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?

OK, OT but you are my sleeve peeps and I've gotta tell you. I'm getting married!

YouKnowIt - I am very much like you I think. I 'celebrated' two years out this past June. I reached goal quickly and kept on dropping, dropping. I got it under control and gained a little, I did not like feeling like a stick figure. My 4 jeans were getting baggy. Not good, at least in my opinion for ME. The first time I've 'gained' since I reached goal, the first time it was not trying to stabilize, was this past summer. Family reunion, vacation, out of town company.....so many sweets!! I gained between five and six lbs. I've lost five and would like to drop another couple just for the heck of it. The difference between now and prior to surgery is I am not hungry. My 'hunger' is an empty feeling, it's not a 'I am starving' hunger at all. I like to graze, and that is one way I've managed to maintain and get in enough calories per day! I like graham crackers w/peanut butter and I love the Snackwell vanilla cream sandwich cookies. I will have one or both a few times per day. Probably not a 'good' habit, but it works for me. I get in 60 or more grams of protein every day, so I'm good there. What I'm getting to is how easy it was to drop the added lbs. I just cut out two of my three snacks, or cut DOWN from 1.5 grams to a half, two of the four cookies in the four cookie pack. I was not deprived and it took five or six weeks, but is that really that long to lose five lbs? I got it off and maintaining again for about a month now. Easy as pie really!!! I did find if I drink a cup of coffee in the afternoon, that will take the place of a snack, the 'empty' feeling vanishes!!

I've been away from VST for quite some time, but due to recent issues with maintenance and backsliding a bit, having gained a few pounds (and thus, the mental freak out associated with it), I'm back here. I'm very thankful for this thread, because I'm having a hard time right now.

At one point, I was way below the goal my doc set, which was 120 lbs. I hit 114 on the scale twice, without even trying, and that actually freaked me out too. Now, I'm over 120, and I don't know how that happened. I'm hoping, like some others have stated, that I will be able to chill for a week, drop back to between 115-120, and feel normal again. I was really stable at about 116-119 for months and months. I had my surgery on Feb 1, 2010, so I'm over 2 years in, and am super happy with my sleeve, having had no problems or anything troublesome (unlike the band).

Anyways, I guess what I'm wondering is, does this happen to everyone when they get to "goal" and are in the actual "maintenance" phase? Has anyone actually bounced back severely and regained a lot of weight? Does the sleeve actually "stretch" because I have read conflicting thoughts on that here, and really need some clear answers.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this, and I should just chill out, or maybe I'm not focusing enough, and need to start from square one with reworking my diet, etc? I've been off the protein shakes in the morning for a really long time, but I usually do some high-protein, non-fat Greek yogurt in the morning instead. I also (usually) have a cup of coffee. After that, my day is pretty much downhill, I have days where I feel like I'm starving, all day, and some days where I don't feel like eating at all (the hunger is much more prevalent as of late). I guess I'm just scared s***less of the possibility of regaining or sliding. Any advice? Does anyone else here in maintenance feel "hungry" or stomach growls/pangs like I have? I went through a similar situation about a year or so back, when I started to freak because I was "hungry" and could eat pretty much whatever, but that passed, and I kept losing.

Help!? Thoughts? Advice? Cheerleading? Anyone? Please feel free to throw your input at me. I need some focus, but I also need some facts. Thanks, thanks, thanks!

If I had snackwells a couple times a day, I would certainly gain weight.

I have to watch things really closely. I'm trying really hard but nothing is coming off. I need to really get back into lots and lots of cardio, but it's so hard to fit it in these days.

I'm still plugging along, doing the best I can. I am not losing my regain, but at least I am not gaining more, as long as I am very careful. No sweets for me! sweets=regain and more regain!

Hi everyone. Thought I would stop by and see who was out here. Nice to see Oregondaisy and Tvtxn!

I think I am going to start some version of the 5 day pouch test soon. I have to detox.

I am really afraid of the holidays.

I'm struggling. I've gained some--maybe 5-7 lbs (haven't been on the scale) and some things no longer fit. The other day, at the store, a size 8 dress didn't fit. WTF? That seems impossible. I'm not sure how to get back on track. I'd like to be about 120lbs for my wedding at the end of february but I'm always so hungry. It stinks.

It seems to be inevitable that we gain back some after awhile. I get so tired of beating myself up over it, but I certainly don't want to gain more. That's why I have to be so careful.

I haven't been around much since I had surgery. The site went nuts and wouldn't load properly for the "formative months" after surgery, so I kinda quit coming around. But I find myself really needing to connect with you guys on the maintenance issues these days. I hope you'll have me back.

Before surgery, I was not a dieter. Diets clearly weren’t working for anyone else, not in the long-term, so I didn’t really bother with any certain plan. Instead, I exercised and tried to be aware of what I ate. Clearly, that didn’t work for me. I ended up, at my highest weight, at about 235 pounds on a 5’1” medium frame. On a recent Disney World vacation my hips, back, and feet hurt so much that the thought of going back made it clear that either I had to lose the weight or I’d be one of those people on the motorized scooters at the ripe old age of 34.

The greatest gift of this surgery was the clear guidelines and the months following surgery in which, while unable to eat as I used to, I changed my approach to eating and understood that I can manage to eat anything I want, just not everything that I want. I recently celebrated my 1-year anniversary. In that year, I lost 100 pounds, with my lowest weight being 134.4.

The upsides of surgery are undeniable and I have no regrets. This was the verry best decision I ever made for myself. I’m a bit of an introvert and misanthrope, but I find myself jubilant for days when I get some appreciative attention. No one has flirted with me for years and it feels great. I have become a bit of a clothes horse (LOL) and have a great time shopping and dressing, things I never cared about in the past. I generally just feel a whole lot better about myself and the world, I find. But learning to maintain my new habits, my outlook, my motivation, that is where I find myself struggling.

I’ve noticed since I made it into the 130 pound range that eating has gotten noticeably harder. It could be timing, my weight, my body’s adjustment, my mental state, or any combination of factors. But suddenly I find myself in a place where my past handle on controlling my eating has become completely unhinged. I’ve tried the “let’s just get back to basics” approach a few times and then found myself right back to the bad habits.

So, what are these basics and the bad habits? Here is the score:

• Daily
  

1. 60-70 grams of protein daily – easy, peasy without fail
   
   
2. 64 oz of water – I think I’ve been pretty good here, but I recently began to really push water I hopes that it might solve some hunger issues. Weekends are my only big concern and I’m actively working on it.
   
   
3. 2 Bariatric Fusion multi-vitamins daily – like clockwork
   
   
4. I exercise (cardio, strength, and core) 3 times a week without fail, shooting for a 500 calorie burn each time. I also use my heart rate monitor when I walk the dog and track what calories I burn.
   
   
5. I track my food, even my crazy binge eating days, every day on myfitnesspal.com and my food diary is open to my friends. I’m “HeatherTakesCharge” if anyone wants to find me.
   
   
6. I am still trying to lose, so I try to keep my net daily calories (after exercise calories burned) to 800-1000. I find myself well over 2000 calories too often. My ultimate goal is 125 pounds, though I’m not overly concerned with it. As long as I’m not going up, I’m pretty happy. My biggest scare happened last week. I woke up one morning and found my weight above 140. Something has to change.
   

• My blood work, taken every 3 months since surgery, has been perfect. No issues.
  
• I can comfortably eat a HUGE amount of food compared to the limited number of bites I read many of you saying. My restriction is definitely there, but not like I’d hoped. I’d love to go back to the days when I could only eat a handful of bites at a time.
  
• I feel physical hunger pangs as well as dealing with head hunger.
  
• For the first 6 months, I could easily eat a piece of candy and satisfy my sweet monster. Now, even thinking about eating something sweet sends me into a monster craving to which I too often give in and in a ridiculous, binge eating way. It is SO scary. I swore I’d never eat like that again, yet here I am.
  
• I have intense acid reflux without medication, but my prescription Prilosec controls it well as long as I don not forget to take it.
  
• I battle reactive hypoglycemia occasionally. If I get a handle on it quickly, I can recover. But sometimes it just ruins my day, both calories-wise and by making me feel ill for an extended period.
  
• My food intake during the day is usually exemplary. It is the time I am at home when I make the very worst choices.
  
• My partner is fighting some insecurity and self-esteem issues, leading to what I consider deliberate attempts to sabotage my eating. Her answer is, “You did this to yourself. I’ll do what I want. You make your own choices.” Therefore, at least at home, I am unable to keep out the foods that I find most damaging. And she is the primary cook. I try to make my own dinner sometimes, but if I do it constantly, this also becomes a point of contention. Her choice of meals or places to eat out NEVER consider how it will impact my diet. The sabotage extends to the gym as well, with at least one melt-down a month about how my trips to the gym are ruining her life. Seriously. But that is a whole different issue, I know. I’ve dealt with the relationship issues successfully in the early months, so I know I can continue. But it is simply one more strain on the bigger picture, you know?
  

So that is it. My head isn’t in the game any longer. I feel myself becoming more and more depressed and fearful that I’ll slip into that old “I’ll eat what I want” person who can not find the motivation to get back on track.

Hello everyone. I just reached goal today - now what do I do?

I haven't been around much since I had surgery. The site went nuts and wouldn't load properly for the "formative months" after surgery, so I kinda quit coming around. But I find myself really needing to connect with you guys on the maintenance issues these days. I hope you'll have me back.

Before surgery, I was not a dieter. Diets clearly weren’t working for anyone else, not in the long-term, so I didn’t really bother with any certain plan. Instead, I exercised and tried to be aware of what I ate. Clearly, that didn’t work for me. I ended up, at my highest weight, at about 235 pounds on a 5’1” medium frame. On a recent Disney World vacation my hips, back, and feet hurt so much that the thought of going back made it clear that either I had to lose the weight or I’d be one of those people on the motorized scooters at the ripe old age of 34.

The greatest gift of this surgery was the clear guidelines and the months following surgery in which, while unable to eat as I used to, I changed my approach to eating and understood that I can manage to eat anything I want, just not everything that I want. I recently celebrated my 1-year anniversary. In that year, I lost 100 pounds, with my lowest weight being 134.4.

The upsides of surgery are undeniable and I have no regrets. This was the verry best decision I ever made for myself. I’m a bit of an introvert and misanthrope, but I find myself jubilant for days when I get some appreciative attention. No one has flirted with me for years and it feels great. I have become a bit of a clothes horse (LOL) and have a great time shopping and dressing, things I never cared about in the past. I generally just feel a whole lot better about myself and the world, I find. But learning to maintain my new habits, my outlook, my motivation, that is where I find myself struggling.

I’ve noticed since I made it into the 130 pound range that eating has gotten noticeably harder. It could be timing, my weight, my body’s adjustment, my mental state, or any combination of factors. But suddenly I find myself in a place where my past handle on controlling my eating has become completely unhinged. I’ve tried the “let’s just get back to basics” approach a few times and then found myself right back to the bad habits.

So, what are these basics and the bad habits? Here is the score:

• Daily
  

1. 60-70 grams of protein daily – easy, peasy without fail
   
   
2. 64 oz of water – I think I’ve been pretty good here, but I recently began to really push water I hopes that it might solve some hunger issues. Weekends are my only big concern and I’m actively working on it.
   
   
3. 2 Bariatric Fusion multi-vitamins daily – like clockwork
   
   
4. I exercise (cardio, strength, and core) 3 times a week without fail, shooting for a 500 calorie burn each time. I also use my heart rate monitor when I walk the dog and track what calories I burn.
   
   
5. I track my food, even my crazy binge eating days, every day on myfitnesspal.com and my food diary is open to my friends. I’m “HeatherTakesCharge” if anyone wants to find me.
   
   
6. I am still trying to lose, so I try to keep my net daily calories (after exercise calories burned) to 800-1000. I find myself well over 2000 calories too often. My ultimate goal is 125 pounds, though I’m not overly concerned with it. As long as I’m not going up, I’m pretty happy. My biggest scare happened last week. I woke up one morning and found my weight above 140. Something has to change.
   

• My blood work, taken every 3 months since surgery, has been perfect. No issues.
  
• I can comfortably eat a HUGE amount of food compared to the limited number of bites I read many of you saying. My restriction is definitely there, but not like I’d hoped. I’d love to go back to the days when I could only eat a handful of bites at a time.
  
• I feel physical hunger pangs as well as dealing with head hunger.
  
• For the first 6 months, I could easily eat a piece of candy and satisfy my sweet monster. Now, even thinking about eating something sweet sends me into a monster craving to which I too often give in and in a ridiculous, binge eating way. It is SO scary. I swore I’d never eat like that again, yet here I am.
  
• I have intense acid reflux without medication, but my prescription Prilosec controls it well as long as I don not forget to take it.
  
• I battle reactive hypoglycemia occasionally. If I get a handle on it quickly, I can recover. But sometimes it just ruins my day, both calories-wise and by making me feel ill for an extended period.
  
• My food intake during the day is usually exemplary. It is the time I am at home when I make the very worst choices.
  
• My partner is fighting some insecurity and self-esteem issues, leading to what I consider deliberate attempts to sabotage my eating. Her answer is, “You did this to yourself. I’ll do what I want. You make your own choices.” Therefore, at least at home, I am unable to keep out the foods that I find most damaging. And she is the primary cook. I try to make my own dinner sometimes, but if I do it constantly, this also becomes a point of contention. Her choice of meals or places to eat out NEVER consider how it will impact my diet. The sabotage extends to the gym as well, with at least one melt-down a month about how my trips to the gym are ruining her life. Seriously. But that is a whole different issue, I know. I’ve dealt with the relationship issues successfully in the early months, so I know I can continue. But it is simply one more strain on the bigger picture, you know?
  

So that is it. My head isn’t in the game any longer. I feel myself becoming more and more depressed and fearful that I’ll slip into that old “I’ll eat what I want” person who can not find the motivation to get back on track.

You're in the right place and I definitely relate to everything you said. I am amazed sometimes at how much I can eat now, compared to the old days.

You're doing better than me though. At least you track your food. I don't even know how to do that. I can't figure out how to calculate a bloob of ketchup or all the little bites here and there that I know add up.

Just keep doing the best you can with your food choices. Meat and veggies . I know if I eat a lot of meat first, there's not as much room for the carbs I'd rather have. I have to put file folders on the bowls of candy at work so I don't see it.

I hired a trainer to learn some new exercises. I think it's important with exercise to mix things up cause your body gets used to the same exercise and it's not effective.

Looks like this thread has been deserted for about 2 months now. I have been missing for awhile now, going through some terrible life changes. I am 4 months away from my 34d surgiversary and still haven't made it to goal or maintenance. The closest I got was one year ago (right before the $h!t storm hit) and even then I was still 35 lbs from personal goal weight.

Anyway, I am proclaiming a do-over, if it works on the playground it can work here! I gained 25 lbs in the last year through $h!tty eating and not exercising. Starting on the 22nd I began eating and exercising like a post-op; 700 cals/30g carb/60g+ protein/60 oz water/nlt 30 min cardio daily. We will see what happens. I just don't want to be obese again. Even a year ago when I was working out like a maniac and tracking my food I still had soft flabby arms and a round face and big hips that still made me look pudgy, even with all my hard work. This is why (random rant) I firmly believe that for those of us who have had massive weight loss, the journey isn't fulfilled until we've had plastics, that extra skin and flesh and empty fat cells puts an undue burden on us that naturally thins dont have.

Anyway, I'm scared of chocolates and chips, I become a frantic addict when I see/smell them :(

Luckily ice cream makes me ill, feels like I imagine an overdose does.

Hi Globetrotter! I was just thinking about you! There is a new "Veterans" forum that you might like, many stories like yours. Join on in.

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/352-gastric-sleeve-veterans-forum-new-forum/

Hi Feed! so, have you ever done a reset for a concerted amount of time? Did it work? I'm sure it's meaningless, but I have weighed myself every day for the last 3 days (today was day 3) and there has been a pound difference each time.

My fear is that this will work, but that being so low carb will actually sabotage me in the long run, so that if I put one little grain of rice in my mouth after reaching goal, I will gain instantly. All the health guides I read for regular non-ops says this lifestyle is detrimental and actually slows down your metabolism...

Globetrotter, I am a testimony to low carb diet being detrimental I believe. At 3 years out been trying to lost some regain with low carb. Religiously for about two months. Lost about 6-7 lbs. last 3 days got really tired of it and ate normal including so sweets. But not over indulged. Guess what? First day up 2 lbs. next day up two more. Very disheartening to say the least. Yes I'm sure some fluid but really, REALLY??? Not sure what to do at this point to do food wise to be able to lose and do it for long haul. Been in a good place mentally to start back but boy, evidently now my body is really addicted to sugar and low carb gets really really really tiresome.

Hi Feed! so, have you ever done a reset for a concerted amount of time? Did it work?

I did a semi reset... (so I guess that means no) I should eat around 2200 cals for a real reset... I ate around 1800 (up from 1200) for an extended time, then dropped to around 1600.... stayed the same... then cut to 1200 plus exercise and have lost a tiny amount. I refuse to cut more at this time... I will wait it out for a while longer... I have added weights twice a week. I may do a real reset this summer some time... I really dont want to gain 8-10 pounds which can happen with a reset.