Jenny12

My boyfriend had surgery with him at the beginning of January. He has had no issues. He can certainly eat much less than I could when I was at his stage in the game, so Dr Alvarez must make his sleeves pretty small.

Mine used 32. But I'm 13 months out and can eat a good bit more now.

I'm right over a year out and maintaining my weight at 116 lbs. I can eat a lot more than I could a year ago, but definitely not what I could eat before surgery. I'd say I can eat 6 ounces of dense protein and a small side if veggies or beans. It depends on the day. During pms I can eat considerably more. Other times I get full quicker. I eat salad daily, usually for lunch. I'll have a grilled chicken salad with feta cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers. No dressing. I average 1500-1600 calories in maintenance. During weight loss I was at 600 calories a day and 20 carbs. Now I average about 130 carbs a day.

I was a low BMI'er but not as low as some of you. I'm 5'2" and starting weight was 206. I got to goal in about 10 months. I'm below that now, but I wouldn't consider 10 months to lose 81 pounds slow exactly. Felt fast. Stick to your plans and you'll get there!

I reeaaallyyyy miss that strong restriction too. anyhoo, when I was about 5 out, I noticed I suddenly could eat more and my appetite was much stronger (boy, now I wish it was how it was at 5 months post op! Ha) but I stopped losing for a month. I didn't gain but I didn't lose. As hard as it was, and gosh was it hard, I went back to protein shakes for 2 weeks. Nothing but shakes. I don't know if I could do that now at over a year out, but at 5 months out the surgery was still new enough for me that I was able to hang in there and do it. From there I went on to achieve well below my goal weight. It was really a turning point for me. Maybe that's where you are. Give the shakes a shot! Good luck!

I'm a year out and drink diet coke daily. No issues.

I have never had an acid issue, as far as I know. In fact I wouldn't even know how to describe acid reflux. I just don't think I have ever had that feeling. Maybe I should try an acid blocker anyway? I did try one once before and noticed no difference at all. What is something others take? It does make me feel a little better hearing someone else is also hungry all the time and snacking is such a big part of their day. I just hope this doesn't backfire on me...

Before surgery, I was not a snacker at all. I ate very large, filling meals and didn't really get hungry again until it was the next meal time. Now, no matter WHAT I eat, I can guarantee I will be hungry again within an hour and a half to two hours. I've built snacks in so that I'm not gaining because of them, but boy, it is really annoying being hungry so often. I literally feel like I eat all day long. And I guess I kind of do! The sad thing is, I could eat way more snacks than I currently allow. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, snack, dinner, snack. Omg! I'm maintaining at a minimum of 1600 calories a day, so I have room in my calories to have these little snacks, but I'm terrified one day I'm going to wake up and this is no longer going to work for me. That I will wake up and these snacks are suddenly way too much and I gain 50 lbs! This is completely irrational, but being hungry so soon/often after eating is pretty worrying. I hope in time I get more accustomed to it. Dense protein does not seem to phase this. I can eat dense protein for a meal and get full, but I will certainly be hungry again in at least two hours. Anyone else dealing with this? Or can someone who is also like this reassure me that it's ok to have these snacks? I hear so often that snacking is where most people fail at after surgery. I thought how I was before surgery would fall over to how I am after surgery (not a snacker), but the opposite has occurred.

My surgeon does not allow us to gain not even one pound. I've been struggling with losing, just losing a pound here or there before with ins. I've been having food funerals too. I was just curious if this mind set will have an effect on my results after surgery. Personally, I don't think it will! Your mindset really changes after the surgery. The motivation is strong. Food funerals are actually really common. I think you'll be be fine!

Nothing. I gained 6 lbs. but did drop 4 lbs on my two day pre-op liquid diet. So a real gain of 2 lbs. I was self pay though.

I do have people who make comments. Lately the comment is "you're not still losing weight, are you!?!?!" I just smile and say no. It's uncomfortable and I don't discuss it with others, just try to get out of the conversation as quickly as I can.

I think the sugars/carbs are a bit high. During my weight loss phase I kept it under 20 usually. My plan was very low carb though. Might want to try it. Good luck!

Hi Cheryl! You're in great company here, welcome aboard. I was also a lightweight. I'm 5'2" and my starting weight was 206 lbs. I'm now one year out at 116 lbs and maintaining easily here. Congratulations on losing 15 lbs with WW, that's excellent. Only you will know if this is the right decision for you. I don't want to push you in either direction, because it's really such a personal journey. You should try to be really honest with yourself and whether or not this WW lifestyle is something you can keep up on your own without a weight loss surgery tool. Personally, the answer was no for me. I needed extra help, and the sleeve has been an enormous help to me. But it's a lifestyle change. You have to change your relationship with food for this to work. Many people in my life simply thought I wasn't fat enough for surgery, but I definitely felt fat enough even though I was always the smallest person in the pre-op classes. If you're overweight and uncomfortable and unhealthy, I personally think you're fat enough. no, I'm not calling you fat, I'm just a supporter of people who aren't MAJORLY overweight (but on the way there) of getting the surgery. It's been a great thing for me. As far as losing hair and sagging skin not being worth it, I disagree. I lost hair starting at about month 3 and it went to about month 5. I'm not bald. I guarantee no one but me knew I was losing a lot of hair in the shower. it wasn't noticeable enough for anyone else to realize it. And hair grows back!! Saggy skin is an individual thing. Personally, I don't really have any. I can't give you a reason why, that's just how the cards were dealt to me. I would bet you would feel better with saggy skinny versus being overweight though. there is always the option for a little nip and tuck, if you want it and do have saggy skin. I don't look like I have had weight loss surgery, at least that's what I'm told every single time I tell someone, and I also think it's true. I look like a naturally petite person, not like I was ever overweight. Good luck with your decision, and feel free to ask any questions if I can be of some help.

I lost down to goal (206 lbs to 116 lbs) without really exercising. I don't necessarily recommend it, but doing it by diet alone is completely doable. I was lucky and don't have saggy skin, maybe because I'm fairly young and wasn't overweight for that long, but I do need to do some squats for my rear end!

I'm in need of some new snack ideas. What are you all eating for snacks? I don't necessarily need strict protein snacks, but certainly not a lot of sugar as I try to stay away. I get plenty of protein from meals alone. I find that I have to snack two - three times a day. Is that how you other maintainers are? I pretty much can't make it between lunch and dinner without a snack, and same goes for after dinner. I'm not a huge fruit person, and I HATE yogurt. I regularly do veggies with hidden valley ranch dip mix mixed with light sour cream. Growing a little tired of this. I'm also growing tired of jerky and string cheese. I'm afraid I'm getting bored and going to start snacking on not so good things since everything I eat lately is getting quite boring! Please give me some new ideas! Must be delicious....

I was a year out January 9! I've gone from 206 lbs to 116 lbs. Best decision ever. I am maintaining here and eating 1600ish calories a day.

At 4 months out I stuck to 500-600 calories. If I got up to 800, I considered that off track by quite a lot. I'm a year out now and in maintenance I need 1600-1700 to maintain at 116 pounds.

I started at 206 lbs at 5'2". I can't see my signature with my BMI since I am on my phone, but I think my BMI was 36ish. I had a goal of losing 81 pounds and I've lost 90. Best decision I have ever made!

I went from 7.5 to 7.

Congrats on hitting goal! I'm still trying to adjust to maintenance myself. It is a mind bender! I'm terrified of gaining anything back, but I know that small fluctuations are normal. I'm up to about 1600-1700 calories a day (without exercise) and I got on the scale yesterday to find I had lost another pound. This is how maintenance has been for me so far. Having a hard time finding my maintenance calories. Every single time I think I have it figured out, I lose weight.

I don't use Greek yogurt. I hate all yogurt unfortunately. Same for guacamole. I want to like it so badly, but I just don't!

Many people on here will suggest the 5:2 diet to you, so I will let them sing their praises for that. I know it's probably a last resort , but is another surgery an option? The DS maybe? If not, the biggest thing you can do is just be self disciplined. It may take longer to get to goal, but every little ounce of trying your best will eventually get you there. Try to detox off of the carbs, maybe try a paleo type eating plan. Good luck!

Not sure where you are on your food phases (how many carbs you're eating, etc), but I'm a year out and in maintenance. So my grocery lists are a little like this usually: Rotisserie chicken Veggies to make salads Feta cheese for the rotisserie chicken salads Hidden valley ranch packet and light sour cream to make veggie dip Sargento reduced fat Colby Jack string cheese (60 cals) Boars Head turkey pepperoni Fiber One Cereal (I eat this for Breakfast daily now) Skim milk (only for the cereal) Crystal Farms brand three cheese omelets (240 cals) I eat them on occasion, once every two weeks or so A few Amy's brand organic meals (kind of high in sodium, but I like them when I'm in a pinch) High fiber/low carb tortillas Deli meat Luna blueberry/vanilla fiber bars Lots of vegetables Maybe a couple pieces of fruit, but I don't really like fruit, so usually not Ground turkey Chicken breasts for stir frys Brown rice

I never really lost my hunger, but I noticed an obvious increase at 6 months out. Now, I get hungry about two hours after I eat. Kind of annoying, really. I just try to limit my snacking, but I find that I usually have to have an afternoon snack and an evening snack. I want a snack between breakfast and lunch but I can usually talk myself into waiting til lunch.

I weigh daily in the morning, and sometimes at night.