Hello Everyone! It's been a while. So I'm here in desperation! I had my surgery on Aug 17th of last year. I was doing really well at first. Eating right, and exercising but in the last few months I have kind of let myself go. I haven't gained any weight, but I also haven't lost any in the last 2 months or so. I am still physically restricted in the amounts I can eat, but I feel that I am still over doing it and eating basically whatever I want! I have been so busy and I haven't been exercising regularly and I know that is an excuse! I did this for a reason, I need to get healthy! I went thorough so much to get to this point and I don't want to put it to waste! I need to get back on track, but I can't seem to get my mind in the right place! Does anyone have any advice for me?? :thumbup1:

One thing I really love about this tool is that it still there when we need it. From everything I've read, I'd say you might want to try getting back to basics. Lots of people recommend the 5 Day Pouch Test (Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test). They sell a manual at that site, but also have the basic menu written out. I've been considering doing it to try to cut down on so many "bad" carbs I've incorporated back into my diet.

The only other thing I'd suggest is what I feel has kept me losing (even with poor eating at times)...exercise. I know it's hard, but if you can find something you enjoy, it makes it so much easier. My friend just started ice skating lessons this week (not my cup of tea) and said she felt like she got the best workout. Do you have a pretty good parks and rec. or YMCA? You can usually find a variety of classes.

I'm sure others will post shortly with good advice. Good luck! Keep us posted.

Hi Jennifer, thanks for posting. I can relate to your post, as it's been mostly a mental thing for me too. My thoughts are this, what about joining a commercial diet program? Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig? It might be a good way to stay accountable each week and get group support or personal counseling and a cheerleader on your side. I am thinking I might have to do that too. We have the restriction, just need the emotional support and encouragment to keep going. The weight will come off, slowly. Maybe it might take me a year to get the rest off, it depends on how I do with my calories, and for me, it's about 1200 on average per day, with walking to and from work as my exercise.

I wish you the best in your journey, never give up, it is persistence and sticking with it that will get you there, and you will get there.

And, another thought..the VG can also be upgraded to the duodenal switch, so that you have the malabsorbtion to help you lose weight and get back on track. I know my surgeon does this after high BMI patients get down to a weight making it safer.

Thanks for the encouragemnt. I'm going to look into the 5 day pouch thing, and jenny craig isn't a bad idea. The thing is, I know what to do, it's just become way too easy to convince myself to make the wrong choices.

I am also considering calling a therapist. I think there may be some underlying depression issues that are getting in the way. I have struggled with depression in the past and I'm thinking its begining to resurface.

I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks again

I guess I'm really confused. What could you be eating that is "so bad" that you would stop losing weight? I keep hearing from everyone "you just can't fail" ... you eat less and you lose weight.

Are people really maintaining at 1200 calories? If so, how is that possible. Doesn't the human body need more calories to exist? 1200-1500 is what I've always done to lose weight ... Of course, my problem is keeping it off.

Can someone chime in? I'm starting to wonder if this is the right tool for me. I don't want to diet the rest of my life. Eat healthy and make good choices, yes. But not diet - no more WW, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, etc.

Hello Everyone! It's been a while. So I'm here in desperation! I had my surgery on Aug 17th of last year. I was doing really well at first. Eating right, and exercising but in the last few months I have kind of let myself go. I haven't gained any weight, but I also haven't lost any in the last 2 months or so. I am still physically restricted in the amounts I can eat, but I feel that I am still over doing it and eating basically whatever I want! I have been so busy and I haven't been exercising regularly and I know that is an excuse! I did this for a reason, I need to get healthy! I went thorough so much to get to this point and I don't want to put it to waste! I need to get back on track, but I can't seem to get my mind in the right place! Does anyone have any advice for me?? :thumbup1:

JageK, I'm sorry your having these problems, but you hit the nail right on the head with your own words "I did this for a reason, I need to get healthy! I went thorough so much to get to this point and I don't want to put it to waste! " If you know all these things then you should be able to put down the rules and do it. . . that was an awful amount of money we spend on this surgery and then to sabotage ourselves??????? :001_smile: only you can fix it honey. . . good luck

Yes, the surgey is a tool, it physically restricts the AMOUNT you eat, not the types of food you eat. I have not been keeping track on my calories lately and that is my biggest issue. No, you don't NEED programs like Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers but when we fall off the wagon they can be helpful. The surgery is not a quick fix and I hate to break it to you but it doesn't "cure" you. You will always have to watch what you eat and you will always have to exercise. My plea to the people on this site (part of my support system) is to help me find the motivation to get back on track. If it was that easy to just lay it down and do it, we wouldn't be finding ourselves gaining our weight back would we? This never goes away, even if you get to your goal weight, you are always at danger of gaining it back, no matter how you lost it! This is a disease, an addiction. (For me at least)

Yes, the surgey is a tool, it physically restricts the AMOUNT you eat, not the types of food you eat. I have not been keeping track on my calories lately and that is my biggest issue. No, you don't NEED programs like Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers but when we fall off the wagon they can be helpful. The surgery is not a quick fix and I hate to break it to you but it doesn't "cure" you. You will always have to watch what you eat and you will always have to exercise. My plea to the people on this site (part of my support system) is to help me find the motivation to get back on track. If it was that easy to just lay it down and do it, we wouldn't be finding ourselves gaining our weight back would we? This never goes away, even if you get to your goal weight, you are always at danger of gaining it back, no matter how you lost it! This is a disease, an addiction. (For me at least)

Thanks JageK - I hope I didn't offend. That was not my intent at all. I sincerely apologize if I came across that way.

I was telling Tiff in a PM that I think I've got a good case of cold feet. My surgery is next Wednesday and I think I kinda panicked when I saw an experienced sleever asking for help.

Yes, I realize this is a tool and it will change the way I eat forever. I know that if I work around the tool I will have weight loss/gain issues.

I wasn't very helpful with your plea and I for that I am sorry. I was being selfish - I too have this addiction/disease and I so desperately want to succeed. The best of luck to you. My nut and paperwork are very clear - follow the plan and you will succeed. She wants me to write everything down that I put in my mouth - including 64 oz of Water a day. Hopefully if you focus on the basics you will meet your goal in no time.

JageK,

I think you are on the right track. I was in weekly therapy through all of my pre-op journey until about 6 weeks post op. After that it became pretty spotty (with my new job) until I just couldn't go any longer. But it was so helpful and I believe would still help me.

This past Saturday I went back to Jenny Craig...I have a lifetime membership. As I mentioned, I've been struggling a bit with the wrong food choices (simple carbs). Part of my problem has been that I now have a bigger appetite. For the first 4.5 months or so I was okay using easy Protein snack food (cheese, Jerky, yogurt, lunch meat) as my entire meal. Now that I eat more, I found that I started adding crackers, chips, Cookies, etc. to fill up the rest of my meal. My excuse (I know it's just an excuse) is that I drive 80 miles roundtrip to work and around 30-35 miles roundtrip to exercise. This leaves me needing more convenient food and Jenny Craig fits the bill for now. It has less sodium than many supermarket frozen meals and I really like the taste of a lot of the food. So anyway, I'm going in every two weeks (that's my plan) to pick up some food.

Eventually I'll need to add in a more healthy natural diet, but right now my focus is on the exercise and making the best food choices as possible even if it is frozen foods. That's part of the reason I was thinking I might try the 5 day pouch test, but I need to wait until I don't have as much to focus on with my exercise.

Again, good luck! I just wanted to share a little more about my struggles/plans. Hope it helps!

exercise exercise and more exercise, it doesn't need to be really strenuous, it just needs to be constant. at least 3 times a week, half an hour, or if you can a full hour.

try it, you'll really see the difference.

you can do it!!!

it really does help to track your food in a good food diary of some sort.

Here's one I use ... www.myfitnesspal.com

Yes, the surgey is a tool, it physically restricts the AMOUNT you eat, not the types of food you eat. I have not been keeping track on my calories lately and that is my biggest issue. No, you don't NEED programs like Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers but when we fall off the wagon they can be helpful. The surgery is not a quick fix and I hate to break it to you but it doesn't "cure" you. You will always have to watch what you eat and you will always have to exercise. My plea to the people on this site (part of my support system) is to help me find the motivation to get back on track. If it was that easy to just lay it down and do it, we wouldn't be finding ourselves gaining our weight back would we? This never goes away, even if you get to your goal weight, you are always at danger of gaining it back, no matter how you lost it! This is a disease, an addiction. (For me at least)

I'm sorry that you are struggling. I can honestly see how some people don't get the mental side of this surgery. For me, I think because I had the band first, I learned how to eat. Now, with the sleeve it makes it easier.

If you are having trouble making better decisions with food choices, have you or are in some form of counseling to help you deal with the addiction to food? I think it might help to find a support group that you can participate in. Many of the ones in our area are open to all bariatric patients regardless of where they had their surgeries performed.

I have never dealt with compulsive eating. I was a volume eater, but I made decent food choices. Unfortunately, it was just in huge quantities. The sleeve really did change my mentality with food.

I agree with tracking your food intake, and increasing your exercise. I use myfitnesspal.com as well. I don't track every day, but if I was to start struggling I would be back at tracking and counting. I'm at goal, and maintaining so I am trying to learn to maintain. It's a balancing act, and I'm hoping to learn this new life at maintenance.

It's definitely a tool, breaking habits, and retraining our minds are half of the battle.

Best wishes.

Have you asked yourself why your motivation for losinng weight and staying honest with your structure about what foods to eat is waning? What are the challenges and fears of being thinner?