Desperately trying to get back on track

Hello, I am new to the site and I am just looking for some success stories to help me stay motivated on my journey. I don’t know what has happened as of lately but my eating habits have gotten ridiculous. It’s not that I eat a lot, but what I am eating, well was eating is so unhealthy. Even though I have only gained 7 of the 89 lbs I have lost since my gastric sleeve I am going backwards and I didn’t go through all of this to do that. Is there anyone here who has gone through this and if so how did you overcome it. Is it possible to start losing constant again or have I messed some things up. I was getting so many ooohs and aaahs now no one says anything like it’s noticeable but it’s only 7 lbs... I’m worrying myself to death and that’s no good cause I’m a stress eater...help!

Once you start eating the crap foods you will continue to crave the crap foods. Recommit yourself. Go back to basics. Focus on solid proteins and then non starchy veggies. Fill up on that. Truthfully you cannot eat much so once you eat a nice solid piece of protein there is not much room left. If you cannot get a handle on your bad eating habits you may need to seek counseling or therapy. Join a support group. Accountability is everything.

Accountability is everything!!! That is why I am back too. I found that when I participated in the group and learned from others I too stayed on track. I am not eating completely terrible either but I have seemed to form an unhealthy attachment to Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers and I need to put them down. I went from 260 to 201 ... and then since mid Dec I have crept and stayed at 205. It is time to get it together!

What is your plan of action Shay? xo

There is no magic to any of this. Sorry. I wish there were. But that's not how this works.

Losing all your excess weight and maintaining your weight loss permanently requires both smarts and discipline.

Here are some smart things you can do to get back to basics, because it's the basics that will help you lose and maintain:

1. Go through your cupboards and throw away ALL the foods that you shouldn't be eating. Start with the goldfish, then the cookies, the crackers, the candies, and all the trash foods that have absolutely ZERO nutritional value. Christie is right -- the more of that crap you eat, the stronger its stranglehold on you will become.

2. Start eating three meals a day and stop grazing on ANYTHING between meals. Eat protein, fibrous veggies, some fruit, and whole grains. When you eat nutritious food that gives your body what it craves, your body will stop craving crap. Try it for a week. You'll find out how much difference it makes.

3. If you're drinking alcohol, cut that out until you've lost all or almost all of your excess weight. Alcohol might also be fogging your judgment and self-control where food is concerned.

4. Hydrate yourself extremely well. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every single day.

5. Move your ass daily. If you're not doing that already, start small and then slowly, gradually, permanently increase how much you're moving your ass.

6. Take all your supplements every single day.

7. Find a good therapist (if you don't already have one) and find out why you are sabotaging yourself, given that you've had WLS and gone through a lot already. Try like hell to learn how to navigate life's never-ending stresses without self-medicating with food, because those stresses will never, ever end. Some people employ to great effect stress-reduction tools like meditation, exercise, journaling, spiritual and religious practices, self-help groups, and other things.

Finally, a WLS friend recently said to me, "Yes, food is a drug, but it's a really crappy one: 99% side-effects and 1% results." You guys are right -- you went through way too much to throw away this amazing opportunity to change your life permanently. Don't beat yourself up. Love yourself. Respect yourself. Give yourself the best self-care you can possibly provide. You totally deserve it. And your body is craving it.