I am 3 years out and maintaining a major weight loss (I went from 308, got as low as 140 and am hanging out in the mid 150s right now).
Anyway, I have been having more trouble with hunger, cravings etc and I think it has alot to do with my boys living at home again so I have food in the house that calls my name (bread, potatoes, sometimes junk food) again. Also, I am steady dating someone and for reasons i cannot grasp, that seems to be fattening - well, I am not going out dancing and stuff as much as I used to. Final issue is that I am suffering some physical issues that have interferred with my working out so i thought it would be good to get a tune up with a good NUT.
I think we talked through a couple of areas of improvement - you guessed it going back to basics! I have gotten out of the habit of focusing on hydration for example. They are now saying 64-100 oz of Fluid consumed at least 30 minutes post meal.
She said i eat more quantity than she thinks a typical sleever should be able to eat. I don't measure, but I eat from a small side plate so i am not sure about that, but it is true i can eat a good sized salad etc.
Anyway, the thing I learned that i thought was very interesting is she had a model of the sleeve tummy which is shaped like a banana. the "stretch" receptors are at the bottom and the top of the sleeve. So, I always eat Protein first, but I don't always LITERALLY eat protein first. Example, a salad with salmon on it - i have the salmon chopped up into the salad. She has suggested that I eat at least half the salmon first, before any lettuce because that "dense protein" will hit that receptor much firmer and I will feel more satiated. So, LITERALLY eat protein first and then eat the veggies, greens etc. I think I used to do that quite carefully, but i eat a lot of mixed foods now (salad with meat in it, egg dish with veggies and low fat turkey sausage mixed in it etc). I will try this.
She also really recommends the mini meals every 3 hours - so 5 mini meals. She said that if you get overly hungry, you can often eat and then maybe 1-2 hours later you are hungry again (and repeat) - referred to it as the boomerang effect. I am not sure about this one, during the weight loss phase I ate 4 mini meals. I have done 5:2 and found that the fasting can reduce appetite (as well as other health benefits of fasting). I am skeptical on this one.
Since I am struggling a bit through the holidays, and no way am I successful at 5:2 right now, I am going to try following her advice.
So, 3 years out as of Dec 11 - and so very pleased with my results and life with a sleeve!
