Spinoza

Just adding my voice to the general advice to eat 3-4oz of protein per meal (chicken breast seems best for you?) Then a couple of oz of green veg. Berries for snacks if you really need those. Ditch everything else from that plate? I totally agree there's nothing awful on it but if you are fighting a new set weight (WLS can do a number on that) you might need to redraw the lines of battle. Strictly protein and green veg till you're losing consistently?

Still a huge thing for me 2.5 years on. I feel cold almost all the time. I wear 2 layers outdoors in summer (Ireland though - it's not ever properly warm here), 4 layers indoors and probably 6 outdoors in winter.

That has to be the way forward. What are the chances elsewhere in the world whilst big food companies are making billions in profit as populations become obese though? I have a horrible feeling that Australia might end up taking the lowest common denominator path unless there's a strong will not to.

Sounds super expensive Arabesque. Absolutely beats me how people are expected to eat even remotely healthily. Especially people on lower budgets. A tax on sugary and ultra processed foods that directly subsidises fruit and veg maybe?

Oh I eat a variation on this all the time. Without the bread though - that still sits in my stomach like a lump of lead. Avocado and (for me fried) egg is a match made in heaven. And yes, you have to have some seasoning. ?

Thank you so much for sharing. I hope you can get back on top of things and stay where you want to be. I agree pouch resets sound drastic - we've all done boom and bust a million times. I hope you can incorporate better choices now that you've identified what's happening. I also weigh myself every day. If I'm gaining I need to know. Whether I choose to do something about that, or when, is up to me, but I need the data! I put on 5lbs over the winter and I am keeping a beady eye on that. Seems to have settled again for now so I'm not panicking and just putting it down to third year regain. Your post is encouraging me to remain vigilant though.

I'm the same height as you but not the same starting weight. I lost less than half what you have in the first 6 months - around 60lbs - not including my looooonnnnng pre-op diet. I continued to lose consistently for around 2 years, although the second year was a total of 11lbs (I think) so when I got close to my new set weight I was losing a pound a month, that's major fun but still a loss, LOL. From memory I would have been eating around 800 calories a day at 6 months so 900-1000 sounds completely spot on. Sounds like you're doing absolutely amazingly.

I believe I only restarted raw veg at around 5 or 6 months (I might have had lettuce and *maybe* cucumber before that) but luckily I didn't have any problems at all.

Loads of useful suggestions here (as ever!) Seems such a long time ago now. I am the exception to the rule - after 2 weeks of pre-op protein shakes and 2 weeks of post-op liquids my first pureed meals were like the tastiest things I've ever had. I lovvvved them. I basically pureed a selection of whatever my family were having (I cook for everyone) with a bit of extra liquid (gravy was best) and gobbled it all down! Saved a couple of tiny portions (like a tablespoon or two) for my other meals that day or the next and hit my protein goal mainly from protein yoghurts and protein shakes. Strangely I didn't have soup until the next phase but it's still a big go-to for lunch now, especially with lentils for added protein.

OK this is a biggie. You might want to treat alcoholic drinks like a big glass of sugar. Empty calories and not helping you to your goal - hindering actually. However I am Irish and therefore have to acknowledge the fun/relaxation/social stuff associated with imbibing those totally worthless calories. Lots of people who have previously had a completely healthy relationship with alcohol (even if on the slightly heavier side of healthy alcohol intake) can develop a very UNhealthy relationship with alcohol after bariatric surgery. You get a bigger hit, you get it quicker, and you get all the neurotransmitter rush associated with that that makes you want to repeat the experience. For lots of us it has been a big trigger for regaining weight. Just do a search for alcohol and read some of the posts here describing it as THE factor on people's regain. Lots of others have been able to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol too. If you do your research AND are aware of all that AND vigilant AND able to take immediate action if your relationship with alcohol changes then it might be OK to drink it earlier than your programme allows. Otherwise it might be best to just concentrate on the lovely honeymoon period when you lose weight with not too much effort. I was sleeved 7 weeks before Christmas 2021 and negotiated a glass or two of bubbles over that first holiday season with my dietician. I have been able to continue to drink alcohol at my previous rate and not regain. UNTIL I stopped losing - that was about 2 years post op, 5 months ago. Since then I have been regaining (albeit very slowly). I do wonder whether if I had just ditched alcohol (my only sugar now) early on whether I wouldn't have put on 5lbs in 5 months. I know that third year regain is a thing, but I will never be able to say what effect alcohol may have had. It does seem to have stabilised for me and I know my regain is tiny (not angsting, LOL) just wanted to share my thoughts and my experience. Sorry that turned into a bit of an essay. I hope it helps. Long story short, my programme said no alcohol for 6 months, my (Irish) dietician said go right ahead.

So great to read your update. Sounds like everything went really well!

My less eloquent take. I am also a foodie. I never stopped cooking for family and friends. I just pureed what I cooked and then had tiny portions of what I cooked and can now have bigger portions but nowhere near what I used to. Food is a big part of socialising. Eating out was super tricky in the early months because nobody outside my immediate family knows about my surgery, so I just avoided it. Once I could eat a starter or at least rearrange the leftover stuff to look like I'd eaten most of it, I was back in the saddle! I said I had eaten already or wasn't really hungry and nobody ever cared. Lots of thin people eat like that - I have regularly split main courses with people I've known for years who always left half their meal anyway. Small plates like tapas are absolutely ideal. And sharing plates - you can have a bite or two of everything and if other people are digging in they'll honestly not notice. And don't bother with the sides - our plans want us to concentrate on the good stuff! Most of us (especially with sleeves) can very quickly eat everything again. Don't worry, you will absolutely still be able to celebrate food whilst losing weight. Welcome to the forum and welcome to your new life.

Amazing post. I may print it out so I can read it every day. ?

Definitely worth reporting to your team OP. They may be able to identify something you're doing or not doing that would help.

Oh this is fascinating. Proves I'm still learning even 2.5 years post op. I know now that all the pain and pulling I had around my big incision (mine was on the left though) might have been this. Totally fits. I had a number of incidents when I bent over and then straightened up (too quickly maybe) that almost floored me. It totally resolved about 6 weeks after my surgery. Made me think about how I moved for some time though.

I agree with the others - I found warm liquids miles easier to drink a few weeks post op. Glad you're finding your groove OP - so much adjusting to do along the way but it's so worth it!

That is such an easy mistake to make because lots of meal replacement programmes have 'meals' bars and shakes that contain 200 calories! I'd have been aiming for 4 too. It's tricky enough being neurotypical and prepping in advance for what you can and can't eat. I can see it might be even trickier when you're not. Please just come here and let us know how you're doing. Ask loads of questions - someone will always be here to help. I wish you all the best for your new life.

And you're not even a year post op! I lost 10lbs in my second year. If you stick to your plan you may lose even more.

Oh yeah, that is properly weird! I briefly hit that a few months ago. Strange to think of yourself walking around with another yourself on piggyback. WLS is the best. ?

OK so you're still losing, albeit slowly. Think you might be approaching *the rest of your life*! Welcome to the far side. Keep lots of fruit and veggie snacks to hand. You have done so so well. Hunger comes back to all of us after WLS - almost always. If you've been able to change how and what you eat in the last year you should be OK. I know it's freaky to actually feel hunger again after such a lovely honeymoon period. But you'll be fine if you keep track of what you eat and why. ?

Super helpful to know! Maintaining will be just as difficult (if not more so) than the initial loss then. I so hope I can do it.

OK I am not a vet so feel free to ignore. Someone with much more experience will be along shortly and I too will be reading with interest. If you could track what you're eating now, in an app of your choosing, then that might help A LOT. Know thine enemy and all that. If I was in your shoes (and I may well be in a few years' time) then I think I would go back to protein first at most meals. Loads of veggies first at at least one meal a day too - raw or cooked. Track all of your macros. Ditch ultra processed foods and refined carbs *completely* - they are nobody's friends. For my own info please may I ask how long you maintained for following your sleeve and how quickly you regained when things got stressful?

OK, are you post op? If so, how long? If you can give us some info or (preferably) fill in some stats on your profile then we will spring into action! Loads of advice awaits you, LOL.

Also love how you got the name babyspoons ?

Kinda flamboyant delivery. Also sniffs and rubs his nose a lot. I would watch Dr Matthew Weiner's videos in preference because they seem more fact/research based rather than opinion/experience I think but no harm mixing it up once in a while so thank you!