figure out what is stressing you to eat. Walk, drink fluids.

Probably mostly related to my ME/CFS and not even the symptoms but more like the emotional baggage that goes with it.. good point though.. so let me ask you this.. if I know what it is, but have no control over fixing the problem.. what can I do to make it stop? The problem is family denial mostly. As for walking, can't do that right now. But the drinks!!! CAN AND WILL IMMEDIATELY DO! THANKS!

First of all, welcome to the group & congratulations on your weight loss success!

So you know what the problem is and you know you can't control that. You CAN control your head's approach to it, though.

I find that if I let myself get bored I will snack. I always keep a bottle of water and various crystal light flavor packs with me. That usually fills me up and keeps me happy. I also keep sugar free chewing gum with me at all times. I don't find that I need it every day, but when I am stressed and really feel the need to chew, it does help. My third vice is this group and the friends I've made along the way. Some are even text buddies and facebook friends for added inspiration and "rant time" and of course I have the extreme benefit of doing this journey with my best friend and we keep each other away from the pig!

Good luck... I know you can do this!

My thoughts would be, remember how you felt and looked before you lost all your weight! Do you want to go back there? I'm only 8 weeks post-op, but I NEVER EVER want to go back to that feeling!!! Stay strong and like Jennibean said, you might not be able to control the situation, but you can control how you react to it. Continue fighting for all that progress you have made and don't let all that you went through, be in vain!!! Good Luck!

Jennibean! Thank you so much for your insight.. OK.. you are right.. JUST SUCK IT UP AND DO IT.. LOL.. that is what sets us apart from the animals as they say.. we can control our behaviors.. I do use gum sometimes for the same reason and I was never really a gum chewer so its hard to get in the habit of.. and I do drink crystal light and diet snapple, should have more I guess but they don't agree so much with the acid I still get. (not reflux though).. just burning.. I hate water alone.. ewwwh.. I know I wont stick with that.. I went through this with my mother as well.. she has also lost all her weight (thanks for the congrats) and she is dealing with the pig sitting at her kitchen table too.. and doesnt seem to worry about it! she is 2 years out.. we are a year apart. Anyway.. I guess what I need to do.. is get on the ball.. truth is I am over whelmed with so many things that its very hard to get a grip on my life and responsibilities.. actually so far its impossible.. I wonder if they have a life organizer.. I sure need one.. though I am sure I couldnt afford it either lol

Thanks so much Bebe!!! And congrats on your decision and hope you get to feeling 100% soon. Guessing you are still "feeling it" at 8 weeks! LOL I think I am missing being able to eat normally.. I feel like my brain has been transplanted into an aliens body lol.. I crave to feel like ME again.

Hello,

I had my surgery on 4/28/2010 and am happy to report that I am closer to the two-year mark than ever imagined... I had a very rocky course. I too, have been noticing my weight fluctuate up and down. I have a lot on my plate but have recognized that when I drink I thed to make poor choices. Not meal wise but snacking wise. Last night I paid dearly. I had alittle bit too much white wine (for a WLS person) which led me to snacking on the edges of some chewy brownies. I howled like a wounded animal for over an hour and had to call in sick since I was not sure if I was going to have to go to the ER.

Note to self... Time to exhibit some self control. Alcohol tends to blur my common sense - what was I thinking? The edges off of anything chewy is still chewy and I'm lucky that was it!

Also, when I eat my yogurt and drink my Click I tend to do better and make good choices. I've realized that convenience (in the past) provided me (coupled with emotional eating) allowed myself to balloon up to 320 lbs at my highest!

Today, I occaisionally drop down to 160-something lbs but most likely sit somewhere in the 170-176 lbs. I only drop down when I'm in a place (like at my parents back East) and there isn't any truly good food choices and I live on Fage yogurt and Click protein drinks.

Be strong, you've come too far. You know what you need to do... As they say... Just Do It!

Be well,

Colleen

Thanks Colleen! I think you have found the pig!! LOL Coolios.. now I can kick it out.. if I can remember where it is.. the pig is in my angst to feel normal and me again.. normal and me again is NOT A GOOD PLACE.. its what required the surgery to begin with.. I MUST FIND A NEW WAY OF LIFE.. my problem is that I have ME/CFS and even making my protein drinks can be too much for me to deal with. Thus I miss them too often.. then I grab bad foods.. quick stuff.. I need ideas for fast foods to keep in the house that are ok.. outside of what I am already bored with.. like.. cheese, yogurt, etc.. any ideas of some grabbit foods that are OK?

I mix sf vanilla syrup with a tub of 2% Fage yogurt and put it into individual servings.

At the end of the week I take all of the fruit that I didn't eat (a smattering of 3-7 pieces) and chop it up into a fruit salad and store 'em individually to add to the jogurt.

A thin slice of toast with a tiny bit of natural peanut butter on it.

I always keep a variety of small apples in order to slice up in a pinch.

I drink Click protein drinks made with 1/2 water to keep the calories down and 1/2 1% milk to keep the taste over ice.

I eat rolled up rare roast beef quicky cooked in a nonstick skillet with alittle spicy monterey jack cheese in the middle.

I always keep some cheese around.

Now this all seems like a lot of effort doesn't it! That's what I think... And well, sometimes I just don't feel like making the effort and find it real difficult at times to keep it pulled together. When I begin to feel like that, I grab either a sf vanilla lf latte or some steamed milk with sf vanilla in it since it's protein, warm, sweet and there are coffee shops everywhere today.

I'm finding myself needing to get back on track alittle bit myself. This is what has worked for me. There are things like protein bars, edaname, etc that can fill the moments but I find it's best to make the effort.

Be well,

Colleen

OMG DUH.. protein bars! LOL I do the rollups too with sandwich meat.. done a lot of what you say.. also I love taking my unjury (protein drink) and mixing it up and freezing it in popcycle makers!! OY you get 3 huge popcycles for one drink! HEHE you can eat those all day.. but again like you said.. have to make the effort and some days I just dont have the energy.. I like the protein bar idea.. but that only works for something sweet.. and chewy.. which is fantastic.. but what about a hot meal kind of thing? Got any ideas?

Anything to fake a carb?

Welcome to our group. I'm sure you'll find lots of support here.

I'm almost 15 months PO, and I've found myself struggling with occasional overeating of carbs. I'm afraid that most of us will have to deal with emotional/head hunger. Figuring out what your trigger is is key to beating it.

I had a little epiphany earlier this week as I was driving home and a voice in my head was planning a stop to purchase some Popcorn Indiana Bacon Ranch popcorn. It's a trigger food for me. When I have it, I eat it until it's gone. Bad stuff. Anyway, I was frustrated with trying to overcome that voice in my head with willpower. Suddenly, another voice in my head (my real me, I think) spoke up and told the brat that she had no authority here, to shut up. AND SHE DID! I was utterly amazed.

I know that for me, when I'm tired, I want to comfort myself with food. My mouth wants to taste. It's my biggest emotional eating temptation. If I keep the popcorn out of the house, I'll have a protein muffin that I made using one of Shelly's recipes (www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com). I'll have one and that's it.

Try to find the source of authority within your soul and use it to shut up the brat. Then identifiy what you are feeling/doing/thinking when you want to eat inappropriately. Knowing what is going on is important. If you'fe got a trigger food in the house, throw it out.

Finally, if you stopped, go back to keeping a food diary. I use LoseIt.com's smartphone app--very easy. The diary gives you an objective record that can help you identify patterns, trouble times, etc. It keeps you honest and aware of what you are doing.
Then look at what you are eating: is protein still your first priority? Are there simple carbs that you need to replace with complex carbs? Are you eating too many fatty foods? The diary will let you know what you need to change.

I hope this helps you. Good luck.

Quick things that I keep on hand:

Pure Protein Bars

Oh Yeah ready-to-drink protein supplements

Deli slices and cheese

Greek yogurt

Torani sugar-free syrups (lots of flavors to choose from)

Dennison's Fat-Free Beef Chili

Canned Lentil soup.

Reduced Fat Triscuits (whole wheat) crunchy, salty, yum.

Hope these help you

BTW, good to see you posting, Colleen!

Farmgirl you rock!!! Yes all that does help!!! LOL its funny that they give us stages 1 for post op and so on.. but there doesnt seem to be much in the line of information for when we can and do start eating normally again! You just did that for me! Will be copying and pasting that into a doc on my desktop! Thanks so much.. and yep.. you just reminded me.. its not the pig.. ITS THE CHILD WITHIN that is being so stubborn.. I never let a child (or anyone for the matter) tell me what to do before why should I now? I will tell that kid to shut its mouth and the parent within is IN CHARGE! Thanks for empowering me!

I know so many people that had this surgery and undermined it. I'm refuse to believe that I'm not suseptible to that so I try to keep my head in the game. I use the Atkins Endulgence bars as treats...russel stover sugar free toffee candy every now and again but mostly I keep a big ole container of mixed nuts around. They make you feel full fast and they are great protein.

Hang in there. Know that your weight will fluctuate from day to day and week to week but refuse to go backwards!