Hey Peeps,

I have just started the 5 day pouch test Protein, but I feel like I need more than that to kick my butt back into line. I have always comfort eaten, and I've been really stressed at work lately and I know I've not been eating well.

So, I've just finished my day one of liquids and although not snacking was hard it was because I have gotten into bad habits and not because I was actually hungry. I have already realised today that I have no real sensation of hunger anymore whatsoever, which is a relief. It is head hunger which is my demon.

I have realised that just because I can only eat in small quantities now does not mean that I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want! That sounds obvious but somewhere pretty deep in my mind I really believed I could get away with it. Wake-up call!

xxx

Wake up call indeed! At least you recognized what you were doing and are making changes to correct it thanks for sharing, it will be a reminder for me later on not to just let the sleeve do the work for me.

I have done a modified 5 day pouch test, I just simply refuse to the liquid portion of it. I always lost on it. I'm not an emotional eater so I can not completely relate, but I am a bored eater/grazer if I allow myself to do it.

I hope others chime in.

Thanks guys.

Just read back my post and I feel so ashamed of myself right now I'm crying. I think reading my feelings back has made them more real. It's the first time since surgery I've actually felt like I could fail.

Please don't get complacent as you near your target weight if you have a tendency to comfort eat, it's absolutely not worth it.

Don't feel ashamed!!! You did the right thing by posting here. You're taking steps to get back on track and asking for advice, you should be proud of yourself for that! I'm not sleeved yet but I've read a number of posts on here where people ask for advice to get back on track. You will do it, I know you will! Keep your chin up.

Don't feel bad, look far you've come!

Never be ashamed of self reflection and realization. You are human and as such make mistakes. Better yet, it is not a mistake, you did this and now you know! I believe that things happen for reasons ... most of the time. In the past when EVER I dieted and lost tons of weight, the minute I started getting compliments, I would sabatage my efforts and gain everything back again. I did it this time too. I tried to quit smoking, knowing that I would snack myself crazy and I did and in the that process gained back 8 lbs before I took a step back and realized what I was doing yet again. Thank goodness for my sleeve because that 8lbs could have easily been 18 or 28 in a blink of an eye. Get back on track and try to stay focused. You can do this!

Oh and btw, on youtube SDMOM did the pouch test and lost something like 9lbs.

Edited September 14, 201114 yr by Raine

Thanks for the responses. My Mum asked me today if I've lost the last 2 lb to goal yet and I started crying! Oh dear! Let's hope this works!

End of day 2 and I'm feeling ok I guess. A little light headed and struggling to get in enough Water but otherwise doing alright. Not hungry at all, but I've started getting acid again which I haven't had since about a month out. Also having the whole "liquids in, liquids out" thing!

Looking forward to some scrambled egg at Breakfast tomorrow and to see if my tummy has tightened. Made sure I've got some tuna at work ready for lunch tomorrow so I can't be tempted to stray. I think I've kicked the carb cravings now, just looking forward to some solids!

2lb down so far and I feel a lot less bloated. Will keep you updated with my progress.

Thanks guys.

Just read back my post and I feel so ashamed of myself right now I'm crying. I think reading my feelings back has made them more real. It's the first time since surgery I've actually felt like I could fail.

Please don't get complacent as you near your target weight if you have a tendency to comfort eat, it's absolutely not worth it.

Oh noooo!!! I will NOT let you do that to yourself!!! Girlie, turn that frown Upside DOWN!! You have accomplished so much, and the only feeling you should have is to feel elation!

That said, I totally get what you're saying about the whole graze eating. Hey, no ones perfect - least of all me. But, here's what sets all of us apart from the obese world... we have chosen to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! food is addicting. I'm addicted to food. I have to remind myself of this every single morning when I wake up. I literally have to let the first thought in my mind be "I will not eat bad today". That is the promise I make for myself that day. Sometimes I break that promise, but I don't do it on purpose! I just have to forgive myself and make that next meal a good one.

I really have never been able to do the 5 day pouch test. The only time I'm ever able to stick to liquids only is when I'm getting cut open and my surgeon threatens my life with it... LOL So what I do is kinda turn it into a game. I've always liked the Slim Fast diet - for years! That was how I lost my first 50 Lbs and kept it off.

Well what I'll do is Protein dense (Isopure or powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken Soup) Clear Liquids up until dinner time. Then for dinner I'll have lean protein and some delicious green veggie as my side dish. Then day 2-3 I'll do the Atkins shakes and again, lean protein and green veggies for dinner. Days 4 and 5 I pretty much reintroduce solids back in during the day and maybe substitute one meal with a Protein shake, and dinner being lean (say it with me folks!! LOL) protein and green veggies.

I know that's not for everyone but I'm just offering an alternative to the common 5 day pouch test. Here's the ONE thing I believe gets me through it though... I fire up that food logger and make sure I'm adding everything! Those two things combined and I'm always back on track and losing weight again.

Good luck to you! You're only a few pounds away from your desired goal... you WILL be there PDQ I know it!!

Xoxo

Hey Peeps,

I have just started the 5 day pouch test Link to website here, and would like to hear from some people who have used it.

I did a search on these forums but can only seem to find people suggesting to others that it might help them get back on track, I can't actually find anyone giving any feedback on their experiences with it and if it helped.

I still never reached goal and have recently regained approx 6lb from getting into bad carb grazing habits. I want to put a stop to it before it gets out of hand, and hopefully get to goal in the process.

I know some people say just to cut carbs and go back to high Protein, but I feel like I need more than that to kick my butt back into line. I have always comfort eaten, and I've been really stressed at work lately and I know I've not been eating well.

So, I've just finished my day one of liquids and although not snacking was hard it was because I have gotten into bad habits and not because I was actually hungry. I have already realised today that I have no real sensation of hunger anymore whatsoever, which is a relief. It is head hunger which is my demon.

I have realised that just because I can only eat in small quantities now does not mean that I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want! That sounds obvious but somewhere pretty deep in my mind I really believed I could get away with it. Wake-up call!

xxx

Hey Twostepsback...

I did the 5 day pouch thing at the beginning of the year. I lost a pound doing it - which is pretty good for me ... lol - but that aside, I found that it really helped me get back in touch with my sleeve and the restriction I have, so, for that it was worth it.

Try not to sweat over the last couple of weeks... you are human and we are all allowed to make a mistake along the way. You are ONLY 8lbs away from goal and that is sooooo worth celebrating...and look how much you have lost.

Go back a year and think about what it was like 81lbs heavier... then, get out some old clothes, put them on and watch them fall to the ground. Good feeling eh? Pat yourself on the back for a job well done and enjoy your next Soup...lol...

You will sooooo get to goal because you have the conviction to reflect and see where you are going 'wrong' (actually, wrong is the wrong word, but you know what I mean!).

Good luck on the last lap of your marathon! =]

Thanks Diva and Coops

Made two scrambled eggs to start off day 3 this morning which I could have easily finished before starting the pouch test, and I can't even manage half of it. Definitely more restriction already!

xx

TwoSteps, I don't think you're a failure at all! As a matter of fact, I think you're doing great! 81 lbs gone is no small potatoes!! I'm really glad that you posted about the pouch test because I've been wondering what it was. The link was great to have for MY future aresenal.

I'm grateful that you posted about your struggle because I'm in the honeymoon period (less than two weeks post-op) and, of course, weight is dropping quickly. However, it's good to see that folks do have struggles and how to overcome those difficulties. It makes me keep my eye on the goal of weight loss. I have 170 lbs to lose, and I KNOW I'll be using all this great information as I work to get to goal.

BTW, Lil Miss Diva, I am STUNNED at your transformation! You were where I am, and seeing your weight chart and pictures re-motivates me every time! I may never hit your size, but you give me hope that I will make my goal!

You have nothing to be ashamed of. Instead of focusing on the 6 pounds you've regained, focus on the nearly 70 you've lost, according to your weight ticker.

I find that redirecting focus from the negative to the positive is one great way to get back on track.

I strongly doubt that the pouch "reset" does much aside from remind you how little food you actually "need" and changing your habits a little, but if it helps you, go for it. The BEST thing for you, I think, would be to focus on your goals and be task-oriented; instead of dwelling on what a "failure" you are (which gains you nothing, discourages you, and may send you into a spiral of emotional eating), focus on "what needs to be done." Doing this removes the emotional component and clears your head to let you figure out "what's next." That's how I (mostly) stay on track.

Thanks so much for all the encouragement guys. I have been trying to focus on the positive, it is so easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and freak about those few lb. I really think that I had reached breaking point for stress at work and I was just feeling so tired I didn't have the strength to pick myself up and carry on.

So I got through four days of the pouch test, but day 5 was a total write off due to my neice's hen party (champagne, strawberries, cake etc etc.) I always knew that was coming up on day 5, but the four days I did do have worked wonders fo me. I feel refocussed, less bloated, less snack driven.

I weighed myself this morning and I have lost 5lb So I'm back down to 3lb to goal. If I hadn't indulged yesterday I'm sure that would have been more, but I'm happy.

And better yet I've re-evaluated my eating habits, and feel more in charge of what goes in my mouth. It has also helped me prioritise "Protein first" like back at the start of this journey.

I kind of feel like the 5 day pouch test has been a bit of a "crutch" for me. Something to help me walk until I am healed enough to start walking on my own again.

I can do the 5 day pouch test. It's pretty easy for me. I love Protein drinks. You're not on them the whole 5 days. It's getting back to basics and it will cut carb cravings very quickly.

I don't do it often but if I needed to do it if I had a gain, I would do it.

Okay, I SOOO needed to read this! Thanks, TSB, for being honest. I am 15 months out and reached goal (150) about last March or so. I've been able to keep most of it off but have gained about 7-8 lbs (depending on day!) And I KNOW it's because I have been snacking, snacking, snacking!

I really seem to get hungry now almost immediately after eating but I know also that I am drinking during meals, and not following all the rules I once did.

I truly thought (like someone else said) that I had this down and would never gain again! Yeah, right! I got on here today to research HUNGER since I am concerned about my seeminly never ending hunger. Now, I think maybe it's because I am not getting FULL enough at meals with drinking liquids also.

I am also an emotional eater/snacker and boy, have I had the stress in my family life in the last 6 months or so!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement I get from this site and having the ability to "bond" with other VSGers. I really want to lose down to about 140 (now at 158) so that I would have 5-10 pounds to "play" with and still feel good about myself. Doesn't it seem unreal that now that we are SOOO much lighter that our minds have adjusted to the fact and we start feeling bad about ourselves when we are up a FEW pounds?? Sure proves the point of what got us into this in the first place - MIND - not just FOOD!