Okay so my first year was phenomenal! I did so good! And this past year? Well... not so much. My loss slowed around the end of last year and continued to be slow/creeping for the first couple of months. Chalk it up to holidays, the stress after a move, poor planning, it wasn't a great time. And I should have followed that up with renewed vigor, but instead I re-introduced two things into my life that has made this year, frankly?, a complete waste!

1. Carbs! I started re-introducing them back in February. Just a little at first. But what was an occasional thing turned into an every day thing, turned into an (almost) every meal thing, turned into an (almost) every meal/every snack thing. It's a slippery slope. And the worst part about this is that I don't even enjoy them that much! They're just convenient and EVERYWHERE.

2. Snacking. Before I was mostly doing the strict 5-6 meals/snacks per day. It would occasionally deviate, but for the most part, that was my mainstay. After introducing carbs, the desire to snack became so much stronger. The more carbs I ate, the more I snacked, the more I snacked, the more I ate carbs. It was just a gross gigantic avalanche of snacking/carbing.

3. Facebook! Can I blame the fact that I re-introduced Facebook on this? I recently read (a real article, though I can't remember the name of the publication at the moment! I THINK it was NYT.) that surveys suggest that Facebook takes up more of our time than exercising, reading, and socializing per day COMBINED. COMBINED. That's... INSANE. To know that I've wasted good quality exercising (and reading!) time on Facebook (which I don't even really LIKE, which is why I avoided it for SO LONG.) is mind boggling to me. I haven't deleted the app from my phone yet, but I'm doing it tonight! I'll keep messenger because for some reason people prefer that to texting these days. STILL. This is unacceptable in my world view. How did I allow this to happen?

I have not technically gained weight this year because I looked back and I'm around the same I was this time last year. So that's... something? But with gains and losses, I did gain back about 25 lbs. You could say ALMOST 30, but the only reason I ever dipped that low was because I had mycoplasma pneumonia (the one with gastrointestinal symptoms) for 2 weeks in the middle of the year. Apart from that one week period where I had lost weight because of Illness, I'd been hovering at about 255 for a pretty long time this year. Then, when I stepped on the scale one week ago I was shocked to discover that I was weighing in at 278.5. 23 and half pounds higher than my (non-pnuemonia-induced) lowest weight!

The little progress that I did make this year, just kept being erased by my poor choices! I hadn't stepped on a scale since I'd been sick. I was in deep denial!

I immediately joined a dietbet (which I'm going to lose because I'm losing too quickly!) and started eating right again. No carbs, veggies, Protein (at least 70/day), getting in my fluids, only eating 5/6 times/day. I began losing weight so rapidly that I couldn't believe it. Still can't. That was Dec 1st. When I weighed myself this morning. I'd already lost 12 lbs! This is TWO YEARS out from surgery. I haven't had ANY TIME this week to exercise (though I do babysit after work so I usually get all my steps in.) This tool still works! It still does EXACTLY what it's designed to do! And the REALLY remarkable part of this? Half way into this week, my dentist had to prescribe me an antibiotic AND a steroid. A steroid! Yet I still managed to lose 12 lbs. I feel like I JUST had surgery. These are astonishing numbers even if it's mostly Water weight. Even if I'd just lost 6/5 lbs this week I would have been astounded. 12 is beyond anything I ever expected.

Some things I've noticed this week:

1. I still don't miss carbs (much!)

It's hard to step away. But honestly? I just feel so dissatisfied with what I'm eating when I'm eating carbs. I've always been more of a meat and veggie girl. Carbs are just so abundant, so easily accessible and convenient, and so weirdly addictive even if you don't really love them, that it's just a habit I fall into that is almost exclusively environmental. I just need to REMEMBER that I control my own "food environment" if I make the time to plan!

2. I have to remember to take my Vitamins.

I still have them, I just have lapsed in taking them. Now that I really need them again, it's more important to remember!

3. I am going to the bathroom very infrequently, much like I did the first year post-surgery.

4. My capacity really is not as high as I feared.

When you nibble, stretch out your meals into long social affairs, snack frequently, eat slider foods, it can really be a bit of a mind trick. You start to believe that you can still eat like you used to. But you can't, you're just adapting what you CAN do, to what you WANT to do. If you want to eat more, you'll make it happen. You have to MAKE YOURSELF use your tool the way it was intended.

If I eat good quality veggies and protein, eat from start to finish (no stopping to chat OR BROWSE FACEBOOK for ten minutes in between bites!), I can still only eat ABOUT a solid cup of food before I'm comfortably full. Might take a few extra bites to make me UNCOMFORTABLY full depending on what the food is. I made a double-batch of Skinnytaste's Stuffed Pepper Soup (without rice) last week. Which is not very brothy and more like a stew. Yesterday I had a cup of that for lunch. (my ladle measures exactly one cup). By the time I finished the cup, I was UNCOMFORTABLY full. I actually should have stopped a few bites before I finished. Because it was stew-like, it was way more dense. For dinner today I had about 2 ounces of roasted chicken breast (which doesn't equal a half cup if you cut it up in chunks), about a half a cup of sauteed brussels sprouts, and a little less than a tablespoon full of homemade pimento cheese melted over the top. I was perfectly full by the time I was done. Not too full. Not still hungry. Just right.

5. I'm worried this will not last. I don't mean I'm worried I will fail again. I'm sure I will and I have a plan for that. (Get back on that horse, not 10 months later, but two minutes later!, etc.) I'm worried that I'll somehow do the same thing I did this week and for some reason I won't lose. I think I told myself for a long time this year that it wasn't ME and MY CHOICES that were causing me not to lose. It was something else. So I just have to remember that I am in control and I think these worries will go away. I'm really excited to get back to the gym too. Babysteps!

I'm so thrilled at this NEW START. I wonder if anyone else is in the same boat I am, or is in the same boat I was a week ago? Has anyone had long-term success with a re-start? After a period of not losing or a period of slight re-gain? What are you doing? What's working? What's not? How did you "re-boot?" Did you do the pouch test? What warnings do you have? Etc?

I feel like a newbie. It feels kind of good!

After a couple of years are you able to eat regularly again? Like full meals like before?

No, certainly not. Depending on the density/consistency of what I'm eating I'd say my max is 1.5 cups but typical "satisfied" fullness occurs way closer to 1 cup, sometimes a bit under that depending. If I'm eating carbs and slider foods that is wildly different for sure. But veggies/meat or even fruits? Definitely still baby plates!

@@heynowkc

Thank you for your awesome, honest and informative posts!

I agree that today's social media steals so much time .... far too much. Hence I eased off FB a lot, otherwise 2-3 hours are easily lost and gone....

Glad you are back on track, and losing again.

Carbs and sugar are evil, yet so addictive. Yes, it is a life-long journey ....

One step at a time, one day at a time, one mouthful or Not at a time .....

Congratulations!

Please keep us posted.

@@Sai Thank you Sai!

@@heynowkc

Thanks so much for sharing your story. Carbs are nasty little buggers and everytime i fall off and let them back into my life, I gain.

Your story is inspiring and educational. I am so glad you have been able to get back on the plan.

I have read that the tool is always there and it is nice to know that it is from your experience.

Over the last 10 months I have worried that I was blowing it. In those moments when I was being honest with myself, I truly worried. I think I could tell that it was still there, was still "functioning" (though not "working" in a sense! hah!) But it's nice to see proof of that!

@@heynowkc

Thank you for your awesome, honest and informative posts!

I agree that today's social media steals so much time .... far too much. Hence I eased off FB a lot, otherwise 2-3 hours are easily lost and gone....

Glad you are back on track, and losing again.

Carbs and sugar are evil, yet so addictive. Yes, it is a life-long journey ....

One step at a time, one day at a time, one mouthful or Not at a time .....

Congratulations!

Please keep us posted.

I really do feel easing off social media will give me hours of time in my week for meal-planning, meal-prepping, and exercising. I'm hoping so anyway! I think what I'll do is give myself a limit. Like a certain time of day and span of time (30 minutes? 15?) when I can check my account, and after that, too bad, wait until tomorrow! Life is too short!

Some before and "during" photos!

Left is about 2 weeks ago, mid-Nov 2016. Right is late Oct 2014, about 483 in that pic. Almost 10 lbs down from highest weight!

Just some face comparisons.

Edited December 9, 20169 yr by heynowkc

Heynowkc, thanks for your post. I am only 8 months out from surgery. I've lost 50 lbs, but I haven't been able to budge beyond that. I was doing really well, then bam! The weight loss stopped. Now with that said, I am a diabetic, and I am still on some insulin. I'm wondering if my insulin is causing me to not lose further, or if I am just eating too much. I am very deflated to learn that I can actually eat crackers, pretzels, potato chips without getting sick, and I can eat what seems to be quite a bit at one time. Candy also has snuck its way back into my life. The candy (chocolates) will cause me to have a lot of gas and have a lot of bowel movements. It is very tough around the holidays right now. I know I need to get back on track, because I'd really love to lose another 50-75 pounds. I would probably be able to come off the insulin if I can just achieve that goal. I've been very worried about eating beyond that 1 cup at each meal and stretching my pouch. You have definitely inspired me to really get back to the program and truly watch what I am eating and get back to the gym! Thank you.

Hon, insulin makes it harder to lose weight but...I don't want to sound mean, You are letting those things come between you and your goal. It isn't that you can never have those foods, My Surgeon and my Nutritionist both told me before my RNY that there are NO FORBIDDEN FOODS!! In time you can eat them but we have to learn to eat things in MODERATION! After you are at maintenance have some but only in moderation. Now I'm not saying that this is what your Surgeon's guidelines are but this is what my Surgeon has told me. Every Dr. has their own views on their programs. Good Luck

Hon, insulin makes it harder to lose weight but...I don't want to sound mean, You are letting those things come between you and your goal. It isn't that you can never have those foods, My Surgeon and my Nutritionist both told me before my RNY that there are NO FORBIDDEN FOODS!! In time you can eat them but we have to learn to eat things in MODERATION! After you are at maintenance have some but only in moderation. Now I'm not saying that this is what your Surgeon's guidelines are but this is what my Surgeon has told me. Every Dr. has their own views on their programs. Good Luck

Shedo82773, you are right. There are no forbidden foods; I've just found out sooner than I probably should have that this stuff is tolerable to a degree. I'm not necessarily eating this stuff in excess, but probably not in what the definition of "moderation" would be. I just have to get that stuff out of my life and forget about it. Even in maintenance. I'm sure my surgeon would not approve. I see my endo doc at the end of the month. I will talk to her about all this but I know what I have to do. Thanks for being honest with me. I appreciate it.

Good for you!

Sent from my LG-K428 using the BariatricPal App

@@heynowkc

You look amazing!!!! An inspiration you are for sure, thank you.

@@Renkoss I have no experience with blood sugar issues or insulin so I was unaware that it effects weight loss. Sorry that you're having to deal with that! It's really easy to let this get you down, but you have keep doing what you know will get you to your goal in the end. Trust me, I have been talking myself into making all the wrong decisions ALL YEAR LONG. I am a pro at letting my excuses get in the way of my goals. I know you can do it! YOU HAVE to be able to do it because I HAVE to be able to do it! We are in this together!

@@LisaLouBop Thank you so much! I can't mourn this past year. I look how far I've come and it feels really easy to be upset that I've wasted even more time. And as true as my regrets are, I have to move forward. Onward and upward. (Or, y'know... downward.)

@@heynowkc, I know I can do this, as well as you CAN do this too! We've been given the tool needed to decrease; the rest is up to us. I'm very displeased with myself for being so weak, but you know what, I quit smoking almost 3 years ago and if I can do that, I can definitely do this. Smoking was a huge part of my life. Everything revolved around my next smoke. I put them down and never looked back. That's what I have to do with this too. I'm going to start measuring my food and really paying attention to feeling full.

I'm stronger than weaker, and I'm going to do this!

One of the things i learned over the years..... NEVER reward yourself with any kind of food... Make your rewards a true reward.... Food is never going to make it better, only worse. I had to learn that the hard way.

Your amazing! Your article is a must read for EVERYONE.
I'm 9 months out. I've already started sneaking in a bite of this or that (mostly a bite of a cherry pie, those little ones frosted) at least once a week...for a reward. Haven't gained yet but, have been having a month long stall. 168 one day and 170 the next. Frustrated because just like you, I've been going through a move, holidays, stress (I have multiple sclerosis) it's so cold, below zero. I need to exercise. I mean walk. I'm doing exercises to firm, that's it.
Thank you for your post.
Good luck to you and best wishes!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using the BariatricPal App

I'm not a rich/wealthy person... farrrrr from it. so for some other rewards... I went to Thrift stores and bought a pair of pants or shirt when i lost 5-10lbs.... or something like a new lipstick. On big goals... i treated myself to a pedi... or a new hair cut...

I've heard people put in $1 in a jar for every lb lost... at the end of a year they treated them self to a message...or something. If they gained they took it out and put it in another jar till they lost it again and put it back.

Anyway.... it's a thought.

@heynowkc........... Wow!! you lost almost 230lbs. what an amazing accomplishment. You look wonderful. Love your post. We all fall into some bad behaviors, but what's most important is that we realize that they are bad. The first step in correcting a bad behavior is acknowledging that there is one. Only then can we begin to correct it.

When i couldn't fit into my favorite jeans the summer of 2014, i said.... OH HELL NO. No way am i going back. I worked too hard and gave up too much to go backwards. I stopped all the carbs i knew i was eating that was bad. Remembered that i can't eat what i don't buy.... i don't even go down the ice cream or chip isle (unless the grandkids are with me). Then i just send them down to get what and have them bring it back.

You seam like you are on the right track.... Keep up the great job....

Chris

I've heard people put in $1 in a jar for every lb lost... at the end of a year they treated them self to a message...or something. If they gained they took it out and put it in another jar till they lost it again and put it back.

Anyway.... it's a thought.

Love this! I should start this with my reboot. Haven't weighed in few days. The steroids were catching up with me but I finished them yesterday. Hopefully any Water retention will subside before I weigh in tomorrow. I try to weigh in every Weds at the very least when I am in the habit of weighing. We shall see!

Thank heavens for threads like this one. I'm right on board. Bloody carbs! The invention of the Devil. They are so easy to eat and to be honest I find them very yummy!!! However, my new wardrobe and accompanying new found confidence are worth more than a a dollop of those horrors. I am 15 months out from my sleeve surgery and for the first time I've been complacent and a couple of lbs have crept on. Back to basics for me so no more dipping into the Christmas chocolates that are there for guests. I now have a mountain of oranges and clementines to satisfy my sweet tooth. I'm also upping my Water intake which had slipped a bit.

Reading these posts has given me the required kick up my arse that I needed. Thank you guys x

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App