Some Struggles With Regain | My Gastric Bypass Journey 

Im so glad you came back for support, Ive missed you while going through my own WLS (bypass) journey from 04/2023. Ive lost painfully slowly and probably only half of what would have been expected, despite being the poster child for post op eating habits. Admittedly, I havent exercised at all either. But, Im here to tell you that you can NEVER get onto the scale the same week you decide to "have a day", NEVER. We all know that you cant gain 3 pounds of fat in one day, but that damn scale is a mind f*ck isnt it??!! So, just stop. Make your fiance put your scale in the trunk of his car and not give it to you for two weeks! You do have to go back to basics, but not maintenance basics (which is what you are attempting to do). I feel like you were in gaining mode eating too much and not the right things; Currently you are doing maintenance eating and expecting to lose weight. You need to go back to the REAL basics. 3 meals, two snacks and one SF desert. No real sugar (for now), and only healthy carbs (i.e. no white bread, nothing deep fried with batter, no white rice, no pasta) Just do it for 6 weeks. Give your body and call it a reset or cleansing of all the bad shit you have been eating. You've had your "day", now you have to get a handle on it before it gets out of hand. Weigh out 3 oz of protein for each of your 3 meals, which you eat FIRST, then 1/4c - 1/2c veg and if still hungry 2-3 TBSP of healthy carbs like brown or white rice, barley (in soup), potato white or sweet, starchy veggies like corn or ONE piece of 100 percent whole wheat/grain bread etc. Then two one serving protein snacks, one with a single serving of water heavy fruit like apple, grapes, berries or an occasional SMALL banana. and finally a SF dessert like SF protein pudding, SF jello with whipped cream, a SF popsicle or fudgesicle etc. Eating this you will not lose like you did when you first had surgery. Expect 1 -2 lbs initially per week and then 1 lb about every 2 weeks. Its slow but sustainable. After 6 weeks of being good, then have a "day" in moderation if you feel its worth it. Also, and most importantly, contact your therapist and your nutritionist for a visit. Its what they are for and they will be happy to hear from you!

12 yrs ago, i lost 130 lbs modified intermittent fasting. 3 yrs ago, i regained 20. i HATED it and could not get it off. i never stopped the IF. in december, 2023 i had VSG because i just couldn't do it on my own anymore. i highly recommend this method of eating. it eases the binge feeling. it gives me a bigger eating day every other day, with a more restrictive opposite day. i could NOT have kept off the 110 lbs i did overall if it wasn't for the IF. i also track every calorie. i will never be able to do intuitive eating with my 300 lb mind. love your videos! your struggles are 100% normal this far out!

3 years out as well. I think we have very similar timeline if I remember right. And I feeeeeel and am living exactly what your are saying and going through. The weight keeps going up, I am going to the gym, I am mindful of my foods, it is SOOOOO frustrating. Thank you for sharing your journey, it is a mental game for sure. Keep up the great work, and try not to be discouraged. Much love ❤

Youre so good at expressing how you are thinking and feeling. I've missed your vlogs but I understand why youve been gone. Wishing u the best 🧡

Hi. Omg soooooo good to see my surgery twin. Im presently experiencing what you're going through. Personally, I was never a "sweets" person prior to surgery. Now i crave sweets,🤯 and they DON'T make me sick. WTH😮. I've crept up 7 lbs over the last couple of months. Doesn't sound a lot, maybe, but it's a slippery slope, and im afraid i don't know how to handle this new addiction to sugar. I've reached out to a nutritionist, but I need to get my act together. We've got this!!!! Please post regularly again. We are all here to support each other.❤...Edit: congratulations on marriage 🥂...now following Instagram 😊

Soooo glad you’re back! I hope you moist more!! ❤

I’m so proud of you, thank you for coming back for support❤

So glad you’re back, you were one of my favorite sources of information when I was pre-op. I’m 18 mos post-op from VSG and am just starting maintenance, so I will love to hear about your experiences.

All about learning friend, be self compassionate and give some grace along the journey….the more you spin in the thoughts of fear of regain, worry and guilt, the more you get of them. One day at a time! Peace to you today 🥰🙏

❤ I’m glad you’re back! The struggle is REAL! Sounds like you are doing what will work for you! I missed you ‘surgisister’! 😘

Good to see you again. Thanks for this vlog of reality. I'm 16 months out and need to make those adjustments to lose the last twenty. Then maintaining will be a challenge that I have to look forward to.

Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability! One of my big reasons for my gastric bypass was to do Disney world more easily and it's sooo much easier than in the past. Having lost all the weight you have it will feel way easier in itself.

Wow… you are such a priceless gift, and I am beyond thankful for this video. For so long I have always had the label of obese. I was the fat funny one, that even though closest to me was judging along with society and the world. What they saw was not who I was. I will never forget the day I learned Obesity is in fact a disease, and there is real suffering in this disease that never truly goes away, we learn how to life in control of it and not obesity controlling us. I am at the very very early stages of my journey right now and wow it’s hard. One thing I have noticed is pre-op through the first year-ish we are in this protective little bubble. Yes there is some extremely hard work going on, and we are learning how to live with out new bodies. So may changes going on, medically supervised and prescribed diet. Thankfully too since so much is happening the first year-ish, it would be impossible to know where to begin on our own. Yes in time weight loss slows, and/or we make it to our goal. We are given the tools needed to keep our selves healthy, but the freedom and wowwy wow how our bodies look and feel, being able to try anything and everything thing on. Caught up in those blissful moments and our disease starts to wake up to do its thing careful not to distract us, but he always gets caught running amuck sooner or later. This video is an absolute gift, and I hope more share like this. I do think about the future because there is going to be a time when the program is a distant memory and I have made it to my goal….. well what next? So much time and energy spent on the getting there, that safe little bubble of the prescribed diet was long popped. It’s such a relief to know that this is the same thing others go through, plus a reminder that the disease is still there, and I need to remember it. Hopefully others will share as well.

Hello beautiful Beet…maybe try ketovore….really helps with my cravings / carbs and junkie snacks that are not nutritious for your body/very expensive surgery you invested into a healthy lifestyle your making for yourself..❤

Rny 2/2021 in TJ - i also am on a 20# regain lap of my journey. Its frustrating!!! I feel all your emotions.

I missed your journey. Are we getting a wedding vlog too? So fun and an anxiety ridden process at the same time. Isn't it?

I just found your page and thanks for being so open. I'm a Bari patient and I'm about 3 years out. And I'm struggling so bad I gained so much and I have no idea WHAT TO DO 😢

I also have had some regain after surgery. And I’m fighting all my mental demons. I feel like we are the same person! I relate so much to everything you are battling. I feel stuck and embarrassed to talk about it or even go see my surgeon.

Stephanie, your hair is GLORIOUS. I'm struggling with about 25 lbs of regain, I'm not unhappy with where I am but I have some things that I can no longer fit into and I would hate to have to buy new clothes again 😂 How weird is it to have fit into the same size 50 pounds give or take but now 10 or 15 completely changes what I can wear? I've been keeping up with you on Instagram and I can't wait to see whatever wedding stuff you feel comfortable sharing.

Girl, you've got this! RNY 1/21/2003 ..yep! :)

I had VSG in April of 2023 and I have been a very slow loser, and I gained some weight over the holidays because I really let myself loose. I don't have as much restriction as I'd like, honestly, in terms of what I can fit in my stomach. I'm a tall, big woman and I've been fat all my life with PCOS. I started my journey at 335 lbs (at 5' 11'') and I'm down to 225 (I was at 296 before I started pre-op for surgery), which is a huge accomplishment, but ultimately not near my goal of 200. One lesson I have learned is not to weigh myself the DAY after a "bad" eating day - you are probably retaining water. Also, I weigh a good 2-4 lbs more if it's right before my period, during my period, if I have had a ton of salt the day prior, or even if I haven't been getting enough.. fiber.. ahem. Everyone is different in this regard. I used to weigh myself daily and found my weight fluctuates a LOT from day to day depending on a multitude of factors. For my own mental health, I don't track my weight as much as I used to, but I found it helpful in the beginning to see my progress over a week, so even though I would weigh every day, I would only record my progress in my big nerdy spreadsheet each week, then each two weeks, and so on. It's so, so, so much hard work. It's a constant mental battle. You should be so proud of your progress and I'm sure you'll feel amazing at your wedding. Before I opted for surgery, I was on Wegovy (long before it became popular) until my insurance stopped covering it. It was the only time in my life I have ever been successful with mindful eating because it totally took away the food noise in my head. It really made me think that it must be how "naturally" thin people feel. It was the first time in my life I felt like I had a normal appetite. Since coming off that medication I have really had to give myself some grace when it comes to my relationship with food. Knowing that people who don't struggle with their weight don't live with that constant alarm blaring in their heads means that my fight is a lot harder than theirs and they can't possibly know how it feels. I have to work a lot harder and so mindful eating is walking a dangerous tight-rope. I desperately miss this medication. I have cried over it so many times over the past year because it felt like I was being sent home from war only to be called right back to battle and all I want is to stop fighting. I hoped VSG would give me some peace. It really hasn't, unfortunately, though I'm grateful for the results regardless. The food noise is just as strong as before. Before I had my surgery I watched almost every video on your channel, even though I didn't get RNY. Your videos were a source of inspiration and strength for me and I'm so glad you made this update. We're close in age, too, I think. Anyway, I just relate a lot to this video and many of your others. Thank you for this content! And thank you for being so open with your journey!

Thx for your video. I'm currently going through the same thing. Reverting to old habits so I'm trying to reign it in before it becomes uncontrollable. 😂

I sooooo feel your frustration!!! I’m starting my 3rd year and I want to lose 20-30 lbs. my doctor is ok with where I’m at but I still feel overweight. I guess it’s a head thing/ fat brain. I’m struggling with sugar!!! I’m with you girl! We can do this!!! I heard you resisted coffee…..did you give up caffeine??

You have the perfect tool in your body now. Go back to basic protein go to the gym and lift weights. You should see some results. Hope this helps.❤

Have you read the book food junkies by Vera tarman? And also have you thought of working with a a bariatrics coach? That could be very helpful.