I am 8 months out. I have been slacking so bad lately. Is it too late to start again? I have 35ish pounds to lose before I am at my goal. I just feel like starting now is going to be like when I was 300 lbs and trying to lose weight. HARD! I can eat a lot more than I could 6 months ago. I knw I can tolerate the bad stuff, therefore I occasionally partake. I know I need to limit my "bad" days and stick to a work out plan but...I still hate the gym. I deal with these insecurities that I think are making me sabotage myself. Example...I tell myself Im going to fail anyways so why bother working so hard?? Horrible thoughts. I have a rational side that knows this is within my control to make sure I do not fail...but I have that dumb voice in my head always telling me Im not good enough.

I think I need therapy. Good God!!

Sorry I strayed from the topic a little. I just want to know; has anyone had a month or 2 (or 4) where they kind of slacked off, came back into it, and saw some great results???

Thanks All

Ali

Have you maintained your loss?

Yes. I have not gained. Except when I was teetering between 191-195. It was up & down but never more than 195.

Look at some of your positives, you basically have not gained and you have lost over 100 pounds which is amazing. Maybe you need therapy to help you deal with your insecurities. To start get back to basic, Protein first and little carbs. I bet you can't eat as much with pure protein the way you can with other foods especially unhealthy foods. I can eat a lot of unhealthy foods and I have no control. So I don't buy them. When I want something I just buy a single serving. Also just start walking and don't worry about the gym, it really does help relieve stress and makes us feel good, Good luck,

I am 8 months out. I have been slacking so bad lately. Is it too late to start again? I have 35ish pounds to lose before I am at my goal. I just feel like starting now is going to be like when I was 300 lbs and trying to lose weight. HARD! I can eat a lot more than I could 6 months ago. I knw I can tolerate the bad stuff, therefore I occasionally partake. I know I need to limit my "bad" days and stick to a work out plan but...I still hate the gym. I deal with these insecurities that I think are making me sabotage myself. Example...I tell myself Im going to fail anyways so why bother working so hard?? Horrible thoughts. I have a rational side that knows this is within my control to make sure I do not fail...but I have that dumb voice in my head always telling me Im not good enough.

I think I need therapy. Good God!!

Sorry I strayed from the topic a little. I just want to know; has anyone had a month or 2 (or 4) where they kind of slacked off, came back into it, and saw some great results???

Thanks All

Ali

MustangAli,

Firstly congrats on losing soooo much! 100lb is an amazing achievement and you've maintained it whilst 'on a break'! That is also an achievement.

I don't think you are a failure... infact the opposite...a huge (well smaller version of you) success!

Now, the final stretch is here... 35lbs or there-abouts to go.

I really do think that you can get back on the wagon as such and do it. You have an amazing tool and a brilliant track record to prove it. After a little while of not worrying about food, perhaps you are ready to go back to basics and focus on the finishing line. Really, at 8mths out it is doable.

Try to refocus... sounds like you have similar head demons to me... that constant inner voice that is mean and horrible! Tell it to bugger off...

Focus on dense protien first, then the veggies... give yourself little goals and rewards to help the focus. If you don't want to do it 24-7 tell yourself Mon-Fri is when you are focused and relax on the weekends?

I am 15mths out now and 'still' not at goal... I am losing sooooo slowly now it is painful, but I refuse to give up. I want to reach my surgeon's goal at least!

Good luck on the final stretch and let me know how you are doing...

My surgeon said the optimal window for optimal weight loss is 18 months. You have a long way to go before you should begin to think you're done!! You do need to focus on protein first, get in your water, and exercise can only help. You can SO do this!!

Thank you for your kind words and your encouragement! I will definitely keep you posted. And yes, I think I will look into therapy cause my self esteem is critically low.

Great post Thank you Ali!!!

I am looking at 9 1/2 months post op right now... and was doing fairly well, until the last month... NO loss at all.. my scale has been bouncing around the same 5 pounds for the past 4 weeks, it is so extremely frustrating.

I feel I am still doing good on food choices, however, I have fallen off track totally on the excersise - the treadmill and I are no longer friends! I also have started socializing more, going out on the weekends and drinking diet 7-up & flavored vodka..... ugh...

Ali,,, a lot of what you said I too can totally relate to... so thank you to all the other posts - I was worried I have maxed out my weight loss... I just need to suck it up and get focused again...

Well put Coops! I am only 4 and 1/2 months out but this is a great post Ali and great responses!!! I'm guessing we will all get to a spot like this at some point in our journey. It really is work and NOT the easy way out. I really appreciate all the thougthful responses and Ali, I appreciate you putting this out there. BTW, as Coops said, (and others too), you've done a great job. Congratulations!!!!!! You'll get the rest off!!!!

MustangAli,

Firstly congrats on losing soooo much! 100lb is an amazing achievement and you've maintained it whilst 'on a break'! That is also an achievement.

I don't think you are a failure... infact the opposite...a huge (well smaller version of you) success!

Now, the final stretch is here... 35lbs or there-abouts to go.

I really do think that you can get back on the wagon as such and do it. You have an amazing tool and a brilliant track record to prove it. After a little while of not worrying about food, perhaps you are ready to go back to basics and focus on the finishing line. Really, at 8mths out it is doable.

Try to refocus... sounds like you have similar head demons to me... that constant inner voice that is mean and horrible! Tell it to bugger off...

Focus on dense protien first, then the veggies... give yourself little goals and rewards to help the focus. If you don't want to do it 24-7 tell yourself Mon-Fri is when you are focused and relax on the weekends?

I am 15mths out now and 'still' not at goal... I am losing sooooo slowly now it is painful, but I refuse to give up. I want to reach my surgeon's goal at least!

Good luck on the final stretch and let me know how you are doing...

Ali!!!

It is never too late to start over again (that goes for the Sleeve, life, love, work etc). You can do this. In fact, your post inspired me

Keep us updated and good luck - you got this!

Never too late as long as you are still alive. Please don't give up.

Dear Ali,

No. It's NEVER TOO LATE. I personally refuse to think of my sleeve journey as having some type of "expiration date" attached to it... I had my stomach permanently removed. My stomach will forever only be able to hold so much... so it's forever! I don't care what anyone else tells me, I will have to work and use my tool for the rest of my life to keep from gaining my weight back. If I feel at any point that I want to lose weight, my tool will still be sitting there waiting to help.

However, my BIGGEST tool I have is my spirit. Without that, nothing's getting done.

As far as the gym goes, if you hate it - why do you have it? You should find some type of physical activity that you do enjoy and that you would look forward to doing. I personally love just putting on my headphones and listening to music and feeling inspired. I have all my workout equipment at home and I really do get up very early and do them, no iffs, ands, and no BUTTS... LOL Before I know it my 10 miles are complete and I can focus on the rest of my day. I love the energy my workouts give me and immediately keeps me on the right track.

All the very best to you. YOU can do this... but no one else can do this for YOU. If you have to, yes go speak to someone. Nothing wrong with asking for help if you need it. Just getting to this conclusion is a good thing, and I'm very positive your outcome WILL be what you set it to be!!!

CONGRATS on losing 100lbs! I think that's awesome!

In my opinion, I don't think it's every too late. You've worked too hard to just decide to give up. Everybody had or will have a time when they indulge. You've done it, it's over and now it's time to get on the ball. You already have the tool and you know what you have to do - Protein, Water, Vitamins, exercise -- not necessarily in the gym -- and enjoy the results of your hard work and dedication. Before you know it you will be at goal!

Be encouraged!

Niki

Hey Ali,

Don't get down on yourself. I completely understand where you are coming from. I'm also eight months out. Months 6 & 7 the weightloss slowed way down because I had slowly slipped into eating way more carbs than I should have been. I then went on a vacation where I kind of went hog-wild with the beer & chocolate. I wanted to enjoy myself, but at the same time, I could feel that crazy urge to eat crap overtaking me, just like it used to do pre-sleeve. That freaked me out! I hadn't actually gained back any weight, but I felt like I was at the cross-roads where I either made a choice to succeed or to just say I'm okay with where I'm at, and not lose that last 35 pounds.

The day I got back from vacation, I decided to do the Atkins induction phase (super-low carb it) for 2 weeks, just to get myself back on track. I dropped 5 pounds the first week. I'm into the second week & I no longer have the urge to eat the crap foods I was slipping back into. I feel back in control & like the weightloss journey is not over. I'm certain I'm going to lose the last 30 pounds. YOU CAN DO IT! Just refocus yourself. We are running a marathon here & are about 3/4 of the way through. Don't give up on yourself now!

Krista

Reading all of your replies made me cry. You all are so amazing and I dont know what I would do if I didnt have this website to turn to. I often feel so alone! Its terrible. I will try to get back to you all one by one because each post really hit me in a different way. Thank you all again so much.

Hey there sleeve buddy Ali, I think we were only a day apart with dr. Rod, so I've always followed your journey. Congrats on 100 lbs!!! I'm so close behind you : )

I think that as long as you can get your head in the right place, our lovely little stomaches will just follow along.

So what? You've taken a little time off your plan.... Just jump back on the band wagon. I had some time there of slowed loss. But I also found that as soon as I started tracking my food again it got way better.

Keep your head held high and believe in yourself!!!

Cheers ; )