Losing the fight, Help !

[impact 4]

I need help and support,

I seem to be back to gaining and really have been for a year now.

I had a hard time year and few months ago and have way strayed off the program, I made it down to 255, yes, from 420 highest, BUT, back over the dreaded 300.

Now, I just need ask for support, I am challenged by eating large meals, not huge as 4 years and 5 or 6 years ago, but enough to gain small each month.

cheese has been a downer, it was great when I included bits into a meal but now used to having it and snack in between and have 2 or 3 times that small piece each time, seems I am stuck with this, good that it's not ice cream.

Also Carbs, darn feels great but blocks all weight losses, totally throws me off balance for losses of any kind.

Any kind or hard words will help now, so, say what it is I need to hear, please !!!

[IncredibleShrinkingMan 437]

Have you been going in for appointments? It's probably worth it to make sure something isn't wrong with your sleeve, because it sounds like you may not have the same restriction you had early on. Stretching may occur, and eventually re-sleeving could be a possibility, if not an RNY revision, as you seem to have trouble with carbs.

Are you getting all the recommended Protein? Doing this is probably the simplest and most effective way to stave off carb cravings. Also, stop and make sure you aren't consuming slider foods as part of regular intake. Don't lose your confidence!

[magicalwoman 190]

I'm sorry to read your post and learn of your difficulties.

I'm not sure if I have any quick fixes or super special or even magical remedies, but I can say in my opinion you really need to refocus.

I have found myself craving foods that I know are not good choices, and even taking a little sneek no and then. But then I look at the path behind me and know how many times I wanted to quit, how many times I thought I was not strong enough to continue, how many times I struggled and I know I need to re-focus and stay strong.

I search for the light at the end of the tunnel and I know that a light will always be there because I continue to set goals for myself and pray I will achieve them.

I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life and I know how that makes me feel, so my focus is on not wanting to feel like this anymore.

Go to a local support group, talk to others here. Use your Protein shakes or waters to get you by those blocks that appear on your path.

You will make it and will Celebrate a healthy life.

Thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Healthy_life2 8,324]

@@impact

food addictions and old behaviors can start back up for any of us. You have lost weight before. You can do it again. Start back to where you began. Remove the food that trips you up out of your home, activity/exercise,Get back on your healthy eating plan and log food. Support and you might want to think about counseling. In the vets forum on BariatriPal there is information for people that are further out from surgery. Tips to get back on track after weight gain.

Thanks for your honesty in your post. Just reminds all of us that the work never ends.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

cheese and Peanut Butter tend to be the things that trip me up. A piece of meat or scrambled eggs for Breakfast will get me off to a much better start than my beloved fruit. It seems like if I start the day better, I manage the day better. At 21 months, I STILL log and measure. I can easily gain five pounds in a week if I try to wing it. I need the control, and my dad (who was a scientist) said that you cannot control that which you do not measure.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had my sleeve Dec 2011 also - and I promise you it is harder for me now than it was a year or two ago as well. I am 10# over my goal, and taking steps to reverse that and get back under goal.

I think you know what to do, it is just hard to get on track.

For me, I find that focusing on reducing cravings helps alot. So, step one is I would plan 5 "mini meals" a day. Notice I didn't say 3 meals and a snack or two... The mini meals should each have 12-15 grams of Protein and some veggies. I personally limit fruit, but do eat berries because i find that the sugar in fruit makes me hungry. Eat enough to no longer be hungry, but not necessarily "full" or "stuffed". You may sometimes chose to incorporate whole grain bread, high carb veggies (your choice) but I strongly recommend avoiding sugary things as they tend to be triggers. I also think avoiding highly processed/junky kind of food as they contain so much bad stuff and not very much nutrition (pizzas, fried foods, all that)

I am guessing that your brain has forgotten that sensation of "I have had enough" so it is almost like retraining... heck... you get to eat again in just a few hours so no need to try to prevent hunger, right?

Between these mini meals, you need to work out getting in lots of Water. So, it is like going back to those early weeks and months post op when you had to plan everything out.

I also found that getting basic health stuff in order helps. Take those Vitamins, do something active everyday, get enough sleep, have a satisfying social life... the basic "hygiene" kind of stuff really help. I have noticed that my eating is much more likely to go a bit out of control when i am overly tired or stressed or whatever.

I also think it is wise to see your doctor NOW. There is no shame, it is a tough struggle and we all got WLS in the first place because we needed help.

[kimby1029 119]

I am sorry you have struggled. I would suggest going to a liquid diet for at least 4-5 days. Protein shakes, Water, Water, and more water. The only way I can not crave sugary and carby things is to not eat them....

Maybe then go back to soft foods/mushies like low fat cottage cheese, 2 oz tuna packets, etc. Unfortunately this will be hard and take a lot of discipline. I would suggest creating a reward system for yourself for each day - a new book, a lipstick, something cheap and fun that is not food-related.

I know exactly how hard this is. Are you exercising at all currently?

Can you do a major clean out of your fridge and pantry?

I wish you all the best.

[byebyedarkpassenger 203]

I'm so sorry to hear of your struggles. All I can say is: Send out an SOS to yourself in your real life! Attend those support groups. Go back to basics with your eating. Find new recipes that will distract you from your cravings. Walk, walk, walk and meditate during your walks to try to recenter yourself; to remind yourself why you embarked on this journey in the first place; and to resolve to do what you know needs to be done. Talk to your doctor, your counselor, anyone. We are here for you; I hope this helped even a tiny bit.

[kimby1029 119]

There is one other odd trick I have found to distract myself. I do not know why this works, but for me it does. Smell cleaning products like gain or lemon-y scented cleaners or nicely scented fabric softeners.

Go ahead and laugh! I do at myself all the time. The thing is I associate the smell of Downey with one of my grandmothers and thinking about her lovely line dried sheets makes me feel good, which in turn ups the serotonin in my brain, which in turn makes me feel even better, which makes me not want to eat.

I don't know, you could give it a shot. Mop and tidy to your heart's content. Trust me, it is cheaper too!

[James Marusek 5,244]

I am 28 months post-op from RNY surgery. I lost 115 pounds and am maintaining that weight loss. I documented my approach in a short article at http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

[Julie norton 2,850]

I am 28 months post-op from RNY surgery. I lost 115 pounds and am maintaining that weight loss. I documented my approach in a short article at http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

great detailed story James. Thanks for sharing. The car looks like fun too. But will it fit in your shelter?????

[impact 4]

Thanks all for responses,

finding exercise hard, I have bad joints and hip.

I guess I need to start fresh and buy only dietary foods with out relying on small bits of anything else added for a while maybe not the cleaners though.

Was also considering asking a doc for diet pill ?

I'll read you all a second time and respond again later on,

Thanks.............

[PinkPolkadot619 337]

Thank you for posting this, I needed the advice that was given.

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@impact

I am so sorry for your struggles! What you are dealing with is my biggest fear and I want to do everything I can not to get to that point so I appreciate you sharing your story.

I have often said, if I were to start gaining back weight I would reset beginning with the liquid diet or 5 day pouch test. For me getting all the junk out of my system was the thing that helped me in the beginning. I would like to think it would work for me again.

It likely is not the cheese that is getting you. It is probably the bad carbs you spoke of, losing the restricted feeling and lack of exercise.

I have psoriatic arthritis as well as just had a 3 level cervical fusion done in June. I hurt bad every single day. My knee, hip and spine are horrible but I know that if I don't at least walk for a period of time, I will not lose weight. I try my hardest to get on the treadmill or go for a long walk every single day. If I hurt after which I always do, I use ice and a heating pad. You must get your body moving in some way but I think you already know that.

Then while you are eating remove distractions such as TV. Slow your eating down just as if it were the day after surgery. Listen to your body again. I find when I am distracted it is really easy to simply inhale my food to the point where I am stuffed. Being stuffed is not necessary.

Go back to tracking every single thing you put in your mouth using something like my fitness pal. Hold yourself accountable. It really does help when you have to put some garbage you ate in there. You can see the added carbs, fat and calories and know that you won't lose the next day.

I wish you the very very best of luck. I think you just need to get started again.

[impact 4]

Thanks...

Maybe the pouch test is a great idea about now and then throwing out my bad foods and restocking as well.

We'll see, I'll post after some positive moves I guess, I used to be so into what I was doing, I need to find that space again........