Healthy_life2

Happy Sunday!
6 year sleeve anniversary. Quick photo before my morning run. Still keeping the weight off.

Wow!!! Thank you for the inspiration!!!!

Happy Sunday!
6 year sleeve anniversary. Quick photo before my morning run. Still keeping the weight off.

I'm a bit late - June 2020.
Today is my 6th year out from surgery. I eat mainly healthy, indulge within reason and exercise. I maintain a ten bound bounce range up and down the scale. It works for me. Life is normal😁

I’m here!

Hey all, just checking in to see who's still here in May.
What a crazy few months it has been. Continue to work every day and doing lots of work from home too so that's been nice.
Got a handle on my 'graze' issue and have managed to really get the scale moving again!
Hope you are all well and keeping the focus.
Check in question- has the quarantine made it easier or harder for you to dial in your focus?

Congratulations on all your hard work.
Some of my favorites are at albertsons. Fresh meat case has seafood, poultry, beef pork. Items in the meat case are already seasoned You can buy in single servings and cook at home. Beautiful chicken parmesan. Asparagus stuffed chicken breast. Swordfish, ceviche, great cuts of beef.
My quick Proteins - Low to no cook days photos below

Lots of meal combinations - Be creative.
Cubed Turkey salad with sliced strawberries, pecans and skinny girl raspberry vinaigrette
Beef fajitas no tortilla or if allowed on your plan
rotisserie chicken wrapped in sliced zucchini add enchilada sauce. Serve with a side of riced cauliflower
Sliced Turkey, steamed veggies
Smoked salmon salad

All plans are different. When in doubt, contact your dietician or look at your bariatric food stage paperwork.

@Healthy_life2
hey cutie
lookin' great!! keep up the wonderful job!!
run as fast as you can, good luck catching me!!😉
huggggggs
kathy

That's great! What an inspiration!

Congratulations! You look great. Nice to hear from you again.

Happy Sunday!
6 year sleeve anniversary. Quick photo before my morning run. Still keeping the weight off.

Happy Sunday!
6 year sleeve anniversary. Quick photo before my morning run. Still keeping the weight off.

@KennyM
17 years out. You have done fantastic.
Yes, vegan can be done. Link to the vegetarian/vegan bariatric thread on this site below. It may help to read the past posts. They can answer questions from experience.
Vegetarian/vegan 101:
https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1101-vegetarian-or-vegan-eating/

15lbs is not a large gain. You got this.
Some options to try,
Personally, I wouldn’t go back to shakes to rest. You will feel more satisfied with real food. Go back to bariatric basics. Follow your plan and log your food in an app like my fitness pal. stay within your weight loss calories/macros.
Get temptation foods out of the house go grocery shopping Real sugar and extra carbs make you crave them more. They cause hunger Detox off them When you deny cravings, you want them more - Keep healthy low-Calorie options for sweet/salty on hand Eat dense Protein (not soft foods) with other items on your plan. Allow yourself to eat as much veggies as you want to satisfy hunger. Join the December weight loss challenge for motivation.

Call your bariratric office. They are better qualified to answer your questions about metabolism Ask if they have an information seminar. It will help you decide on surgery.
All I can offer is my experience five years out from sleeve surgery. (maintaining my weight in the 130's)
Surgery is nothing like my other diet attempts. (I've done every diet and pill) I needed a long term solution. My weight loss/maintenance diet is very livable. I'm not deprived, My hunger is manageable.
It's normal for your surgery restriction to relax after a year. My stomach is NOT back to full size. I still eat within my calorie range,
Maintenance diet and calories are different for each of us. It depends on your surgeons/dietitians plan, activity level, metabolism, healthy issues, medications......The list goes on. I maintain my weight between 1200 and 1300. I do have days that are higher. I take vacations and indulge within reason. If I have a slight gain I eat weight loss calories (My weight loss calories are 1100)
Take your time and research all of this. Do whats best for you and your health.
Jenn

Thank you for these responses. Truly. I’m asking myself (and others like you who have been through this) these tough questions because like most, I assume, I have doubts about maintaining. I’m not sure I have the will to eat so little... forever. I absolutely admire those who do. But I find myself wondering if they are simply more disciplined than I am. I’m going to do some more reading about how the surgery “resets” metabolism. Easy to say but what does it really mean and how does this happen? While I understand the removal of the part of the stomach that creates a hunger hormone I’m not sure how it’s all reset for the better since you immediately move forward by eating so little and it seems hunger does eventually return. Yes, I will be talking to my surgeon and dietician. As a matter of fact my husband is an excellent internal medicine doc so I have the “ medical” resources handy. I also know their insight can’t compare to those who have lived it. So thank you so much.
incidentally, on the HCG diet forum 10 years ago everyone thought it all worked so well and was a huge gift, reset etc too. Now it’s been recognized as a significant detriment to long term heath. So I’m determined to make sure long term living in the real world is possible.
__________________________________________________
Is anyone here 10 years out and successful? Again, thank you greatly! Most long term surgery patients have no need for site. They have moved on and life is normal. I hope one is around to answer your question.
Surgery isn't for everyone. enjoy researching and do whats best for you, Long term can be done. I will be 6 years out in June, 254 lbs to 130 lbs I've been maintaining in the 130's years out.
Pre surgery: My past diets attempt's were not realistic or sustainable long term. I would regain with extra weight each time. I questioned if surgery would work, will i feel deprived/starving, would I regain, would I regret this? Surgery is nothing like my past diet attempts. (I've tried them all)
My experience I have no regrets in my decision to have surgery.
Hunger feels nothing like before surgery. Post-op It's manageable. I now have a sensation of full and I'm satisfied on the amount of food I can eat with the sleeve.
First stages: Your stomach restriction is tight after surgery, Your stomach is healing and calories are low,
Real food stage: Surgery restriction will slowly relax. You will be able to eat more food and calories. Food is still flavorful and I don't feel deprived.( I eat healthy versions of pizza, hamburgers etc ) My tasted buds have changed. I now love food that I didn't like in the past.
Maintenance phase food plan: After you reach your goal weight, You increase calories, fats and carbohydrates to stop your weight loss. I indulge within reason. When I have a slight gain, I go back to weight loss phase calories to stay in my weight range.

Thank you for these responses. Truly. I’m asking myself (and others like you who have been through this) these tough questions because like most, I assume, I have doubts about maintaining. I’m not sure I have the will to eat so little... forever. I absolutely admire those who do. But I find myself wondering if they are simply more disciplined than I am. I’m going to do some more reading about how the surgery “resets” metabolism. Easy to say but what does it really mean and how does this happen? While I understand the removal of the part of the stomach that creates a hunger hormone I’m not sure how it’s all reset for the better since you immediately move forward by eating so little and it seems hunger does eventually return. Yes, I will be talking to my surgeon and dietician. As a matter of fact my husband is an excellent internal medicine doc so I have the “ medical” resources handy. I also know their insight can’t compare to those who have lived it. So thank you so much.
incidentally, on the HCG diet forum 10 years ago everyone thought it all worked so well and was a huge gift, reset etc too. Now it’s been recognized as a significant detriment to long term heath. So I’m determined to make sure long term living in the real world is possible.
__________________________________________________
Is anyone here 10 years out and successful? Again, thank you greatly! Most long term surgery patients have no need for site. They have moved on and life is normal. I hope one is around to answer your question.
Surgery isn't for everyone. enjoy researching and do whats best for you, Long term can be done. I will be 6 years out in June, 254 lbs to 130 lbs I've been maintaining in the 130's years out.
Pre surgery: My past diets attempt's were not realistic or sustainable long term. I would regain with extra weight each time. I questioned if surgery would work, will i feel deprived/starving, would I regain, would I regret this? Surgery is nothing like my past diet attempts. (I've tried them all)
My experience I have no regrets in my decision to have surgery.
Hunger feels nothing like before surgery. Post-op It's manageable. I now have a sensation of full and I'm satisfied on the amount of food I can eat with the sleeve.
First stages: Your stomach restriction is tight after surgery, Your stomach is healing and calories are low,
Real food stage: Surgery restriction will slowly relax. You will be able to eat more food and calories. Food is still flavorful and I don't feel deprived.( I eat healthy versions of pizza, hamburgers etc ) My tasted buds have changed. I now love food that I didn't like in the past.
Maintenance phase food plan: After you reach your goal weight, You increase calories, fats and carbohydrates to stop your weight loss. I indulge within reason. When I have a slight gain, I go back to weight loss phase calories to stay in my weight range.

You ask a great question that most of us had to consider when deciding whether or not to have WLS. I did an Optifast program for 8 months that wrecked my metabolism (500 cals/day for 8 months, duh of course it messed me up.) But when I went to the medical literature, it was pretty clear that WLS gives people the best chance of maintaining a healthy weight, and most do. I didn't make this decision lightly, and I knew that I'd be committing to a healthy life from this point forward. Surgery has made that an easier process for me, and these forums have helped me troubleshoot my own personal challenges along the way. Ultimately, I was confident that I could lose weight doing any number of diets, but what I really wanted in the second half of my life was a tool to help me achieve and MAINTAIN a healthier weight. That is why I decided to have the gastric sleeve surgery. Best of luck to you!

Thank you for these responses. Truly. I’m asking myself (and others like you who have been through this) these tough questions because like most, I assume, I have doubts about maintaining. I’m not sure I have the will to eat so little... forever. I absolutely admire those who do. But I find myself wondering if they are simply more disciplined than I am. I’m going to do some more reading about how the surgery “resets” metabolism. Easy to say but what does it really mean and how does this happen? While I understand the removal of the part of the stomach that creates a hunger hormone I’m not sure how it’s all reset for the better since you immediately move forward by eating so little and it seems hunger does eventually return. Yes, I will be talking to my surgeon and dietician. As a matter of fact my husband is an excellent internal medicine doc so I have the “ medical” resources handy. I also know their insight can’t compare to those who have lived it. So thank you so much.
incidentally, on the HCG diet forum 10 years ago everyone thought it all worked so well and was a huge gift, reset etc too. Now it’s been recognized as a significant detriment to long term heath. So I’m determined to make sure long term living in the real world is possible.
__________________________________________________
Is anyone here 10 years out and successful? Again, thank you greatly! Most long term surgery patients have no need for site. They have moved on and life is normal. I hope one is around to answer your question.
Surgery isn't for everyone. enjoy researching and do whats best for you, Long term can be done. I will be 6 years out in June, 254 lbs to 130 lbs I've been maintaining in the 130's years out.
Pre surgery: My past diets attempt's were not realistic or sustainable long term. I would regain with extra weight each time. I questioned if surgery would work, will i feel deprived/starving, would I regain, would I regret this? Surgery is nothing like my past diet attempts. (I've tried them all)
My experience I have no regrets in my decision to have surgery.
Hunger feels nothing like before surgery. Post-op It's manageable. I now have a sensation of full and I'm satisfied on the amount of food I can eat with the sleeve.
First stages: Your stomach restriction is tight after surgery, Your stomach is healing and calories are low,
Real food stage: Surgery restriction will slowly relax. You will be able to eat more food and calories. Food is still flavorful and I don't feel deprived.( I eat healthy versions of pizza, hamburgers etc ) My tasted buds have changed. I now love food that I didn't like in the past.
Maintenance phase food plan: After you reach your goal weight, You increase calories, fats and carbohydrates to stop your weight loss. I indulge within reason. When I have a slight gain, I go back to weight loss phase calories to stay in my weight range.

Call your bariratric office. They are better qualified to answer your questions about metabolism Ask if they have an information seminar. It will help you decide on surgery.
All I can offer is my experience five years out from sleeve surgery. (maintaining my weight in the 130's)
Surgery is nothing like my other diet attempts. (I've done every diet and pill) I needed a long term solution. My weight loss/maintenance diet is very livable. I'm not deprived, My hunger is manageable.
It's normal for your surgery restriction to relax after a year. My stomach is NOT back to full size. I still eat within my calorie range,
Maintenance diet and calories are different for each of us. It depends on your surgeons/dietitians plan, activity level, metabolism, healthy issues, medications......The list goes on. I maintain my weight between 1200 and 1300. I do have days that are higher. I take vacations and indulge within reason. If I have a slight gain I eat weight loss calories (My weight loss calories are 1100)
Take your time and research all of this. Do whats best for you and your health.
Jenn

Call your bariatric office. They are better qualified to answer your questions about metabolism Ask if they have an information seminar. It will help you decide on surgery.
All I can offer is my experience five years out from sleeve surgery. (maintaining my weight in the 130's)
Surgery is nothing like my other diet attempts. (I've done every diet and pill) I needed a long term solution. My weight loss/maintenance diet is very livable. I'm not deprived, My hunger is manageable.
It's normal for your surgery restriction to relax after a year. My stomach is NOT back to full size. I still eat within my calorie range,
Maintenance diet and calories are different for each of us. It depends on your surgeons/dietitians plan, activity level, metabolism, healthy issues, medications......The list goes on. I maintain my weight between 1200 and 1300. I do have days that are higher. I take vacations and indulge within reason. If I have a slight gain I eat weight loss calories (My weight loss calories are 1100)
Take your time and research all of this. Do whats best for you and your health.
Jenn