What makes you think you won't regain the weight! (x-post)

 was reading today how the Biggest Loser season 3 in 2006 Erik Chopin http://erikchopin.com/ lost over 200lbs and has now gained over 1/2 of it back.  Now we ALL know that "diets" don't work and blah blah percentage of people regain the weight AFTER loosing it, but what makes those of us who have WLS as opposed to "traditional" dieting think we can never regain the weight back.

Or rather, what are WE doing in our lives that will ULTIMATELY guarantee our success if you will.  My sister has WLS back in 1984 and went from about 250 to 150 and is probably about 165 these days.  Her friend had WLS a few months after her and never lost.  The key difference I saw in those 2 is that my sister ate VERY little and has maintained that over the last 20+ years.  Her friend almost instantly went back to her old "comfort" foods and never made it to goal, hers on the doctors.

Over the years when I ran a big girl nightclub I saw many woman have WLS only to loose years 1-2 but then start to regain it years 2+.  I have friends and friends of friends who suffered the same fate.  I have now been on OH for about 3 years (good Lord) and I have seen quite a few re-gainers in that time.  And they have been RnYers, DSers, LapBanders and yes our own precious VSGers.

I have seen my fair share of X weight gone FOREVER and some of those fade away only to come back say 6 months down the line and forever wasn't as lasting as they'd hope.

January 2010 brings us to a new decade, the beginning of the year when many of us will NOT make the resolution to loose the weight because we feel with our new "tool" that loosing weight is a GIVEN. 

So what about AFTER we have lost the weight...then what.  Are we off our "diets?"  Do we reintroduce ourselves to our old friend carb who has been patiently waiting for us to return after our say 2 year absence?  Have we learned new coping skills for dealing with the stress of life, the boredom of life, the death in life, the births in life, the holidays in life, the job loss in life, the etc etc etc of LIFE that once we turned to food to COMFORT us? 

Now that we're at goal whatever that is NOW what.  What makes ME so special that I won't regain the weight?  BTW I am here to TESTIFY because it's not happening to me right NOW, but I have seen MANY MANY MANY seriously MANY a poster come and go in my 3 years and in my LIFE where they thought they had this weight loss thing locked and loaded, only to find out they didn't.

Really do I sit here on my lofty high WLS horse looking down on the Eriks of the world and really honestly think that just because I had WLS I can't REGAIN the weight.  I may not be able to STUFF my face the way I USED to but best believe I can STILL choose the WRONG foods.  The high fat foods, the high carb foods and as a 2 year post-op VETERAN I know FIRST hand that those foods go down so much EASIER then dense protein!

So what makes ME think that I won't regain the weight?
What do I think makes ME so special?

Well all my VSG friends, OH friends and In Real Life friends already know I'm just SPECIAL all around.  I'm posting this post cause I want my sisters and brothers to succeed and to know that for some of US this isn't OVER.  We don't get to goal and become "normal."  I don't come here everyday posting the WHATCHA eating thread cause I really wanna know whatcha eatin (ok well maybe I do).  I don't weigh myself on a daily basis because I like to see the scale stay the same (ok maybe I do).

I believe I won't gain the weight back because I come here daily.  I am a former FAT girl who weighed 345 at her highest and weighed OVER 300lbs since she was 18 years old and I need the support of this forum.

I believe I won't gain the weight back because I post the daily thread because I think if I didn't I'd dive into a cheesecake everyday cause no one would know, lol.  Remember eating food in the car or in secret thinking somehow **** I don't remember why I would eat in secret...shame, hiding, whatever...this is the reason I NEVER eat in my car anymore.  If/when I do fast food I take it home or to work or to where ever.

I believe I won't gain the weight back because I weigh myself daily.  I have seen time and time again people post about "mysteriously" gaining 20lbs.  It's NO mystery when I weigh myself daily because the MINUTE...**** SECOND I see something UP past my range.  I say "ok Michelle" were those cookies REALLY that good.  I still answer YES (lol) but then I say "ok Michelle they were but you don't need them for the rest of the week deal"

I believe I won't gain the weight back because since my mother died 3 years ago I miss her terribly and in that pain she is a CONSTANT reminder that I don't want to end up like her with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, failed kidneys as a result of the medications she was taking.

I believe I won't gain the weight back because while I don't always do it I believe that MOVING is key and essential to the overall wellness of my body.

I believe I won't gain the weight back because on a daily basis almost every meal and snack I do think about why I'm eating, am I angry, bored, hungry etc etc.

Ok these are the ramblings of a 25 month post op!!!

Ms Shell

Shell,

Thank you so much for posting this! I got so much out of this post! Being 5 months out, I keep telling myself you have so much time. The truth is, I don't.  I will use your lessons in my life. I don't think this was ramblings of any kind. You should realize how useful all this information is, because I, like many others, battle with this daily. What makes us think we won't regain the weight. I would love to copy what you have written here and somehow post it as a daily reminder on my computer wallpaper.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Huge hugs,
Michelle

Oh Michelle (love that name ) you are so welcome!  I am thrilled that you will use my lessons to continue your chapter in life to gain your health and lose the weight and KEEP it off, cause that is always the real BATTLE ya know!!

Things pop into my head and I think WOW if I'm thinking it at least ONE person might be too and that's the reason I post my "ramblings!!"

Ms Shell

Morning Michelle
Thank you from the bottom of my p-pickin heart for taking the time to post your thoughts.  They are far from being 'ramblings'...I am impressed with the depth of your thoughts and honesty.

I have told my DH several times..maintenance scares the b-gees out of me. I KNOW how to 'diet'...maintaining is totally foreign!  You have made some very good points...and all of them are so true.  Participation in any support group setting (on-line, social gatherings, meetings etc etc) seems to be the key to staying honest, accountable, motivated and informed.

I am so motivated by your post, I'm printing it off and posting it to the frig as a daily reminder what I need to committ to to continue to be a success ;-)  Because a Success is what I promised myself when I started this journey...FAILURE is NOT an Option ^_^

thank you again for taking the time to put your thoughts down...I hope they motivate everyone else to stick to basics and be the SUCCESS that they DESERVE.
Hugs

Ms Shell,

Thank you so much for posting this. I too am going to print this out and put it on the fridge, so I can read it when I walk by. I believe it is important to remind ourselves that we can regain the weight if we aren't careful. WLS isn't a quick fix, it is a tool. I will have to work on this for the rest of my life, and it certainly scares me that I could regain the weight. I don't know how many times I have told that to people who are "normal", that yes, I could gain this weight back and they look at me like I am crazy, but I am taking steps to help prevent that from happening. Working out, support groups and of course OH are so important for continued success.

Hugs Eileen

Ok I have been lurking around queitly listening in on your conversations. Ms Shell you have brought me out into the open. My sugery date is Feb 8th. I was talking to my mom,told her I am terrified of gaining weight back after taking this Huge step, My mom asked me why I thought
this time would be different? I really couldn't answer her, I told her I have to think about it and get back to her. Shell you have really helped me, as well as others...for example weighing yourself daily don't wait for the mysterious 20lbs watch for the obvious 5 lbs. I too think I am special so so do the people who love and support me.I truely hope this is the answer for me. I am willing to put it all on the line and change for the good. Heres to my health!!!

Jill

I just printed it off too and hope that everybody else *****ads it does too. Lifestyle, food and excercise changes are the only way not to regain. The only way.

Michelle,

I wanted to thank you SO much for posting this.  I too am going to print this out and put it where I can see it both at home and at work.

No ramblings, just sound advice and testimony!

Hugs,
Barb

Ms Shell...you said everything beautifully!  It's true that during the first 2 years (aka honeymoon phase) you feel like this surgery has been the magic fix that we've been looking for.  Sadly I too have returned to the carbs (at first not by choice, I needed the carbs to sustain a healthy pregnancy) and although it was easy to go back to my 'good girl post op' ways...it was NOT easy after the 2nd baby in 2 years and I've only lost 10lb since delivering my 2nd daughter and still sit 25lb above goal.  None of my clothes fit...I still wear mostly maternity wear even though my daughter is a year old now beacuse I refuse to buy bigger clothes. 

I'm now 5 years 5 months post op and am not at goal.  The EXCUSE of 'oh well I had 2 babies in 2 years' is NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE!  Thank you Ms Shell for the wake up call that I've needed for the past year.  I WILL gain control over my RNY TOOL and I WILL return to post op basics and loose this weight.

:)

Kristy