[nanj]

What has been one of my biggest fears since I had WLS? That would be regain!!I was shopping at a place called 1/2 Price Bookstore looking for low-carb cookbooks, and overheard a woman on her cell talking with her father about having to go low carb and high protein. Of course, I had to stick my nose in after she hung up and gave her some opinions on some of my favorite low-carb cookbooks. She told me that she hadn't eaten meat in 25 years and she had to up her protein. I really took a good look at her and she was about 50 pounds overweight. I gave her some suggestions about soy products and she said that she was tired and hated soy after all of these years. She also mentioned that she was a carb addict. She walked away from me with an arm load of cookbooks and diet books and casually mentioned that she had had gastric-by-pass surgery.

I almost started crying for her and for myself. To go through all of that and then gain so much weight back and knowing that it could happen to me! I've been worried about my lack of balanced diet and little carbs creeping into my diet here and there. My weight is stable, my clothes size is actually a size smaller than a few months ago, but for how long!?!? I've read the stories and see so many that have gained back after a couple of years. I don't think that I eat the healthiest, I don't get my water in everyday and I don't exercise faithfully.

I figured by this time, almost 20 months out, that I would have conquered my food demons, that every bite that I put in my mouth would be healthy and on my WLS surgery plan for life. NO! I still struggle, just about everyday. For those who have had the weight loss surgery, be on constant guard. For those considering WLS, it is not going to be a magic bullet and it is hard.

Now what to do about all of this: weigh my food, journal, keep the crap out of my house, drink my water, eat the protein first, and take my supplement and vits. Same old same old, but oh so necessary.

[Leenie]

Necessary is right.. I had lost 150 lbs years ago (no surgery) and kept it off for about 13 years, until my sister died. That destroyed me and I gained nearly 100 back

I don't think you ever conquer your food demons Nance, its a life time battle. I think some days you can hush the monsters and some days it roars louder than ever.

I think its great you are keeping all this in mind and paying attention to your body and what you are doing. Don't ever stop. The day I stopped caring and paying attention is the day I let that food demon win and I started gaining weight

Surgery is not the magic pill.... nothing is, but it has changed and saved many lives ((hug)).

No one said life would be easy huh.... we just need to make the best of it that we can. It stinks that gaining is so easy and losing is so hard.

Same old same old IS GOOD !!!!

Leenie

[missangelaks]

Oh Nancy.....(((((HUG)))))) for you!! What a sweet thing you are! You care so much! Don't give up hope...We will all find our pace. Me included! And that girl will find her way. Promise!

I get this...I really do!! I have the same worries and fears but you know honey...fate is not set in stone. We have choices and we can make them day by day, sometimes minute by minute. If you eat a carb that wasn't in your plan, forgive yourself and start caring for yourself again the next moment...no beatings, no berating ...just start again.

We have fought and won over what 12 step programs call the lion. We have wrestled it down and locked it in a cage. With Food addictions, we have to open the cage and play with the angry lion 3 times a day! It's a struggle honey, something we will have to deal with but it's not insurmountable! The tool of WLS is a great way to keep the cage door closed!

We will do what ever it takes to care for ourselves every day because who else knows what we need like we do? Who understands our fears, needs and wants more then we do? Who can give us those things more readily then we can?

No worries honey! TODAY we are making the right choices for ourselves. THAT's what counts!


Angela

[jiffypop]

oh honey. oh honey. reality bites. and we're always terrified of regaining. but, even if we DO regain, WE CAN LOSE IT AGAIN!!! hold onto that - but keep doing what's gotten the weight off in the first place.

you are absolutely on the right track, and admitting the issues is sooo essential.

[KO]

Nan that woman was in charge of her fate and there are any # of things she could have done wrong.
YOu are in charge of Your fate and while you won't do everything right you have the tools and the support to make t he right choices!

[KO]

Work the Tool! I like to think of it as "Rock what the Surgeon Gave Ya"

[worthylady]

Nan, I think that you have a true grip on reality and that is what will help you not ever go back to where you have come from. In your post, you always seem very aware of what you eat and make it common practice to eat healthy. I haven't reached my final weight goal but I keep telling myself. You can't go back, you can't go back. That keeps me motivated. YOU WILL BE FINE!!