Old Habits At 8.5 Months Out

[Andrew0929 1,101]

While I'm grateful to be at goal, my rate of loss has leveled out and I'm noticing some old habits showing up again. Still exercising hard and logging every crumb.

But, I'm consuming 3 granola bars a day and wasabi peas seem to be a problem. I measure 30 grams but end up going back for more and more ...

I should probably cut out the wasabi peas and restrict myself to 2 bars a day. My concern is that the cravings are coming back and I'm giving in to them. I'm so afraid of regaining.

[Katcloudshepherd 630]

Andrew0929,

I sure hope my cravings don't come back. I so far am still sick of sweet stuff--THANK GOODNESS. Sure hope that lasts. I don't have any advice but I hope you can keep up the good fight!

Blessings,

Kathleen

[MichiganChic 3,262]

You've expressed the fear we all have, and the stark reality of maintenance. It's not easy. It gets tiring, and it's SO easy to slip back into old habits. At this point, we all know what to do, and have to just do it. Sometimes I have to go back to basics, and rid my house of things that trigger grazing. The most important thing is that you are weighing, measuring, and tracking. At least you know what you are consuming. To me, that is the single most effective habit I have. Even if I'm over, I know by how much and what. If you are in maintenance, you might be able to eat a little more than during loss, but only time will tell. Congratulations on your success, and wishing you continued success!

[Bufflehead 6,358]

When I have issues like that, my only real success has come by getting rid of the triggering foods entirely. Like, put them in the trash (opened), squirt dishwashing liquid soap all over them immediately. You don't actually need any granola bars or wasabi peas, just like I don't need Fiber Gourmet crackers or Lentil Snaps, both of which I threw out of my house just yesterday. Find Snacks that aren't triggers and get them instead. Good luck!

[Arlene G 31]

You've done so well for so long. I don't know what your age, but you had the surgery for a reason. Keep remembering that reason. And please know that one of the reasons you had the surgery in the first place was for health reasons. It is difficult to not want to cheat. Cheating is not worth the weight regain or the effects it has on your health.

Most of us who post here have made poor food choices and have turned to surgery to be more healthy.

[LumpySpacePrincess 594]

When I first started, I heard a lot of people say that around 8-9 months, things started to backslide a little bit. I'm 9 months out, and I can definitely see this in myself, though it hasn't affected my losses that much.

This whole process can be tiring, and after months of being so diligent its comforting to just relax with it a little. Its important to recognize your trigger foods and keep them to a minimum (if not nil) for awhile. I'm wondering if it is the sugar in the granola bars that are causing you to graze? I know this about myself, that when I eat refined sugar I tend to eat more in general throughout the day. Maybe stop with the granola for awhile and see how it goes?

[Andrew0929 1,101]

When I first started, I heard a lot of people say that around 8-9 months, things started to backslide a little bit. I'm 9 months out, and I can definitely see this in myself, though it hasn't affected sugar my losses that much. This whole process can be tiring, and after months of being so diligent its comforting to just relax with it a little. Its important to recognize your trigger foods and keep them to a minimum (if not nil) for awhile. I'm wondering if it is the sugar in the granola bars that are causing you to graze? I know this about myself, that when I eat refined sugar I tend to eat more in general throughout the day. Maybe stop with the granola for awhile and see how it goes?

It probably is the sugar along with the carbs in the granola bars. Interestingly , the wasabi peas appear to be as big a problem for me.

[Andrew0929 1,101]

Thanks for all of the encouraging words, everyone. I intend to keep exercising, logging, and trying very hard to control the cravings that have once again appeared. Also, going to try my best to make good food choices, as so far I've not given in to any junk food (unless wasabi peas are considered junk food).

It seems like just yesterday I was trying to increase my calories, as recommended by my nut, and having difficulty doing so.

[AR40 88]

Wow, I so needed to read this today. I went n for my 3 mo appointment today(a few weeks late) and my doctor mentioned the same thing about sweets. Recently I have started allowing some sweets to my diet. A few Cookies here a little too much fruit there, a bite of cake ect. I feel awful about it. I am so worried about gaining the 40 pounds I have lost but have started to see old patterns again. As I left my doctor visit today I thought about my initial motivation to get the surgery. I wanted to avoid getting diabetes like my mom but I also wanted something else... To be noticed . It sounds awful to say it but it's true. My family has congratulated me on my progress and cheer me on but not much else has changed. Now when I look in the mirror I'm just a less fat , fat person. Pity party for one your table is ready! Anyway , I just wanted to say that I understand your worry and frustration regarding old "bad habits".

[livvsmum 2,369]

Yes! The same exact thing happened to me at about the same exact time! I had a period of about 2 months where I let a lot of my old snacking habits sneak back in. They didn't "reappear" for me....I did it...I let them back in..... I gave in to a lot of my emotional eating. Thank goodness I didn't gain any weight, probably in part because of all the running that I do, but I definitely was disappointed in my self. I had to just kind of get a hold of myself and become a re-born sleever.... I went back to the pre-op liquid diet for 3 days, dropped a bunch of Water weight, kick started things, and have been back on track since then, sticking to my numbers (70g Protein, 30-40g carbs, 100 oz water), weighing and measuring food instead of estimating, and keeping up with my running schedule.

I think this seems to be fairly common where you reach or near goal weight and begin to let things slide. Maybe a reset of sorts would work for you like it did for me.

[chocolate48diva 10]

It was a reason when nut and Dr said no sweets breads Desserts for a year out I know it's easy to eat junk foods just eat your Protein and walk away

[gomekast 559]

I am terrified of regain also. I am 44 weeks out. I've lost 120 pounds and I see the night time snacking trying to creep back in. I made a new rule...if I am hungry, then I need to have either a scoop of Protein powder or Protein Bar instead of the bites of this and that.

Last night I felt the hunger...so I mixed a hot cup of chocolate Protein Powder and took a few small sips of it. Then it sat. It was all head hunger. It will never go away. But...as long as I stick to my rules...if I'm not hungry enuf for the Protein bar/powder, then I'm not hungry at all.....then I will be satisfied with that.

That said....I don't feel hunger. So you'd think I would know this is head hunger....but nope. I'm still unsure at this point.

This will take years of vigilance and I'm ok with that.

Best of luck to everyone.

[livvsmum 2,369]

I am terrified of regain also. I am 44 weeks out. I've lost 120 pounds and I see the night time snacking trying to creep back in. I made a new rule...if I am hungry, then I need to have either a scoop of Protein powder or Protein Bar instead of the bites of this and that.

Last night I felt the hunger...so I mixed a hot cup of chocolate Protein Powder and took a few small sips of it. Then it sat. It was all head hunger. It will never go away. But...as long as I stick to my rules...if I'm not hungry enuf for the Protein bar/powder, then I'm not hungry at all.....then I will be satisfied with that.

That said....I don't feel hunger. So you'd think I would know this is head hunger....but nope. I'm still unsure at this point.

This will take years of vigilance and I'm ok with that.

Best of luck to everyone.

So true! Anytime I think I feel hungry I definitely go to Water first. Most of the time that takes care of it. My next course of action is either a protein hot chocolate (love those) or hot tea. For whatever reason the Hot drinks seems to take care of the head hunger, and if you do the protein hot chocolate you get the added bonus of a protein boost too.

[slvrsax 301]

I'm 8.5 months out too and struggle with some old habits. It scares me. Mine are in the form of desire to eat at night and sweets on occasion. I tend to "relax" a bit too much on the weekends, which has stopped my loss at 99 lbs. I know it's head hunger. I crave popcorn now and talk myself out of it - a food I never ate or gave a second thought before surgery.

[Andrew0929 1,101]

Still having some difficulty with the wasabi peas. But, still somehow lost 1 pound this week. I guess as long as I'm logging, keeping my calories within limits and working out, the weight will continue coming off ...