Almost 3 years out, still struggle with regain & the scale gives me the evil eye!!!

As many of you know, I've struggled with regain for quite some time now.  The regain I once lost came back SEVERAL months ago.  Good news, it's not more BUT I swear to you all, this weight loss definitely gets harder the further out we are.

I got some Bariatric Advantage shakes in the mail a week ago so help get me back on track.  I vowed to ditch shakes forever because let me tell you, I had my fair effing share of them in the weight loss phase.  Alison and I were the ones creating concoctions and sharing them with the OH VSG board all the time.  Life was grand ... we went on hikes in our tiny little shorts and pink tanks feeling pure awesomeness with what we called our "sexy skinny b****" status.  Well ... life get in the way and let's be honest ... my dear friend ... food.

Well, this post isn't to bore anyone but attempting to lose regain is like it was post surgery for some of us.  It's a lot harder to get back on track and stick to the low low calories.  2 weeks ago, I was eating an 80 calorie greek yogurt for breakfast and dinner with my lunch being my main meal.  It was the one meal I was looking forward to because I allowed myself a portion control salad with my own dressing.  Maybe too low of cals?  Then, my shakes came in and I've been choking those done.  I decided to tell myself that since I allowed all this crap food back in my diet for the past 2 years, I can get back to my eating right ... wrong.  As they say, it's a lifestyle change but my biggest gripe now is the snail pace of a weight loss.  I cannot do 600 cals like I did at 6 months out.  I try to stay around 950-1000 and even that's been a struggle.  The reason I brought the protein shakes back in was to get my protein back up and carbs less than 30-40.  AND these BA shakes are meal replacments and really do keep me full for a good while but t doesn't get easier the further out we get.

I cannot weigh everyday.  We dont see the weight come off on an almost daily basis like it did the first year out of surgery.  My cals were at 800 max yesterday yet my weight was up 2 pounds today from yesterday.  See?  TOTAL MIND-F***!!!!  So .... back to eating as I should ... tracking, walking, exercising any way I can, drinking water & maybe I'll allow the scale to stare me down once a week. 

As my friend slimpickins always reminds me about wanting to give up or kick and scream about weight and crap ... "what the F else do we have to do"?

Thaaaaaaat's right!!!!  I am still happy with myself.  I still look decent & I will get most of this regain off ... even if it takes a gazillion years!!! 

Thank you for sharing this.  I am only 3 months out and definitely in the honeymoon stage!  It's hard for me to imagine a time when this could get difficult again.  I need the jolts back into reality to remind me that it will not always be as easy as it is right now.  Good luck with this - you sound very determined and I'm sure you'll just keep fighting the fight! 

Just staying on top of your game will get you very far.  I told myself right before surgery that I changed my lifestyle forever.  There for a while while I was at goal it seemed almost liberating to eat stuff that I knew I shouldn't because I was still small.  After time and again ... I got off track for months and months ... it's not like I can say I just indulged once in a while.  I was doing more times than not.  Any regain you might experience later on, just get back on track the sooner the better.  You wont be sorry!  I am still very happy to be sleeved and I still experience all my NSV's.  I did this for health reasons so I need to remind myself why I had surgery in the first place.

Best of luck to you.  Being at the 3 month mark is exciting!!!

 

What I totally appreciate about you, Jenn, is that you keep it real.  No bull**** no rainbows and unicorns, just the hard truth that you gotta get up every single day and work at this over and over and over....forever.   And I love slimpikcins line: "what the F else do we have to do?"  So true!  

You hang in there and fight the good fight...because it is GOOD and it is a FIGHT and you are going to ******g WIN IT!!! 

My gawd, you have no idea how much I value you here too, just like Geek.  You have been such an inspiration to me because I know you work hard at it.  This doesn't come easy for most if not all of us.  And now to see your hubby on here, brought a smile to my face.  We have that in common ... our spouses are on the same train as us.  You both are in it to win and so are we.

Luv ya Tracy!!!

You talking about me?    Impossible.  I'm a big ole meaniepants.

I really appreciate your post.  Those of us in weight loss mode tend to think there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  Once we reach goal, life is beautiful.  You reinforce that there is NEVER an end game in this. Diligence is always the key.  I hope you can get back on track and drop the weight.  Chickens are swinging wildly in your direction.

 

Valuable post Shagdoll.   Yeah it gets scary a few years out when even a pound or two creeps up.  I swear the more your scale reads, the hungrier you feel.  maybe another reason to no weigh too often. 

Whoever says weight loss surgery is the easy way out is clueless.  Nothing easy about this long term.  One thing is certain : you can do this - it is possible with committment which you obviously have.   

I swear protein shakes make you gain weight because they create a big heavy blob in your guts.  

Anyway, GL and I know you will win.     diane

Diane, I have to tell you.  I think you are pretty amazing.  I know you don't post much now but I still lurk on the maintenance board to see people's progress.  You show me that maintaining can be done but I'm sure, just like most of us, it doesn't always come easy.

In the beginning when my weight would go up about 5 pounds, it always seemed fairly easy to get those few pounds off.  A lot of the time it was water retention so I was ok with it.  A few days of back on track eating and I was seeing the lower number.  This is why it scares me to see newbies slip so early out ... and here I got to my goal. 

OK Diane... hope this really doesn't sound lame but do you really think that about protein shakes because I am tempted to flush the powder down the toilet now ... (j/k John!)

Thank you for your support, I truly appreciate it!!!

I love my sleeve and have achieved the top end of my weight goal range. Struggling to get rid of these last ten pounds. Everything has changed from early post-op. I still measure and track my consumption. I have to do that.

Regain scares me. Thanks so much for sharing such honesty! Keep on trucking.

Sorry if I am just being nosey but are you already in a normal BMI?  Just asking because I thought you posted you were.  Either way, I really think you look fantastic!

"Dieting" will always have to be a big part of my life.  Food might consume my every thought.  Diane is right ... when the scale shows a higher number, I know I tend to feel hungrier.  Why is that???  Crazy ... but hey, it's all good.  :)