4 Yrs. Out and GAINING

I'm embaraced to admit that as of this year, I am beginning to put on weight  - and pretty quickly! My average weight since surgery is 155-157 lbs. However, within the year I have ballooned up to 180lb. I am greatly affraid and need pointers/encouragement as to how to get back on track before the "old" me resurfaces.

PS - I went out and bought the Extreme Fat Smash Diet (Dr.Ian Smith) and although embarrassed, contimplating returning to my surgeon for direction ( haven't been to him since surgery - there, I admitted one of my down fall).

I definitely think you should see your surgeon. Mine has told me he wants to see me even if it's only a 10 pound gain.

Track your food and exercise. There is no magic wand. You can do it!!

I'm repeating myself from another thread, but thought that this information might be useful to you as well. You can do it!

Work on improving one habit at a time and the idea of getting back on track won't feel so overwhelming.

-Bring a water bottle everywhere and sip all day. Whether it's tea, water, or crystal light, you want to make sure you're getting enough fluids. It's easy to mistake thirst for hunger.

-Exercise. It doesn't have to be a lot to make a big difference in your life. It's really helped me manage the bad stress in my life. I started with only 15 minutes a day and worked my way up. Give yourself a goal and work toward it.

-Take your vitamins. If your body has any kind of vitamin deficiency going on, that can really stall weight loss. I couldn't lose weight for the life of me when I was anemic and b-12 deficient.

-Weigh and measure what you eat to ensure that you are portioning properly. You'd be amazed at how our eyes can deceive us!

-At meals and snacks, focus on protein first. It should be your top priority followed by vegetables, and small portions of minimally processed carbohydrates like brown rice, whole wheat bread, or beans (if you have room).

The important thing to remember is that you haven't failed. This is a lifelong journey and there will be ups and downs. Have compassion for yourself and work on making small changes.

Thanks for the support! I will definitely contact my doctor and as of today, I'm going to be more proactive in what I eat and how frequently.  I have noticed that I do not eat as often and once I do, I tend to eat whatever's available. 
I had a long talk with my hubby *****cently had WLS this year, and he gave me some interesting pointers as well - like, waiting to drink after eating, frequent meals, daily vitamins, and food selection
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 I made sure to start the day with breakfast (sugar-free oatmeal with craisins/ raisins and walnuts) mid- morning snack (a banana) and for lunch I plan on having beef brisket with provolone). Mid-day I'll have maybe a slice of cheese and dinner, I haven't quite decided yet.  Im drinking more water and back to taking vitamins regularly. Gotta get my exercise in on treadmill as well.

Im posting my intake so that if there is someone wondering "How do you put the weight back on?" Let this serve as reminder, doing just the opposite of this -i.e. skipping meals/vitamins, consuming too much sugary/starchy foods, and not exercising  - will DEFINITELY catch up with you ( even if its 4 yrs. later)!!!

I set a weight limit for myself, and I go by my clothes too. If my favorite jeans are getting tight, something's amiss. And while my weight fluctuates 5 pounds through a month easily, I know the difference between water/PMS weight and true weight gain. So my limit is 3lbs and if I hold onto that for more than a month, I've gained, and I get back to being strict and usually it's gone in 2 weeks. So I've never regained more than 3lbs, ever. And I've only had to do a recon a few times in the last 4 years.And it was because I was battling my sugar addiction again and not exercising enough.

 We had the same surgeon - he's great. There's also a support group once a month. Wouldn't hurt to go to it. Try to think long term - what do you want from your life and your weight loss - work towards that.
Good luck.