FAILED - Please help me get back on track - 1 Year Post-Op

Hi everyone -

I haven't been on in a while due to feeling like a total failure.  I am 1 year post-op and only down 52 lbs.  My starting weight was 306 and now I'm about 254 with a goal of 185.  I've been reading about other's success and just want to kick my own a**.  I haven't lost anything consistently since Oct 2012.  Though I still feel restriction, I can now eat like a whole ham sandwich instead of a half.  I feel like I've stretch my 40 bougie.  I know where my failures are:

1.  Not enough protein

2.  Too many carbs = sliders

I can see that my family feels like I'm a failure as well.  I didn't self-pay not to succeed.  How can i get back on track? 

Sorry to hear you are struggling. But for the grace of God, there go I. You can get back on track. Believe it and make your plan. You already outlined two reasons for your failure. Go back to logging all food. Get 80 gms protein per day minimum in lean, dense protein. Eat very clean. I like what Elina suggests with 3 protein meals and 2 veggie snacks. Drink minimum 12 eight ounce glasses water per day and keep carbs to under 30 gms. Move your butt and exercise, even if it is just consistent walking each day. You can't fail if you stick to those things. And remember, you are not a failure, your approach has failed. Stop doing the same things and expecting different results.

Well you identified your problems (sliders/carbs).

You have your motivation (you self paid and you went through the pain and you don't want to have to do it again).

You know the plan.

Whats the problem?

Getting your family involved is critical. Make sure you don't have junk food in the house, make sure they eat healthy with you. Put them in charge of policing you. 

I assume you are not exercising either. That is also critical, even if it is only walking 30-60 mins a day. You need to do it. 

I debated giving you some tough love, but I am guessing you are ready to get this done. This is not easy. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon that never ends. 

Well put.

I had surgery in Jan of 2012. I was 240 when I paid, 225 the day of surgery. I lost down to (I think) 195 or so the first 5 months and that was IT. I lost a ton of fat and inches, lost my type 2 diabetes, lost my insomnia...lost a lot of hair and a mean husband as well. Then I lost maybe 10 pounds between month 6 and month 15. I ran into a friend of mine. She and I were the exact same size in Dec of 2011. Now I was 185 and she was 310. So you see, you could have gone the OTHER way in the last year. At least you didn't gain.

Everyone says...you lose the most weight in the first 12-18 months. That is true I suppose but I didn't get all of mine knocked out so I picked up running/exercise in December of 2012. I mean, seriously decided that fat or thin, I will be healthy. I will exercise. I will drink water. I will take my supplements. I will love me. I will take care of me. My surgiversary came and it was hard not to compare to others who had made goal. However, it's not a contest against others, it's a battle against myself. It's a battle against my issues.

So I now have 25 more pounds or so, depending on where I decide to land finally. I have extra skin and sagging, even with the exercise but I notice my back fat rolls are GONE. I have one tiny roll but it's small. My waist has made an entrance. I still have a huge gut and need a tummy tuck and upper pubic area reduction but I have a waist now. I had to stop buying 10's and start buying 8's. My point is....it's never too late. I have a large capacity sleeve but once you cut back, your stomach adjusts. You feel fuller on more and the dense protein does make you feel fuller longer.

Just start over today. Make today the first day of the rest of the journey. Figure out what prevents you from following the plan: is it your emotional eating? (if you even have that) or is it planning? Or is it motivation? what is it that is blocking you from doing what you know? Once you figure that out, it's just a matter of following the plan.

*cheers*

THIS.

"I will take care of me. My surgiversary came and it was hard not to compare to others who had made goal. However, it's not a contest against others, it's a battle against myself. It's a battle against my issues."

Hi there,

I am right there with you.  I am three years out and have gained back close to 40 lbs.  For me it started with snacking on the sweets at work and getting off track on vacations.  I started drinking with meals, eating evil carbs, and it lead to uncontrolled grazing and craving. 

I am on day four of detoxing and putting the rules back in place.  Yes, I can eat more than I used to could.  But I do not have to eat every thing I can eat.  My tool still works.  I have been really focusing on liquids, getting enough in and keeping it separate from my food.  I am working to get white carbs out of my life.  I have had a few headaches, but not a lot of hunger or cravings.  The tool still works, I promise.

Now having said that, I will admit this is not the first time I have tried to get back on track.  But this time, I did a lot of thinking and visited my Dr first.  I set a date and let myself go through food mourning.  I have kind of followed the pattern of wls.  Iyou can do this, but you have to get your head really into before you start.

Go read Elena's thread about maintenance tips.  I think you will find some healing in the thread.  Read it all!!!

What to you need to start back on program right now?  Right now is the very best time to start.  What can we give you to help you?  You know what to do, you know what you need, now go do it or ask for it.  Don't wait, don't put it off, now is the time.

of course most people lose the most at first , but that is when they have the most to lose  and most people stick to there plan more then

the sleeve is still there and still works fine , dig out your plan , get back of myfitnesspal.com and start tracking , eat ham and a salad , not a sandwich , cut most of the carbs and add a nice health protein, maybe a protein shake as 1 meal , get down to around 800 cal and exercise  and the pounds will drop off you , today is the first day of the rest of your life forget the past

pretend that you just got out of the hospital and are starting with a new sleeve  

Thank you everyone.  I have been walking 2-4 miles about 4 days a week for a month now.  This week I've cut out soda, etc and drinking tons of water.  I hear a lot of people talking about the weight loss phase and the pouch test I am confused about the guidelines in this phase and I don't have a pouch that I know of.