I have been stuck at 200 for over a month now. I tried rationalizing the my %body fat was in the healthy range at 25%. But I have to face up to facts: the carb monkey is back on my back.

It started a few months ago. I was so tired at work and iced tea was not helping. So I went to my standby diet Mt. Dew which is akin to drinking piss. I finally caved and started buying 20oz regular Mt. Dew to get me though the afternoon. And one per day led to two per day. I was buying them at work at twice the cost of getting a six-pack of 24oz bottles. You see where this is going. I am back to a two a day habit even on weekends. This and overeating are what made me morbidly obese in the first place.

So I have tried budging the weight down by walking at least 30 minutes per day on my lunch hour. I also started taking sublingual B12 tables after I finished out the non disolvable ones. It seems to help. I don't feel like I need to extra kick of sugar and caffeine to get me through the afternoon.

So starting today I am kicking this money off my back and getting back on track to goal!

Go ahead and tell me what a backslider I have been.

I am only 8 days post-op so I don't have any Sleeve-specific advice. I have had to deal with addiction to certain foods / drinks in the past too and can offer a little advice on what worked for me.

I always had to have a 20 oz Sunkist in my hand. No matter what, I had one. Once I realized that I really needed to get off of it, I started brainstorming. I tried just buying a limited amount, hiding them, leaving them at home, denying myself, etc. None of these things worked for me but the one thing that did work was to dilute them.

I would drink a few swallows and then add back that much ice or Water. By the time you get about half way done, it doesn't taste good any more. So then my option was to put a dollar or two in the trash or finish the diluted product. I eventually got to where half water and half soda was palatable. So then I started diluting it more. You get it. Eventually, the thought of having water with a few caps of Sunkist added to it was no longer appealing so I just drank water.

Good luck,

Shae

You are already back on track by coming here and posting and making yourself accountable. You can do this, look how far you've come!! And you are very close to reaching your goal!! I used to be so addicted to Mt Dew, but I kicked the habit of them months before surgery. I love the Lipton Diet Green Tea Citrus now, almost as much as Mt Dews. Good luck!!

Like so many before have said.... Your sleeve is a tool - they do surgery on our stomachs, not our brains!!!

It sounds like you are getting back on track.

My only other suggestion is to get into the doctors and get blood work done. Its great that you are hitting the B12 and even better that its helping BUT there could be other issues too!

Lacking B1 or other hormone issues (thyroid) could be really hitting you hard. Have your doctor check them out and make sure that you don't need some other supplements!

Hi Patrick, your getting back on track and your almost to your goal and that's great. Honestly I have a couple cups of coffee a day without sugar, I don't think anything is wrong with a little caffine.

I also think I have a sugar addiction, it has really slowed my weight loss. I don't have much interest in regular food, so its easy to stick to the Protein first. But I need chocolate every day, its like the only thing that I really enjoy eating. I haven't had any sweets for a few day and I'm really craving it. I'm wondering about the B12, does that really help? I know I won't have any self control after Holloween.

Good luck

Hi Patrick, your getting back on track and your almost to your goal and that's great. Honestly I have a couple cups of coffee a day without sugar, I don't think anything is wrong with a little caffine.

I also think I have a sugar addiction, it has really slowed my weight loss. I don't have much interest in regular food, so its easy to stick to the Protein first. But I need chocolate every day, its like the only thing that I really enjoy eating. I haven't had any sweets for a few day and I'm really craving it. I'm wondering about the B12, does that really help? I know I won't have any self control after Holloween.

Good luck

I certainly have not kicked the caffeine habit. I drink two quarts (64 oz) of iced tea per day. Falling back on Mt Dew to get the extra sugar kick.

The extra energy might just be from the walking. However I switched from B12 in a pill form to one that dissolves in your mouth. Since our stomachs have been reduced we can't absorb as much B12 in the stomach and need to absorb as much as possible in the mouth.

Have you thought about taking Caffeine pills? As a way to slowly reduce the amount you are taking? I found some "Tension Headache" pills the other day and they are acetaminophen and caffeine. They help! (or do you really want the sugar??)

Have you thought about taking Caffeine pills? As a way to slowly reduce the amount you are taking? I found some "Tension Headache" pills the other day and they are acetaminophen and caffeine. They help! (or do you really want the sugar??)

I am happy to say that I have kicked the sugar monkey off my back for a week now. As for caffeine I get that from iced tea. Before I started the sublingual B12 and the walks at lunch, the caffeine was not enough. Now it is.

Hi Patrick, good for you for kicking your sugar habit, not to sound like a pain but did the B12 you think worked or did you do somthing else? I keep struggling with the sweets, which is not good since it was just Halloween and other holidays coming up. Other than needing a piece of chocolate, I do good with my carbs and protein. I'm looking for a magic answer that will help me, lol. Thanks Janine