BarbieVSG14

I smoked for 30 years and quit old turkey 10/17/2017, the same day I started my pre op diet. Its still hard, but Im so glad I did it. I agree that Im WAY more proud of quitting smoking than weight loss.


5' 5"
HW: 259
CW: 231
GOAL: Healthy

I too know how hard it is. I smoked for 20 years before my surgery, and decided it would be silly for me to continue when my main motivation was health. I'm more proud of quitting smoking than even the weight loss. Sometimes I miss it, most of the time I don't. I certainly don't miss being a slave to it. And the smell.
I concur with vaping. That's how I quit. I just tapered down the nicotine until I was at 0, then quit altogether. You should try it!
It's not easy, but can be done if someone really wants to. Just like with this surgery. If someone really wants to be successful, they'll do it. If you struggle, you utilize every tool you can find to make you successful.

I don't understand the concept of having a major surgery to become healthier and then continuing to do something so unhealthy.

Why do you think you gained the weight? And why would you think a revision would be the answer? Sure, you may lose again with a revision, but it will come right back if you repeat the same behaviors that caused you to gain in the first place.
Just keeping it real.

Why do you think you gained the weight? And why would you think a revision would be the answer? Sure, you may lose again with a revision, but it will come right back if you repeat the same behaviors that caused you to gain in the first place.
Just keeping it real.

Are they wrong though?

Why do you think you gained the weight? And why would you think a revision would be the answer? Sure, you may lose again with a revision, but it will come right back if you repeat the same behaviors that caused you to gain in the first place.
Just keeping it real.

Why do you think you gained the weight? And why would you think a revision would be the answer? Sure, you may lose again with a revision, but it will come right back if you repeat the same behaviors that caused you to gain in the first place.
Just keeping it real.

Why do you think you gained the weight? And why would you think a revision would be the answer? Sure, you may lose again with a revision, but it will come right back if you repeat the same behaviors that caused you to gain in the first place.
Just keeping it real.

Are they wrong though?

The amount of misinformation I see on this forum is staggering. It definitely needs more vets who actually know what they are talking about, and less people who who think they do.

The most important reason for abstaining from alcohol has just been barely mentioned in the comments above--empty calories that offer no nutritional value.
My surgeon warned me the easiest and quickest way to gain weight back is drinking your calories. High calorie coffees, sodas, sweet tea, and yes, alcohol.
The "Honeymoon" period lasts roughly a year to 18 months. In that time, it's in your best interest to do absolutely everything you can to take full advantage of the lack of hunger, great restriction and easy weight loss, because frankly it doesn't last. During that time, I concentrated on doing what I needed to do to get the best results from the surgery, and alcohol had no part in that for me. I knew that as soon as I reached my weight loss and fitness goals and was comfortably in my maintenance phase, I could imbibe occasionally as part of my higher calorie maintenance routine. And I do on occasion. But that roughly 8 month wait I did to drink pales in comparison to being a healthy weight and fitting into the size I wanted all along.
I'm not saying to not touch a drop during the weight loss phase. Odds are it won't effect your losses at all if you just do it on occasion. Hell let's be honest, during those early months we could be eating oreos and chasing them down with McFlurries and still lose weight. But why take the chance of doing anything to sabotage your weight loss when we've got so much invested into it? Wait until you're where you want to be, and then enjoy alcohol as an occasional treat as part of an otherwise healthy diet.
We've really only got one shot to get this right. I see too many squander it because they can't seem to ever learn to delay instant gratification as opposed to thinking about the more important long term results. Its a shame.

The one thing that's always fascinating to me is how MUCH other people can eat and how little we actually NEED to live on. I mean, I used to eat those massive portions, too! Now it almost makes me sick to watch.
I maintain on 1200 calories at almost 4 years post op. I eat mostly meat, fish, nuts, fruits and veggies. Yup, that's 80% of my diet. I choose to eat that way because one:
I feel great when I limit sugar and simple carbs
And two: I maintain my weight fairly easily sticking to that stuff without having to track, weigh and measure everything because I HATE to!
Oh, the other 20% of what I eat? Yogurt, cheese, whole grains and chocolate. Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
I eat like someone who is mostly health conscious who hasn't had surgery. Except I can only eat around 10 oz of food in a single meal, maybe less.

The "pouch reset" is actually only a exercise in habit reform. You most likely did not stretch your sleeve. I say "most likely" because it is a very rare thing for a properly performed VSG to stretch. The esophageal sphincter or the pylorus will weaken long before the sleeve will stretch enough to cause tears that heal back with a larger volume over and over again. Or if someone had bypass, the opening created in the intestine could be stretched which would allow food to go through too quickly.
The pouch reset is a name given to reverting back to the post-op basics. Fluids for a short time, then soft foods, then dense Proteins. It is an exercise designed to train your mind to recognize the sensation of fullness.
So are you too far gone? No, of course not. The only question is how important is it to you to make the change that is necessary. Don't think about eating less crap, think of not eating that crap at all. There is no need for it. I will admit that I miss the convenience of fast food, but I do not miss anything else about it. I am actually quite proud of myself that I have not had a fast food sandwhich in almost 3 years.

Which is why I’m asking if a pouch reset will shrink my stomach or am I too far gone? I’m fat for reason and I understand why because of my poor choices in food.
In the past with my weight loss journey I eventually did end up changing my eating habits due to the restriction but unfortunately when I became pregnant and was very sick until 32 weeks carbs were the only thing that would help settle my stomach, now I can’t seem to break that habit again.
At least with a restriction in place it means the less crap I can eat.

Exactly. Lol your only allowed to have an opinion if you've been sleeveds 10 years. It's pathetic. No ones immune to having problems on this journey. And if a year out I gain the weight I'll take responsibility and face it. I'm not judging anyone . People make themselves feel better to make out like someone under a year can't be right but at the end of the day. It doesn't effect me if someone has 10 surgeries. I have no agenda she can go ahead. But if it was me I'd like a reality check.

The one thing that's always fascinating to me is how MUCH other people can eat and how little we actually NEED to live on. I mean, I used to eat those massive portions, too! Now it almost makes me sick to watch.
I maintain on 1200 calories at almost 4 years post op. I eat mostly meat, fish, nuts, fruits and veggies. Yup, that's 80% of my diet. I choose to eat that way because one:
I feel great when I limit sugar and simple carbs
And two: I maintain my weight fairly easily sticking to that stuff without having to track, weigh and measure everything because I HATE to!
Oh, the other 20% of what I eat? Yogurt, cheese, whole grains and chocolate. Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
I eat like someone who is mostly health conscious who hasn't had surgery. Except I can only eat around 10 oz of food in a single meal, maybe less.

I agree. And yes, I see 90% of people bounce up 5-10% once they hit maintenance as their bodies try to find their ideal "set point". Just watch some of the long term YouTube WLS Vloggers. You'll see it first hand. They always seem at their thinnest 1-2 year out, and then they seem to "fill out" a bit a some time later (and a lot of them are complaining about regain).
I just let it ride until I just stopped losing weight. Then I hit maintenance and did bounce up 7-10 pounds and stayed there, so I'm glad I went as far as I could go with it, because that damn weight isn't going anywhere, no matter how hard I've tried!

I agree. And yes, I see 90% of people bounce up 5-10% once they hit maintenance as their bodies try to find their ideal "set point". Just watch some of the long term YouTube WLS Vloggers. You'll see it first hand. They always seem at their thinnest 1-2 year out, and then they seem to "fill out" a bit a some time later (and a lot of them are complaining about regain).
I just let it ride until I just stopped losing weight. Then I hit maintenance and did bounce up 7-10 pounds and stayed there, so I'm glad I went as far as I could go with it, because that damn weight isn't going anywhere, no matter how hard I've tried!

I think we should also recognize that some of the protocols are refined/changed based on studies, feedback etc. Someone who is many years out is likely working under "old guidelines". However, the basics and the headtrip stuff are probably all about the same.

I think I found your problem.

The one thing that's always fascinating to me is how MUCH other people can eat and how little we actually NEED to live on. I mean, I used to eat those massive portions, too! Now it almost makes me sick to watch.
I maintain on 1200 calories at almost 4 years post op. I eat mostly meat, fish, nuts, fruits and veggies. Yup, that's 80% of my diet. I choose to eat that way because one:
I feel great when I limit sugar and simple carbs
And two: I maintain my weight fairly easily sticking to that stuff without having to track, weigh and measure everything because I HATE to!
Oh, the other 20% of what I eat? Yogurt, cheese, whole grains and chocolate. Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
I eat like someone who is mostly health conscious who hasn't had surgery. Except I can only eat around 10 oz of food in a single meal, maybe less.

Why do you think you gained the weight? And why would you think a revision would be the answer? Sure, you may lose again with a revision, but it will come right back if you repeat the same behaviors that caused you to gain in the first place.
Just keeping it real.

The one thing that's always fascinating to me is how MUCH other people can eat and how little we actually NEED to live on. I mean, I used to eat those massive portions, too! Now it almost makes me sick to watch.
I maintain on 1200 calories at almost 4 years post op. I eat mostly meat, fish, nuts, fruits and veggies. Yup, that's 80% of my diet. I choose to eat that way because one:
I feel great when I limit sugar and simple carbs
And two: I maintain my weight fairly easily sticking to that stuff without having to track, weigh and measure everything because I HATE to!
Oh, the other 20% of what I eat? Yogurt, cheese, whole grains and chocolate. Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
I eat like someone who is mostly health conscious who hasn't had surgery. Except I can only eat around 10 oz of food in a single meal, maybe less.

Why do you think you gained the weight? And why would you think a revision would be the answer? Sure, you may lose again with a revision, but it will come right back if you repeat the same behaviors that caused you to gain in the first place.
Just keeping it real.