ObesityHelp

 Rigorously Lowfat ( as in I aim for 100% fat free cooking at home and fatfree dairy all the time ) works for me ......also I eat  high quality high fiber carbs (whole grains, veggies and fruits and fat free beans)  and minimize the sugar .

I have enough energy to exercise first thing in the morning if at all possible and make it a priority .

I personally think the low carb lifestyle that many suggest in here ( like eggface's recipes )  may work for people witha LOT to lose but that it would make me GAIN weight or not lose any at all.

I'm one lb from goal seven and a half months after starting my preop diet - I eat out , I eat over friends houses regularly without being a dietary PITA -I deal with pressure at work every single day .... a very FULL , EXHAUSTING Schedule ... andI still lost 112 lbs !! 

FOr what its worth - a national newspaper just printed the results of a huge study of low carb vs lowfat diets - and the lowfatters lost twice as much weight initially and kept off twice as much on average three years later .  

THey also were a lot healthier ,suffering less strokes , heart attacks, debilitating diseases and cancer .   Less of them  DIED . 

Because I exercise my skin snapped back a LOT better than average as well - I look great in bikini  pre PS ( friend me and see for Urself )  ..... and  I have TONS of energy because i eat healthy carbs ...... Its all good 

I have never understood the tendancy of WLS patients to drink protein drinks after they start back on REAL food. Back in my day, we only drank our calories until we were able to EAT THEM; then we were supposed to focus on real food protein sources followed by veggies, fruits and COMPLEX carbs like whole grains. The idea was our small pouch would limit our intake; our malabsorption would help us lose weight relatively quickly; and we were supposed to learn NEW, HEALTHY EATING AND EXERCISE HABITS during the "honeymoon period" (weight loss period) that would allow us to MAINTAIN  our weightloss.  Who wants to drink protein drinks 2 or 3 times a day for the rest of their lives? NOT ME!!

Thankfully, I have not experienced a WLS failure; however, I have gotten off track and gained up to 25 pounds I didn't want or need. I got back on track by doing the above. Admittedly, I have used meal replacement drinks ("protein drinks", if you will), mostly for convenience and for a very limited time....I found it helped me initially get away from the grazing and eating junk food. I do find myself to be one of those people who CANNOT eat a lot of carbs, since when I do I tend to crave more and more and more. A couple of days of "protein drinks" helps break that carb craving cycle. Then I can eat like a normal person (eating only high quality, complex carbs) and lose weight.

Good luck to you, getting back on track. If you have not really had a surgery failure, your tool WILL still work if you work it. I maintained for approximately 8 years before recently gaining 25 pounds; it took me 2.5 months to lose it. I am again at goal....hope you'll find yourself there again soon.

40-60 grams of protein per day is absolutely rediculous.  We start out the first week after surgery at 60 grams.  By 1 year out, we need a minimum of 100 grams.  I was just at my NUT's office and I spoke to her because I am at goal but gained 5 pounds and want to stop it before things get worse.  She said that I am not eating enough.  She had no problem with the protein shakes, as long as I eat food too.  I drink 2 protein drinks per day and eat 4 - 5 meals per day in addition to the protein drinks.  Each meal must have protein in it.  They need to be high protein, low carb and low fat.  Don't avoid carbs altogher.  I do eat fruit 2 times per day and I do eat 1 starch a day - either 1 bread or 1 portion of rice or potato.  I get 120grams of protein a day, 1000-1200 calories a day and 64 ounces of fluids a day.  Prior to seeing my NUT, I was only getting 800 calories a day. Since seeing her 3 weeks ago, I have lost 4 pounds.  Increasing my calories and getting in lots of protein works.