Desperate times Drastic Measures

Help I am failing and I can't get up. This has been a real roller coaster ride for me I am about 2 years post op and the closest I got to onderland was 201 I got so frustrated I spiraled back to 235.Now I go between 235 and 240 and to be honest it comes from grazing. Is having another surgery like the RNY even an option for me. I have started exercising lately. I just wish there was a magic potion for head hunger and emotional eating. Any advice given is greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening

I'm sorry you're dealing with this, but no surgery is going to help if you continue to graze.

Try logging all of your food for a while in an app like MyFitnessPal. Stick to a regular eating schedule, and go back to dense protein. It will keep you feeling full longer.

Have you considered seeing a therapist to work on your food issues? 

I am right there with you!  I have not thought about seeing a therapist before, but I certainly am after someone suggested it.  I agree, another surgery will not help!  Grazing is the issue.  

On some days, I give myself permission to graze.  On those days I keep my food intake to 1200 calories a day, but if I want to, I might divide that into 12 snacks of 100 calories each.  It might be a cheese stick, three very thin slices of deli ham, 2 slices of bacon, small serving of tuna salad with cherry tomatoes, a large apple, yogurt, protein shake, sugar free jello, or a 100 calorie packet of pretzels, cookies.

I found out long ago that I am not always hungry at traditional meal times.  Last night we had burgers from 5 Guys and I ate the hamburger only with some pickles and a small salad.  What works for me is just keeping the calories under 1400, getting some exercise, and weighing myself every day.

As you're eating around your VSG, so can you eat around any surgery. I second the suggestion to see a therapist which, while it isn't the magic wand we'd all like, is the closest thing there is to help with learning better skills and habits. 

My NUT thinks it's more realistic to replace the behavior because dropping bad habits (or addictions) can be so hard to do. Instead of grazing, try to replace that behavior with something less destructive or maybe even helpful to the cause. She talked to me about using a colorful pad of sticky notes. Every time you want to eat something (graze), write it on the sticky note and stick it to the fridge. Every day, count them. As the days go on, the sticky notes should be less and less. Or write it in a journal instead... We all know that this isn't an easy fix, but it can be done! It's good that you recognize this downfall and are open to change! It's a great thing to come to OH for support, too! I hope you find something that works for you! (And as the other posters have said, I don't think it's another surgery!) 

That is a great idea!  My problem recently is sweets.  Not lots of sweets, but I'll eat a bite size snickers after lunch, or 4 bites of my husband's birthday cake after dinner.  Maybe I'll try putting a sticky on my frig when I resist sweets.  I've also tried, when I want a snack, to just drink more.  A filling protein drink or a big glass of water.  That seems to help me stop snacking...but not stop with the sweets!

One trick I have is that I have to have protein before I can have something sweet. If I don't want the protein (i.e., I'm just not hungry), I can't have the sweet thing either. It also means that if I DO wind up having it, that my pyloric valve is engaged and I can't eat unlimited amounts of it. It doesn't help with grazing but it does help with quantity - and sometimes I don't even want the sweet thing after I've had the protein!

I don't think another surgery will help, especially if grazing is the issue, definitely see a therapist, she might be able to give you better strategies to deal with this issue. I know I still try to find a good balance between snacking & meals, maybe having a planned meal & snack thru out the day will help you not graze so much when you know when another meal or snack is coming up.