We all are fat right. That is why we had or are having the surgery. It has been impossible for us to lose it on our own. Sure if we could all take a year off from life and go on the biggest loser we would be able to, but who really has that luxury. So we get the surgery. Yay for us! I am so glad I got the freaking surgery.

So when you get to one year out and can eat like a semi-normal person you will not be able to lose it on your own - If you can't do it now, you won't be able to do it in a year from now. Eventually you will be able to consume enough calories and stop losing and it will be a struggle to lose the rest...IF YOU EVER DO.

So you have this window of opportunity. For me it was a good year, but for a lot of people it might only be six months and some of the lucky ones will have it forever. BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR "FOOD" LIFE WILL BE LIKE IN SIX MONTHS, A YEAR OR FOREVER, but you do know you have the six months! That is six months to basically allow your body to survive off of all of your stored goodness, fatty cells. You basically could just drink Water and eat very little and be fine. So do that! I really ate 500 calories the first six months, and I didn't eat much on the weekends. I wasn't hungry, and I didn't like food because it made me feel all yucky.

My good fortune lasted me a year and two months, but I am done losing now.

I am really sad when I hear people say that they are struggling to get the weight off after a year. They still have 60 more to lose. That window is closed and the only way they will lose weight is through diet and working out and a lot of it. To get that weight off they might have to work out 3 hours a day and do all the impossible things that were a struggle to do in the first place which is why we had surgery.

Use the first six months wisely...make them count. If you are stalling then eat nothing. I am serious. Drink water and cut your calories in 1/2. Work out for like 4 hours. You don't know how much time you will have. So for the first six months push yourself harder than you ever have. It is just six months and you have this excellent tool to help you.

Omg. Minkywinks. I am 5'11". I wanted for once in my life to be super model thin. Like a 4. I was a 6/8. Ummmmmmmm at 5'11" that is pretty darn skinny. I made it to where my body took me, but I got that thin because I ate nothing and really didn't eat any carbs. I bet if I had worked out I would have made it. Mine is more of a warning. Give it all you got because the tool may not last forever. Everyone on here who disagrees with that should just lose the weight on their own because you seem to know all about it! And furthermore. I don't want the people on here who may like excuses, but don't want to live in a world where they have excuses anymore have any reason to have one because you told them to take it slow and just eat healthy. None of us are eating healthy in the beginning because we are eating nothing. Please refer to my definition to avoid retardation. I am so far from being self righteous, but the only time I have heard someone say that is because when we were running on a treadmill I told her she could push herself harder. She didn't like it one bit, but you can tell when someone is just content or really wants it. So let's just say you need to really want this weight off and for the first six mo ths, while the tool works the best...want it more than you have ever wanted it before because I don't want to see you upset because you are struggling to get those last 20 or 30 off and you are already a year out.

I am totally done responding to people that just take what I am saying and offer up some twisted version of the overall theme. You go and do you. Eat healthy. Do it "the right" way. I just hope others who read this realize the **** isn't permanent. Some people will gain weight back and mostly everyone will be able to consume quite a bit more one to two years out. Geeesh!

At 1.5 years out I do have it figured out. I can eat a lot and I can gain the weight back.

Ok this is the last one. See what I mean!!! Only a **** would really believe that after I pop a baby out I would be working out at the hospital getting my sweat on in the stair well while my vag is bleeding and I have stitches sticking me. You take things so literally then want to post some crazy comment about your somewhat insane way of interpreting information.

I met him on the internet, he's a French model.

Say what you mean and mean what you say! No where in your post did you say "just kidding" or "not serious". It's not my fault that you didn't feel the need to put a disclaimer. Now that you're being called out on your BS advice and subsequent post, now your back peddling. Some newbies may take your advice but thankfully now they know that you were just joking around. You should of said that several pages ago smh

Omg. Minkywinks. I am 5'11". I wanted for once in my life to be super model thin. Like a 4. I was a 6/8. Ummmmmmmm at 5'11" that is pretty darn skinny. I made it to where my body took me, but I got that thin because I ate nothing and really didn't eat any carbs. I bet if I had worked out I would have made it. Mine is more of a warning. Give it all you got because the tool may not last forever. Everyone on here who disagrees with that should just lose the weight on their own because you seem to know all about it! And furthermore. I don't want the people on here who may like excuses, but don't want to live in a world where they have excuses anymore have any reason to have one because you told them to take it slow and just eat healthy. None of us are eating healthy in the beginning because we are eating nothing. Please refer to my definition to avoid retardation. I am so far from being self righteous, but the only time I have heard someone say that is because when we were running on a treadmill I told her she could push herself harder. She didn't like it one bit, but you can tell when someone is just content or really wants it. So let's just say you need to really want this weight off and for the first six mo ths, while the tool works the best...want it more than you have ever wanted it before because I don't want to see you upset because you are struggling to get those last 20 or 30 off and you are already a year out.

You were the one who mentioned that you wanted to get down to 150, not me! If you were already skinny as you said then why would you want to lose even more? Also why do you keep saying that you eat nothing? I think you're the only person on this forum who says that because I've seen people say that they hardly eat anything, but nothing? nope, only you. I take every post as literal especially if they don't put in lol or just kidding or not srs. I didn't notice any sarcasm font. If the sleeve only works for the first 2 years then we should all expect to be obese again, according to your thinking. Heck why did any of us bother to get this tool if it only works for so long.

Ok this is the last one. See what I mean!!! Only a **** would really believe that after I pop a baby out I would be working out at the hospital getting my sweat on in the stair well while my vag is bleeding and I have stitches sticking me. You take things so literally then want to post some crazy comment about your somewhat insane way of interpreting information.

Only a idiot would mention something as silly as exercising for 4 hours as soon as they pop the baby out. Like I said earlier you didn't add a disclaimer, so me and others had no idea that you were just kidding. Thankfully now I know not to take anything that you say seriously from this point on.

Everyone here who takes this literally is a joke. Eat nothing = 800 to 1,000 calories a day and working out 4 hours a day = well that pretty much was word for word. You all are slow and I am laughing my tail off. Ummmmmm what do you think you did for the first six months? You ate nothing and hopefully worked out a lot. Please read my definition for eating nothing above. So all I am saying is that you need to make sure you work really hard in the beginning because in a year or two...you could gain weight because you will be able to eat 1600, 1800, 2000 calories...maybe even more. And because you obviously could not control your eating...which is why you had the surgery in the first place...if you don't go balls to the wall in the first six months you don't ever have those six months again...you never get them back. I am over 1.5 years out. Where are you again? At goal? I already know people who are struggling to keep it off with the sleeve at two years out.

I repeat again, I have the same restriction at 1 year and 2 months that I did at 4 months. The weight loss is slower as I approach goal, but that is just because I have smaller percentage of weight left to lose.

What gets people into trouble over a year out is a return to the eating habits that got them there in the first place. For me is is no chips, fast food, junk food, white bread, white rice, white pasta or potatoes. Well, potatoes on special occasions. No pastries, cakes, pies or cookies unless I make them myself from whole wheat flour and other healthier ingredients.

By a year out we should have adopted good eating habits which include good choices and careful portion control. I still weigh and measure. I am also still eating 750 calories and will probably never get above 1000-1200 in my lifetime. I suppose I could get up there if a slugged milkshakes, but they are off the menu unless they are one of my protein shakes. I am a woman and petite so your mileage may vary.

Everyone here who takes this literally is a joke. Eat nothing = 800 to 1,000 calories a day and working out 4 hours a day = well that pretty much was word for word. You all are slow and I am laughing my tail off. Ummmmmm what do you think you did for the first six months? You ate nothing and hopefully worked out a lot. Please read my definition for eating nothing above. So all I am saying is that you need to make sure you work really hard in the beginning because in a year or two...you could gain weight because you will be able to eat 1600, 1800, 2000 calories...maybe even more. And because you obviously could not control your eating...which is why you had the surgery in the first place...if you don't go balls to the wall in the first six months you don't ever have those six months again...you never get them back. I am over 1.5 years out. Where are you again? At goal? I already know people who are struggling to keep it off with the sleeve at two years out.

First of all, people come to these forums to seek advice and answer questions...literally. I don't think it is helping anyone seeking information to post wishy washy comments that people can misconstrue. People want to know exactly how many calories, exactly what exercises, exactly how long. Everyone is out there trying to figure things out on his or her own...they don't need you to post vague statements. They need you to post literal things. If I wanted vague, wishy-washy answers to my questions, then I wouldn't even have signed up for this site. And as for people taking things the wrong way or not getting what you are saying...I believe that is on you. I think you need to work on your communication skills.

Secondly, you seem to be pretty quick at the name calling. I find people who resort to name calling (like you are slow or a joke...etc.) cannot find a way to properly communicate what they are trying to say and become extremely frustrated.

Thirdly, you keep saying this is the last time or I'm not going to respond to ... and you keep responding and coming back and posting...so obviously you have more to say...stop saying you don't.

I'm absoultely astonished at this post and it should be deleted! I'm here for advice and support, not for someone who claims "they have it all figured out" to tell me how I am supposed to do things and if I don't do it that way I won't ever lose. Clearly you don't have it all figured out or you would realize that the sleeve is a tool that will last forever when used correctly. June13sleever stop posting... come back when you have a medical/nursing degree so you can actually be informed about what you are telling people.

I think the most dangerous part is for pre-sleevers or some in our first few weeks to read this and be influenced -- particularly during a stall -- that the thing to do is to quit eating entirely. Many people are very bothered by a stall and are vulnerable to ideas for extreme fixes. Many of us fell victim to faddish diets before and the temptation to believe that eating nothing is the answer will be too great for some to resist. To tell anyone in this group to do that is dangerous. I hope no one decides to follow this plan without visiting with their surgeon first.

I'm absoultely astonished at this post and it should be deleted! I'm here for advice and support, not for someone who claims "they have it all figured out" to tell me how I am supposed to do things and if I don't do it that way I won't ever lose. Clearly you don't have it all figured out or you would realize that the sleeve is a tool that will last forever when used correctly. June13sleever stop posting... come back when you have a medical/nursing degree so you can actually be informed about what you are telling people.

WOW

I agree it's important to be diligent/vigilent during the first 6 months. Fight the good fight as best you can, and be honest with yourself. If nothing else, facing the "real you" in the mirror is the most important thing you can do for yourself. As you lose the weight, you might be forced to face that person in a very unexpected and very visceral way. So start now.

I am 10 months out, and certainly eat way differently now than I did during months 0-6. I eat carbs (bad and good), occasionally eat fried stuff (but it doesnt agree with me too well), and basically do whatever I want.. Just in very small amounts.

I do however work out more and more as time goes on. My goals are getting bigger as I see myself as an athletic person. I strongly believe that developing exercise routines as early as possible is integral to long term success.

For reference - I started at 215.6 on the day of surgery (Apr 26 2012) and am now about 135-137. I got to about 150 at month 6 and am slowly shaving off the rest. My goal is 130. (I'm 5'3" and quite muscular/athletic.)

i contemplated wls for years...i knew it would be a major life changing event..a tool to be used to assist me on my quest to a healthier . me ,a tool though....you can eat your way around the sleeve....as eggface says....the monkey might be off my back but the circus didn't town.....

First, my thanks to the OP for posting her personal experiences in an attempt to help others. The intent to help was there. And yes, it's absolutely useful for long term success to cement those good habits when food is unappealing and eating small amounts is your new norm and the first six months are ideal for those changes to start taking place.

Second, people need to realize that when someone offers advice here on what worked for them, they're doing exactly that. YMMV, right? What works for one doesn't work for all of us, and expecting that one person has THE WAY to lose weight and ALL OTHER WAYS ARE DOOMED TO FAIL is silly. Do your research! Listen to YOUR body. Track YOUR intake, YOUR results and most importantly, listen to YOUR surgeon. That's the only way to know what works for YOU.

Third, this is relevant: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/67736-understanding-the-phrase-honeymoon-period/page__hl__%2Bunderstanding+%2Bthe+%2Bphrase

There are as many different approaches, diet plans and exercise programs here as there are members. Know that and try not to panic yourself OR attack someone if theirs isn't the same as yours. And I'm sorry, but I do not believe VST should be catered to the lowest common denominator - the person that would starve themselves to lose weight or the most sensitive person in the room isn't the norm, and I don't know that couching my responses to cater is necessary for this site to function as the support site it's intended to be.

Good luck, folks!

~Cheri