Now that VST has been around awhile, there are a lot of us at goal who are learning to maintain.

I would like to discuss maintenance. Is it easy for you? It is not easy for me.

I fight it every day. I can eat so much more than I could when I first had surgery. I don't feel really full all the time the way I did a year ago.

I used to be able to eat a meal and feel so full for hours that I had no desire to eat again until it was meal time again.

I would say that Head hunger is more than 75% of hunger for me. I can eat a meal and thoughts of junk food enter my mind an hour later.

I am so thankful that I do have this tool to help me maintain, but it will always be a battle for me to not eat chips, candy and all the rest of the stuff that could easily pack on 20 lbs in a short time if I gave into my head hunger.

How are the rest of you at goal doing? Is eating healthy such a habit now that you have no desire to snack?

Best of luck (and willpower to you) Nanny!!!!!

I really need to get more exercise too. I used to be so good about going to the gym, even on the weekends. Well getting thin brought me a wonderful relationship, but he's interfering with my eating habits and my gym time.

I am hoping now that it's summer, I'll at least be walking outside more even if I don't make it to the gym.

I am now at 18 months. I never got to my "normal" weight, but just a few pounds shy of it. I have been at the same weight for so long, I have come to think of myself at at maintenance. My scale broke, and it took me a couple of weeks to get a new one... and my weight/range went up two pounds. I guess with that in mind I am now averaging at the top of my old wieght range/bounce. So I have gained about 3 pounds and holding. I do need to watch it, and it is EASY to put on a few... I do snack, and eat carbs... I dont log everything as well as I have in the past... and I think this is key for me. After all my long term house guests head home, I hope to get back into a little more of a regulated lifestyle... just a little more.... and see how it goes.

I hear about the 15 pound bounce at three years... perhaps this is what they are talking about? I also read that along with the weight gain, acid reflux often shows up as well.... have you noticed this?

No acid reflux issues ... Please God keep at 5 pounds and not 15!!!!!!!!

My acid reflux has not gotten any worse and I am past 3 years.

I tried to go off my acid blocker, and was off it for 6 months. I did have a lot of acid then, and I decided it wasn't worth it. I take less now, but I still take it. It's well controlled with my PPI

It is so cool to see all these old school names from two years ago when I first joined and was about to be sleeved, OregonDaisy, MiniMe! It is depressing though that I am coming up on my 2 year surgiversary and I have yet to even get to surgeon's goal, truly depressing =(. I exercise consistently 3-6x per week, cardio and resistance, and have done so ever since surgery yet I am still fat. 5'3" 173. I got down to 164 around New Year's due to some major gallbladder attacks and then have regained since. I am so sad to not have achieved goal yet. I exercise constantly and eat between 800-1200 calories a day. I take a PPI, I take a multivit. I keep my carbs below 50 and sugars below 20. =( =( =(

DIET TIP

Maintaining a 10% weight loss for 6 months to a yr. resets your body to the new weight.

Very interesting! And also why I didnot keep my goal weight! Lol

I only took the acid blocker right after surgery and haven't seemed to have any problems. I have however had some issues with low blodd sugar if i eat too many carbs with no protein. Anyone else having that problem? I really don't eat much processed food anymore, had a brownie the other day, my heart was racing, sweating, felt like I was going to pass out.

Yes! I didn't think about it being while I was eating more carbs and less protein but it IS! I am 2 years out. I've had several episodes where I would get really shaky, feeling like passing out and check blood sugar. low! One day it was 40!!! That had to be it because I am doing low carb right now and no episodes. Wow! Thanks for the insight.

Those are the symptoms of dumping syndrome. It's where too much fat or sugar or both get into our systems too fast because our tummies are too small to hold it inside of it for very long.

There is that moment when you go from being pleasantly tipsy to hideously sickly drunk and suddenly it's, "stop the world, I want to get off!" That's how I feel when I eat ice cream now, just physically miserable.

I'll be 2 years out at the end of this month and I am struggling. I just can eat so much more than I used to and that's so scary. I visited the doctor a month ago and weighed in at 124. I was wearing clothes and had eaten breakfast so maybe naked morning weight would've been 123. Still that's up 3 lbs since last year at this time. I know it's not that much but I'm afraid that I've gained more since. I've been too freaked out to get on the scale for a month. Basically anxious about this whole thing.

I definitely know how you feel. It's very scary when you can eat so much more than you could a year ago.

I am really struggling to keep my weight off. I seriously know that I could gain every single pound back. I always thought with the sleeve, that would not be possible. It's very possible. I have to be very careful now.

I used to be able to have a bad day, and then take it right off if I went right back to my eating plan I used during the losing stage. Not anymore. If I have a bad day, it can take me 2 weeks now to lose 1 stinking pound.

Lisalu, I would be shouting if I weighed in at 124! lol But I would also be emaciated probably since I am 5'8" and rather large framed. I know exactly what you mean about regain - Hit goal of 150 and did well for several months of maintenance (2 years out June 4th) and then picked up the habit of junk "slider" foods. Now, have lost 7 of 12 lbs regained! And brother, it has been a REAL STRUGGLE! It definitely does not want to come off again and my body wants to hang on to EVERY POUND!! Once I get back to original goal, I know I will have to continue to watch carbs and up my exercise to be able to keep it off! No easy ride anymore!!!!! lol

Nannie G,

I'm between 5'2" and 5'3" so 124 is more on me.

Funny story: I decided to bite the bullet and weigh myself yesterday. Got on scale in housemate's room (it's hers afterall) and I weighed 123.8 w clothes. Brought scale to bathroom, removed clothes and stepped on again 126.6. I wigged. Moved scale back to it's old position in the bathroom between the toilet and the sink and stepped on it again. 122.8. Ha! I was loosing and gaining weight by the moment depending on where the scale was. God knows what I actually weigh, but I probably haven't gained much if any. I need something to keep me on track but I'm not sure the scale is it.

Had a couple ounces of boiled beef for breakfast. Bleh, but it is the most prudent way to start my day. Gave up sugar (again) at the beginning of June. Carbs in general, sweets in particular, are my downfall.

Glad you al are here. Seems easier with all of you.