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Majority of us falls of the track for whatever reason. Just pick yourself up and think about what you were doing to lose weight. Lapband is only a tool and you have to let the tool work for you. This is not easy and it's definitely not a magic band. Keep your head up, don't be discouraged, and have faith in yourself that you can do it. Please don't harp on the weight gain, it sets you up for a downward spiral.

Wow where to being... I would say that to truly dig back into myself my slide to my current weight (375 at the time of this writing) would stem from my college days. Although I was always the bigger kid in high school, I always hovered around the 220's. My first 2 years in college I completely destroyed my eating habits, late nights studying or just going out, crazy hours, long commutes, etc. I went from 220 to about 280 in what felt like overnight. As I bought new outfit after new outfit, I finally said "enough!" I hopped on weight watchers (which I had used in the past to some success). I enjoyed the freedom of the points program and how I could bank points for a cheat day and work out to bank some points or just use it as some extra weight taken off that week. I managed to lose 70 pounds and get back to 230 over the course of a year. Then my last year of college hit me like a ton of bricks. The class intensity was upped and I took on extra courses because I wanted to add minors into my program. I also met my lovely, darling, beautiful future wife at this point. Although some of the best times of my life happened over the next 2 years (I took an extra year to finish college with all the additional courses) I ended up dropping out of weight watchers and watched my weight skyrocket. After getting my Bachelor's, starting my Master's, getting a full time job, getting married, losing a close loved one, buying a house, having a child, my life became about everything else and all the focus I once placed on myself and my health faded to nothing. Over those 9 years, I would put on over 145 lbs. My shame knows no limits. I tried all the usual tricks: back on Weight Watchers, switched to Jenny Craig, tried Nutrisystem, back to Weight Watchers (which is where I am still at) and nothing worked, mostly because I lost the will to care about myself. It is not really in a negative way that I lost this will. I am not depressed. I don't emotional eat, in fact tough days I tend to eat little to nothing now, and crying just makes me sick to my stomach. Basically, I have dragged any sort of focus I once had for myself onto everything and everyone around me. I now know that I need balance in my life. I also need a kick in pants to get me started. So, September 9th, 2013, I am off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of weight loss surgeries. We discuss the choices that I want to get more information about, the Lap Band surgery and the Gastric Sleeve surgery. Both he says are good options. Due to my age (under 30), and the fact that I don't have any debilitating weight related health issues yet, like diabetes, damaged knee caps, painful lower back (though it's getting there), etc., he says that Lap Band can be a good option as it is reversible once I lose the weight. I like the sound of that, but in the back of my mind, I am thinking of my college days were I did great to lose 70 pounds, only to put back on double that weight. So we discuss option 2, the Gastric Sleeve. Although scary to think about at first, it does seem like the better option. After discussing things with my family and friends, I decided on the Gastric Sleeve. Now the fun begins. Tests, endoscopy, paperwork upon paperwork, letters, issues with insurance, disability forms (just in case) and finally! Sweet, sweet approval! I went to see the nutritionist and behavioral psychologist, learned a lot about myself and the process. I do regret not preparing as well as I should have for the surgery. I have been trying to slow down eating my meals but haven't gotten into a good rhythm. I am still struggling with not drinking with meals and my soda craving has been hard to curb. But I finally feel I am nearly ready. I have made plenty of puree Soups for post-surgery, my favorite of which is the butternut squash Soup, a great meal during the 2 week liquid diet portion post-surgery. I have devised a plan to make sure I am getting all my Protein in during the first two weeks until better sources can be added after the liquid diet phase. I ordered a Nurtibullet in the hopes that I will completely be over soda by being able to grind up fresh fruit / vegetables for delicious smoothies. For now, everything is coming together, but there is still a lot to do as well. I was told to watch my weight gain pre surgery and even to try and lose some before going in (though my insurance doesn't require it). I was able to knock off 10 pounds, but put it back on, and again managed it off, so I might be near 365 pre surgery, but I know that final result on Sunday night. I was also told not to blow it by going all out as a "last hooray". Though I must say I have been somewhat holding to that, I am making a trip this weekend to my favorite buffet in Atlantic City. But I have been good leading up to it know that I am going there, so hopefully I don't ruin my work over the last couple weeks! But I don't think of the surgery as a end to my eating out, and you really can't otherwise none of us would do it. In this case, I just want a weekend getaway pre surgery, and if there happens to be my favorite buffet there I might as well partake. So this is it, surgery is scheduled for March 3rd, 2014. I am ready as I'll ever be. I have told most of my family and most of my friends. That is a completely personal issue that I feel each individual must decide who to tell and when to tell them on their own. I made the mistake of telling my boss, which at first was all fine and dandy, but now as the surgery approaches I keep getting questions like, "when will you be 100%" and "will you ever be able to do X, Y or Z again at work" and "will you be calling out often due to issues with it?" and so on. My suggestion for work is to not tell them. At first I didn't think much of it, but now it is coming back to haunt me a bit. You don't have to lie as the law protects anyone having surgery to not have to tell their employer why they are doing it, but I would definitely not tell them why if you can help it. As for the family/friends, some I just didn't tell pre surgery because I didn't want them to worry about the surgery itself. Unfortunately, my parents had to know since they are going to help watch my son that day and take me to the hospital and all that. They are scared about the surgery going wrong, even though I assured them of the routineness of it nowadays. Heck, it is same day surgery! But of course I understand why they are scared, since it is still surgery. All my affairs are in order though, and I am ready for anything should it come my way. I am so excited for the surgery and I can't wait to be able to finally shed some real pounds. Everything that I am doing can also help my wife and son as all of us will be eating better at home. No more late night fast food runs, no more high calorie / sugar soda in the house, the ability to actually cook meals (i never cooked a day in my life until last month and now I can make some basic, healthy meals!), being able to do more outdoor / physical activities as a family. I am also so excited to finally wear things that have been sitting in my closet for years. Clothes that have never even had the chance to see the light of day. I am also excited to not have the seat of my pants rip out of pants while I am wearing them (3 times it happened, I must say stay away from St. John's Bay clothes). And the Pièce de résistance, I can finally wear shoes that aren't loafers! I wish all of those on this wonderful journey with me the best of luck and I look forward to making new friends in this process too. I am excited for the advice that I can give one day to newcomers and the advice I can receive from the veterans. Good luck to all!

I have no eating disorders and real hunger...It ALL varies by personNo i agree, you can't always rely on people but the least they can do is not get in your way. Also not everyone will lose the hunger sensation and even more interesting I just found out today by another poster, sometimes vitamins can increase it. https://www.livestrong.com/article/488651-vitamin-b-complex-and-weight-gain/">https://www.livestrong.com/art...min-b-complex-and-weight-gain/ VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

Thank you all so much for your responses I agree I need to actively try and get my highs from a new productive habit. I'll have a good think about it. It's so weird how similar the over eating and over spend cycling is.... the delicious anticipation and planning or the pure joy of a suprise temptation... the shutting out of the thoughts that tell you you will regret this.. the raised heart rate and excitement of the purchase or eating... the warm glow that follows and the brief high.... then the guilt sets in.....after a few cycles of that you face major weight gain or debt issues which add to the stress and of course you need to feel good again.... I guess I should be grateful I hate cigarettes and alcohol!

Good to hear you are well Kendra, sorry about the weight gain but you have been through an ordeal and getting your health back on track is more important than a few lbs. Hope you're not overdoing it with work and your moderator role. Sounds like fun though. I'm off to work so hopefully I'll see you around more often. Take care!

I’m not saying that severe Fibro symptoms is only experienced by overweight people with FM. I know several pwf who are average or underweight. I also know a few people with diabetes who are average or underweight. By providing the info below, I am acknowledging that some of us do need to know this info. Fibromyalgia and Insulin Resistance The pain, stiffness, malaise and fatigue of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome [Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)] often cause people with FM or CFS/ME to become sedentary. This sedentary lifestyle may lead to severe weight gain and obesity. Obesity has been linked to insulin resistance. Researchers have found that “insulin resistance is a fundamental aspect of the etiology of type 2 diabetes and is also linked to a wide array of other [conditions] including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis. . . the metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X, and, polycystic ovarian disease.” [1] MedicineNet.com reports, “insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. Insulin is an essential hormone that has many actions within the body. Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition in which the normal response to a given amount of insulin is reduced within the body. Higher levels of insulin are needed in order for insulin to have its proper effects. So, the pancreas compensates by trying to produce more. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for development of diabetes and heart disease.” [2] So what does all this have to do with Fibromyalgia? Well, how many of us with Fibro, [overweight, underweight, average weight], have experienced the cognitive impairment referred to as Fibro Fog. Fibro Fog is that episode of forgetting words, walking into a room and forgetting what we went in there to get, losing thoughts or words, etc. One study found that an increase in insulin resistance in people with FM [pwf] may be a risk factor for increased Fibro Fog. [3] Endnotes: _____________________________________________________________________________ [1]Obesity and insulin resistance, Barbara B. Kahn, Jeffrey S. Flier, Published in Volume 106, Issue 4 J Clin Invest. 2000; 106(4):473–481 doi:10.1172/JCI10842 [2]http://www.medicinenet.com/insulin_resistance/article.htm#what_is_insulin_resistance [3]Insulin resistance possible risk factor for cognitive impairment in fibromialgic patients. Fava A, Plastino M, Cristiano D, Spanò A, Cristofaro S, Opipari C, Chillà A, Casalinuovo F, Colica C, De Bartolo M, Pirritano D, Bosco D. Metab Brain Dis. 2013 Jul 28.

I will give you the opposite side since I see my clinic as more conservative than most I see here. We are told that we should ALWAYS follow the 30/30/30 rule. That rule is no drinking 30 minutes before eating, chew every bite 30 times, and no drinking for 30 minutes after finishing eating. Drinking while eating allows you to eat more since it pushes the food through your pouch. Stopping drinking and waiting to drink is making use of the tool that RNY is. Not following his rule most believe will lead to weight gain over time. As for eating carbs... We should always eat our Protein first. We must also make our protein goal. Once those are met adding in some carbs is fine. I have had potatoes, rice, crackers, and bread. The one thing that my NUT told me I should not go back to is Cereal for Breakfast. I always enjoyed oatmeal for breakfast. There is simply not enough protein in any of the cereals to make the daily protein goal. It's different for each of us, but I hope this helps. Good luck!!

Of course not- it actually works and does not cross the blood brain barrier (like REGLAN- the perferred drug of choice which can cause depression or suicide in some women) AND IS AN OFF MARKET USE. dOMPERIDONE (20 mg 4x per day) IN THE AMOUNTS NEEDED TO INCREASE PROLACTIN - HORMONE MAJORLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MILK PRODUCTION is no where near what they were talking about and the heart attacks were for introvenous use- again not the same. This drug is used in almost all other countries (England, Canada, Australia, New Zeland,France, etc) as a stomach aide for children and adults and sold over counter in most. But we the fount of all knowledge find it unreasonable to let medical professionals and people decide what works best for them and ruin our ability to help lactating women with problems. On a note- your doctor can prescribe reglan if there is an issue- but I wouldn't use it. The cross the blood brain barrier and probability to personality and mood changes was too much of a side effect for me. Also iusing anything to enhance proolactin- usually cause some mile weight gain due to increased appetite. If you haven't guessed --- I used domperidone to facilitate lactation for my adopted little ones- before Adrian. I also believe it helped me so well that I had/threw the one and only egg I ever mad e to get pregnant with Adrian. So I am happy it is there and that the American Assoc.,of Pediatricians is still recommending as preferred drug for lactation enhancement

My insurances have language that I just had to follow the facility/program's "procedure" to be approved for surgery, but they don't require any specific time frame either. So if you go to a clinic that requires 3 monthly visits, 5% body weight loss, nutritionist classes, etc... then you will have that long of a wait. It depends on your clinic and your weight, comorbidities, tests you need/already have done, etc... Mine was more just how long it took me to get my new primary insurance to kick in as well as see 1) the nurse 2) a psychologist 3) the nutritionist. They recommend 5% body weight loss, but mostly just don't want to see any weight gain. Mine went like this: Late Oct. 2019: I sent in my interest paperwork online to clinic Nov. 20th: First nurse visit Nov. 21st: Labs drawn at my GP Dec. 4th: Psychologist Dec. 11th: Second nurse visit Jan. 2nd: Nutritionist They sent in the referral to the surgeon. Jan. 29th: Surgical consult, scheduled endoscopy and surgery! Mar. 2: Endoscopy (for atypical GERD) Mar. 16th: 2 hour group nutrition class Mar. 19th: Last pre-op appt. with surgical staff Mar. 26th: Surgery day (the day I wanted anyway so I could use Spring Break to avoid using too much sick leave)

I had surgery 2 years ago May 26 i lost from 238 lbs to 183 lbs .I kept this weight for a long time now i have gained about 9 pounds and i am fighting so hard to get the pounds back off .i am 73 years old and my DR. says to walk but I live in southwest Florida and it gets a little to warm to walk . I am begining to get very discourage i have worked so hard for so long to keep this off .I am at a loss in what I should do . I hope that maybe the two of us can email encouragement to each other My friends just do not understand why i am so upset at so little weight gain but I know it be more if i don't get myself in control .

Want to get back on track and lose the weight. Any help, advice etc is appreciated. I find that I don't even remember how I was eating when I lost weight. I would like to know how others manage their diet. Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Good one... I hadn't though about that, but its great to hear your confidence is up and that you're diggin' your new appearance. 112 lbs down is amazing! I think there's a positive to everything... even being fat. My wife had a birthday party yesterday and some folks we know were complimenting me on the weight loss. Afterwards, I was thinking about it some more... and realized that I've definitely improved my overall eatings habits tremendously because of all this. I wasn't a terrible eater before, my weight gain was a 15 year journey with undiagnosed insulin resistance... but by NO MEANS did I eat a healthy diet, or was some picture of perfection. I've really learned to study what's in my food, and even if I put some of this weight back on... I know that I've gained something from all this.

Medical Policy Subject:Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity Policy #: SURG.00024Current Effective Date: 11/18/2010Status:RevisedLast Review Date: 11/18/2010 Description/ScopeClinically severe obesity is a result of persistent and uncontrollable weight gain that constitutes a present or potential threat to life. There are a variety of surgical procedures intended for the treatment of clinically severe obesity. This document addresses those procedures. Position StatementMedically Necessary: Gastric bypass and gastric restrictive procedures with a Roux-en-Y procedure up to 150 cm, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (for example, the Lap-Band® System or the REALIZE™ Adjustable Gastric Band), vertical banded gastroplasty, biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch, and sleeve gastrectomy (open or laparoscopic) are considered medically necessary for the treatment of clinically severe obesity for selected adults (18 years and older) who meet ALL the following criteria: BMI of 40 or greater, or BMI of 35 or greater with an obesity-related co-morbid condition including, but not limited to:diabetes mellitus; or cardiovascular disease; or hypertension; or life threatening cardio-pulmonary problems, (e.g., severe sleep apnea, Pickwickian syndrome, obesity related cardiomyopathy); AND [*]The individual must have actively participated in non-surgical methods of weight reduction; these efforts must be fully appraised by the physician requesting authorization for surgery; AND[*]The physician requesting authorization for the surgery must confirm the following: The individual's psychiatric profile is such that the candidate is able to understand, tolerate and comply with all phases of care and is committed to long-term follow-up requirements; and The candidate's post-operative expectations have been addressed; and The individual has undergone a preoperative medical consultation and is felt to be an acceptable surgical candidate; and The individual has undergone a preoperative mental health assessment and is felt to be an acceptable candidate; and The individual has received a thorough explanation of the risks, benefits, and uncertainties of the procedure; and The candidate's treatment plan includes pre- and post-operative dietary evaluations and nutritional counseling; and The candidate's treatment plan includes counseling regarding exercise, psychological issues and the availability of supportive resources when needed. <br clear="all">

I have a semi low BMI, I cannot lose any weight during my preop,still following NUT diet though to maintain in a healthy manner. I am with WTgirl,I have lost the weight, gained it back, plus more. I was thin most of my life. I just can't do this to myself anymore. Out of control eating, being much heavier and growing ,and health issues creeping in.These are the reasons I am using this as my tool, I know I can stick to a diet if I have some support, and I WANT this so badly!!

While Iggy's story can be the case, do know it can be relatively smooth sailing too. Here is my almost 2 week post-op story. Yes, I know I am not out of the woods yet and can develop a leak or some other complication. -- No major pain after surgery, other than my wrist arm swelling from the vein they blew -- still hurts -- No major gas pain -- No nausea -- No close calls with throwing up -- Able to drink fluids relatively easily, albeit slowly -- Moved to full liquids per my Dr's plan easily -- I am getting 60+ grams of protein, and close to the 64 oz of fluid (remembering to sip water and waiting the 30+ minutes after is annoying) -- Since moving to full liquids, I am been getting 600 to 700 calories in, is that too much? -- Finally lost the water weight gain plus, and an additional 4.2 lbs since the surgery for a total of nearly 12 lbs -- Traveled to my client site and worked pretty much my same routine of super fulls days, i.e, 10+ hours (yes, I did crash as soon as I got back to the hotel) Now, for the minor complaint, when will my wrist along the vein stop hurting? It hurts to stretch the arm out and to touch it. OK, I know I will hit a stall, I am thinking moving to more solid foods might present a problem, I just know I will hit a road bump at some point and will be on here asking for help. But, until then, pre-op patients, please know that the ride can be smooth. I know so far I have been one of the lucky ones. Thank you to who ever is watching out for me, I really appreciate it. Personally, I attribute some of my smooth sailing to my lower BMI and being healthy going into the surgery. No heart complications, no high BP, etc. Mary

I think stress makes you gain weight. My job is very stressful and I gained a lot of weight over a very short period of time. My eating habits did not change so I can only think it was the stress. I was converted from band to bypass 4/3. My surgeon was able to do it in one surgery which was the only thing I was stressing about prior to surgery. She warned me ahead do time that often there is so much scar tissue that she cannot safely do the bypass. You have to heal and they do it at a later time. My insurance has a dollar cap on bariatric procedures so if I did not get it converted in one surgery I was not going to be able to have a second due to costs. After all the worry she was able to do it but the surgery was very long. It took better than 4 hours. Do not worry about the weight gain and try to desires as you are able. I go for a walk or listen to music or read to help with the stress. Good luck to you!! Jennie

hi, this isnt brought up as a criticism of anyone. it happens to unbanded people in fact it is why i want one in part, regaining weight. hitting your goal, something in your life changes and we start gaining again. what surprises me is reading about people who are banded that get an unfill and report gaining quickly 20-30 lbs or more. the apprehension i have a week or so out from getting my band is ridiculous, i'm not only afraid i'll overeat and damage the band but the really disturbing thought is i'll miss being able to over eat. i should mention the flip side of that thought is liberating, being free of that sick feeling and life revolving around food. so, with the band do habits really change, do some of us too easily revert to overeating when restriction is removed or is there a long term change to metabolism that results in weight gain if we return to eating normal amount of calories?

First, breath. I know it is frustrating when the scale gets stuck or, worse still, goes up. It happens. I have had several instances of 5 pound weight gain...overnight. Yes, I weigh myself every morning (there are many folks who advise against this but I have my reasons). My practice is dangerous 'cause I catch my short duration weight fluctuations. See a post, from a few weeks ago, by gamergirl. She was similarly disturbed by apparent weight stalls/increases. As she graphed her weight over time her increases/stalls smoothed out and she saw her amazing trend downward. I think her "long view" is wise and wonderful for us all. Too close a look at our moment by moment weight can make us nuts as well as give us a false impression of our overall success.

I'll answer the same way kgremmy did. *What are the major differences in pregnancy before and after the VSG procedure? None at all. ( I was sleeved in November 2011) *Did you have weird cravings? It seems like you would not because the Ghrelin is gone. Nope. Never had craving with my first pregnancy (before VSG) and neither had cravings with my second pregnancy (after VSG). I just wanted to eat all the time. Probably because can't eat much in one sitting. *Did you gain a lot of weight? Was it a struggle to gain the weight? Gained a ton of weight! 55lbs. Wayy wayy wayyyyyyyy too much. I voiced my concerns to my doctors, but they said it was ok and didn't seemed concern about it *Were you nauseous? more than normal. Not at all *Were there any concerns about taking in enough food for the baby? Never, I was constantly hungry and believe that's the reason why I gained so much weight. *Anything else noteworthy? Yes, eventhough I had no weird cravings I did want to eat the "comfort food" You should just snack as much as you want, but stick to veggies and fruits and nuts. *It is strange but I can't seem to fine a lot of information on this topic. I just want to make sure I am prepared...* I know, I fell the same way. I had my baby 3 months ago. Healthy little boy. I lost 30lbs within the first couple of weeks. I still have to loose other 25lbs to be on my pre-pregnancy weight. It is not coming off, but to be honest I have not gone back to eat the weight I was eating before and I have not resume my excesice routine. I'm exhausted! (due to my fibromyalgia and also have 4 yr old and work full time). I just took my first step into going back to my routine and started to log everything that goes into my mouth. It is a big help. good luck! Maria.

Was wondering if anyone's started taking Lyrica after bypass? Did you have a problem with weight gain? I'm looking forward to the relief of pain but not looking forward to weight gain.

Here's a bariatric-friendly recipe you could try at home! One of the things I've been really proactive about doing while I'm still on liquids is trying to find recipes NOW that mimic foods I used to have but are healthier swaps. These are things that my whole family could enjoy in their portion size but at the same time allow me to eat without fear of weight gain. There's lots of great books and websites out there! Spend an hour or two just browsing google and amazon and you're sure to find some awesome stuff.

That's why I ask you to LIST EVERYTHING YOU'RE EATING! Gah. How hard is it to do that? At 6 months I'd lost most of my weight. At 9 months out I was at 1st goal of 150 and surpassed the weight goal my RD/doc had set for me. I'm now at 14 months working on my last Goal #3 of 130lbs. I'm at 137.8lbs today. So I'm clearly doing something right. There are stalls all the time. I continue to eat the foods that I know work for me. I meet my lean protein goals for the day, I keep my healthy veggie carbs low, I keep fat low. I keep calories in a range of 650-850/day for losing mode. And that's what I do. It works. You cannot game the system. If you are stuck for months, then you are clearly eating too much or too much of the wrong things for weight loss. It's as simple as that. You are maintaining. Or regaining. I take 2 drugs that can cause weight gain. And I have to be extra sharp to eat to my calorie/macro window so I can lose. Weight loss isn't impossible with underlying issues, it is just a matter of being much, much harder.

I really think you should wait to have any plastic surgery done until you are closer to goal. I am now down to 150 lbs at 5'5" from 294, and am very close to my 140-145 goal. I can tell you that my body has made changes I never thought would happen. My breast shrank with the last 15 lbs and actually look better than they did two months ago...so I believe that if I had already had something done, I would have to have it redone at some point. I just know that my sister-in-law had breast lift, implants and TT done all at once when she got down to 200 lbs and needs the TT done again after a 30 lb weight gain and loss. Any kind of weight fluctuation will effect the TT. Her breast didn't seem to change a lot when she put the weight on and then lost it again. I only want to go through that sugery one time!!!

First of all, you still look great--I can't see much of a difference between April 2018 and December 2019. However, the more important issue is your health. I'm sure that cancer had a huge physical and emotional impact on you, and right now you should focus on your recovery from cancer more than on your weight issues. (I say this as a cancer survivor myself.) You can deal with your weight once you are clearly on the other side of the cancer. Please don't beat yourself up about your relatively small weight gain. You have been through a lot!

Hey everyone! I'm looking for advice and encouragement. I had my weight loss surgery in December 2016, so I'm 3.5 years out now. I dropped around 160 pounds, from my biggest being 360 and my smallest being 187. I was so blessed to lose so much in about 14 months. Maintenance was relatively easy at first. I purposefully gained 15 pounds because being 6'2 with a large build, 187 started getting me questions about being sick. 200-205 is my personal goal and sweet spot, where I feel the best and think I look the best. Fast forward to September 2019. I was having my first endoscopy since my surgery, as a follows up to Barrett's esophagus that was found when I had my bypass. What I thought would be routine, turned worst case scenario when I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Apparently I'm in that 2% that has Barrett's that actually progresses to cancer. Luckily we caught it very early stage and I have been able to have ablation therapy treatment versus the typical chemo and radiation. I've developed recurrent esophageal stricture due to scar tissue from ablation therapy, causing me to choke frequently. Needless to say, it's all been very scary, and my eating got out of whack for a while. I've quickly gained weight and I'm at 220.2 today. I need to lose 20 pounds ASAP. The current COVID-19 situation and working from home, having access to food 24/7 coupled with stress eating is proving difficult to overcome. I thought I'd post here to see if anyone has words of encouragement or advice to help me get back on track quickly. 3.5 years and I was very proud to be maintaining at my goal weight of around 200, and now I'm scared the scale will continue to creep up on me.