mokt

Most people who lose a lot of weight lose their boobs. I was a B cup before I gained my weight, a D now, and will be fine going back to a B. Big boobs make you look fatter anyway.
There is no exercise to fix saggy boobs. The muscle behind them can be exercised but the boobs themselves can't be tightened up. Most people describe their post weight loss boobs as tube socks with tennis balls in them, lots and lots of extra skin.
Surgery is the only real fix, but most people look fine in a good bra anyway. Your boobs should never be more important than your health.

I'm a grazer. My restriction is SO freaking tight, I have to be. I also have to be extra mindful of WHAT I am grazing on. I will disagree with some of the advice above, but only because it is working **for me**.
I eat a shit-ton of cheese. I eat almonds. I eat beef Jerky and eggs. I eat lunch meat rolled with cheese. I can only eat a few ounces at a sitting, but I eat every two hours or so. I don't count calories or fat, I count carbs. As long as I stay under carb count, I am golden. When I introduce chips or cracker or bread, I am screwed. So I don't.

Meat, cheese, veggies = loss.
Carbs = gain.
This is my new normal and I am OK with it.

I'm in the camp where your body decides. If you eat right and exercise, you can get to a comfortable low weight you like....
The real feat is maintaining a good number for yourself. Where you need to be compliant... but happy and healthy. Took me years to land there

I am with Babbs on this one. I was sleeved last November and set my goal to 190 as I remember feeling good and healthy at that weight and couldn't imagine being any smaller. I am 5'7" and Almost a year later and I am down to 135 lbs. I am letting my body go to it's natural set point. Most of the people in my life think I am too skinny, but really it has more to do with them not being used to seeing me this size....not to mention that most people are carrying extra weight. Your body's natural weight might be less than what you ever could have imagined....I say go with it and be the healthiest you can be, especially after going through this surgery and especially with the knowledge that most people regain some of the weight after 2 years.
Best of luck!

I am with Babbs on this one. I was sleeved last November and set my goal to 190 as I remember feeling good and healthy at that weight and couldn't imagine being any smaller. I am 5'7" and Almost a year later and I am down to 135 lbs. I am letting my body go to it's natural set point. Most of the people in my life think I am too skinny, but really it has more to do with them not being used to seeing me this size....not to mention that most people are carrying extra weight. Your body's natural weight might be less than what you ever could have imagined....I say go with it and be the healthiest you can be, especially after going through this surgery and especially with the knowledge that most people regain some of the weight after 2 years.
Best of luck!

I started at 309 at my highest before surgery and honestly I set small goals for myself instead of looking at long term. Right now I want to get to 250. That would be a huge accomplishment for me as that'd be the most weight I've lost in 9 years. I'm only 11lbs away from that goal at a month out. Then once I meet that I will go from there. I find the goal more attainable that way and it puts less pressure on myself. One day at a time.

I am with Babbs on this one. I was sleeved last November and set my goal to 190 as I remember feeling good and healthy at that weight and couldn't imagine being any smaller. I am 5'7" and Almost a year later and I am down to 135 lbs. I am letting my body go to it's natural set point. Most of the people in my life think I am too skinny, but really it has more to do with them not being used to seeing me this size....not to mention that most people are carrying extra weight. Your body's natural weight might be less than what you ever could have imagined....I say go with it and be the healthiest you can be, especially after going through this surgery and especially with the knowledge that most people regain some of the weight after 2 years.
Best of luck!

First of all, amazing success!
I was one of those that DID choose a goal weight according to BMI, but I agree with you wholeheartedly that it is a bunch of phooey as are as choosing a "healthy" weight. I feel body fat % is a much more accurate measurement as far as overall health and fitness.
That being said, I chose 150 (high end of normal BMI for my height) but decided to deliberately keep losing until my body decided to stop at around 143. The reason? After having a husband who had a bypass 10 years ago, seeing hundreds of posts on forums like these, and looking at statistics, there is a very high chance of a 5-10% bounce gain a few years post op. I decided to go as low as I could possibly go so if I do in fact gain the bounce weight, it won't put me too much over in the overweight category. I would have liked to go lower, but my body said NOPE. My body fat percentage is in the high normal range for my age, so I am working on bringing that down instead.
I would suggest letting your body go as low as it wants to go, as long you're still healthy, for the reasons I stated. Why go through major surgery and not just go as far as you can possibly go with it?
As far as the "too skinny" thing, let me be frank. People don't even know what a healthy weight looks like anymore, so anyone in the 'normal' weight range looks too skinny to everyone! I mean, I could easily lose 20 more pounds and still be healthy. Just small.

Hi there,
I went into having the gastric sleeve without knowing that I had a clotting disorder (Factor V) and only found out 2 months ago when they found extensive portal vein clots. I have been on anticoagulants since.
I thought I would write because you are both pre-op and I am someone who has been through the surgery with a predisposition to clotting. I do not regret doing the surgery. It is the best thing I ever did, even with the clotting complications. I have loss 160lbs in almost a year and I feel both lighter emotionally and obviously physically....I think knowing that you have a history of clots or a genetic predisposition to clotting will really assist your bariatric surgeon in trying to prevent clots from occurring during your surgery and during recovery. I really hope your hematologist gets onboard and is more supportive of your decision to do this surgery.
Best of luck to both of you and hoping you both have an uncomplicated surgery and recovery

Hi there,
I went into having the gastric sleeve without knowing that I had a clotting disorder (Factor V) and only found out 2 months ago when they found extensive portal vein clots. I have been on anticoagulants since.
I thought I would write because you are both pre-op and I am someone who has been through the surgery with a predisposition to clotting. I do not regret doing the surgery. It is the best thing I ever did, even with the clotting complications. I have loss 160lbs in almost a year and I feel both lighter emotionally and obviously physically....I think knowing that you have a history of clots or a genetic predisposition to clotting will really assist your bariatric surgeon in trying to prevent clots from occurring during your surgery and during recovery. I really hope your hematologist gets onboard and is more supportive of your decision to do this surgery.
Best of luck to both of you and hoping you both have an uncomplicated surgery and recovery

I was 52 in 2012 when I had the sleeve. I was 275 pounds. I lost 90....and have since gained back 5. Yep. After 4 years, I am still 190. My initial goal was 200. Four years later, I am still 190. I have hovered right at 185-190.
The Sleeve changed my life. I get up at 4am daily and walk 5 miles before work. I still Protein load and carb avoid. I drink a LOT of Water daily.
For me, the Sleeve has worked.....and continues to work. I was pre-diabetic before. Now, my doc says I have the health of a 30-year-old.

WLS is a temporary solution to the permanent problem of obesity. It would be great if we could only eat a few bites of food forever and never be hungry again, but that's not how it works unfortunately. That's why it's important to cement your good eating habits for when the honeymoon is finally over (sadly). They'll help carry you through to goal and then the even harder task of maintaining the weight you've lost.
You look great and have done so well! Keep up the good work!

obviously this is not enough calories to live on.
set a timer. prepackage Snacks to keep with you and work at it all day. clearly you can not rely on feeling hungry to trigger eating. either you will make it a priority to nourish your body now, or your body will make you pay for the neglect with poor health later.
what are your Protein and calories needed in order to maintain the weight you want to be?
and - if there is any fear of eating or fear of gaining weight get help to address that because you can't go on like this. avoiding food is as serious as overindulging.

Hello fellow sleevers,
I was sleeved on 2/29/16 and I have to say even with some of the minor complications, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made for "myself".
Being a dedicated wife and mom, everyone else became a priority and before I knew it I had ballooned up to around 274 and at 46, it was affecting my health.
Anyway, at my heaviest and while waiting for surgery approval I would browse this website for encouragement and I would find it. I wanted to post my before and after pics to hopefully encourage someone else.

Btw... I am 5'8 and my health has dramatically improved (woo hoo). I would still like to lose another 15-20 pounds...
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5 months out next week.
Starting weight: 293
Current weight: 216
Weight in 'after' picture: 220 or so
Goal: 185
Still more to go, but I've regained my energy and confidence. Went from a sz 24 pants and 2-3XL top to size 16 pants and XL top.
I can go forever now without getting tired. Simple tasks are no longer a chore. Planes are comfortable and feel like they were made to fit me. Bathrooms are more comfortable. The world doesn't have to bend to accommodate my size any more.

I started my journey July 25th 2016, day of surgery in a size 22-24. Bought a pair of size 18 goal jeans this summer...THEY FIT!
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Great article and so true! I am 8 months out and a couple of pounds away from my goal and have been wondering what will I strive towards next? How will I stay motivaTed to keep my weight off? I know maintaining is where it becomes more challenging and I am determined to do so. I appreciate the info. And the relatable content thanks!

My back and stomach area will hurt whenever I drink anything too fast and get too much air in. Also as so,won't else said, it's an indication that I have had too much to drink regardless if it's just Water. Try slowing down how quickly you drink your liquids and take sips ra here than gulps. Makes. A big difference.
Good luck!

Great article and so true! I am 8 months out and a couple of pounds away from my goal and have been wondering what will I strive towards next? How will I stay motivaTed to keep my weight off? I know maintaining is where it becomes more challenging and I am determined to do so. I appreciate the info. And the relatable content thanks!

Ahhh…goal weight! It’s something you’ve wanted for years. You went through the pre-op diet, weight loss surgery, and the recovery period. You’ve worked harder than most people can imagine in order to get to goal weight. Now, all you have to do it keep the weight off.
Well, you know that’s easier said than done, but this two-part series offers a little help. Part 1 talked about what you can do if you hate counting calories, and how to develop a diet pattern that can work for you for life. Part 2 will cover making up for lower calorie burn and staying motivated even when the scale is not going down. Here goes!


I Don’t Burn as Many Calories.
The more you lose, the less you can eat if you want to keep losing or keep the weight off. There are a couple of reasons for this unfortunate fact. First, your metabolism slows as you lose weight as a response to the dieting. Your body compensates for your low-calorie consumption by conserving energy – which translates to burning fewer calories.
A bigger factor is your lower body weight. The less you weigh, the less you burn at rest and while exercising. Take a 30-year-old 250-lb woman with a height of 5’4”, for example. She burns about 1900 calories per day at rest. She burns about another 450 calories for every hour she walks. So, she can lose about a pound a week if she eats about 1,800 calories per day.
Take this same woman at 140 pounds. She might need only 1,500 calories per day at rest, and burn 250 calories while walking for an hour. If she walks for an hour a day, she might even gain weight eating 1,800 calories per day.
So what can you do to combat this? Being aware is a big step. Know that you may not need as many calories as you used to need. You can cut out calories the way you have been: by taking smaller portions, and by choosing healthy foods and lower-calorie versions of normally high-calorie foods: think of a plate of zucchini noodles (“zoodles”) instead of a plate of Pasta, for example.
You can also be more active to burn more calories. While an hour’s walk may have been a good workout for you while you were at your high weight, you might be in better shape now, and able to work a little harder. You might be able to throw in a little jogging, or try aerobics or kickboxing or Zumba, to burn more calories in that same hour. Build a little muscle with some strength training, and your calorie burn will be boosted round the clock.
I’m Not Motivated.
Lack of motivation is one of the biggest barriers to keeping the weight off. Preventing regain takes a lot of work, so you need to be motivated. But how can you stay motivated when one of the strongest motivators – the dropping number on the scale – isn’t there anymore?
The first thing you can do is change your attitude. From the time you had WLS to the time you hit goal weight, your job was to lose weight. You had a victory every time your weight dropped, and that was exciting.
Now, your job is to maintain your weight. You have a victory every time you step on the scale and your weight is the same. That is exciting, too – hopefully, exciting enough to keep you motivated to do the right thing as you make your eating and exercise choices throughout the day.
Most of the motivators that you used when losing weight are probably still there. You may just have to search a little harder to remember them. You want to be healthy. You want to be proud of yourself. You want to be around to support your family and to watch them grow. You want to be healthy. You want to shop in regular stores. Remind yourself of your reasons for wanting WLS, and remind yourself how hard you worked to get here. It’s something not everyone can do, but you did it!
I Got off Track.
So does everyone. Let it get you down, and you can regain a lot of weight very fast. Take care of it and use it as a learning experience, and it can only make you stronger. Figure out what got you off track, and do your best to fix the habit. Maybe it’s drinking your calories, choosing slider foods, munching throughout the day, or using food instead of the gym as your emotional outlet. Whatever it is, fix it, forgive yourself, and keep going! If you’re really not sure what went wrong, go back to the basics of your post-op solid foods diet.
Figuring out your strategies can help you keep the weight off for good. Preventing regain is a lifelong endeavor. You may need to work on it daily, but the payoff can be worthwhile. You worked awfully hard to get WLS and lose the weight – don’t you want to keep it off?

Have you eaten an extra 10,500 calories in the past two days? No? I didn't think so!
It's Water weight. Your weight is going to fluctuate a couple of pounds here and there due to Water retention. Don't freak out about it. Drink a lot of water, maybe add some lemon to it, and make sure you lay off the sodium for a couple of days.

There's a book which addresses, among other things, the question of discovering or defining one's tastes/identify after surgery. I've written a bit more about it in response to others' posts. I also wrote a review on the first edition at Amazon a few years back. As I recall, I was most struck by the material on finding one's identity in regard to your topic. Here's a link from the author's website to the new edition.
http://www.drtaniekabala.com/book

So I'm officially 1 month post-op in 4days, and it feels great! I am down 23 pounds. Today I was playing around with some of my old clothes and amazingly I could fit them pretty well. I've noticed that I'm losing inches faster than pounds: has anyone noticed that they're losing inches faster than pounds as well? Let me know what you all think.
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^^^this^^^ plus time. Each year out from surgery, my skin gets better.

Congrats!!! You look amazing and should be so proud!