I often hear that calories are calories and if you stay under a certain level you will lose, but for me it seems that sugar just does not metabolize in my body at all. Has anyone else found this or is this just another way that my body is working against me?

I went into this Christmas season thinking that it would be the first holiday season that I lost weight and did not gain. Well another failure there, as it looks like I gained 4 pounds this week alone. Until this past weekI did okay maintaining, despite several parties. A week of stress due to a big snow storm in our area and not being able to get out and do as much as I wanted and I went right back to the old comfort for me, "sugar". I journaled everything I ate (the right stuff) and kept my calories well below 1,000 but I did not account for the cookie here and the piece of chocolate there. Only one or two a day, but I am still so mad at myself that I did this. I so wanted to either lose or maintain over this past month and in one week I feel like I have set myself back a month instead. I have exercised everyday to the point that my joints and legs are aching, but that does not seem to be beneficial to me at all when I have empty sugar calories. I am so upset and even though I have no one to blame but myself I am feeling very sorry for me right now.

We didnt get fat not eating what gave us comfort. I gained over the holidays but had a fill on the 30th and have lost 5lbs in two days. I can not eat sugar it is an addiction for me so I have to stay away from it. You have every right to feel sorry for yourself because it is a failure. But it takes failure to see why we ended up obese. Chin up and start over.

I never wanted to do the adkin' diet or no carb, but thru this process I've learned that carbs (especially junk food) will not digest! They make me feel bloated, lethargic, depressed, irritable, and I'm left craving more. I try very hard to aviod most carbs. For one I've haven't had any bread in any form since 5/1/10, the start of my preop diet. I don't plan on returning to any. I've had potatoes in Soup or mashed or baked as well as Pasta - everytime I eat them I feel terrible. Once I get back on track with protiens and no carbs I feel lighter, healthier, happier, I don't have cravings and I stay fuller longer. Through my experience I know that carbs (sugars) are not compatible with my body...so I won't eat them or drink them.

Good luck navigating what's best for your health!

Happy New Year!

Rebecca

Thank you for your replies. I don't have a problem with carbs generally. I have no problem resisting potatoes, bread, pasta, chips, etc. but I do know that sugar is my personal addiction. I really thought I was so over the obsessiveness, but I guess not. Yesterday and today I have been on my normal program and I do feel better physically, but am just so angry about those gained pounds and the fact that even after being good yesterday I still did not lose even an ounce. UUUGGHHH.

I often hear that calories are calories and if you stay under a certain level you will lose, but for me it seems that sugar just does not metabolize in my body at all. Has anyone else found this or is this just another way that my body is working against me?

"A calorie is a calorie" is just another lie we've been told by the nutrition industry. If it's true, then lowering my daily calories by roughly 1500 per day should result in a loss of 3 lb per week (all other things being equal)...but it hasn't. When I weighed 285 lbs I went on Optifast for a month. I didn't lose even a single pound...and was accused of closet eating and cheating.

Even when I eat more than my usual daily carbs (of 20-30gm), I still avoid wheat and sugar carbs because they cause a very immediate reaction in my blood sugar...which results in insulin being produced...which results in more calories being stored as fat instead of being burned off. I don't know if this is your problem, but I'd say avoid sugar and wheat and see what happens to your losses.

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The blood sugar imbalance makes sense to me. In the past I also have been accused of cheating on Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem, but I never did so it must have had something to do with the carbs that I was ingesting. I have just been counting calories and Proteins nad have not paid as much attention to carbs, however when I focus on getting in more Protein rich foods I find that I can't fit in any carbs. Thanks for sharing your experience, I am going to pay more attention to my wheat intake because I know that I can't take the sugar!

Earlier today I was thinking of cancelling my Tuesday Dr's appt. but I have decided to go, face the music if I have gained on his scale, and share with him what I have learned this past month.

"A calorie is a calorie" is just another lie we've been told by the nutrition industry. If it's true, then lowering my daily calories by roughly 1500 per day should result in a loss of 3 lb per week (all other things being equal)...but it hasn't. When I weighed 285 lbs I went on Optifast for a month. I didn't lose even a single pound...and was accused of closet eating and cheating.

Even when I eat more than my usual daily carbs (of 20-30gm), I still avoid wheat and sugar carbs because they cause a very immediate reaction in my blood sugar...which results in insulin being produced...which results in more calories being stored as fat instead of being burned off. I don't know if this is your problem, but I'd say avoid sugar and wheat and see what happens to your losses.

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Deb,

That is wise advice! I've struggled this last year in my own band journey, learning about the band and how it's supposed to work, what my responsibilities are in this whole process, etc. I made the decision early on not to avoid my appointments just because I felt like such a failure...and I think that's what helped keep me from giving up on the band completely.

When I finally saw the surgeon 10 months after surgery (fills were with his nurse), he looked at my chart and said it's pretty obvious I've been trying and I said 'really'...because my weight had been rollercoasting for the previous 10 months. He said, "Yes. the ones that don't try, don't come back."

So great decision to go see your doc!

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OK... so now I don't feel so alone!

I'm so sorry you are going thru this but I have to admit I'm relieved I'm not the only one. I agree - sugar is NOT my friend.. whether it's small doses of it or not!!! I am just gonna have to realize once and for all that I don't need it and my body just cannot cope with it! I get very addicted to it easily!!! For the first 7 months of my surgery, I did great.. lost 72 pounds and all was well.... over the last month and a half - from Thanksgiving on - I have gained 7 pounds... I didn't weigh myself once cuz I kinda knew it wasn't gonna show a loss... but this morning I finally got on the scale.. and I have decided enough is enough... I have had way too many Cookies and slices of pie and whipped cream and ice cream... and ugh.. just disgusted with myself! I'm going to detox starting today... getting back on my Protein shake diet of 800 calories... and I will begin exercising again which I hadn't done at all during the holidays!! I also have an appointment with my surgeon's office TOMORROW to get a much needed fill! I felt hardly any restriction over the holidays... but then again, I filled up on slider foods!!!! Bad, bad patient!!!!! Oh well... we live and learn!!!

Good luck to you! don't fret too much! There are LOTS of us out there... we just need to get control back NOW and not be in this situation again!!!

HUGS