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I think the thing many people get wrong when trying to transition between weight loss and weight maintenance is using an all-or-nothing mentality. By that I mean they expect to be either in "diet" mode, or "maintenance" mode, but that's not really how things work. To me, that would be like sprinting on a treadmill and thinking I can just stop running. Um, no. That would have really unpleasant consequences. You're not going to simply wake up one day and immediately go back to eating "normally". Instead, think of this more like a baby learning to walk. You're going to have some false starts. You're going to fall down a lot. In fact, you're probably going to fail more than you succeed. This is completely normal and is how you learn. Over time, you'll hopefully learn what works for you and what level of caloric intake is right. The point is, there are no "tricks" here. If you feel like you've lost too much, then just try different things to up your calories. Alternately, if you're heavier than you want, try different strategies to lower your calories, since there is no perfect solution for everyone. There's only what works for you. You didn't ask, but there are a couple of points I want to make here as well: There is no perfect number of calories for you to maintain. Let me say that again so you don't forget: there is no perfect number of calories for you! Our bodies are wonderfully adaptive and can maintain a healthy weight across a wide spectrum of calorie intake. It does this by up and down regulating your metabolism in response to intake. There is no ticking clock here whereby you have to lose the weight by a certain date after surgery or you won't lose anymore. It just does not work that way. I don't care if it takes you 9 months or 9 years to get to your ideal weight, you can get there and you can maintain at that weight. Best of luck.

Hi all! I had VSG back in Dec of 2016. I was very involved in this community for a long time. I lost 124 pounds over about 18 months and maintained a 105-110 pound weight loss for almost 3 years. Then the pandemic hit. Then I had some non related medical issues. I went on a medication that caused weight gain. I got frustrated. I fell off the wagon and tumbled down the road and I’m now facing a 60 pound weight gain in about 4 years. I made a lot of excuses! I also started picking up bad habits like drinking alcohol, not counting calories and indulging in carb heavy snacks. But hitting 260+ again shook me. I was only 15 pounds down from my surgery weight. It’s time to get off the pity wagon and get back on track. so I’m back. I’m counting calories. Eating low carb. Cutting almost all alcohol, bread as pasta out! 10 days down, forever to go! My Stats: SW: 305 SD: 275 LW: 181 MW: 195-200 RW: 263 CW: 258 GW: 200

Ooh, I'm here too, and it's been very interesting. I've started drinking a protein decaf coffee again to add a cup of fairlife skim milk to my day. I know that some of us need to be very careful about carbs, I need more carbs to support my exercise which is basic strength, walking, and the 2x weekly run. I add an extra apple, gluten free pretzels, and popcorn (which is totally ok for me in my known portions). I also add a few days of cashews, easy to eat and high nutrient density. I would say if you aren't going to track calories (and why would you if that isn't your favorite) then it would be helpful to add a specific snack/food etc and have that extra every day for a few weeks and see where that gets you. If you continue to drop weight, increase it, if not, you have likely found your maintenance diet. The thing that has been most eye opening for me is the fact that I can occasionally go over and not see any consequences for one day of overdoing it. In the past that would have been hell to take off again, now it just seems to regulate like a normal person. I had surgery 1/24 and have been at my same weight since 11/24. I'm not fighting to stay here, I'm struggling with some head hunger vs real hunger, that was to be expected, but otherwise it's been such a different reality from presurgery.

Hiya Sweetie, You could try adding an extra protein shake to your day, you could sip it in between meals. Or how about a cappuccino or latte at around 100 calories. xx

Hey lovely people, There is already tonnes of info out there on maintenance, but I just wanted to see if anyone had any tips? My two sisters previously have had a bypass, and they've both dropped into the very underweight category, and this is something I'd like to avoid if at all possible (I know my body will decide where it wants to be, ultimately!) I am trying to ignore that little voice in my head that is making me feel a bit scared about eating more, and just plough on. I don't track calories at the moment either! Any tips are greatly appreciated ❤️

Many of you know my story. Was two months shy of turning 54 in 2019 when I got my sleeve. Lost all my weight & more and was successfully maintaining that low weight. I began gaining weight from puberty: about a stone a year. Then I started my 60-75kg weight diet/regain swing from my early 20s until peri menopause & menopause hit and then seemingly overnight I was 91kg. Nothing I did moved that weight. Hence my decision to get a sleeve. I experienced some weight regain (good 2 almost 3 kgs) almost 4 yrs ago after I had my gall removed. We worked out I had an absorption issue and wasn’t absorbing protein well or it turned out my HRT tablet (hot flushes, etc. had returned). Switched to a patch and lost the weight without doing anything & no menopause symptoms. Had a hysterectomy in September 2024 & then couldn’t access the HRT patch I was using (damn supply chain issues) & this is when my body turned against me again. ALL my menopausal symptoms returned: hot flushes, night sweats, poor sleep, headaches, creaky joints, acne, etc. & weight gain. Only three kgs so far but that’s in the last three months. And so here we go again. My body working against me. Since this regain began in January (used my last HRT patch in December & was my usual weight at the end of Dec) I’ve made some modifications to my eating. Dropped a snack, reduced some portions (which were still only recommended portion size or a little less). I eat pretty carefully anyway & stick closely to my plan of eating. Was eating about 1600 calories a day and now am probably at about 1300/1400. So at the very least I should have slowed the regain but nope. It’s scary & upsetting. I recognise it as being how my body & my hormones work (or don’t work!) but that doesn’t help. My doctor is trying to help me sort out alternative HRT but nothing is working yet as it all involves at least taking one tablet. I wish I was completely past all this hormone crap & I wish supply chain issues for pharmaceuticals were a thing of the past for everyone affected. I so wanted to be my maintained slim self when I turned 60 in 4 months. I always have been overweight at significant birthdays. This one was going to be different. The way I’m going I’ll be a stone heavier. Not overweight but more than I want to be & have been happy at. Very sad face.

@Mspretty86 oh that is great! My food noise came back around a month ago, basically when I halted the exercise and got my P.S. I felt really outta control, but now Im back at it, I always meal prepped but my snacking was outta control so now I do 3 whole food clean meals. 1 snack and dessert like protein ice cream. Making sure I stay in my calorie deficit but eating enough to get them gains in the gym lol

My win is getting back in the gym and back on track! I have been cleared to do lower body, biceps and triceps. I have been prioritizing cardio which is great but now that I am back in the gym I feel so much better! I cant wait to hit back and shoulders but all in due time. I have been tracking and making sure I am staying in my calorie deficit. I started to interment fast, not a crazy one just 12:12, but its helping the food noise and helping me be more structured.

You are doing amazing but I do understand how you feel. In the very beginning I just wanted to lose the weight as quickly as possible but then I had an epiphany! I need to fix my relationship with food! I'm 10 weeks out so I'm still early days but I know that just losing weight is a sticking plaster for the real reason I used food as a coping mechanism. So I think I need to consider therapy! The food noise gets so bad for me sometimes its like torture! I will be so much more happier when I nail these obsessive food thoughts but it will take time, I've had them my whole life. Like many I have lost up to 6 stone and put it back on quite a few times before I took the plunge and had surgery so I guess I need to be kind to myself and learn to understand the parts of myself that I have ignored for so long. Are you counting calories? at the 5 week mark I was managing around 500 cals a day. I didn't have the protein drinks because I was fuller for longer eating minced chicken, tuna, eggs, lentils, cottage cheese and pureed foods for less calories, a quarter of a cup at a time. I still managed to get in my protein and at least 2 litres of fluids too. If I was a little under in my protein I would drink a clear whey isolate protein squash drink, they are around 100 cals and contain up to 22g of protein! I am on 800 cals a day now as my stomach has done a lot of healing since then. Everyone is different though and I know that some people still can't tolerate actual food at your stage, so listen to your body hun. Here's some ideas for purees for you, a quarter of a cup at a time is about right for the stage you are at but if you can't manage it all that's fine, its just a guide for you. Tuna and mayonnaise - 14 grams of protein Blended baked chicken. I would bake chicken in some tinned tomatoes and season with garlic and herbs then blend it. 50g of chicken has 16g protein Egg mayo - an egg has 6-7g protein Bolognese - use 5%fat minced beef and blend with a tomato based sauce or make your own - 11g protein Protein puddings available in all the supermarkets - 15-20g protein readybrek oats with some protein powder Fat free cottage cheese blended with peanut butter powder and some sweetener if you need it. Cottage cheese has 11g protein per 100g PB powder has 8g protein per serving Ricotta cheese bake - you can find the recipe on Pinterest and even on here! I wish you well on your journey my lovely. You are on a path of healing, mentally, physically and emotionally and you are doing amazing! Be kind to yourself the weight will come off and at 5 weeks you are still healing and probably holding extra fluid anyway. xx

may not be a popular answer, but if you are looking for a high protein, high calorie, low density food, chicharron (aka pork rinds or cracklins) was my go to back in the day when i had very low stomach capacity and was trying to stop weight loss. worked like a charm. mind you they are also very high in fat (and depending which brand or how you make them, are also high in soduim) so keep that in mind.

This is a question I'd recommend consulting your bariatric surgeons office about. Now having said that, everyone is different, I personally didn't have much pain following my surgery BUT my energy was low for several months (5-6 months) remember you will be on a significant reduced calorie change that your body isn't used to. Disney requires a lot of walking and I know I couldn't have done days at Disney walking that much only 4-5 weeks out. Again, everyone is different. Also, I was told NO travel for 3 months following my surgery: too much sitting on plane (blood clots), distance from surgeon if an emergency medical situation were to arise etc. So again ask your surgeons office. Sorry to not answer directly.

I have the same question and can never get a good answer. I don't mind the shakes I just can't always remember or have the time to stop and do it. I don't even need a bunch of calories just the protein.

I am not to goal yet but I can tell you that as long as I keep my protein high i seem to lose weight independent of actual calorie goal. I am 6 months out and am shooting for 130 grams of protein and somewhere around 1500 calories. Continuing to lose a couple lbs a week even though it’s not terribly linear lol.

@swimbikerun yeah I eat protein bars but shakes are difficult for me bc I can't drink a big amount of liquid. I know, I know I'm difficult 😂 I really like the protein shots, but bariatricpal has been out of stock of them for quite awhile now unfortunately! But other than those things, I just didn't know what types of foods or meals there are that are rich on protein and/or calories but aren't a huge amount of food! Thank you for replying tho I appreciate it 😊

How can I intake more protein and more calories without eating a huge amount of food throughout the day, all day long? It's almost impossible for me to get in 3 meals a day, and small snacking all day isn't possible either. So what are some ways I can get in extra protein without heavy shakes/smoothies? Or some meals/snacks that have a lot of protein and/or calories in them, but aren't a huge amount of food (if that makes sense)! Thanks for the help in advance!

What I wanted versus what I ate and the approximate calorie counts. For what I ate it was good but those miracle noodles are super heavy on my stomach. Miracle noodles with sautéed onion and portobello mushroom, kimchi, fried garlic, with pickled cucumbers and hard boiled eggs in lono life beef broth.

@buildabetteranna How are you finding your journey so far? You made a massive commitment to yourself, and I am so happy for you that you've already had that massive win! The gym classes are really good actually! I started going to a Les Mills legs, bums & tums class and found it hard at first, but now it is easier! I actually went to my first Les Mills body pump class last night and oh my god...I was close to death 🤣 such a challenge, and I ache today, but so worth it. I love seeing what my body is capable of nowadays, and I am sure you will experience that too! Definitely start with something like that and build up, that is what I did! Definitely sounds like it'd be a fun time You too! ❤️ @Lilia_90 I am sorry to hear you have had a rough time recently. I think it is kinda expected in some ways for us to drop below our ideal/healthy weight at first, and then it should balance itself out (at least that is what my surgeon told me) - I hope things improve for you soon though. I know how tough it is to get food in and increase that calorie intake! Maybe add in some protein shakes if you are struggling to eat ❤️ @WendyJane Amazing, well done! All pre-surgery too which is such an achievement! Happy belated birthday also! ❤️ Lamb is one of my favourite things ever, good choice! Such a powerful thing to already be working on that mental side of things prior to surgery, as I find that is actually one of the biggest challenges. I completely get what you are saying there - I also looked forward to having baggy skin, as it meant that I had lost the weight! I don't necessarily hate the excess skin at the moment, but I think that is because I know it isn't forever, but I am just happy my body is healthier! Enjoy swimming! @Arabesque I think a better colour corrector/concealer needs to be made, they all seem really crap if I am honest!! Yeah I am definitely getting some comments at the moment which is sadly getting to me a bit as I have always been really worried about eye bags/dark circles. I hope it'll improve! I use a caffeine eye cream & retinol cream but it seems to just do nothing 🤣 I may look into some other brands when I get paid - we shall see! Thank you for your advice ❤️

Don't. You went through major surgery, your body will need time to heal and recuperate. I hear the body needs extra calories following surgery to heal and close the wounds. You are already at your goal weight, you've done incredibly well and your journey has been a huge success. Plus the added weight of the implants, inflammation, water retention ....etc. As for me, I have been struggling not to lose any more weight, my restriction is the bane of my existence, my portions are smaller than my 6 year old's (who's tiny and never interested in food LOL). The minute I fall back on my eating schedule (which is usually very frequent) the pounds instantly drop. My surgeon keeps telling me he doesn't think I needed the surgery in the first place, ha! Also, the minute my training becomes less intense, I lose my appetite completely, meaning I need to work very hard in the gym to be able to eat more and not lose weight. It's all very weird LMAO.

My goodness, how?! since I had my BA I cannot get my weight back down. Even with the exercise and cutting calories. I am feeling a bit defeated

We would come down like a ton of bricks on someone who was mean on here. Its a safe place. People come for advice and reassurance and because I was helped I am paying it forward. I might add that it keeps me on track too so I am not as selfless as I seem. This is wise, I told only my husband and son. It was my decision to do this and like you I didn't want to listen to any negativity. Yes you will, I do. But in the beginning few days its a scary struggle and I did panic at this stage but we all got there. I got to a size and weight where I was happy. You then up your calories, a little each week until you get to the point where you stop loosing weight. Its really simple but takes a little courage to let go a bit.

My food choices lately have been questionable at best but, SALAD! A huge salad. Probably like 600 calories for the whole thing (won’t finish it in one go) but I just wanted all the briny pickled things with lettuce, feta, and eggs.

Hey lovely It sounds like your mind is going into overdrive with everything and that's understandable I get it I've been there so many times. Only you can make the decision about if this is right for you. The sleeve will not solve your issues with food but it will help you to eat a lot less, for most of us it is the last resort. Ask yourself if you can carry on living your life as you are now. There are risks with every operation, even with having teeth out. Instead of looking at the bad stories look at the good! It does take a leap of faith to do this I'm not gonna lie but for me it was absolutely the right choice. I am type 2 diabetic and I was heading towards insulin. I had high cholesterol and there is heart disease in my family. I'm off my meds now and I feel amazing, it's just the mental struggle which is worse some days than others but I'm getting there and I'm early days. Another tip I picked up is to stop the diet mentality. In the beginning I was calorie counting everything even a bloody pickle! Now I keep an eye on my calories but I try not to obsess because when I do that it makes my brain fight the control. If I'm hungry I have some veges or fruit and I don't count that. Life does get better after the initial shock of such a huge life style change. Many people continue to tell me that life gets better and I have learned that it does gradually. Be kind to yourself though hun and give yourself time. I wish you well x

Hello there and welcome! I was sleeved about 8 weeks ago now and I spent countless hours, days and months before surgery stressing about every little thing that I read and heard. Right up until surgery I was still hyperventilating! I totally understand how you feel right now. Now I'm on the other side I have to say there are some major challenges for me to deal with. I have been big my entire life and this is like a baptism by fire to me. What do I mean by that? Well I knew I had a food issue especially comfort eating but I didn't realise how bad it was until after my surgery. Head hunger is my biggest enemy I crave food a lot of times during my day. Interestingly enough I don't really crave junk food anymore because I have avoided that from the get go, I just miss the comfort of eating more if that makes sense. I did feel really drained and miserable months before surgery, I was so afraid of things going terribly wrong too, but I was Ok and it was worth it. I don't regret it and I am still early days. I have lost over2 and a half stone in that time and I am feeling much better than I was pre op. Now, you say you don't enjoy healthy food but what do you class a healthy? You will eventually be able to eat chicken, lean beef and pork mince, fish, cheese, yogurts, protein drinks, protein puddings and much more. You will also be surprised how much your tastes and cravings change post op, I know! I didn't believe it either! I make a healthy version of pizza with my own low calorie wholemeal base and low fat protein cheese with ham. It tastes better than the one I used to have before and it is a much healthier version. There's literally loads of ways you can alter your favourite foods to make them lower in calories and healthier too. Get on Pinterest and tiktok there's so much content out there for bariatric surgery patients. The main thing I should tell you with absolute certainty is that the sleeve is a tool not a quick fix. You really need to be fully prepared for the changes it will bring. You will need to put in the hard head work and explore a healthier way of life, Be willing to try healthier food and you may learn to like it. You will not be able to eat unhealthy food and get all the nutrients you need from your diet. If you are certain this is what you want to do then you need to research. you said you don't like healthy food but you also said you don't know how to eat healthy. This is where your research will come in. I noticed you said that you can't find the discipline but when you have a smaller tummy you physically can't eat as much, you will be in a lot of pain and then you will throw up! I wish you all the best on your journey, it's a hell of a ride! x

For breakfast it’s almost always an omolette or an egg and cheese wrap. Either one I use whatever leftover veggies are in fridge. Chicken Cesar salad with a low carb wrap is my favorite option right now. That and fajitas are two of my favorites. My hubby makes a couple chicken breasts on the grill every few days and starting with the cooked chicken they are both quick and go down easy. I also do steak fajitas or cauliflower crust pizza with chicken or I do taco meat and make tacos or taco salad with the taco lean beef or chicken on them mini low carb tortillas. I am pretty fine having the same things over and over as long as it’s stuff that I like. And I always have a whole variety of chopped and washed fruit in the fridge and I have that when the sugar cravings hit. Probably way too often in terms of calories but hey at least it’s not ice cream, right? I have been doing a lot of skinny pop which I know is not really in the bariatric diet but it’s not horrible for me nutrition wise at least. Other than that it’s mostly yogurt drinks and nuts or cheese sticks on the run. What are your go to’s? How is the activity? Are you still plugging along with your classes??

I had a post op appt with my NP yesterday. She is please with my nutrition even though it’s not quite status quo. I am still doing chemo with steroids so I have some pretty intense cravings but for now the chemo has made me hyperthyroid so I am maintaining despite a lot less exercise and a less than perfect bariatric diet. Sounds like a blessing to be able to eat more but I’m still having to rein it in because I am ravenous 24/7 and of course there are some real health risks with hyperthyroidism so I have to closely monitor things. I am really hoping it goes away or I’m going to go broke trying to afford healthy food in the quantity I am able to consume. I have mostly nutritious food but I’m not counting calories or quantity for now. Plus with the tiny stomach I eat like 10 times a day so it’s pretty time consuming. On a better note I had a PET Scan the other day and my treatment is working!! A couple more months until the chemo should be done as long as I stay healthy enough to keep getting it. I hope a couple of months later things will be back and I will have a normal amount of cravings that I should be able to handle. I’m gonna need some emotional support kicking the carbs though for sure.