Have you ever seen this meme with two rolls of toilet paper? It made me laugh, but it also hit home—it perfectly captures the journey of weight regain. For those of us who have gone through weight loss surgery, the initial excitement of losing weight eventually gives way to the reality of maintaining it. And when regain happens, the path to success isn’t straightforward. You have to go through challenges—physically, mentally, and emotionally—to get back to where you want to be.
In the 11 years since my weight loss surgery, I’ve experienced the highs of weight loss and the lows of weight regain. I know what it feels like to hit your lowest weight and then struggle to maintain it, and later, to face the hard reality of regaining some of those pounds. This past year has been about tackling that regain head-on, working through the steps of my own Mindset Mastery program alongside my clients. We’ve focused on goal setting, rediscovering self-love, managing emotional eating, and facing our fears. As we enter the holiday season, I’m looking at how to handle these tricky times with the strength of a bariatric warrior.
Reflecting on this past year, I’ve come to realize that real, lasting change doesn’t come from obsessing over the scale. It’s about focusing on the small, daily inputs—the choices that build the outcome. This blog is a look into the biggest shifts in my mindset, and I hope my journey resonates with those who are working toward the same goal.
Shifting from Scale Obsession to Daily Choices
When you first have weight loss surgery, it’s all about the number on the scale. You step on the scale every day, thrilled to see it dropping. But when weight regain happens, it’s easy to feel that the number is the end-all and be-all of success. This year, I’ve made one of the biggest changes in my approach to weight loss: letting go of the fixation on that number. I’ve learned that the number is just the outcome, and it doesn’t tell the whole story.
What’s most important is what goes into that outcome. Losing regain weight required me to focus on each day’s choices rather than being wrapped up in a final destination. Every day, I asked myself: Am I making decisions that support a healthy caloric deficit? Am I staying consistent? When I committed to focusing on the process, the number on the scale took care of itself. To date, I’ve lost all of my regain weight—and a little more. But the real victory is the shift in my mindset. I now prioritize each day’s choices, not just the outcome.
The Moment of Change: Choosing Growth Over Staying Stuck
Every journey has a turning point. For me, it was the moment I realized that the pain of staying overweight was greater than the pain of change. Both paths have their own struggles: staying the same comes with the weight of self-doubt, frustration, and feeling stuck. But choosing to change takes resilience, commitment, and the courage to confront old habits. For a long time, it was easier to give in to emotional eating or mindless snacking, but that choice only brought short-lived relief.
Once I accepted that growth was worth the discomfort, something shifted. Suddenly, letting go of those emotional triggers and habits like mindless eating became easier. Now, each day is a series of choices—like saying no to Dairy Queen when I’m craving it or practicing mindfulness during holiday gatherings. These choices aren’t easy, but they’re essential to creating the healthier, happier life I want.
Mastering Small, Incremental Wins
I used to think that big results required big changes. But this year has shown me that lasting success doesn’t come from drastic measures; it’s about small, steady steps. Rather than trying to overhaul everything all at once, I focused on manageable ways to level up every day. Losing weight after surgery isn’t the same as it was in those initial months, where the surgery itself did a lot of the work. When you’re battling regain, success means committing to mindset shifts and building on small victories daily.
I learned to celebrate each small win: saying no to mindless eating, choosing a balanced meal over a quick snack, and planning ahead for holiday parties. Each of these small victories added up and contributed to long-term success. When I look back, it’s these little steps that brought me back to my goal weight.
Embracing the Bariatric Warrior Spirit
If you’re battling weight regain, remember that it takes patience, resilience, and the courage to keep showing up for yourself. Each day presents opportunities to make choices that support your goals, and over time, those small steps add up to big change. Regain doesn’t define you. The actions you take each day, and the mindset you build through those actions, are what truly shape your journey.
Losing weight regain isn’t just about shedding pounds; it’s about reclaiming confidence, finding happiness, and living with intention. As we approach the holiday season, I’m stepping forward with the mindset of a true bariatric warrior. This season, I’ll be mindful of each choice, stay focused on what goes into my success, and remind myself that lasting change comes from these small, daily efforts. I encourage you to do the same.
Your journey is your own, and you have the power to make every day count.
