When was it the hardest?

First, yes I have been MIA for a while, but I do that a lot, I get caught up in other things, and YES i changed my profile picture AGAIN so you might not remember who I am!  LOL

I was in Philly for vacation this past week, and I am almost a year out (just put up my 11 month picture if you want to go to my profile and look) and I wondered if people would agree with me when I say being 11 months out is a bit harder then being 11 days out.

I had to really think about my food choices and I can eat pretty much anything.  Just because I CAN eat it doesn't mean that I do, but when you are on vacation you tell yourself it's ok to eat something you might not eat.  When you are only 11 days you have such a strict diet to follow and your body reminds you to stick to it.  When you are 11 months out it is more brain then body.

On the food side I did avoid the cheese steak, mostly because I went with my vegetarian boyfriend and I refuse to buy food that I will hardly eat!  So there was no one to share with.  On the bad side, I ate Tastecakes, BUT I HAD TO!!  OMG they are like going back to childhood.  Of course I paid for it...in the bathroom and in other ways.  Worth it!  Sorry but it was!

What has been the hardest time for you?

Well, I guess the hardest was a couple weeks after surgery when I was in the hospital with severe pneumonia and on a respirator.

But other than that, the hard part came about 2.5 years out, when I actually had to start working to maintain my weight loss.  I never used to get it when people said maintenance was the hardest part, but now I agree, it is.

I have not really experienced a specific time/place (like vacation or business trip) that was particularly difficult, if that is what  you are asking, but I think my approach to food (which doesn't work for everyone) helps in that respect.

If you are asking about hardest general time during the post-op journey, I would have two different answers.

As far as emotionally hard, I had a really hard time a couple of months out when so many people who had surgery around the same time (but who started smaller) were dropping sizes like crazy and I had to lose 50 pounds to drop a single size and then another 30-40 to lose the next size.

In terms of psychologically hard, it was at about 3 years out or so when I realized how easily and quickly my weight would start to creep up if  I was lax about what I ate for just a short period of time (since I can eat almost anything as well). I knew that RNY was not a magic bullet before I had it, and knew that it would be up to me to make good food choices to maintain the loss, but the realization of how EASY it is to regain was still a bit rough.



Lora

It hasn't ever been hard. Right out of the hospital I had aches and it was a little hard to sleep..a little sore. Getting my calcium down was the hardest then I found the Chewy bites that are like candy to me. I finally found a vitamin that I can chew. It took me a while to get into the routine of getting my pills in my schedule because I'm not a pill taker by nature. I have an excellent doctor with a good staff of nutritionists and I think that is the key to success. The achy part was minor.

Right now!  The scale has not moved in the past 4 weeks or inches lost in my body, my hair continues to fall out, and the EXTRA skin.  I have been so lucky and am very grateful.  I have had no complications at all,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and I don't dump or have not found what I dump on as of yet!  Although, my diet is pretty clean.

 So far my hardest was the first couple of weeks after surgery when I was stuck on liquids for two weeks. I can now have soft foods and I finally feel semi normal and not so left out of eating with my family.

 Year 2-3 when I experienced the evil, head-games of bounceback.

Every year past then has been a challenge 

In the short term it was the puréed stage. Ugh. I just didn't eat anything bc it was so gross.

Overall, maintenance. Hardest thing I've ever done. And the further u get out the harder it is. That's not to sound snarky but truthful.

1st month or so.

was nausiated almost constantly.  let myself get dehydrated because i could hardly force myself to drink.  also felt abnormal, like i was no longer a "normal" person since i couldn't eat and mentally wanted to - even though my body wasn't physically hungry at all.

 Today has been the worst for me.  My husband and I had a party celebrating once year in our house and had the following food:
hamburgers
hot dogs
buffalo chicken dip
ranch dip/veggies
bags and bags of chips-assorted
brownies with cream cheese frosting and strawberries
candy for the kids including Cadbury mini-eggs, Reese's eggs
grapes
beer/wine
soda

I had some buffalo chicken dip, fruit/veggies and a little dip, one brownie but more than a few Mini-eggs (spaced out so that I would not get sick.)  I only drank water.

What I should have done...eaten lots of protein prior to the party and stayed out of the kitchen.  I have had so little protein today.  It's only one day, so I am not beating myself up. but I should have bought only candy I did not like.  I gave almost all of the candy to the kids next door, so at least it's not tempting.  

What's unfortunate is that my husband and I are notorious over-preparers so we have SOOOOO many hamburgers/hot dogs left, and probably 6 bags of chips!