I had my surgery in January 2001. I lost nearly 200 pounds. I started out at 400. I am worried though because since the holidays I have put on some weight. I know I am not eating right, but I also feel like my stomach is too big again. I can eat too much!!!

I am considering joining Weight Watchers just to get myself into some healthy eating habits again.

Any suggestions?
Candy

CANDY!!!!! PUT DOWN THAT FORK AND LISTEN UP!!!!

and i'm sure others will chime in because we're not a shy group...

take a deep breath. ok. you had your surgery 3 years ago, and you've basically kept off 200 pounds. right?

now remember... what did you do before the holidays hit? what were you eating last summer? what were you eating when you felt in control??

that's what you go back to. if WW will help you to regain control, then that's ok. but bottom line: you have now joined the rest of the maintaining world! you have to return to what worked for you, and do it again. that's the secret. and maybe Meg will stop by as well.

is your stomach too big or are you not paying attention to it? are you eating for 20 minutes and then stopping or are you eating for 40? are you eating every 3-4 hours or are you snacking every half hour or so? are you drinking enough? are you keeping your food and drink separate so that you don't wash the food through your system?

be honest with yourself!!!!

one woman i know who had the surgery STILL felt very out of control and RAN to WW about 9 months after her surgery. she used the higher protein option, and, as she says, she was at goal for like 30 seconds. i think she's about 5 pounds above her WW goal, which puts her about 15 pounds lower than her doc's post-surgery goal. but that's what it's taken to help HER.

maybe if you started food journaling you'd be able to see what's going on...

but no matter what you decide, keep posting!!!!!

Did I hear my name mentioned?

Hi Candy! I'm not a WLS patient but fight the same fight that you and Jif and Peachie and everyone else here is fighting -- keeping off the weight that we all worked so hard to lose. Jif gave you good advice -- think about what worked for you to lose the weight and go back to that. The biggest surprise of weight maintenance for me was discovering that it looks the same as weight loss. In other words, I have to do the same things NOW to maintain my weight that I did to lose the weight. Unfortunately, we don't reach our goal weights and just live happily ever after. It takes thought and planning and hard work to keep the weight off, the same as losing it.

We've started a brand new forum here at 3FC called the Maintainers Forum. It's for people like you who have lost the weight and are fighting to keep it off. It doesn't make a difference to any of us whether you lost the weight with WLS or not -- we all have the same goal: to keep it off! Please come and join us there if you'd like to and maybe you can get some more useful thoughts and ideas.

BTW, is your name really Candy? Cuz my name should be Cookie!

Candy!

I'm only 5 months out and I am considering going to WW too. I think that you have done very well but like Jiff and Meg have said there is more work to be done. I am beginning to realize that this is a never ending battle and we just have to make it a priority.

Please post more often with us on any of the threads. It may help you...I know it would help us, if you became a really active member of the board. We could encourage you and you could share you experiences !!!!

hang out!

peach

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the support. I am starting WW tomorrow night. I may not stay for the long haul, but I need to get out of the house, be around people and get some structure in my eating. I will definitely be around here on the boards more often.

sounds like a great decision!! can't wait to hear the details. well. READ the details...

[. I may not stay for the long haul, but I need to get out of the house, be around people and get some structure in my eating.

Candy? How did WW go?

Getting out of the house (which for me is often hard to do) and getting some structure in my eating (which is often even harder for me to do) is a HUGE start Candy!!!!

I do really well when I cut out the grazing and stick to 3 meals and two snacks a day.

Getting out of the house makes me feel human!!!!

check in when you get a chance!
peach

WW went great. I spent $30 on the meeting and some other fun stuff that I got above and beyond. Well, I weighed in at 228.6. That means I have gained about 22 pounds since October.
Then I get home and call my sister and she tells me, oh, I just found all your ald WW stuff. Figures, I just bought new!!! LOL
Then to top off my evening of fun, I took a home pregnancy test and it came back positive!!!!!! So, I don't know how long I can hang at WW. I am going to talk to my doctor about it and not tell WW because they make you stop right away. I at least want to attend the meeting to get all the literature.

aaaaaaaaargggggg... is it possible that the pregnancy has something to do with the weight gain?? and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

If you're pregnant, that sure would explain a lot! I know when I'm pregnant (not that it will ever happen again!) the first sign for me is immediate weight gain.
Congratulations!

Chickadee

Congratulations Candy! Oh and I never knew that WW did not endorse its diet for pregnant women. That is a surprise; does anyone know why?Not even a modified version geared for maintenance?

they are probably just afraid of liablility issues. I am joining an email list for WW that are pregnant. That way I at least don't gain more than I should during the pregnancy.
I am thrilled. This is my first and I have been trying. It may account for 5 or 6 pounds that I have gained this month. Hope my doc isn't too upset with the weight gain.
I don't see my surgery doc anymore. I had surgery in Ft. Lauderdale Florida and now live in Missouri.
Thanks for the congrats and I will stay around on the boards too!

Congratulations, Candy!!!!

peach