14 Years Post Op...regained 65#...forgot how to eat, help me get back on track!

You have already taken the hardest step by saying enough is enough and now I want to get back on track. I maintained 118-125 for over 10 years after losing 200 pounds. Due to a personal tragedy I gained and hit the 190 mark a year ago. After several starts it finally clicked and I am back to goal losing 70 pounds of regain. Here are some steps that helped me and I hope they will help you too! You may have several starts and stops but don't give up, don't beat yourself up. IT WILL CLICK!!! Our tool works if we work the tool and get back to the basics.

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. If you didn't make a Weight Loss Surgery bucket list when you first had surgery do it now. GREAT reminder of all the things you can enjoy in life after losing weight.

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. I found once I started carrying one of the metal bottles of water to keep it cold I drank water all day.

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. Grab a cart and walk all the isles at your local box store. 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. Come here on OH daily for support and participate in one of the food threads. It helps you be accountable and also great ideas for food prep.

Keep me posted on how you are doing.

a lot of us eat sugar free products (like SF yogurt - not SF cookies!) - but if sugar alcohols and other artificial sweeteners mess with your system, like they do for some people, then don't.

a lot of people are very carb sensitive and for those who are, they do best on an ultra-low carb diet (esp if they're still in the losing phase). I'm not particularly sensitive to carbs, and I did eat them while losing, but I tried to keep it under 80 grams and never went over 100 (those eating ultra-low carb eat way fewer than that). I do eat more carbs now that I'm in maintenance, but not a lot. But again, if you're carb sensitive, a very low-carb regimen might serve you well.

I wouldn't do four protein shakes a day. Most of us don't do protein shakes at all once we're a few months out and can get all our protein through food. There are a few exceptions - e.g., some people can't handle solid food when they get up in the morning, so they'll have a shake for breakfast. Some (like me) malabsorb protein so we have to take in a lot more protein than the average WLS patient, and having a shake assures we'll make our protein goal for the day. And others just like them so they've kept drinking them - but not four a day! But unless you adore protein shakes or fit one of those categories, there's no need for them.

Just focus mainly on protein and non-starchy vegetables, and if you have room, you can add a little fruit or small amount of "good" carbs. And stay away from Facebook groups!!

ADDED: and as the above posters said, weigh/measure and track your food. Every day. When I stop doing that, my weight starts drifting up. I know I have to do that for the rest of my life if I want to stay where I'm at (which I do!)

Hi! Glad you came and posted. You've just taken the first step in getting that regain off.

I'm with Kim. She's been here longer than I have but I myself am 10 years out. And I've had regains. Three big ones. One of 60+ pounds and a couple of smaller ones. The good news is you absolutely can get it back off. When I lost my last one, I actually continued on and lost 30 more pounds. So at 10+ years out I am at my lowest post op weight EVER.

For me, and I speak only for me, my food for the day follows a pretty consistent plan: dense protein, a few bites of non-carby veggies if room, and then the occasional three to five bites of dessert or treat. I still dump, so sugar isn't much of a part of my life. I'm not super low carb although many have success with that. But the carbs I do it are in much smaller portions. They don't happen every day either.

You've got to find what works for you and go with that. I suggest maintaining where you're at for a week or two to show yourself that you actually do know what to do to control your weight. Honestly we all know how to just stop at a certain point and stay there - it's just rare to purposely decide to do that. I think it's necessary when we are in regain. Weighing and holding the line for a bit will demonstrate that you know exactly what to do to end the regain cycle. It probably doesn't seem like it now, but you do. So I'd really suggest starting with that.

Then eat according to what your post op diet is supposed to look like. I already mentioned it pretty much up there. I refuse to diet. I didn't have the surgery to diet. This (above) is just how I eat now. Find what works for you and do that. Reconcile yourself to the fact that if you want to re-lose the weight and keep it off that is the way you'll be eating for the rest of your life. Of course there will be exceptions. When losing regain they should be very few and very far between.

Don't forget to hydrate. At least 80+ ounces per day and this is vital. You can really hurt yourself if you become dehydrated. It will also screw up your regain loss.

There are so many tips and tricks beyond what I wrote. Some swear by exercise. Some benefit from weighing and measuring. Some swear by their fit bits. Many of us benefit by logging in to OH regularly, etc. I could go on but I'll let those who do those things elaborate. Also, please consider going into the daily menu threads for your surgery type. You'll find lots of info on what people are actually eating and what their results are. And you'll get great ideas to dispel diet fatigue.

Just don't give up. Please. The regain may come off as slow as a pound a week. Remember it didn't come on overnight either though. You'll feel better and become more motivated with every pound you lose. You don't remain 65+ over weight for a year and then poof! wake up one morning at your target weight. It's a process and personally the slow loss helps me to ground myself back in good habits.

In actuality you'll likely be successful, even if it takes a bit. You've done this once already, remember? You can do it again - the surgery will still work for you - but it's a bit harder than it was during the wonderful first few post op months.

The bottom line is that you'll be ok. Take Care. PM me if I can help.

oh, and stay away from fb/social media groups. They are a waste of time and big piles of mis-information. You'll likely get more help and more accurate info by posting here but even if you don't stick with it on OH I'd caution never to go back to social media, except for the entertainment value after you've lost your regain.

I recommend you use the Search box at the top of this site to look up posts on losing regain. This is a very common topic so you will be able to find lots of info that can help you turn things around.

Low carb and high protein. Macros should be around 35% carbs, 25% fat and 40% protein. Track, track, track! Lots of water and stay away from processed foods. Avoid sugar, white bread, white rice and white pasta. Whole grain only. Exercise for health and strength train. It may initially slow weight loss but muscles are what control your metabolism.

I'm 7 years post op RNY. I gained 85 pounds by eating chips drinking wine and eating slider foods because dense protein made me feel too stuffed.

15 months ago my disgust level peaked and I went back to Bariatric Basics. No shakes, just lean dense protein, low carbs, track everything, and get off the couch and move. I've lost that 85 pounds it took about 10 months to lose it. Now I'm focused on maintenance, and it's work.

I also now know better that I personally do not have permission to Not track my food intake honestly and I must own up to any slips, by getting on the scale AND recording my weight.

I didn't get "it's a tool" concept till I gained almost all my weight loss back, undoing what I had risked in pain time and money to achieve.

I don't know you, but if you care enough to put in the work, it can be done.

Best of luck

I am 2 years out and have a regain of 30lbs. I was devastated. I am on the journey to lose it too. I am also following this thread.Thanks everyone for the advice.

Thank you everyone for the words/wisdom advice. I am working on getting back to the basics and tracking, all of your comments have helped tremendously!!!! Thank you so so much!!

Deanna