[fr1endly2]

Is the Bounce-Back Weight Gain Inevitable?
The two questions I am most often asked are, "Can my stomach stretch back to normal size?" and "Is weight regain inevitable?" These questions are closely related.
According to Dr. Alan Wittgrove, the father of laparoscopic gastric-bypass, "The pouch size starts at 15 cc and over time will stretch slightly but not much. The pouch size does appear to be a very important part of the operations long-term success. Even though the pouch stays small, patients will be able to eat more as the months go by because scars become more supple with time and the outlet will enlarge slightly."
Patient's often falsely blame a stretched pouch for weight regain. The harsh truth is weight regain occurs when patients are non-compliant with the guidelines outlined by the bariatric centers. Specifically patients who snack or graze on processed carbohydrates invariably gain weight. This leads to panic or self-loathing followed by more snacking and a seemingly unstoppable cycle of weight gain. It breaks my heart when I read a letter that says, "Am I a failure at this too?"
I believe, because we dieted our way to morbid obesity, we expect WLS to be another diet. We have a starting weight, a goal weight and a then we can get back to normal. And if we do go back to normal, i.e.; eating the foods that made us obese, we will become obese again.
WLS does not have to be part of the yo-yo diet cycle. We can lose weight and sustain that weight loss for life. But we have to change our eating habits, we have to follow the rules and we have to struggle with it almost daily. There is no finish line. I am fighting some holiday pounds right now, the result of haphazard holiday grazing. It is tough. But I'm back to basics and hope to see results. I have found the more I strive to work with the WLS instead of trying to outsmart it, the more I can enjoy my health and happiness free of obesity. So, in answer to the second question, weight regain is not inevitable if we commit to a new way of life. We have to take full responsibility for behavior change and behavior monitoring.

THIS is were i am !!!! Sturggling with it daily and realizing there is no finish line!!!!!
GOSH i hope i can keep doing soo!!!!!

[Becca]

Lisa, nice read...........I'm sure you can do it............
I know our pouch CANT become as big at it once was and some were huge, Like my cousin.....He can eat a hole LG pizza and a 2 liter of pop, in 1 sitting...........So his tummy is HUGE...........

We just have to want to stay thin.....VS eatting bad and doing bad things.............

[fr1endly2]

Well its hard were i am......i wont say its easy....and its not easy were anyone is ...each stage comes with tough times.
I just gotta keep makeing the right choices.
USEING those POUCH rules forever now
and stop letting the bad evil carbs slip in
these days!
Its a battle everyday!!!!!!!!
I have to say the first year it was natural...
i didnt desire stuff but of alot of that has come back
now....and i got to be soooooooooooo careful.

[MSmom]

So Lisa,
What do you do? What is the secret, I am so naive when it comes to all this. I am trying to keep up my reading and start making habits I can stick to after surgery but it is so hard!!!! I am struggling right now trying to eat better, trying to stop the grazing and snacking. Right now at this minute I think I could eat a house. I had oatmeal and water for breakfast, and a nice size salad for lunch. I would figure this would be enough, but my tummy is growling and I am so afraid that after my surgery I will fall into the same problems....hunger!

[fr1endly2]

HONESTLY i dont have a secret wish i did.
THE first year was easy
YEAR two is a battle, a constant remembering
the rules and doing the best i can!
IM struggling alot were i am i wont say
i dont.
i just try ....
MY Hunger is there and i try to follow rules
water load!
Eat protein so it satisfies me longer.
and now i have to work on ridding the carb
creep that has gotten into my eating!

[MSmom]

well let me ask this, have you gained any weight? Are you maintaining right now? Are you just taking precautions?

[fr1endly2]

Well i dont know because at any given time in a month
my body can swing plus or minus a good 7 lbs.
RIGHT now im on the high end of the month with TOM here
and later in the month i get near my all time lowest weight.

I havent considered a gain being all my clothes are fine and fit me.

the precautions are starting now that the holidays are done. I am ridding my carb creep i did well last week but then blew it friday night at the party but now its monday and im back on track. KEEPING carbs down and legal. IT take alot of planning now. BEING i can eat more.
OF course i no way eat what i used to but i dont eat as little as last year so its confuseing at times. I mean pre op i ate 3 slices of pizza from pizzeriea.....now i eat maybe 1.......but last year could only eat 1/2 slice.
SO im not the old me but not last year too. I just always have to rememeber the rules and never loose control. THERE were days that thru the holidays i was scared. I was picking ath the holiday goodies, not dumping...wishing i did so i would stop!
BUT im okay!
and i keep looking at my party pics from friday night and i dont
recognize that body!
so im trying

[bren]

I'm struggling with the whole good carb bad carb thing.. and what our daily limit should be. I'm a big carb addict. And everything I read confuses me more!!

[MSmom]

well girlies, I know it has to suck to come this far and still be scared. I am glad you have shared. It is helping me to realize this is not a quick fix. A lot of hard work. Thank you all for sharing. Keep up the good work and have faith in yourself. You all look great and feel great and I know you will be fine. Thanks for the info!!

[fr1endly2]

BREN i kept my carbs very lo the first 12 months. AND used alot of the rules i learned on ATKINS...and i totally kept my carbs under 35 grams and
never went over 50 for a long time. AND only ate the good ones...from veggies, fruits and whole grains.

THAT is what i need to rid the addiction and I am slowly going to those rules to get back on track. SOME say you need more carbs but for me there evil.