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Oh I didn't say you were, but the post above yours referred to it. I don't think anyone who really does endurance athletics or true heavy lifting should worry about carb intake while doing those things, but a lot of people worry about it for their couch to 5k or 5k race. Totally unnecessary for those things. Most of us don't even need them for 10k. There's even a lot of science about keto adapted athletes. For optimal performance perhaps some carbs are better, but most of us on this board got into it to burn fat not perform at top performance. I ran 20-30 miles per week and did 4-5 hours a week of intense yoga training on 600-900 calories per day. I consume far more than that now at goal, but it wasn't necessary before then. And I'm far from a back of the pack runner.

Hiya coops.. I’m UK too and used to enjoy milky coffee. I now use Alpro fresh light Soya Milk (not the unsweetened) and that feels like a treat during the day. For me it’s all been about the carbs. Low carbs/Keto weight drops off although much slower than during the honeymoon phase. This milk is carb free, 78cals and 7.1g of protein, 4.3 fibre for 12oz. Wishing you the best for keeping on track ! Kate 😀

So, it has been a while since I've been active in this community, but I just wanted to share my story and my current struggle with regain. I still feel like having VSG WLS (March 2013) was the best decision of my life. I remember the first year -- the "honeymoon phase" -- when the weight just flew off! It was definitely a major adjustment, having such positive feedback from friends and family. Honestly, I hated the attention I was getting, because I felt like I "cheated" having the procedure. When people asked how I lost the weight, I usually tried to avoid telling them about the surgery, but I'm naturally and honest over-sharer, so I forced the words "weight loss surgery" out of my mouth, and cringed. Nevertheless, I became obsessed with losing weight, and living a healthy lifestyle. Before I knew it, a little over a year later, I had reached my goal weight (140lbs - lowest 135)! I had just turned 20 years old, and I was on top of the world. For the first two years after reaching my goal, maintenance was a breeze. I would gain 3-5 pounds, notice I was snacking a little too much, and correct my actions, and drop the weight. Then, in July 2016, I met a wonderful man and shortly after we moved in together. For the first few months of cohabitation, I went about my normal routine, prepping meals on Sunday for the week, walking every day, and living life as usual. Then came a new "honeymoon phase" of our relationship. Date nights, eating out, spending the weekends in, snacking in front of the TV. I was so happy and in love, that my health and fitness goals went by the wayside. It felt like I blinked and all of a sudden, I had gained 20 pounds in a year. Every time I tried to get back on track, I'd drop 8-10 lbs in a month, and then my SO would insist on indulging in one guilty pleasure or another, and just like that, diet: derailed. One month ago, I stepped on the scale and it read 163lbs, and I said to myself, "Enough is enough!" I had seen a lot of popularity of the ketogenic diet floating around social media, and since it was the only "diet" my SO would agree to try, we went for it together. After a month, I had dropped 6lbs, but I was having tremendous cravings for sweets. Not your typical chocolates and caramels, but I just wanted some fruit! How I longed for a banana... I quickly decided the "keto lifestyle" was not for me. I've since switched my focus to whole foods -- lean meat, whole grains, lots of fruits and veggies and lots of water. I aim for +/-1200 calories a day. I've also joined Beach Body On Demand, and have been religiously "pressing play" on my Insanity workout program. It has only been a week, but since starting, my sleep has improved as well as my mood. Unfortunately, the scale started climbing! Today I weighed in at 158 (+2lbs). I've read a lot of forums that it's probably just water retention, and my muscles trying to repair themselves, but BOY, it is discouraging. I'm worried the gain may be due to an under active thyroid. Regardless, I've made a commitment to myself to press on and finish the 60-day "Insanity Challenge," and see where that leaves me. I decided to revisit this forum, in search of support, and to see if anyone has experienced regain of this magnitude at 3+ years post-op, but I hadn't found much on the topic. So I decided to share a brief summary of my life post-op. Despite the regain, I still consider my VSG story a success. When I think of how far I've come, I realize I'm much closer to my goal weight now than I was before I was sleeved, and that's always a relief. It's time for me to get back to basics and use the tools I've acquired along the way to get me back on track. Weight loss & maintenance is truly a lifelong journey, and there is no "real" finish line.

@@Munecagirl85 100 pounds in 10 months is really good. Your body might need to catch up. How long have you been at 265? You said you keto, what do you eat? How many calories a day? If you have really adopted a healthy WOE like keto, the weight will keeping coming off. Why did your nutritionist say it is impossible to lose more? Find a different nutritionist, or don't use one at all.

So i am weighing in at 265-266 flip flops week to week iam still in a size 22 ive loat 2-4 sizes maaaybe since 100 pounds ago i meausre and no difference I do not eat carbs and i have adapted a keto life style ... I do not cheat and i exercise I refuse by pass so what could be the issue i need tl change skmething but what Has anyone lost 200???

I agree with @GradyCat. You probably have not stretched your stomach out. Those calorie calculators are pretty much fiction. So much depends on your height, age, gender, activity level, weight, etc. The first thing to do is track EVERYTHING you eat and drink, to see where you are. Talk to your nutritionist/dietician. Don't be embarrassed; this is incredibly common especially during COVID. They have seen this before, I guarantee it. Talk to them about how many calories you need to lose weight and what your macros should be. I was told not to do a keto diet as the fat is too high. I currently try to reduce the amount of carbs I eat and make the carbs I do it complex carbs or fruit/veggies. For me, it's still hard to get much carbs in since I'm still trying to get enough protein at 4 months out. Don't try to be perfect: aim for 80% of your food being "healthy" with 20% "fun", or maybe 90-10 if that feels better. If you try to be 100% perfect, you will set yourself up for failure. Good luck and keep us posted!

I'm finally mustering up the guts to ask for help. I am 5' 2" and I had gastric sleeve at 205 lbs. My struggle with weight has been life-long. I dropped down to 155 and I was actually quite happy there, as I was down to a size 10. I consumed about 900 cal/day at that point. Everything went to hell in a handbasket when COVID hit. I truly do not mean to make excuses, because there are none, but there were situational issues. My husband was hit severely early on in the pandemic, the kids were doing remote schooling, I was out of a job, I wasn't exercising and I chose to deal with all of this by getting diet sloppy. And the weight has just been creeping up. I am now at 190 lbs. What's even worse, is that according to the 13cal/pound calculation, I would need to eat 2470 calories per day in order to maintain a weight of 190lbs. I don't come close to that. I average 1600, and usually not even that much. My metabolism has always been a problem, which I suspect lots of people can identify with. I have tried Keto and Atkins on and off, but they are not sustainable for me. I read up on Pouch Reset, but then also read about the weight regain. I'm considering intermittent fasting, or simply using my Baritastic app and dropping it to 900 cals. I even looked into a revision, but that wouldn't solve the core issues, which I can't even identify at this point. I'm so ashamed by this. I've made a mess of this but at the same time, I'm committed to fixing this problem. Help? Thank you...

It’s from lack of carbs. In the Keto world they call it the Keto Flu. Your body will adjust as it gets rid of the glycogen. Hang in there! It will all be work it!!

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@@Sherbear2 well i think everyone is different. make sure you're doctor says it's ok for you to work out. i went into full cardio mode and just ran and ran and ran for six months straight 3 to 5 days a week, did a little strength training but perhaps not enough. my diet was keto diet. (no carbs, no sugar, high fat) but i know some ppl do weights extra. i am saggy now so maybe some weights would have been good. im sure others have other ideas. you could just start with walking, walking your dog, or yoga or zumba or whatever u like long as u get active. i think my weight came off "fast" cuz i worked out often and hard. i was impatient to lose it. lol. good luck to you!!

I followed a keto way of eating for six months prior to my surgery (and lost 99 pounds before surgery day), so I wouldn't eat all of those carbs during the early days like my NUT wanted me to. I just didn't want to go through the transition to ketosis all over again (because it is heinous). That being said, it's a personal choice. If you haven't been doing keto or low carb, it probably won't hurt you in the early days. If you have, you might want to think about it.

Everyone needs to find a plan they can live with and find a way to stick to it. I am around 10 weeks post op, so I am still relatively early in my journey--but I started with a relatively low BMI (37) and I only around 25 pounds away from my goal weight. I have been using the time to focus on major lifestyle changes. I do track everything I eat (most of the time) using MyFitnessPal. It's a great way to hold yourself accountable and see where you could be making mistakes. I am happy following a very low carb (keto-style diet). My macros are generally in the order of 43% protein, 40% fat and 7% carbs (mostly in the form of fibrous veggies) . I do track my calories, but my main focus is on sticking to my macros. I usually eat between 1100 and 1400 calories a day at this point. I am trying to bring it back down closer to 1100 at the moment. That's a sustainable amount for me at the moment, since I work out for 2-2.5 hours at a high intensity every morning.

Hey everyone! I haven't been on here I'm quite some time. Because of that, no one knows that I used to have the lapband. Which when I had to get the revision surgery, they poked a hole in my stomach which cause me to get an abscess. 2 days after that surgery, I had to get my lapband removed. That was 9 years ago. I gained back everything I lost and right now, I'm 45 pounds over that starting weight. After that scary day, it struggled losing the weight. 2015 I tried weight watchers and joined a gym. I was 10 pounds more than i was when I got the lapband. I lost 42 pounds. My membership ended and I lost my motivation and gained it back! 2018 I tried keto. It works, but it was definitely too restrictive for me and the recipes weren't that get! Last year I was at my highest weight ever (I was 4 pounds above that this year) I tried eating the way we are supposed to be eating. I lost almost 25 pounds with portion control. I slowly lost focus, determination and I was becoming depressed because of someone I really liked. He was just crushing me. I of course gained it all back and like I said, and extra 4 pounds. It sucks! I remember coming on here saying I want to get the surgery, but everyone I told was telling me not to do it and telling me I don't need surgery to just eat healthier. I was told that everyone is scared that they will lose me and if they lose me then they'll probably lose my son. It's definitely a scary thing to think about, but you can lose me with the way I'm going now. SO, I think I said everything I wanted to say before I write what I've about to write and that is, I want to try to lose the weight before going through with surgery. If I can't lose about 85 pounds by this time next year then I will start up the process again. I know some people will tell me "surgery is the easy way out" and I know it's not any easier than losing it on your own. Now, I have a few questions. How much is everyone able to eat at each meal? What are foods you need to avoid? I'm planning on RNY, do you notice your insides being rearranged? How was your recovery?

That's great. I've been looking at a keto pill ad online. Wasn't sure if it would work or not. Curious about it.

I try and "refeed" carbs once a week. I did some research on Hashimoto disease and apparently when we are doing keto it throws our T3 into starvation mode. I wish I had the study to show you. The info is all over the place though. I tried it (adding higher carbs for one day) and dropped two lbs in two days. If I stall out again I'll try it again and see how it goes.

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Hey all, I have read posts here before, obtained info, and been grateful for what I've read as I don't really have anyone to talk to about my journey. Brief history: lap band surgery mid 2010. Started at 210 lost A LOT of weight--- lowest weight 130 had a baby girl summer 2015 top preg weight 154. NOW, have gained some weight, and am now 160 I weigh more than i did when i gave birth I have a hard time losing weight now i feel hungry and can eat more from time to time, i puke bc it just doesn't sit well w me but for the most part, i can eat i feel so so so awful bc i feel like I'm going backwards. saw my surgeon today. he said that i need to go to radiology to see if a fill is a good idea, but i am already filled to a put 8CC in a 10CC band. I'm thinking dilated esophagus. He said I was a little/slightly when I tried to get a fill back in Oct. of 2017. i guess we will see in two weeks. NOW, w KETO and all this stuff going around, I want to know if anyone has fasted for extended periods of time. Like, for 16-18-20 hours at a time. I am DESPERATE. I want to be able to slim my esophagus so I can get a fill. Does fasting or just being on a strict liquid diet help my esophagus become 'normal' again? Does it really help w weight loss? I feel so discouraged. I want to look the way I looked at 130 lbs. I felt great, so much confidence, so much drive... please give me some advice. i appreciate your time. THANK YOU

Has anyone experienced a detox rash? 2 months before my sleeve surgery, I met with the dietician. The next day I changed my diet to get used to it, get off caffeine and go through those headaches, I am type 1 diabetic so no sugar wasn't an issue, and just get things going with weight loss. About a week later, I started with a rash on my arms, hips, chest, and legs. I scratch until it bleeds at night so took Benadryl to sleep and stop itching. The more I read, the more I think it's a liver detox rash. The toxins have to come out somehow. I've lost almost 50 pounds since surgery 2 months ago! As my diet progresses, I make sure to eat one serving of starch or carb a day. Small mini taco flour shells, or a few canned veggies. I use Aveno in the shower, plus lotion galore. Skin seems so dry and bumpy even bough I drink a TON of water. Sometimes more than 64 oz a day when it's hot. With people on the keto diet, I am reading about their rash and it sounds just like mine! Any ideas? Steroids slow down healing so I can't take them, plus raise my blood sugar. OH! I am yes a type 1 diabetic on an insulin pump with a sensor! My insulin daily usage has went from about 35 units per day down to 18 units per day average. Love my sensor!

I'm not a fan of keto...but I would cut carbs for two weeks before surgery to shrink the liver.

Which would you get if you were me: Sleeve or Bypass? I currently weigh 304 lbs down from 324 (I am 5'8") My adult average was 312 I have been obese since early childhood I have never been able to get below 280 for more then a few days I find hunger painful. I get crazy hungry if I eat refined carbs I have bad knees and a dislocated clavicle that never healed (is still in 2 peices) after a bad car accident 3 years ago. So I take a lot of Naproxin for pain. I enjoy exercise to some degree, I enjoy swimming, hiking, softball, yoga, going out and doing things like zoo, beach, etc.... But to be honest I do most of my exercise on the weekends (am considering picking up weight training again but a little worried about my shoulder/clavicle) Intended long term diet: Paleoish with occasional milk and beans. (Lower carb but not keto, whole food, 1 serving of fruit a day, maybe 2 long term etc) Weakness: Being around tastey food. I get suggestibale and want what everyone else is eating. Mild high blood pressure (140/70) that just started (kinda comes and goes, no treatment) No other comorbidities (except bad knees) No reflux No medication except NSAIDS and Tylenol I am lower income and on Medicaid in Oregon I am leaning towards sleeve because I take NASIDS and as a lower income Medicaid person I fear what will happen if Medicaid gets de-funded or drops me some day in the future... Then I would want least side effects or potential things to go wrong long term BUT I am very, very large with a lot to lose and have been heavy since early childhood and never successfully able to lose down to normal with diet and exercise.... Which sounds more like a Bypass recommendation. What would YOU do?

From what I've read, carbonation can stretch the stomach. Did you try the pouch reset diet? Why do you need to have so many calories on the keto diet to get in your protein? Are you eating high fat foods?

I'm sorry you are going through this! Peri is worse than meno in my opinion!! I lost all my weight after meno, so it is possible to lose with forked over hormones. I don't know the requirments for overstitch, I've just "heard" that they aren't always very successful? Can you tell us more about your diet? How many cals per day and your macros? Maybe give a sample day? I can tell you as a post meno woman on a big time cancer drug that shuts down all hormones, the ONLY way I lost my weight even after surgery was to do low carb lower fat. Any excess fat and I would/could not lose. I can maintain, and I can definitely gain on high fat. So keto as defined by modern terms doesn't work. I've seen it again and again with post meno women as well. Also, no booze. It will stop you dead in your tracks for up to 4 days, especially when you are perimeno and meno. It's like we lose our metabolic flexibility.

So I'm about to celebrate my 5 year post VSG anniversary. What a wild ride it has been! Lost about 90 lbs initially, had some serious life issues, regained about 40. Went full 'clean' keto and lost all my regain. Still have about 25# to go until ultimate goal, then plastics. Part of my journey included getting my master's degree, and now I'm also about to complete post-graduate studies in about 8 weeks. As I have already begun my new job-and hopefully final career path- I've decided to finally PURGE my life. My house is FULL to the brim. My hubs and I married 19 years and lots of memories. 1 teen and 1 adolescent add to the chaos. I'm ready to Kon-Mari the whole place!!! Now, the tough question....WHAT do I do with it all? I have stuff that is really good quality, tags still on, etc. I don't want to do a garage/rummage because I seriously just don't have the time. Some will go to the Salvation Army, but I'm trying to find a really GOOD cause to donate the better stuff to, and of course trying to brain storm HOW to sell a lot of antiques and vintage items. I'm still in the last leg of school, work full time and really want to streamline it as much as possible. Any ideas?

I traveled to Spain this year. Have been there a few times in the past few years. What I loved was tapas. Small, delicious dishes served one after another. I had a tapas party a few weeks before I began the presurgical diet. I made sure that there were a lot of dishes that were great for my health conscious friends and a few for their husbands (ha!). Everyone brought a tapas dish and I made 6. Half the people (women) were on keto diets so the carb dishes were for men. Several guests were vegan. The great thing with tapas, is you can make something special for each person and they can just ignore the ones outside of their scope. I think I will do another before Christmas. You can eat very little, eat slowly, and no one notices!

My liver was normal sized as well prior to surgery, but I wasn't going to over indulge in the weeks leading up surgery. And my food funeral was very minimal (breakfast burger, keto pizza for lunch and steak for dinner). I still stuck to my low carb regimen. I've heard too many horror stories of people having their surgeries canceled because they didn't follow protocol. I wasn't going to be one of those statistics.