Help! I need to get back on track...

I haven't benn on OH for a long, long time. I have moved from Oklahoma to Oregon and do not have support around me like I did there. I moved away at 1 year post-op and now I am 6 years post op. Here's the problem. I KNOW I have stetched my pouch out. I can eat way more that I shoudl be able to. My lowest weight was 208 from 367 pounds. Now I am back up to 260. I am mortified. I have held that weight for a year now. What can I do to get back on track WITHOUT having a revision?

I know I should eat better and exercise. Motivation is critical and I don't have it. I feel embarassed to work out aroud my family. I have a treadmill in the spare bedroom collection dust. Can someone please send me some suggestions? I really know what I need to do (eat better, smaller, and exercise), but I need help figuring out how to get in the routine. Has anybody been there? I need some support, here. Thanks!

Sounds like you already know what you need to be doing.  Find a support group or maybe see a nutritionist if you need to and it sounds like you do.  We all can get off track...beating yourself up is not going to motivate.  You did it before and you can do it again.  Enlist all the help you can.  I find the south beach way of eating a very good lifestyle for myself and I do see a nutritionist regularly to help me with my food issues.  Using a menu site like fit day can be help ful to keep track of what you are actually eating and dust that treadmill off.  Stay around the boards for support...You can do it and I wish you many blessings on your journey...It really can happen you are asking for help that really is a big first step...don't ever give up.

You might even try the five day pouch test (5dpt) to make sure you have a stretched pouch. IN some cases the pouch isn't stretched so much as you think.

First of all pat yourself on the back for having the guts to admit you're backsliding now instead of later:-)  Next, sit down and figure out why this has happened?  Often when we know why we allowed ourselves to backslid we can stop the trip downward I think.  Now check out your pantry.  Did you start buying highly processed carbs or have you continued to stock your kitchen with fresh, whole foods.  I can eat as much as I want now without gaining but only if I eat fresh stuff like fruit, veggies, cheese...fresh healthy food.  And are you getting enough protein?  Keep a three day food journal and figure out how many carbs, calories, fat you're taking in.  You might be surprised to learn and in learning?  You can come up with solutions for yourself:-) 

Sometimes having a "come to Jesus" with yourself gets you back on track too:-)  Good luck and remember.........everything is permissible? But not everything is beneficial.  It's up to us to know the difference and benefit from that knowledge:-) 

I should eat better and exercise

You have answered your own question.  I'm reminded of a line Yoda uses in Star Wars:

Do, or do not. There is no 'try' 

Sammygirl, keep posting. We will give you support.
Now you know what to do, so chin up my friend, it's a whole new day.
Time to detox yourself of sugar and carbs. You can do this. Eat protien first then fresh veggies/fruits for your good carbs.

Now, some hard questions to ask yourself:
What is making you eat? Time to "think thin"
Yepper...it's time to exercise and you are worth it!! Because you haven't been exercising, now is the time to start. Start out slow and increase your exercise time to 5 minutes each day. Exercise at least 5 times a week. Goal: one hr. of exercise everyday. Walk, lift weights.
Try to remember how excited you were that first year post op surgery.
Try to find a work out buddy. Maybe a neighbor who can walk with you?

Now more questions:
Do you drink alcohol? If yes, stop for now
Do you drink diet pop? If yes, detox yourself from this worthless liquid, it's not good for our bones.
Are you drinking with meals? If yes, start following the 30/30 rule

You know your still a success. It's time for you to take a deep breath, spread out your arms and welcome a new life style change. Healthy eating and exercise. That's the key. Good Luck, you can do this, find that motivation!!

I definitely been and am there!  My highest was 326, my lowest was 216.  Nope, I'm no poster child for WLS.  Just 2 weeks ago I was at 252. Today, I'm at 245 and working my hardest to get back to 216 and below 200.  I still believe I can get to my doctor's goal of 170.  So... I started using fitday to track my protein, calories, fat and carbs.  I work out 1 hour per day, no matter what.  Even if it's just walking the mall.  I must work out 1 hour per day.  I generally go to the pool in the mornings.  The other thing I've started doing is journaling.  On fitday, I log in my planned eating, and I write my thoughts.  I pretty much declare what I want and what I am going to do.  The next day I repeat with resolve to better the next day.  Actually, a good friend told me to have the resolve to do better then  next meal.  Take it meal by meal, hour by hour.  The key is not to seek perfection, but to seek lifestyle changes.  You can do it.  You have not fallen so far back that you can't start again.  You have not crossed  the 300 mark and I congratulate on the weight you have kept off. 

You can do this!  Just start right where you are, plan, journal and go for it.  If nothing else, maintain where you are.  If I can do it, I know you can. 

fitday.com... try it out...

Hugs!

 I love your post... I too am struggling... it seems so easy when you talk about meal by meal, hour by hour.. I have a lap band and started out at 311... got down to 158... am 2.5 years post procedure and have gained by up to 188...i am so frustrated with myself.. I was never a sweet eater,, it was carbs for me.. since surg I cannot eat  rice or pasta.. and sweets have taken over.. each day, I get up saying I can do this.. but cannot stay focused.. I really enjoyed reading your posting... thanks... 

It's a lifetime battle. I've come to grips with this being something I've got to do everyday for the rest of my life.  It beats going back to being over 300 lbs and not being able to do anything, like tie my own shoes or sit on an airplane.  We can do this.  Hang in there!

One meal at a time!

HI,

You are not alone. I bounced back by 10 pounds in a matter of 2 months. I had been stable for a year with my weight.

I am using WW core program. I also work out 3 times a week, shooting for 5 times a week.

The WW core program helps me to get my protein first, carbs next. I take multivitamins and b12, calcium, etc and drink plenty of water. My problem was snacking on sweets and eating too many carbs.

We also had a "small" hurricane ****) hit us pretty bad and then my birthday came.

Whatever you do, tracking your eating, watching what you eat, regular weigh-ins and exercise are critical to get yourself back on track.  You should consider measuring/weighing your food and limiting it to 6-8 ounces at a time. Limit alcohol, sweets, processed foods and heavy carbs. Also make sure tht you do not drink with your meals. Wait 30 mins-1 hour before and after your meal to drink so that you are truly getting to digest your meal.

Good luck to you. You have taken the very important first step and that is being honest with yourself about the problem you are having.

Angela