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The scale becomes an addiction for many people. They discount the positive things that are happening with their weight loss if the scalar doesn't reflect the number they want. They build up expectations and are disappointed when it's "only" xx lbs lost. The scale is a snapshot, not scientific. Someone might weigh, eat a cupcake, then weigh again and show a loss of .5 lbs. The natural conclusion? Eat cupcakes to lose weight! Our weight is dynamic and changing all the time. Getting upset over a 1-2lb gain is going to release cortisol which is a stress hormone that promotes weight gain. Getting worried over nothing can literally give you something to worry about. I weigh once a week when I am home. More because I am curious. I'm expecting a stall any week now (haven't had one yet) and I'm not hung up on the numbers. I feel good, my clothes are getting looser, I see it in my face and hands, my rings are loose - so I know I'm going the right way.

I was reading my medicine I've been taking for my eyes - Most people only have to take it for 1 or 2 weeks, I've been having to take it for a month now. Anyhow, one of the side effects is WEIGHT GAIN! I noticed my face is very round this morning, and so I started reading the side effects and come to find out, I'm taking steroids. I didn't realize it was steroids, I thought I was just taking antiobotics. My eyes are healing, however, I am not at a crisp clear 20/20, and I'm just one of those slow healers, not sure if its because of my diabetes or what, but I always seem to take longer to heal. Anyhow, that helps to explain my dramatic weight gain I think. I am hoping to be off the steroids at the end of this week. I go see my eye doc on March 3rd, so I'm hoping she will take me off of them. I hope everyone had a great weekend.

I am aware that calories do cause weight gain. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

While I’m not completely off the rails I see the writing on the wall, some old habits coming back and I’m trying to avoid weight gain and trying to lose the last bit of weight I have to lose. Thinking about seeing a therapist? Isogenix? No not weight watchers again. I can’t. Really. Haha. What have all you successful people done to keep the weight off? What have you done to lose the final 20 once the honeymoon period is over? Please help me figure this out!! So afraid I will never get there and go back to the old me. Le Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17 HW: 283 CW: 177 GW: 160

Are you eating your maintenance phase food instructions to slow/stop weight loss? 1000 calories will keep you in weight loss mode. Glad you are slowly increasing them. I understand that you are sick of shakes. If you choose to get calories in with shakes, Read food facts on the back. Weight loss shakes - premier protein shake 160 calories – 30 grams protein, 5 grams carb, 1-gram fat. It won’t help you gain An option is a weight gaining shake: you decide how many scoops to add. 3 scoops = 1360 calories 198 carbs – 10 grams fat– 40grams protein. Choose a weight you feel healthy at. I’m sorry you feel too thin at 130lbs BMI of 24 = Goal weight is personal choice - 133lbs BMI 25 over weight zone for your height. BMI calculator link below: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm SIDE NOTE: I’m five years out – My BMI fluctuates from 21 to 23 It’s a healthy BMI zone. it's what works for me. I hope you find what works for you.

Hi everyone I had a roux-en-y gastric bypass with fobi pouch 5 years ago (well, 5 years and 11 days to be precise). In the year or two after surgery I was a regular poster here and got immense support from people going through the process at the same time as me, as well as from those who were living with the changes, so I though I’d come back and share for a bit. I have the same story as many of you I am sure - a lifetime of weight loss, weight gain. I had a bit of a distaste for serious exercise but I’d walk happily. I know I ate (well, still do a bit) to deal with feelings - especially loneliness. Stressful jobs over the years, I am 5 foot 7in tall and my weight seesawed until at 100kg (220 lbs) i got a gastric band. That was good, helped me loose maybe 25lbs, but eventually the refill port broke and it had some other issues where it broke, so I made the decision to get a bypass. Because I was back up to 120kg (165lbs) ’My’ bypass has a fobi pouch - so instead of having a small rounded stomach, I have a longer thinner one with a permanent band (made from a baby’s catheter with permanent suture through to make a tied-off loop) in place around it, so it will never stretch. Anyway, it has been a resounding success. I initially dropped to under 60kg (130lbs). I remember worrying ‘how do I make this STOP! Then settled at about 62-64kg. My partner was concerned I looked a bit skeletal, and I run (sometimes) and cycle (a lot) now, so encouraged me to consider putting on a bit of weight for my own health, and I did and feel better for it - so now I sit happily at about 66-67kg - just under 150lbs. There were times when it was tough work. There still are - I occasionally still get sick with that horrid ‘dumping’ if I make an unwise choice, but the benefits outweigh that so much! I want to thank users of this board - the best bit was each problem I encountered, I found someone else had encountered it and overcome it. And it helped me hang in, see it through.

There is another factor that affects restriction: My gastroenterologist told me that he's seen many pts like me who have developed GI motility disorders causing us to feel overly restricted. Also, the stomach can spasm due to being irritated by the band. This feels like tightening, because it is, but it's not your band that tightens, it's the stomach muscle. It's not necessarily a "fickle" band as much as an irritated stomach. Since going on a low fiber, low residue diet almost 2 weeks ago, I can eat again and I'm not vomiting, PBing, or otherwise having "stuck" episodes. I'm eating rice, noodles, potatoes, breads. No problems and no weight gain, since my portions are small.

I had a lot of head hunger for Taco Bell. But when I broke down and bought a taco, it was the most disappointing taco I had ever had. I found it to be repulsing and have no desire to eat there again. Oh, I couldn't believe their taco's were 99cents. So over priced for nothing. Hummmmm. I use to eat these all the time. Could they contribute to weight gain? TACO BELL bad food! No Taco Bell for me. LOL

LOL! Sitting in a Dr's waiting room embarrassing my bf laughing out loud at this! My BMI is 67. I have "the perfect cocktail for weight gain so I had better get used to life over 300 lbs" as quoted by my gyno. I said ix-nay with a HELL NO!!! I begain in January and it is now June and I still don't have a date (they didn't see Snickers in the x-rays). I am expectin July but only because I developed severe osteo-arthritis jumping through their hoops!

I am kind of scared of this. I have a prescription for nuvaring in my refrigerator, but my weight loss already feels slow - I don't think I need to set myself back by starting on it and gaining some back. Has anyone started nuvaring post-op and not had any weight gain/stalling?

@@Eclectick I repeat, I've gained weight because of immobility because of my injury and CAN NOT work my employment therefore my finances WILL NOT be back on track UNTIL I do something about this exceptional weight gain that has very much so impacted my knees which have lead me to become obese. Again, I will be having my schedule surgery on Friday for ALL health reasons. I thought that I came off a little mean with my response to comments as well as I thought some of the comments were a little harsh and that was what I really was referring to. Again, I didn't post my message for a pacifier or a pat on the back, I posted it simply because I THOUGHT that someone may have dealt with similar issues and I was looking to READ (as I like to do and UNDERSTAND) how they overcame..... I can't wait for Friday:)

I been cleaning my closet monthly, in the past I always saved it and that's how I ended up getting in trouble again cause I would gain some weight and I would get the big clothes out. I'm hoping this time as soon as I see some change on how my clothes fit that I will take control of any weight gain.

Don't care. Surgery is going to give me an extra 0-50 years and I sure as hell am not going to waste them staring at the idiot box. Besides, I'm sure a huge portion of the people here can blame a good part of their weight gain on a sedentary idiot-box-watching lifestyle in the first place.

I'm heading down to Miami for 7 weeks with the kids. They go to nature/archeology camp on Biscayne Bay and since the camp won't let me in (something about age limit Pffft) I have created my own Mommy Camp. I bike, collect mangos, can mango chutney no one will eat, kayak, explore, take yoga classes and tennis lessons. This is our 4th year going and the last few have been kind of rough because of major surgeries and subsequent weight gain. I'm so excited to head down his year lighter, fitter and happier than I have been in years. My husband and kids are loving the mom who is always on the go and I'm loving life. Bring on the South Florida heat and humidity! I'm ready for you this year! At the end of the summer we are going on an 8 day Alaska cruise with my husbands family. My goal is lose enough weight to feel comfortable in the wet suit I'm going to wear when we go snorkeling in Ketchikan. I have had a life long fear of wet suits (I'm convinced I will look like a seal in one) so I specifically booked this trip to motivate me to move this summer. Just the thought of me trying to shimmy into a wet suit on the shore of a freezing cold body of Water makes me laugh so hard I'm already burning calories... I love hearing everyone's plans. Be safe and wear sunscreen and post pictures! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi Gals... I had my band removed on Nov 5th and, although still a bit sore, am so happy to have it gone. I can only echo the relief of no longer having to vomit at any given time and for any given bite of anything. To have gone a full week without throwing up seems to be such a blessing. I totally disagree with the naysayers who are predicting weight gain for those of us who have the band removed. I don't understand why someone would want to plant those kinds of negative seeds. I believe we can do it, gals...and do it in a healthier, less physically risky way. I wish you God's best. Again, do not accept the prophecies of doom. We can, and will get rid of this excess weight. Seek out whatever support works for you and do not fear or underestimate your ability to create a healthy nutritional lifestyle.

My main problem is that I eat too much at every meal. I'm not an emotional eater, but I am a celebratory eater. However, celebrations don't happen every day so I don't think that's a big problem for me. I was raised with a lot of brothers, and eating was a competitive sport. I ate as much as possible as quickly as possible, because I knew there wouldn't be any later. I haven't been able to break that habit. That's why I think the sleeve will work for me: it will limit how much I can eat at any one time. Oddly enough, I think my biggest caloric "sin" is milk. I drink a lot of it every day, and that's a lot of calories. I am cutting back there. I do love ice cream and baked treats, but I don't eat it every day. I don't especially like fast food, fried foods, chips, crackers, etc. I actually have a pretty good diet. I eat more fruits and veggies than most. What really bothers me about my GP's comments is that he's never even asked me about my diet. And, ironically, most of my weight gain can be attributed to medications I've taken, one of which was prescribed by him. So for him to tell me to get my eating under control leaves me in a state of disbelief.

I'm new here but I think anyone who has or is going to get the lapband procedure understands the fear and depression dealing with weight gain. You have accomplished so much over the years. You should be proud of yourself. You have a great group of people around you supporting you and praying for you. I will also keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Even though we have never actually chatted - - I can completely understand the day to day struggle with weight and food. You deserve happiness and another chance with the lapband. BMI....SHBMI....this procedure should allow patients another chance if the lapband slips or leaks (which is not in your control). Insurance companies can be so infuriating. Again, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Quinn

No, doctors and providers don't tell you the truth about the actual weight loss. I lost about 75 lbs. initially (being able to eat only slush and mush, as I call it) and then started the tricky road to fills and unfills. Traveled to other states even to have fills done right and all this has cost a bundle along with the initial $15K I spent on the procedure. After that first weight loss, I started gaining for no apparent reason, still eating (or having food slide down my throat) small quantities. I went to a doctor and was diagnosed with PCOS, a condition that prevents weight loss and actually is responsible for weight gain even when eating only 1,000 calories per day and exercising. Fed up with the whole thing, I had as much of an unfill as is possible. Now I'm waiting till I have health insurance in hopes my coverage will include complete removal of the band. One bright note throughout this ordeal...Thanks to a suggestion from a PCOS support group member, I started on the Atkins program and have now started to lose weight. And, if I chew really well, I can keep most of the foods down. It seems that carbs are really the enemy to weight loss. So, if you feel you want the band out, get it out. It's worth $5,000 (if you can afford it which I can't right now) for peace of mind. I wish I had started Atkins BEFORE I got the banding done. Good luck.

By keeping your clothes you are mentally giving yourself permission to regain weight. The only person I know that lost over 200 pounds without surgery and kept it off, told me as soon as you drop a size, dump the previous clothes. I have been doing this all along and it has helped me so much. There is no going back. If I gain more than 5 pounds I will have nothing to wear. This helps stop me from going off the rails, keeps me focused and makes weight gain immediately noticeable. I got up years worth of clothes I carefully collected and loved because they no longer fit me. If I regained to the point I could fit them, but they aren't here, that would be extra insult to injury. So it is not going to happen. It is not an option. Do not keep your old clothes as a security blanket. Fully embrace your new life, say this is forever and dump those fat clothes.

It took me a full week to get rid of the weight gained from surgery. It took 2 weeks to get rid of all extra gas. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I also have no food addictions or medical reasons to have gotten to 243 at 5'3". My weight gain was caused by making poor choices at nearly every opportunity. French fries or steamed veggies, vinaigrette or ranch, etc., etc.. I simply made the tastier choice because my mindset was, "this one meal isn't going to make a difference" This was compounded by going from a physical job to a sedentary job in my mid twenties. Then my weight gain accelerated when I began traveling and entertaining for business.

Jaime “Pandora” Williams has not had anything handed to her. She has worked hard for everything she has, including every pound of her 250-lb weight loss. From weight loss surgery and overcoming food addiction to figuring out how to deal with her father’s death to paying for training for a new career, Pandora has kept moving forward and earned her spot as one of our weight loss surgery heroes. Jaime “Pandora” Williams has not had anything handed to her. She has worked hard for everything she has, including every pound of her 250-lb weight loss. From weight loss surgery and overcoming food addiction to figuring out how to deal with her father’s death to paying for training for a new career, Pandora has kept moving forward and earned her spot as one of our weight loss surgery heroes. Throughout it all, she has kept her determination to help others. She has shared every step of her journey on her Desperately Seeking Slender blog, and has made a career as a weight loss and wellness coach. Find out how Pandora Williams, who was “Desperately Seeking Slender,” turned her life around and is helping others do the same! Struggling with Weight from Childhood to Early Adulthood Pandora comes from a family that did not eat healthy. They ate fast food often, and home cooked meals were likely to be tacos, pot roast and potatoes, and other high-calorie foods. She remembers father loving his sweets, and her mother struggled with weight gain and obesity after quitting smoking. With a diet of cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets, not surprisingly, Pandora had been overweight since childhood. She hit the 400-lb. mark 4 years after graduating high school, and also had chronic depression, diabetes, and sleep apnea. Atkins and intense exercise helped her get down to 225 lbs. before getting married, but the weight came back after marriage. Weight Loss Surgery and a New Lifestyle Pandora wanted weight loss surgery, but put it off for a few years because she couldn’t afford it. She got serious when her health insurance began to cover it, and got the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 2010. She chronicled her entire weight loss journey on her blog. She lost 100 pounds by December of 2010, 200 pounds six months later in June of 2011, and entered “Onederland” (under 200 pounds) in October of 2011. Now, she maintains a weight of 165 lb. – quite a difference from her highest BMI of 69.9! Needless to say, she threw away the old habits of eating a half-gallon of ice cream or a dozen tacos. She worked hard to overcome her food addiction. Portion control and measuring were new behaviors she had to follow. Now, five years post-op, she is able to get away without writing down every bite when things are going right. Still, she keeps herself on track by food journaling and calorie counting the second she is unsure of herself, whether because of a jump on the scale or a high-sodium day. Pandora follows a carb cycling plan where she eats higher and lower amounts of carbs on alternating days. She’s an exercise addict, and that also helps her keep her weight in check. Body Image and Reconstructive Surgery Despite maintaining a healthy weight and feeling more confident in overcoming her food addiction, Pandora says her body image is a bit of a struggle. She has had 6 rounds of reconstructive surgery, and still has trouble accepting the mistakes she made in the past with her body and health. A Life-Changing Letter to Chris Powell! By August of 2012, Pandora’s weight was well under control, but she was not satisfied with that. She wanted to help others do the same. She knew she had the “the passion, desire to help, and love” for people who were struggling with their weight, because she knew exactly what they were struggling with. What she needed was help figuring out how to help them, and she just couldn’t get in touch with someone who could guide her. Then, in August of 2012, Pandora wrote a letter to Chris Powell, the celebrity trainer on “Extreme Makeover.” After some persistence, she managed to get her letter to him, and she received a reply! He posted an encouraging message on Facebook, and that was enough to keep her motivated. Since then, she has had a couple more interactions with him on social media – including an encouraging message when she was feeling down – and was able to meet him in Hollywood at the Extreme Makeover Finale. She considers him and his wife Heidi an inspiration. A Day in the Life Between taking care of herself and helping others be the best they can be, Pandora is very busy! Here is a typical day in her life. 8:00 a.m. Wake up, food prep, get ready for work. Coffee, coffee, coffee! 9:30 a.m. Arrive at the gym. May do a 4 to 5-mile run or take a group exercise class like yoga before work. 10:30 a.m. Breakfast: Quest protein bar. 11:00 a.m. Start work - working the front desk and doing either one-on-one training or weight loss/wellness coaching sessions. 12:30 p.m. Lunch: Veggies (cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots): about five of each and either some low-sodium turkey breast with low-fat Swiss cheese or some hard-boiled egg whites filled with chicken salad made with a Greek yogurt base and green onions. 2:30 p.m. Snack: Usually a container of Greek yogurt or some homemade steel cut oats from home. 3:00 p.m. Leads a weight loss boot camp group training session with light weights and cardio – usually works out with the group. 5:00 p.m. Snack: Usually a piece of fruit like an apple or an orange, or a banana on higher-mileage days. 7:00 p.m. Leads a weight loss boot camp group training session with light weights and cardio – usually works out with the group. 8:30 p.m. Finishes running for the day if she didn’t get in an early morning run or get more than 5 miles already that day. 10:00 p.m. Home/Shower/Dinner: usually a lean protein like baked chicken or turkey and steamed veggies. Uses spices and changes the vegetables a lot for variety. Includes a serving of brown rice, couscous, quinoa or whole wheat pasta on days she eats carbs. 11:00 p.m. Snack: Usually Greek yogurt, no sugar added ice cream sandwich, a frozen protein bar, or an extra-thick protein shake. 12:00 a.m. Bedtime Pandora tries to run longer distances after work if she doesn’t get to work out during her weight loss boot camp classes. Her days off on Sundays and some Thursdays may include an extra kickboxing class, a spin class, or a run over 10 miles. New Lifestyle, New Career, and Paying It Forward. As a morbidly obese high school graduate, Pandora had been limited in her career options. She made a living working from home at jobs such as customer support and data entry. Since losing weight and getting healthy, she has thrown herself into something she is passionate about – helping others get and stay healthy through lifestyle. Now, Pandora works as a weight loss and wellness coach at a ladies-only fitness facility gym, and has earned multiple certifications in the fitness and coaching industry. She also pays it forward as a weight loss surgery advocate. She has spoken at the Obesity Action Coalition and Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America (WLSFA), as well as at other bariatric support clinics and groups. She publishes articles regularly, including here on BariatricPal! You can follow Pandora on Desperately Seeking Slender and on Facebook and Twitter @SeekingSlender.

I agree. Also, based on observation and some things she has said, it sounds like a lot of her weight gain is due to alcohol and other liquid calories.

Yeah, I have to do all the standard things like 6 months of supervised weight loss visits, nutritionists, psych, etc... I just thought the weight clause was particularly cruel. I'll be taking @summerseeker advice and putting heavy things in my pockets. LOL I can't even tell what stage my cycle is in to make sure I go in with the period bloat (hysterectomy) so that's super annoying. @SleeveToBypass2023 I don't get an option about which insurance plan we have, this is through my partner's workplace. It costs too much to go with someone else. But I'm glad you didn't have to fight as hard to get your surgeries, BCBS was good when we had them! @New To This23 That sounds like a nightmare! I am so sorry you are going through that! I am worried about this scenario because my body is given to weird spurts of weight gain that have nothing to do with what I'm eating or how I'm exercising. I did 18 months with a nutritionist and lost 10 lbs, which was really due to the Ozempic I started. LOL I've never been able to lose more than 15-20 lbs, my body is just wicked stubborn. I will keep my fingers and toes crossed that you make that weigh in with room to spare!! Keep us posted!

I was told the stomach will stretch the smallest bit just life but never as big as pre surgery and weight gain is not due to anatomy but due to reverting back to bad habits