I've gained back 15 lbs. since my surgery in April, 2007 because I've reverted back to the way I use to eat and I quit exercising. For Breakfast I have yogurt & sometimes yogurt & Cookies. I usually can't eat anything solid at lunchtime because it is so stressful where I work, I can't keep anything down. Therefore, I've got into the very bad habit of going to DQ for a Blizzard. I graze at work too with candy or chips and when dinnertime rolls around, it's whatever I have in the fridge, healthy or not. And not that I'm making excuses, but with food being so expensive, it's hard for me to buy stuff that's good for me.

I've always hated to exercise and did exercise for about the first 6 months after surgery. I live out in the sticks and my road is not safe to walk on. Plus, who wants to walk outside when it's 25 degrees and dark when I go to work and dark when I come home from work?.

I am depressed over this whole thing and my surgeon isn't much help. Any advice or support would be greatly appreciated!!

hey, don't get down. just make little choices. for me, fast food was a tempation so i decided that i WILL NOT eat fast food. i don't even go thru a drive-thru to get a drink so that it is a clear rule. i would encourage you to make a choice to start with "i will not go into dq" and stick to it. that one change could make a big difference. once that change becomes habit, make antoher choice. i know for me, i keep cottage cheese in my fridge at home and at work. i NEVER have the excuse that there is nothing healthy to eat. one of the little 4 oz "on-the-go" cottage cheese containers fills me up with 90 cal, 12 g Protein and costs less than $1. win, win, win.

keep the faith and you will get back on track!!

I'm curious.. are you too tight?

Because, it sounds like the foods you are eating are foods that go down well for most bandsters when they are too tight. like Cookies and chips.

Eating doesn't have to be expensive if you look for good deals. Like getting a big bag of chicken breasts from Walmart. or a large thing of salad mix.. cans of Soups. A lot of times I go to Wendy's and get a small chili and a small side salad with Water. it comes to 2 dollars and something.

If you are too tight, consider getting a slight unfill so you can eat healthier items.

Good luck.

I wouldnt give up. Everyone has there ups and downs in life. Just get back on track and forget about the past. Start over like u just got banded and get the motivation to get to the gym. If you workout for 20 minutes a day its better than not at all. Pickup a health/exercise magazine. I find that it helps with motivation and new ideas for dieting and exercising

It sounds to me like you may have seasonal depression. This is the first time I was proactive and am now taking Cymbalta so I do not fall into the usual cycle of gaining weight all winter. It's hard when you work and never get to see light outside.

I saw that you feel you have no support. morefrommyband.com will send support group DVD to your home with a worksheet for 10 dollars per month. I have met Dr. Voung and he is great. His support meetings are helpful not just b*tch sessions, they have direction. There are sample meetings online if you would like to check it out. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for your support! You all gave me some great input. Jack, your post was excellent! It really made me look deeper inside myself. I know I can do this!

I also think that you are too tight. Slider foods are evil:frown: Consider getting an unfill and getting back on track with eating your protein and veggies! YOU CAN DO IT!

I totally understand about staying committed but no one can do it for us. You cannot eat bad foods if you do not buy them. Also think about how much money you will save if you quit buying the dairy queen blizzards. If you buy one of those a day which I think to be about $3.00, heck in one week you will have $21.00 to spend on healthier foods if you quit going to Dairy Queen. I know that ice cream is my downfall. I just simply DO NOT buy it. I have found that apples are really good. Hey we all have our weak moments, don't beat yourself up over it. I was exercising really good for the first 5 months and then quit. About a month ago I started again and have regained some self confidence and feel like I can really do this. YOU CAN DO IT!!

just checking in msracefan - -are you getting back on track and feeling better?

We can always rely on Jack for the tough love/tell it like it is without EVER being offensive or confrontational. He's really said all there is to say and I'm glad you've taken it on board. The very fact that you have means that in the long run you wont be an excuse maker, but will succeed. There's an awful lot of people who would turn that into a full on fight and refuse to see what needs to be seen, but you havent.

You have to think outside the square, find ways to avoid the problems and stay on track. I mean, if you're so stressed at work that you cant eat much solid food, there is no reason not to take healthy vegetable Soup, Protein shakes etc. None at all.

And if you cant walk outside in the cold and the dark then you need to take your exercise indoors. DVD's, buy some dumbells, barbells and google circuit training, get a treadmill or elliptical if you have the roomn or finances, join a gym near work if that would suit better, there really is ALWAYS a way that you can come up with something.

You just have to want to do that, and be in the frame of mind to do that, more than you want to make reasons not to.