Need help!

[incredibleshrnkngshirly]

Guys and gals, I really need your help. I think I have stretched my sleeve! I used to eat a lot less and I noticed that I don't get nausea anymore if I push it. I'm a snacker and that was just part of my eating disorder. If I get bored or just watching TV, I want to eat. I'm so afraid I have messed up. Surgery don't take away the eating disorder, just the amount you can eat. But my doctor told me I could stretch my stomach out again. I'm in a panic about now! Has anybody else gone through this? What did you do? Any advice out there? Thanks in advance....

[JulieJ]

I have heard that this works wonders and will tell you if you have stretched out your pouch. It is also supposed to be a good way to jump start your weight loss or to get back into your routine.
Good luck!
Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test

[Bilby]

Good lucky Shirley ... You are so close to goal ... Sending strength and best wishes!!!!

[msstori]

Now I thought we got an answer to the stretching of the pouch thing. I thought Drs sai it won't stretch.....

[incredibleshrnkngshirly]

Thank you all, I'm going to try the five day pouch test. Yep, my doc says the stomach can stretch out. I don't think it would ever get as big as it was but I sure don't want to find out! I asked for prayer in church this morning, I'm asking for any suggestions from those of you who have snacking problems. Right now, as I type this, I am having those overwhelming waves of wanting to munch. I'm not hungry, just want to eat. What makes me do this? I hate it!

[DonnaK]

Hi, Shirley. I'm new here and I'm hoping to have the Gastric Sleeve surgery as soon as I can afford it. I had the lapband surgery 20 yrs ago and have gained all 130 lbs back. Anyway, just wanted to say that I will be praying for you.

[lindmar]

Hi Shirley, Can you just snack on the healthy low cal stuff like carrots and grapes, etc.?

[Elbie]

Or can you distract yourself? Go for a walk or do chores around the house? Change up your routine by reading a book instead of watching TV. Play a video game, etc. distract yourself out of the behavior. Good luck!

[incredibleshrnkngshirly]

Hi Shirley, Can you just snack on the healthy low cal stuff like carrots and grapes, etc.?

Yes Linny, that's what I truly need to do and to follow elbies's advice and distract myself. Maybe I need to hang out here more and eat less! And thank you DonnaK...welcome to the forum and you will love your results. It is truly a change of lifestyle and that is what I am struggling with...but I'm grateful to all of you for your help and I covet your prayers.

[Scubagecko]

you should keep a food diary and write whenever you feel the urge to snack and see if you can find what is triggering your cravings then work to re-train the craving to do something other than eat.

[BigDogMom]

Shirley, I totally understand. I'm a night time grazer and have to seriously fight to not go munch. It's always the worst at night...maybe boredom. I will let myself have a few sugar-free popsicles (15 cals a piece), and that feels like a good treat. Or a piece of light string cheese.
Yes, I've heard that you can stretch your pouch back out, though I doubt highly that it would be anything like a pre-sleeve stomach. I'd try the 5 day thing, and just do your best to keep making good choices. You're so close to your goal! Don't lose sight of all you've accomplished.

[incredibleshrnkngshirly]

Thank you David and Rachel....my grazing seems to happen while watching TV...I downsized my plate again from dinner to salad and now saucer size. I'm not going to eat popcorn as much as I would love too. I'm going on two years post op in August. I would love to reach 165 by then. That is my new goal but I still have five pounds of Christmas cheer to get off before I can count any success. My job doesn't help either. I'm a receptionist and don't get to move around too much. And they (coworkers) bring food daily...I try to stay out of the kitchen at work simply to stay away from the food. It would be wonderful to just not want to eat. I have always loved food but grew up skinny. I'm not active and I know that is my trouble. But I absolutely hate exercise! Even when I was a skinny kid I hated physical activity. So it's back to square one with the pouch test and see where it takes me! Keep the prayers coming folks....thank you or all the input. So glad I'm not alone in this.....family gets sick of hearing me whine! LOL

[Scubagecko]

I so know how the work food temptation can be. I work in an office as well and every meeting they bring in a plate of little snacks; cakes, chips, cookies, etc...and every time something happens there is a snack to go with it. Today our team got a toaster and someone brought in bread and I could smell the toast being made....that took some willpower to reject. I use my break times to walk around the building and work on the 25th floor and will go down a bunch of flights just to climb back up. The goal would be to take the stairs up to work in the morning, currently I'm up to 6 floors a day. I got a fitbit so I try to do activity in any spare time throughout the day.

Good luck getting rid of the Christmas cheer and hitting your goal!

[incredibleshrnkngshirly]

David that is wonderful! My job is ground level, I park as far away from the building as I can to get in the extra steps. I really need to go walk the neighborhood and get more movement going on in my life. I've not lost anything since Christmas :-(

[Lucy61]

Get all the grazing food out of the house - it's like putting a big juicy steak in front of a dog and telling them no don't eat it - we have old habits to break, and you're not doing yourself a favor to have it in the house

Distration is my friend... I put music on, it makes me want to get up and move (even just my ipod & head phones so my hubby isn't disturbed watching TV) I googled Yoga to teach myself how to yoga, so w/music on, I go in the bedroom with my yoga mat and spend 30 min doing something good for me. If you woud like to private message me your email address I will email you what I put together.

When I stopped for a few days of journaling my food, I started to slip back, so now it is laying out there on the counter for me to see all the time and write down what I'm eating.

Best wishes getting back in the game... YOU CAN DO IT!