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Monday, September 14, 2009 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years Talked with my 7th grade girls group about the 10,10,10 principle, which is a way of helping you make decisions. We make decisions just about every moment and we need to ask ourselves what would the results be, good and bad, 10 minutes from now, 10 months from now, and 10 years from now. I thought about how that applied to food and how something that looks good right now and would satisfy our craving right now (or maybe not) ends up cumulatively as weight gain 10 months down the road which 10 years down the road puts us on the path of high blood pressure, high, cholesterol, high blood sugar, and prone to heart disease, strokes, Alzheimers, breast and colon cancer, Dr.s' bills, food bills, wardrobe bills, loss of income from not being able to work as well or at all, shame, etc.,etc., etc. Of course, for my kids, the consequences of bad decisions now, like just going outside and walking around at night in high risk neighborhoods, can be fatal. Told them I didn't want to be visiting their graves, or their jail cells, or them struggling to raise 3 babies from 3 different fathers. None of them thinks any of that could ever happen to them, but they were almost all telling about dangerous situations with kids showing them guns, bangers trying to sweet talk them, predators trying to talk them into their vehicles, and they find it very exciting. The part of their brain that foresees the potential consequences of their actions is not fully developed until the mid-20s, but stupid actions we all took when we were young didn't usually have the severe consequences that my 7th graders are more likely to experience. Some of these consequences for bad choices didn't exist. HIV, getting shot, crack cocaine, meth--its not like there weren't drugs available but they weren't so instantly addictive. Teenage pregnancy existed but it wasn't as widespread, nor was it an accepted way of life. I'm hoping to give these kids a tool, 10-10-10 to get these kids to think beyond immediate gratification. 10 minutes from now, 10 months from now, 10 years from now. Puts things in perspective. For me, for them.

I have lost 72.5 lbs in 8 months and the first 6 months I ate pretty good healthy wise and followed the rules but now I am eating like I did before part oif the time but in much much smaller portions. I look at it like this..you get out of it what you put into it.If you want to lose much slower and are content with that, then Yes eating Mcdonaleds french fries are OK.. My weight loss has slowed very much ever since I have been making bad food choices..am I ok with that? Somedays I am and somedays I am not! The band is a toool we still have to do some of the work. I am ned of a fill so with that and making bad choices , Im seeing the results of it..no weight gain but very slow weight loss. The good thing about my band is I can still enjoy life and eat what I want but smaller protions without fear of gaining.

It isn't kg. I thought about that too, but that would have been a big weight gain. I haven't gained, lol.

Anybody else have this prior to surgery?? I have been on the Atkins diet for about a month. I lost 10 pounds on it and totally deprived myself of carbs. Now that i have my surgery date this coming Monday (3.29) i have gone off the diet and can't stop thinking about food! Its incredible. I keep using the excuse that I might not ever get to eat and enjoy this stuff so i want it now! I got on the scale this morning after a weekend of eating and drinking and I was up 2 pounds! Can't keep this up! Speaking of the scale... I also realized that i was excited to get on the scale when I am dieting and i think i am going to see a lower number. But, this morning, i had to make myself get on it and see the damage i did. I never did that in the past, hence contributing to my weight gain. Getting on that scale, facing the consequences is making me think more before i shove bad food into my mouth. I am reminded of how hard i worked for the past month to get the pre-op weight off and here i am spoiling it in one week! Yes folks, i am able to gain massive amounts of weight in an extremely short amount of time. I need to shape up and get my head back in the game. Start making better choices and keeping it up. I have also come to realize that after surgery, i will be obsessed with that scale. I will have to try and limit myself to step on it just once a day when I wake up. I could drive myself crazy! Oooohhh, I can't wait for the big day!!

I have not gotten surgery yet, but I will be in the next few months. I have told only a few people and every single one of them gave me backlash. "It's the easy way out, but you're so young, just exercise and eat right... it's not that hard... you just have to want it." I did not think I would receive this much opposition from people who have seen me struggle my entire life, who have witnessed me go through depressions, weight loss, and huge weight gains. It wasn't until a year ago I realized this was a food addiction that I started understanding myself. Not everyone has caught up yet. If a smoker uses a nicotine patch, or rehab no one calls them a cheater or a little bitch. They applaud their efforts for trying to save their life! This surgery should be no different. I have an addiction. I am seeking help. I want to save my life. And in my opinion taking the easy way out, or the wrong way, is to sit at home and pretend that nothing is wrong.

I have taken blood pressure meds for a long time, and they have never caused weight gain for me. There are so many different types out there, I would suggest talking to your doctor and trying something else. Good Luck!

The holidays are here. And you may be feeling a little nervous about the challenges of upcoming celebrations if your weight loss surgery was recent. Then again, you may be over confident and think that weight loss surgery is all you need to protect against weight regain. In either case, some holiday survival tips are in order. Our discipline to diet and health will be tested time and again across the holidays. And so you should implement a holiday plan for success if you are sincere about maintaining your current weight through the tangle of holiday temptations. Gain Support from Family and Friends Be social and use your allies. Talk to them in advance about not pressuring you to eat foods that will sabotage your diet, if need be. And if you are feeling pressured, make them aware and ask for their support. If all else fails, politely excuse yourself and go somewhere for a 5-minute break (the bathroom if you must). When you return, the conversation focus likely will have moved onto another topic. Learn more “Post Weight Loss Surgery Holiday Survival Tips.” Similarly at these gatherings you may have to handle harsh or inappropriate comments about your bariatric surgery. People make inappropriate remarks for a few different reasons. Some have poor filters while others may think they are being helpful. Some have poor boundaries and others may be passive aggressive. Too much to drink is always a possibility. People can be rude and that includes family members. Learning to cope in a healthy way is the best choice, so here are some suggestions about what to do if an inappropriate comment is passed: Read, “Coping Skills after Weight Loss Surgery.” Practical Tips for Controlling Portion Sizes A moderate, healthy snack just before a celebration can help to control hunger and thus begin the afternoon or evening with a more reasonable appetite. Remember when making your plate that small portions of favorite foods are a better choice than tasting a little bit of every dish. And by all means do not sit by the serving tables. Mingle away from where the food is displayed. Controlling portion sizes is a vital addition to your plan! Get more tips, read, “Controlling Portion Sizes at the Holidays.” Weight Gain at the Holidays Isn't Just About Food Some people overeat at the holidays because there are seduced by rich holiday foods. Others have different motivations. They use food to relieve the holiday stress that inevitably creeps in for so many. Celebration and pressure often accompany one another. Some people overcompensate for the pending New Year’s diet resolution and eat with abandon through the holidays. Other people succumb to unrestrained eating because of a single episode of overindulgence. A breach of discipline can open the floodgates to weight gain at the holidays. Continue reading, “The Skinny on Weight Gain at the Holidays.” It’s Not All about Eating Healthy at Parties It is important to take the focus off of eating and instead turn your attention to the friendships and conversations around you. This is a time to give your attention to someone rather than some food thing. Before my gastric bypass, all I could think about was the food and drink being served. I was oblivious to what was happening around me! That has long ago changed for me… the reverence and importance of the gathering of friends and family is most important. For me it is a time of gaiety. And that is the richest experience of all. Respect yourself and your weight loss this holiday season. Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

One thing I want to say, and not in an alarmist way, is that even if you follow the guidelines, it is possible to fail. That is one fallacy I need to point out as untrue. Some people don't ever get the right restriction, for some people the band exacerbates health issues, and for others, the band fails (and I should know, I have experienced band failure in the form of a leak - this is NOT something that is caused by patient non-compliance). The GOOD thing about the band is that you have options to try to resolve issues. If you have health issues and these are picked up quickly enough, unfilling may help. If you have band failure, you can get a replacement band. But the band can also be frustrating, high maintenance and requires more input (I believe) from the patient than other WLS. As for hunger, in my case, when I'm in the green zone I lose all hunger. I am actually choosing not to seek out being in the green zone again (after replacement band surgery) because I want the balance of being able to eat relatively normally and still maintain my weight, and yet, as of this morning, I'm still losing. I've dropped another lb in the last week since my last fill, and it's simply because I'm eating less and it's keeping me full for longer already, but without the potential for stuck episodes or not being able to eat certain things. And lastly, I got to goal in 7 months, maintained for 3 years with the band, and the minute the leak happened, my hunger returned and I started to gain. I eventually managed to arrest the weight gain and even lose a little just prior to getting my band replaced but damn, it was bloody hard work fighting hunger all the time. So I cannot imagine, despite my success to date, being able to maintain easily without the band. Nor do I want to.

I'm so angry with myself. I had my surgery June 14th and the last few weeks I've been doing really bad. I work out and I eat well all day, but at night I lose all control and I stuff my face. I was on medication for binge eating disorder and they took me off of it along with all my antidepressants. I ended up in the hospital a few weeks ago with pneumonia and they didn't like the fact I'm tachycardic so they took me off everything. I feel the depression sinking in and losing my motivation and willpower. I feel trapped. I can't even get in to see my psychiatrist for another few weeks. Has anyone lost their motivation this early, but found it again? Also my psychiatrist knows very little about meds after surgery is anyone here on meds post surgery that doesn't have weight gain as a side effect? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had a radical hysterectomy 10 years ago. I was already overweight but the hormonal changes seem to speed up my weight gain. I gained nearly 100 lbs since my hysterectomy. I wasn't put on hormone replacement therapy since I had uterine cancer. As far as effecting my sleeve, I don't think it has. I didn't go through any emotional changes post sleeve. In comparison I'd say the hysterectomy surgery was a more difficult recovery.

I haven't had weight gain issues but I have been very afraid of that...especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. I think my fear of turning back into "my old obese self" motivated me to keep exercising and watching what I eat (somewhat) throughout this whole thing. I wish you luck in taking that weight back off. You did it once and you can do it again!

Hi all, I was banded on June 3, 2009 and have been doing really well up until this weekend. Today mostly. Let me explain. I've lost almost 30 pounds since the 2 week pre-op liquid diet. I'm very pleased with the loss but I'm do for my first fill this coming friday 7/10 and I guess I'm afraid he won't give me a fill. I had mentioned to the dr just this past week that I have limitations when I eat. He mentioned that I must have restriction with the band in place even though I have no fluid in it. He also said we'll have to go slow with the fills. Now, I've been so good with my diet and exercising more than I would like and I think that's why the weight is coming off. Yes, I fill fast, but I do get hungry between meals. So, with this in mind, I set out to test the full limits of my band. I found out that what people say about chips, ice cream and sweet is true. They are definately slider foods. I also went and had a little mac salad and potato salad. I had veggie burger and turkey sausage for my meats. I ate no where need the amount of food I use too, but even when I did get full, I went a litle further. I experienced for the first time what I see people call PBing. Not much though, but I did. Here's what I don't understand........why do I do this? Is it normal? Before the band, I never felt full and would eat until I would almost vomit. NO CONTROLL. What is wrong with me? Can anyone relate to this absurd behavior? I'm so mad at myself. Here comes a five pound weight gain!!!

Hi Skip, I hear your desperation & I can clearly remember feeling desperate, w/ no choices left yet scared to do the WLS. What if it does not work, what if I gain it back, what if I wreck a perfectly good body part...... Like I said I was at my wits end, I had tried & tried over the years to diet, I'd lose some weight, gain it back & more. I am now 9 months postop & 110 lbs less. I am light on my feet, I go up stairs and am not out of breath. I put my tennis shoes on w/out dreading it. I do not worry about fitting in a chair or walking in a room. I go to support groups, work on my mental addiction, talk honestly with others. I do water aerobics 4 times a week, lift some weights, walk my dog. Summer has arrived, I am now on my bike. The exercise caused me to have consistent weight loss of 10 lbs every month, more in the beginning. The surgery made it possible for me to not give up, I ABSOLUTLY could not eat more than the 1/4 c, them up to a 1/2 cup and I stayed at a 1/2c per meal for a long time and overall I was satisfied. Now I can eat 1c & a little more. I am much much happier but I still have the same personality, I can get depressed for no good reason, I overdo it & become exhausted (but I had a lot of fun before I got exhausted). I do real well w/ my liquid & protein most of the time. Vitamins too. This is my story of commitment so far with this surgery, without this my story would be my old story, I tried, I got too hungry, I ate, I gave up. My doctor told me I was not a loser, he says we just get too hungry & it takes too long without this surgery. God Speed to YOU, your doctor & your wife. Your life is going to change, follow ALL the rules!!!!!

Hey Everyone, Just thought I would start checking in again on LBT. I have had a busy 6 months since I have really been able to log on. Its time for me to turn to you, my fellow bandsters for support and inspiration. I swear I will be reading all the "new posts" I have missed for the next week, Boy you have been a busy bunch hahaha. I managed to keep my weight off and do quite well over the past year, I was down a total of 140 lbs and feeling great. once the holidays came around I started to struggle with weight again, those pounds started to creep back on (I only gained 8) but it was enough to scare me into getting a fill. So I had my most recent fill on Dec14, 2006. The Dr seems to think I may have a leak in my port or perhaps somewhere in the band which causes me to slpwly lose restriction. The fill was wonderful for a while then hunger becan to rear its ugly head again about 2 weeks later. Yup just in time for christmas ahhh all the food and parties again. so I ate and I gained then I went to aruba the second week of January while there of course you go out and have fun, eat drink and be merry right???? Well I was sick, nauseaus, couldnt keep a thing in me, vomiting at least 6 times a day and generally not feeling myself. I did a little counting in my head when I got home because I was still feeling ill and realized I was LATE! Well low and behold my december/january weight gain was due to being pregnant! NOW.... not only am I just pregnant I am pregnant with TWIN BOYS! wow, now that explains my hunger from christmas on, my excessive vomiting (I had my fill removed in February to be able to ingest enough food for the pregnancy and to generally feel comfortable) Of course also to reduce the tightness and lessen the risk of a slip from the morning noon and night sickness. I am currently going into my 5th month of my pregnancy, I feel GREAT although I am having a hard time emotionally seeing the weight come back on.... up 24 pounds but the babies are doing great and I have to keep telling myself I am gaining this weight to give my twins a good start at a healthy birthweight when they are born. My other 2 little boys are awake now, So much for free time (its going to be less in about 4 months) hahah so I better tend to their needs and enjoy my time as I know I will be busier than ever soon. Take care xxooxx

Hi, I am 6 1/2 years post op (gastric bypass), I’ve gained 54 pounds since my lowest weight of 245. I’m not up at 299 and need to loose the weight. I’ve taken the necessary steps to make it happen, but am struggling with my calorie goal each day (logging on My Fitness Pal), I can’t seem to pass the 900(ish) calorie goal, I’m eating VERY CLEAN and Lean. Is this too little calories or should I be consuming more? I do work out one on one with a trainer 3 times a week, and 2 other days, I’ll do Home walks and what not. In the past i went with calories suggested from MFP, and I lost 2 pounds in 2.5months (I was working out hard, and eating right, but eating the 1,875 calories MFP recommended. So this didn’t work for me. My trainer is training with other bypass ladies and says their goals are 1200-1300. Day. I can’t even eat that much unless I chose to go with pizza and icecream. Help me please, what should my calorie intake be to lose weight? I do realize my macros should be 60g of protein, but I’m clueless on fats and carbs too. Ugh, I’m so frustrated.

Wow 20 years ago you had bypass? That is amazing. I saw someone else on here mention alcohol is causing weight gain for them. Maybe you can switch to a very low carb, calorie beer?

You can't change the past, but you can affect the future. Consider it a lesson learned, and get on with your life. If we were all perfect we wouldn't need the band in the first place. If it's a small slippage you may be fine after an unfill. Increase your exercise a bit and you may not have any weight gain at all. I know I'm not answering your specific questions, but just wanted to say stop beating yourself up over what is in the past.

The pill doesn't necessarily make you gain weight but the hormones that are released definitely play a part in weight gain. I have Mirena IUD and the hormones stay located to that specific area. It usually does not encourage weight gain

I lost 1206 lbs in 19 months, I loved my band but I eroded, and I have no regrets. My band and I worked wel ltogether, it did its' job and I am happy to report in the 2 months I have had no band I have had NO weight gain. I learned from my band and got my head on straight.

I bought a Fitbit and I really like it. It estimates how many calories I'm burning each day, so I have a good idea of how many I should be eating. It has already helped. I'm back up to 109. That's only a pound, but it may mean I'm finding my healthy calorie allowance. Edited: that weight gain was just a digestive fluctuation, I guess. I'm down even lower than before. Now at 107.

I had the sleeve Nov 2014 and I am so happy with the decision I made. I decided on gastric sleeve vs. bypass because gastric sleeve patients don't have the malabsorption issues associated with bypass and my surgeon won't even do lap bands anymore due to the high failure rate. My pre-op weight gain was directly related to my over-eating. But not eating too much at meals, rather eating 2-3 candy bars along with a bag of chips and three scoops of ice cream every night after my family went to bed. Call it binge eating, grazing whatever, it was my way of feeling comfort. Now, post-op, I have control of my head and what I put in my mouth. I haven't felt real "hunger" since surgery, so I eat to live. I still get the late night cravings to eat junk because I'm bored, but I usually just eat a Protein bar while watching TV after the family goes to bed. Plus, eating really sweet foods before bed gives me terrible acid reflux during the night and that is a constant reminder that junk food and boredom eating should not mix. I see many pre-op patients at my monthly support group. They are either waiting for surgical approval or just getting feedback from those of us who have had WLS. It's a great forum for face-to-face conversations about options. I doubt you'll find one person who says they are sorry they made the decision to have surgery. Benefits clearly out weigh any pre-surgery food passions.

If you're on a stall, and especially if you have a lot of salt so as to pick up water weight, you can see some minor temporary weight gain.

I don't know why it works for some and not for others. All I know is that so far, it works great for me...no band complications and as long as I do my part, no serious weight gain since hitting goal. I'm hoping to one day get to the same marks as our founder Alex, who has his band for around ten years now. I'm not far from my four year anniversary so I've a ways to go yet.

The person who explained in detail what the sugars will do re: weight loss & weight gain is absolutely correct. Since my surgery from 1980 I went from 264# to 132# so very quickly. In all of these years i never gained an ounce. May of 2016 I put on my first summer outfit as I live in snow country so live in heavy clothes all winter; My clothes were loose on me. Somehow I had managed to lose another 12# over the winter. Wasn't eating or drinking anything any different. I was 120#. I was actually ecstatic. For some demented reason which I do not understand to this day I started drinking a 12oz bottle of Coca-Cola from Mexico over a 24 hour period daily. I am so addicted I can't believe it. But I wasn't worried as I was still my 120#'s. Well in June 2017 I put away my baggy heavy clothes & grabbed cutoffs & knit top. They were kinda tight??? It's now Sept 2017 & my stomach area (I didn't have plastic surgery as I didn't know the insurance would have covered it & really didn't need it after the weight loss) this has gotten back to being fat & saggy. I can barely fit into the 132# clothes but this stomach is making me sooo sad & depressed & i can't stop drinking these darned things. I'm praying that with walking & stopping this nonsense that it will go away but I have no idea. Listen to what has been said about the calories & calcium loss. I'm a living testament as to what a 12oz soda a day can do to a once upon a time extremely successful gastric bypass that's stayed in great shape for 36 years. DO NOT PICK UP OR CONTINUE TO DRINK CARBONATED BEVERAGES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH SUGAR.

sanadramae - I am sorry for your loss and other issues, I know how hard these things can be.. But I am going to tell you right now STOP STOP EATING THAT CRAP.... It really doesn't make you feel any better - no it makes you feel guility... Quit eating right this very second..... Go back to eating healthy you can do it - you did it before In our lives we allow for a margin of error – which we should also do when trying to eat healthy – if you are eating 1000-1200 calories a day – allow for some of those calories to be used for a little bit of something you really want (chocolate - have a healthy choice fudgecicle - it's s/f & 80 calories)- you need wiggle room in your diet to make it work (I save my morning and afternoon snacks for night time which is my worst time) – the all or nothing practices has to be thrown our of your mind. You can learn to reprogram your mind to strip away the guilt that comes with dieting. You have to realize that it’s not that the first slice of cake that will doom your diet – it’s the second or third or whole thing that leads to weight gain. You have to listen to your body & respond smartly to your cravings and emotions but over time you will learn how to eat right and mange your craving and that’s when you’ll train your brain to stop obsessing about eating right and punishing yourself – If you stop over thinking you’ll stop over eating.. Good Luck to you...<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>