Help getting back on track 9 years after surgery.

I had my VGS surgery in 2008, and did great. Had a lower body lift and had 20 lbs of skin removed from my tummy area a year and a half later. Did great for quite a while. Still had about 80 lbs to lose. But over time started grazing and gained back 75 lbs. So frustrated with myself. Need to get back on track. We only had a support group for the first year, but then our surgeon moved out of state, and it disbanded. There are support groups for other surgeons, but I was frustrated because so many people were putting down our surgeon and what he had instructed us to do. So I didn't go back. I did contact dietitians that worked with the bariatric patients, but my insurance won't cover it because they don't cover bariatric surgery or weight loss. I just need help staying on track and knowing what I should be eating. Oh - that is another thing. They no longer make the protein shakes our doctor had us drink. I did find Premier Protein drinks at Costco that I like and each has 30 grams of protein and is 160 calories. Not sure if those would be okay to take. 1 gram of sugar and 2 grams of carbs. But should I just do protein drinks for a while? Or should I do food with them? Is it okay to have fruits and veggies? Our doctor advised 3 meals - no snacks. Eat protein first, and if still room could have some non starchy veggies, and if still room, some fruit. But no carbs and only 1 cup of food at a meal. Is this what you have all been told? Please - any help is greatly appreciated!

You have already taken the hardest step by saying enough is enough and now I want to get back on track. Here are some steps I hope will help you. They helped me...

Planning/Preparing

Remember when we were preparing for surgery? How many meetings, classes and such did we attend? We were told the more prepared we were the better our chances were for success. And they were right. Go through the house, car and work place and get rid of trigger foods. Stock up on foods that will keep you on track. I removed every bad carb/sugar temptation and replaced it with lots of protein, veggies, grains and fruits.

Journaling

Get back to journaling. This will help you identify when you feel like eating, stress factors and any triggers in your life. Once you identify these factors, this will help you put tools in place to keep you from eating. It became clear I was not taking time for me anymore. I worked my day job and then spent the rest of my time caring for my husband. It was easy to reach for fast, prepackaged food. Since I purged my home I have to eat clean as there are no other options LOL

Use a tool to track you're eating and exercise like Getting Started with Health Tracker. Once I started to track ever bite and drink it became clear why I had gained.

Goals/Rewards

Make a list of goals for yourself. Make them realistic and small. Some of mine were move more, purge all junk from my home, eat more protein.

Food

In general, a long term post-weight loss surgery eating plan includes foods that are high in protein, and low in fat?, calories, and sugar. Important, vitamins and minerals are provided as supplements. (if you had a different surgery adjust this to your food plan).

Water

Water is our Best Friend. I have to say I never went back to pop or any bad drinks, however I was drinking tea like crazy. What is wrong with drinking tea? I was either using sugar or 3 equals and 3 sweet n lows per 32 ounce glass. So I was either pushing to be diabetic or get cancer. I found once I started carrying a bottle of water around 24/7 (yes had one at my bedside) I lost the cravings for the sugar and I KNOW those artificial sweeteners are not good for me. Look I am old and if you add up all the artificial sweeteners I have consumed I am sure I am at the rat in the lab getting cancer threshold.

MOVE!

I can't say enough about how key this was for me. The reason I kept my weight off for almost 10 years was no matter what, I kept moving. If I could not go to the gym I would walk. I loved Zumba, bootcamp workouts, lifting weights. When I stopped, the weight started coming back. So for me I am starting slow to avoid injury by walking and using some of the workouts on my Demand TV. Find something you love to do and it won't feel like a pain in the *** to do daily.

Support

If it's an option "run" don't walk to a support group.

Keep me posted on how you are doing. And if you want to talk further, PM me. I started so many times but kicking regains butt NOW!

Welcome! I'm almost 2 months out but I'll give you the advice I got from many others: YOU CAN DO THIS!

No matter what the past is - you can change the future. Lower those carbs, drink tha****er, and exercise.

Keep us posted. We're a great support system!

-Jan

Protein shakes are wonderful right after surgery when you cannot eat enough food to get your requirements met.

There is no way you should be drinking protein shakes now. They are a fast track to getting in calories quickly and easily.

You need to fill up on dense protein and then non-starchy veggies if you still have room.

My surgery was in 2006 and over the last 3 or 4 years I've gained about 1/2 of my weight loss back. I've had enough, too. I think Kathy S has some great advise.

I have been thinking back over that time when I lost weight and kept it off. The biggest thing I did was track my calories and carbs. I remember I would budget them like money. I would always have appropriate snacks with me. I kept a list of activities to do when the compulsion to eat would hit me (things I could not eat and do like polish my nails, take a walk, take a nap, sew something, play in the dirt). And I would walk every chance I got.

I like the Premier Protein Bananas & Cream and the Strawberries and Cream. I also like Unjury (which is what my bariatric office recommended).

I have moved away from my bariatric office. I have thought about calling one around me and asking for an appt for a "refresher" and what they would charge for that. I'm not big on support groups since I'm pretty introverted.

I need to stop thinking and planning and just do it! Good luck to you.

Thank you everyone! I really appreciate the support. I pretty much have cleaned out my house of things I can't have. The biggest problem is actually at work - I work in the schools and the staff rooms always have food! I try to avoid them the best I can. I will start carrying a journal with me tomorrow. I know I need to plan my foods the night before as I am on the run from the time I get up. What have you all been told about coffee? Did any of you have calorie limits? Ours just said to be sure and get in 70 grams protein (but actually increased mine to 80 grams. Thanks again.

Wendy

Wendy, we must have been on here at the same time! I gained back 97 pounds of the 127 I lost. I got back on this site for support. I eliminated all unnecessary sugars and carbs. I'm back on proteins, around 100g per day, and most days around 850 to 950 calories a day. I also work out at least three days a week, and have been recently increasing it. Since I 'got back on the wagon' on October 15th, I have lost over 41 pounds. So, if I can do this, so can you!

The RNY forum (and maybe the VSG forum too, I haven't been over there recently) have daily "what's on your menu" threads that are a great resource to see what others are eating.

If by "No carbs" you mean avoiding starchy vegetables, bread, pasta, potatoes, white rice, then yes, that is the recommendation from our surgery center as well. Non-starchy vegetables and fruit have carbs as well, but not a lot given the small quantities we eat.

I've been given a Protein goal (60-70 gms/day), a fluids goal (the usual 64 oz) and a calorie goal (1000-1200 per day now that I'm on regular food; it was lower in the earlier stages) with a recommendation like yours on both volume and time (take no more than 20 min or so to eat, otherwise it turns into grazing).

Don't forget the other 2 cardinal rules: don't drink for 30 min after eating, and exercise 30 min/5 days a week.

Premier Protein is what our center recommends, along with Unjury and a couple others.

I'm sorry that the support group was putting down the recommendations of your surgeon. That doesn't sound very supportive, particularly since the recommendations you mentioned sound totally normal. A good support group can be very helpful in sticking to a plan; if you aren't able to find one I wonder if something like Overeaters Anonymous would provide support for sticking with a plan without putting down what you've been instructed to do. :(

For me, tracking everything in My Fitness Pal has been a huge help. You can do this!!

I just wanted to pop in to say you're not the only one struggling. I am 11 years out and while I have maintained a significant loss, I never made goal. The lowest I hit was 220s and I am 5'2". I am back up to 280s with my high being 360s-370s. Just not really sure where to go from here. I need a mind reset!

I revised from LapBand to VSG in 2010 and never had any weight loss (partly due to my sleeve being to big and to different than LB). By 2015 I was back at my pre surgery weight of 310-320lbs. Started following a Keto meal plan last Dec and it was the best thing I could have ever done. Down 35 lbs and still losing. You can do this.