So I am 15 months post-op.....

Just thought I would share my experiences and what life is like for me as a sleever in maintenance. I made my weight loss goal ( a very modest goal in fact...) at about 8 months out. So I have maintained my weight loss with ease for the last 7 months. I chose a higher goal than many sleevers for several reasons....

1.) easier to maintain

2.) no lose skin. That's right people, I have no lose skin, my butt is still round and the girls are still perky!

3.) I am normal, curvy healthy and average. That's all I ever wanted!

4.) I wear normal sizes. I am in a 12 and as a nurse I wear medium scrub tops and large bottoms. I LOVE BEING NORMAL. (preop I was in 2x and 24s)

I don't really care that my BMI is not "normal" it never will be, I am happy and healthy. My surgeon and primary agree I am in a great spot.

So what do I eat? a typical day is about 2000 calories. I was eating 1400 a day for weight loss.... I got up to 1000 cals as soon as I could post op so I wouldn't tank my metabolism. I don't eat low fat anything, I don't drink diet anything, no sugar free toxic crap. I eat small and healthy amounts everything. I have a vanilla latte everyday.I eat cheese at least twice a day. I eat lots of fruit and veggies and of course Protein. I go out to eat, have dessert a few times per week. I eat like a healthy, normal person.

I still have started a real workout routine at the gym... I have a fairly physical job as a nurse and I take the dog for walks all the time, I plan to workout at the gym this winter for health purposes.

All in all my point is.... I am so happy I was sleeved!!

below is a before and after.....:-)

You're a size 6/8 and people give you a hard time for eating too much and not reaching goal? Ridiculous! I would love to be that size. Seem to be stuck at a 12 I eat between 1000-1400 calories per day and exercise 5 days a week. But I'm not giving up all hope just yet (just some of it' date=' lol).[/quote']

Keep going!! I do eat more calories than you're eating and don't work out as often. Maybe try cutting back on the formal workouts and just walk more on the other days? Or cut out all carbs and eat more fat? I'm just mentioning things I've tried, but every body is different, so find what works for YOU and then believe in yourself and believe it will all work out in the end. A positive approach only helps in my opinion. :-)

Great post and I agree with everyone above...you look amazing and very healthy and I love your attitude! I am 15 months post op and I eat about 1500-1800 calories a day; small meals but very satisfying. I live in Europe now and they don't post nutritional information on packages but it doesn't matter because I wouldn't look anyway. I eat pretty much whatever I want and always something sweet with a coffee everyday. I try to get as much Protein in as I can but I don't obsess about it. I live in Amsterdam where I walk everywhere but I also go to the gym about 3-4X a week because I like it now. It's like you said, feeling like a NWP (normal weight person). It feels great. I weigh myself every day and so far after reaching goal at about a year, I bounce between 136 and 139. I haven't gotten back up to 140 yet, but if I do, I'll cut back or work out more.

For those of you just considering this, or who have just had it done, you might want to look at my last post on my blog (I blogged every Sunday for a year) but my last blog sort of recaps what my year was like so you know what to expect. I'll post again from time to time but my first year is there for who ever is interested.

Good luck to everyone and thanks for this wonderful, logical, reasonable post. You have a great life ahead of you...wish I could have done this when I was your age!

Thank you for posting your experiences. I am most interested in where people are a great our more post op because that is where normal sets in. I see some people advocating essentially Atkins for life and I can't but think long term heart issues with a meat and cheese diet. Maybe I'm wrong but that's what it seems like to me. It's good to hear from someone who has a rational diet and give live a normal life with the surgery. I think moderation and a balanced diet is the best way to go and something that most of us were not able to accomplish on our own at least and quantities that would maintain a healthy weight. So it's good to hear from you guys and I'm very happy that you have posted here because it gives pre operation people like myself who are still struggling to make that decision more information. I did not want dumping or to live on 500 calories a day that some people seem to suggest to me that's not normal and I want to do this to be normal not to be abnormal

AWWWW Hey there sweets!!! Long time no see! YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL! And girl I'm like you! I eat!!! I eat everything but still have great restriction thanks too sleevie wonder! I work out! I love zumba! I am 29 months post op and still a size 6 ...Thank you God

How long did it take for you to detect what your best range for calories was after your surgery? And how could you tell?

Such a great thread. I have been thinking that ultra restricting calories after surgery is only going to exacerbate the starvation mode and metabolism slowing.

at 12-14 months I really got a good feel for where I should be!

You look great and have a good attitude. I am older and don't really want to get down to skinny mini because of the loose skin and I like some curves as well and I don't plan to have surgery. People don't like to hear that though, glad you are going your own way.

great thread steel.....gives me hope to eat a bit more normal as i am early on in wl journey..5weeks out....you look great!

Sleeve of Steal,

You are absoltely gorgeous, both pre and post sleeve. Your stor is amazing because it shows that you deliberately too the time to examine yourself and determine what is truly you. Congratulations on your journey.

I had a moment just the other day walking next to a friend who I'd always identified as skinny... I'm several inches taller than she is and we're shaped very differently, but we were walking side by side and I glanced at our reflections in a store front as we walked by and I looked totally normal next to her - I didn't see a skinny girl and her fat friend, it was just to women walking down the sidewalk.

Woah... amazing.

beautiful, absolutely stunning. I am happy for you and I can't wait. I have an intimate goal of 135 pounds, but when I get to be about a size 14/12 I think I will probably be doing some re-evaluating because right now, I have no idea what I will look like at a normal size, I've never been normal.

beautiful, absolutely stunning. I am happy for you and I can't wait. I have an intimate goal of 135 pounds, but when I get to be about a size 14/12 I think I will probably be doing some re-evaluating because right now, I have no idea what I will look like at a normal size, I've never been normal.

I had NEVER been normal either! But you will Grace! I'm excited for you. Your goal is attainable!

Happy thread!!! Good posts everyone.....at 15 months out, I feel so good; 59 years old but feel much younger. It's great to bound up and down steps (especially since I live in Amsterdam) and run for a tram and ride my bike in heels! Life is good!

Congrat's to the OP on the weight loss and the pregnancy! I love to hear this kind of thing. I consider my goal to be fairly high right now but I will reassess how I feel when I get there. It is kind of hard to pick a goal when you have never been that small before! lol I am looking forward to living a healthy and active lifestyle with all the same treats as before in smaller amounts and less frequency!