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?

Nannie G' date='

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.[/quote']

Yeah! I feel your pain. Just had a Slim Jim for my snack! Lol. My two lb loss for this week stayed off this morning! That's amazing. And like you, I can take my scales and move them where I want and weigh differently every time! Digital. I I REALLY want to weigh less ( in my mind) I go downstairs to my husbands scale ( old regular) and always weigh less!!! Ha! Mind games. But hey, I am 2 years out, 100 lbs lighter, no meds, size 8-10. Can't complain!

Well I can complain >:[, do you know how much I wish I weighed 122?!! I'm 5'3" and the lowest I've gotten was 164 during a gallbladder attack 5 months ago. I think I'm about 173 atm, afraid to get on a scale. After almost 2 years of this to still not be at goal is a ***king bitter pill to swallow ...

Globetrotter, you absolutely have *every* reason to complain. Your body is tuned for the next famine, but barring that, it's just a raw deal to be so efficient with calories. It sucks. All of us, though, weigh less than we used to and are probably in better physical shape.

Globetrotter - I'm probably asking a "duh" question, but have you tried not being so stringent with dieting for a few weeks? When I was getting close to goal, I just couldn't get there. I allowed myself to slip into maintenance mode (tracking protein, but not being stringent with calories - probably between 1800 - 2000 calories a day). Amazingly, I started losing again. Don't know if it will work for you, but it worked for me.

I understand Mini, but I have tried all of the above, from absolutely not tracking to reverting to post-op diet to everything in between. I alternate crossfit and yoga for 5 days a week, I stay around 1000 cals. Its Bu!!$hit.

So sorry Globetrotter.

Well, I just recently started reading this thread. I know it's open to everyone whether on maintenance or not, but kind of felt like it would be a milestone for me to put my first post on here. I'm not officially in maintenance just yet- have 12# to go, but I'm so close I can taste it. I haven't weighed even this amount since i was like 12 or 13 yrs old. It feels absolutely amazing!!

I'm pushing really hard to get to my final goal. I'm a little nervous about reaching official maintenance because I know I won't be one of those that has to worry about losing too much. I also know that I will have to watch what I eat once I reach maintenance that it won't be all roses. Nonetheless I'm ready to embrace it with all its glory! My one year anniversary is this Thursday. I had hoped to be at goal by now, but I'm really close so all is good!

Congratulations VGB. We are glad to have you here. Maintenance can be tricky for sure.

I am struggling now, at 3 years, so keep my loss off. It's so much easier to gain now, than it was a year ago.

Oregondaisy, that is so true! I've recently gone back to low carb and upped my exercise (well, started since I wasn't doing much! lol) and trying to SLOWLY re-lose the 13 lbs I've regained after maintenance a year ago. So far, I've lost 6 of them but NOT easily. If I change from this for ANYTHING, my weight goes up. My body LIKES where it's at! I read that your body has to be at a certain weight for at least 6-12 months before it really stays there. I obviously didn't heed that warning a year ago. So now I'm paying the piper, so to speak! Once I get back to my goal weight and below hopefully, gonna do my dead level best to accomplish that weight stabilization.

Also, just thought you would like to know - once I cut back on the carbs (slider foods, sweets, etc) my

dumping has virtually disappeared. Wow!

Girl, WE CAN DO THIS!

It's interesting, I am starting to read more of the maintenance related threads now that I'm so much closer to goal.... just 10# to go. I know I won't be one of those that struggles to stop losing weight. What is interesting though is that I find myself wondering about trying to go lower than 120# just to "see" if I can do it. I kind of don't want to because I have lost so much in the boobs area already. But, I see people talking about feeling guilty about eating foods that aren't really "bad" foods, but stuff they might not have eaten when in the weight loss mode. I get lots of compliments from all kinds of people even now and of course that feels good. With my compression shirt on to firm up the loose skin, I can wear form fitting sweaters and shirts and look pretty good.

Just gonna have to figure out where I'm going to be happy once I reach 120#. It is a bit surreal though even getting to 130# as I haven't weighed this since junior high. Oh, and I'm 5'3 in case anyone is wondering with a medium sized frame. I have lots of loose skin on the upper arms/ thighs and tummy region. There is no money for that in the near future. I am ok for the most part as I wouldn't trade fat flabs for loose skin any day of the week.

What are slider foods? I've read this term quite a bit on here, yet have never been introduced to it?

Basically it is junk food. Stuff that has no protein or very little, high carbs/ sugars, etc. Things that "slide" through our new tummy and leave us with no feeling of fullness. It's best to stick to dense protein so we are eating healthy and staying full longer so we don't go looking for those sliders.

Some examples of sliders might be chips, cookies, ice cream, cake, etc...

What are slider foods? I've read this term quite a bit on here, yet have never been introduced to it?

Thank you so much for clarifying for me.

Pictures please folks, I love a before & after!! My ops 26th July, I can't wait!! Xx

DIET TIP

Researchers say an "alternate-day" diet,eating little one day & plenty the next

I find this interesting !