Depressed please help!

[Erica517 64]

Hey everyone I had the sleeve done in June of 2014 I weighed 315 and lost a bunch of weight got down to 180. Recently I noticed my appetite is back in full effect! I got on the scale today and saw I weight 194 I literally started to cry! I have done so well and tried so hard to get to the weight I was at even though 180 is still a bit big I was happy and comfortable at that weight. Now I feel like I've failed and I can eat so much more now it depresses me that I was doing so good and now I went in the wrong direction. I know the logical thing to do is to follow the diet again back to Protein and shakes but it's so hard for me. Has anyone else experienced the same kind of Thing and what have you done and were you able to take the weight back off? Please take a moment to respond and please give me ideas in so depressed. I'm gonna post a before and after pic the biggest weight was 315 lowest was 180

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[JamieLogical 8,708]

First off, don't panic! It's only 14 pounds. Think back to past weight loss attempts and I'm sure you've regained far more in the past. 14 pounds is doable. You've caught it in time. You are determined to turn it around. So you are already off to a good start.

Now is the time to evaluate what has changed for you. What behaviors have led to the weight gain? Where could you do better? Where are you already/still doing well? How can you get back to a solid foundation to rebuild your healthy habits on?

You could start by tracking your food and making an effort to increase your activity level. Doesn't have to be anything extreme, just a few minutes a day to start.

[SassyNanny 311]

You look great! That is a look worth fighting for. Hard is a state of mind. You lost a tremendous amount of weight in the last 18 months. It probably became a habit and didn't feel 'hard' most of the time. Tracking and Protein should help. Maybe substitute a meal or two with a premade Protein Drink. Stop drinking any calories other than Protein drinks. liquid calories can sneak up on you. Keep your chin up. You can do this! Your prior success says so.

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Edited February 28, 2016 by SassyNanny

[FrankyG 1,450]

I haven't reached goal, but I plan on tracking my food pretty much for the rest of my life. I'd advise you to go back to tracking and measuring so you can get back in control of your portions and fat/carb/protein and calorie counts so you can see where you're going off track. You may only need to do this for a few weeks as a reminder/reset.

If the weight keeps creeping up, then you could do a 5 day pouch test to go back to the beginning. It is very easy, and I did do it once already when my carb levels started creeping up (it knocked them back down and got rid of my carb cravings). http://5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html

Don't be depressed; you have options. If you let the sad overwhelm you, then you end up doing nothing. Use this weight gain as motivation to get back on track!

[AnA92212 577]

Ok, you have gained some weight. Not super good news, but at least it is not terrible either. You already know what you need to do...look at your portion sizes, what kinds of things are you eating, limit carbs and sugar. It is hard, but this is a journey and it is never ending for most of us.

[LessofApril 101]

I was feeling the same way. My appetite and capacity for food has increased, which is super scary. Also, I found that since surgery, I've developed a sweet tooth that I didn't have before surgery. Go figure...

Have you heard of the 5day Pouch Test? You basically go back to the post op diet for 5 days. I totally understand that it's hard--I didn't do it 100% but I did it at about 90% and it totally helped me. Monitor your food and mood. Try and eat in thoughtful way. Those old nasty habits have a way of sneaking up on you. You can totally do this.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Hate to say it, but maintenance will require"work" forever. Don't panic, go back to basics. You will likely lose slowly, but that is ok.

I am 4 years out and got a few pounds over goal last summer. Took a long time, but I slowly got back under goal by just being more diligent. You can do this!

[AvaFern 3,516]

To start off with, before I move to tough love, you look fantastic in your picture.

Now, why did you not weigh yourself between 180 and 194? 14 pounds is not a big deal and you can absolutely recover from that, but imagine if you had weighed everyday and you saw that, well damn, you were 183 one day and a week later, oh crap, now 185...you'd have known far sooner and it would take so much less work to lose the gained weight. So, outside of going back to basics, the best advice I have for you is to get on that scale every single morning, write your weight down, and be accountable to yourself and that evil scale every day.

When I have gained weight in the past, every single time it was because I knew I ate badly and I didn't want to weigh myself, so I didn't. A few months later, 30-50-100 pounds later, and I'd get back on the scale and hate life. I weigh myself every single day because I know that I can maintain if I have an immediate indicator that I am gaining. Back in October I had started moving from 129, to 133, and then I woke up at 137. I saw the weight go up and I didn't pay much attention, however I can look back and see where I had written my weight down every morning and see exactly where I had started to gain. It took me almost 2 months to get back to 129, but now as soon as I see a few ounces or a pound or two gained, I immediately check my food intake and modify and within a few days I am back to where I was.

The key to maintenance is vigilance. We don't get to be like people who never weigh themselves, eat whatever they want, and never gain weight. It is SO much easier to make yourself get on the scale every morning and make a correction every couple days if you see your weight going up than to have to lose 14 pounds to get back to where you were because you didn't pay attention to the scale.

So again, you look fantastic, but the scale is your evil best friend that will keep you where you want to be because it holds you accountable every day.

[Rogofulm 2,440]

I echo all the good advice you have already received from your BP friends! Here's my formula:

• Get back on the scale regularly.
• Knock off the carbs and the sugar.
• No liquid empty calories (fruit juices, sugary drinks, ice cream, etc.)
• Go easy on the booze (or none at all). It's empty calories that can lead to bad choices.
• Separate eating and drinking by 1/2 hour.
• Get 64-128 oz of Fluid in every day.
• Get 80-100 grams of Protein in every day.
• Get some exercise at least 3-4 times per week.
• Drink a Protein shake before an event to control your hunger.
• Plan, plan, plan, so you never get caught off-guard without a food/drink safety net

You know this drill because you've been through it before. And if... IF, you cheat, get back on your program immediately! Not tomorrow, and definitely not next Monday -- that's the kind of thinking that got us here.

Do the 5-day Pouch Test to jump start your program again. Basically, it runs you through the post-surgery stages in five days and brings back the restriction and feeling of fullness. It also detoxes you from the less-than-optimal foods you have been eating so you don't crave them as much. I tried it a couple of months ago and it worked!

Good luck! You got this!!! [fist bump]

[Valentina 2,642]

I know. I know. I know. I'm with you 400%. I am restarting after 4yrs.

I did do the 5 Day Pouch Test. It let met have the chance to "feel" what my sleeve was trying to tell me. My restriction is still valid. I just had to "relearn" the feeling of it.

You can do this. You HAVE done this.

Going back to basics isn't a step backwards. It's getting a running start!!

Keep posting and let us know how you're doing. You are NOT alone!

Chin up!, or as my grandson says, "Chins up, Granny!" He always makes me smile,--the little adorable brat!

[Erica517 64]

Everyone thank

You for all the advice and the compliments. I have started incorporating Protein shakes and bars back into my diet. How do I find out about the five day pouch test I would like to try that and I also am cutting out all of the bad things I was eating my appetite has gotten a lot bigger which is scary. I also have obtained a sweet tooth which came out of nowhere. I appreciate all of that encouragement and I will try to go back to the way things used to be I will post updates thank you all so much.

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[Valentina 2,642]

You can order "The 5 Day Pouch Test", from Amazon.< /p>

Good luck and post often so we can keep an eye on you!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

@@Erica517 you can google 5 day pouch test and find it for free. I personally can't do it - it is basically all liquid / Protein drinks and then you slowly reintroduce food. It really works, but too much suffering for me. the point is to hit the reset button on your eating.

I follow low to moderate carb because carbs/sugars, even healthy ones like fruit trigger appetite in me. Watch the Protein Bars, they are often very high carb/calorie too. I had to quit Quest bars to help me get to goal back then.

I believe that for many of us, eating good healthy foods, eating 3-5 mini meals a day (not grazing or snacking!), staying hydrated are the keys to appetite control. I got a bit over goal last summer, and am now under goal. Changes I made were drinking WAY more Water, eliminating wine (boohoo) and being diligent about my Protein and carb goals.

I am 4 years post sleeve and if i eat junk food, you would think I didn't have WLS. I haven't tried, but i bet I could do serious damage to a bag of cheetos for example. If I eat dense protein FIRST, I am much less hungry and am satiated on smaller quantities.

[Caroline G 25]

Hi, Erica. I had the sleeve done in 2012, lost most of my weight (minus about 20 pounds) and then gained back 50 (to where I was higher than my weight was the day of surgery). The amount i could eat increased, my tastes changed for a while to the point of very few things actually tasted decent so I started eating a lot of bad stuff. I also got lazy with exercising. I wanted to go to support groups but had very little time because I work two jobs.

I have since then lost almost 40 of it and am working on the rest. I got involved with an online healthy lifestyle support/challenge group, became a Beachbody coach, started drinking Shakeology (which is a lot better and a lot more than the Protein shakes I was drinking), and working out (and finally pushing myself, which I didn't do before). I surround myself with other Beachbody coaches and people who are also interested in being healthy. I love this group I am in, it really keeps me motivated and accountable. If you are interested, let me know. It has been so helpful for me.

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