2 1/2 years out and I have questions.

jackibailey

I had gastric bypass in 2014 and I lost over 200 pounds really quickly so I've been "maintaining" for more than a year. So I'm up and down about 8 pounds all the time. Cause I eat cake haha. I go through carb spurts and I hate it. I gain weight, freak out, put myself on restrictive diet. Lose weight. It feels like a vicious cycle. I walk 5 miles at least five days a week. Actually when I start a "diet" again I will walk 8 miles trying to out exercise a bad diet and get the ball rolling. And I want to be less extreme about the exercise and more consistent with the food. And mentally I have days I freak out cause I can eat more food now. And then I have days I get full really fast. And I'm not creative about my diet. I eat a lot of the same stuff everyday. Lots of protein. My dr just said "that's the nature of a gastric bypass."
Yikes. So really does anyone else get like this. I feel very alone and I google and I don't find anything similar. I'm in therapy. I talk to my bariatric surgeon. But I feel like I just don't know the right way to be doing this now. Did my stomach stretch one day and shrink the next? And I know all carbs are slider foods for me, so on good days I weigh out my pretzels. That's the one purposeful carb I allow myself on good days. On bad days I eat so much carbs that the cravings take days for me to get over. Part of my problem is on some of the binge days I start out good but I don't feel satisfied after I eat. I won't feel the full feeling. My mind gets obsessed with wanting to eat something and I will watch the clock white knuckling it for three or four hours between meals the my FID kicks in. (*kitten* it disorder). Yes I'm in therapy working on this but is anyone out there going through something similar? I question how many calories I can eat. I question the amount of food I can eat. I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Any support would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

chubby_checkers

First things first: you have to stop freaking out. Seeing a higher number on the scale is sending you into a tailspin of yo-yo dieting behavior. Easier said than done, I know, but you have to do it. For your sanity if nothing else.
Second: Have you spoken with a dietitian? Someone that can help you set a reasonable calorie goal that will help keep you satisfied with your food?
Third: I think everyone has days where they feel full after a few bites and others where they feel like bottomless pits. Even those that haven't had any form of weightloss surgery go through phases like that.
Fourth: Do you journal? It might help you. You can track how you're feeling emotionally that day, whether or not you exercised, how your meal made you feel after you ate, did you eat out of boredom, etc. See if there is anything that jumps out at you. Like are you hungry an hour after breakfast? Maybe you need to change it up and eat something more filling (as an example). Tracking non-food things like that can help.

garber6th

I am close to three years out from VSG. I had lost 202 lbs and gained back around 25. I was working long hours and commuting long hours and my exercise and diet went out the window. When that happened my guard was down. I finally got it together and consulted with my surgeon and we made a diet and exercise plan together, and now my weight is coming off again. My surgeon did tell me that carbs are my enemy lol. Maybe some people can work them into their diet, and some, like me, can't and shouldn't. Maybe re-evaluate that - is it really that important to have a few pretzels if that stresses you out and causes you self doubt and sets you back? If you already know something is a trigger food, ask yourself why you are eating it anyway. I also have days where I eat more, days where I eat less. That's pretty normal! For a long time I ate the same foods because it was easy, but I decided to try new recipes and that helped.

When you are further out from surgery, things work differently than that first year and I think the frustration from that can be totally anxiety-inducing. It takes a while to settle in to our new normal. I started therapy a year before I ever considered surgery and I have continued with it. I have always said that the first thing that I need to get in shape is my head!

One thing we also need to remember is that we can't diet like "normal" people. There are foods we should restrict or avoid. This is what we signed up for and I know that for myself, when I stray from the plan, my results are not what I want them to be.

I agree with chubby_checkers that seeing a dietician would help. See what other resources your bariatric center offers. Maybe they have support groups or nutrition classes? You are definitely not alone!

jcavanna2

Couldn't agree more with @chubby_checkers
Third: I think everyone has days where they feel full after a few bites and others where they feel like bottomless pits. Even those that haven't had any form of weightloss surgery go through phases like that.

I am 6 mos out from gastric bypass. I still go to Weight Watchers meetings weekly since I need that weekly accountability, but I do believe in moderation. Before surgery I told my medical team that if I would never be able to have pizza or ice cream or a cookie ever again then surgery wasn't for me (I am a NY'er so I think pizza runs through my blood). They all were fine with that and said eventually I could have it in moderation. I have had pretty much every food I can think of that I had pre-op. Difference now is I can eat much less and some stuff doesn't sit well with me.

Just ate some roast chicken I made over the weekend and I notice I get stuffed when I eat protein first. I do have those days where I feel a bit out of control - last week I was all about the junk. I am an emotional eater but I can usually stop myself and recognize the triggers.

I now love outside of Charlotte and work in Charlotte so last week was tough - forced to work from home which in itself is a trigger for me. I must have done something right because I lost 1.6 but trying to get back on the horse so to speak.

This is another tough week between health issues for both my 1 year old yellow lab and 11 1/2 year old mixed breed plus having work done on the house that isn't going as planned.

Anyhow, my point is not to beat yourself up - when you see yourself falling into this pattern, try to correct it with your next meal.

I start having protein shakes for breakfast when I see myself slipping and that usually helps. My husband is even game for protein shakes for dinner when we can't decide what to have or have both had a bad week. He is not a Bariatric patient, but joined MFP and logs daily.

I love looking at new recipes and Bariatric Foodie has an insanely good Taco Casserole...

jackibailey

Thanks you guys. I guess to be fair and a little kinder to myself I need to acknowledge that I am extremely different now than before cause I do reign it in more days than I don't. Thanks for your help!