jandseakin

The fact that you posted on here tells me you don't really want to give up! Make a commitment to yourself to go on liquids just for a week to rid yoursself of the carb cravings. You can do this!!!!! Forget the past and look to a healthier, happier future. Please let us know how you are doing.

@@Teachamy ... yes, this is maybe a bit on the high side, but I've averaged 1700 calories/day for many months now.
I mostly walk outside for exercise. I also do a little yoga, stretching and floor exercises. But the winter and these nasty March days have meant I don't consistently do that now. And let me be very clear that I'm not at all a gym rat. However, I am so much more active than I used to be -- do a LOT more housework, run more errands, probably even fidget more than I used to.
I can't say what will work for you, since WLS patients show considerable variation in how much and what kinds of food they can eat to maintain their weight. But I will offer this: When I was losing weight, my surgical practice's very well educated and experienced physician's assistant strongly urged me to eat more (not fewer) calories as my capacity increased. Specifically, she suggested that during months 5 and 6 post-op I eat 1,000 calories and during months 7 and 8 I eat 1,200 calories. She said that this would help my metabolism not get stuck at a lower level than it needed to be. Half a month later, I reached my initial weight goal (150 pounds).
Then I, my PA, my NUT and my exercise consultant all agreed (based on my weight loss rate and history and my MFP macronutrient records) that 1,700 calories made sense as a maintenance calorie budget for me. But then ... very slowly over the next year while averaging 1,700 calories/day I've lost another 15 pounds.
So obviously I need to be averaging more than 1,700 calories. In the last few months I've weighed from 133 - 138. I do NOT like weighing less than 135. That's why I've recently been eating more.
This is just guesswork on my part -- but if you want to raise your calorie intake, do so very gradually. This will require you to actually track assiduously your food using something like MFP. Maybe raise it by 50 calories every week for the next month and see what happens. Then stay there. Then try that again.
I wish we could just do a cheek swab and send it to a lab to see how much we can eat to maintain our weight. But it doesn't work like that. My own WLS experience and success has been ALL about observation and mindfulness. I don't worry about being perfect. Instead, I consider that everything I do just gives me more information to figure out how my body works.
And believe me, 19+ months post-op isn't long enough to imagine I have it all figured out.
P.S. I forgot to mention that I'm 70 years old. Was sleeved at age 68.

Your story sounds a lot like mine except I'm almost six years out and at 210#. I work full time, go to school part time and have two tweenagers. I am able to stay away from the white carbs most of the time but have no energy. I need to find some motivation and get back to it. You are not alone.
Sent from my XT1254 using the BariatricPal App

I lost 110 pounds the first year or so, and have gained half of them back. I have done the reset, South Beach, counting carbs, etc. I do well for a week or two, and then gradually fall back into snacking, sweets, comfort foods. I am so tired of plain Protein. I am wondering where to turn now. Do I try the same thing again and again, or do I try something new? It seems the more restrictive my attempts are, the worse I fall off. I know what I need to do, I just don't know how to do it so that I can stick to it forever. I also know tracking helps, and I get daily exercise, but maybe not enough. I guess my biggest disappointment is that it comes right down to "willpower" again. The first year there was no willpower involved... I was satisfied and full with what I was supposed to eat and the weight fell off. Not so anymore. I know there are no easy answers, and I don't mean to be negative, because I have no regrets. The sleeve was the best thing that has happened to me. If anyone can help me... Not by telling me WHAT to do, because I know that, but HOW to do it, I would be eternally grateful. Just coming back here and reading about others who have struggled and won, has been uplifting. Thank you!

2 days Clear Liquids, 1 week full liquids, 1 week puree, 2 weeks soft food, then regular food.
No problems at all. I'm 4 months' post op.

Rainae, that is brutal! Wow!

Hi everyone!
How are u all doing? Well it's been 9 months and I'm feeling fantastic! I've lost 107lb and 140.5cms over all. This was the best thing I have ever done for myself

Hi, everyone. My bad about updating!! Sorry. It has been going well. I had in home p/t 3 times last week, and very happy with my progress. Can already bend knee over 100 degrees in a sitting position. Very happy with that. I do my exercizes several times a day. I am feeling fatigued, just as I was after the VSG surgery. I have lost the 16 lbs. of swelling, and only swell a slight bit in the evening. My last in home p/t is tomorrow, see Doctor on Tuesday to have dressing removed, and Wednesday is first out patient p/t class.
I have backed of second knee till 9 January. Glad I did. I will be very mobile for Christmas, and will be able to enjoy the festivities. I will post a replay of p/t on Wednesday.

As promised, an update. PT came in and we did a serises of bed exercise. Ankle pumps, hamstring sets, quad sets, gluteal squeeze, and heel slides. Had some pain, but actually made the leg feel good. Stretched out kinks. Then he had me sit up on edge of he bed, for a few minutes, and put pressure on the knee. Felt good! Then I stood up, with a walker, and walked to the bathroom, and back. Was slow, but felt good. Told me to just rest, don't try to much more. Will see PT tomorrow, twice.
Surgeon stopped by, and said the sugery went very well. No problems, or complications. Told me what I had done with PT was a very good sign. Most people can"t even get out of bed the first day.
All in all, a very good first day! Will keep giving updates. Hope everyone has a good weekend.
P.S.: surgeon said my knee was loaded with arthritis.

Good luck to you dear!

I see the points behind everything offered here as an idea.
Things like choosing Protein first get harder the farther out you get. Making the choice to go all or nothing on food is a very, very difficult one. Just as many people struggle because they choose the route of abstinence as do because they chose moderation and can't stay in control.
My experience has shown that the single most important thing you can do is get help. Counseling one on one is always your best option but group therapy or a close friend that can relate to disordered eating will also work.
Whatever you've got going on under the food and the weight is something you'll have to confront and work on. It's not just a one time thing, either. I did the bulk of my work in the first year but still have to face issues as they crop up in maintenance.
Self control is critical. Finding what works for you is going to be important. It doesn't have to be what works for other people. I do moderation. I say that 99% of the time I make the great choices. And about 1% of the time it's hard...I make less than ideal choices. But I stay disciplined. I track my food, even on days when I go off the rails and eat anything I want. I weigh daily (it's more important in maintenance than loss to do this) and I never, ever let myself slip into denial about my eating habits.
Because I confront it and acknowledge that I've got a screwed up relationship with food, I'm able to do moderation to an extent that some people cannot. I'm also lucky enough to have only a couple of trigger foods that make me want to go crazy. I avoid those foods except for rare, controlled treats.
It might sound cruel or dismissive but the easiest thing to do is not be dumb. Don't be dumb about it. Don't think it's okay to jump right out there in the first months post op and push your limits. Because we all do it - we all test our limits. But don't make it a habit. Don't think that because your sleeve's restriction keeps you from overindulging in year one that you can do what you like. By the time year three rolls around, you're going to find that your success hinges upon you working your sleeve - not your sleeve keeping you thin despite yourself.
It's entirely possible. This is long, I apologize. All of my posts are long! But it's not as simple as just avoiding certain food groups. Because real life is still out there. Nobody around you is going to give up food just because you had surgery. Exercising self control is important and by getting the head work done and by staying disciplined, you'll find it's easier to stay in control.
And when you struggle you'll find there are hundreds of posts here from people that have gone through the same things. Support helps.
Good luck,
~Cheri

<----- Almost seven months out does it look like I lost any? I cant tell.......

I have several rings that don't fit anymore. I have decided to melt down the gold and use that money to have a nice wedding ring made. After 44 years of marriage, I now prefer silver to gold. So, I will have one nice platinum or white gold band ring made with channel-set diamonds. I have 10 teeny diamonds and 3 medium ones to work with. Every time I look at my hand I will be reminded of what I have accomplished and how badly I want to stay at goal forever.

Hi Everyone,
I am celebrating year 5 of having a very successful weight loss surgery! I was 63 when I had sleeve surgery done, so it is never too late to have weight loss surgery!!!!
This was very best choice I have ever made in my life. I had my Weight Loss Surgery in Oct 2008. After a lot of investigating and considering all the doctors and places I could have my surgery. I made the choice to have Dr. Aceves in Mexicalli Mexico do my surgery. I was a self-pay, and believe me I really checked out every option there was. I was an older person and I really took my time to figure out what was best for me. I talked to a lot of different people who had already had weight loss surgery about who their doctors were.
It wasn’t something I rushed into. It took me about 6 months before I knew for sure that I was going to the right place for me. I also made the choice to have VGS aka the sleeve. I lost of total of 105 pounds and it took me 14 months to do this. Was it easy, yes and no? The 1st month was the hardest month I had to do. After that it just kept getting better and easier each month. It is NOT a magical cure. It is my tool to allow me to use to reach my goal. The big question you are thinking is have I maintained my weight loss goal? The answer is YES, I fluctuate between 5 to 7 pounds sometimes. I still eat healthy, make sure I get enough Protein and stay away from too many carbs. It accurately is a lifestyle change NOT a diet. It is easy for me to live like this and eat like this for the rest of my life. I have some really delicious meals and I never feel deprived at all. Do I eat deserts, yes and it is made healthy and is extremely good. Do I eat deserts every day; the answer is no. I love all the lifestyle changes I have made in my life and it will always work for me.
I was the person who hated to exercise. Now I do something every day. Last Sept, I thought I would just see if I could walk 7 days a week for a month and I did just that. Well that became a good habit and I walked EVERY DAY for one YEAR without missing a day. Yes, I walked outside when it was raining or not nice weather—I am always coming back home, so I will get dry if I get wet while walking. I walked between 3 ½ miles to 4 miles a day. Five years ago, I could have never walked that much. Find some type of exercise that you like and it will be easier to do. Start out slow and then add to it. You don’t have to do it 7 days a week, but do something at least 3 or 5 times a week.
I want you to know that you too can become successful at weight loss. I am 68 now and life is so different for me. If you are thinking about having weight loss surgery, I am living proof that it does work and you can do it too.
Suzanne Beaty
Sleeved Oct 21, 2008

My NUT tells me that it is ok to "taste", and to use Portion Control and eat in moderation. That
sounds fine, but if I could eat in moderation, I wouldn't have ended up where I did. I tell her
that I am a food addict and there are certain foods I just choose not to eat because I know
that instead of being satisfied with a bite or two, I will just want more and more. I understand
what she is saying, that there should be no "forbidden foods", but I know myself and I am
afraid It seems that a lot of you veterans have figured out what works for you, and you choose to eat healthy and avoid junk. This is my goal too.
Any thoughts on this? I really value your input. d.

My NUT tells me that it is ok to "taste", and to use Portion Control and eat in moderation. That
sounds fine, but if I could eat in moderation, I wouldn't have ended up where I did. I tell her
that I am a food addict and there are certain foods I just choose not to eat because I know
that instead of being satisfied with a bite or two, I will just want more and more. I understand
what she is saying, that there should be no "forbidden foods", but I know myself and I am
afraid It seems that a lot of you veterans have figured out what works for you, and you choose to eat healthy and avoid junk. This is my goal too.
Any thoughts on this? I really value your input. d.

Getting hiccups is my sleeve's way of telling me I'm full. I just get a few and they always make
me smile.... "I'm done.".

I have several rings that don't fit anymore. I have decided to melt down the gold and use that money to have a nice wedding ring made. After 44 years of marriage, I now prefer silver to gold. So, I will have one nice platinum or white gold band ring made with channel-set diamonds. I have 10 teeny diamonds and 3 medium ones to work with. Every time I look at my hand I will be reminded of what I have accomplished and how badly I want to stay at goal forever.

I have several rings that don't fit anymore. I have decided to melt down the gold and use that money to have a nice wedding ring made. After 44 years of marriage, I now prefer silver to gold. So, I will have one nice platinum or white gold band ring made with channel-set diamonds. I have 10 teeny diamonds and 3 medium ones to work with. Every time I look at my hand I will be reminded of what I have accomplished and how badly I want to stay at goal forever.

I have several rings that don't fit anymore. I have decided to melt down the gold and use that money to have a nice wedding ring made. After 44 years of marriage, I now prefer silver to gold. So, I will have one nice platinum or white gold band ring made with channel-set diamonds. I have 10 teeny diamonds and 3 medium ones to work with. Every time I look at my hand I will be reminded of what I have accomplished and how badly I want to stay at goal forever.

No, but that is in my future. Please let us know how you do.

I have several rings that don't fit anymore. I have decided to melt down the gold and use that money to have a nice wedding ring made. After 44 years of marriage, I now prefer silver to gold. So, I will have one nice platinum or white gold band ring made with channel-set diamonds. I have 10 teeny diamonds and 3 medium ones to work with. Every time I look at my hand I will be reminded of what I have accomplished and how badly I want to stay at goal forever.

My NUT tells me that it is ok to "taste", and to use Portion Control and eat in moderation. That
sounds fine, but if I could eat in moderation, I wouldn't have ended up where I did. I tell her
that I am a food addict and there are certain foods I just choose not to eat because I know
that instead of being satisfied with a bite or two, I will just want more and more. I understand
what she is saying, that there should be no "forbidden foods", but I know myself and I am
afraid It seems that a lot of you veterans have figured out what works for you, and you choose to eat healthy and avoid junk. This is my goal too.
Any thoughts on this? I really value your input. d.

My reason for getting the surgery to begin with will also be my reward when I reach goal: I hope to try to get pregnant! I'll wait until I've maintained my goal weight for over a year, but then I can't wait! I'm getting baby fever already

I have several rings that don't fit anymore. I have decided to melt down the gold and use that money to have a nice wedding ring made. After 44 years of marriage, I now prefer silver to gold. So, I will have one nice platinum or white gold band ring made with channel-set diamonds. I have 10 teeny diamonds and 3 medium ones to work with. Every time I look at my hand I will be reminded of what I have accomplished and how badly I want to stay at goal forever.