I'm 7 months out from my gastric sleeve and have exceeded my weight loss goal. I'm down to around 169-170 lbs from 278, a "normal" BMI and thrilled with my results. I get praised all the time about "how great I look", and how I just keep getting smaller (I'm still a size 10--but tiny compared to the size 20 I started at). Confession time: over the last 2 months my diet Dr Pepper habit has come back with a vengeance, and along with it has come "little bits" here and there of sugar and junk food. Instead of 80 oz of water per day, I've been drinking about 36 oz of soda...and 20 oz of water at the gym. Now those little tastes of junk food are becoming a daily occurrence. For a while I've been living in denial, thinking I could get away with this behavior because I haven't gained weight. The truth is, I'm lying to myself and setting myself up for failure. My story feels similar to a lot of others I've read on here, only at least I have the benefit that hopefully I've caught and can curb this behavior before the weight starts to slide back on. I'm terrified I will gain all the weight back. So this is me and my confession, on day 1 of sugar and diet soda detox again. I realize now more than ever that the sleeve is wonderful, but if I can't permanently change my habits, the sleeve isn't going to help me in the long term.

Fast food restaurants have Water...

But my evil companions made me drink it.

Darn them! I had a total image of you being laid out across the back seat of the car on this road trip, being waterboarded with diet coke.

I have a co-worker who had gastric bypass in 2009 and she drinks soda occasionally and told me it was fine. She has maintained her loss (she's actually a size 2), and I fell into the trap of thinking "if she can do it, why can't i"? Difference is she might have 1/2 can of Diet Coke every 2 weeks, whereas I slid right back into my old routine quickly. I just love the taste, and the carbonation. Today is day 2 clean and "sober" off the diet dr. Pepper!

I wish I could say she tied me down and water boarded me, but I made my own choices!

One day, ugh one meal, at a time. You can do this. Thanks for sharing.

Boy can I relate to this! I was sleeved in June lost close to 70 lbs by Dec. and then the holidays wrapped their evil grip around me and I cannot stop eating all kinds of things line cookies, candy, etc. it all goes down fine! And it evolved to grazing all day on crackers, chips, pretzels, candy and anything I can find, I can't eat a big meal but I can eat lots of bad things little by little. I've already gained back almost 10 pounds since Dec. what is wrong with me? How do you cope with head hunger, stress eating and making poor choices. I am disgusted...and I can't turn it around. I still have 20 pounds to goal (well now 30!) is food addiction that powerful or am I just weak. I'm feeling like a failure.☹️

Boy can I relate to this! I was sleeved in June lost close to 70 lbs by Dec. and then the holidays wrapped their evil grip around me and I cannot stop eating all kinds of things line Cookies, candy, etc. it all goes down fine! And it evolved to grazing all day on crackers, chips, pretzels, candy and anything I can find, I can't eat a big meal but I can eat lots of bad things little by little. I've already gained back almost 10 pounds since Dec. what is wrong with me? How do you cope with head hunger, stress eating and making poor choices. I am disgusted...and I can't turn it around. I still have 20 pounds to goal (well now 30!) is food addiction that powerful or am I just weak. I'm feeling like a failure.☹️

It's hard. I've been stalled but it's my own fault because those slider foods have creeped back in. Are you talking to anyone? A therapist? I have to go back to basics. I didn't come this Fargo blow it. Purge your house of the junk, get active and Protein first.....I am also going back to tracking to be accountable. Best of luck...you can do it.

I agree.

Have you talked to your NUT about maintenance strategies?

Do you have a therapist?

Are you attending bariatric support group or recovery meetings (like OA)?

I fully anticipate that WHEN I get to maintenance that it may be just as challenging as weight loss but in different ways.

Best of luck and keep us posted on how you are doing.