The Naked Truth about Regain

Hi all!

I don’t post much anymore, though I read almost daily. I’m almost 3 years out and don’t have too much to say too often. However, a post yesterday gave me pause to think and I wanted to share my thoughts.

I have not been shy about posting that I regained some weight. I own it. Regain was the topic of the post yesterday. So here are my thoughts about regain:

REGAIN IS 100% PREVENTABLE. There is no unwritten mysterious law that dictates WLS patients will have regain. At three years out here are the facts that led to my regain:

1. I ATE TOO MUCH of the wrong types of foods.
2. I STOPPED DOING WHAT WORKED TO GET ME TO GOAL IN THE FIRST PLACE.
3. I DID NOT HAVE A CONCISE PLAN FOR MAINTENANCE
4. I BELIEVED I COULD EAT LIKE A “NORMAL” PERSON
5. I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT REFINED CARBS AND SUGAR ALTERED MY THINKING AND TRIGGERED CRAVINGS.

Here are some truths about my post VSG life to consider:

1. MY TOOL STILL WORKS! At 3 years out, I have a limited capacity and when I eat properly in a VSG appropriate way, I cannot eat that much at all. By volume, that means a cup of food. By weight it’s about the same 8 oz.
2. I can eat refined carbs with ease. Still have the same capacity – about a cup probably a little more since the refined carbs don’t shut down the pylorus. Have you ever ground up a bunch of cookies to make a cup of ground up cookie by volume? It’s amazing how many calories of crap you can cram into a cup.
3. Had I used the tool as it was meant to be used, I would have had NO REGAIN. I made a choice to eat incorrectly and regain was the natural consequence of my food choices.

Regain, in my opinion, is caused by a return to eating in very much the same way that caused someone to become 100+ pounds overweight in the first place.

Regain is not a shameful thing. It happens. BUT IT IS NOT INEVITABLE. Many, many people manage very well for years (dare I say a lifetime?) without regain after WLS.

Like with most things in life, your post VSG life will be what YOU make it.

REGAIN IS 100% PREVENTABLE. Nothing more to add!!

Awesome post!  Thank you 

Hey Kairk,

Thanks for gettin "naked" and the dose of reality!!!

A couple of newer frequent posters that haven't lost the weight yet seem to have all the answers might be in for a few surprises!

Tell us how moderation works for you ?????

frisco

Turns out I'm an all or nothing sort of guy. Moderation of certain foods just doesn't work for me. If the food is a sugar, flour and fat combo food, I probably shouldn't eat it. It's most likely going to be a trigger food for me.

What I can moderate are things like steel cut oatmeal, wild rice, sweet potato, baked potato, beans, most fruits, vegetables and meat, eggs, and dairy. See the pattern? Whole, natural foods I can manage - even the "carby" ones.

Processed, highly refined food products trigger me - sometimes right into a day long binge.

 

I couldn't agree more. Even for me, a strong advocate for moderation, I could not agree more with being mindful about carbs. Like you- whole, natural foods I can manage- even the "carby" ones. I derail on refined processed carbs. I used to be able to have some and do Ok, but my blood sugar levels are letting me know that this is no longer working for me. 

Great post, and good to see you pop in every so often. Hope this years cuties in the classroom are a joy for you, and congrats on surviving the Halloween onslaught of sugar. UGHHHHH! I really wish my administrators would follow the damn nutrition laws and not allow the sugar in!!!!

Different people, different methods.  Moderation works for me! Did during the 15 months it took me to lose all my excess weight; has (with two blips) for 7 years of maintaining. 

 

Moderation currently does not work for me, kudos to those that it does. Maybe time will change that..maybe the surgery will, maybe once I get into maintenance mode I'll get a handle on it, although I doubt it. I didn't get to be 100 + lbs over weight by being able to eat certain foods moderately, so why would that change after surgery? Does it change? I've lost over 70 lbs before on HCG  and once I got a taste of those carbs and some sugar.. thinking "I can handle it.. after all,  I've lost 70 lbs!" .. nope, into a downward spiral I went. I don't know if I will ever be "safe" but this time around I'm not going to chance it .. I have too much on the line :) 

This is a fabulous post. Seriously. I'm printing this out.

My surgery was about a week after yours, and I still have to remind myself on a daily basis that this will be a battle for the rest of my life. If I don't pay attention closely things can get out of hand very quickly. I worked to get it off and I have to work to keep it off. A never ending cycle.

There's no such thing as "moderation" for me....those refined carbs and sugars trigger almost instantly and as much as I'd like to think I could keep it controlled (especially in maintenance), the fact of the matter is I can't. And really that's ok - that stuff is junk crap that's not good for my body anyway.

Again, great post.

Great post!! Thank you!!