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Bodybuilders are in a different class of their own. As mentioned before, pre-competition is a lot of calories (4,000+ a day) and a ton of Protein (I have seen as high as 1 gram per pound of bodyweight). A lot of the heavyweights go over 300 pounds during the training cycle, then compete/show at around 260. Unless you are working out every day, it'll be impossible to reach close to what they are doing to their bodies. Typical adults would be hard pressed to add 20 pounds of lean muscle mass in a year, so don't fall into the trap of "Oh, I gained 10 pounds this month, but that's ok because muscle weighs more than fat." It's true it does, but 99.9% of people out there would not be able to gain that much in lean muscle in such a short time frame. Short term weight gain for those of us who lift weights is typically Water retention. Oh, and those bodybuilders use diuretics to lose those last few pounds prior to shows too. They don't look like they do in pictures as soon as the next day, and a few have died from dehydration complications.

No, I always recommend the bypass over the sleeve because there is less gastric reflux. Also, if you follow the surgeons/dietitians instructions you will do great. I get nauseous if I eat meat without chewing thoroughly or eat too much. Or if I eat too much sugar/fat I’ll get an upset tummy. But the meat thing goes away the longer you are post surgery. I had a revision (weight gain totally my fault) and I am 5 months post op and can eat tender chicken, steak, and feel great. Just even as you can eat more don’t try to eat past being full and comfortable :)

You have been through a lot! And we all go for comfort when that happens.... now you are "coming too" and starting back on the right trail. Just think about it, before the sleeve, those 53 days of staying the same would have been 20 pounds of weight gain! At least it would have been for me.... so back on the horse, and head in the right direction... its NOT too late. Stock up on treats you CAN have, sf pudding, cheese sticks... or whatever you like in that department. You can still enjoy life without sabotaging your progress. Good luck!

Hi Jason, welcome to the nursing profession. You are so right to want to get control of things now...I love my patients and I know how hard it is for them, thus my decision to get the lapband since nothing else was working, and my weight continued to creep up with every new diet. You bring up an interesting point that some prebanders need to know. The lap band isn't only a tool to help you lose weight, but it also helps prevent or reverse some of the comorbidities that come with the weight gain. I have had my lap band now for 3 and 1/2 weeks, so am still new at this...but I am happy with my decision. I have healed quickly and am getting ready to take a long walk in the park...I think this will be a good tool for you to help you take back control of your life.

Don't be scared of a small unfill...right now, you're eating the wrong foods...which won't help your weight loss or your health. By being slightly unfilled, you'll be able to eat the right foods in the right amounts AND lose weight AND be healthier. Too many people think tighter is better, but it often leads to bad food choices and weight gain. Plus, do you really want to be miserable all the time? The green zone chart in my doctor's office says, "Patient Satisfaction" under the green zone...are you satisified?

Skin texture changes and irregularity are the most common cosmetic complication of lipo, and weight loss patients will be at higher risk as their skin has been stretched and damaged by the obesity and weight gain-loss cycles. Plusa there is just a whole lot more of the skin ! Not to sound crass or disrespectful but just doesn't sound right. But if you have seen before and after photos of other patients who look like you do, and you like the results then go for it. My recommendation has always been to seek out a board-certified PS for a PS procedure as that is the only way you can be sure your doc has had formal training on the technique.

Admit this may be a long one so I apologize upfront for that! I was ridiculously out of control in my eating habits therefore I was also crazy worried about my ability to make the change. I did begin changing my habits before surgery. I began walking short distances as the 8 stairs up from my basement had me huffing and puffing. Initially I dreaded having to walk the 3 blocks to pick up my children from school. For almost 2 decades I never really dealt with hunger because I often ate so consistently I don't think I ever allowed myself to get hungry. I woke up and thought about what I would eat for Breakfast, after breakfast i focused on lunch but had Snacks, etc... I literally ate from wakeup, to my head hitting the pillow and often got up to eat more before I actually fell asleep. I remember eating 2 footlong subway subs in a sitting, and this wasn't a one time marathon thing; driving to 7-11 at midnight for junk food and then eating most of what I thought I would eat over 2-3 days. So I get it completely. Frankly I was scared sh**less that I would fail, or sabatoge myself along the way. Shortly before my first meeting with my center I had gestational diabetes but it went away immediately after my pregnancy. I admit when I am pregnant I am completely in control and anal about what I put in my mouth so lose weight throughout them. Of course post nursing forget about it! So after finding out I had no choice but to switch to formula I actually managed to become a full blown diabetic in about 5 months. It was a flurry of chocolate, fries and slurpees! My point being you and I are very much alike in being obsessed with food 24/7. So if I can do it anyone can do it! I found out I had become a diabetic at my first appointment at my bariatric center, March 12, 2013. That was the day the light went on for me, even if it was dim when it started. I walked 15 minutes that first day and I hated it lol. That night I completely lost all control of my sanity as every emotion under the sun came out over every little thing. For a second I thought OMG I am pregnant!! But no, apparently I am an emotional eater so now instead of eating, all of a sudden I was feeling everything and it was completely overwhelming. For this reason I strongly recommend trying to get at least 2-3 days of healthier eating out of the way prior to your liquid pre-op. The mental part of this is by far the hardest, so getting a small advantage before really does help. So expect to be very hormonal when you start out. Tricks of the trade pre-op.. I chewed a lot of stride gum especially during my liquid diet (3 weeks), lifesaver, that is my biggest thing to this day, although no I don't promote it post op as we all know it is a no no and I was 6 months out before I tried it. I drank a lot of low calorie fluids and I planned ahead for meals (before liquid pre-op). For the first little while I kept junk out of the house. I have kids so that's hard, so I chose to buy things they like but I don't, like all dressed chips, or cotton candy ice cream.. My fave thing being a large cup of lite hot chocolate with fat free hazelnut creamer in the evening as a treat and it kept me pretty full.. so I would do it at my peak struggle time. I started keeping fruit that I really liked around, cherries and raspberries and I would go to town. Not ideal but it was certainly better than the alternatives.. smart pop was another fave pre-op. No I was not perfect I had bad days, still do, but I started to convince myself that it didn't have to be a bad day.. instead it was a bad couple hours and then I let it go, guilt has no place on the road to success. It will not motivate you, it will only make you feel worse!! I made a list of all those things i wanted to be able to do post op... and a list of all those things I never wanted to feel or have happen to me again. That was emotional, then I put them up in a cpl places around the house where I thought they would most benefit me. I also included a list of the consequences of failing to follow my liquid diet. Number one of course being a cancelled surgery! So I actually made it through all 3 weeks or 22 days as my nutritionist miscalculated lol. A ton of gum, broth to break up the sweetness, I was allowed 2 cups of raw green veggies/day added garlic salt or seasoning salt.. no dressing allowed! It makes you an idiot about a week in, prepare to write things down as you won't remember them. Drink tons of fluids as the day 3 headache is a nightmare and will likely last a cpl days and nothing will touch it but hydration so stay on top of that. Post-op hunger concerns... I have hunger, boy do I experience real hunger. Now I am not trying to scare you, I didn't experience hunger like this until about 7 months out. So I have had a lot of time to work through better choices and options when I am hungry, the nice thing about being early out is that it won't take much to reel in said hunger if you are one who feels it. Have a cup of broth, some greek yogurt and boom it's gone for another couple hours. Also remember that your intake is soo limited that it is okay to feed it. Sometime just choose to feed it with fluids. That is the biggie, learning to decipher head hunger from actual hunger from thirst!! Once you get that straight your life will quickly become much easier. So pay attention to what each of them feel like, not as hard as it sounds I promise. Further out you can eat more, and I fall off the wagon the last time I was off for almost 4 weeks, stopped exercising too. I gained 5 pounds. The difference is that this time the weight gain actually scared me, having been a 'normal' size for a bit now I got comfortable and this was a well needed reality check. Now considering how much I was eating 5 pounds was kind, so the surgery really is just a tool. You still need to fight those demons for life but when I think about how much weight I could have gained in that same time period preop.. no comparison. I also dropped those 5 pounds during my 'taking back control' week. But what I didn't do is beat myself up for it, I went on a fabulous food vacation and when I landed back in reality I dealt with it. No guilt, just moved on and smartened up. So being kind to yourself is something that gets easier as you go through this process. It's also one of my favourite NSV's.. Sorry so long I admit I am horribly wordy... hope that helps alleviate some of your fears

This story has a beginning, but the end is still nowhere in sight. I am the oldest of three kids. My mother is one of those breathtaking, exotic beauties that you just can't help but admire. My father was a handsome man—full of life. We were adorable children—happy and content. I looked like my Dad, but was starting to look like Mom every day. The happiness didn't last. When Dad left, depression took over and I had no one to talk to besides my siblings, who were too young to confide in. That's when my brother and sister and I discovered how comforting food was. Through the years my body grew out as well as up, and I noticed something. My brother and sister where growing up to be beautiful, slender people, and I got fat. Really fat. To this day I still don't understand how genetics can bless two siblings and curse the other, but that is my lot in life. I hated my body and as the years extended into adolescence and adulthood, the hatred toward my excess fat turned into self-loathing, which led to more weight gain and more fat, more tears, and more heartbreak. I couldn't stand the person I had become, but through years of dieting and killing myself trying to do extreme workouts and diets, I decided to just accept the perceived fact that I would always be fat, sad, and alone. It seemed the only person who truly understood my heartache was my cousin, sister, and EC (Eternal Companion,) MexicanGirl. She was going through the same thing. We loved each other, supported each other, confided in each other, and yes, ate together and got fatter together. Then it came. The worst day of my life.The day Dad died, my heart failed. The wind was taken out of my lungs and with it, my will to live. I sunk into the deepest, blackest despair. I cried every night and prayed to God that he would take me home to be with my Dad before I woke up in the morning. If it weren't for MexicanGirl, I don't think I would be alive right now writing this. When I woke up, I was bursting out of all of my clothes and I didn't recognize myself in pictures. I thought back to when I lost Dad. More than anything, I want to be a wife and a mother. I didn't see myself getting there, and even if that miracle did happen, I couldn't bear the thought of my own daughter holding my hand as I die too young and not having the heart to let go until rigor mortis set in and she has to pry her hand out of mine like I did with Dad. I knew I needed to break the cycle. I knew that if I kept going down this path, I would become a diabetic like Dad and die too early. I had to stop it. I researched more diets and exercise programs. Nothing felt right. I knew I would fail them all. Then one day at church, I heard this new girl in the pew in front of me talking to my other cousin about her upcoming marriage. I didn't know here, but I felt very strongly that I needed to introduce myself and offer to design her wedding invitations. Her name is Katie, and we quickly became friends. She told me that she was getting weight loss surgery in a few days. I was intrigued. I stewed over this new thought for a while—even did a little research and dreamed about someday being able to afford something like that. I was impressed with how quickly she was losing weight. One night, MexicanGirl and I were at Walmart and Katie called wanting to hang out. She came to Walmart. They where introduced and we stood right there in the plus-size clothing section talking about her experiences with the Gastric Sleeve. I felt something. I didn't know what, but now I know it was a glimmer of hope. I thought about it over and over. I was a woman obsesed. Finally I turned to my EC about my feelings and to my pleasant surprise, she felt the same way. We decided we were going to take serious measures to research the sleeve to see if it was right for us. We spent hours reading and watching other people's stories on YouTube. We invited Katie out for Breakfast. She brought us her Kaiser Bariatric Surgery program binder and ansered all our questions. That day, we knew. We had to do this! MexicanGirl called her doctor that day and scheduled her intro class. I was still waiting to get approved for medical insurance, but I went with her to her intro class. She was referred into the Kaiser South Sacramento Bariatric program and we went to her orientation together. We decided not to undergo the sleeve and opted for the RNY Gastric Bypass instead. Shortly after I was able to get into Kaiser and on March 26th, 2014, We met our Surgeons! MexicanGirl got Dr. Neuhouse and I got Dr. Grinberg. At my orientation, I clocked in at my highest weight ever, 287! I lost 5 pounds right away which gave me a start weight of 283. Dr. Grinberg congratulated me on my loss and told me I needed to lose 15 more pounds and get down to 268 before I could schedule a surgery date. We were given a 1200 calorie diet to follow and that day we went to Ihop for a meal of pancakes and got started. The first ten pounds came off pretty easily. We ate right, we walked, we did Turbo Jam, we attempted yoga (owie!) and tried Zumba. I moved in with MexicanGirl so we could support each other, as neither of our families understood our struggles. MexicanGirl's weight melted right off and before we knew it, she was below her pre-op goal weight. The last five pounds were murder for me. It was going so slow! One day, I gained .8 pounds on the doctor scale. I was so upset! I cried and felt like a failure, but MexicanGirl gave me the kick in the pants I needed. I called my nutritionist who told me that I was doing e everything right and to stop kicking myself over less than a pound. Two days later I was 267! As MexicanGirl was already below her goal weight, we were both able to get our surgery dates. One June 16th, 2014, we are BOTH getting the Gastric Bypass surgeries that we so desperately need! For the first time in my life, my future looks bright. I am looking forward to getting healthy. I want to run, jump, and dance. I want to go on hikes without feeling like I'm going to drop dead. I am going to meet my future husband and my body won't make me feel unworthy of him. I will have children, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When i am old, and wise, I will greet death like and old friend, because it will be my time. My children will not bury me prematurely. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for making this available to us. I know my Daddy is looking down and me and is rooting me on! June 16th, here I come!

I have decided that tomorrow I will start weight watchers. I need something since I no longer have my band. I have been doingthis on my own since November and have had minimal weight gain (4lbs) but it is getting harder and harder everyday. I need someone to be accountable to other then myself, the weekly weigh in with your counselor really work for me. Even if I never go to a WW meeting but I follow the "Points" diet and go every week to weigh in I feel it will benefit me 100%. I refuse to gasin this weight back. I just need something to motivate me. I havenever done WW before but have tired al lthe others before ( Jenny Craig, NutriSystem etc...) For $12.00 a week to me it is worth it to have the accountability, plus there are severa lgirls at my work who are going to join also, we are going to have a little contest . I love a contest. :welldoneclap: Also my brother lost over 100 lbs with a different weight loss program (optifast) and has put every lb back on and thenb some so I want to support him since he wil lbe joining WW with me ( we live together) Wish me luck, I will check back in this thread weekly

You look fab! You definitely have the pregnancy glow! I think it's great that you're not worrying about the weight gain and extra food intake. Gotta do what's best for "sprout"! Good luck to you as you continue through your pregnancy!

For me, I guess I'd say travel. I was an Air Force brat in my younger years. We lived overseas in a few different countries - but I was a child and I couldn't really see the incredibly opportunities I had. As an adult, I'd love to travel to the places I once lived and to other places I still want to go. Being overweight, I can't travel comfortably and I am embarassed at the idea of possibly having to have two seats or a seatbelt extension. My best friend and I have planned a trip for next year - we're going to Thailand. I am part Thai and I have not been back there since I was 2 or 3 years old. I cannot wait to go back to my mother's native homeland and experience the exotic side of life. In addition, I really just want to be able to LIVE life. I've been overweight for about 10 years now. I wasn't able to enjoy most of my 20's due to my massive weight gain. I became a recluse and a wallflower. I am *so* ready to live out loud and enjoy life to the fullest. :biggrin2:

It works by creating an artificial pouch at the top of your stomach that triggers your satiation response more easily. How quickly and easily food leaves the pouch is adjusted by modifying the size of the opening between the pouch and the rest of your stomach. The surgery itself is generally less risky than other weight loss surgeries since it is less invasive but there are risks of complications since an artificial device is being implanted and there is a chance of malfunction. Like all bariatric surgery options the key to success is modified behavior along with the surgery. My research has indicated that all weightloss surgeries have approx the same success rate 3yrs post op. some have rapid loss followed by weight gain until they stabilize but Lap band usually has slower consistent loss and then stabilizes.

I would really try to focus on how far you have come. 100 lbs lost is amazing! But maybe you need to think about not wanting to slide back. Weight gain is a slippery slope. And vacations can really de-rail an over eater. Have you talked with your surgeon about your issues with the band? You will feel so much better if you get back to a good place with your food and exercise. You have worked so hard to be where you are. Those of us newbies need inspiration! Don't let us or yourself down! Good luck!

Hi @1AnnieOkie, have you tried a "reset diet" yet for your sleeve, or focusing on high protein foods? Diet pills like phentermine to curb hunger are likely very off-limits for you if you just had pneumonia. I am hopeful that someone more knowledgeable chimes in with their experience, as I have not had the surgery yet. In the past, steroids caused a lot of water weight gain for me, which I was able to lose after a while. At least you are catching it early, and not letting this get out of hand. Although I don't have VSG experience yet, I would say stay positive right now and don't assume the worst about your metabolism being permanently damaged by the medication. Your body has been through a lot recently, and may need some time to heal. Good luck to you

Bozzj, I too had the same thing happen to me so I totally know how upset and dissapointed you are feeling right now....But, with that said, I'll tell you that it turned out to be a great thing for me to have to wait the 6 months. First and foremost it gave me plenty of time for me to "wrap my head around" the fact that I would be giving up my old way of life. I had time to read about 14 books on the subject and once i found this website and found out what a terrific source of information it was the time just flew by. The way my surgeon's office handled the 6 months was as follows: 1st Month appt. he explained how it was all going to happen. He told me that he didn't need me to lose weight BUT he didn't want to see me gain not one single pound...or else!!! 2nd month appt. I met with the dietician...3rd month appt. met with the in office Diet Person - got weighed in....4th month appt. met with Pshcyologist for evaluation (mandatory for my insurance)...5th month appt. meet with in office Diet person again - got weighed in again...6th month appt. met with Surgeon for the "liver talk", then got surgery scheduled and came back one last time for pre-surgery talk with Surgeon....then surgery!!! The time flew by and at first I didn't really take it serious and ended up gaining 7 lbs...but then they gave me a strong talking to and explained how if I didn't do as I was told then I could get cancelled at the last minute for the weight gain, due to the enlargement of the liver from the gain. So after that I got serious and ended up losing 9 lbs. then another 6 before surgery. Since surgery I've had 2 fills with a 3rd scheduled for 2nd week in March. I've lost 46 lbs. and have never felt better. Anyway, hope this helps you feel alittle better. Good luck. Live well/Be well. KKG

If you bypass the usage with Aspire, you gain weight. With weight gaining, the tube will become too short, and you have 2 choices. Either you jump on to the train again, using the Aspire as it should be used. Or, you will be told by ur nurse it doctor that the tube have to come out. An extra control that the patient uses the device in the right way.

My endocrinologist is the one who recommended the VSG to me specifically because it has benefitted other patients with PCOS. I read through promising medical studies when making the decision to pursue the surgery. I had the VSG in August of 2015, and I do consider the outcome to be successful because I exceeded both the goal my surgeon had set and my own "dream" goal. Depending on the brand, I'm wearing between a size zero and a four, which I would have found impossible to believe a few years ago. I did start off with a lower than typical BMI for the surgery (32), but was literally busting out of size 14, so this is a dramatic change. I've sustained that weight loss fairly easily. My diet this year has been more focused on PCOS than weight loss; I've read a few books about dietary guidelines for women with PCOS, and try to follow them. Having the VSG abated some issues with PCOS, but unfortunately not all of them. I've reduced risk from obesity-related health problems, and that is important. I still struggle with acne and hirsutism, and fertility problems. I actually didn't start taking Metformin until after I'd lost the majority of weight, and have lowered the dosage because of side effects. I plan to discontinue it altogether soon, after gradually tapering off. I'm taking 100 MG of Spiro now, and I use Vaniqa to help with the facial hair. It's obscenely expensive, but it's been effective for me, so worth the cost. I'd been on a lower dose of Spiro for nearly two years post-op, and have only recently upped it from 50 to 100 because of acne and cycle irregularities. My cycle had been fine for a while, but I had several international trips over the summer, and it's believed that the travel contributed to throwing things off. One thing I experience with Spiro is an increased appetite. Though some people lose weight and have a reduced appetite while taking it, others have the opposite experience. I don't know if this is a medicine you've ever taken, but wanted to discuss it since it's often prescribed for PCOS. For years endocrinologists insisted weight gain was not a side effect, but it's now listed as one on Mayo Clinic's website. There are many accounts online of women, both with PCOS and not, who've gained considerable weight while on it. Since I'm now two years out, carbonated drinks don't have as much of an effect on me as they did the first few months post-op when I was still healing. I find that drinking carbonated water gives me the sensation of fullness when I've felt an increase in appetite from Spiro, without consuming calories and carbs, and it also quenches the increased thirst I feel. I also am careful to keep healthy snacks around so that if that's not sufficient and I'm so ravenous I need more, I'll have better options within reach. I definitely think the VSG is worthwhile. I'd be optimistic that it could help you with PCOS, but braced for the possibility that some issues will continue. It absolutely improved my life and I'm grateful every day for it, even though it didn't help as much as I would have liked with PCOS. I wish you all the best!

I'm guessing it wasn't the food consistency or texture but rather the sugar and fat. Your body gets used to being fed healthy food. When we suddenly throw junk at it again, it goes "Oh hell no, what the heck is this?" and promptly rejects it. Hence the sick feeling. I wouldn't advise making yourself throw up, btw. It's very bad for the band. I look at moments like that as a reminder of why I need to continue to make good decisions. I totally over-indulged over Halloween and boy did I pay the price. Not in weight gain but I just felt horrible for a day after. Best wishes.

I think most of us that are here are... Otherwise we wouldn't do this radical surgery. Some (very few if you ask me) just don't understand proper nutrition... So that could be the case for some. Here a some general guidelines.... 1. Increased Consumption Over Time. Have you been steadily increasing your food intake over time? For example, do you eat significantly more on a daily basis now than you did 1 year ago? A food addict will have gradually increased their intake over time, particularly of the refined foods. 2. Tolerance is when you need more and more of a substance to achieve a desired effect. Often the desired effect in food addiction is emotional, such as calm or relief from anxiety or depression. A sign of tolerance is when you begin to notice that you can consume amounts of food that are much larger than most other people can in order to feel “satisfied.” 3. Withdrawal is when you experience negative symptoms when you are unable to eat. Although we all feel a little uncomfortable when we are hungry and unable to eat (e.g., light headed, stomach growling), the difference with food addiction is that you may experience symptoms of anxiety, panic, and/or irritability. 4. Preoccupation. Addicts spend more and more time obtaining, consuming and/or even thinking about food, to the point of spending less time doing usual activities including social, work and recreational activities. 5. Unsuccessful Attempts to Cut Down. Addiction is also characterized by unsuccessful efforts to cut down. However, just because you have not been successful at dieting does not mean you are a food addict. The difference with food addiction is that dieting attempts are short-lived and end in out-of-control binge eating episodes. 6. Continue Despite Consequences. The food addict will often continue to overeat in spite of physical, psychological and/or relationship problems that develop. For example, one might develop type 2 diabetes or gain a large amount of weight in a short period of time (e.g., 50 pounds in a year) but still persist with their eating habits. Eventually the individual may even refuse to change their eating habits or may seem unaware of or very resistant to acknowledging health problems or the weight gain.

Good read.. Compulsive overeating, also sometimes called food addiction, is characterized by the compulsive eating of food. Professionals address this with either a behavior therapy model or a food-addiction model.[1] An individual suffering from compulsive overeating engages in frequent episodes of uncontrolled eating, or binge eating, during which she or he may feel frenzied or out of control, often consuming food past the point of being comfortably full. Bingeing in this way is generally followed by feelings of guilt and depression. Unlike individuals with bulimia, compulsive overeaters do not attempt to compensate for their bingeing with purging behaviors such as fasting, laxative use, or vomiting. Compulsive overeaters will typically eat when they are not hungry. Their obsession is demonstrated in that they spend excessive amounts of time and thought devoted to food, and secretly plan or fantasize about eating alone. Compulsive overeating usually leads to weight gain and obesity, but is not the only cause of obesity. While compulsive overeaters tend to be overweight or obese, persons of normal or average weight can also be affected. In addition to binge eating, compulsive overeaters can also engage in grazing behavior, during which they return to pick at food throughout the day. These things result in a large overall number of calories consumed even if the quantities eaten at any one time may be small. When a compulsive eater overeats primarily through bingeing, he or she can be said to have binge eating disorder. Signs and symptoms.... Binge eating, or eating uncontrollably even when not physically hungry Eating much more rapidly than normal Eating alone due to shame and embarrassment Feelings of guilt due to overeating Preoccupation with body weight Depression or mood swings Awareness that eating patterns are abnormal Rapid weight gain or sudden onset of obesity Significantly decreased mobility due to weight gain History of weight fluctuations Withdrawal from activities because of embarrassment about weight History of many different unsuccessful diets Eating little in public, but maintaining a high body weight Very low self-esteem and feeling need to eat greater and greater amounts. Addiction During binges, compulsive overeaters may consume from 5,000 to 15,000 food calories daily, resulting in a temporary release from psychological stress through an addictive high not unlike that experienced through drug abuse. In bulimics, this high may be intensified by the act of purging. Researchers have speculated there is an abnormality of endorphin metabolism in the brain of binge eaters that triggers the addictive process. This is in line with other theories of addiction that attribute it not to avoidance of withdrawal symptoms, but to a primary problem in the reward centers of the brain. For the compulsive overeater, the ingestion of trigger foods causes release of the neurotransmitter, serotonin. This could be another sign of neurobiological factors contributing to the addictive process. Abstinence from addictive food and food eating processes causes withdrawal symptoms in those with eating disorders. There may be higher levels of depression and anxiety due to the decreased levels of serotonin in the individual.[2] There are complexities with the biology of compulsive eating that separate it from a pure substance abuse analogy. Food is a complex mixture of chemicals that can affect the body in multiple ways, which is magnified by stomach-brain communication. In some ways, it may be much more difficult for compulsive overeaters to recover than drug addicts. There is an anecdotal saying among Overeaters Anonymous members that "when you are addicted to drugs you put the tiger in the cage to recover; when you are addicted to food you put the tiger in the cage, but take it out three times a day for a walk."[2] The physical explanation of compulsive overeating may be attributed to an overeaters' increased tendency to secrete insulin at the sight and smell of food, though medical evidence supporting this is controversial.[3] Research has found a link between the sugar and fat content of foods and bingeing behaviors.[4]

My weight shot up so quickly (Chemo, quitting drinking & excessive popcorn really accelerated my weight) I didn’t recognize myself, and I had never been so uncomfortable. I had gained some weight over 8 years or so, I felt “fat” at 160 then, boom, one year later I was at 22-something. I qualified for surgery by 1-2 pounds. It was shocking to look in the mirror. I made an appointment and had surgery 5 months later. I just feel like myself again, and it turns out I really missed me! I had transfer addiction kinda backwards, which also led to my weight gain. Before surgery I drank a lot of wine daily when I was stressed, (aka Everyday) which helped add pounds. I quit drinking 5 years ago and I don’t miss it. I really thought I would, it was a big part of my social life and stress reliever for me. Turns out I didn’t need it. **However, I replaced my nightly wine with popcorn...that didn’t work out and compounded my weight gain as you can imagine. Alcohol and popcorn are two things I will live without. I quit smoking 22 years ago, and I’m not touching that again either. I began painting (not art) after surgery to keep busy and now I’m looking for a new hobby. I’m planning on trying out woodworking when the weather is better. I’m the type of person who needs to be busy. I’m lucky, I have a super supportive husband, I feel terrible for those of you with a partner who isn’t your biggest cheerleader. You deserve that. I shop less than I used to. I was always buying clothes to make me look less fat or replace things that got too tight. Now with the plague, I have nowhere to go and my closet is so organized! That’s why I don’t post on OTTD anymore, I’m wearing the same things! 😂 I do freak out a little bit if I see the scale hit 125, I don’t vary my diet a lot, but I’m comfortable with my diet. It’s a mix of good for me and eh, not so good for me. I really have a hard time splurging on food. I’ll have just a bit of something that’s really caloric. I do log everything, I simply have to. I’ve had real pizza a few times and a small thin crust pizza lasts 4 meals. I can live with that. I joke that I’ve quit smoking, drinking and eating, so now what?

Same. I have a acceptable 5 lb range. I also weigh myself every day. If I am over the upper limit for 3-4 consecutive days, I cut calories/watch what I eat until I hit my lower limit. I've done this 3 times already in the past 1.5 years. Each time took progressively longer (1 week, 3-4 weeks, 3 months). Mind you, I was also progressively less dedicated each time, lol. This is one of the reasons why I am a daily/regular weigh-er. I have read too many times how others "suddenly", gained weight, that I don't want to not keep an eye on it myself, so I'm not surprised at "sudden" weight gain. P.S. This is not to say that your "acceptable" weight range is permanent...this can change as things change ❤️ (i.e., if I get over my upper limit again too soon, I may up my range by 5 lbs...its not worth it to me to have to keep watching my calories...i'll take the 5lb hit. But so far so good.)

Eh, it's a myth. Calories in + Calories out = Weight Loss or Weight Gain. There is no mythical beast that hides within you holding a clock who will add weight to your booty if you eat at 6:01p or even 11:35pm unless you've taken in more than you've burned. That's true for pre and post op.

It's eerie how our weight gain trajectories and stories have striking similarities. Thank you for sharing your story! In addition to weight gain right before the onset of puberty, I also had a father who was a problem drinker. On top of that, he was also a crack addict during my early and middle childhood years. I used food as a distraction starting in my preteen years. My mother was obese and worked long hours at a factory, so she'd come home hungry. Her portion sizes were massive. The role-modeling for reasonable choices simply wasn't there. I, too, received unwanted attention for my breast size in my pre-teens. I was wearing a 38C bra at age 12 when many of my classmates were still flat-chested or had smaller breasts. To keep a long story short, I fought the battle of the bulge for 2+ decades starting in my teens. I could lose substantial weight, but could never keep it off. In fact, I'd lost 200+ pounds through yo-yo dieting in those 2 decades (lose 30, regain 60, lose 50, regain 90, etc). Bariatric surgery was/is my last hope for keeping the weight off.

I think one of the reasons my program has lower protein requirements than you'll often see....is that my program serves a LOT of international clients, many of whom are vegetarian or semi-vegetarian culturally. High protein diets DO promote faster weight loss. This is undeniable. But I'm building my forever diet...and I'm trying to get my body used to a diet it can be on forever...so I don't have a big metabolic shift later. (or the weight gain that can occur with big dietary changes) For me, a high protein low carb diet is not a great choice for a forever diet. If I were 400 pounds...I would consider a very restrictive high protein diet for a short period of time for rapid weight loss. At 190...I want something sustainable and permanent. I want a forever diet that I can live with...well...forever. LOL:)