Hello fellow DSers
I have recently gained a few lbs and I’m freaking out. About 10 since fall with about 5-6 in the past 2 weeks (due to a bed rest situation/no exercise situation from a non related medical procedure I think).

I am normally very active. I also do intermittent fasting. I work out about 2 hours a day 7 days a week with few exceptions. But to be honest I’m a terrible eater. I’m a sugar and carb addict and live my life a slave to my upset stomach (ds related)

Again to be honest that has worked for me 2 years out I’ve lost 100% of my excess weight but it’s not working anymore. I went from 283 to 138 and am now about 148.

How have you all handled these weight gains if you have had them? I’m afraid of the slippery slope. Should I go back to basics? Proteins and veggies? This is such a weird statement but I feel like the sugar is what has helped me get here bc I don’t keep the calories in (ya know) and I’m afraid to give it up. Any advise appreciated. TIA

03/27/2022 06:00 PM, onmyway11 said:

Hello fellow DSers

I have recently gained a few lbs and I’m freaking out. About 10 since fall with about 5-6 in the past 2 weeks (due to a bed rest situation/no exercise situation from a non related medical procedure I think).



I am normally very active. I also do intermittent fasting. I work out about 2 hours a day 7 days a week with few exceptions. But to be honest I’m a terrible eater. I’m a sugar and carb addict and live my life a slave to my upset stomach (ds related)



Again to be honest that has worked for me 2 years out I’ve lost 100% of my excess weight but it’s not working anymore. I went from 283 to 138 and am now about 148.



How have you all handled these weight gains if you have had them? I’m afraid of the slippery slope. Should I go back to basics? Proteins and veggies? This is such a weird statement but I feel like the sugar is what has helped me get here bc I don’t keep the calories in (ya know) and I’m afraid to give it up. Any advise appreciated. TIA

It’s hard to adjust your calories based on your activity. If you’ve been working out as you say, then you just need to eat slightly less than you would have typically for the days that you’re on bed rest. Push Water.

Oh, and maybe cut out the processed carbs. Go for complex carbs like sweet potatoes. And if you have to have processed, look for options with a high(er) fiber content. 

In many ways, changes like this are a great opportunity to reach out for help - friends, family, or better yet; a professional. Maybe it's time to look at the framework of your life and see how you can make it strong(er)?

At the end of the day, most of us know how to count calories. Most of us react too late to mental needs.

a 5-6 lb gain in two weeks is almost too much to be due to a decrease in exercise or increase in food - so I suspect at last some of that is either water or full intestines. If so, at least a couple of lbs of that should drop off within a couple of days. As for the rest - if you're no longer logging your food intake, I'd start with that to see what and how much you're taking in. I find that if I take in more than 1700 calories for more than a day or two, my weight starts heading up (and that number is going to be different for everyone depending on age, gender, activity level, etc...). I'm OK with calorie counting, but some people hate doing that. If you're one who doesn't like it, then I'd go back to eating like you were a few months after surgery (as in NOT all the way back to protein shakes and an obscenely low number of calories - but the whole spiel of eating protein first, then nonstarchy vegetables. And then, if you're still hungry, maybe a small serving of fruit or whole-grain carb).

losing weight can be a huge struggle once you're a few years out, but people do it...

I gained about 60 pounds back about 7 years out. It didn't happen all at once, but gradually over time. I had a couple of knee surgeries and I stopped exercising as much. Over the last 2 years my lifestyle changed again and I started moving more in general and walking with friends. I lost the 60 pounds I had put back and another ten pounds as well without really trying to lose weight.

You have to be gentle with yourself and forgive yourself if your weight fluctuates. We can be our own worst enemy if we beat ourselves up too much.

On 3/28/2022 at 10:28 AM, catwoman7 said:

a 5-6 lb gain in two weeks is almost too much to be due to a decrease in exercise or increase in food - so I suspect at last some of that is either Water or full intestines. If so, at least a couple of lbs of that should drop off within a couple of days. As for the rest - if you're no longer logging your food intake, I'd start with that to see what and how much you're taking in. I find that if I take in more than 1700 calories for more than a day or two, my weight starts heading up (and that number is going to be different for everyone depending on age, gender, activity level, etc...). I'm OK with calorie counting, but some people hate doing that. If you're one who doesn't like it, then I'd go back to eating like you were a few months after surgery (as in NOT all the way back to Protein Shakes and an obscenely low number of calories - but the whole spiel of eating Protein first, then nonstarchy vegetables. And then, if you're still hungry, maybe a small serving of fruit or whole-grain carb).

losing weight can be a huge struggle once you're a few years out, but people do it...

Curious if your doctor/nutritionist suggested 1700 calories or if you naturally got to that #? i am trying to get back to basics but never had a target number of calories as a guide. the focus of my dietician and surgeon was just for me to get enough protein in and to limit my refined carbs. the weight melted off the first few months (50% of my excess) til it no longer did.... i was content being at 215 lbs til it has impacted my fertility. now i'd like to drop another 50 lbs asap!! any advice is much appreciated.

10/13/2022 06:43 PM, stardust82 said:

Curious if your doctor/nutritionist suggested 1700 calories or if you naturally got to that #? i am trying to get back to basics but never had a target number of calories as a guide. the focus of my dietician and surgeon was just for me to get enough Protein in and to limit my refined carbs. the weight melted off the first few months (50% of my excess) til it no longer did.... i was content being at 215 lbs til it has impacted my fertility. now i'd like to drop another 50 lbs asap!! any advice is much appreciated.

I found out I was pregnant 5 months post op and after I had done a pouch reset period. I will say that I don’t believe the pouch reset actually resets the pouch, what it actually does it take you back to basics and allows you to re-harness good eating habits and reset your primary focus back to Protein.
I was trying to get past the 200lb mark when I did it and it worked. It broke the stall and kept me on a downward motion. And now I’m pregnant. Good luck! You can do it!!

I want to add, during the pouch reset and such, I was consuming less than 1,000 calories and ONLY focused on hitting those Protein goals. Aim for 60-80g Protein from low calorie liquid sources (to start) and you will have what you need in the short term. Now that I am pregnant, my nutritionist wants me eating 1500-1800 calories a day. I still focus on the protein first and then the calories. 

4 hours ago, LilaNicole20 said:

I found out I was pregnant 5 months post op and after I had done a pouch reset period. I will say that I don’t believe the pouch reset actually resets the pouch, what it actually does it take you back to basics and allows you to re-harness good eating habits and reset your primary focus back to Protein.
I was trying to get past the 200lb mark when I did it and it worked. It broke the stall and kept me on a downward motion. And now I’m pregnant. Good luck! You can do it!!

I want to add, during the pouch reset and such, I was consuming less than 1,000 calories and ONLY focused on hitting those Protein goals. Aim for 60-80g Protein from low calorie liquid sources (to start) and you will have what you need in the short term. Now that I am pregnant, my nutritionist wants me eating 1500-1800 calories a day. I still focus on the Protein first and then the calories.

This is awesome advice, thank you! I think I do need to more dramatically cut my caloric intake for sure, as I am basically able to eat normal sized meals now. I've easily been eating 1800-2000 calories a day and not losing at 215 lbs. I think I am losing a bit now as I have been exercising a lot more now but even still, my progress has been quite slow. I am going to take your suggestion and try to do protein shakes for the next few days and see if that helps with my stall! Thank you!

Feeling really discouraged today as I have my egg retrieval tomorrow and they said there only seems to be 2 follicles that are the right growth. 2 more (finally) started responding to the FSH & LH meds on day 13 but it was too late. As it was, they had predicted I would only get 4 eggs. I have another cycle planned at the end of November giving me about 6 weeks to lose weight. I was told that even a 5-10% loss of my weight (10-20 lbs) would improve my chances. It seems daunting to lose that much weight in 6 weeks though given that I have just managed to maintain for so many years rather than to lose.

I did the math and if I have been eating about 2000 calories and maintaining then I should be able to lose about 15 lbs by eating 800 calories/day for 45 days. If I continue to walk as I have been for the past month, I may be able to lose even more before starting the next round of injections. Someone tell me if this sounds crazy, please!

On 10/16/2022 at 9:59 AM, LilaNicole20 said:

I found out I was pregnant 5 months post op and after I had done a pouch reset period. I will say that I don’t believe the pouch reset actually resets the pouch, what it actually does it take you back to basics and allows you to re-harness good eating habits and reset your primary focus back to Protein.
I was trying to get past the 200lb mark when I did it and it worked. It broke the stall and kept me on a downward motion. And now I’m pregnant. Good luck! You can do it!!

I want to add, during the pouch reset and such, I was consuming less than 1,000 calories and ONLY focused on hitting those Protein goals. Aim for 60-80g Protein from low calorie liquid sources (to start) and you will have what you need in the short term. Now that I am pregnant, my nutritionist wants me eating 1500-1800 calories a day. I still focus on the Protein first and then the calories.

I re-read your post and am encouraged to hear that once you broke the 200 lb mark, you got pregnant. You are quite a bit taller than me though! So happy that your wish came true. It gives the rest of us some hope. ❤️