Hello fellow sleevers,

just thought I would start a thread for all those who want to get to goal in 2012, regardless of where we are in the process.

I posted it the 'Slow Loser' thread, because that is what I am!! (I am not complaining by the way, just pleased to be a loser...lol)

For me to get there, I know that at 18mths out I need to be strict, accountable and have support from those in the same 'place', who understand that the sleeve isn't a miracle but a tool.

I have done well so far, but the weight hasn't 'melted' off me and since 6mths post op I have had to fight for each and every pound. At first it made me a little bitter, frustrated and I started to get into a 'dark place' about it, now the scale victory tastes sooooo sweet!

I have taken the month of December 'off'... I needed to rest from the constant worry of food, cals, water, carbs and protein... my head was spinning and I was starting to feel very frustrated and overwhelmed at not being at goal again. I needed time out!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas period and I have eaten what I wanted and when I wanted it; this includes ALL foods, no food was off limit and I let my sleeve do its job! The quantity was low but I still enjoyed every mouthful. Interestingly, I found that my cravings were satisified very quickly... 1 or 2 biscuits/sweets, and so on, hit the spot, instead of 5,6,7,... you get the picture. Subconscious damage limitation? I don't know but I like it!

I have learnt a lot by doing this. I now know that I can eat a little more if I 'try'... I know that I can enjoy food again without feeling guilty and I know that food doesn't have to be the enemy. So, with all that, what was the outcome? Yep, I have gained 2lbs above my personal bounce! Oops!

I am not, in the slightest, worried about this because I KNOW what is the cause... sugar and salt! And this time, I am sure it will come off as quick as it went on!

So, what is the plan?

Per my surgeon's instructions: I am going back to basics... yep that ole one...lol

• 3 meals a day - no snacking.
  
• Weighing my meals between 6-8oz depending on what is on the plate.
  
• Protein first, followed by veggies.
  
• Plenty of water.
  
• A limit of 1000 cals a day.
  
• Continue with my exercise - boxing twice a week, gym in work 1-2 times a week (depending on work load) and walking my dog (just over a 2 mile circuit). The exercise is the only thing that I have stuck to in December... I actually enjoy it now!!
  

As a side note, and I ain't sure if my American friends can get this, but here in the Uk, on SKY there are a few fitness channels. I have recorded some aerobic workouts that are really good... they're free and can be done at home... this is saving me some money on classes and DVDs and if I don't like the workout I can delete and look for another!! Bonus!!

Ok, who is ready to join me on the final stretch to goal... hope on board and enjoy the ride my friends...

I could find a load of studies to quote (though the book also covers it well, as does this series about fasting's benefits), but here's just one recent one... from Nutrition & Metabolism, a peer-reviewed journal "focused on the integration of nutrition, exercise physiology, clinical investigations, and molecular and cellular biochemistry of metabolism." Excerpted from Medscape...

ETA: Nutritionists should know by now that "starvation mode" is a myth...

Nobody said anything about starvation mode. What I discussed was what is necessary to maintain a healthy metabolism.

This is just another tool for our tool box to fine tune our losing. Eating 500 calories isn't fasting. In fact, it is highly recommended by some medical professionals. Doesn't the Catholic church have fasting days? Heck, I tried to eat 500 calories and found out that my best friend who was like a mom to me is dying. I ate more than 500 calories and I still lost 2 lbs! Yayyyyyyyyyyy! Now maybe it's a coincidence and maybe it's not. I will see tomorrow. I will take my 2 lb loss and keep going. It's just a tool and if we eat like this 1 to 2 times a day, it's no biggie. Gaining weight back and not being able to maintain is more damaging to me. There are so many different theories out there, who knows which one is truth. A theory is just someone's opinion. I only take into consideration studies that can be empirically validated. Dietician's are changing things every day. So I choose to do what my body responds too. IMO......... Keep rocking on!

Susan you are so hard to track down!!

I have been wondering about your TDEE and calorie intake have been going?

I also participate on a thread about metabolism and TDEE (yes my fingers are in a lot of pies)

And I have mentioned and reposted a post that you made right after you started it. But would love an update!!

Laura, you can find me anytime! TDEE is wonderful. I am eating approximately 1750 calories a day now. I lift weights on average of three days per week and love it. On the days I lift, I up my calories to about 2000, making sure I get tons of healthy Protein. My body has responded wonderfully to being properly fueled every day and I have so much more energy now and feel a hundred times better. I am consistently losing inches and weight again and anticipate getting back to goal by the end of summer. I was concerned at first, going from 1000 calories a day to 1750, and as suggested by Bill and other TDEE followers, it took about eight weeks to get my metabolism straightened out and my body used to being properly fueled. During that eight weeks, I actually gained 10 pounds, and they warned me that might happen. But once everything stabilized, I started losing weight and inches, and have already lost what I gained and then some.

So, yes, I love it. Not being hungry, fueling my body with healthy foods and lifting weights has definitely proven to be a huge positive in my life. As someone who loves to eat, I am one happy girl!

Wonder why if its not like "us" we tend to think its not right? We all do it. We might not vocalize it but we do. Healthy food makes healthy bodies. Anyway you eat it.

I like coming here. to listen to and exchange ideas. We all HAD the same problem to start with an unhealthy relationship with food and a resulting obesity problem..

Fast forward to today. This surgery affected all of us differently whereas some of the girls here (me included) are still trying to get to a healthy weight. Others (like Aussie) have had far different experiences with the sleeve... That is they are dealing with to much weight loss or in Aussies case all of the weight loss because of not being able to keep food down..,

It's hard for me to imagine what people like that are going through. I am sure that its hard for her to imagine what I'm going through.

Laura, you can find me anytime! TDEE is wonderful. I am eating approximately 1750 calories a day now. I lift weights on average of three days per week and love it. On the days I lift, I up my calories to about 2000, making sure I get tons of healthy Protein. My body has responded wonderfully to being properly fueled every day and I have so much more energy now and feel a hundred times better. I am consistently losing inches and weight again and anticipate getting back to goal by the end of summer. I was concerned at first, going from 1000 calories a day to 1750, and as suggested by Bill and other TDEE followers, it took about eight weeks to get my metabolism straightened out and my body used to being properly fueled. During that eight weeks, I actually gained 10 pounds, and they warned me that might happen. But once everything stabilized, I started losing weight and inches, and have already lost what I gained and then some.

So, yes, I love it. Not being hungry, fueling my body with healthy foods and lifting weights has definitely proven to be a huge positive in my life. As someone who loves to eat, I am one happy girl!

Yes, I love this -- this is also what I do as well. Thus my (relatively) high calories most of the time, for the same reasons you are. I am just doing the 5:2 approach alongside this to lose some holiday kg I put on...

Laura' date=' you can find me anytime! TDEE is wonderful. I am eating approximately 1750 calories a day now. I lift weights on average of three days per week and love it. On the days I lift, I up my calories to about 2000, making sure I get tons of healthy Protein. My body has responded wonderfully to being properly fueled every day and I have so much more energy now and feel a hundred times better. I am consistently losing inches and weight again and anticipate getting back to goal by the end of summer. I was concerned at first, going from 1000 calories a day to 1750, and as suggested by Bill and other TDEE followers, it took about eight weeks to get my metabolism straightened out and my body used to being properly fueled. During that eight weeks, I actually gained 10 pounds, and they warned me that might happen. But once everything stabilized, I started losing weight and inches, and have already lost what I gained and then some.

So, yes, I love it. Not being hungry, fueling my body with healthy foods and lifting weights has definitely proven to be a huge positive in my life. As someone who loves to eat, I am one happy girl![/quote']

Thanks for the update in a perfect VST world I would love for you to jump in on one of the TDEE threads (or start one) and keep up a running dialogue I'm very interested in your progress since you have a built in dietician living with you

Ok girls I have hogged to much space here today on this thread! Fading into the woodwork now to drink my coffee

So...day two of fasting much more challenging than day one was...! I was mostly fine getting to 2.30 when I had two hardcooked eggs, but then after several teas, waters, etc., I was actually feeling faint. So I went and ate a yogurt and a cheese slice. So now at 5 pm, I have <100 calories left LOL. Oh well, they say it takes practice, so here's me practicing! I did work out a bit hard this morning (working out in fasted state -- also supposed to be good for you, I'm just starting reading about that), so maybe I'm just not 'easily' burning fat yet during the fasted state.

Anyhoo, I will soldier on -- after today, it's normal eating and the weekend, so yay!

Well, I go to bed, off to work and come home to see that all hell has broke loose!

Everyone is entitled to their opinions... this is simply a group of ole timers trying to get to goal!

I don't usually reply to negative comments, but I feel the need here... I don't like the accusation of trying to persuade anyone to do anything they don't want to. I don't like it at all. I am nearly three years out in a couple of weeks, and I have been posting on this site for most of that time - I read a lot on here before I joined.

In that time, I have read many things that I didn't agree with, or things that I felt uncomfortable with, but I didn't respond because I felt that it was none of my business and that my negative opinions wouldn't be helpful to the original poster, or those who were involved in the discussion. That has been my choice over the years, and I feel that by having a more positive attitude towards forums, such as this one, has helped me gain trust and respect from my friends on here.

We are all individuals here, grown women who can make up their own minds.

The purpose of this thread, which is long standing, is to support and help others in the same boat to try and get to goal, if that happens, then to maintain that goal - whatever it is.

I don't mean to come across as a know it all, or being a tad snotty, cos I am neither... I just feel that if you are going to support us, please feel free to join in... if you are on a different page, and that is completely fine too.

No offence meant here, just want to maintain a positive atmosphere.

Lost 2lbs from fast yesterday! Wooo hoooo. Not very hungry today. Feels like sleeve restriction is as strong as first being sleeved. Lets keep this going ladies. Great job.

Good job Leeann my loss is 2.5 so I'm pretty happy we will see if it sticks...if it does I will add it to my ticker but I'm going to wait a few days to see.

But I must say I feel hunger today!

Once a piggy always a piggy

Im right there with you. I am starting to feel a little hungry as well, but the thing is, is the restriction, I maybe eat like 4 bites and Im stuffed. I also need to take my antiacid, so that might be why Im starting to get a little hungry.

Oh yeah great loss I hope it sticks, shoot I hope mine sticks too lol.

Oy, my evening plans killed it all. It's hard to do this with any social activity!! I tried not to eat too much, only had a couple small glasses of wine -- but professional 'cocktail parties' are too frequent and you can't just stand there with water. Oy. I focused on the carrot sticks and hummous and cheese...and a few Pringles too. LOL. Well, next week I get a chance to try it again. Need to find two non-consecutive days that don't have social activities in them!!

Oy' date=' my evening plans killed it all. It's hard to do this with any social activity!! I tried not to eat too much, only had a couple small glasses of wine -- but professional 'cocktail parties' are too frequent and you can't just stand there with Water. Oy. I focused on the carrot sticks and hummous and cheese...and a few Pringles too. LOL. Well, next week I get a chance to try it again. Need to find two non-consecutive days that don't have social activities in them!![/quote']

Ugh.. I never have a social life. That said, my birthday my anniversary and my friends party all in the next couple of days

Why is everything about food??

It's going to be interesting..

Doing good today I think I went a little crazy this morning and had 3 cups of coffee so it made me feel like I was hungry but doing better now..

Observation about yesterday my water intake was awesome so even though today is a non fast day I'm really trying to push the water again..

Swizzly, it's tough to do it while having to socialize and be out and about. And I think you will probably do better on non consecutive days. That way you can tell yourself, "it's only today!"