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Sometimes I also get tired of working so hard at this. I'm learning that it usually works out better when I have what I want to have and dont beat myself up about it, and then just get right back to things the next day (or the second half of the day...whatever the case may be). Often, I would have that kind of attitude towards myself and food that Im just messing up and sabotaging all my hard work which would usually lead to more bingeing/comfort eating, long periods of not working at this, weight gain etc. So now, even when I eat compulsively, I try REALLY hard to cut myself some slack and think about it logically - i.e. if I have a day where I eat 2000 calories due to a "snack" or a compuslive eating episode, I STILL have burned more than I've consumed. Sometimes the scale says otherwise (the scale is such a poor indicator of day to day weight gain and loss...in a day, one's weight could fluctutate up and down 5 pounds), especially when I've snacked on carbs which tend to cause Fluid retention. But logically I know that I won't gain all my weight back, or even a pound of weight back, just by eating some ice cream. Its hard to get my emotions to catch up to my logical thinking, but the more I work on it, the easier it is. But don't beat yourself up about anything - it will just lead to more frustration and no progress (easier said than done, I know). Its not a race and there is no time limit to your weight loss. Its just an ongoing, lifestyle change.

I agree with Tiffykins. Jillian's tactics are barbaric, and her "knowledge" of the emotional aspects of weight gain/loss are pop psychology, at best. She is just the latest in a long line of pseudo-saviors that have figured out a way to make a lot of money offering hope to those that they considered hopeless. And, while we're on the subject of The Biggest Loser, do you all really think that NBC has kept this show on the air out of the goodness of their corporate hearts to inspire and help the millions of people who watch it every week? No, they keep it on the air because advertisers pay for the freakshow effect; the majority of people who watch The Biggest Loser aren't watching it to get fitness or diet tips. Like most of you have said, who among us has 6-8 hours a day to exercise? Most of the people who watch TBL watch it to see the fat girl fall of the treadmill, or see the fat guy cry because he is so hungry. They watch it to make themselves feel better; "At least I'm not as bad as those freaks." It's humiliating and degrading to all people, no matter their size. Okay, my rant is over...for now.

Hi, I agree John Goodman looks great and it really doesn't matter how he did what matters is that he did. I have been on a strenuous exercise routine for 30 years now I walk 2 hours a day 5 days a week with 7 serious hills) I think if you added up all the days I missed in those years they would not even make five years and before surgery all that walking did was to slow down weight gain to a crawl. I also spent most of that time on a diet! Surgery was a last option for me and I don't regret it nor do I believe it was the easy route. I am not a fan of Jullian nor of the show. I remember there was once a challenge for a group that had been out to get back in. They had then do steps for five minutes and the one who did the most got the spot. Thing was there was one man whose knees were shot and one woman who had asthma! It certainly did not seem like a fair contest. Also the contestents are not all the same size I would guess BMIs probably range from 35 to 60 and while they go by percentage of what is lost someone who is 400lbs at 5'3" will lose a bigger percenbtage then someone who weighs 250 at 5'3" doing the exact same thing. Nancy

At some point she probably gained 10 lbs and that's the basis of her claim of having overcome being fat. Susan Powter used the photo of herself when she was pregnant. And some of the Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem people have done the same thing. We ALL had to lose weight after pregnancies. That's not the same thing as fighting obesity. Except of course for Jaffa. Doubt if pregnancy played a roll for you. Man, you're going to be so glad you got the revision! It's the best thing I've ever done for my health and my appearance. At this point I haven't had it very long and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that this elation I feel, lasts. I agree with SarahD on that. I've been through so many ups and downs doing every diet imaginable and struggling after every re-weight gain following the strict dieting. No wonder we don't want to share our surgery with everyone. We have a hard time believing this is going to work long term ourselves so why should anyone else think it will? We've been through so much disappointment ourselves, we don't need to see it reflected in our friends eyes. I imagine my friends wonder what I've done because I've lost so quickly. And when they ask and I tell them I have another 30 lbs to lose, they say "Oh that's too much!" But of course 30 lbs will only put me at the same relative weight that they are right now. Slim people are clueless about what obese people go through.

I gained 11 pounds in the 3 nights I had to stay, very disappointed in the huge weight gain. I did lose it in 4 days though and I'm still losing a pound a day. Down 26 pounds since my journey began in April. Today I got out my size 14 jeans and they fit, not tight at all in fact they were falling off me. Boy I was dancing in my room with joy!

Hello All, I was sleeved on November 4th, 2014 and released November 5th. During my stay in the hospital, I received 5 - 6 bags of IV Fluid. When I came home, I weighed myself and saw I had a 10 pond weight gain. The night of the 5th, I went to the bathroom like clockwork, every 2 hours. This morning I was only up by about 2 pounds. I'm assuming that this is the Water weight from the IV's and it will eventually come off. Has anyone else has this experience? If so, how long does it take for the water weight to come off?

Eating all of these foods daily in place of lean meats and vegetables is absolutely not a healthy diet and is precisely the cause of my weight gain. When I lost over 60lbs in the past, I could still occassionally eat these, but not to near the extent as I am now. I was simply explaining my reasons for regaining which was replacing my whole foods diet with a high carb/starch diet out of convenience.

Salsa, I got this off the main PS thread. Good luck tomorrow! Originally Posted by Kelliebelly Hey, I had a TT, Breast Lift and lipo of the flanks back and arms 4 weeks ago. I asked my Dr shitloads of questions, and I still emailed nearly daily with more questions to ask him up until the surgery. Jamie, just remember be CLEAR as possible about what you want. Let them know exactly so you both go into the op with the exactly the same ideas of the final results...How tight, muscle repair, sutures or staples, how high for the nipple, extended vs normal TT, lipo etc...ask it all!!!!!!!!!!! I am trying to find my questions I asked him at my first consult so I can show you... 1.Can you tell how far apart the muscles are before the op? 2.How aggresive are you with muscle repair? 3.How tight do you pull the stomach down? 4.How much longer is my ETT scar going to be vs a normal TT scar? 5.How long for the drains - how long for the binder? 6.How much are you going to take off with lipo in the flanks and back area? 7.Is the ETT going to pull the top of my thighs up and my pinny - Will it lift my butt a little also if the scar goes further around? 8.Will I wake up in pain or is that controlled already? 9.How high do you do the boobs with a lift and what happens with them if I lose more weight, say 15kgs 10.Will you use my ceasar scar? How do you do the scar, long or curved or?? 11.How much skin app will be removed with my TT? 12.Will I have a roll when I sit? 13.Does the ETT involve the vertical cut also? 14.How do you do the belly button - looks wise? Can it be pierced later? 15.How long till I am standing straight? 16.Will my body match with a flat tummy and a waist etc but still fat arms and thighs? 17.Will me having a port with the lapband effect where you can do the lipo on my flanks? 18.staples, stiches or glue? 19.Do we use Bromelain, Arnica or lymphatic massage afterwards? 20.Is pain levels controlled by a pump after? 21.Will I lose nipple sensation? 22.What kind of cut do you do with the TT and the breasts. 23.What kind of belly button do you create. These are questions copied from a plastic surgery forum I am a member of : Muscle Repair Most women who are seeking a tummy tuck will require some muscle repair. Childbirth, weight gain, and aging all contribute. The fascia which holds the muscles together to form a strong core is actually what is repaired, not the muscles. To understand what the fascia is, think about the gristley part of a steak. The part between the meat and the fat. That is what the PS's sew back together to draw the muscles back in. For those who need MR, it can be what causes the most dramatic changes in appearance. Most women having a FTT will have roughly the same amount of skin removed, the area between the pubic mound to just above the belly button. The main difference between a good TT and a great TT is in the details of the MR and the incisions. Having the muscles pulled in nice and tight is what brings in the waist line and the sides, so as to 'frame' the body that the skin will drape over. So how do you know which Drs do the better job? Here's a few tips. * First educate yourself by looking at tons of pics. You can find many right here on MMH -Pictures. Compare one persons results with the other. Visit the Tummy Tuck Message Boards, and follow the recoveries of women. Who was standing straight at what point, how do their results compare with others? What was their initial body type in comparison to yours? Learn to look at pictures with a discerning eye, that's how you'll be able to judge the work of the PS when you visit for a consult. I like to compare a good TT with getting a good paint job. If you take an old rusty car to Maaco and get the $199 special, you'll still be thrilled with the results in comparison to the befores. But if you take the same car to the custom shop, and they remove the bumpers and rebadge and do extra body work, you would be able to tell the difference when compared side by side. In PS, surgeons usually charge about the same in a given geographic area, so make sure you're getting the custom job. * Ask your PS what his philosophy on MR is.. He won't be able to gaurantee you what he'll be able to do for you until he gets into surgery, but he should be able to tell you what he 'usually' does. Is he aggressive? How close - in mm's - will he try and pull them together? How soon can you expect to stand straight? If he tells you, you can stand straight w/i a week, then he either doesn't do aggressive MR, or you didn't need it. Some PS still don't do any MR, and some do only a modest amount. They have their reasons. There's a longer recovery time, more pain for the patient. It also takes them longer in surgery to do a good job, as it usually requires more layers of stitches to do it tighter and have it hold. Discuss your Dr's techniques and his philosophy with him to make sure your expectations are on the same page. Your case may be one where MR is either not required or where he can't be as aggressive for very real reasons. Make sure you have all the info you need to make the right choice. Sutures and Closure Most Dr's will use disolvable internal sutures. Where they vary most is in how they close the incision. Here's the most common types: * Steri-strips or tape. This is placed over the incision to help the 'top' close cleanly. Your Dr will usually advise you not to shower for several days up to a week, to allow the incision to close before exposing to Water. * Glue. If your insicison has been sealed with glue, then you will be able to shower on or about day 2, as the glue will prevent water from touching the incision. Within a week or so, the glue will begin to peel off. * There are still a few Dr's that use staples. There is some risk that the staples will cause extra scarring, tho alot of women have done just fine. And the staples will have to be removed during the first week. Scar Placement As with everything else, this largely is a preference determined by the PS, depending on your body type, the amount of skin to be removed, and the natural fold of the skin. If you get an Extended TT (ETT), then your incision will go all the to the back of your hips. If you have a mini TT (MTT), then your scar will be low and much smaller than most. You may or may not be able to have much say over where the scar is placed, as doing it other than the way the PS recommends could give less than satisfactory results and cause issues such as 'dog ears'. * Where does he recommend the inisicion be placed? * Will it be the smiley face shape or a more straight line? * Can you wear your favorite panties or swim suit to help determine the placement? * How far back will the inicision go? Binders Here in the states most Dr's use a binder for at least some period of time. It helps close the space that was created when seperating the skin/fat from the fascia, which keeps Fluid from collecting. This is to help prevent complications such as a seroma or a hematoma. It can also reduce the amount of swelling by compressing the tissue and forcing fluids out. Some Dr's recommend the Stage 1 binder for a week or two, before graduating you up to a stage 2 garment . A stage 2 garment is usually just a high waisted support panty that you can buy in a store. You don't want something that just comes to the waist, as it can pinch the ab muscles and be extremely uncomfortable. Some Dr's will take the binder away from you in a couple of weeks and not have you use anything. And then there are some - especially in Great Britian - who don't use a binder or garment at all. * Will you wake up in a binder after surgery? If so, what kind? How long will you need to wear this binder? * If you're to provide your own, what does he recommend? * If you're having a combination of procedures, such as a "breast augmentation" or liposuction, how will that effect the garment you should wear? * Can or should you wear a stage 2, and if so, when can you switch from the binder, and how long should you remain in it? Drains Almost all Drs use drains of some type. This is because the lymph system has been disrupted with the skin removal and incision. The drains are put in to assist the body in removing the fluids, so as to reduce swelling and prevent a build up that could cause a seroma or a hematoma. There are some new techniques available now, where drains aren't required. One is a procedure where a sort of 'glue' is made from your own blood to seal the pocket, and another is called pregressive tension sutures, which also closes that pockets. Since they're both pretty new at this point, alot of Dr's are taking a wait and see approach before using this technique for themselves. * Where does the Dr put the entry points for the drains? In the incision directly? Or in the pubis area? Will there be a seperate scar? * How long does he typically leave the drains in? Will he remove one first and then the other? Does it depend on the amount of fluid being drained? * Is there a max length of time that he'll leave a drain in? If it extends for longer than anticipated, does he prescribe antibiotics so as to prevent infection? Time off work The amount of time for recovery depends alot on the amount of MR, as well as the general health and condition of the patient. It seems that most Dr's will recommend at least 2 weeks before returning to work, depending on the type of work you do. Even with a desk job. Sitting can be harder than standing, because of the pressure it puts on the MR. If you return to work at a desk job, make sure you get up often and move around to prevent the muscles from cramping up. During lunch, I would often go out to my car and lean the seat all the way back, so I could rest the muscles mid-day. * How long before you can return to work full time? * How soon before you can resume household duties? I recommend at least 6 months off from this activity. ; ) * How soon before you can take care of small children if you have them? * How long before you can resume exercise? Walking? Weights? * How soon can you drive? Definitions seroma A mass or swelling caused by the localized accumulation of serum within a tissue or organ. hematoma A localized swelling filled with blood resulting from a break in a blood vessel. fascia A sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue enveloping, separating, or binding together muscles, organs, and other soft structures of the body. As for weight, you will lose about 6 or so kgs if you have a TT. Thats average, some dont lose any. It will also take a while to see it come off because of swelling etc. My Ps said that you can lose another 20 kgs or so after a TT so it doesnt effect the results. I really have to stress that muscle repair is a huge factor of the final results with a TT. It is an absolute must. Make sure you and your PS are both clear that he performs it, because some dont. Also make sure you look at lot of pics of patients they have done with the same procedure. I think you are a perfect weight now to have it done and will get optimal results being so close to your goal. Good Luck if want to know anything else just let me know. Quote: Originally Posted by Kelliebelly Also, make sure you ask lots of questions about the Dr performing the surgery on someone with a band. Have they done it before. Also have them consult with your banding Dr so they know exactly where the port is and how far they can pull before pressure is placed on it. My Dr couldnt pull my tummy down as tight as he would have liked because it was causing alot of pressure on my port.

@@judy vsg Yes, being hyper kept my weight off for most of my life, but it turned 2 years ago, while still hyper and I had a massive, rapid weight gain. I became one of those 5% hyperthyroid sufferers that gained weight! I did not like my shaking hands, the sweats and feeling hot all the time, the irritability, racing pulse, high blood pressure, horrible headaches, muscle spasms, the runs and insomnia. Now, with treatment most of those symptoms disappeared, except insomnia and feeling hot on and off. Thank you for your well wishes.

I had the same thing, acid reflux terribly, weight gain just all around miserable. I had had the roux-n-y 15 years ago. I had called to check into the revision surgery and the first thing they did was an upper barium test. Low and behold I have a 2 1/2 cm fistula attaching my pouch to my remnant stomach. At that point, it became a repair of a complication instead of a revision. My surgery is coming up and I am so excited. Sent from my SM-G973U using BariatricPal mobile app

Granted that muscle weighs more than fat (if you have the same VOLUME of it), but one doesn't usually gain the same volume of muscle that one had in fat, nor doeasfat turn into muscle. And I'd read in many places that it takes quite a while to have an actual weight gain from muscle mass increasing. So I'm unsure what your gain is from, just being human I would guess. We all fluctuate a lot. I'm up about 3 lbs from last week, but that's life. als long as the trend continues to be downward, I'll be okay. Congrats on joining the boot camp!

Being on a med that causes weight gain is tough. I am on one that causes weight gain but have still managed to lose 64lbs in 3.5 months! woohoo! Good luck on your journey!

I was on Prilosec for 6 months post-op; no weight gain. I am also on Prilosec again because I need to take an NSAID for something so they gave it to me to help prevent issues - no weight gain.

I don't eat much bread because I am paranoid about weight gain, plus it swells up in my belly and i get that stuck feeling if i am not careful. I especially am not a bread fan because I don't drink with my food so my mouth feels dried out after i'mdone and i'm stuck feeling that way for 30mins. lol right now my husband and I just ate some cold cuts. he ate 7 inches. I had like half of a 3in and was full.

Good morning - I am at the hospital now waiting for 5:30am check-in (boyfriend picked me up super early). I lost weight on my own in 2012 - 2016 (lowest weight 132 pounds). I struggled to maintain this weight due to being clueless about food choices (protein vs Carbs/fat) & 2017 I had a slip/fall accident (weigh at time 160 pounds) and this totally took me over board through the nextt 2.5 years to 215 pounds. Going through therapy, steroid shots and daily back pain due to weight gain, my Primary care doctor put in referral for me to start WLS program in March and I'm having surgery today!!! My weight as of Saturday was 197 - will see this morning what my final weight will be day of surgery! I feel this program will assist you in making better food choices long term through working with a nutritionist & your WLS team, something I didn't have before. I would definitely do it if I were you and follow your plan to the T. Listen to the veterans in this group which have tons of advice and experience with this (most thankful to them). Best of luck to you and follow me to see my journey!!!! Hope to post something later after surgery if I'm feeling up to it. Surgery at 730am!!!

i have been eating a lot of watermelon-- probably about a cup at a time. no problems and no weight gain

My kids are older. When I had my surgery, they were late teens/early 20s. My oldest is a slim, but not necessarily healthy habits person. My youngest is more prone to weight gain. I did enlist them in my transformation in the sense of i had a very hard time resisting certain foods so we came up with the "Carb drawer" which i simply don't open but has some foods they enjoy and want. They don't tend to shop with me or anything like that but they observe that I eat small portions and often on an appetizer sized plate. On the rare occasion that they prepare and serve up food, they always put mine on a small plate - I don't even ask. My youngest who is now 22 told me early on that he wanted to improve his eating habits and has lost weight too. (He was never obese, but is a big guy and has always been prone to some extra weight). I think my modeling of eating behavior has influenced him in a very positive way. My kids don't really like doing "active" stuff with me like they did when they were younger. However, last several years the mothers day tradition is going for a hike, not a big ole brunch. The oldest in particular hates hiking, but he does it in recognition of doing something that makes ME feel good. I don't think my exercise/activity habits have really reasonated with either of them - as they are young enough they only like to do fun stuff for exercise! I wouldn't do this with younger kids, but with them I do sometimes bring up my weight loss, how I am still working at maintaining it etc. I do it because they both live with me again and I find that touching on my struggles improves our relationship. Example, if i am going through a time of feeling a bit more emotional around food - I might mention it so they know I am going through something. IT makes them more aware of my possible behavior and consequences - not that they need to do anything. The thing that shocked them both was bringing out my before picture after I had been at goal for awhile. It was deeply upsetting to them because they didn't remember how I looked. It wasn't just the fat, it was that you could see my physical pain and misery in that picture and I think they felt terrible that they didn't even remember it. i told them it was okay to not remember it, but it was a reminder of how much I have changed. That led to the conversation about how much I have changed in terms of interactions with them and others - all very positive I might add!

I just had a mini tummy tuck on Oct 9th. After years of being overweight, losing weight, gaining weight etc my stomach was not my favorite part of my body. Luckily my band doc is also a plastic surgeon so I wasn't worried about my band being affected. Due to my port sticking out of my skin, my doc actually moved my port and right now I am not sure where it is exactly I can't feel it at all. As for your scars and stretch marks, it depends on what kind of tummy tuck you have (full or mini) to whether it will take away a lot of your scars and stretch marks. The tuck would stretch your skin down and take away some of your skin meaning some of the stretch marks might be cut away. I have seen some people before photos of a tummy tuck who had stretch marks and they look so good after the tuck and a lot of their stretch marks are gone. Do some research about tummy tucks and stretch marks to see what some other peoples results have been.

Hello Stimpy, welcome back! You are a success story, believe that! Trust me we all fall for the sugar demon from time to time. What sets us apart from others though is that we have a tiny tummy that will help keep us from over eating and gaining significant weight back. It makes it a lot easier to get back to being right and not stressing over 10 lbs weight gains, etc. Let the Cookies go for now. The Holidays are approaching and you don't want to be caught up in a downward spiral with all the sugary treats staring you in the face. You are strong and I KNOW you can do it. You have already lost so much, and you are sooo close to the finish line. Let this time be for getting there instead of the latter. NOW GO GET EM!

According to whom, and how far out? My surgeon says his average is 80-90% of excess weight lost initially with a small rebound weight gain typical, but not up to 60%. Also, it's said on this board over and over again, but you decide where you fit on that. If you think the surgery is a magic bullet and you don't have to change anything except the amount you eat, you probably won't hit 100%. If you stick to plan 95% of the time and exercise regularly, you'll get a lot closer.

At my recent pre-op nutrition seminar I got to hear a fellow pre-op discuss her awesome smoothie regimen. When questioned about her weight gain it turned out her smoothies were cherry slurpees and mcdonalds mango. But they were on sale! She exclaimed. Sigh.

Hello everyone, Ive been planning to revise my lap band to the sleeve due to weight gain. I've been having so many issues trying to eat what I should due to the food being stuck and the pain and throwing up it causes. Did anyone else revise there band due to gaining and did it help?

LeeB1946 is right, insurance companies do not pay for tummy tucks but will pay for a panniculectomy (skin removal only) IF medically necessary. If you have any rashes under the skin fold, see your doctor, take photos; that's your best bet for it being medically necessary. Also make sure your weight loss has been documented by your doctor, as your insurance company might want to see documentation of your weight loss & that your are serious about keeping the weight off; my insurance required this documentation. My insurance paid for the panniculectomy & I paid the difference for the full tummy tuck. With a tummy tuck more of the skin is removed (a lot more in my case) and your muscles are repairs (tightened back to normal, as they were stretched with your weight gain too, just as your skin was stretched). I had so much extra skin I immediately went down 2 pant sizes after surgery & after all swelling went down ultimately went down 4 pant sizes after the tummy tuck!! Scars...yes there are scars. I have a scar from hip to hip...literally!! HOWEVER, placement of the scar is key. Doctors differ on their technique & this is an art, so make sure you research your doctor & see before & after photos from your doctors other patients. I was able to wear a bikini (YES A BIKINI!!!!!) for the first time in 20 years last weekend & my scar was completely covered. My doctor did an AWESOME job placing the scar low with a perfect curve! I will also add this surgery is NO JOKE!! It was the worse surgery recovery I have ever had & I've had my share of surgeries. I was down for a month & SLOWLY got back to normal thereafter. It is painful & takes everything out of you to heal...leaves you with NO ENERGY!! Even knowing how awful the recovery was, I would do it again knowing the results I have! The Lapband changed my life & the my TT changed my life to a place I never dreamed! Without that roll of skin I am able to property exercise, I can wear pants that actually fit me, I can be completely proud of my hard work & weight loss AND did I mention I was in a bikini for the first time since I was a teenager! TOTALLY worth every minute of the recovery. Just do your research on the doctor you choose. Good luck with your journey!

Hi everyone. I'm a newbie from Michigan and just found out I was approved for surgery. I go on Thursday for my medical and behavorial assessments. I'm hoping to have smooth sailing and have my lap band in a cuople months. Where I'm going I'm required to do Optifast for 4 weeks prior. I have about 90 pounds I want to lose. I gained about 35 after I quit smoking back in June. Even though I've hated all the weight gain, I never once seriously considered smoking again to curb the gains. I'm looking forward to my journey and sharing it all with you and getting to know everyone here. Anyone have any words of advice?

I have been on a pre op diet for three weeks now. Two weeks of 2 shakes and one meal and one week of three shakes and veggies. So I am in the home stretch, one week to go, im taking in 600 calories or less a day. (Cant choke down the shakes anymore, and never want to see another leaf of lettuce as long as I live.) Now im GAINING weight. WHAT???. Im starving, I cant sleep im so hungry. I have gained two pounds of the 15 I had lost. I now need to loose six pounds in six days. Aside from laxatives, does anyone have any suggestions? I am so frustrated. I just want to give up. I know my metabolism is f***** but this is ridiculous. ++I am drinking one black coffee every morning, so that should be acting as a diuretic right?