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?

I love the support group I attend. I actually had surgery in TX, but currently live 'up north', but the group I found welcomes anyone at any stage. I found them pre-op and started attending several months before I had surgery. It's fun to hear other's stories and also fun to answer questions for those who are just starting their 'journey'. The best meeting, or the most fun so far was last fall, they do it every year...it's called "show and tell" - people tell their stories, whether they are pre-op, post-op, whoever wants to talk. Several who were at goal, who who'd been going for a few years or more brought before and after pictures and there were two people who brought "before" clothes. Both brought a pair of pants they wore before surgery......there is NOTHING like a visual. I have a dress and a pair of jeans that I kept. I've gotten them out a couple of times over the past eight months....OMG!!!!

My husband laughs at me too...or he did, now I have HIM playing the 'what will I weigh in the morning' game with me when I weigh at night!! It's funny that YOU play the same game! I liked weighing, although it was depressing BEFORE I had my surgery!!

I am the same way! My daughter laughs at me because it's hard for me to stay off the scale before bed. I like to weigh myself before bed so I have an idea of what I will find when I get up in the morning.

I go to a support group at the Bariatric center I went to when I got my lap band. It's the nurse coordinator who tells everyone to weigh daily. when you are in the losing stage, if people go on a plateau, then it's not a good idea to weigh twice a day.

OMG - but Pumkin07, look at good you've done. How long have you been at your current weight? Do you think you're at a stall or is your body at a comfy weight? What if you up your Protein and Water (this is what seemed to work for me)? Are your calories still farily close to what they were when you were on a losing streak? Good luck.......you have done great, look at where you started, I know you must feel wonderful!!

Yes I totally believe I'm at a very long stall. I did just wake up and had lost 2.5 lbs out of the blue so I'm back down to 146 again. Yesterday I noticed my pants dragging the ground and I just felt smaller. And when I weighed this morning I guess it made sense, I think I hadn't weighed in a few days, which is unusual. But I didn't do a lot different to lose the 2.5 lbs which I think means it is a stall.. Praying for more tomorrow!!

The reason I think I'm at a stall is also bc I just don't eat that many calories and I do focus on protein. But I do cheat, I'll readily admit that. But impossible to overeat with the sleeve for the most part, unless I have the time to graze all day but that is rare.

I just feel like I know my body and it is just fighting the last pounds. My body realllllly worries about famine!!!!.

If there was one I'd be the last person alive I'm certain of it. haha

Lovin it now though...woo hooo maybe my stall broke.

Yay!! Congrats....I always loved it when I'd wake up and would have lost 2 or 2.5 lbs, it was like Christmas morning!!! Prayers for you, for another .5 lb, 1 lb or more tomorrow!!! Every single half lb counts to get us where we want to be!!!! At least that is how I looked at it!!! LOL

I agree 100% - it is impossible to overeat, one bite too much and I am really uncomfortable. I hate it, talk about negitive re-enforcement!!! I love my sleeve!!! I'm glad your stall is over!!! Have a great day!

Yes I totally believe I'm at a very long stall. I did just wake up and had lost 2.5 lbs out of the blue so I'm back down to 146 again. Yesterday I noticed my pants dragging the ground and I just felt smaller. And when I weighed this morning I guess it made sense, I think I hadn't weighed in a few days, which is unusual. But I didn't do a lot different to lose the 2.5 lbs which I think means it is a stall.. Praying for more tomorrow!!

The reason I think I'm at a stall is also bc I just don't eat that many calories and I do focus on Protein. But I do cheat, I'll readily admit that. But impossible to overeat with the sleeve for the most part, unless I have the time to graze all day but that is rare.

I just feel like I know my body and it is just fighting the last pounds. My body realllllly worries about famine!!!!.

If there was one I'd be the last person alive I'm certain of it. haha

Lovin it now though...woo hooo maybe my stall broke.

OMG...I made it to this glorious thread! I have read so much during my journey from all of you. I feel like a kid standing on the ball field with a bunch of superstars, only to realize I have on a team uniform too. Keep up the posts, you have no idea how many of us never posted but read and read and read and reread posts of the pros. Amazing!

5 month sleeve anniversary today, weigh in tomorrow though, so my ticker will be updated with final goal weight..

Now...about maintaining. Um, I have to watch myself like a hawk to eat enough, take my suppliments, drink my liquid. My complaints, if any are happy whining, like new clothes are needed, I get stopped by TSA upon occasion because I am 25 lbs under my DL listed weight and 70+ from my picture and how do you eat enough to stop loosing? I add in junk food just to get calories. Yes, I still drink protien shakes once a day to follow guidelines and my hair is falling out rapidly now even following guidelines. Dang, thought I had missed that curse. I am so proud I made this decision to get the sleeve, even as a self payer in US. Saved me from me. New me is healthier, smiles more and found out she can reach goals.

Thanks to my mentors again.

iegal - welcome to the journey of maintenance. It takes some time to get used to (I'm still working on it), but so well worth it!

OMG...I made it to this glorious thread! I have read so much during my journey from all of you. I feel like a kid standing on the ball field with a bunch of superstars, only to realize I have on a team uniform too. Keep up the posts, you have no idea how many of us never posted but read and read and read and reread posts of the pros. Amazing!

5 month sleeve anniversary today, weigh in tomorrow though, so my ticker will be updated with final goal weight..

Now...about maintaining. Um, I hate to watch myself like a hawk to eat enough, take my suppliments, drink my liquid. My complaints, if any are happy whining, like new clothes are needed, I get stopped by TSA upon occasion because I am 25 lbs under my DL listed weight and 70+ from my picture and how do you eat enough to stop loosing? I add in junk food just to get calories. Yes, I still drink protien shakes once a day to follow guidelines and my hair is falling out rapidly now even following guidelines. Dang, though I had missed that curse. I am so proud I made this decision to get the sleeve, even as a self payer in US. Saved me from me. New me is healthier, smiles more and found out she can reach goals.

Thanks to my mentors again.

Congrats!

yeah...WOW AT GOAL IN 5 MOS. THAT IS TERRIFIC.

I am maintaining on around 1,800 cals a day. I arrived at this figure using the daily plate and it seems to be pretty accurate. A typical days food is:-

Breakfast - 2 large eggs boiled with one slice of brown bread toast with butter

11ish - Cappuchino Atkins bar

lunch - half a sandwich from whatever place is near the client I am with that day

Afternoon - the other half of the sandwich(!)

dinner - Beef stroganoff with broccoli

+ too much red wine, ashamed to post the actual amount

All day i hyrate with tea or diet coke. I don't have a problem with fizzy drinks now.

I am happy on this regime. I try to walk a few times a week too but the weather here in the UK is pants at the moment.

Jane x

I am maintaining on around 1,800 cals a day. I arrived at this figure using the daily plate and it seems to be pretty accurate. A typical days food is:-

Breakfast - 2 large eggs boiled with one slice of brown bread toast with butter

11ish - Cappuchino Atkins bar

lunch - half a sandwich from whatever place is near the client I am with that day

Afternoon - the other half of the sandwich(!)

dinner - Beef stroganoff with broccoli

+ too much red wine, ashamed to post the actual amount

All day i hyrate with tea or diet coke. I don't have a problem with fizzy drinks now.

I am happy on this regime. I try to walk a few times a week too but the weather here in the UK is pants at the moment.

Jane x

Fantastic! Thanks for posting.

So glad to see this thread! I haven't been on here in a long time. I'm 18 months out and have maintained about 10 months now. Some weeks are easy, other times (mostly during pms time) I'm terrified of what i can eat. I have been stressed this week and have really over eaten and came on here to try to get my head back in the game. Thank you all for your post. It's great to see others deal with similar issues!

It's good to read the post of those getting ready to have the surgery as well. It reminds me of why I did this in the first place!!!

It's still a daily battle for me. There are too many good, and fattening things in this world, and having a sleeve does not make them taste anything but good,and they are just as fattening as ever.

Some things, the sleeve will not let me eat as much as I could before sleeve surgery. Other things, I can eat like there is no sleeve all.

It still comes down to willpower and making good choices.

So where are the rest of the sleevers who have made it to goal?

Are you finding it easy to stay there?

I am excited that at the end of the month I will be 2 years post op. Some of the studies show a re gain by two years. I have 4 lb regain that I have been working on , but that's not so bad. I have read studies that say a 20 lb regain is normal but I don't accept that!

Hello fellow VSG maintainers:

I have been with you all for about 2 months now - Met my personal goal of 10lbs lighter in early March before my six month aniversary. Down from a size 18 or 20 to today a size 4 or 6 depending upon maker. Over 75 lbs lost and I am thrilled with my new life where I feel better emotionally and physically. I hike upon occasion, ride a bike, go to the gym, stroll along the beach in shorts and tank top and can enjoy a shared chocolate malt with my DH without anyone staring at me "do you really need that?"

Loathe to admit that now I still struggle with food, just as you said Orgeondaisy. It is all about choices and I have not been making the best choices but am able to maintain since my calorie count is still low. I have experienced headaches from not drinking enough fluids which is totally my fault. Rare occasion, but I have felt dizzy from not eating enough/ I sometimes forget to take my Vitamins or Calcium suppliments. No one pays the price but me.

Does anyone else struggle? I logically know the sleeve is not a cure so I need to take charge of me. Want to be a healthy sleever not just a goal sleever.

Want to be a healthy sleever not just a goal sleever.

Oh, I like that term/concept... goal sleever.... I don't want to be a goal sleever ether...

I like that term too. Goal sleever. I want to be a happy sleever, not a struggling sleever. For the most part, I am very happy. It just makes me mad

when I eat perfectly, just like I did in the losing phase, and I can't get that 4 lbs off.

I think it means more exercise and I exercise all that I have time for