing again. You are not a failure, @tfarr! Now you know a few more things that don't help you. Time to track down what does. We've taken big steps towards good health, and still have more to go. I get back on track one thing at a time: Day 1) Water and lots of it, and that's the only change I tell myself I need to make. Then Day 2) I get back to logging my food, even if it's not on plan. Logging it helps get me back to wanting to be on plan. Day 3) Some sort of exercise - preferably not that all-or-nothing bit that leaves you feeling more pain than accomplishment. You gauge. Day 4) I trust myself to shift to eating well and shopping for better food--and feels good to be back on track. No matter what - don't give up. Keep at it until you find what works for you. I'm cheering for you!