Please help putting weight back on

[Mbenson5]

So good to see you on here B!! I wish everyone would update!! I am so sorry to hear you have gained, I would feel the same. This is a great place to come for encouragement!!! I was stuck and terrified of gaining over the winter, so I started doing an Atkins like diet. Meat was my friend. Lol. I would tell myself when I wanted to eat, sure, but you only get to eat chicken or whatever meat I had. If it was still appealing, then I was hungry and I ate without guilt. If not, I was bored and knew I had to find something else to do. It is always the worst in the evenings sitting with the family watching tv after dinner. It is still hard but I lost 10 lbs over the winter. Best to you!!!!!

[B-rizzle]

I find that these are the times that I come back to the site. The times when I am having trouble. This is the 2nd time I have had trouble. The first time was right at the one year mark. I can honestly say that I think I reached my lowest at about the 8 month mark and then stalled until the year mark.. Then I started gaining. I will honestly say that I feel no restriction anymore. I still try to eat protein first, then veggies, and try my hardest to stay away from sweets. The other day I had steak that I grilled at home, and each steak was probably 10-12 oz. I fit a whole steak easily, as well as some veggies. My wife who has never been sleeved will get full before I do.

I have lost 130 lbs on my own before, without surgery. My highest weight of my life is 362. I got down to 230 through diet and exercise. The problem is the weight came back. So then I had surgery. I got down to 235, and now the weight is coming back. My metabolism is at a crawl. People say "eat more often to speed up your metabolism" but telling a person who is dieting to eat more because they are gaining weight is just extremely hard to swallow. My biggest fear is that all of the weight is going to come back. The biggest dream in my life right now is to be under 200 lbs, and now I am 73lbs from that mark, when I was only 35 from it.

[dale]

All of the posts on this thread are right on the money---my story almost exactly! My surgery was May 2011. I weighed 371 pounds at my highest, 360 on surgery day. I was Type 2 diabetic, and lots of other health issues as well. My reason for having the sleeve surgery was to improve my health...I was afraid I would die. The first year, I lost 100 pounds and achieved my health goals....I am totally off diabetes meds, I am so much healthier than I was, and I feel like I got my life back!
The second year, I lost another 20 pounds to get down to my lowest weight, 251. I stalled, out, but I kept telling myself it was because I was putting on muscle from all my exercising at the Y. My third year, the pounds started sneaking back on! At this point, I have regained 30 pounds.
A couple of things----I, too, am not eating like I should...but I am certainly not eating like I did before my sleeve! I have had a few meals where I overate so much it made me sick and totally miserable, so I know I can't eat like that 371 pound old lady did! Still, you would think I would have learned my lesson the FIRST time that happened, but no, I've done it several times!
Secondly, I am totally thankful that I had the sleeve done. Although I haven't even come near reaching my goal weight, I did accomplish the main goal, which was to be healthier. I think that since I feel so much better now, that, in a way, it kind of sabotages my efforts to lose more, if you know what I mean! I'm still a fat lady (Heck, I have only gotten down to the weight where most of you started!), but I am not miserable like I was at my heaviest. I exercise, I get around so much better than I did, and I feel so much more alive! I think it's important to look at how far you have come, not just how much farther you have to go!
I am 62 years old, so you know I wasn't expecting to be a hot body! Still, one of the things that bothers me about the way I am now is that I am so jiggly! I've still got this huge stomach and butt, they are just not solid, but more jello-like! And let's not even discuss my thighs! I do Water Aerobics at the Y, and I always hate looking at myself in a swimsuit! I feel like I'm as big as I always was, just not as solid. I know that's not true, since I've gone down in pants and dress size, but I still see the same woman when I look in the mirror, only saggy and baggy!
There are times when I get real down on myself for not losing all the weight I needed to. There are times when I could kick myself for not taking better advantage of this tool I have been given. There are times when I just hate myself! But mostly, I am grateful that I am able to get down on the floor and play with my precious grandkids (and even get back up again!) so, I am grateful for my sleeve, and I am proud of what I have accomplished with it! Maybe I will lose some more weight, maybe not...but I am grateful for how far I have come. My advice is to give yourself a break occasionally and look at how far you have come, not just at how far you still need to go!

[Mbenson5]

Oh my goodness, Did I ever need to read that! I am obsessed over that last 12 lbs, that I tend to overlook the 131 lbs I did lose! You have also done great!!! I am also flabby, esp around my legs. Can't wear shorter shorts without some kid asking me, "What happened to you legs?" lol! Oh well, you are right! We are much healthier! Enjoy those grandkids! Can't wait for mine!

[bikrchk]

I'm only 10 months out, but what I'm hearing from the longer termers is get yourself into a face to face support group and don't miss it! Support in the forums is invaluable, but there's something to be said for actually interfacing with people who are having the same struggles as you. Plus, you WANT to be able to go there and have folks notice how great you look as you take it off again. I've seen folks reverse a 60 pound weight gain with the support of a face to face group.

[Ann2]

I've posted this elsewhere before, but here it goes again:

I asked my surgeon, "What is the biggest difference between those who succeed long term (reach goal and don't regain) and those who regain?"

He said, excitedly and without a second's pause, "They stay connected! They never miss their long-term doctor's appointments (quarterly, biannually, annually), they come to our support group, they take advantage of our nutritionist and exercise consultant. They just never unconnect from us!"

[okieatheart]

Hello All, I had my surgery May 2013, so it has been over a year ago. I stalled out at the end of February. I was at my lowest weight of 175 in February, so I had lost 103 lbs. My husband had a heart stent at that time the stent clotted off, then he had a heart attack. He was in and out of the hospital a couple of times for a week at a time. Praise the Lord, he was in the hospital when he had the heart attack, so he had minimal damage and he is much better now. While he was in the hospital, I ate the things that I should from the cafeteria and didn't snack as much as I had been, but my weight stalled. I also added on 10 lbs and now am consistently around 185. I'm not sure if stress had anything to do with it or if I just stalled. I am snacking at night which I know I need to stop or at least be eating sugar free skim milk pudding instead of low-fat or no fat ice cream. I have improved what I snack on and how much, but I also need to exercise. Life happens and now I just need to really concentrate on me to see if I can get another 25 lbs. off. At this point, it isn't just coming off and it seems more like dieting again. That said, I do still find it easier to get back on track and not have the attitude of "oh well, I've blown it so I'll eat what I've want". My attitude is still good and I do believe I will get some more off.

It is encouraging to see that Mbenson was able to lose 10 lbs. over the winter. Great job and keep it up!

To Brizzle...have you checked with your surgeon since you were able to eat such a large steak? Maybe there is something they need to address. Whatever you do, don't give up! You've come a long way. Best wishes!

[Ann2]

Okie, I am no expert here!

However, I am betting that exercise (walking) will help immensely with your stress, your focus, and your weight loss.

I'm pre-surgery, and in the last four weeks, I've lost 7 pounds and gone from 2,000 - 3,000 steps/day to 5,000 - 7,000 steps/day. Chances are I've lost at least 10 pounds of fat and added at least 3 pounds of muscle. And, as we all know (or should), muscle burns more calories than fat.

Another thought ... are you attending a support group for WLS patients? If not, is there one nearby you could attend?

[okieatheart]

Thanks Ann2...yes I do attend support group once a month. I will take your advice!

[dyberrah]

I feel for everyone who has gained back weight. I have yo-yo dieted for years, losing 30, gaining 40, losing 20, gaining 30... but here's what I have learned:
EVERYTHING is a choice, and we are 100% responsible for the choices we make. For example, piling a plate 2-3 inches high at a buffet when our sleeves are structured to contain only 6 oz or so is a poor choice and is setting ourselves up for failure. We need to stay mindful of what we are doing with food and stop making choices that don't support our goals.
The bottom line is that the fight is never over. There is no finish line. Weight management, even with the sleeve as a tool, is a life-long endeavour.
The sleeve is not a Get Out of Fat for Free card.
If we can accept that basic truth, perhaps it will help us make better choices over the long term.

[Lee6Lee]

Someone just started a 1+ year accountability thread, so join that. They will help you.

[Lee6Lee]

I feel for everyone who has gained back weight. I have yo-yo dieted for years, losing 30, gaining 40, losing 20, gaining 30... but here's what I have learned:
EVERYTHING is a choice, and we are 100% responsible for the choices we make. For example, piling a plate 2-3 inches high at a buffet when our sleeves are structured to contain only 6 oz or so is a poor choice and is setting ourselves up for failure. We need to stay mindful of what we are doing with food and stop making choices that don't support our goals.
The bottom line is that the fight is never over. There is no finish line. Weight management, even with the sleeve as a tool, is a life-long endeavour.
The sleeve is not a Get Out of Fat for Free card.
If we can accept that basic truth, perhaps it will help us make better choices over the long term.

Profound...and thank you!

[Mbenson5]

Where is HoneyBunn??

[Tara McGee Jackson]

That was me that started the 1+ year accountability thread! I would love it if we could all check in there regularly to help motivate each other. I am almost 3 years out and in the last 8 months or so I have gained about 10 lbs. I am getting back on the wagon though. I will not let my body get out of control again!

[Lee6Lee]

Tara, please be our inspiration. Some of the stories of people 2-3 years out are disturbing!