jeepermom

So how are y'all doing? What are your best tips, hints, etc.?

I'm not going to lie - I have gained back weight and am struggling. However, today is day 1 back at the gym. I have started reading a book called Crave about binge eating. I am trying to write down everything I am eating, how I feel before I eat it, while I eat it, and after I eat it, etc. I have support group tonight and on July 26 & August 9 will be attending a workshop my surgery center is doing called "Back On Track" that will include 1 week of liquid diet and 1 week of modified liquid diet. I have gone back to some of my addictions, so I think this will really help. I came back here for more support as well. Hope everyone is doing well... Kelly

ETA - I apologize, I am a year slow apparently...I meant to be checking out the September 2012 board...however, my post below could still be helpful! I had lost over 80 pounds and have gained back almost 40 of that. I weighed this morning and weighed 260.6. OMG. Over 260. For some reason it didn't bother me as much when I was back into the 250s... I am in the process of reading a book called Crave - about binge eating. So far, it is really good and has some really good insight if you struggle with it like I do. The part I am on right now talks about journaling what you eat, why you feel you eat it (are you truly hungry, or bored, or avoiding something - I eat to avoid work and emotions). I use myfitnesspal and have been using the "today's food notes" on it to write down everything I am thinking about food - and the time. I am also going back to the gym at lunch (today was day 1)...it stinks...I am waiting for the magic day that it no longer feels like a chore...I am so not there yet. LOL. Guess it will take more than one day and more than sporadic attendance. And I also came back to this site...for more support. I have my support group tonight IRL but use all the support I have available to me. I have a tendency to look at my weight loss journey as an all or nothing thing - that I should go from where I am right now, to perfect overnight...I have to remind myself it doesn't work that way. I am going to try to pick ONE thing to work on each week. This week - more Water... Hope something out of my brain dump helps...and I hope it made sense LOL Kelly

I am not doing great and I have grand ideas of changing everything overnight and then when I fail at doing it ALL I get really upset with myself. So this week, I decided to pick two things and just focus on those. Entering my food in my fitness pal is the first and back to no sweet tea/limiting my coffee suger is the 2nd one. I have gained about 15 pounds back from the lowest I got and that is just not acceptable to me...so, back to basics... We can do this!

okay ladies (and gents)...I would like to hear what you do instead of snacking when you feel the snack monster coming...I am trying to find things to do instead of eating...LOL...the eternal struggle for me.

newgrandmother, about 6 months is where I started struggling, too. Working with my therapist is helping some, but getting my head to accept and deal with all the crap that's coming up is really hard. I eat for comfort...and her task for me now, is to actually feel the emotion I am feeling that is sending me to the food for comfort. If I am bored, I am to actually feel and acknowledge the boredom instead of just going to get a snack. To be honest, it sucks, is uncomfortable, and I don't like it. I find myself fighting her help, but I feel it will help me get to the root of my eating & weight problems. But, it is a slow track...I am getting there. If you have a library close, check out the book "The Power of Habit." I have it checked out on audio book and am listening on the way to and from work...it has some really interesting insight that I feel is also helping me. The group leader at support group this month talked about it. Hang in there...we will all get there in our own time...

I am in therapy and it is definitely helping with my underlying food issues. However, I am thoroughly re-addicted to sweet tea and sweets in general. I do need to start bringing my lunch and leaving my credit/debit cards in the truck...LOL. The way our breakroom snack "machines" work is like a market...you pick what you want and either pay with their pre-pay card or a debit/credit card. It is really sad to look at my bank statements...ugh. On the other hand, I try to bring healthy Snacks to work, but if I bring the whole box, even of 100 calorie snack packs, I eat the WHOLE BOX. So I will need to limit my food - and remind myself that what's in my lunch bag is all I have...otherwise I would eat everything first thing in the morning. As for sugar, the natural sugar would be okay, I think...it's more the sweet tea I need to get rid of. I guess I'm looking at it as wiping the slate clean again for a fresh base to build on...my nasty bricks have crept back in and I need the strong bricks to build with, not my bad habit ones. Momofthings, I need to work on my Water intake, too. And you are right, consistency is the key and I have never been good at being consistent with food/water/exercise... Jenn, thank you for the suggestions, I need to look into the greek yogurt smoothies...with the calories, I always seem to blow right past my goal...before I even think about it...something else I'm working on in therapy. Thanks ladies! I hope y'all have a great day!

Sorry, I completely missed the question about Bari Bootcamp. My surgery center has an option for people who are post-op and struggling with staying on-track. It was intended for patients that are only a couple of months out, but they felt with my struggles it would benefit me. They are still working on making it exactly what they want it to be. I went through the second "class" but I do feel I got things from it. However, I am really really struggling still. I am still on the sugar...and I am considering doing the liquid diet for a few weeks...anyone have any thoughts on this? I can't decide what else to do...

newgrandmother, I am with you. I have actually started gaining weight back. Even with the bariatric boot camp, I am struggling. I keep thinking I shouldn't have to struggle THIS MUCH with this tool I have, but I am. A LOT. This may not pertain to you, but I am on anti-depressants, and if I miss one or take them at a different time, I get the MAJOR light-headed dizziness. Hang in there. I keep trying and trying. We can do this!!!!

Still struggling...but figuring some things out along the way. In bari boot camp last Thursday, we did an exercise about "relapse" that helped me identify some things. She handed out a sheet that had a bulls-eye type graphic on it. The center was red, the ring around that was yellow, and the outside ring was green. Green = Healthy Weight Management. We wrote things on this ring that happened when we were in healthy weight management/loss and doing things we wanted to be doing...examples of mine...meal planning, 3 meals a day with no snacking (per my program), aware of meal portions, exercise 4 times per week, take healthy time for myself, etc. Yellow = Trigger Behaviors/Thoughts...these are things that lead to relapse or situations we found ourselves in that led to unhealthy behaviors. Examples of mine...Stress, break time at work, eating out, holidays, family gatherings (that always include food). Red = Relapse Behavior. These are behaviors that tell us we are off track. Mine are snacking, drinking sweet tea, not exercising, hiding my eating, not attending support group, etc. If you get a chance and want to draw 3 circles, this is actually a really telling and helpful exercise...I have hung mine up at work and am trying to pay more attention to myself when I am in situations that are in my yellow ring...particularly at work... Hope this helps someone! Kelly

I am very thankful for all of the support I have available to me, including this board. I have also started seeing a therapist and together we poked at a couple of things yesterday that have been hidden pretty deep...so now I have to explore that. But I think in the long-run it will help all aspects of my life. OH...and on a positive note...I put on a pair of size 16 jeans today. I don't remember ever being smaller than a size 18...most of middle & high school was a size 18 and then college went up from there! YAY!

So at my 9 month checkup yesterday, I fessed up to everything...and my program has started what they call a "Bari Bootcamp." It's more for newer patients that haven't gotten the swing of things, but they said it might be a good idea for me. It's one morning a week for 6 weeks. Topics include exercise, meal planning, relapse awareness, mindful eating, and mindfulness overall. I had my first one this morning. It was on mindfulness overall. Each "class" also has 15 minutes of exercise except the exercise class which is, of course, all about exercise. I'm really excited to get back on the wagon. I know that writing everything down was a big help for me in the beginning and I just need to accept that i will be food journaling from here to eternity...LOL. Hope you all are having a great day!

ratrita, sorry for a late response, but Dr. Richard did my sleeve. I LOVE HIM and absolutely LOVE the program. It has been really nice to be able to use the clothing closet and not have to spend a ton of money as I drop sizes. They are all very supportive in his office, too. I missed support group this month, but should be there in July...hope you are recovering nicely! Hope everyone is doing great!

Oh I really need to start visiting here more often. I am so far off what I should be doing...y'all have me motivated to get back on it. Thanks gals!