What are your strategies to get back on track when you start to slip?

I just hit the 6 month mark. Although I'm happy with my progress, my habits have started to slide. Occasional cheats have gotten more frequent and this has lead to cravings for processed foods and sugary foods. I still have at least 50 lbs to go to make my goal, and I need to get back on track. Have any of you had similar experiences? What lead to your slides? What did you do to get back on track? Are there any strategies you would avoid, or that you found harmful? Thanks for sharing your collective wisdom. I love this board and appreciate all of you who contribute regularly.

I’m glad your acknowledging a problem before it becomes a bigger problem. I would suggest getting some counceling to work through what’s really causing your slip. I found it very helpful and did it for two years before surgery and now have learned healthy a balance and no longer use food for my emotions and eat to live and not live to eat. I suggest trying to avoid surgery and work to reprogram your brain. I found when wanting something you shouldn’t have or eat when to soon is to drink water and go for a walk or do an activity. Also throw away any junk you shouldn’t have away. If it’s not there to see also can help, avoid commercials of food is helpful. Bring someone shopping with you to help you avoid buying something you shouldn’t. It will get easier and a counselor can help figure out what your triggers are. Keep working on it and it will get a lot easier. Also work to find a way to love being active. Rather it’s tsking up jogging, there is a great program to help newbies start, hiking and there are so great hiking and outdoor groups through meet up, including cycling groups too. Try new things you might be surprised what your passions might be or what you might want to try when you start. I took up hiking and cycling and working on sprinting and jogging but discovered I want to do technical climbing too and start climbing school in April. Good luck Attachment 27508Attachment 27509Attachment 27510Attachment 27511

Tamera, quit rubbing it in that you live in such a beautiful place!!

Molodyotz, just do it. Just tell yourself you are getting back to how a sleeved person should eat. Cut out the crap. My trick is to just never have junk in my house. And like Tamera said, exercise helps too, though we all aren't lucky enough to be able to climb mountains every day. But I'm not bitter or anything. I did just get back from my second ski trip of the year so shouldn't whine, but I still do.

Nothing particularly original to add to what others have said, but here's what I do when I need to knuckle down and fly right (that's an old expression my Daddy used to say ;) ):

1. Clean out the kitchen and the house of all the crap you're "sliding" on. That means whatever it means for you and likely includes cookies, crackers, chips, ice cream, any other "snack" food -- you know what your trigger foods are.

2. Fill up the refrigerator with foods that you SHOULD be eating. That means make a grocery list before you go to the store and buy only the things on your list. I find that when I eat nutritious foods (the foods I should be focusing on) my urges to eat the crap foods decline.

3. Drink LOTS of water. Obviously, not with meals, but between meals. Really, hydrating well makes your body feel less "hungry" -- since ghrelin (the hunger hormone we have less of post-op) is also the "thirst hormone."

4. Exercise daily. And I really do mean daily. Schedule it. Do it.

5. (Cough!) Plan your daily meals on My Fitness Pal (or some other online tracker) and track the foods and amounts that you really do eat. This is one of my super powers, and it has made 100+ pounds of difference for me. Not everyone "likes" to track. But I'll say this -- so many people I know who do lose all their excess weight post-op and go on to maintain well after that are trackers like me. Obviously, not everyone -- but so many people are.

6. Weigh every morning. That's been key for me. That way your weight doesn't become "invisible" to you. If you don't know what you weigh, then you'll wake up one morning and be "Shocked! Shocked!" that you've gained 10 - 20 pounds and go "How in the world did that happen?!" Don't close your eyes. Keep them open.

7. Stay connected here. Become more vocal and active here. Ask for help. Support others who are here -- all of us. Find other supportive individuals and groups that meet your needs for accountability. Change your ticker when it goes up, as well as when it goes down.

8. Get back in touch with all the reasons why you knew pre-op you needed to change your life.

9. Finally, take a good hard look at those people you're associating with. Is there something about their behaviors and/or your relationships with them that is distracting you from reaching your goals or even sabotaging you? If so, you have two choices: (a) Put those people on notice that you can't hang with them if they keep acting that way or (b) stop hanging out with them. Peer pressure can have a positive influence on you or a negative influence. Again, don't close your eyes. Keep them open.

Please let us know how you're doing in future. We would like to support you, too. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sraebaer

Tamera, quit rubbing it in that you live in such a beautiful place!!

Molodyotz, just do it. Just tell yourself you are getting back to how a sleeved person should eat. Cut out the crap. My trick is to just never have junk in my house. And like Tamera said, exercise helps too, though we all aren't lucky enough to be able to climb mountains every day. But I'm not bitter or anything. I did just get back from my second ski trip of the year so shouldn't whine, but I still do.

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My apologies Sraebaer! I should be more thoughtful I know but honestly I’m just trying to either motivate and show you can have a lot of fun exercising. You can give my a hard time I can take it : )
You will just have to make a trip out here. We could have a lot of fun. :o

I have just completely changed my exercise routine. I had been using a trainer for weight/resistance training and otherwise walking. But the weather is unpredictable and I wasn't always walking fast enough or long enough.... I find that I eat better when I'm exercising regularly. One rainy morning I pulled out some DVD's from Leslie Sansone that include walking with some resistance bands. I have never, ever used a DVD for exercise but much to my surprise I have loved doing this every morning. I do her 4 mi routine (you can find them on YouTube if you don't want to buy the DVD) and my muscles really feel it plus I feel great all day. I get up early, do it in the privacy of my home, and get a great, consistent workout.

For me, at least, getting that exercise high every morning really makes it easier for me to eat well. I just feel energetic and good about myself and that translates into wanting to eat to fuel my body instead of being tempted to fall back into old habits. I'm pretty early in my sleeve journey, but I'm working hard to avoid temptation. It's easier for me, at least, when I exercise.

I still haven't started to eat things I should avoid.
For me it is easier to take nothing at all, then the occasional bite.

What helps me a lot is my snack bin in the fridge.
Every once in a while a portion out my snacks in little ziplock baggies.
Things like raw almonds (20 grams), hardboiled egg, cheese, sliced veggies with hummus, cut-up protein bar, sliced fruit etc.
I always have something on hand, very covenient.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tamera2

My apologies Sraebaer! I should be more thoughtful I know but honestly I’m just trying to either motivate and show you can have a lot of fun exercising. You can give my a hard time I can take it : )
You will just have to make a trip out here. We could have a lot of fun. :o

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I would love to!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ann2

Nothing particularly original to add to what others have said, but here's what I do when I need to knuckle down and fly right (that's an old expression my Daddy used to say ;) ):

1. Clean out the kitchen and the house of all the crap you're "sliding" on. That means whatever it means for you and likely includes cookies, crackers, chips, ice cream, any other "snack" food -- you know what your trigger foods are.

2. Fill up the refrigerator with foods that you SHOULD be eating. That means make a grocery list before you go to the store and buy only the things on your list. I find that when I eat nutritious foods (the foods I should be focusing on) my urges to eat the crap foods decline.

3. Drink LOTS of water. Obviously, not with meals, but between meals. Really, hydrating well makes your body feel less "hungry" -- since ghrelin (the hunger hormone we have less of post-op) is also the "thirst hormone."

4. Exercise daily. And I really do mean daily. Schedule it. Do it.

5. (Cough!) Plan your daily meals on My Fitness Pal (or some other online tracker) and track the foods and amounts that you really do eat. This is one of my super powers, and it has made 100+ pounds of difference for me. Not everyone "likes" to track. But I'll say this -- so many people I know who do lose all their excess weight post-op and go on to maintain well after that are trackers like me. Obviously, not everyone -- but so many people are.

6. Weigh every morning. That's been key for me. That way your weight doesn't become "invisible" to you. If you don't know what you weigh, then you'll wake up one morning and be "Shocked! Shocked!" that you've gained 10 - 20 pounds and go "How in the world did that happen?!" Don't close your eyes. Keep them open.

7. Stay connected here. Become more vocal and active here. Ask for help. Support others who are here -- all of us. Find other supportive individuals and groups that meet your needs for accountability. Change your ticker when it goes up, as well as when it goes down.

8. Get back in touch with all the reasons why you knew pre-op you needed to change your life.

9. Finally, take a good hard look at those people you're associating with. Is there something about their behaviors and/or your relationships with them that is distracting you from reaching your goals or even sabotaging you? If so, you have two choices: (a) Put those people on notice that you can't hang with them if they keep acting that way or (b) stop hanging out with them. Peer pressure can have a positive influence on you or a negative influence. Again, don't close your eyes. Keep them open.

Please let us know how you're doing in future. We would like to support you, too. :)

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I am always surprised when people say "I regained 40 or however many pounds." Didn't you notice?!? Didn't everything you own become too tight? Didn't you have to go shopping for new clothes? (Or maybe people didn't get rid of their old clothes. Mine are long gone). Weighing daily is the way to go with maintenance. Best way to avoid surprises!

I have not had my sleeve yet it is scheduled later this month.

1. The first thing i did was clean out the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Some foods I donated and some I just pitched.

2. To make it easier on myself I order my food on line with our local grocery stores. This way I can read all of the nutritional labels and take my time and build my grocery list with my recipes. I also do not smell the fresh baked bread in the store or go by any of the foods I no longer eat so it makes it easier for me.

3. I have cut out red meat, chicken, turkey, any processed foods. We are kind of eating vegan other than adding in seafood every now and then.

4. The TV commercials can get me thinking about food I want but is not good for me so I have been experimenting with recording all of the TV I want to watch and I then just fast forward through the commercials. I also avoid streets if I can that have a fast food restaurant on them.

5. I try to have items in the frig I can eat immediately if I get hungry and not have to take the time to prepare and then cook something.

6. I ordered a smart scale about 2 weeks ago and weigh myself every morning. So If I am going up on my weight I can make adjustments.

7. I have bottled water sitting everywhere in the house and in the car. It is a visual reminder to me to drink it.

The other advice from the folks above is excellent. Some of mine my sound silly but they have been working for me. I wish you luck on reclaiming your weight goals! You can do it! Start with a small goal and just built upon it.

Always eat solid proteins first. I know once I eat a piece of chicken or beef I have very little space for other things. It will fill you up so much faster. And as Ann said....toss the crap foods out. If you can't avoid them....toss them completely.