So I have done exceptionally well in the past with my weight loss. I was banded in May 2010 and proceeded to lose about 120 pounds. I was eating right, exercising minimum 5 days a week. I even ran a 10K! Then last January I got a bad ankle injury and was in a boot for 3 months and then had to go to Physical Therapy for another 3 months. My exercise took a huge hit and that one injury completely derailed me .... physically and emotionally! I ended up getting depressed and gained 20 pounds last year and I am PISSED at myself!

So here I am, a year later, still clawing my way to find my motivation and get back on track. Its funny how I KNOW what I have to do but end up doing what feels COMFORTABLE....I tell myself the same stupid things I told myself before I got banded:

- "Its ok if you don't want to go to the gym today, you are super busy with other things"

- "You had a rough day, that extra (whatever) will make you feel better"

- "You can start fresh tomorrow"....

- yada, yada, yada.......

I am fortunate that I didn't gain back more weight but I feel every single one of those 20 pounds on my body and soul....and I DON'T LIKE IT! So I am going to stand in the uncomfortable truth that I have choices every moment of every day. I can choose to get up and get my workouts in (and not scroll through facebook for 1/2 hour). I can choose to not put extra things on my salad that would raise the calorie count. I can choose to weight, measure and track my food on myfitnesspal app. I can choose to get my Water in.

So here is the manta I need to keep telling myself to get me through this tough part of getting back on track: I owe no one anything. I don't owe any apologies for gaining weight. I don't have to feel shame for gaining weight, it happened. It is in the past and now IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD.

That old "stinkin' thinkin'" has to go! Time to get back to who I was, who I am meant to be!

Stay strong everyone and I will do the same!

Great post.

You look very healthy!Seems like you have all the info you need to be who you are.

You may not like those 20 lbs, but it certainly is not as noticeable as you might feel it is, imho . Especially compared to the old you people knew at 100 lbs more!

People do go up a bit and down a bit in different phases of life ( and WLS)

You might have to learn to adjust to you with 20 lbs. don't know if that is acceptable to you.

I'm saying this as another banded veteran who has fooled with 15 lbs up and down. Yes I like the down part, and I'm disappointed sometimes with the up part, but it is ALL better than where I started at 250+.

I sometimes forget years later how uncomfortable I was pre WLS. I'm thankful for something that got me off the yoyo of dieting and always gaining before changing my life.

Just my perspective [emoji171]

And yes there are weeks I struggle and there are easy ones.