Those who have fallen off the wagon, and have successfully gotten back on..

[erikalexandra19 10]

Pls let me know how you've done it, I need help. It's been 6ish months since my surgery.. I've lost 50 pounds but I've fallen off and can't seem to find a way back... I know I can do this, I know what I've accomplished... However, telling me that everyday as means of motivation isn't cutting it...

Can someone share what their plan have been?

Thank you!

[McButterpants 2,846]

Well hello there!

I was sleeved in November, 2013, so I'm right at 6 months. My loss has slowed considerably and I was so frustrated. While I sat in the doctor's office for my 6 month check up it's like a light bulb went off in my head - I'm letting some old habits back in my life. Yep, I'm snacking and I'm not tracking. I'm drinking too much coffee (empty calories with the milk and agave) and I'm allowing myself extra bites, bigger meals and surprisingly eating too fast.

So, for the past few days, I've been tracking...I was surprised at what I found. I'm eating way too much - I'm eating around my sleeve, I'm not watching my portion sizes and eating too many slider foods (yogurt pretzels are a favorite slider for me).

So, I went back to basics - I'm logging all my intake and I'm doing 1-2 shakes per day. I make sure I track my fluids, too. I can already feel a difference.

You've identified a problem - that's important. You're going to be OK - My plan is to get back to basics - Protein first, logging my food and Water and continue to work out (I do 3-4 cardio workouts a week, resistance training 2-3 days a week - I move my body most days of the week)

You got this!!!!!

[JeanZ_RN 378]

I was very fortunate in that I was not hungry at all for 2-3 months post op. I ate because I knew I should. When my hunger returned it wasn't as intense as before, and by then I had established my new eating habits which helped a LOT. Now I eat every 4 hours (8a, 12n, 4p and 8p), and I keep my carb intake as low as humanly possible. Both factors contribute to my never being hungry for very long at a time.

What keeps me on track when I could never stick to a diet before:

1. The feeling of satisfaction / fullness after each meal, plus the decreased hunger, is the main thing that makes it possible for me to stick to the plan. I do get head hunger sometimes, and when I can't ignore it I have a big glass of Water, a SF popsicle or some SF Crystal Light.
2. I've lost a significant amount of weight doing this, so I KNOW it works.
3. I will be da**ed if I'm going to throw away the $12,500 I paid out of my pocket to have this done, not to mention all the work I've done (and the goodies I've resisted eating) to get to this point. Sometimes I just repeat to myself, as many times as necessary "I'm not going to eat that. Not gonna do it. There will be goodies available when I'm at my goal."
4. The support available on this site and on the Facebook group I belong to is PHENOMINAL. It helps SO much, especially at those times when family/friends would probably beat me to death if I mention one more thing about the trials and tribulations -- or the NSVs -- related to being sleeved.

You may also want to review the rules, to get your head back in the game. I just posted my version of them in the Taking a Trip thread.

Hope that helps. Best wishes.

[NMJG 1,266]

For me , carbs were my downfall. I recommend you read Gary Taub's Good Calories, Bad Calories. It completely changed my outlook. I now track carbs, not calories, and eat high fat and 70+g of Protein a day. I limit my carbs to no more than 15 g at a time, usually far less, and no more than 45 g per day. I started this a few months ago. I am never hungry. Have gone from size 8 to size 6. If you are addicted to carbs like I am, read the books on this topic and give it a try for a few weeks. I will eat like this for the rest of my life. Yes, I do have bad days when I indulge in high carb treats. But that is the minority, I enjoy it, then I go back to my low carb regimen. It works, that's all I can say.

[erikalexandra19 10]

For me , carbs were my downfall. I recommend you read Gary Taub's Good Calories, Bad Calories. It completely changed my outlook. I now track carbs, not calories, and eat high fat and 70+g of Protein a day. I limit my carbs to no more than 15 g at a time, usually far less, and no more than 45 g per day. I started this a few months ago. I am never hungry. Have gone from size 8 to size 6. If you are addicted to carbs like I am, read the books on this topic and give it a try for a few weeks. I will eat like this for the rest of my life. Yes, I do have bad days when I indulge in high carb treats. But that is the minority, I enjoy it, then I go back to my low carb regimen. It works, that's all I can say.

Thank you!! Yes, carbs are my downfall

Will read into it

[erikalexandra19 10]

<p>Well hello there!</p> <p> </p> <p>I was sleeved in November, 2013, so I'm right at 6 months. My loss has slowed considerably and I was so frustrated. While I sat in the doctor's office for my 6 month check up it's like a light bulb went off in my head - I'm letting some old habits back in my life. Yep, I'm snacking and I'm not tracking. I'm drinking too much coffee (empty calories with the milk and agave) and I'm allowing myself extra bites, bigger meals and surprisingly eating too fast. </p> <p> </p> <p>So, for the past few days, I've been tracking...I was surprised at what I found. I'm eating way too much - I'm eating around my sleeve, I'm not watching my portion sizes and eating too many slider foods (yogurt pretzels are a favorite slider for me).</p> <p> </p> <p>So, I went back to basics - I'm logging all my intake and I'm doing 1-2 shakes per day. I make sure I track my fluids, too. I can already feel a difference.</p> <p> </p> <p>You've identified a problem - that's important. You're going to be OK - My plan is to get back to basics - Protein first, logging my food and Water and continue to work out (I do 3-4 cardio workouts a week, resistance training 2-3 days a week - I move my body most days of the week)</p> <p> </p> <p>You got this!!!!!</p>

Thank you.. Will start tracking... I havent slacked in the exercise part.. But carbs are creeping up...

[LivingFree! 478]

For me , carbs were my downfall. I recommend you read Gary Taub's Good Calories, Bad Calories. It completely changed my outlook. I now track carbs, not calories, and eat high fat and 70+g of Protein a day. I limit my carbs to no more than 15 g at a time, usually far less, and no more than 45 g per day. I started this a few months ago. I am never hungry. Have gone from size 8 to size 6. If you are addicted to carbs like I am, read the books on this topic and give it a try for a few weeks. I will eat like this for the rest of my life. Yes, I do have bad days when I indulge in high carb treats. But that is the minority, I enjoy it, then I go back to my low carb regimen. It works, that's all I can say.

Taube's more recent "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It " was an "easier" read for me (not quite as technical; both, however, are excellent for those of us who struggle with carbs ).

Congrats on your 50 lbs erikalexandra19! You asked for suggestions--this one's kinda crazy, but it really is working for me. It has helped me a lot to get control of out-of-control snacking. I got brutally honest with myself and made a list of the foods that I felt I was having a hard time controlling. I don't like the words "can't have" because that means deprivation, and deprivation means I want it more. Here goes:

I really had to limit (more like ELIMINATE) what and how much I brought into the house. My downfall from the beginning has been dry Cereal (dark choc Cheerios, Kashi GoLean Crunch etc). I use it as finger food to satisfy that need for crunch. But I was eating right out of the box and when you do that, you certainly eat more than "one serving". So now, when a new box of Cereal (or anything that is a trouble carb for you) comes into the house it really helps to put each serving in its own baggie, and then put all the baggies back into the box. That way when you reach for the box, you still get the satisfaction of holding the box, but when you reach inside, you're grabbing a contolled-portion baggie, not handfuls.

So, at the beginning of each month I have my list with check-off boxes next to the following items that are MY DEMONS. This list with its check-off boxes is in my face all month (on my fridge) so I can see, for instance, how many more fast food meals I have left for the month. When all the checkboxes are checked off, no more until the new month rolls around. It's just really helped my brain know that I CAN still have this stuff, I just now have to DISCIPLINE myself THIS WAY so I CAN still have it.

Box Cereal (2 checkboxes = 2 boxes per month)

Fast Food (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)(only SAFE & planned fast food allowed)

Frozen Dinners (4 checkboxes = 4x per month) (cannot be more and 30gm carb)

Starbucks (2 checkboxes = 2x per month)

Ice Cream Treat (2 checkboxes) (no ice cream in house--must be eaten out only)

Skinny Pop (1 checkbox)

Quest Protein Bars (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)

Pure Protein Bars (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)

Good luck with whatever you find that works for you to get back on track. You will find your way.

[Stacy_wls 135]

For me , carbs were my downfall. I recommend you read Gary Taub's Good Calories, Bad Calories. It completely changed my outlook. I now track carbs, not calories, and eat high fat and 70+g of Protein a day. I limit my carbs to no more than 15 g at a time, usually far less, and no more than 45 g per day. I started this a few months ago. I am never hungry. Have gone from size 8 to size 6. If you are addicted to carbs like I am, read the books on this topic and give it a try for a few weeks. I will eat like this for the rest of my life. Yes, I do have bad days when I indulge in high carb treats. But that is the minority, I enjoy it, then I go back to my low carb regimen. It works, that's all I can say.

Taube's more recent "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It " was an "easier" read for me (not quite as technical; both, however, are excellent for those of us who struggle with carbs ).

Congrats on your 50 lbs erikalexandra19! You asked for suggestions--this one's kinda crazy, but it really is working for me. It has helped me a lot to get control of out-of-control snacking. I got brutally honest with myself and made a list of the foods that I felt I was having a hard time controlling. I don't like the words "can't have" because that means deprivation, and deprivation means I want it more. Here goes:

I really had to limit (more like ELIMINATE) what and how much I brought into the house. My downfall from the beginning has been dry cereal (dark choc Cheerios, Kashi GoLean Crunch etc). I use it as finger food to satisfy that need for crunch. But I was eating right out of the box and when you do that, you certainly eat more than "one serving". So now, when a new box of cereal (or anything that is a trouble carb for you) comes into the house it really helps to put each serving in its own baggie, and then put all the baggies back into the box. That way when you reach for the box, you still get the satisfaction of holding the box, but when you reach inside, you're grabbing a contolled-portion baggie, not handfuls.

So, at the beginning of each month I have my list with check-off boxes next to the following items that are MY DEMONS. This list with its check-off boxes is in my face all month (on my fridge) so I can see, for instance, how many more fast food meals I have left for the month. When all the checkboxes are checked off, no more until the new month rolls around. It's just really helped my brain know that I CAN still have this stuff, I just now have to DISCIPLINE myself THIS WAY so I CAN still have it.

Box Cereal (2 checkboxes = 2 boxes per month)

Fast Food (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)(only SAFE & planned fast food allowed)

Frozen Dinners (4 checkboxes = 4x per month) (cannot be more and 30gm carb)

Starbucks (2 checkboxes = 2x per month)

Ice Cream Treat (2 checkboxes) (no ice cream in house--must be eaten out only)

Skinny Pop (1 checkbox)

Quest Protein Bars (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)

Pure Protein Bars (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)

Good luck with whatever you find that works for you to get back on track. You will find your way.

I love this strategy! I may incorporate something like this

[Gina1010 86]

Fallen off the wagon is an understatement... In fact it's rolled over me a few times lol but I get back on again and again.

Old habits are hard to break. I'm going to try the low carb thing and start to count my carbs. After losing over 150 pounds pathetic weight loss began to slow down... I believe low carbs is the key. Thanks for the suggestion.

[erikalexandra19 10]

For me , carbs were my downfall. I recommend you read Gary Taub's Good Calories, Bad Calories. It completely changed my outlook. I now track carbs, not calories, and eat high fat and 70+g of Protein a day. I limit my carbs to no more than 15 g at a time, usually far less, and no more than 45 g per day. I started this a few months ago. I am never hungry. Have gone from size 8 to size 6. If you are addicted to carbs like I am, read the books on this topic and give it a try for a few weeks. I will eat like this for the rest of my life. Yes, I do have bad days when I indulge in high carb treats. But that is the minority, I enjoy it, then I go back to my low carb regimen. It works, that's all I can say.

Taube's more recent "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It " was an "easier" read for me (not quite as technical; both, however, are excellent for those of us who struggle with carbs ).

Congrats on your 50 lbs erikalexandra19! You asked for suggestions--this one's kinda crazy, but it really is working for me. It has helped me a lot to get control of out-of-control snacking. I got brutally honest with myself and made a list of the foods that I felt I was having a hard time controlling. I don't like the words "can't have" because that means deprivation, and deprivation means I want it more. Here goes:

I really had to limit (more like ELIMINATE) what and how much I brought into the house. My downfall from the beginning has been dry cereal (dark choc Cheerios, Kashi GoLean Crunch etc). I use it as finger food to satisfy that need for crunch. But I was eating right out of the box and when you do that, you certainly eat more than "one serving". So now, when a new box of cereal (or anything that is a trouble carb for you) comes into the house it really helps to put each serving in its own baggie, and then put all the baggies back into the box. That way when you reach for the box, you still get the satisfaction of holding the box, but when you reach inside, you're grabbing a contolled-portion baggie, not handfuls.

So, at the beginning of each month I have my list with check-off boxes next to the following items that are MY DEMONS. This list with its check-off boxes is in my face all month (on my fridge) so I can see, for instance, how many more fast food meals I have left for the month. When all the checkboxes are checked off, no more until the new month rolls around. It's just really helped my brain know that I CAN still have this stuff, I just now have to DISCIPLINE myself THIS WAY so I CAN still have it.

Box Cereal (2 checkboxes = 2 boxes per month)

Fast Food (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)(only SAFE & planned fast food allowed)

Frozen Dinners (4 checkboxes = 4x per month) (cannot be more and 30gm carb)

Starbucks (2 checkboxes = 2x per month)

Ice Cream Treat (2 checkboxes) (no ice cream in house--must be eaten out only)

Skinny Pop (1 checkbox)

Quest Protein Bars (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)

Pure Protein Bars (4 checkboxes = 4x per month)

Good luck with whatever you find that works for you to get back on track. You will find your way.

Thanks so much for the info n support, def applying your method