I think I definitely need veteran advice & ideas of how to restart weight loss. I was sleeved 11/27/12. So, I am now a little over a year out. The first 6 months I did awesome. Lost weight like gang busters. 101 lbs. in 6 months. Then the next 6 months I lost 19 & then gained 10. So, I'm 13 months out, now 110 down with 130 or so MORE to go. *SIGH*

I know this surgery was not a magic cure. I know that there are things that I should be doing that I'm not (counting my grams of Protein, drinking Water, exercising). It's like I totally lost momentum & I am so depressed about it. I am a vegetarian so the protein part has always been hard for me. I think it was at about the 6 month mark that my sleeve was able to handle about anything. It's easier & tastier to eat Pasta than tofu over & over.

Has anyone else gone through something similar or know someone who has? I feel like I probably need to go back to water & Protein shakes for a couple of weeks (as much as I loathe the thought of protein shakes) & try to "reset" my body. It is definitely used to simple carbs & sugar again. I dread going through the withdrawal.

I am also struggling with my self-esteem. How could I screw this up? I was given a second chance to live a healthy life & I'm not doing it right. I was feeling resentful that my diet has to be so different. I think that I thought that I would be able to eat "normal" food, but in smaller portions. It really looks like I will always have to eat fairly "clean" & the sleeve helps with portion sizes of those foods.

Yes, I want to be a healthy weight. Yes, I want to feel better. Yes, I want a lot of things. I am just having a REALLY hard time getting back on track. I just got engaged on New Year's Eve. We are going to get married in the Fall. I can't help but thinking that if I had been on track this whole time that I would have been healthy on my wedding day. Now I'll be fighting the world of plus size bridal gowns. I'm not giving up. I just don't know how to pick myself up & move on.

I find that my motivation needs regular "care and feeding" - going to a bridal show sounds like an excellent way to get your head in the right place! You've got a lifetime of healthy eating ahead of you with your soon-to-be husband, and this is a good time to get both of you on the right track.

Can you find some healthy treats that appeal to you more? I find that most of the time I can find low-carb, sugar-free substitutes that will make me happy without sucking me into the carb/sugar vortex (and I'm VERY prone to getting sucked in). I make no-flour, sugar-free oatmeal chocolate chip Cookies, that taste great, and I can make 6 and still have some left on the counter after a couple of weeks. I even found myself a sugar-free low-carb recipe for pecan pie at Christmas so I could enjoy some without getting off track. It's good enough even my husband will eat it! Those are still treats, and not necessarily low calorie, but they're things I can truly enjoy in moderation without ending up on a binge. Don't suffer with foods you don't enjoy, find some you DO. There are some great recipe sites out there.

I think we all go through a resentment period after the 6 month mark. We have been good for so long and the old habits want to creep back in. I too have been fighting the resentment. I haven't gained but my weight has slowed down drastically. I keep reminding myself that I really have to stay with this way of life because it is what my body responds to even though my mind wants to go another way. It sounds like you have started the path back to a clean way of living and if you stay with this wonderful group your support will be there. Thanks for posting your feelings because you are really voicing the same worries and concerns of many. It helps to hear others are struggling and working past it which in turns gives others like myself a stronger resolve. You can do this!! You have already lost a tremendous amount of weight and I know you will get past this!

Hi Escape_Pod. Can I have that no-flour, sugar-free oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Hi Escape_Pod. Can I have that no-flour, sugar-free oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe?

I did gain 4 pounds but Im almost a year out and I WAS only 5 pounds to goal but happened to gain 4 during holidays. Now is the time Im getting scared because to be perfectly honest I can eat whatever I want only small amounts but I went all Ozzy Osbourne ( off the rails in a crazy train) at Christmas. I know I need to amp up my healthy eating and walking cuz now the hard part begins. Keeping it off. I was cocky thinking it was so easy but now its 4 lbs and that can turn into 40.

I find that my motivation needs regular "care and feeding" - going to a bridal show sounds like an excellent way to get your head in the right place! You've got a lifetime of healthy eating ahead of you with your soon-to-be husband, and this is a good time to get both of you on the right track.

Can you find some healthy treats that appeal to you more? I find that most of the time I can find low-carb, sugar-free substitutes that will make me happy without sucking me into the carb/sugar vortex (and I'm VERY prone to getting sucked in). I make no-flour, sugar-free oatmeal chocolate chip Cookies, that taste great, and I can make 6 and still have some left on the counter after a couple of weeks. I even found myself a sugar-free low-carb recipe for pecan pie at Christmas so I could enjoy some without getting off track. It's good enough even my husband will eat it! Those are still treats, and not necessarily low calorie, but they're things I can truly enjoy in moderation without ending up on a binge. Don't suffer with foods you don't enjoy, find some you DO. There are some great recipe sites out there.

Can you share that no flour sugar free cookie recipe. Pretty please!

Good for you, SOS, you can do it!

I went off track, crashed and burned. I'm 2 years post op and up 25 lbs. Trying to get back on track. Its a process for sure. Just taking it a day at a time and trying to get back to the basics, which for some reason, are so easy the second time around. But I still persevere...

Hi Escape_Pod. Can I have that no-flour, sugar-free oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Hey, Brown, this one is so easy it's scary. PB cookies 1 cup truvia or stevia baking blend, 1 cup Reduced fat PB or what you have and one egg! Bale at 350 makes about 20 cookies! They are awesome.!

Edited January 15, 201412 yr by Georgia

Thanks! Cool gonna give it a try.

Well, I'm almost 2 weeks out from my original post & only down 3.2 lbs. At least it's in the right direction.

The trip to the bridal expo didn't do so much for my motivation. The wedding dress models looked like they were 16 & had bones jutting out. How sad. I don't want to have my bones jutting out, but it was discouraging nonetheless. I thought, "I will never find a dress that looks good on my monstrous, fat body". I am not very nice to myself sometimes.

Two days ago I actually went dress shopping. It was as insane as I imagined it to be. I actually did find a dress,though. I cried too. I felt beautiful, even at the size that I am now. I didn't expect to have that experience. The shop owner is wonderful & I know another sleever who went to the same shop & lost 90 lbs from dress purchase to wedding ate & they were able to alter it perfectly. I let them know my situation & made sure my dress could be taken in significantly.

So, now I have about 9 months until our wedding day. The past 2 weeks has been a jumble of efforts. Buying all healthy food & then feeling anxiety about having nothing to "snack on". Starting out the day well, but crashing & burning by the end of the day, That just leads to me beating myself up & more very mean self-talk.

I did join the Valentines Challenge. I think that my approach for now is going to be a little more simple. I was looking to just get back on track hard core & that's leading to failure & more negativity. For now I am going to concentrate on one thing at a time. Starting with Water. For a week I will get in ALL of my water every day starting today. (of course I will continue to try to incorporate healthy eating). Next week I will start tracking every bite I put in my mouth on My Fitness Pal & making sure my Protein intake is where it needs to be. The week after that I will add in activity. I see this approach working for me. Within a month I should be right on track.

Any thoughts on this approach or suggestions of what might be helpful in this slow & steady approach? Healthy snack ideas are always welcome. I still struggle with major carb/sugar cravings.

I feel like I'm heading down the right path. The scale is going down again. Even if it's in small increments. So, I'm just trying to keep calm & carry on!

Im glad you have a plan. I plan for an evening sweet snack (almost a meal really). Being able to look forward to that helps me say NO to other things that come up. I usually make a home made fat free chocolate pudding at night, with something extra, like a spoon of Peanut butter, or 1/3 cup of mini marshmallows... If your really have a breakdown about something like this, plan for it. I might even skip breakfast if the PM is when I really want to eat. I use MFP not just to count calories/protein,but to make a plan I can see right in front of me, that I will still be eating more later, deep breath, I will NOT starve. I also add in lots of veggies if I am feeling hungry after the protein. I make big pots of steaming veggie soup, low cal, adds water to my count, and gets me full and full of vitamins too! Just stay away from regular sugar and white carbs, they will just add to the feeling of hunger later. Glad you found a nice dress! Do you ever watch "Say Yes! to the dress"?

Hi Deedee

Here's how you get off the depression train. Jump off!! Don't let yourself continue to slip down that slope because the farther you fall, the longer the climb is back up. You say you've given yourself a second chance. Well now it's time for your third chance, fourth or fifth... whatever! The important rule here is to never EVER give up. The day you give up is the day you fail. Until you do that, keep it moving.

I can't really give any vegetarian idea advice but anything you have to do to kick start your new day is what you should do. Anything short of something unhealthy.

Best wishes on your upcoming nuptials!! Use that as your motivator to get back to it. I don't think there is anything wrong with having that proverbial carrot leading you in the right direction. Take care!

I think I definitely need veteran advice & ideas of how to restart weight loss. I was sleeved 11/27/12. So, I am now a little over a year out. The first 6 months I did awesome. Lost weight like gang busters. 101 lbs. in 6 months. Then the next 6 months I lost 19 & then gained 10. So, I'm 13 months out, now 110 down with 130 or so MORE to go. *SIGH*

I know this surgery was not a magic cure. I know that there are things that I should be doing that I'm not (counting my grams of Protein, drinking Water, exercising). It's like I totally lost momentum & I am so depressed about it. I am a vegetarian so the protein part has always been hard for me. I think it was at about the 6 month mark that my sleeve was able to handle about anything. It's easier & tastier to eat Pasta than tofu over & over.

Has anyone else gone through something similar or know someone who has? I feel like I probably need to go back to water & Protein shakes for a couple of weeks (as much as I loathe the thought of protein shakes) & try to "reset" my body. It is definitely used to simple carbs & sugar again. I dread going through the withdrawal.

I am also struggling with my self-esteem. How could I screw this up? I was given a second chance to live a healthy life & I'm not doing it right. I was feeling resentful that my diet has to be so different. I think that I thought that I would be able to eat "normal" food, but in smaller portions. It really looks like I will always have to eat fairly "clean" & the sleeve helps with portion sizes of those foods.

Yes, I want to be a healthy weight. Yes, I want to feel better. Yes, I want a lot of things. I am just having a REALLY hard time getting back on track. I just got engaged on New Year's Eve. We are going to get married in the Fall. I can't help but thinking that if I had been on track this whole time that I would have been healthy on my wedding day. Now I'll be fighting the world of plus size bridal gowns. I'm not giving up. I just don't know how to pick myself up & move on.

Whoops, sorry for the teaser with the cookie recipe! First, to give credit to the source, the original recipe came from Linda at EatingWellLivingThin -dot-wordpress-dot-com.

"just one" cookie:

1 tsp melted butter

1.5 tsp egg beaters

1.5 TB oatmeal (old fashioned or quick)

2 tsp Splenda (or other sugar alternative)

pinch of salt, cinnamon

drop of vanilla

Bake @ 350 8-10 minutes.

Her stats: 69 calories, 3g Protein, 5g fat, 3g net carb (2g fiber).

I often make triple the recipe, add some extras, and count it as 5 Cookies. Sometimes I substitute microwaved Peanut Butter for the butter, or half of the butter. Other times I add a tablespoon of PB2. I usually chop in a few pecans and add some mini sugar free chocolate chip cookies. So obviously all of that messes with the stats - do your own counting if you don't want to guestimate.

Search her site for the pb cookie too.

DeeDee, I'm sorry the bridal show wasn't wonderful, but it's wonderful you've found a dress you love that makes you feel beautiful! Maybe you could have the dress shop take a photo of you in it, and you can keep it as a reminder of what you're working toward?