Hi Everyone,

This is my first time in the Neighborhood and I am so glad to have found you all.

I had my Surgery in April, 2004. Weight on Surgery Date was 287. All went well and by the middle of 2005 weight was down to 148..what a great feeling...like nothing could stop me. Of course there's always those bumps in the road. I started feeling like I could start eating a little of this and a little of that (all wrong types of choices) before you know it you have gained a lb here and there. When I would see it on the scale I told myself that I would only allow myself to gain no more than 10 lbs and would get right back on track and take it off. Right!!! It doesn't take long for those lbs to keep sneaking up and me in my head saying I'll stop and get on track. Today weight gain is approx. 45 lbs (afraid to get on scale today to make sure). I feel so out of control and started thinking that once I have gained all this weight that my body just won't ever go back to my lower weight that I want to be at. Well this past Friday at work one of my friends wanted to ask me a personal question, I said sure, she wanted to know if I was putting on weight...was that every a WAKE UP call. I was honest and said yes and she said don't gain it all back that I have done so well...she saved me with that question I needed to hear it. I went home got on my computer and I don't know how it happen I found LAWLS website and the 5-Day Pouch Test and all of you...its like this great burden was lifted off my shoulders. Just typing these words is making me tear up knowing that I'm not alone and that I can get Back On Track. Thank you all for being such good Neighbors to us Newbies. I'm going shopping today and starting the Pouch test on Monday...Control feels so good! Sorry this is so long but I feel I have so much bottled up from the fear of gaining some of my weight back and not talking or telling anyone about it that would understand what I'm going thru.

By the way my name is Judy and I live in Northern Kentucky. Right outside of Cincinnati Ohio. I'm 55 years old. I've been trying to put a photo on but can't figure out how yet.

Will definitely be back and let all of you know how Day 1 went on the Pouch Test. No more lurking in the background in the Neighborhood ( that doesn't sound good) HA

Welcome to the neighborhood Judy! I tried to post to your thread but cyberspace is acting up this morning so I will give it another go! I am pleased that you are doing the 5DPT. So many people here have found it to be just the thing that they need to get themselves back on track, so you chose a fitting screen name! Keep us posted on your progress.

Good Morning Celadon,

I woke feeling so much better about myself this morning since I have mentally gotten back on track and no that these extra pounds are not going away on their own. Now I just need to get some walking in. I have extreme arthritis and need a left knee replacement but I'm not going to use that as a excuse. For the past two years I worked part time at Walmart in a busy Housewares department plus holding down my full time job. I recently gave up the part time job but the exercise I got from it was tremendous.

Getting all my foods in order today so that I'm prepared for the start of 5DPT tomorrow morning and have what I need to take to work with me for the day.

Will keep in touch and let you know tomorrow night how my first day went. Buy the way what is Emergen-C ( not sure if this is spelled right) I keep seeing it mentioned in some of the post. Vitamins? Protein Drink? and if you know where do you buy it. I'm not much on the protein powders you add to drinks I have let to find one that taste any good.

Judy

Welcome Judy! You've certainly come to the right place!You'll find compassion, encouragement
and a WEALTH of information here! You will love the 5DPT! Great to hear
this part of your story. There are MANY more chapters to be written!

WELCOME NEW NEIGHBOR JUDY!!!

We are SO glad you found us! Because WE ARE FAMILY here and this is a GREAT PLACE TO BE!

Im' sorry to hear about your regain but it happens to the best of us! Just be thankful that you are going to do something about it NOW rather than later!

Remember too..that the SCALE CAN BE YOUR FRIEND!

Resolve yourself to weigh once a week. No more, no less!! Well, this works for me! I cant obsess about it or it will drive me crazy! I learned this right after wls.

You and I are actually surgery buddies...I had mine in Feb. of 2004. We've COME A LONG WAY BABY!

NOW DON'T GO BACK!

I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS!! ....starting with the 5dpt is a GREAT THING to help get you motivated and back on track!

Your POUCH STILL WORKS!! IF YOU WORK IT!! Believe me...I know!

So get back to basics and it WILL HAPPEN!

EXCERCISE DAILY
DRINK ALL YOUR WATER
EAT RIGHT!!

Good luck! We'll be watching for an update and remember...WE ARE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU!

Julie aka: Sunshine

Hi, Judy! Congratulations on your new mindset. Best of luck as you undertake the 5DPT.

I hope you will thank your co-worker for letting herself be vulnerable to ask you that very personal question. She must care a lot about you. She gave you a wake up call probably knowing you could have been very negative in your reaction.

Julie left out one of the big 4: NO SNACKING! The 4 are: Protein first, Lots of water, Exercise Daily, and No Snacking.

Welcome to the neighborhood. We are practically neighbors in real life; I am from Wilmington, about 30 minutes north of Cincinnati.

About putting a pic on, you can go to My Controls (top of screen) and change your Avatar to your own pic.

Jeanie

Welcome!

If you want these pounds off, you can do it. Make the necessary changes and you'll see that your body hasn't quit working with you.

Glad that you found us!

I left it out on purpose. Simply because it depends on how one defines snacking. To me. I find that I do better if I eat every few hours and thats a personal thing. Some would consider that snacking. I eat breakfast then snack of like fruit and yogurt, then lunch, then a snack like fruit, yogurt or string cheese sometimes nuts, then dinner. I dont always have something after dinner either.

Eating more like this has helped me take off that regain. And I believe that we each has to find out what works best for us and our bodies!!

But then, if you are talking HANDS IN THE COOKIE JAR SNACKING..well then yeah NO SNACKING but I think that's pretty much a NO BRAINER!! Right?

Julie

Yah, I did mean the hands in the cookie jar thing. Unfortunately, reading so many posts (went back quite a ways) I see that there seems to be a lot of snacking going on with unhealthy foods, even though it is a no-brainer, and some people are regaining huge amounts of weight. As a newbie, it scares the heck out of me! I don't want to be one of the regainers.

I would just consider you eating 5-6 meals per day & I know that works better for some than 3 meals. You aren't eating a bunch of carbs at those tiny in-between meals. You're eating good food. It probably keeps your blood sugar stabilized better than fewer meals would. We all have to find what works for us.

Thanks Everyone on your well wishes and ideas to get back in control.

I do best also with 6 small meals instead of just 3. That was the way the Barix Center in Columbus Oh showed me when I had my surgery...when thinking back my 3 snack meals when starting out were cheese, good protein etc. then after a while you start adding those good tasting bad carbs ..they just pull you back into old eating habits that you acquired before WLS. But no more!!!

Hey as for my friend who asked me the Personal question...Bless Her...I was at Krogers stocking up on my things I needed for this upcoming week...and all of a sudden I hear voice calling my name asking what I had in my cart...and if it wasn't Connie who gave me my Wake Up Call! I told her all about finding this site and the great people that are helping each other to get Back on Track ....we just gave each other the biggest hug and I told her if it hadn't been for her having the courage to ask me the weight question...I think I still would be lost and swirling out of control. It was just meant to be ..someone up there sure was thinking about me!

Taking off to bed want to get up a little bit earlier tomorrow morning and get all my food prepared for Day 1 for work.

Let you all know tomorrow night my results...I know its not going to be easy but I'm going back to basics with my eyes fully open. You all have a great evening (what is left of it) and sleep tight.

Judy

Welcome to the hood Judy. It sounds like you have been blessed with a really great friend at a time you needed it. Not to mention all the great people that you have found here! I can't wait to hear about your continued success!

smoochesxx

Welcome Judy,

Mason, OH here! When I read your story I started checking to see if you were my friend who lives in Evansville.! I keep telling her about this Nbrhood and trying to get her to join. I think staying here will help me not get into trouble. (or even find my way back when needed.) I'm new to the game and will be working just like you!

Thanks for sharing! Keep on keeping on!

Ro

Well guys Day 1 is drawing to a close and so far I've stayed on course. Not will easy...but kept drinking liquids, had creamed soup, jello, and it seems like hot tea really helped me when I started getting a little bit hungry also I had a headache off and on but the tea did help that too.

I have been drinking Slim Fast Low Carb..is that ok? Also, I thought I read somewhere on one of the post that you could have Cottage Cheese on Day 1 & 2..but it doesn't seem to fit into Liquid category...let me know the story on this please.

Today at work I passed on LAWLS website to two other WLS friends....we have a total of 7 ...and 5 of us all used the Batrix Center in Columbus OH. With great success. Only 1 never reached her goal but I'm going to take her under my wing and see if she would like to follow me down the path of getting back on track.

Evenings are always the hardest for me to stay out of the kitchen plus I absolutely love to cook and try new recipes...can't wait until I can start eating proteins again! I started looking over the recipes here but could tell I was starting to think of food & eating and decided to let the recipes wait a few days.

I hope you all had a great day too!

Welcome Judy. You have found a great support group of people on the same journey as you. Good luck w the 5dpt. Be sure to drink your water. Keep us posted!