CowgirlJane

Here is what is working for me. Make a plan and follow it. So, more specifically, if I plan for (and have on hand ready to go) dense Protein and vegetables that I split over approx 4 meals it cuts the cravings and snackings way way back. I don't really have room for much else.
Last night I came home from the gym STARVING and my son had a nice fresh out of the oven pizza - not on my plan. I almost attacked it, but remembered my premade meal - plop it in the microwave, add some lettuce and Tomato and voila - delish dinner on plan.
If I don't do that sort of thing, I give in to food I don't really want, it's just easier...

Weight loss is slower than I had imagined it would be, but wow, I am getting stronger.... and while I stalled in December, I am back to losing again. AT least I didn't gain!
I am starting to see the return of that toned look, I just need to lose more fat! The workouts are incredible, I premake my meals and have gotten so into cooking, enjoying creative dishes, and then freeze for "tv dinners"that are made from great ingredients. IT is really quite a switch - no more relying on sandwich meat, cheese and a pickle for lunch - I am actually enjoying food. I challenge myself to take delish recipes and make them a bit lower calorie. Example, some dishes that the recipe has you dump in like a cup of heavy cream - instead I use zero fat greek yogurt. Sure, it isn't exactly the same, but I have been feeding other people according to my plan and everyone says "this doesn't taste like diet food - it tastes good!"
The other thing I am doing is to be sure to actually eat the full amount. I sometimes slide into that whole "if I starve myself...blah blah". With this program, it is all about firing up the metabolism with the intense (and do I mean INTENSE!) workouts and then fueling it with adequate, high quality food.
Anyway, if I buckled down a bit harder and totally gave up wine and going out to restaurants with friends, the progress would be faster. I have decided that mentally/emotionally - I am not in a space to really hit it that hard, so I am settling for slow, but measurable progress. It's awesome to not be hungry, to be truly satiated with food and to be excited about working out. I have decided those things are more important for me than losing quickly.

Weight loss is slower than I had imagined it would be, but wow, I am getting stronger.... and while I stalled in December, I am back to losing again. AT least I didn't gain!
I am starting to see the return of that toned look, I just need to lose more fat! The workouts are incredible, I premake my meals and have gotten so into cooking, enjoying creative dishes, and then freeze for "tv dinners"that are made from great ingredients. IT is really quite a switch - no more relying on sandwich meat, cheese and a pickle for lunch - I am actually enjoying food. I challenge myself to take delish recipes and make them a bit lower calorie. Example, some dishes that the recipe has you dump in like a cup of heavy cream - instead I use zero fat greek yogurt. Sure, it isn't exactly the same, but I have been feeding other people according to my plan and everyone says "this doesn't taste like diet food - it tastes good!"
The other thing I am doing is to be sure to actually eat the full amount. I sometimes slide into that whole "if I starve myself...blah blah". With this program, it is all about firing up the metabolism with the intense (and do I mean INTENSE!) workouts and then fueling it with adequate, high quality food.
Anyway, if I buckled down a bit harder and totally gave up wine and going out to restaurants with friends, the progress would be faster. I have decided that mentally/emotionally - I am not in a space to really hit it that hard, so I am settling for slow, but measurable progress. It's awesome to not be hungry, to be truly satiated with food and to be excited about working out. I have decided those things are more important for me than losing quickly.

Over time, our bodies seem to change in terms of response to what always worked.
I joined a gym where I do a different kind of exercise - it's high intensity interval training and it is intense. I am also following their food plan, but in reality it's lean Protein and veggie based so not that different. I am just adhering closer. The weight is coming off painfully slow, but, its going the right direction and I am feeling alot better about my situation.
I am also still doing my low intensity daily brisk walks, but I don't even count those as exercise now.
So, maybe try changing it up - try intermittant fasting or some other technique that you have not been doing, change something about your workouts. Celebrate the very small wins because at this phase it seems to take forever to lose anything and so easy to gain!

Over time, our bodies seem to change in terms of response to what always worked.
I joined a gym where I do a different kind of exercise - it's high intensity interval training and it is intense. I am also following their food plan, but in reality it's lean Protein and veggie based so not that different. I am just adhering closer. The weight is coming off painfully slow, but, its going the right direction and I am feeling alot better about my situation.
I am also still doing my low intensity daily brisk walks, but I don't even count those as exercise now.
So, maybe try changing it up - try intermittant fasting or some other technique that you have not been doing, change something about your workouts. Celebrate the very small wins because at this phase it seems to take forever to lose anything and so easy to gain!

I am not a medical doc - but I can share my experience of 2 surgeries - lapband implant, removal 10 years later, revision to sleeve. They were all laproscopic surgeries.
Incisions are not the big issue - they healed quite readily. Being able to get enough liquids in is much more of an issue. Having enough energy, getting used to all the crazy food phases, mood swings due to hormone changes due to rapid weight loss etc was much bigger deal. I was also warned to be careful for 6 weeks - no heavy lifting (like 5 pound limit!) to avoid creating adhesions.
So, deskjobs people often go back to work in 2-3 weeks. I personally felt like HELL for closer to 6 weeks - I would have NOT been up to do business travel within 2 weeks of surgery - it was a big adjustment for me. It was even longer before I felt fully human to be honest, but I was doing normal stuff around 6 weeks or so.
I was riding horses about 6-7 weeks post op, for example.

I know this is an old post - but very relevant. It is hard to sustain the focus!
I am nearly 6 years post conversion from band to sleeve so I have a cumulative 16 years of failing and succeeding post bariatric surgery (my goodness, how time flies). For me, the only way I can maintain is to maintain diligence; or to regain diligence quickly when it inevitably weakens a bit. It can be depressing, BUT, I am lucky that as a horsewoman I have friends who tend towards fitness. As they age along side me, it seems they struggle about the same I do - I am just more fatigued...haha. Also, I probably could be 300-350# again if I let it get that far out of control, and that consequence is unlikely for them. So, I think for me, the consequences are bigger - more life and death.

I just joined a 6 week body transformation along with a bunch of other desk job types who have no concept of morbid obesity. I feel so normal - ha - struggling over the pounds along with everyone else!

I hit 6 year mark in December - things got MUCH harder for me about 3 or so years out. I had to really work hard to not regain, but over the last 1-2 years have put a few pounds back on.
Like many of you have found, eating about the same - yet regain. Maybe some of it is natural aging process, maybe I don't estimate my intake as well - I don't know.
I tried ALL the techniques that I have used (5:2, tracking, low carb etc etc) and could not make progress. What I have done is joined a gym with a metabolism boosting program - it is really quite different than anything else I have done post sleeve. I get to eat good quantities of food, and getting healthier. The weight loss is painfully slow, but I have turned the tide - I didn't lose any more over the month of December, but I held my own.
Anyway, this seems like a lifelong thing....

I lost about 150# post sleeve. I still felt fat, I felt like I looked old (hadn't seen my real face in decades, so it was a shocker). It took awhile, counseling, supportive friends etc for me to realize that I am finally pretty normal. Our brains aren't sleeved, sometimes you have to find other ways to help with that part of this whole deal!
Some people find support groups helpful. I did counseling - and started living life to the fullest and my brain slowly slowly changed. Now I think I look pretty damn good.

I became lactose intolerant post sleeve. Killed the ice cream cravings - ha!
I found eggs to hit my sleeve like a rock. It was NOT an easy food for me and I didn't add it until later for that reason.
Of course talk to your NUT - but I would avoid foods that make you sick.

Not every surgeon/program follows the exact same protocol. My program had us having either a pureed meal or a Protein Drink 5X a day. Separate food from drink; 1/4 cup of volume of pureed is plenty. Had hydration (64 ounces included the Protein drinks) and protein targets but no guidance on what time of day to eat. That was my program.

April, I am not entirely sure I am following it all. What I can say is that WLS is a big deal, a big emotional rollercoaster - but it gets better. Alot better. I am six years post op, and life has gotten much much better.

Hang in there, and if you are really depressed - please call a mental health hotline and talk to someone. Thinking of you.

I hit 6 year mark in December - things got MUCH harder for me about 3 or so years out. I had to really work hard to not regain, but over the last 1-2 years have put a few pounds back on.
Like many of you have found, eating about the same - yet regain. Maybe some of it is natural aging process, maybe I don't estimate my intake as well - I don't know.
I tried ALL the techniques that I have used (5:2, tracking, low carb etc etc) and could not make progress. What I have done is joined a gym with a metabolism boosting program - it is really quite different than anything else I have done post sleeve. I get to eat good quantities of food, and getting healthier. The weight loss is painfully slow, but I have turned the tide - I didn't lose any more over the month of December, but I held my own.
Anyway, this seems like a lifelong thing....

I feel like I went through a lot of emotional changes after losing 150#. I think you really need to be in a good headspace to have success in dating and love.

I am in my 50s. finding a compatible man with a mutual attraction and good match lifestyle wise is very very hard. I have made a friend (not dating) with someone I like spending time with, but due to a variety of reasons - I don't see it as a long term future. A big one is he is 13 years my senior and has some pretty serious health issues. Story of my middle aged single life. I am thinking I may wind up single. I have been in 2 long term relationships in my life, one of them a marriage - maybe I am just not cut out for that in spite of the fact that I want to be part of a couple.

I had my sleeve surgery at 308 - I too am 5'5". My quality of life, health and fitness is sooo much better being in the normal size/weight range. The freedom to run up stairs, the not worrying about flimsy chairs, the feeling like one of the girls when I go out...etc. I don't think you need to hate yourself to have WLS . If I were you, at 32, I would be thinking what does all that weight do to me in 10 years, 20 years - and what do I want my middle age/older years to be like? I am enjoying being active and way healthier.

I am 6 years post conversion from band to sleeve. I lost over 150# post sleeve and am currently dealing with a partial regain. I had also gotten out of the habit of regular intense exercise (I have remained walking etc. but gave up the higher intensity stuff I used to do).
I have tried all year to use the various maintenance strategies I had learned, but I could not sustain it. A month ago, I joined a "small group personal training" gym that has a whole new approach. They are all about reducing bodyfat percentage and firing up the metabolism. The workouts are all HIIT, and short duration. The food plan is actually too much food (I had to have them modify it for me) but I will say I have not been hungry. It is lean Protein and veggie focused, with very controlled and properly timed healthy carbs and healthy fats. (My new fave Breakfast is pancakes made from rolled outs, egg beaters and zero fat cottage cheese - delish and moderate healthy carb)
It's been 4 weeks, I have lost just shy of 12# and just over 3% reduction in bodyfat percentage. Not setting the world on fire, however, my belt is in a couple of notches, I am working out hard 3X a week and filling in with at home workouts another 2X a week. I am sleeping better, my appetite has increased (that is part of the idea in this program-heat up the metabolism) but my cravings are in pretty good control.
I am only sharing this because my personal experiences were that low carbing, intermittant fasting and other techniques that I had big success with in the past, just don't seem to be sustainable. IF, which I love the results, seems to trigger massive anxiety in me so sadly that option is off the table for now. I guess the takeaway message for me is that maintenance is an ongoing thing, go with the tried and true (ie what works for you) but then when that stops working - be open minded to try something else. Who knew that eating MORE food (but different focus - like no cheese, no higher fat Proteins etc.) would be what I need right now, today.

My niece has a close friend who had the GB at least 15 years ago. She is slim, healthy and happy!
But, reading the many many many studies out there is a good way to get some peace of mind. Good luck

Nope. They weren't doing surgery "down there"

My niece has a close friend who had the GB at least 15 years ago. She is slim, healthy and happy!
But, reading the many many many studies out there is a good way to get some peace of mind. Good luck

It's a good thing! My "taster" eventually returned to normal, but it was a good chance to be less focused on food as pleasure when everything tasted odd.

I didn't have a supervised diet before surgery, but i did receive very clear post op instructions as well as a lot of in person follow up.

If I could give advice to any pre-sleevers (or other bariatric procedures) it would be to choose a surgeon/ surgical center AT LEAST as much on their support, education and follow up as any other factor. This bariatric thing is no joke, it's a lot of work and you may very well need the support in the long run.

So good to hear from my sleeve pals!
I am FINALLY losing some regain and not starving all the time. It feels so slow, but even after 6 years (my 6 year surgiversary was monday Dec 11!) I am still working on the "head trip". I don't NEED to lose this weight quickly, what I need and want is to lose it while being able to live a good life, improve my health and keep working toward long term health. I actually found myself in my old diet thinking for the last year or two and guess what - all I did was keep regaining. Goes to show I apparantly need my brain sleeved!

Anyway, looking forward to talking more - and I will be back to read this whole thread when I have more time.

I didn't have a supervised diet before surgery, but i did receive very clear post op instructions as well as a lot of in person follow up.

If I could give advice to any pre-sleevers (or other bariatric procedures) it would be to choose a surgeon/ surgical center AT LEAST as much on their support, education and follow up as any other factor. This bariatric thing is no joke, it's a lot of work and you may very well need the support in the long run.

I didn't have a supervised diet before surgery, but i did receive very clear post op instructions as well as a lot of in person follow up.

If I could give advice to any pre-sleevers (or other bariatric procedures) it would be to choose a surgeon/ surgical center AT LEAST as much on their support, education and follow up as any other factor. This bariatric thing is no joke, it's a lot of work and you may very well need the support in the long run.

It's a good thing! My "taster" eventually returned to normal, but it was a good chance to be less focused on food as pleasure when everything tasted odd.