Re: I don't think you guys get it

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/29/2002 6:00:51 AM Pacific Standard Time, dee@...

writes:

> And I can't even see the demon that has the gun to my head, and no

> one else apparently can see it either.

>

Dee - my deepest empathy for you. You're living my worst body nightmare (I

have lots of other nightmares, so I have to categorize them by general

type!).

At this point, I am still fascinated, as well as worried, by my weight gain -

failure to lose, and have entered the same headspace I did pre-op. I want to

see exactly where my weight loss set point for calories is. Pre-op, I spent

a good 6-8 months finding out that if I wanted to lose weight, I had to eat

less than 800 calories a day (oddly enough, this was the same point for my

mom). I am going through that process again now. I thought I would be able

to eat like the elusive " normal " person after my surgery. It does not look

like I will be able to do so. I am afraid I will have to maintain a (for me)

desperately low level of intake combined with a high level of exercise to

maintain, or god forbid, lose.

If this little phenomena continues for another month for me, I'll switch to a

month of liquid fasting and see the results. I'm not happy about all of

this, but hopefully I am becoming more accepting. I have already sliced and

diced my body once, and won't do it again (she says now, let's see what she

says if she gains 50 lbs!). At some point, I will have to come to grips with

the fact that my body is as it is, not how I want it to be.

Kate

[Guest guest]

Dear Dee (and all the others on the slow weight gain back up...)

I don't want to start another list for this issue because 1.) I used to

believe I was bullet proof from this happening to me and 2.) It is something

that does happen to more than a handful of people.

I'm leaving your whole message in-tact to forward to those who have left

because of the feeling of not being able to say this out loud, or being a

downer to the group or whatever reason so we all know we are not alone.

Kudos to all who have not had a gain yet and double that to those who never

will have a gain. I am so proud of y'all because it is proof that this is a

possibility for " total " remission of this disease of obesity.

I'm not going to share my personal plight here because I've not gotten off

the stick (still in an I can't believe this is happening stage) and gotten

to the doctor to be scoped to make sure I am NOT in a mechanical failure

position. I don't think so since my quantities are limited and I do dump --

I'm also going to get back on my fitday.com so I can have evidence of what

I am eating/drinking each day for the doc to see too.

I am (always have been) real concerned about all the things I did to my

body before surgery -- all the years of total torture to get thin, stay thin

(not that it worked for long) but I did do some very radical things and may

just have messed up my whole metabolism thing enough that even this is not

going to work as it should... or, like it does for others.

I'm not going to give up that weight gain at this point is normal either --

there MUST be something we can do differently to avoid this but I have no

idea what that would be.

I fear a revision would once again, work for 2 plus years and then stop

working again -- so, baring a medical problem I don't think that is the

answer for me --

This is just to add my name to the list of gaining for no apparent reason

at 26 months....

hugz,

~denise

> Dawn commented:

>

> > be FIT and live a few more years. If you are gaining weight rapidly and

> > its not because of what your eating then see you surgeon ASAP. You know

> > the most amazing thing to me is the fact diets don't work its a

> > scientific fact, but yet look at US ALL we STILL have to diet don't

> > we??! You know I am grateful that I am where I am now but damn this

> > obsession over my weight has got to STOP.

>

> Hmmmm....how do I communicate this? When I stopped losing weight (at 9

> months, 111 lost, from 351 to 240) and held for over a year, my

> surgeon had

> two reactions. He considered me a success because I had lost

> half my excess

> weight and had maintained that loss for a year. When I continued (at my

> next visit) to complain that I wasn't satisfied, and had been

> keeping a food

> diary for over 3 months in anticipation, he reacted with veiled disbelief.

> If I truly was eating what I recorded, and exercising as I said, I would

> lose.

>

> Deep sigh, I have been there before.

>

> I went to my Primary Care Doc, same thing. Went off

> Depo-Provera, thinking

> maybe that would help. Nope.

>

> When I started to regain (now with a new primary care), her

> feeling was that

> if I still am restricted on quanities (which I am) and still dump (which I

> do), then again, I must be eating more than I write down and " just not

> realize it " .

>

> Went into therapy - again. Ended up hospitalized in April for a

> week in an

> intensive treatment center. I did what they said (which was a trip from

> hell, btw), and GAINED weight. They shrugged their shoulders and sent me

> home.

>

> This is NOT obsession with my weight. This is NOT about a little

> bounceback.

>

> This is about the fact that despite doing all that we are told to do our

> weight has begun its slow and inevitable (it seems) climb back to

> our death.

> At 351 I knew I didn't have long to live. I chose this surgery after 10

> years of trying EVERYTHING else. I wanted to live.

>

> And now, do you understand (and apparently I'm not alone, which is at the

> same time heartening and terribly sad), I am on a forced march back to my

> death. And I can't even see the demon that has the gun to my head, and no

> one else apparently can see it either.

>

> This isn't about my body image. I have climbed back over 260 lbs, I know,

> because that is as high as my scale goes.

>

> I quit going to the live support group here a long time ago, because they

> didn't want to hear what I had to say - I was such a " downer " .

> And frankly,

> I'm having a hard time now hearing about how people can eat all

> the junk and

> still maintain and still lose.

>

> I don't know what to say so you will understand. And I've had all the

> helpful suggestions, I've tried EVERYTHING that people have suggested, and

> it just doesn't matter.

>

> If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a couple

> of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me ;-(

>

> dee

>

>

>

>

> Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

>

> Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Dee (and all the others on the slow weight gain back up...)

I don't want to start another list for this issue because 1.) I used to

believe I was bullet proof from this happening to me and 2.) It is something

that does happen to more than a handful of people.

I'm leaving your whole message in-tact to forward to those who have left

because of the feeling of not being able to say this out loud, or being a

downer to the group or whatever reason so we all know we are not alone.

Kudos to all who have not had a gain yet and double that to those who never

will have a gain. I am so proud of y'all because it is proof that this is a

possibility for " total " remission of this disease of obesity.

I'm not going to share my personal plight here because I've not gotten off

the stick (still in an I can't believe this is happening stage) and gotten

to the doctor to be scoped to make sure I am NOT in a mechanical failure

position. I don't think so since my quantities are limited and I do dump --

I'm also going to get back on my fitday.com so I can have evidence of what

I am eating/drinking each day for the doc to see too.

I am (always have been) real concerned about all the things I did to my

body before surgery -- all the years of total torture to get thin, stay thin

(not that it worked for long) but I did do some very radical things and may

just have messed up my whole metabolism thing enough that even this is not

going to work as it should... or, like it does for others.

I'm not going to give up that weight gain at this point is normal either --

there MUST be something we can do differently to avoid this but I have no

idea what that would be.

I fear a revision would once again, work for 2 plus years and then stop

working again -- so, baring a medical problem I don't think that is the

answer for me --

This is just to add my name to the list of gaining for no apparent reason

at 26 months....

hugz,

~denise

> Dawn commented:

>

> > be FIT and live a few more years. If you are gaining weight rapidly and

> > its not because of what your eating then see you surgeon ASAP. You know

> > the most amazing thing to me is the fact diets don't work its a

> > scientific fact, but yet look at US ALL we STILL have to diet don't

> > we??! You know I am grateful that I am where I am now but damn this

> > obsession over my weight has got to STOP.

>

> Hmmmm....how do I communicate this? When I stopped losing weight (at 9

> months, 111 lost, from 351 to 240) and held for over a year, my

> surgeon had

> two reactions. He considered me a success because I had lost

> half my excess

> weight and had maintained that loss for a year. When I continued (at my

> next visit) to complain that I wasn't satisfied, and had been

> keeping a food

> diary for over 3 months in anticipation, he reacted with veiled disbelief.

> If I truly was eating what I recorded, and exercising as I said, I would

> lose.

>

> Deep sigh, I have been there before.

>

> I went to my Primary Care Doc, same thing. Went off

> Depo-Provera, thinking

> maybe that would help. Nope.

>

> When I started to regain (now with a new primary care), her

> feeling was that

> if I still am restricted on quanities (which I am) and still dump (which I

> do), then again, I must be eating more than I write down and " just not

> realize it " .

>

> Went into therapy - again. Ended up hospitalized in April for a

> week in an

> intensive treatment center. I did what they said (which was a trip from

> hell, btw), and GAINED weight. They shrugged their shoulders and sent me

> home.

>

> This is NOT obsession with my weight. This is NOT about a little

> bounceback.

>

> This is about the fact that despite doing all that we are told to do our

> weight has begun its slow and inevitable (it seems) climb back to

> our death.

> At 351 I knew I didn't have long to live. I chose this surgery after 10

> years of trying EVERYTHING else. I wanted to live.

>

> And now, do you understand (and apparently I'm not alone, which is at the

> same time heartening and terribly sad), I am on a forced march back to my

> death. And I can't even see the demon that has the gun to my head, and no

> one else apparently can see it either.

>

> This isn't about my body image. I have climbed back over 260 lbs, I know,

> because that is as high as my scale goes.

>

> I quit going to the live support group here a long time ago, because they

> didn't want to hear what I had to say - I was such a " downer " .

> And frankly,

> I'm having a hard time now hearing about how people can eat all

> the junk and

> still maintain and still lose.

>

> I don't know what to say so you will understand. And I've had all the

> helpful suggestions, I've tried EVERYTHING that people have suggested, and

> it just doesn't matter.

>

> If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a couple

> of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me ;-(

>

> dee

>

>

>

>

> Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

>

> Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Dee (and all the others on the slow weight gain back up...)

I don't want to start another list for this issue because 1.) I used to

believe I was bullet proof from this happening to me and 2.) It is something

that does happen to more than a handful of people.

I'm leaving your whole message in-tact to forward to those who have left

because of the feeling of not being able to say this out loud, or being a

downer to the group or whatever reason so we all know we are not alone.

Kudos to all who have not had a gain yet and double that to those who never

will have a gain. I am so proud of y'all because it is proof that this is a

possibility for " total " remission of this disease of obesity.

I'm not going to share my personal plight here because I've not gotten off

the stick (still in an I can't believe this is happening stage) and gotten

to the doctor to be scoped to make sure I am NOT in a mechanical failure

position. I don't think so since my quantities are limited and I do dump --

I'm also going to get back on my fitday.com so I can have evidence of what

I am eating/drinking each day for the doc to see too.

I am (always have been) real concerned about all the things I did to my

body before surgery -- all the years of total torture to get thin, stay thin

(not that it worked for long) but I did do some very radical things and may

just have messed up my whole metabolism thing enough that even this is not

going to work as it should... or, like it does for others.

I'm not going to give up that weight gain at this point is normal either --

there MUST be something we can do differently to avoid this but I have no

idea what that would be.

I fear a revision would once again, work for 2 plus years and then stop

working again -- so, baring a medical problem I don't think that is the

answer for me --

This is just to add my name to the list of gaining for no apparent reason

at 26 months....

hugz,

~denise

> Dawn commented:

>

> > be FIT and live a few more years. If you are gaining weight rapidly and

> > its not because of what your eating then see you surgeon ASAP. You know

> > the most amazing thing to me is the fact diets don't work its a

> > scientific fact, but yet look at US ALL we STILL have to diet don't

> > we??! You know I am grateful that I am where I am now but damn this

> > obsession over my weight has got to STOP.

>

> Hmmmm....how do I communicate this? When I stopped losing weight (at 9

> months, 111 lost, from 351 to 240) and held for over a year, my

> surgeon had

> two reactions. He considered me a success because I had lost

> half my excess

> weight and had maintained that loss for a year. When I continued (at my

> next visit) to complain that I wasn't satisfied, and had been

> keeping a food

> diary for over 3 months in anticipation, he reacted with veiled disbelief.

> If I truly was eating what I recorded, and exercising as I said, I would

> lose.

>

> Deep sigh, I have been there before.

>

> I went to my Primary Care Doc, same thing. Went off

> Depo-Provera, thinking

> maybe that would help. Nope.

>

> When I started to regain (now with a new primary care), her

> feeling was that

> if I still am restricted on quanities (which I am) and still dump (which I

> do), then again, I must be eating more than I write down and " just not

> realize it " .

>

> Went into therapy - again. Ended up hospitalized in April for a

> week in an

> intensive treatment center. I did what they said (which was a trip from

> hell, btw), and GAINED weight. They shrugged their shoulders and sent me

> home.

>

> This is NOT obsession with my weight. This is NOT about a little

> bounceback.

>

> This is about the fact that despite doing all that we are told to do our

> weight has begun its slow and inevitable (it seems) climb back to

> our death.

> At 351 I knew I didn't have long to live. I chose this surgery after 10

> years of trying EVERYTHING else. I wanted to live.

>

> And now, do you understand (and apparently I'm not alone, which is at the

> same time heartening and terribly sad), I am on a forced march back to my

> death. And I can't even see the demon that has the gun to my head, and no

> one else apparently can see it either.

>

> This isn't about my body image. I have climbed back over 260 lbs, I know,

> because that is as high as my scale goes.

>

> I quit going to the live support group here a long time ago, because they

> didn't want to hear what I had to say - I was such a " downer " .

> And frankly,

> I'm having a hard time now hearing about how people can eat all

> the junk and

> still maintain and still lose.

>

> I don't know what to say so you will understand. And I've had all the

> helpful suggestions, I've tried EVERYTHING that people have suggested, and

> it just doesn't matter.

>

> If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a couple

> of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me ;-(

>

> dee

>

>

>

>

> Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

>

> Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I absolutely agree that this is a real issue for many and needs to be

addressed from time to help those in the group who are struggling with

regain. I have been there and its not fun. BTW I did do the revision route

to a distal through the guidance of , Vitalady, who knows more on

this subject than anyone I have met as she lives and breathes it. And I

know she will help anyone in need.

I hate to see new groups started with something that is so core and

fundamental to long-term success. Anyway my 2cents.

Martha H

Hill Ca

Re: I don't think you guys get it

> In a message dated 10/29/02 8:00:49 AM Central Standard Time, dee@...

> writes:

>

> If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a

couple

> of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me >>

> -----------------------------------

>

> Dee,

> I hear your terror, and I share it. I've been battling from day one after

> surgery to lose weight; never had a " honeymoon " , never felt " full " , have

been

> bouncing the same 4-8 lbs for months now. Only a matter of time, I fear,

b4

> the bouncing turns into regain. I, for one, don't think you need to " take

it

> to another group. " There are some on this list who don't like certain

topics;

> but if it applies to us as grads, then, personally, I feel it's

appropriate

> to seek help here. I mean, if you start a group with all the same type of

> people having all the same type of problem, then where are you going to

get

> some different kind of input and advice?

>

> That said, there already exist some groups you might like to check out

just

> for the heckuvit:

> For people who after the surgery find they still have to DIET (i.e.

Atkins,

> etc.) to lose weight or who are not finding post op life as effortless as

> others

> www.ossg-lowcarb.yahoogroups.com

> www.stomachbypass.com/NineRules.html

> www.OSSG_Off_track

> hypo (reactive hypoglycemia)

> www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ossg-hungry

>

> I don't know how proximal or distal you are, but there ARE people out

there

> who believe that for SOME it's necessary to get a revision to a more

distal

> procedure. Get in touch with Curran or Terry Myers for more info

on

> that possibility.

>

> Regards,

> Carol A

>

> Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

>

> Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/29/02 8:00:49 AM Central Standard Time, dee@...

writes:

If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a couple

of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me >>

-----------------------------------

Dee,

I hear your terror, and I share it. I've been battling from day one after

surgery to lose weight; never had a " honeymoon " , never felt " full " , have been

bouncing the same 4-8 lbs for months now. Only a matter of time, I fear, b4

the bouncing turns into regain. I, for one, don't think you need to " take it

to another group. " There are some on this list who don't like certain topics;

but if it applies to us as grads, then, personally, I feel it's appropriate

to seek help here. I mean, if you start a group with all the same type of

people having all the same type of problem, then where are you going to get

some different kind of input and advice?

That said, there already exist some groups you might like to check out just

for the heckuvit:

For people who after the surgery find they still have to DIET (i.e. Atkins,

etc.) to lose weight or who are not finding post op life as effortless as

others

www.ossg-lowcarb.yahoogroups.com

www.stomachbypass.com/NineRules.html

www.OSSG_Off_track

hypo (reactive hypoglycemia)

www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ossg-hungry

I don't know how proximal or distal you are, but there ARE people out there

who believe that for SOME it's necessary to get a revision to a more distal

procedure. Get in touch with Curran or Terry Myers for more info on

that possibility.

Regards,

Carol A

[Guest guest]

I'm a newbie to posting as a long-term post-op, Just started lurking

yesterday. My RNY was 6-20-01. I suffer a lot of the struggles mentioned

here. Dave, thank you for your post. It is really from the heart! Barb B.

In a message dated 10/30/2002 6:02:44 AM Pacific Standard Time,

YahooDave@... writes:

>

> Weight regain, weight rebound is a most appropriate topic for this board

> IMHO.

>

> People have found many solutions to losing " enough " and maintaining

> " enough. " For some of us it's been sheer luck, grace or good fortune. For

> other's it's been whatever other method works for them.

>

> One thing we all share is remembering or experiencing the heartbreak of

> being overweight and feeling out of control. It was torture and in all my

> life I won't forget it. I think I remarked the other day that I'd been at

> my current weight before but wasn't satisfied because I knew the monster

> was

> around the corner. I'm much more content at 210 than at a " dieted " 185

> because it feels real. It isn't a struggle.

>

> Please understand that I ain't braggin' or saying my way is the right way,

> but I do two things I think are responsible for my satisfaction. First,

> since my stoma and pouch are slightly stretched, I eat the bulkiest animal

> protein I can find. I eat fried chicken, chicken fried steak, boiled

> shrimp, grilled chicken breasts, anything that will stuff the pouch and

> keep

> it stuffed. When I'm indulging, I know I'm doing such by eating things

> like

> baked potatoes, creamy spinach casserole. I know these things are going to

> pass quickly. The baked potato is easier and more fun than the ground beef

> patty, but it won't keep me full nearly as long. The second thing I've

> learned is that aerobic exercise never did anything to make me not hungry

> or

> lose weight. It makes me hungrier. I train like hell with a trainer three

> times a week. Muscle burns more than fat and it works for me. I'm prepaid

> with a trainer and there will be a time I don't have one, but it is what

> saves me.

>

> For those of you who struggle, my heart is right there with you because I

> carry the same burden and fear. Don't leave here because we all need each

> other.

>

> Just my $.02

> in Austin

> RNY April 1998

> Re: I don't think you guys get it

>

>

> >

> >I hate to see new groups started with something that is so core and

> >fundamental to long-term success. Anyway my 2cents.

> >Martha H

> > Hill Ca

> >

> >

> >>

> >> If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a

> >couple

> >> of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> >> real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me >>

> >>-----------------------------------

> >>

>

Barb B.

[Guest guest]

I'm a newbie to posting as a long-term post-op, Just started lurking

yesterday. My RNY was 6-20-01. I suffer a lot of the struggles mentioned

here. Dave, thank you for your post. It is really from the heart! Barb B.

In a message dated 10/30/2002 6:02:44 AM Pacific Standard Time,

YahooDave@... writes:

>

> Weight regain, weight rebound is a most appropriate topic for this board

> IMHO.

>

> People have found many solutions to losing " enough " and maintaining

> " enough. " For some of us it's been sheer luck, grace or good fortune. For

> other's it's been whatever other method works for them.

>

> One thing we all share is remembering or experiencing the heartbreak of

> being overweight and feeling out of control. It was torture and in all my

> life I won't forget it. I think I remarked the other day that I'd been at

> my current weight before but wasn't satisfied because I knew the monster

> was

> around the corner. I'm much more content at 210 than at a " dieted " 185

> because it feels real. It isn't a struggle.

>

> Please understand that I ain't braggin' or saying my way is the right way,

> but I do two things I think are responsible for my satisfaction. First,

> since my stoma and pouch are slightly stretched, I eat the bulkiest animal

> protein I can find. I eat fried chicken, chicken fried steak, boiled

> shrimp, grilled chicken breasts, anything that will stuff the pouch and

> keep

> it stuffed. When I'm indulging, I know I'm doing such by eating things

> like

> baked potatoes, creamy spinach casserole. I know these things are going to

> pass quickly. The baked potato is easier and more fun than the ground beef

> patty, but it won't keep me full nearly as long. The second thing I've

> learned is that aerobic exercise never did anything to make me not hungry

> or

> lose weight. It makes me hungrier. I train like hell with a trainer three

> times a week. Muscle burns more than fat and it works for me. I'm prepaid

> with a trainer and there will be a time I don't have one, but it is what

> saves me.

>

> For those of you who struggle, my heart is right there with you because I

> carry the same burden and fear. Don't leave here because we all need each

> other.

>

> Just my $.02

> in Austin

> RNY April 1998

> Re: I don't think you guys get it

>

>

> >

> >I hate to see new groups started with something that is so core and

> >fundamental to long-term success. Anyway my 2cents.

> >Martha H

> > Hill Ca

> >

> >

> >>

> >> If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a

> >couple

> >> of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> >> real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me >>

> >>-----------------------------------

> >>

>

Barb B.

[Guest guest]

Weight regain, weight rebound is a most appropriate topic for this board

IMHO.

People have found many solutions to losing " enough " and maintaining

" enough. " For some of us it's been sheer luck, grace or good fortune. For

other's it's been whatever other method works for them.

One thing we all share is remembering or experiencing the heartbreak of

being overweight and feeling out of control. It was torture and in all my

life I won't forget it. I think I remarked the other day that I'd been at

my current weight before but wasn't satisfied because I knew the monster was

around the corner. I'm much more content at 210 than at a " dieted " 185

because it feels real. It isn't a struggle.

Please understand that I ain't braggin' or saying my way is the right way,

but I do two things I think are responsible for my satisfaction. First,

since my stoma and pouch are slightly stretched, I eat the bulkiest animal

protein I can find. I eat fried chicken, chicken fried steak, boiled

shrimp, grilled chicken breasts, anything that will stuff the pouch and keep

it stuffed. When I'm indulging, I know I'm doing such by eating things like

baked potatoes, creamy spinach casserole. I know these things are going to

pass quickly. The baked potato is easier and more fun than the ground beef

patty, but it won't keep me full nearly as long. The second thing I've

learned is that aerobic exercise never did anything to make me not hungry or

lose weight. It makes me hungrier. I train like hell with a trainer three

times a week. Muscle burns more than fat and it works for me. I'm prepaid

with a trainer and there will be a time I don't have one, but it is what

saves me.

For those of you who struggle, my heart is right there with you because I

carry the same burden and fear. Don't leave here because we all need each

other.

Just my $.02

in Austin

RNY April 1998

Re: I don't think you guys get it

>

> I hate to see new groups started with something that is so core and

> fundamental to long-term success. Anyway my 2cents.

> Martha H

> Hill Ca

>

>

> >

> > If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a

> couple

> > of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> > real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me >>

> > -----------------------------------

> >

[Guest guest]

Weight regain, weight rebound is a most appropriate topic for this board

IMHO.

People have found many solutions to losing " enough " and maintaining

" enough. " For some of us it's been sheer luck, grace or good fortune. For

other's it's been whatever other method works for them.

One thing we all share is remembering or experiencing the heartbreak of

being overweight and feeling out of control. It was torture and in all my

life I won't forget it. I think I remarked the other day that I'd been at

my current weight before but wasn't satisfied because I knew the monster was

around the corner. I'm much more content at 210 than at a " dieted " 185

because it feels real. It isn't a struggle.

Please understand that I ain't braggin' or saying my way is the right way,

but I do two things I think are responsible for my satisfaction. First,

since my stoma and pouch are slightly stretched, I eat the bulkiest animal

protein I can find. I eat fried chicken, chicken fried steak, boiled

shrimp, grilled chicken breasts, anything that will stuff the pouch and keep

it stuffed. When I'm indulging, I know I'm doing such by eating things like

baked potatoes, creamy spinach casserole. I know these things are going to

pass quickly. The baked potato is easier and more fun than the ground beef

patty, but it won't keep me full nearly as long. The second thing I've

learned is that aerobic exercise never did anything to make me not hungry or

lose weight. It makes me hungrier. I train like hell with a trainer three

times a week. Muscle burns more than fat and it works for me. I'm prepaid

with a trainer and there will be a time I don't have one, but it is what

saves me.

For those of you who struggle, my heart is right there with you because I

carry the same burden and fear. Don't leave here because we all need each

other.

Just my $.02

in Austin

RNY April 1998

Re: I don't think you guys get it

>

> I hate to see new groups started with something that is so core and

> fundamental to long-term success. Anyway my 2cents.

> Martha H

> Hill Ca

>

>

> >

> > If you would like us all to go away, we can start another group - a

> couple

> > of people have suggested that to me privately. But it IS real. WE are

> > real. Does that scare you? Imagine my terror, it's happening to me >>

> > -----------------------------------

> >