"all Things In Moderation"?

[jennapenn 5]

I can only speak for myself but I made goal with this philosophy. I do focus on protien and veggies but if I want a treat or want what my bf is eating I have a little.

I am only 2 weeks out but I feel like this is the most logical choice. And I'm glad to have found someone who did it! Others have just told me that it won't work this way but I feel like depriving myself would make it worse for me rather then a bite here and there.

[SleeveNoob 95]

When do you think this philosophy starts? I've heard some people say "never" and others that have said "as soon as you're on real food". What's your opinion? I think that once you're fully healed and on solid foods' date=' this is great philosophy. For me, this was a way to live a normal life and have a normal relationship with food, NOT to have to think about Protein and carbs all day, every day. That just feeds my obsession (and why I failed at programs like Weight Watchers). I just don't want to have to think about it. I want to be able to eat a sandwich, if I want a sandwich. A salad, if I want a salad. Or even a piece of pizza or a bit of hamburger, if I want that. The point, for me, is to be able to say "I'm full" and stop eating after one piece of pizza or 1/4 of a burger.

What are your opinions?[/quote']

I use this philosophy to an extent...I always watch labels and take account for what i'm obligated to get in for the day so I have a successful weight loss. But I don't feel guilty eating things that i'm not suppose to...if I could go the rest of my life not eating fried foods and sweets than I wouldn't have needed the surgery. So once or twice a week I treat myself

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[Catracks 865]

I have things that I want or crave but I never ever eat over 700 calories a day. So if I have a cookie I know I have to go burn it off. And I only have treats like that after I am positive I can/have gotten in all my Protein for the day.

Good plan!

[clk 3,519]

Everyone is different. I'm two years out, maintaining beautifully and easily (even while in early pregnancy) and I embrace the idea that moderation is key.

I cannot live on a diet forever. I cannot tell myself entire groups of food are off limits for life. I cannot say that a particular type of food is the magical reason I was fat. It would be a lie.

People talking about trigger foods and uncontrollable eating if they dare to eat a carb or calorie out of line? That sounds like perhaps they didn't work on the emotional aspect of their obesity and on their disordered eating. They cut calories and carbs and got to goal...and now they're trapped in a lifestyle that has no give in any direction. That may work for some people, for a lot a of people it's just asking to fall off the diet wagon, and hard.

Dieting helped make me fat. The endless cycle of binges and purges involved in watching every single calorie and frantically exercising to take off the extra calories in a handful of Doritos. The failing of willpower when I realized that I simply could not stand the idea that I was banned from carbs for life. The feeling like a miserable failure (and the resulting comfort eating) whenever I'd take a misstep.

Knowing I can eat what I want means a lot to me. It means that I don't feel deprived, ever. It does not mean that I sit around eating cheesy poofs and drinking soda all day long. It means I eat like a normal person. I eat to plan about 95% of the time and give myself some flex in that other 5%, and I'm happier for it.

I think that in the beginning, people should stick as closely to a high Protein, low carb diet as possible. By low carb, I mean actually eating enough carbs to have energy and not lose your mind. Around fifty grams or so a day. It's hard to eat carbs in the early months, anyway.

As your capacity for food increases, so should your intake of everything, in equal amounts. I eat 40% Protein, 30% carbs and 30% fat, roughly. That's what works for me. I simply upped the calories once I hit goal to maintain. I'm not regaining weight and I'm not having trouble maintaining. It's very individual, though. Track to your body's needs. Some people do not lose weight eating as many carbs as I do, and some people need more than me. Track your food, add in what you need to feel good and reach your goals and cut back if it slows your loss. It's actually very easy to do.

For every person that can point and say "moderation" made that person regain, I can point to another story where someone simply dieted their way to goal and regained. This sleeve is a TOOL. Not just a tool for weight loss. A tool that can help you overcome lifelong habits and disordered eating. Use it for it's maximum potential. The reason people regain weight isn't because they ate popcorn or bread. It's because they didn't ask themselves WHY they were eating it and figure out how to stop doing it if they weren't hungry. Use the sleeve to learn control, and be healthier all around, not just thinner.

~Cheri

[msvickee 212]

I know that I can't go back to my old habits expecting to keep the weight off.

My old habits included eating way too much food not just the unhealthy food but healthy food as well . I needed Portion Control. Nothing is wrong with eating pizza, a slice, it's when you down an entire pizza that becomes dangerous which I had done in the past.

I agree with everything in moderation but also in due time. This is my weight loss phase so I must practice healthier choices and my sleeve is the tool to help me with that. Now the maintenance phase is going to be the test of what I learn these next 1-2 years.

I am not in a hurry to drive by my favorite fast food place Whataburger because I know that Whataburger is not going to help me in the long run. Will I ever go back? Perhaps one day or maybe not. One day at a time and I'm not trying to sabotage my own success at weight loss. I can't afford to. My health is way too important which is why I had the surgery.

The sleeve has already helped me save money from going to restaurants and Enjoy cooking again.

[Mews 37]

Everyone is different. I'm two years out, maintaining beautifully and easily (even while in early pregnancy) and I embrace the idea that moderation is key.

I cannot live on a diet forever. I cannot tell myself entire groups of food are off limits for life. I cannot say that a particular type of food is the magical reason I was fat. It would be a lie.

CLK I agree with you. I know for myself (and everyone is different) that if I deny myself certain foods I'll get cravings and if they aren't satisfied they usually end badly (binging, getting sick, etc.). Instead what I do now is plan them in my daily menu. Just a little bit, enough to satisfy the craving and not enough to throw my stomach out of whack. If I'm really craving chocolate I'll get one of those mini Hersey's bars and see what type of exercise I need to do to burn it off. My craving is satisfied and I'll get in a workout. To me that is win-win.

Another thing for me is that I specifically chose this surgery for the freedom of it. Yes, there are foods that my stomach will have trouble tolerating and I tend to stay away from those. Also, I make sure I get all of my Protein in. However, if I wanted to give myself a strict no-holds-bar diet where huge groups of foods were permanently banned from me then I would've gone with a gastric bypass instead. But I know myself. I know how my mind and body work. For me the freedom is the key. If my weight loss is a bit slower then so be it.

Also, I'm a little different than a lot of people as I didn't have food issues/addictions before the surgery. If you have those issues then a strict diet may work better for you. For me, though, I'm one who forgot to eat all of the time. A few years back I even amazed a nutritionist one time when she saw my food log and she was like to can't be that fat with so few calories. Go figure, right?

Not everybody can do the "all in moderation" thing though. Some people need the strict diet to help them lose weight. If it works for them and they are happy with it that's all that matters.

[chitowngirl 886]

Cheri I am with you on this one. I'm all about moderation, now this is not the old pre-sleeve moderation it's my new sleeve moderation. If I go to a party I dont want to ban myself from eatting a piece of cake. I want to say 95% of the time I am on my strict sleeve diet. However I feel it is unrealistic to think that I can deprive myself of foods that I enjoy. To those who can live the rest of their lives without ever eating a piece of cake, hey more power to you. But realistically that's not for me.

I think it's all about finding what's right for you. If moderation means its going to take me an extra month or two to get to goal, I'm fine with that. Also I feel a big part of moderation is making myself accountable, I do this via MFP. Which has been a greAt tool for me.

[Catracks 865]

I think we are beginning to find out that it's: Whatever works best for you.

I packed some hummus in my lunch today. My daughter left a whole slice of pita for me - some nice white enriched flour chewy pita.

I considered taking half of it, looked up the carbs and calories and said NAHHHHHHHHHHHH and got some carrots and a baby bell light instead.

I'm continuing to experiment with sugar free, low carb Desserts. Did I mention that i made some Protein pistachio ice cream that was super killer? I want to try and make mini blackberry pies using coconut oil and oat crust, fresh berries and almond or vanilla SF Torani Syrup.< /p>

I see where the everything in moderation folks are coming from, but I don't have the discipline. If I got my hands on some say, McDonald's fries or cheese puffs, I'm not sure I could stop myself. pathetic huh?

[mesaucedo 207]

Ooooh can I have the postachio ice cream recipe? I am in love in pistachio based desserts!

I think we are beginning to find out that it's: Whatever works best for you.

I packed some hummus in my lunch today. My daughter left a whole slice of pita for me - some nice white enriched flour chewy pita.

I considered taking half of it, looked up the carbs and calories and said NAHHHHHHHHHHHH and got some carrots and a baby bell light instead.

I'm continuing to experiment with sugar free, low carb Desserts. Did I mention that i made some Protein pistachio ice cream that was super killer? I want to try and make mini blackberry pies using coconut oil and oat crust, fresh berries and almond or vanilla SF Torani Syrup.< /p>

I see where the everything in moderation folks are coming from, but I don't have the discipline. If I got my hands on some say, McDonald's fries or cheese puffs, I'm not sure I could stop myself. pathetic huh?