Weight gain, looking for meaningful discussion/mutual support not lectures!

[Oak Park Lorena 162]

Had my sleeve done in August 2013.

I reached my goal weight and stayed there thanks to regular daily exercise including running 25 miles a week, yoga and pilates. Last summer, I started having serious foot pain. By October 2015, doing any kind of exercise became almost impossible because of an entrapped nerve in my foot. I finally had surgery to release the nerve in April. I was unable to walk for almost a month and then had limited mobility until June.

I am a homebrewer and a big craft beer fan. I was able to incorporate moderate beer consumption into my diet when I was very active. When I became very inactive all of a sudden, I didn't cut out the beer, in fact, the depression that accompanied the inability to be mobile actually made me drink more. So, while my food consumption has stayed pretty much the same as the first two years post-op, the beer has increased. Many of the beers I have are 800 calories in a single bottle. I am certain that my beer calories on a daily basis are more than the food I eat.

As a result, I've gained back 40 pounds. Yes, 40 pounds. You have no idea how awful it is to write that down.

I'm now trying to work my way back. I've started working out again, but it's tough given more than 6 months of inactivity. I am trying VERY hard not be depressed and discouraged by the backsliding, but it's very difficult when I cannot fit into most of my clothing any more. After a year at my goal weight, I gave away nearly all my "fat" clothes. I have a few things I can still squeeze into, but they are not flattering given the extra pounds.

Please DON'T bother sending me messages reiterating what I already know. I know how to eat, I know that I have to cut out the beer. Knowing it and doing it are two different things! I'm here for support and commiseration, not for finger wagging. I know I 'm not the only person in this boat. Would love to connect with some people on the same road I am and supporting one another. This is incredibly difficult for me, but I am ready to put in the effort to get back to my hard-earned previous size. Anyone with me?

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I hope you don't take this brief post as "preaching."

Have you also considered:

* Alcoholics Anonymous?

* Therapy?

If not, what are your thoughts about these resources?

[James Marusek 5,244]

I am not one for running. It does too much damage to the feet joints. I prefer walking. Generally I like hill walking. It uses one set of muscles on the way down and another set on the way up. It is sort of like climbing stairs and walking down stairs. So if your pain levels drop so you can walk, perhaps you can try hill walking.

So you already know you have to cut out the beer for awhile. Are you able to do this on your own or do you need a support structure like AA to help with that?

I am 3 years post-op RNY. This is the approach that I use during the Maintenance phase.

http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

[Wolfgirl78 266]

I was sleeved in 2012. It took me about a year to lose 102lbs. So within three years of my sleeve I gained 30lbs back. I did it by eating Around my sleeve.

That first year after my sleeve I had developed such good habits, logging my food, being more active. At some point I decided I didn't need to do that anymore and I started gaining weight.

Back in April of this year I decided to buckle down and get back to my lowest weight, which was still 9lbs from my goal weight. Today, June 20 I am only 8 lbs away from my lowest weight. I went back to basics, starting logging my food in myfitnesspal again, Protein first, eating at a caloric deficit, weighing and measuring my food. I'm feeling really good about me again. I'm not a big exerciser, I hike on the weekends, go to the gym when it's raining. I've been able to lose almost all the regain all by eating in a caloric deficit for 2 months. I plan to log my food forever! Lol

I know our situations are different as to the regain, but it does happen. You just have to decide to get back on track. You can do this!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Edited June 20, 2016 by Wolfgirl78

[Djmohr 6,965]

You are living my worst nightmare! Having reached my goal weight a few months ago, I am still learning how to maintain. Gaining and losing over and over. As most WLS patients I too got rid of all of my heavy clothes including clothes even one size up from where I am because I never want to go there again. I gained 7lbs last month and my size 8 jeans became snug and I panicked. I am and have been unable to do serious exercise for over 1 year now having had 3 major surgeries in the last 12 months and that did not include my bypass. I was still successful in losing all of my weight but had to be very very strict on what I consume.

Prior to these surgeries I did cardio for an hour a day.

Obviously you already know what you need to do. Until you can begin to gain more exercise momentum you may have to give up some of your beer consumption. I think you already realize this......

I do hope you get back on track soon and get back to where you are comfortable both with exercise while able to enjoy your hobby.

Also keep in mind that after that first couple years it really does get harder to maintain. That happens with age as well.

[Oak Park Lorena 162]

I hope you don't take this brief post as "preaching."

Have you also considered:

* Alcoholics Anonymous?

* Therapy?

If not, what are your thoughts about these resources?

Hmm, well, I'm not sure why you assume that someone who drinks is an alcoholic. I'm fairly certain and confident that I am not, so AA would not really be much help. As for therapy, sure, I've been in therapy my entire adult life. I'm a big fan of therapy, but again, as I said in my OP, I know what I should do, but doing it is tough, I'm looking for others in the same boat, not for people who want to pathologize what is simply the human experience!

[Oak Park Lorena 162]

I am not one for running. It does too much damage to the feet joints. I prefer walking. Generally I like hill walking. It uses one set of muscles on the way down and another set on the way up. It is sort of like climbing stairs and walking down stairs. So if your pain levels drop so you can walk, perhaps you can try hill walking.

So you already know you have to cut out the beer for awhile. Are you able to do this on your own or do you need a support structure like AA to help with that?

I am 3 years post-op RNY. This is the approach that I use during the Maintenance phase.

http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

Thanks! Now that I"ve had the surgery on my foot, things are really fine. Unfortunately, I live in the flatlands of the midwest so hill walking is not an option! I'm working in the arc trainer and spinning to try to get an intensity level equal to running, thought that's hard! I am totally on board with the "protien first" approach and have consistently stuck with that since my surgery.

[Oak Park Lorena 162]

I was sleeved in 2012. It took me about a year to lose 102lbs. So within three years of my sleeve I gained 30lbs back. I did it by eating Around my sleeve.

That first year after my sleeve I had developed such good habits, logging my food, being more active. At some point I decided I didn't need to do that anymore and I started gaining weight.

Back in April of this year I decided to buckle down and get back to my lowest weight, which was still 9lbs from my goal weight. Today, June 20 I am only 8 lbs away from my lowest weight. I went back to basics, starting logging my food in myfitnesspal again, Protein first, eating at a caloric deficit, weighing and measuring my food. I'm feeling really good about me again. I'm not a big exerciser, I hike on the weekends, go to the gym when it's raining. I've been able to lose almost all the regain all by eating in a caloric deficit for 2 months. I plan to log my food forever! Lol

I know our situations are different as to the regain, but it does happen. You just have to decide to get back on track. You can do this!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks! I think you are right on with the food diary. I used one for the first year and I should definitely get back to it. As I said in my OP, the issue with the beer is really the calories and I have to start taking those into account!

[Oak Park Lorena 162]

You are living my worst nightmare! Having reached my goal weight a few months ago, I am still learning how to maintain. Gaining and losing over and over. As most WLS patients I too got rid of all of my heavy clothes including clothes even one size up from where I am because I never want to go there again. I gained 7lbs last month and my size 8 jeans became snug and I panicked. I am and have been unable to do serious exercise for over 1 year now having had 3 major surgeries in the last 12 months and that did not include my bypass. I was still successful in losing all of my weight but had to be very very strict on what I consume.

Prior to these surgeries I did cardio for an hour a day.

Obviously you already know what you need to do. Until you can begin to gain more exercise momentum you may have to give up some of your beer consumption. I think you already realize this......

I do hope you get back on track soon and get back to where you are comfortable both with exercise while able to enjoy your hobby.

Also keep in mind that after that first couple years it really does get harder to maintain. That happens with age as well.

Yes, you are so right! And you are much smarter than me as far as nipping the weight slide in the bud. I was so down with the pain and surgery, that I kind of just let it slide that all of a sudden my pants were too tight! It's much easier to battle back 10 lbs than 40, but better 40 than 80! Surgery is really, really tough. It's amazing how much it takes out of you and what a toll even just a week or so of being immobile takes on your body.

[Clementine Sky 707]

I can't relate to your exact experience because I'm only 10 months out from surgery, and thankfully haven't had any setbacks. I can relate to being a very active person to becoming a sedentary one due to problems with your feet. I started dancing in pointe shoes at too early of an age, and that in tandem with hereditary problems with my feet lead to me developing plantar fasciitis in my late teens. For me Pilates has been really helpful because it doesn't put any impact on my feet. You mentioned in your post that it was one of your exercises that helped you to lose weight. Perhaps you could get back into it. I go to a physical therapy facility that uses Pilates three times a week, and my insurance picks up part of the cost. I'm considering booking sessions with a trainer at a gym to get in more workouts. For me, the expense of the sessions forces accountability (no way will I cancel with the fee involved for doing so) and makes me want to make the most of them.

I also find that it's less overwhelming to focus on reaching one goal at a time. I work on ten pounds at a time.

I think you can lose the weight. You did it before, and you seem to have the will to do it again. In the meantime, maybe you could try ordering some clothes that have a bit more flexibility to their sizes. I bought some summer maxi skirts (long, but very light weight and with a long slit) from Nordstroms that come in S, M, L, XL last year before having surgery. The waist line is sort of designed so that it can be more customized. You can fold it under to make the skirt shorter and more fitted. I can still wear them without looking odd even after having lost 70 pounds.

Good luck!

[PrettyThick1 1,860]

I have the band and I've fallen off too. Might I suggest finding something to get you excited about eating right and getting back in the swing of things? You should try swimming and Water aerobics, if no gym offers it in your area hopefully there is a YMCA and they almost always have an indoor pool. Good luck to you!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I hope you don't take this brief post as "preaching."

Have you also considered:

* Alcoholics Anonymous?

* Therapy?

If not, what are your thoughts about these resources?

Hmm, well, I'm not sure why you assume that someone who drinks is an alcoholic. I'm fairly certain and confident that I am not, so AA would not really be much help. As for therapy, sure, I've been in therapy my entire adult life. I'm a big fan of therapy, but again, as I said in my OP, I know what I should do, but doing it is tough, I'm looking for others in the same boat, not for people who want to pathologize what is simply the human experience!

I sincerely wish you the very best results in addressing your regain.

I'm truly sorry if my questions offended you.

I certainly don't think everyone who drinks is an alcoholic.

I certainly don't know if you are an alcoholic.

You said you're taking in more calories daily via beer than through the food you eat and that you are having a hard time cutting out the beer. You offered as context your struggles with depression after a physical injury. And since transfer addictions are real dangers for WLS patients post-op, I asked whether you thought AA or therapy could be helpful.

You sound very determined to regain your health and to lose the weight you've gained. Again, I wish for you great success in achieving your goals.

[Oak Park Lorena 162]

Hmm, well, I'm not sure why you assume that someone who drinks is an alcoholic. I'm fairly certain and confident that I am not, so AA would not really be much help. As for therapy, sure, I've been in therapy my entire adult life. I'm a big fan of therapy, but again, as I said in my OP, I know what I should do, but doing it is tough, I'm looking for others in the same boat, not for people who want to pathologize what is simply the human experience!

I hope you don't take this brief post as "preaching."

Have you also considered:

* Alcoholics Anonymous?

* Therapy?

If not, what are your thoughts about these resources?

I sincerely wish you the very best results in addressing your regain.

I'm truly sorry if my questions offended you.

I certainly don't think everyone who drinks is an alcoholic.

I certainly don't know if you are an alcoholic.

You said you're taking in more calories daily via beer than through the food you eat and that you are having a hard time cutting out the beer. You offered as context your struggles with depression after a physical injury. And since transfer addictions are real dangers for WLS patients post-op, I asked whether you thought AA or therapy could be helpful.

You sound very determined to regain your health and to lose the weight you've gained. Again, I wish for you great success in achieving your goals.

I do thank you for the response and sorry if my post seemed a bit snappish. I am just dealing with the frustration that accompanies realizing that I created a new food crutch for myself, albeit a liquid one. I love my craft beer an often joke that I wish I could subtract the alchol from it! It is hard to give it up becaue it is the only tasty treat I really have in my diet. After surgery, things that I used to love and overeat like ice cream or big plates of Pasta with rich sauces are just not an option, my much smaller tummy just does not like them. The beer being liquid is easier to accomodate. I know that the calories make it something that should be a once in a while treat, it's just hard to give up having a treat at all! That is I think the hardest reality of life post surgery--you cannot look to food OR drink for comfort or reward, it's just not an option as a former/current overweight person. I do appreciate your message.

[Oak Park Lorena 162]

I have the band and I've fallen off too. Might I suggest finding something to get you excited about eating right and getting back in the swing of things? You should try swimming and Water aerobics, if no gym offers it in your area hopefully there is a YMCA and they almost always have an indoor pool. Good luck to you!

Yeah, it is interesting that it is hard to work up the momentum and excitment. I had gotten myself in good enough shape to run a very grueling relay marathon where I ran 19.5 miles. It's hard now to kind of start all over again. I did occassionally go to Water aerobics, I know a lof of people poo-poo it as an "old lady" workout, but if you actually push yourself, it is a very strenous hour! Thanks for the response!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

^{Another huge fan of Water aerobics here!}