Calling all vets- need reset/regain help

[mi75 1,241]

Hi vets- It's been TEN years this year since I had my surgery. I hate that I'm writing this, realizing that I became the stereotypical regain person that I NEVER pictured I would be. I had so many life events- parent death, spouse job change, personal job change, night time job, kiddo diagnosed with severe anxiety/depression, etc etc and have had some regain.

Has anyone got a good 'recipe' for regain/reset? I've read multiple posts here from someone recommending 2 shakes plus 1 meal a day. Ideas?

Can anyone offer some wisdom to a failed sleever?

[Spinoza 1,526]

OK I am not a vet so feel free to ignore. Someone with much more experience will be along shortly and I too will be reading with interest.

If you could track what you're eating now, in an app of your choosing, then that might help A LOT. Know thine enemy and all that.

If I was in your shoes (and I may well be in a few years' time) then I think I would go back to Protein first at most meals. Loads of veggies first at at least one meal a day too - raw or cooked. Track all of your macros. Ditch ultra processed foods and refined carbs *completely* - they are nobody's friends.

For my own info please may I ask how long you maintained for following your sleeve and how quickly you regained when things got stressful?

[ShoppGirl 5,073]

I wasn’t able to take any of them because of my other meds but your team or your pcp may be able to prescribe meds if appropriate to help you. All of Spinozas advice is great but if you find that it isn’t working for you consider reaching out to your team for support. It may be a little easier to do all of her suggestions with the meds suppressing your appetite.

Edited April 4, 2024 by ShoppGirl

[Arabesque 7,612]

Life just throws it all at you some times & I’m sorry you’ve been through a lot.

Unfortunately the pouch reset is a fairy story/old wives’ tale. What needs to be reset is not your tummy but your head. Remember all that head work we had to do in the beginning? The stress, emotions & changes you’ve been experiencing has likely meant those old bad habits have snuck in again & you’ve been turning to food to comfort yourself. It’s easy to become complacent too. All completely understandable.

Don’t know if you were a food tracker or not, but tracking even for a couple of weeks like @Spinoza suggested will help you identify what you may need to adjust - food choices, Protein & fluid goals, portion sizes, nutrition. Then start by making one or two changes & another one or two a couple of weeks later. Small changes are easier to adopt & adapt to. Probably aim to get back to about where you were when your weight stabilised & how you initially maintained.

Maybe contact your nut/dietician to help you get back in the right mindset. Therapy may help you manage & better cope with the stress you’ve been experiencing too so you don’t turn to food.

You’ve been successful for ten years. You can do it again. All the best.

Edited April 5, 2024 by Arabesque

[Danpaul 44]

Since my surgery in 2017 I've lost my weight loss powers. I'm a mere mortal when it comes to weight loss. That being said I do the following:

1- Weekly weigh in and log it in 2- Stop eating at 7PM and start again at 7AM (I usually go to 9AM) 3- Eat the same thing every day. For me, Breakfast greek yogurt and hard boiled egg, cup of coffee lunch, tuna fish, sardines or salmon from a can (no additives such as mayo) dinner broiled or baked seafood with a salad. I will also eat a costco Protein Bar if I need it. 4-Excercise, for me 3x at gym nothing too strenous just 30-45 on treadmill 5 degree incline with a brisk 3.5 mile speed walk

Very Very difficult to stay within 5-10 pounds of goal weight then try to get back down. Vigilance and sorry to say obsession are my keys. It's a struggle every day.

[Spinoza 1,526]

3 hours ago, Danpaul said:

Since my surgery in 2017 I've lost my weight loss powers. I'm a mere mortal when it comes to weight loss. That being said I do the following:

1- Weekly weigh in and log it in 2- Stop eating at 7PM and start again at 7AM (I usually go to 9AM) 3- Eat the same thing every day. For me, Breakfast greek yogurt and hard boiled egg, cup of coffee lunch, tuna fish, sardines or salmon from a can (no additives such as mayo) dinner broiled or baked seafood with a salad. I will also eat a costco Protein Bar if I need it. 4-Excercise, for me 3x at gym nothing too strenous just 30-45 on treadmill 5 degree incline with a brisk 3.5 mile speed walk

Very Very difficult to stay within 5-10 pounds of goal weight then try to get back down. Vigilance and sorry to say obsession are my keys. It's a struggle every day.

Super helpful to know! Maintaining will be just as difficult (if not more so) than the initial loss then. I so hope I can do it.

[Dub 10,070]

I realize this is an older thread...but it is still near the top of page and I suppose the "most recent" of it's type ?

A pile of stuff has occurred in my life since I was active here on B,Pals.

• My 10th year sleeve anniversary is coming up later this year.
• Lost a ton of unwanted weight as a result of the sleeve.
• Daily trips to gym were the norm.
• no longer drank beer, but found that sugar free mixers and high grade tequilas and vodkas made for some FUN fuel for many adventures.
• Storm clouds loomed heavily over my marriage. Some unresolved issues resurfaced in a big ugly way. It appeared divorce was most probable.
• The storm finally broke....my ship hadn't crashed on the rocks... my wife still my first mate, ally, friend and lover....marriage was stronger than ever.
• 6 years ago she received a diagnosis for stage 4 breast cancer.
• Immediately stopped drinking when that diagnosis was delivered.
• 4 years ago she succumbed to the evil hell of cancer. She fought it with superhuman strength and courage. I will live the rest of my years in awe of her bravery and grit.
• It has been an incredibly tough go of it since. Her unshakable faith stoked my own faith. That is what I leaned on heavily....and will continue to do so.
• Early last month, the anniversary of her death was approaching. I was filled with this feeling of guilt in addition to the ever present loss & grief. The guilt was spurned by the realization that I had taken zero steps towards what she had told me to do...afterwards. She was clear that she wanted me to live. I was going to work every day and that was the extent of it. I'd maintained zero friendships and seldom contact my family, other than our son. The hurricane damage had been repaired on the house, yet I'd done nothing towards moving stuff back into the rooms that were repaired. Was living off take out and drive through garbage because I couldn't bring myself to cook...painful memories of meals made & shared together.
• ENOUGH. That was the word that hung heavy in the air. I could almost hear it as if she'd spoken it loudly. ENOUGH, GREG...IT IS TIME TO MAN-UP

I began taking inventory right then. I vowed to not let another year go by with me still living in a bubble...not treading Water, but sinking.

• I have remained alcohol free since quitting those six years. Clear headed and no monsters to address there. Good.
• Doctors appointment for annual checkup had revealed several things....top of which was my blood panel looked like trash...precisely because that is what my diet consisted of....pure trash. There had been some weight regain...but nothing that I felt like would be too difficult to lose....if I would get my arse in gear and make the lifestyle changes needed.
  • Things were going okay on my job, simply because I'd let it be my focus...the only thing I rallied for. Spent way too much time there. Immediately scheduled some vacation time off and road tripped to visit family
• Visited my wife's grave....our gravesite and did so with a different feel....loss and missing her....but, feeling more stable for the first time since losing her. She'd forced me to sit down, months before passing, and listen to her on a certain subject matter that I was avoiding. told me to live...how to live....wanted me to continue on with all aspects of life and was very descriptive. She would make ongoing instruction in the months ahead. I couldn't speak in reply...just nod that I understood. She was so brave that she could accept things and love me enough to coach me how to live....afterwards. I was too much of a coward to discuss it....just sat there and listened and acknowledged.
• She would KICK my arse if she saw the state of low I'd been to. One day, perhaps, I will be able to show her that I heard her and rallied. That time will be at the end of my days, however. Until then, there is much life to live.

RESETTING THE SLEEVE WAS EASY: I simply swapped over to strict Keto. After two weeks I felt much better....after a month I no longer wanted the crap foods and I no longer wanted big meals. The smaller meals reset things for me.

There is a noticeable restriction and feeling of full that occurs now. I haven't finished a meal in a month...unless it was a 1/2 sized meal.

Sipping water all day...cutting off prior to meals and 30 mins after.

Zero sugar intake an damn few non-fiber carbs.

Supplementing with Vitamins, Iron, potassium and Calcium.

Moving more....but still not ready for the gym and all the people.

Slowly feeling emotionally more "awake".

Keto, with an eye on the overall daily calorie intake is how I live now. I don't see changing that.

By the time that 10th surgery anniversary arrives, I suspect I will be at my all time lowest weight since college.

The sleeve is still there. It just needed me to treat it right and not override it with trash food.