UTGal99

I am 21 months out from surgery and have gotten pretty comfortable. I have fallen back into old habits and have gained about 10 pounds back. I know it is not much but I am scared it will spiral out of control if I don't get it under control. BUT, I am struggling with getting back to basics and getting the weight loss rolling again.
Any advice on how to get back to basics and restart is appreciated. The bad thing about being almost 2 years out from surgery is that you can eat more than right after surgery and you are not as diligent and focused. I know I just need to do it but don't even remember where to begin, what to eat, what to do, etc. It feels so foreign to me...
Please help!!!

I am 21 months out from surgery and have gotten pretty comfortable. I have fallen back into old habits and have gained about 10 pounds back. I know it is not much but I am scared it will spiral out of control if I don't get it under control. BUT, I am struggling with getting back to basics and getting the weight loss rolling again.
Any advice on how to get back to basics and restart is appreciated. The bad thing about being almost 2 years out from surgery is that you can eat more than right after surgery and you are not as diligent and focused. I know I just need to do it but don't even remember where to begin, what to eat, what to do, etc. It feels so foreign to me...
Please help!!!

I LOVE to cook and am just wrapping up the pureed stage off my diet. Here are some of my favorite concoctions - enjoy!
Egg salad - couple eggs, 1 tsp of mayo, 1/2 tsp of spicy brown mustard, salt & pepper - puree until smooth
Buffalo chicken - can of chicken, 1 tbsp blue cheese crumbles, 2 tbsp ranch dressing, 1 tsp. of buffalo sauce, salt & pepper - puree until smooth - MY PERSONAL FAVORITE!
Squash casserole - 1 can of squash with vidalia onion, 2 tbsp of cream cheese, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder, salt & pepper, 1 tsp margarine/butter, 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese - puree until smooth, pour into dish and microwave for 90 seconds or until heated through and bubbly
Pintos and cheese - 1 can of Pintos with onion - puree until smooth, pour into dish and cover with 2 tbsp. of shredded cheddar cheese - microwave for 90 seconds or until heated through and bubbly - stir well to combine the cheese - optional: add a bit of enchilada sauce if you are looking for more flavor.
Lemon Ricotta Creme
Take one 15 oz. container of part skim ricotta cheese, add the zest of one lemon, juice of half the lemon, 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 4 packets of splenda - puree until smooth - AWESOME!!!!
You can do variations on this should you choose - substitue orange zest and 1 tbsp. of orange juice with orange extract or keep vanilla extract for a dreamsicle taste. chocolate ricotta creme is easy too by substituting 2 tbsp. cocoa powder instead of zest and juice, same vanilla extract and splenda to sweeten.
Perfect sweet tooth item instead of the same old pudding and/or jell-o and it has a high concentration of Protein due to the ricotta cheese. Enjoy!
Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower (tastes a lot like mashed potatoes, but very low carb!)
1 bag of frozen cauliflower florets
1 tsp butter/margarine
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of milk
Blend until smooth, pour into a casserole dish and top with another 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and microwave for 90 seconds - enjoy!

I LOVE to cook and am just wrapping up the pureed stage off my diet. Here are some of my favorite concoctions - enjoy!
Egg salad - couple eggs, 1 tsp of mayo, 1/2 tsp of spicy brown mustard, salt & pepper - puree until smooth
Buffalo chicken - can of chicken, 1 tbsp blue cheese crumbles, 2 tbsp ranch dressing, 1 tsp. of buffalo sauce, salt & pepper - puree until smooth - MY PERSONAL FAVORITE!
Squash casserole - 1 can of squash with vidalia onion, 2 tbsp of cream cheese, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder, salt & pepper, 1 tsp margarine/butter, 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese - puree until smooth, pour into dish and microwave for 90 seconds or until heated through and bubbly
Pintos and cheese - 1 can of Pintos with onion - puree until smooth, pour into dish and cover with 2 tbsp. of shredded cheddar cheese - microwave for 90 seconds or until heated through and bubbly - stir well to combine the cheese - optional: add a bit of enchilada sauce if you are looking for more flavor.
Lemon Ricotta Creme
Take one 15 oz. container of part skim ricotta cheese, add the zest of one lemon, juice of half the lemon, 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 4 packets of splenda - puree until smooth - AWESOME!!!!
You can do variations on this should you choose - substitue orange zest and 1 tbsp. of orange juice with orange extract or keep vanilla extract for a dreamsicle taste. chocolate ricotta creme is easy too by substituting 2 tbsp. cocoa powder instead of zest and juice, same vanilla extract and splenda to sweeten.
Perfect sweet tooth item instead of the same old pudding and/or jell-o and it has a high concentration of Protein due to the ricotta cheese. Enjoy!
Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower (tastes a lot like mashed potatoes, but very low carb!)
1 bag of frozen cauliflower florets
1 tsp butter/margarine
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of milk
Blend until smooth, pour into a casserole dish and top with another 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and microwave for 90 seconds - enjoy!

Downton Abby = awesome!

You crack me up, gmanbat! "Don't get the trashy white bread!" LOL Love that definition. Thanks for the chuckle.

You could be dehydrated, lacking Protein and calories. Could also be anemic. I would let your doctor evaluate you.

Get ready to get new clothes, man. I suggest going to thrift stores and garage sales. Don't throw green down on threads that won't do you a fair amount of duty. Wait until 210 to get the glad rags.
Your goal is what I passed a few months ago. I am now 208. I was stalled at 210 for about 4 months and didn't think it would go any further.
You will get there. 210 is a great place to be. I saw after about a month after the operation that the scale was a poor indicator of what was going on. My clothes kept outgrowing me while the scale was oblivious to change. I continued to weigh myself but only for curiosity's sake, I got the picture about the trend....down, up, same, up, down, same, etc. A roller coaster track but always in the long run going down.
Follow the guidelines, exercise like an athlete in training, down you go. Gman's guarantee!

A normal weight loss pattern is not a sloping line. It actually looks more like stair steps. So there's really no such thing as a stall, you're just on a stair. Hang in there.

I am still pre op as well. My start weight was 362. I am now at 330. I still have a couple things to complete but hoping to have surgery in December. I have set a personal goal of 230 lbs. (I probably have not been at that weight for almost 30 years). But it is a very good question about setting expectations. At this time I would just like to make a great effort and end up at whatever the number is

Thanks UT. Hopefully I will be as successful as your husband.

How about you just take this number and move forward with it. You are doing great from what your ticker says and truth be told, no matter what, you are improving. Keep up the great work! Look at where you have come from!!!! Now that is progress!

Ohhh the eating slow is a hard one to me too, but the pros outweigh the cons 9,999,999:1!! I love losing weight and even if I don't make the right food choices I can't scarf down a ton of it. That's a huge pro!

HW 299
SW 289
CW 221
I'm so happy I made the decision to have this surgery! Other then the birth of my kids, this was the best thing that has ever happened to me!
Don't mind the severely messy hair.. Daylight savings doesn't work on kids and I've been up since 4:30am :/, but look!! I have collar bones!!

You look beautiful! Great transformation and remember...it is a marathon not a sprint! Keep up the great work.

Can you get another surgeon? Approved since June, lose 25 pounds or no operation, sounds like a control freak. If we were great at losing we wouldn't need surgeons. My doc just wanted me to lose as much as I could....no ultimatums.

Thank you you're right

You will do great! I was terrified the night before thinking I would back out but surprisingly as I walked into the hospital that morning I was excited and ready to start my new life. I am loving life these days. I am one year post op, down almost 100 pounds and I do things I never imagined I would do (i.e., run a 5k, chase after my kid, go hiking, etc.) Good luck and keep us all posted on your progress! I assure you it is the BEST decision you will ever make for yourself!

Get you some Premier Protein premade shakes (they have 30g of Protein, low carb, low sugar) - focus on staying hydrated but try to get those Protein Shakes in. The protein will help you heal quicker. I know it is a challenge but it is temporary and before you know it you will be loving your sleeve! P.S. You can buy the Premier Protein shakes at Sam's Club, costco or Amazon

I think I may be the only one on here that has the balls to admit I am currently taking Phentermine after WLS. I was sleeved on August 31, 2012 and have lost 60lbs. I got very discouraged in my weight loss venture. I am human and give in to temptation just like most of us do. My weakness is Mr Pibb. I know it's a horrible thing and I'd lose way more if I'd stop drinking 2 sodas a day. Which is a huge improvement from about 2 -2 liters a day before surgery. I don't need anyone preaching to me what I already know.
I have a hard time drinking Water and yes I've put everything known to man in it to make it more desirable, but no luck. I can go 12 plus hours with out drinking a drop of anything. My Dr says I have Water weight gain and has put me on the Phentermine to make me thirsty and to help with the water weight. Phentermine isn't a quick fix and I still have lots of weight to lose, but it has helped me get over the depression I have felt for quite sometime about the weight not coming off. I lost 10lbs on it and I am way thirsty. He only prescribed it a month and I'm glad he did.
I have found that if I actually get out and walk around for a little while I start to notice more energy. I also have learned to pre-weigh and pre-pack my lunches and dinners for the week. This is a huge life changing journey and man what a roller coaster ride it has been.
I'm sure most of you are appalled about the phentermine after surgery, but some of us need that little extra boost to help us get through hard times. Especially when there is no support and a strong ear would be nice to have for thoughts and wonders.
So before you are quick to judge me, remember we are all human and no-one on this earth is perfect.

Downton Abby = awesome!

Will try the green tea. Thanks.

That will get better. LOTS of green tea, my friends, LOTS of green tea!

Each person has to decide for themselves what is right. Personally, for me, I felt that the bypass was way to aggressive for me. The malnutrition issue was a big concern for me. I was not comfortable having my plumbing rerouted and risking other serious complications from messing with things that didn't need to be messed with after all. I tend to be a grazer too, but I have worked very hard to keep those kind of habits in check. Really, bariatric surgery is just a tool to help you achieve success it is not a permanent fix. What you do with your tool determines your success. Just know this, whether you choose a sleeve or bypass, you must work to be successful at the weight loss and maintenance. One doesn't come easier than the other. Just my 2 cents---

Another update with pics. Tomorrow will be 11 months officially and im down 131 pounds. I honestly didnt want to lose this much or think that i would lose this much. I feel that im skinny a little to skinny but i would rather be skinny and healthy then fat and miserable. I wont complain but im in a better place. If your in a rut....remember you will get there. Ive been at the same place that your at now. Man about losing weight so slow, aggravated with the diet, smells from food make you think about eating like you used to.... and the thoughts about the maintaining.....but hey its worth it right? You will get there just as i did even when i didnt think that i could and it was really hard.
Have a great week.