Search the Community

More and more research is showing that putting a cap on the variety of foods and tastes you experience will help you control your weight. In Dr. Oz’s book, The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management, he devotes a chapter to the Pick and Stick strategy. Although I had been eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch (dinner is the same every day except on weekends), it was validating to read that I was doing something right. At a wedding last weekend, I was excited by all the food choices at the buffet table. Instead of sticking to a serving of dense meat, vegetable, and fruit, I decided to put a few spoonfuls of different foods on my plate. I ended up with a plate with tiny piles of black eyed peas, turkey, baked fish, ambrosia, pineapple, apple slice, shrimp, and kiwi. While chatting with relatives for the next three hours, I hung on to this plate of food and dabbled in it every few minutes until it was gone. Late that night I reflected on my meal at the wedding and realized that how eating like that everyday could lead to weight gain. The following is an excerpt from the chapter that explains the strategy: Yeah, sure, variety may be the spice of life, but it also can be the death of dieting. When you have a lot of choices for a meal, it’s a lot easier to slip out of good eating habits, and into ham-induced bad ones. When you sit down at a diner and are presented with a menu that’s the size of a phone book, it’s easy to give in. One way to get away from fat bombs is to eliminate choices for at least one meal a day. Pick the one meal you rush through and automate it. For most people, it’s lunch. So find a health lunch you like—salad with grilled chicken and olive oil, turkey on whole-grain bread-and have it for lunch every day. Yes, every day. Think of your dog: Penelope stays the same weight when she has her regular food every day. But as soon as she starts gorging on variety of nightly table scraps, the puny poodle looks more like a massive mastiff. How does Pick and Stick work? It seems that when you have meals rich in flavor variety, it takes more and more calories to keep you full (think of Thanksgiving, when you eat a lot of different things, stuff yourself, and still have room for pumpkin pie). So when we experience meals with lots of diverse flavors-think Mexican or Indian cuisine, we tend to eat more to satisfy our taste buds. Now, we don’t want you to become bored with food, but if you make this a habit at least one meal a day, it’ll decrease your temptations and help you stop thinking about food so often. In fact, we usually prescribe two meals that are the same each day for our patients. It’s one of the ways to automate your brain so your habits follow. Of course, we don’t want you to stop enjoying diversity of flavors, but it will control your appetite. Automate the Process: One of the reasons why we’re a society of shotputters instead of a society of milers is that we have millions of choices about what to eat. And while our variety is a win for the food industry, it is a miserable defeat for our waists. One of the ways that you’ll be able to reboot your body is by stripping away the millions of choices to automate your actions. You’ll eat essentially the same meals for breakfast, lunch, Snacks, and change up options for dinner. By decreasing the variety of food eaten throughout the day, you’ll decrease the chance for the hedonistic rampages that can be so dangerous. Another trick: Use extra-light virgin olive oil, which has less flavor and may help control taste cravings.

Thanks for the feedback. It now makes since now why the insurance coordinator wants to gather as much detail aout my weight history and a possible EGD after she receives the results from my sleep study. I hope everything works out. I am not losing any weight since ater having my daughter. I was 235 when I had my lapband surgery and got down to 209 after surgery Then I got pregnant, had my band unfilled and now it's like the band is just there. It's been too tight.. not tight enough...only to result in weight gain. I hope I can get this revision!

Thanks, hikerdog. Your numbers are impressive, especially the presurgery numbers. My daily commute gets me a minimum of 2 miles in a day. I walk another 2-3 miles during lunch and a mile after dinner. It's been 10 years but I'm going to lace up my hockey skates and have a go at some pickup hockey this Friday. Cross your fingers I don't hurt myself. I played competitively growing up but an injury and the weight gain that ensued has mostly kept me off of the ice for 19 years. I played in few leagues off and on but I re-injured myself 10 years ago and haven't gone back. The new me is inspired to try it again. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Why is there weight gained ? I'm not understanding? I barely eat! Example today protein shake breakfast salmon for lunch 3 bites nibbled on salmon for dinner theme 2 bites of spam & 62 oz of water what's wrong with that

Are you living my life? Are my relatives talking to you? I totally relate. I get the "do it naturally, you've done it before." "You aren't that big that you need to resort to surgery." REALLY? I think that if my family new my weight they would be shocked and YES, i"ve done it "naturally" before...heck I've done it quite a few times but here I am. If I could keep it off, then I wouldn't be here. I am frustrated with family as well and as my surgery date is getting closer, honestly, I'm scared to death of this change BUT, I know I have to do it before it is too late and I develop diabetes or some other condition. So far the only thing I've dealt with is some high blood pressure. I have a 3 year old son that I want to be here for and at this point in my life, this is MY decision so I can be healthy and live a good, fun life with my son. I've shut other people out who won't listen or be supportive. My family is sort of coming around because they know I'm not turning back....they can either help me succeed or step out of the situation. I even looked into getting a taxi or taking the bus to my hospital the day of surgery so I didn't have to bother any of my non-supporters...funny how they want to be there now. You do this for you. If you are like me, yes, you can lose it on your own, but you can't keep it off or we wouldn't be resorting to this surgery. No, I don't want to have to do this but after 20+ years of up and down and fad diets and more weight gained back than lost...I'm tired of it. I admit I need the help and I think I have my mind in a good place where I can lose it and the band will help me keep it off. I'm scared, excited, nervous and have really, really cold feet but I know it is what I have to do. I have warned my husband that the first month he is going to hear a lot of whining and "what did I do to myself" moments but I know in the end when I purchase my first outfit that is not in the chubby chic section and my blood pressure is normal and I'm not longer exhausted and tired, it will totally be worth it. Keep heading down your journey...you only have one you and you need to take care of it. If this is what you need to do, do it and don't look back. Good Luck and we are all here to support you....we've been there, or are there or are heading there :thumbsup:

Heya, Thanks for responding. Water weight would make sense for a few days, maybe even a week-- but 11 days after surgery?? I am getting all my liquid in, and my vegan soy Protein shake. Doctor has me on papaya for acid relief. So did you experience this weight gain/lack of weight loss immediately after surgery too?

My NUT said 50% veggies, 25% protein, 25% starch, and to aim for .6g of protein for every lb of body weight (for me at my current weight that is ~65g). With that said, I'm doing my own thing: Aim for 60g of protein (which I reach maybe 80% of the time) and total calories around 1800-2000 calories during "normal" times*. I no longer concern myself with carb nor fat amounts. Though truth be told, I don't think I was ever really concerned about fat amounts, so long as I was under whatever calorie level I was aiming for at any given time. *Am currently attempting to find am acceptable calorie level as I have been out of commission on the exercise front for about a month due to injury. Am going on about a month of ZERO exercise and in an attempt to avoid any weight gain, reduced calories to about 1200-1400...but this is too low as I lost 6lbs in the last 4 weeks. Still trying to figure it out. P.S. I'm a sleeve, 2.5 years out from surgery, and almost 2 years into maintenance. I've maintained my weight +/- 5 lbs this entire time.

Okay, For all my challengers that is going to meet our goal weight next year. Here is what I've started with: 1000 to 1200 calories per day..( I try to stay as close to the 1000 calorie mark). Drink 8 ozs of fluid every other hour, because sometimes you can still be full from your health meal and cannot eat the next hour....Special note: (if you have to drink more than suggested....try eating crush ice....so you won't be drinking to much fluid. Because again to much fluid builds weight gain....(These are some tips I do for myself). Protein (any healthy protein that is low in fat and high in protein) I bought 30 cans of tuna in water. (I do love tuna). I east 1 can per day. Vegetables...Try to stay focus on green vegetables for many reason.....If your going to eat starches or carboyhdrates....East as much whole wheat....Such as rice, noodles.. crackers...(I find that whole wheat crackers have to much salt. So I eat the no salt regular. Not to much bread...Even though you can find whole wheat bread...But it is still dough which makes you blow-up in weight....I eat maybe and I mean maybe 3 slices of bread a month.....Snacks... sugar free's as much as possible. To much sugar and to much fluids can have you gaining also..... Keep a workout regiment. Upgrade whatever you were working out with. Do a little more advance. Target exactly on what body part you are trying to cut down and build muscle. Remember this slogan every time you eat something and workout (PROTEIN BUILDS MUSCLE AND MUSCLE BURNS FAT) Now let's do it.. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE. I'M GONNA NEED IT....:scared2::thumbup:

I have a question for anyone that may know. Even if we are taking a medication that can inhibit weight loss such as beta blockers.....when we've had approx. 85% of our tummies removed, how can we stop losing weight? This is a serious question. I don't see how that is possible, it may come off a little slower, but slow and steady is not a bad thing. Weight gain with these drugs is approx. 4 lbs. They are prescribed for high blood pressure, usually when diuretics haven't been successful, or for migraines when other migraine medication hasn't worked, or in conjunction with other migraine meds. Maybe try something else, if possible.

I am freaking out and need smart advice. During the 2 week period (pre surgery and post surgery) I lost 22 lbs. I was thrilled when I weighed in at my 1 week post op checkup. I went from BUT I weighed myself at home few times in the 2 weeks since and I have gained weight. I feel so discouraged and upset. I am following the diet averaging 50g of Protein a day and 55 ounces of Water a day. The other day I realized that I am drinking to close to eating times and I have now adjusted to 15 minutes before and 30/40 after. Even with that, how could I GAIN weight?!?! My partner told me to stop weighing myself (which I have done) and have faith in the tool. I feel like the surgery did not work or that I am doing something wrong. My 3 week checkup is in 2 days and I am terrified to step on the scale. HELP!!!!!!! Lauren My New Life

And by terrified I mean a constant, all consuming anxiety coupled with assumptions of weight gain and failure.

Hi. New to this community. I’m just about 6 months out. Lost 55lbs. I’m only 4ft 10 inches, so real hard to loose. I’ve been at a stall this month, but no weight gain. Having gallbladder surgery tomorrow. Kind of bummed. Glad to have found this site.

Hello all, I am NOLA Lady. I am 4'10" n on the day of my surgery I weighed in at a whopping 230lbs and was in a size 18/20. I was extremely regimented, listened to every instruction and was ahead of my group in weight loss because of it. In six months I lost 100 lbs and went down to a size 2. I was so excited that I could finally shop at Victorias Secret & Cache that I became a clothes horse. I have a closet full if fine clothing. I am in sales n marketing and my career took off with the weight loss. I quickly rose to the #1 sales rep as I am a petite blonde in a male dominant field. I have kept the weight off for four years effortlessly and have stayed in my size 2. I went through a really rough time on my job at Airgas. The men hated me because sales came effortlessly to me because if the way I looked. Not once did I dress in appropriately with low cut shirts and or mini skirts. I was always professional in a business suit or when at a refinery or chemical plant I was in jeans n Airgas shirt and steel toe shoes nothing attractive about it. I went through an extremely stressful time and was forced out by men who could not handle being beat by a woman. They lied on me made up rumors and heck one guy went as far to not give me any accts out his branch for 5 years. When I confronted him two days later he gave me a new acct Southern Comfort Strip Club said I could sell them beer gas! Text book sexual harassment case that any attorney would have had a field day with. I did not pursue I found another job n moved on. However the stress I endured was overwhelming to say the least. I was forced to leave a job I loved was passionate about successful n the best of the best. Well I am a stress eater n a eater of the wrong things chocolate chocolate n more chocolate. I put on 25 lbs in one year and went up to a size 12. I am sick to my stomach about it. I so want to get back on track yet I am now overwhelmed with depression. Between being forced out a career I loved n enjoyed so very much and now the weight gain after spending $15k out my own pocket for the VSG surgery I am so depressed about things. I keep trying to drink my 42 gram Myoplex every day n take my Vitamins yet I am so down n out n overwhelmed with depression that I feel immobile n unmotivated. I feel like I am sinking into a black hole n can't stop myself from swirling down into the quick sand. Please help!! Does anyone have any advise or words of wisdom for me??? Toolgirl16@gmail.com

Perfectionism is a very tempting trap to fall into. For those who are prone to it, the idea that it is possible to get everything “just right” is a very seductive standard to shoot for. The truth is, trying to get it (whatever IT is) “perfect” can make emotional eating, or whatever you are trying to take control of, much worse. Perfectionism leads to all-or-nothing thinking. To our inner perfectionist, it’s either perfect or not good enough. If we didn’t get all the checks in the box, our inner perfectionist tends to believe we “blew it” and anything we’ve accomplished is instantly erased with one mistake. An all-or-nothing approach to weight loss will sink weight loss efforts fast. It’s simply not possible to be “perfect.” Is perfectionism getting in your way? Here are five ways perfectionism shows up with eating and weight loss: 1. Do you wake up in the morning thinking “today is a fresh start?” Lots of us love a new beginning, but that feeling of starting over often includes the idea of “getting it right this time.” When we think this way, we run the risk of not taking credit for all we have accomplished and learned so far. 2. Does your newest approach to eating fall apart because you did something “wrong” and feel your efforts were ruined? That’s your inner perfectionist. Perfectionism doesn’t include the message that there will be rough patches and missteps, and doesn’t offer a plan for dealing with them. 3. If you deviate from your plan for your eating, do you react by overeating even more? That’s not logical, it’s perfectionism and it is incredibly common. It’s usually not the first step off your food plan that leads to weight gain or plan failure, it’s the eating you do once your inner perfectionist tells you that it’s “hopeless” because you’ve “failed.” Actually, you ate something you hadn’t planned to and you go back to your plan, you WILL make progress. 4. Do you have expectations for “ideal eating” that are so unrealistic or rigid that you could never imagine sticking with them for a lifetime? Or—do you begin to feel deprived just thinking about how you “should” eat? Your perfectionist is setting you up. 5. Are you plagued by perfectionism in other areas of your life? This is another way our sneaky perfectionist can sabotage weight loss and trigger emotional eating. If we get wise and learn to let go of our perfectionism with food, our perfectionist may still maintain a rigid hold in other areas. When our perfectionist is doing the judging we are NEVER good enough. No job is EVER absolutely complete, and we are NEVER allowed the satisfaction of feeling great about what we accomplish. Coping with an inner perfectionist—whether it’s negatively judging our work, our parenting, our housecleaning OR our health is enough to bring out the emotional eater in most of us. Feel free to reprint on your own website, newsletter, blog or message board as long as you include the following: Melissa McCreery, PhD is the founder of Enduring Change Coaching and creator of the Emotional Eating Toolbox ™ 28 Day Program and the Weight Loss Winner's Circle. Get free information, tips, and strategies for taking control of emotional eating at http://www.emotionaleatingsolutions.com.

Through my surgeons program you have to lose 5% of your body weight before he will submit to insurance. On sunday I was so nervous because on my scale I only showed I was 1 pound more than his goal. On Monday my appt was at 9am, I ate nothing, drank nothing before appt and came in 2 lbs under Talk about relief!!! Now just in the waiting game. My surgeon will not submit because if you cant lose 5% them he said it shows you are not making any changes and this surgery is a complete lifestyle change. Throughout all this I also quit smoking, which on the past wouldve added 20 lbs, so excited the small changes Ive made helped with the weight gain associated with quitting smoking.

Hey BabyNewYear, I'm also almost 4 months and doing great. What a fantastic experience I've been having all the way! Some things haven't changed: I still don't feel when I need to stop eating, so I pretty much overeat many times because my brain doesn't want to stop, so at least once a week I feel extremely sick because of course our stomachs can't handle the amount of food. As I mentioned you before I stopped losing weight after week 5, so I have decided to start a lchf/keto/banting lifestyle which is a lifestyle based on very low carbs, moderate Protein and high in fat; why this approach? I'm barely hungry when I eat fat, it allows me to fulfil my protein requirements and sugars (carbs) is what gave me the metabolic syndrome, weight gain and led me to surgery. I'm really happy with this approach and I really honestly hope that I can follow this the rest of my life. Many ask about my sugar and cholesterol levels with this diet and all of them are back to normal. I'm down 17 kg (37lbs 8oz or 2 stones 9.5lbs ) from 76 kg (167lbs 9oz or 11 stones 13.55lbs) to 59kg (130lbs 1oz or 9 stones 4 lbs) and I'm only 4 kg (8lbs 13 oz or 8.8 lbs) from my goal weight. Lately I've been losing between 0.5kg or less per week (around one pound or less). None of my clothes, underwear nor shoes fit. I've lost my ass, it's totally flat so sitting is painful because I'm sitting on my hips and training has it's ups and downs because I lost more weight from my right side of my body so my sneakers are loser on one side and I hurt my right knee quit often. I'm also trying to become stronger with weight lifting so that I can continue to lose fat. My stomach is still big compared to the rest of my body, but I can start seeing my neck, hands and hip bones. Lose skin on my ass, boobs and upper arms. hair loss, it's bad... but I've seen worst cases on instagram, so I still feel lucky about this, but there is hair absolutely EVERYWHERE! I'm taking Biotin for this. What an amazing journey!!! Looking forward to the next update! Cheers!

Hi @aircooled. My wake up call was pre-diabetes. Once my blood sugar level passed that magical barrier into pre-diabetes and the: it's only a matter of time until you get Type 2 diabetes. A switch went off inside my head. I went on a diet immediately. Even taped a picture of a syringe by my bathroom scale to remind me of what I was up against. I kew for sure this was it, I was going to get healthy - no more denial, I have a serious problem. Well I did lose 20 lbs but life got stressful, I did great during the day but by dinner time I was exhausted and hungry - well weight loss became slow weight gain. I then realized I was NEVER going to be able to do this on my own. If even diabetes didn't provide motivation. Nothing would. My bypass is OCT 28.

Hi from Sydney Australia, I am going to my first information night next month and I am scared after reading mixed responses to the band on the internet. Some failed, some weight gain and some think its wonderful.... So what do you think? :tongue2:

It's killer. I know that my Pepsi addiction was a big part of my weight gain, but finding a go-to drink is proving impossible. I am fine with changing my eating habits, so drinks can't be my downfall! Suggestions please!

So I got the news I'm expecting. I thought I was done having kids but I guess god has another plan. I am a little frustrated because I don't want to gain weight back but at least it is for a beautiful reason. I am 6 months post opp but I'm 10 weeks pregnant. With my surgery and previous weight loss I've lost 110 pounds. So far I have not gained anything but haven't lost. I'm exercising everyday and doing Zumba and walking. I did a 5k recently too. I plan to keep working out because I only want to gain 20 pounds and thats what my dr said too. I know that sounds crazy but I think this week I dropped a few pounds do to morning sickness too. So my question is what is everyone's weight gain with pregnancy stories....????? (:

Hi, I am a very satisfied patient of Dr. Maese and have been for over a year. Thanks to him and having restriction, I have lost 90 lbs that wont' be coming back to stay. That being said, if I had the choice to do it over again, I would without a doubt have gotten the sleeve. No way on the bypass. The sleeve is so easy, its not even funny. My husband got the sleeve 10 months ago. He lost 100 lbs in 3 months. He eats 4-5 ounces of food at a meal. His stomach cannot stretch because Dr. Alvarez took out the fundus which is the stretchy part of the stomach when he did the surgery. There is no dumping or malabsorption, no weight gain because you can only eat 4-5 ounces of food forever. The rates of weight loss are similar to the bypass without the complications and mortality rate. It will become the "GOLD STANDARD OF WEIGHT LOSS" and surpass the bypass in this country within 3 years. We are the only country that toots bypass as the way for weight loss surgery. Europe and Australia use the band and sleeve. I have major acid reflux with the band, things get stuck and no matter what or when I eat, I have to get up and walk around to get things to start moving. Its very frustrating. There are some things I can and can't eat. I have restriction one day and none the next. And no, I am not too tight and no, I did not have any problems with reflux before getting the band. Just know that there is another alternative. Don't get another band and deal with this b.s. all over again. And please, don't get the bypass. Research the sleeve. Misty www.mymexicopsjourney.com My blog and pictures from getting plastic surgery after weight loss.

I can't offer you a solution for the short term, but mine were always awfully painful. After surgery and 4 months of being in the fetal position with a heating pad on my back and my abdomen, I got an IUD, which I did not at all need for birth control (my husband had s vasectomy) and it has been miraculous! You may want to consider it. I did try the Depoprovera shot but was terrified of the weight gain side effect.

How are you doing with your weight loss journey? My partner and I are going through the process except she had to take her nutrition classes over due to weight gain. My surgery date is Feb. 14, 2018.

I can understand the opening poster's frustration. She is a young working woman with a very, very high BMI. Because she is seriously obese she feels that her health issues should be fixed and that this should be covered by her health insurance plan. Because she is supporting herself by working and is also paying into a health plan she feels that she is behaving in a responsible and adult manner and should be able to benefit from this health plan. I agree with her. I paid for my own Lap Band surgery (up here where I live our provincial plan does not cover band surgery) and I was 200 lbs when I arranged to have it done. I am 5'6" and so didn't look all that big compared to some of the other women who were sharing the waiting room with me. This made me feel a little bit embarrassed initially but my weight gain, however, had been a steady post-menopausal gain and I was on a one-way street if I didn't have the surgery. This is a fact that perhaps the opening poster did not understand until she had it explained to her. I think that the other lower BMI folks who have posted on this thread have done a fine job of providing explanations as to why they, too, needed the surgery. I also think that the opening poster has indicated that she understands this and thus it is time to stop flaming her for her initial remarks. It's time to show her the sympathy and support that we all deserve.

I'm in the same boat as you. I've been on liquids/mushy since the beginning of March and now I am starting to slowly introduce solids into my diet. I know I don't even have a fill yet but I'm scared of the weight gain. I think we'll be fine as long as we watch what we eat and get our exercise in we'll still see the scale going down. Good luck!!!