Search the Community

CyndieRI, thanks so much for that. I'm encouraged that your weight gain in the middle didn't affect your approval! Fingers crossed. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

So I've spent 10k on this procedure, gone through some discomfort & told far to many lies to people about how I'm losing weight then I get on the scales this morning & I've gained 1kg......WTF????

I stalled at around the same time as you, and I actually gained 5 pounds from my lowest weight. It took me almost 3 weeks to get back to where I was seeing actual weight loss. I definitely did stall, but I had lost 30 pounds since I started the preop diet. My surgeon told me that my body was reacting to the fact that I went from over 3000 calories a day of high-fat, high-carb foods to 500-700 calories a day of Protein. Made sense to me. I also reached out on the forum and I was told the same thing-don't worry about it so early on. I am now losing steadily again, thank goodness. I just followed the requirements for each stage I was in (I am still in the soft foods phase) and I keep my carbs below 25 grams a day. It reminds me of when I was on the Adkins diet, but without the bacon, lol. I also got severely constipated during the same time frame so I blame some of the weight "gain" on my body reacting to that. Turns out I cannot handle the Iron in 2 Flintstones Vitamins a day.

Good afternoon All! I finally made it - I am down to 196 pounds - officially in ONEDERLAND!!!! I got a fill recently (that's what helped me make it) because my weight had been stuck for 6 weeks at 205. The hunger was back, I was starting to be able to eat more (and badly) and I was not ready to quit losing yet. Some friends and even a couple of family members said I was small enough - since I was now wearing size 16's and even a few 14W's, and they didn't want me to get "too thin". I really don't know what "too thin" would be for me, since I've been fighting my weight since I was 9 years old. Yep, you read that right... When I was 9, my mother took me to the doctor for a normal school physical and because she was concerned about my weight. My father and mother (God rest their souls) were both heavy. What I did not know at the time was that heart disease ran in my family and my mother was worried about the path I was on. The doctor told her (and me) that I needed to be careful about my weight gain or I would be at 200 pounds when I turned 18. Overachiever that I am, I made it at age 16...some of you will understand this - it was very HARD going through high school being overweight. My height saved me a little, but not enough. I could never wear the same clothes that my friends wore, could never seem to get the attention from the same guys that my friends talked to, etc, etc, etc. Now I'm at my lightest weight since I was 16 years old, and I'm ecstatic! :huh2: I went shopping for new pants last night, since the smallest size I had in my closet was an 18. Thank goodness for belts - I could make sure they didn't fall down, but they were really baggy! I went to Lane Bryant, because I knew they carried tall sizes pretty regularly, and since I'm 5' 11" tall, I definately NEED tall pants! I fit into their new Right Fit sizes at a Yellow 2. That means approximately a size 16, made for a body that is straighter from waist to hip. That was a revelation - I'd been buying the Red pants - sized for a body with more of a waist-to-hip difference. Getting the right size was amazing! Most pants had been baggy in the seat for me, totally not flattering, but these fit beautifully! No bagging, no sagging, and I could BREATHE in them! I'm in such a giddy state at the store, I bought two pairs of dress pants and a pair of jeans! The wonderful thing about the band is that I know I'm not done yet - I want to get down to around 165 (100 lbs lost) before I say I'm done...that, or to get off all my diabetes meds, which ever comes first. I was so happy about the new pants - I ran right home and showed my husband. His enthusiastic reaction let me know I had found the right size! I also got measured for new bras while I was there, since the store wasn't very busy. When I started this journey, I was wearing a 40K (yes, that's a K) and had to buy my bras overseas because very few places in the U.S. carried them. I left the store with a brand new size - 38DDD / 38F size prescription! :tt1: I'm not going to go hog-wild crazy buying clothes just yet...I'll get enough to carry me through, because there is definately plastic surgery in my future...I believe my true size right now (sans extra skin) would be around a 14, maybe even a 12, but I believe I need to hold my weight loss for a while before investigating plastic surgery. I'll definately post again when that process begins! If you are reading this and you're not yet banded, please do your research and make a quality decision on what's right for you. The band was definately the right choice for me! If you are reading this and you are struggling with your band, don't give up! Talk to your doctor, the nutritionist, whoever you need to in order to get the help and support you need to make the band work for you - and you have to work WITH the band. If you are making good progress and loving your banded life as I am, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! I was banded in November 08 and it's now September 09 and I've lost 69 pounds. Allowing for recovery time from surgery, my weight loss really started in January 09 - that's when I got serious. I'm planning to be at my goal weight before the end of 2009, and with the help of my doctor, my family and my friends online and offline, I know I'll make it!

I was sleeved September 28th and Day 13 where do I end up? Yep hospital with dehydration and pancreatitis. Yes to the lose stool! Have Gerd but not extreme! So day 2 in hospital with tons of Fluid and I'm sure weight gain although I just don't get it when your not eating how the crap do you gain weight! Frustrated here so I hope you feel better!

Hello. I had lap band surgery about 2 years ago. Tuesday I found out that I am pregnant. I am kinda worried about my diet related to my band and my baby. I feel very selfish because I DONT want to gain my weight back. I know some weight gain is normal and necessary but I have had 3 children and I have gained 50-60# with each one. I have only .75cc in my band I think that I would be ok but I dont know. Anyone out there that has been pregnant with their band??? What did you do??

Ok i am 3 weeks post OP and am so frustrated...i lost about 16 lbs the first 2 weeks and for the last few days i was stalled ABCs this morning i was even up a couple lbs!!! I am still on liquids for a week and then puree for 2 weeks...a couple contributing factors could be lack of protein or lack of water...very hard for me to get those in...anything else that could be causing this? Any one have suggestions to jump start my weight loss again? I am kind of freaking out...why am i torturing myself for no weight loss??!

My surgery date is March 24th and currently I have to take Seroquel, which is an antipsychotic medicine that helps with my moods and to help me sleep. However, a side effect of Seroquel is weight gain and I believe it may have been a small culprit with me as well as my PCOS. I want to talk to my doctor about switching me to another sleeping/anti depressant mediciation without weight gain as a side effect, but I have a high tolerance to certain medications and seroquel has been the only one ive tried to work on me. I've tried ambien, but i had hallucinations with it and I slept walk. Trazodone did not work. I've been on Prozac for anti depression and Celexa but both turned me into a zombie. My goal is to find something that doesn't turn me into a zombie, but will help me sleep without hallucinating and sleep walking or waking up feeling hung over. What's worked for you?

It's really strange and probably psychological, but I'm finding I enjoy cooking for other people more than I ever have! I make huge pots of vegetable soup and give much of it away. I have also been freezing berries, meatballs, meatloaves and other foods I prepare. I don't like processed foods anymore (I think this is what has caused my weight gain pre=surgery) so I'm enjoying making my own meals and freezing them.

I'm not hearing anything that is making me change my mind. R.E. Preeclampsia.. had it with my first pregnancy, when I became pregnant when I was 169lbs. I did make it full term, but induced when I started dropping protein in my urine. Baby and Mom were fine. My next 3 pregnancies all went fine with no complications, with starting weights at 180lbs, 225lbs, 245lbs. I gained 40lbs with each one, except #2 where I gained 65! Do you see a trend? After each pregnancy, I did drop the pregnancy weight gain each time, but some of that weight always made its way back after weaning, in time for the next pregnancy. I didn't develop gestational diabetes, but 10 years after the last pregnancy, I became prediabetic. What the surgery does is clean up old metabolic issues and gives you a clean slate. (At least, that's the hope.. works for some, but it's not guaranteed). What you do with that clean slate is up to you. After you get surgery, you really have to be on a "diet" the rest of your life. You can always gain weight back, the same as anyone. But, the surgery is a one-time opportunity.. and I'm SOOOOO glad my family was complete before considering going under the knife, so my clean slate can remain that way. Maybe you can talk with your doc about how risky they believe a pregnancy will be (before or after surgery).. a lone voice on the internet shouldn't necessarily sway you one way or the other, but I urge you to get as much information from your own network as possible. Many people here get the surgery so they CAN get pregnant. Without it, they are infertile. For those people, they only have one choice if they want to be parents, and I wholeheartedly support them. For you, it sounds like you have options. And if slow weight loss is discouraging enough to stop your diet attempts... it's a bit concerning to me, since postop it is nothing but dieting. What I would love to see you do, is try one of the diets again (and I can give you one if you like), work on your mind game and nutritional status.. drop a few pounds, and when you're ready, get pregnant, have your baby, and after a couple years get the surgery. Sure, you'll be a few years older, but you'll use those years to learn more about the surgery and practice healthful eating, so when you do get the operation, you'll be completely ready.

Hi all! My name is Carisa and I live in New Jersey. I'm a proud police officers wife for 4 years now and we have 2 AMAZING children! My daughter Ava is 3 1/2 and my son Joey is 22 months. My family is my WORLD & my everything and the main reason why I'm going to have VSG. I'm a stay at home mom and although everyday isn't rainbows & cupcakes I wouldn't have it any other way! So, let me tell you how I got to where I am today. I was not overweight as a child nor a teenager. In high school i was 140 lbs throughout those 4 years. No matter what I ate I never gained a pound! And let me just tell you that I did eat everything and anything I wanted. My family is Italian and as many of you fellows Italians know, everything we do revolves around FOOD! Anyways, after high school I got into a bad relationship and I think thats when I started to gain weight. We would eat CRAP food at 3am at least 3 times a week. I was never one to work out. Honestly, I hate any kind of exercise. So anyways, I finally get out of that relationship and in the end of that I probably gained 40-50 lbs. I did weight watchers a few time but I never lost a real significant amount of weight. Then, in October of 2007 I met my husband. By the time I got pregnant with my daughter, I was 200 lbs. (BTW, I'm about 5'6) So, while I was pregnant, I did what any other pregnant woman does. EAT! Plus, during the last 3 months of my pregnancy, I was on STRICT bed rest. When I was about 25 weeks I started going into labor. They put me on medication to stop the labor and the bed rest. They gave me steroid injections to increase the babies lung development in case she did come premature. So the bed rest didn't help the weight gain since I was only allowed to get up to go to the bathroom. Well, I gave birth on January 15, 2009 to a beautiful, healthy (FULL TERM)baby girl, weighing in at 240 lbs . I think I lost about 25 lbs afterwards. Definitely not the whole 40 lbs. Then, I tried Weight watchers ( again) , Jenny Craig, diet pills, etc. Once again, never lost anything significant. 22 months later on November 14,2010, I gave birth to my son. ( NO BED REST THIS TIME) I only gained just about 20 lbs during this pregnancy.(THANK GOD) So now I'm back to 240. So here I am, with 2 kids, heavier then I have EVER been. So again, I loose about 20 lbs. Tried weight watchers (YET AGAIN), diet pills again, jenny craig again, Overeaters anonymous, hypnosis slim fast, etc. NOTHING HELPED. This summer we took the kids to Hershey Park. I wanted to take my son a ride and they made me get off because the seatbelt wouldn't fit around me. That just KILLED me. That was, I think, the straw that broke the camels back. Obviously nothing else was working so I decided I needed to do something drastic. So here I am, sitting here weighing 255 lbs. After going to 2 other doctors ( & seminars) I finally found my surgeon. And I LOVE HER! In the beginning, I had FULL intentions of having LapBand. However when I went to meet with Dr. Schrope (my surgeon) and she told me how much better results she has seen with the VSG and that so many people come back to her with the lapband and say " Get this out of me" and then do the VSG. There was just so many things that I really didn't want to deal with, with the lapband. The only thing I was really worried about with the VSG was the surgery itself because I've never had any kind of surgery. Like she said, if I'm going to do this, do it right the first time. So thats what I'm going to do! And I'm super excited! I'm meeting with the nutritionist next week, have to get the blood work, endoscopy, etc. I can't wait to start my journey to my new life!! My family deserves the best "ME" , and so do I!! Thanks for hearing my story!! Carisa

1. I haven't noticed a change in the relationship. 2. I only told a few select people, everyone thinks I'm doing paleo diet and stopped drinking (which I kinda am). I've been a yoyo dieter for many years, so people are used to me loosing/ gaining.. But this time there will be no rebound weight gain 3. Skin is ok so far, arms are not great... But I am loosing slowly. If my boobs sag and my skin becomes problematic I plan to get plastic surgery 4. I've only just started noticing hair loss at 4months, it's not much yet.. I don't have much hair so I hope it doesn't continue.. Again I'm loosing slowly so I hope I avoid this 5. I'm a nurse, I returned after 4 weeks.. I had to be careful with lifting but otherwise my energy was good.. I went back 3 days a week for first 2weeks back. 6.worst part was my 3 week purée phase.. Just wanted to crunch on some real food. I had minimal pain/ discomfort. My nausea in first 48hrs post op was epic but quickly forgotten with all the positives from the weight loss. My weight loss is slow 1-2pd per week, but I have never stalled and my energy has been good.. I think your attitude is very important to keep in check.. You have to follow the rules and put trust in the professionals and your body... We abuse our body's for so long pre op but now is the time to be kind and gentle and trust your body.

Hi everyone I'm sorry if these questions have been asked before it's been a while since I've been on this site. I had my sleeve surgery done 5 years ago so I have been through a lot of ups and downs and I would say I'm on the more experienced side of being a sleever..... I am at a stage now where I have put on quite a bit of weight, probably over 20 kgs since I hit my goal weight. I lost overall 55 kgs on the sleeve and I was so happy. There has been a few complications such as a hiatus hernia operation, appendicitis and I've recently had surgery on my ankle which has made me put on even more weight. I am trying to get back to my goal weight and I am finding it difficult to shift any weight. I have POS which makes it hard too. I've tried shake diets, low carb diets and I lose maybe a few kgs, then put it back on if I even have one day of eating something such as bread. I'll admit I'm not in the best place the moment, most days I'm sad and down about this and all I want to do is get back to what I was. I wanted to know if anyone has gone through what i am currently going through and have you been successful in losing weight again? I really need advice and some tips and the best people would be the ones who are going through this journey with me. Thank you.

I have had wine a few times, I am almost 6 months out. I too got tipsy after 2 glasses. The big thing, I think, is the fact that alcohol is high in calories. Drinking your calories can easily cause weight gain. So I try to keep alcohol to special occasions and not too excess.

How about binge eating cookies and cake in a dream. I bet that causes weight gain because the unconscious interprets dreams and reality as the same set of experiences. Just something to pontificate on.

Has anyone ever gained weight during your pre-op liquid diet? I'm on day 7 and every day the scale was lower and lower, but today I'm 2 lbs heavier. :/ I'm wondering if my metabolism is slowing down and storing fat. Can that be a possibility?

This is good to read. I am 10 weeks out and sometimes a reminder is good to read through. I have kept to most of the basics since my surgery with the exception of going on a cruise a few weeks ago. I did make some mistakes on my cruise by drinking some alcohol and eating a few spoonfuls of desert. Since I am home again I have been back on my regular schedule and am back to my "new normal" eating." New normal" is getting in all my Protein, having enough Water, no snacking and taking my supplements. I am feel so much better since losing almost 40 lbs. 1st Mistake: Not Taking Vitamins, Supplements, or Minerals Every WLS patient has specific nutritional needs depending on the type of surgery you have had. Not only is it a good idea to ask your surgeon for guidelines, but also consult with an experienced WLS nutritionist. Understand there is not a standard practice that all surgeons and nutritionists follow in guiding WLS patients. So, it is important to do your own research, get your lab tests done regularly, and learn how to read the results. Some conditions and symptoms that can occur when you are deficient in vitamins, supplements, or minerals include: Osteoporosis; pernicious anemia; muscle spasms; high blood pressure; burning tongue; fatigue; loss of appetite; weakness; constipation and diarrhea; numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; being tired, lethargic, or dizzy; forgetfulness, and lowered immune functioning. Keep in mind, too, that some conditions caused by not taking your vitamins, supplements, or minerals are irreversible. 2nd Mistake: Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity A "pink cloud" or honeymoon experience is common following WLS. When you are feeling better than you have in years, and the weight is coming off easily, it's hard to imagine you will ever struggle again. But unfortunately, it is very common for WLS patients to not lose to their goal weight or to regain some of their weight back. A small weight regain may be normal, but huge gains usually can be avoided with support, education, effort, and careful attention to living a healthy WLS lifestyle. For most WLSers, if you don't change what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten -- even after weight loss surgery. 3rd Mistake: Drinking with Meals Yes, it's hard for some people to avoid drinking with meals, but the tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long-term success. If you drink while you eat, your food washes out of your stomach much more quickly, you can eat more, you get hungry sooner, and you are at more risk for snacking. Being too hungry is much more likely to lead to poor food choices and/or overeating. 4th Mistake: Not Eating Right Of course everyone should eat right, but in this society eating right is a challenge. You have to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Eat all your meals--don't skip. Don't keep unhealthy food in sight where it will call to you all the time. Try to feed yourself at regular intervals so that you aren't as tempted to make a poor choice. And consider having a couple of absolutes: for example, avoid fried foods completely, avoid sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once a week. Choose your "absolutes" based on your trigger foods and your self knowledge about what foods and/or situations are problematic for you. 5th Mistake: Not Drinking Enough Water Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day will help you avoid this risk. Adequate water intake will also help you flush out your system as you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. Drinking enough water helps with your weight loss, too. 6th Mistake: Grazing Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned Snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing. Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement. 7th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest! 8th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much) Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut Pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies. 9th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there. 10th Mistake: Drinking Alcohol If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it. Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations. If you think you have a drinking problem, get help right away. Putting off stopping drinking doesn't make it any easier, and could make you a lot sicker[/b]

Hey all, I have my 6 week follow up tomorrow and I went down some weight but gained weight back. I'm not doing anything I shouldn't be and am pretty nervous with some weight gain. What is the typical weight loss at the 6 week mark? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I know it's been a very long time since I have been on this site. In the past I would get on the site at least twice a day, but I slowly started to fade a little from visiting so often once my first year of being banded. I really do miss all of the wonderful post and comments people would write on this site. Actually, things have been very well with me. I have spent a lot of time helping my daughter out since she started her first year in college. I am very proud to say that my weight continues to go down and I have not had any weight gain since the Christmas seasons passed. I do thank God for that. I have learned what do and do not work for my band. Certain foods had to be limited, and I have finally learned what my sweet spot is and what that actually means for me. I have not had a fill in over six months and nor do I need one. I finally have the tool I need to have long term weight success. My weight lost has always been slow, but I continue to lose weight. I really don't and never have used the scale to measure my success, but inches and my clothes sizes are my biggest indicators. I started off wearing a size 24-26 and today I wear a 1x & 16-18. Most of the 18 sizes are too big in dresses so I normally get a 16w. That is a very- very big accomplishment for me. All and all I am very very happy with my band. This relationship has had its ups and downs, but the majority of my experiences have been very positive. The band is really what a person allows it to be for them. It really takes a lot of work and effort to get to where you really want to be. My husband recently purchased a very expensive treadmill like the ones they have at the gym, and that has really aided my success. I try to walk a mile1/2 at least every other day. It takes only 25 minutes so I watch Netflix on my iphone which makes the time fly. I really have to say that my family has been great and they really made this process so much easier to go through when times got hard. I will be banded 2 years on July 21st this year. I just encourage all new banders to be patient and give yourself time to learn your band and how it works best for your success! I am going to make an honest effort to visit the site much more often than I have done in the past. This is truly a wonder site in which a person can gain a lot of knowledge, support, and motivation from others who have figured things out a little clearer than others. My final words would be to stay encouraged, be patient, and never ever give up on your weight lost goals because you are worth it. Always remember that half the battle has been won if you have already gotten your band or started the process to have it done.

Yes. I am 4 days post op and 10 pounds heavier than surgery day. I hope this is temporary, and the weight gain goes away quickly.

SouthBeach Diet Tips and Guides The SouthBeach Diet is different from the Atkins diet in that it is not a low carbohydrate diet. Regardless of which phase you are currently in, you should follow these recommendations: Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water, decaffeinated beverages such as club soda, tea, coffee, or decaffeinated sugar-free soda every day Limit your intake of caffeine-containing beverages to 1 cup each day Take one multivitamin and mineral supplement daily Take 500 mg of calcium for both men and women under the age of 50, and 1,000 mg for women over the age of 50, each day Eating can be both pleasurable and healthy as long as you eat the proper foods. All the meals in the SouthBeach Diet consist of healthy combinations of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Dishes can be made by anyone and the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores. These foods will satisfy your hunger without depriving your system of the low-quality starches and sugars that caused problems with your blood chemistry in the first place. The SouthBeach Diet does not involve counting calories, fat grams, or portion sizes. This plan was designed to be simplistic and will help you understand the principles of metabolism and put it to work for your own body. A major key to success with the South Beach Diet is the Glycemic index (GI), which ranks carbohydrate foods based on the effect on blood sugar levels. When you start adding foods back into your diet in Phase 2, keep your focus on low-GI foods such as apples, berries, grapefruit, high-fiber cereal, and whole grain breads. Preparing For The Rest Of Your Life Mindset Change for South Beach Diet You have learned what the South Beach Diet is, how it works, and what to eat. Now, you need to get prepared to change the way you eat, for life. Start by accepting that the first couple of weeks will be a big change but one you will not regret. The first morning of this diet, you will eat a breakfast that may consist of a two-egg omelet with two slices of Canadian bacon, cooked in either spray canola or olive oil. In your old life, you may have toasted bread or a bagel and had fresh fruit or fruit juice to go along with your omelet. However, with the South Beach Diet, the bread will have to wait. Most people have been conditioned their entire life to add bread to meals. You have toast with breakfast, sandwiches on bread for lunch, dinner rolls with dinner, and cake, cookies, or pie for dessert. However, during Phase 1, you will have to forget about the bread. It may take a few days to leave old habits behind but keep in mind that it is during this time that your body’s inability to process sugars and starches is being reversed. After trying numerous diets, most leave you feeling hungry, is one of the most difficult aspects of any diet. A common denominator seen with overweight people is that most of them skip eating breakfast. When this happens, blood sugar drops, which then increases the desire for bad carbohydrates to escalate until lunch when the entire meal is blown. Planning for South Beach Diet Planning will help you stay away from snacking or substituting things that are not healthy and could cause weight gain. Remember that once you start into Phase 2, carbohydrates will start being introduced back into your diet along with fruits. You also need to remember to eat your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, even if you do not feel like it. Some of the greatest low-fats foods to incorporate into your planning include cheese and yogurt to replace the fats since they have no bad carbohydrates. In addition, the sugar is found in the lactose, milk sugar, is one of the things you can have with the South Beach Diet. The South Beach Diet is a lifetime change, lifetime commitment, and a lifetime of health and vitality! How Does The South Beach Diet Work? As mentioned, the South Beach Diet is unique, successful, easy, and works in a three-phase process. Unlike many other so-called diets, with the South Beach Diet, simply substitutes your bad carbohydrates and fats for good ones. After trying this, you will be amazed by how well and quickly it works. South Beach Diet Phase 1 South Beach Diet Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. During this first phase, you will eat normal meals of chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing. Each day for 14 days, you will eat three, well-balanced meals. While eating until your hunger is satisfied may go against most diets, with the South Beach Diet, it is part of the plan. Trying to lose weight and become healthy by depriving the body of food makes no sense. In addition to the three meals each day, you will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if you do not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, you need to, and after dinner, you will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, you can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water. You may be thinking that this is a lot of food - it is! With most diets, you deprive your body, eating only small portions of foods that are unappealing. The change you will make during this phase is that you will cut out all bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar. Keep in mind that these eliminated foods will be added back into your diet, starting in Phase 2. In addition to taking these foods out of your diet temporarily, you will also need to avoid beer, or any kind of alcohol. Once you start Phase 2, reasonable amounts of wine can be added back in. Instead of feeling overwhelmed about the foods that will be taken out of your diet during the first two weeks, stop and think about this for a minute. To achieve a life of health and lose unwanted weight, two weeks is a small investment to make. After all, you are worth it! The first two or three days will be somewhat challenging, but breaking any bad habit starts out a little bumpy. Once you pass this small hurdle, the rest of the time will go by quicker than you think. When you see the results that these changes bring, you will be glad you did not give up!

This morning I spent some time trying on clothes in my closet that until recently no longer fit. What a pleasant surprise. I have a bunch of things I can wear without having to go out and purchase "temporary" clothes. About 6 years ago, I lost just over 150 pounds, then 4 years ago I quit smoking and found the weight again. Because the weight gain is fairly recent, and over a relatively short period of time, I have clothes in various sizes. In fact, I have jeans in 7(!) different sizes. There's such a temptation to buy new clothes at every new size, but I am going to try and be patient, save the money, and do major shopping when I get to goal!

@john925 I am 5+ years PO - GOAL past 4+ years (105 lbs down) during the last 2.5 years i fluctuated here and there as much as 5-7 lbs - but i consider myself at GOAL for ME, restriction gradually slowed down about 2 years+ my "mental" restriction" kicked in i still use a smaller plate with my small amounts trying to eat lessss sweets (that's a killer for me) pre-op my doc said to me "eat until you are full", then stop 2 bites earlier"! kind of like "tom" asks "fred" where is sleeve st???fred says,"watch me" - and get off 2 stops earlier!! I better stop writing now and grab a cookie oooops - meant to say Greek lite and fit blueberry yogurt weight gain would happen if i ate too often, and to much in this situation, size DOES matter you should usually/frequently follow all the rules that you've learned you can be a "little" lax as times passes I used to be 5"3 now i'm 6" tall kathy i will always be proudgrammy

We dont do thanksgiving in Australia, but Christmas is just around the corner. I've actually never had a problem with celebratory eating, I was a little and often overeater not a massive humungous intake all at once eater and i've never ever liked the sensation of scarfing down Christmas dinner, followed by plum pudding, washed down with four or five wines till you need to undo your pants type eating. I hate it. So I've not really dont it. Likewise in any other situation where weight gain was a threat - holidays and pregnancy mainly - I have an Iron will, I plan ahead of time not to overeat and I dont. its the day to day routine eating where I tend to go off track, just not planning, thinking about it or shopping properly.

"Almost a month out" - virtually everyone experiences a stall around week 3. With my band I hit in from about week 2.5 to about week 4.5. It's your body reacting to the "emergency" you've just put it through. Remember your body doesn't have a brain. It can't rationalize, it thinks it is starving, and is going to react in a way so as to preserve itself. That reaction (unfortunately for our frail psyches) usually includes a postponement of weightloss, and quite possibly a slight weight gain. Two very important things to remember when you start to despair... 1. Weight is not the same as fat. You can weigh the same, or more, and be less fat than you were. This will almost guaranteed be true multiple times. 2. Like investments, you can't look at things in the short term. This is why I hate the scale, it's such a short term de/motivator. You're looking for a sustained average of a couple of pounds a week. So far, you're way above that average. 5 lbs a week cannot be sustained.