grazing, overeating and weight gain :(

[sleevedatseventeen 1]

Hello

I just recently created an account in hopes of receiving some help and advice from gastric sleeve patients (It took me a lot of courage to decide to do this though). I hope I am asking in the right place though hehe.

Anyways, I have had my vsg on August 4th 2014 at the age of 17 and so far I am over 80 pounds down! My sw was 220lbs and I am hoping to be near 102-110 pounds (I am only 4 foot 10). I have a few questions so bear with me please

I have had my vsg in a different country than in the one I currently live in so I do not have anyone to kinda follow up with. I was also given a nutrition plan for the first 6 months only(although it was quite vague).

Right now, I am currently struggling with a lot of grazing. I have never been the one to actually eat a proper meal before my surgery and I grazed instead, but right now I am grazing non stop through the day especially on sweet things. Sadly, this has resulted in me in stalling for a few months and then putting on 2 pounds and i decided to seek advice before I gain more. Also, my family eats completely different things than I do, so I am literally left on my own to figure it out and it is hard to cook and such since I was busy with my last year of high school and I will be starting university soon. I looked up online and a lot of surgeons or nutritionists say no snacking while others encourage it. I believe that maybe having 1-2 planned Snacks would help since I am awake for a long period of time and if I try only sticking to 3 meals I feel like gnawing my own arm hehe I am sticking to Protein but sometimes I am just overwhelmed or bored because I keep eating the same things everyday (I do love chicken though!). I was hoping if someone could share their food choices/meal plans with me if possible or maybe easy things I can cook for myself?

Lastly, I was hoping if there are other people who have lost weight everywhere except for their belly. I have lost weight in my whole body and a bit in my belly, but it seems to be the only place where there is stubborn fat (I am apple shaped) and my belly is just hanging and nothing seems to help.( I am guessing that's why I am a bit carb sensitive and I need to completely cut carbs out if i want to lose weight.)

Thank you very much in advance and hoping to meet other people as well

[Newman19 44]

I don't have great advice about recipes, meal plans etc. because I kind of just go with the flow. I had my surgery on April 15, 2015 so I am exactly 15 weeks out today and am down 46 pounds. My urge to snack and graze has just come back within the last couple of weeks so I understand what you are fighting. It was easy at first because I didn't feel like eating but now I certainly have that part back. What has helped me so much is that I track everything I eat throughout the day on myfitnesspal.com. It allows me to track my Protein intake and I also watch the carbs and try to keep them below 40g. My problem time is after work and before I go to bed. Since I track my calories religiously, I know when I head home from work exactly where I am at and what I have left to work with for the rest of the evening. I hope that helps. Just know that so many of us know exactly where you are right now and how you feel. You can do it and you should be very, very proud of how far you have come. You have accomplished a lot.

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

I'm impressed that you are so determined at your young age to be successful.

Does your program recommend Snacks? During my weight loss period I did find it necessary to eat 2 small Snacks each day. That was the only way in the beginning to get my Protein in, and then later I found I was too hungry to go 4 hours between meals.

The key to success for me was planning and routine. During my weight loss phase, I ate pretty much from a narrow list of foods every day. Make a list of foods you like (and can prepare) from the recommended food list that your nutritionist gave you and then make sure to always have those foods available. Then eat only at your predetermined meals. Once you get into a routine, things get easier.

Another important part of the program is exercise. Make sure to get enough exercise every day to keep your metabolism humming.

Are you going away to college? Will meals be provided? If so, contact the school and find out if they have accommodations for people who require special diets.

[sleevedatseventeen 1]

Just wanted to thank you guys for the encouragement!

And i do not really have a list of foods from my nutritionist but so far i am sticking to yogurt for Breakfast and chicken salads. I also like low fat cheese and some fruit too

And thank god i am staying home during college since it's in the same town i am currently living in!

For exercise, i am walking for at least an hour a day, but I should probably throw in some weight training .

Again thank you guys so much

Edited July 30, 2015 by sleevedatseventeen

[lealor 127]

Hi

this all helped me as well! As you all said, we all struggle. thanks

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Congratulations on your weight loss and also for reaching out for help. It takes a lot of maturity to do so.

I agree with what others have posted above.

Do you know what your Protein goal is? If so, are you getting in all of your Protein and Water every day? Getting enough protein and Water will help you feel more satisfied. Keep a water bottle with you at all times so you don't get dehydrated.

I think Snacks are fine as long as they are protein-based and that you plan for them.

I too have found MyFitnessPal invaluable for tracking my protein, etc.

I have worked for years with college students and have taught Freshman seminars. One thing I suggest as a student and as someone who has had WLS, is that you make sure you use a calendar.

Use it to plan out your days and weeks. Include everything that requires your time and attention like:

Classes

Deadlines

Study Time

Homework Assignments

Exams

Exam Review

Projects

Project Milestones

Commuting Time

Meal times

snack times

Exercise times

sleep (make sure you schedule enough time to get some sleep!)

Social Time

Parties

Football Games and other School Activities

Club Activities/Meetings

Church or Spiritual Practice

Appointments

Errands

Laundry/chores

(You probably get the picture.)

The point I am making is that you need to plan ahead, especially as it relates to your food, water, exercise, and sleep.< /p>

Learn to practice HALT. Don't let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. All of these can lead to grazing and bad food choices.

You probably won't have time to get Bored -- another thing that leads to grazing and bad food choices.

You may also want to see if you can find a local support group and a nutritionist who works with WLS patients. See if there is a Bariatric Center of Excellence near you and ask for a referral.

Your school may or may not have a nutritionist on staff which might be an option for you but I would make sure whatever NUT you choose that you find one who has experience with WLS.

Also, as someone mentioned above, don't be afraid to talk to your campus food service folks to make sure they have things available that work with your program. Fortunately, most college food services are extremely focused on providing healthy choices.

Best of luck with school and with your continued success.

[jhclikesshopping@gmail.com 285]

Congrats on starting to look for help. This has been a GREAT group for me. I hope you look around - there are lots of good resources. I like what @@Inner Surfer Girl mentions above. I would definitely find a surgery local to you to talk to them and their nutritionist. There are also some "back on track" programs that might help you get started. Look at this company. Bariatric Support Centers International.

Finally - I know my issue is grazing too. Pre-surgery I was really trying to stop. Try the schedule idea. Here is mine - and yes, I eat at the same time every day..... with 4 meals. Eat 7:30 am, 11:00 am, 3:30 pm and 7:00 pm. Try to start with scheduled eating time and if you find yourself hungry at other time, drink Water (or crystal light, or tea or... or....). See if this helps. Also remember - eat Protein first before anything else.

I also say - find a buddy. It really helps when you have a friend who understand what you are going through and give you advice. Like a sponsor. I have a friend and when I need encouragement - we text. Helps me a lot.

Good luck!!!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

You mentioned needing a list of foods/food plan.

I do suggest you find a good NUT, but in the meantime, you can find some good information online and on this site.

Google: Bariatric Center of Excellence Surgery Manual, or Nutrition, food Plan or something similar and you should find some good information.

Here is a link to my program's surgery manual that includes lots of nutrition information.

http://georgetowncommunityhospital.com/services/bariatric_surgery/start_here/weight_loss_surgery_manual.aspx

[sleevedatseventeen 1]

Thank you so much for everyone's responses! They were very very helpful, I truly do appreciate it

I have a question though: if i am still struggling with wanting something to graze, can i just graze on a few cucumber slices. They don't have that many calories so is it a possibility? Like every time i feel like having a chocolate or crackers etc, can i just grab a few cucumber slices?

However, I realized that I do find my cravings to be at bay if i only stick to pure Protein foods (meat-mainly chicken, eggs, low fat cheese). So i think i will go back to focusing on that Here was my menu for today:

(please feel free to tell me if I should modify things)

Breakfast: 2 small scrambled eggs with 1 Pillar's turkey bites

Lunch: 5 slices of cold cuts roll ups with 3 tbsp of low sodium white cheese

Snack: 2-3 slices of low fat cheese

Dinner: 3 oz of grilled chicken

Dessert: i have had some sugar free Jello while my family was munching on Lindt milk hazelnut chocolate hehe

That's around 62 Protein. However i try not to count my calories because I become extremely obsessive based on my past and I don't want to have a mental breakdown about it. For carbs, i try to do <40 although i always end up at <30. I think adding a snack and the Jello have helped keep me sane today

Thanks again everybody!

Edited July 31, 2015 by sleevedatseventeen

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I would think cucumbers would be fine for a snack (or really any non-starchy vegetable) but you will be more satisfied if you have some Protein, too.

[auntiem0502 17]

Thank you for posting this. I was sleeved March 6, and I am starting to feel hunger more frequently. It doesn't feel like brain hunger but I'm going to fight it and exercise more. My nutritionist gave me some guidelines recently that may help. 3 meals and 1 snack, 2 if I get to the gym 4-5 days a week. Best wishes to all of you sleevers. Keep up the hard work.

[EggplantMassacre 41]

I would think cucumbers would be fine for a snack (or really any non-starchy vegetable) but you will be more satisfied if you have some Protein, too.

Try some Laughing Cow cheese on your cucumber slices. Adds a little protein and lots of deliciousness!

[sleevedatseventeen 1]

EggplantMassacre ^^ i love doing that with my turkey slices almost everyday for lunch! But i will certainly try that as well

[AJ cowgirl 79]

Number one! Enjoy yourself at school. Stay prepared, as in buy a good backpack and chiller kits. Prepare for the impromptu study sessions with new friends (pizza, potato chips and Starbucks) can creep up on you. Humus and jicama slices can be cool! Sounds like you are starting a great journey! Also most schools have two things.. Clubs and Activities... You will meet other friends who prob have had sgx or struggle enjoy your time. Also find a place on campus to study away from the food hall... It always smells sooo good.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I think we eat for three reasons -- either we're legitimately hungry, or we're really just thirsty (and confused our thirst for hunger) or we're eating because something is triggering "head hunger" (an old response to some kind of stress -- could be small, could be large).

Thirst is easily remedied. Drink Water. Snacking to assuage real hunger usually requires Protein and carbs and sometimes fat, too. So I second the "add some Protein to that cucumber" suggestion. There are so many other Proteins you could add: turkey, yogurt, nonfat milk, a Protein Bar or shake, nuts, seeds, etc.

Think protein.

And on the tummy fat, please know that my tummy was the last place I lost significant weight -- during the final 15-20 pounds I lost. If it's still hanging on, chances are you just have to finish the job.

Good luck to you. And have a GREAT first year at college.