Well through so many up's and downs with my surgery and wondering if my choice was the right one - today I am more confident than ever I made the right choice but......... here's the thing. I don't really do anything right. I think maybe I am living in the maintain stage. I don't post alot on here because I don't have the time. I don't go to support groups because I live far away from them. I think I could be losing alot more and faster if I followed the rules but........... it's working I was 237 pre op and today I am 199 - kinda a biggie for me :-) I was a size 3-4 X in shirts down to a XL - pants 22-24 down to a 13-14

I eat what I want, I don't do much Protein because I hate it. If I can stand the taste without wanting to throw up - I burp it up for hours. I pretty much know what foods work and what I need to avoid. I have never thrown up because of eating, only one time because I went to bed too soon after eating and it just didn't set well.

I read alot on the forums. I know everyone charishes their sleeve and wants to make the most of it. So do I but............ I am a bit concerned about the long term. I do eat healthy regardless of eating what I want, I can't intake alot, my calories are 800-1000 a day depending if I go all out or not.

Am I stupid the believe that it's working for me? Will I adventually gain it back because I am not doing the 60-80 Proteins a day? Will my sleeve stretch with eating the wrong foods and too often.

I work shifts some days I am up almost 24 hours with my midnight shifts. I need to eat more than 3 times and 2 Snacks.

OK I know this is probably boring some but this is how I do it. I eat right when I get up. A hard boiled egg, sometimes a 1/2 a piece of toast. I snack on a smoothie with fruits and protein, yogurt, string cheese, boiled green Beans, pudding, things like this every 2 hours, with a larger meal about every 4 hours. But every 2 hours I have to eat something.

Every week I switch shifts - so I am up long hours and I just can't go without food for more than 2-3 hours.

I feel good, I don't drink coffee I always drink Water or crystal lite ice teas. I drink constantly through my waking hours.

My only issue is I have heart burn alot!!!

Bottom line here - am I making a mistake by just doing it my way????? Will it effect my weight long term?? I don't want to live heavy again.

Any advice would be appreciated :-)

As long as you are staying around your calorie guide line of 800-1000, I don't think it will matter how you break the calories up. They don't recommend grazing because people do a lousy job of keeping track of how much we eat.

You won't fail for only eating 59g of Protein instead of 60, and you surely will not stretch your sleeve without a severe effort that would most likely put you horizontal after every meal. Just be sure you keep your calorie total around 800 and you will be fine. Just take that much food with you to work and when it's gone, be done eating. Try to increase your liquids as well. The heartburn may also be making you feel hungry when you are not, so you may want to talk to your doctor and get something to take care of that, too. Good luck.