I am 3 years out with questions and problems...
You have acknowledged the problem and that's a good start. You've already gotten fantastic advice so I don't have much to impart there. I do have a snack recommendation/suggestion. Beef Jerky. It is high in sodium if you aren't careful so upping the water is a must, but it is the perfect snack food that makes you feel like you're snacking while you are getting in your protein and keeping yourself satisfied. When I'm in a snackish mood, I do my best to surround myself with cheese sticks, yogurt, and beef jerky. As it was stated above, those are things I can pick at without ruining my progress. They qualify as the snacks on my eating plan so I'm still in a good spot calorically speaking.
I tried for over a decade to lose weight with junk food in my house. I had surgery and it all left as my family decided to get healthy with me. The few times we've let junk food in for parties and the like, I do my damnest to get someone to take them home. Potato chips and crackers slide through. I'm pretty sure I could eat an entire bag of potato chips if I didn't "dip" them. I have never put myself in the situation because I feat I would succeed. Mashed potatoes are the same way, so I do my best to stay away from the easy starches.
Your wife loves you and so do your children and they don't need those snacks any more than you do as they have ZERO nutritional value, but if they are triggers for you, then they definitely need to go. Sure, the kids can still have a treat, but single serving treats are the only way to go. They are expensive so people tend to be sparing with them and then you don't have the temptation to eat an entire box or bag of your guilty pleasure.
I have a high stress job too and 3 kids(16, 11, and 8) and I can't tell you how liberating a good walk/run can be for me. I feel so refreshed and ready to tackle my life after just 30 minutes. Good luck to you as you work at getting back to where you want to be.
A side note: for eating out, I would recommend a chef's salad with the absolute minimum of dressing. Eat all your proteins in your salad and you will be surprised how quickly you fill up. The dressing is full of hidden calories, but if you stick to the proteins, you may be able to leave the dressing on the side until you're ready for the veggie part.
Hi Steve!
How awful will you feel when you hit 300 pounds .. . then right back to your starting point of 430. What I gosh darn nightmare that would be. You've got to halt! Not everyone is for this, but how about the 5 Day pouch diet? I've been looking for someone to do this with . . . check it out and let me know if you are on.
Whatever you decide to do, do something. We can gain the weight back in a flash. Your sleeved stomach is still small, you are just feeding yourself the wrongs stuff. It would be nice if your wife had more understanding and was more considerate of her eating/food lifestyle BUT we are ALWAYS going to be exposed to temptation so we have to make our minds up to protect ourselves. No one can make you drink water but you. No one can make you eat cookies but you. Be mindful! Love you enough to take care of you.
Many Blessings,
L
3/30/2005 Lap Band installed 12/20/2010 Lap Band REMOVED
6/6/2011 Vertical SLEEVE Gastrectomy
Do you journal your food? That would be a good place to start. How many calories a day do you eat, on average?
Something you should also be thinking about is the possibility of adding the intestinal bypass to your Sleeve, giving you a complete DS. This is a relatively simple revision, and we've got several posters over on the DS board who started out with just a Sleeve and added the 'switch' part later.
