Sliding back into old habits....I need HELP! Please!

[shopgirlks 3]

Hi, I had the gastric sleeve done 1/19/15 and I have lost 86 lb since the prep liquid diet on Jan 2. Yay! BUT I am struggling to stop eating when full, and justifying snacking in between meals. Emotional comfort eating is something I deal with...Ik its important to take the time to recognize the difference between physical hunger and head hunger. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop, the wt loss to stop like all my other wt failures. I need direction! I eat the snack (usually low fat cheddar cheese or cheddar cheese popcorn) and then beat myself up with guilt and condemnation and feel miserable. ..I need a structured plan, not a vague few min mtg with my dietician. This is my shot, my window and I don't want to fail! Are you all experiencing cravings? How are you succeeding?? What works best for you? Most of the time I do really well, hubby and I just joined a gym, 700-800 cal a day, plenty of Water most days, I avoid fried and high fat high carb foods, no bread or Pasta, control my portions, but there are those days... UGH! and I feel like I am sliding little by little back into old habits! PLZ HELP!

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Then make a plan. This is why some people need food logging. You can write out for each day or even the week what you plan to eat. You can do food prep on Saturday or Sunday to make sure you have those items. At some point you have to hold yourself accountable. However if you feel your dietitian is being too vague, then speak up! Tell her your concerns and that you need more assistance.

Develop some skils or list of things you can do instead of mindlless eating or emotional eating. If you need to print it out and stick it on the fridge at home. Remove any food in your house that is a slider or binge-y snack for you.

Are you all experiencing cravings? How are you succeeding?? What works best for you? Most of the time I do really well, hubby and I just joined a gym, 700-800 cal a day, plenty of Water most days, I avoid fried and high fat high carb foods, no bread or Pasta, control my portions, but there are those days

Even though I try to eat a healthy, whole food, plant based meals, yes occasionally I do have cravings. I try to come up with alternatives. For example, I LOVE chocolate. Sometimes I will make myself a cup of hot chocolate. ( I make it from scratch with almond milk and cacao (chocolate) powder. To make it a bit better for me, I may add a bit of Protein powder. There are also days when I just have it. The different is, I wont keep it in the house. I allow myself to buy one mini reese's cup. or other piece of chocolate.

I workout 5 - 6 days a week and I am always seeking out fun ways to stay active whether it's riding my bike or taking an African Dance class.

[shopgirlks 3]

Thank you so much for sharing! I do log my intake but I am not as active as I need to be. I have been doing food prep on sunday and it does help but when that urge to just keep eating even tho I am full hits me I usually give in, justifying it by saying I am eating way less of it, so whats the big deal. So then I eat it, deal with the guilt, and then jump back on the wagon until the next cycle hits me and I repeat. You are right....I have to hold myself accountable. WTH is wrong with me! I have been given a great opportunity and I am wasting it by not staying strong and steadfast.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Here's what helps me:

1. I plan my day's eating every morning like an OCD banshee. I use My Fitness Pal and log every bite I eat. I use it to plan my meals every morning and then every evening edit the day's entries to reflect any deviations I made.

2. I do not eat popcorn. That's just one of many slider foods (highly processed foods that slide right through your little tummy and don't leave you satisfied) that make you crave more slider foods. Yeah, don't eat those.

3. I always, always, always get my 60 grams of Protein in daily. Most days (on 1,200 calories -- I'm in Month 8 post-op -- I get closer to 90-100 grams of Protein. And I always, always, always at meals eat my protein first. That keeps me VERY satiated for hours.

4. I chew more, pause between bites, etc. And don't drink with meals. The usual yada yada yada instructions I actually follow.

I would say it might be time to take an honest assessment of what you're doing to find how you're deviating from surgeon's instructions. Chances are if you're not doing something your MD recommended that if you did that you would reduce your anxiety and keep on full steam ahead.

Good luck to you. I think you know what to do. You just need a little reset.

Here it is ... RESET!

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Thank you so much for sharing! I do log my intake but I am not as active as I need to be. I have been doing food prep on sunday and it does help but when that urge to just keep eating even tho I am full hits me I usually give in, justifying it by saying I am eating way less of it, so whats the big deal. So then I eat it, deal with the guilt, and then jump back on the wagon until the next cycle hits me and I repeat. You are right....I have to hold myself accountable. WTH is wrong with me! I have been given a great opportunity and I am wasting it by not staying strong and steadfast.

You got some good advice on here but what I have taken away from your posts is that your are beating yourself up. There is no need to do that. Isn't that what we've always done to ourselves pre-surgery? You came on here asking for help because you knew you were in trouble with your cravings and eating beyond full. And you got some good advice - very specific and helpful. You've already taken the first step to address your problem - getting the surgery - and the second step by asking for help. Please stop beating yourself up. You know what you need to do to get back on track. There are many threads on here where you can post to get help. And good for you for losing 86 pounds. That's the size of one of those Hollywood types.

[Bonbini 67]

Don't let your mind take you to the negative thinking . You have a lot of positives going on in your life. Don't be afraid of the changes that are happening. You can do this!!! Love yourself and keep on keeping on, you got this

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Thank you so much for sharing! I do log my intake but I am not as active as I need to be. I have been doing food prep on sunday and it does help but when that urge to just keep eating even tho I am full hits me I usually give in, justifying it by saying I am eating way less of it, so whats the big deal. So then I eat it, deal with the guilt, and then jump back on the wagon until the next cycle hits me and I repeat. You are right....I have to hold myself accountable. WTH is wrong with me! I have been given a great opportunity and I am wasting it by not staying strong and steadfast.

So what will you do to break the cycle? When that urge hits and you go to grab something justifying why you are doing it, what will you do instead? For me that's the key to breaking bad habits. You've already identified the issue, now develop a game plan.

[sunflower0022 1]

Keeping a food journal really does help. It will give you a much better sense of how much you are eating, and when, and why.

I use my fitness pal! I log every bite.

Hang in there...I have had cravings as well.

It's a long road, but at least we're on the right path!

[Aube 42]

86 pounds in three months wow you are doing great regardless to what you think you're doing bad. they are on course eat the right foods and the right amount and you do just fine. be encouraged don't go back

[bewell 222]

This might not be related to what your are going through .......

but I was struggling with some old "cravings" but when I got really honest with myself, they were emotional cravings. Since I can't numb myself out with food anymore, and believe me I've tried a few times. I even planned a evening bing and ate broccoli till I vomited. I wanted that old temporary feeling that food gave it and it didn't. It scared me.

I started seeing a therapist and it's helping me identify the old behaviors that got me where I was pre-surgery. I had many issues that contributed to my obesity. I keep hearing the old-timers on this site saying ..... they operated on your stomach not your head. Well, I'm working on my head too.

BTW: your weigh loss is fantastic. If it were me, it would be scary to see my body fat melt away so fast. I'd feel out of control. But that's just me.

[MsAlaineus 63]

OCD banshee....????

Hugs to the OP. You are not alone.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

The posts to the OP on here are full of good advice, given in a thoughtful, helpful and informative way. See, it can be done!