Not that I'm any where near maintenance yet, I'm about 4 weeks out and 50 lbs down from the start. But I have done this before went from 290 to 220 and then ever so slowly back up to 300+. Then down down 40 and up 30, countless times. I hope this surgery will enable me to keep control of these fluctuations. I've always worked out to some degree my problem has been portion control. I guess time will tell how I do. Is anyone else concerned about how they will do once they reach goal?

I hate to be a downer, but for me maintenance has always been the struggle of ANY diet I've ever been on, and for the most part, the sleeve is no different. After you are past your honeymoon stage, losing the weight becomes harder and harder. Gaining can happen fairly easily (for me anyway) all I have to do is quit paying attention to what I put in my mouth and viola, the scale goes up.

Here is where the sleeve makes a difference for me. I eat about 900-1,200 calories a day. I'm almost 2.5 years post-op. I don't feel hungry even on such low calories.

I do much better when I eat 80-115g of protein a day. When I let more than 100g of carbs slip in that is when I feel MORE hungry, due to more carbs.

Maintenance is for life, that is the hard part! But you can do it, if you are willing to put in the work!

For me I wouldn't say that maintenance is harder than before sleeve. I find it easier because you really can't eat much food and I find if I do I don't feel well. I agree that carbs need to be monitored as these foods you CAN eat more of so you do. I find if I watch my carbs and still basically eat what I did during weight loss phase I am fine. The luxury is that you can eat what others do and not worry about gaining because the sleeve is your built in portion control.

I am brand new to maintenance so don't have the experience of the other posters... but... I see a few main differences as trying to maintain presleeve:

1. As long as I eat low carb, I am not very hungry at all

2. as long as I avoid grazing all day I really can't eat that much (follow the sleever rules including exercise!)

3 when I go astray for a few days I don't immediately gain like 10 pounds like I always have in the past. In fact, I have had zero regain on business trips or other times when I can't follow my own rules the way I would like. This isn't a license to go crazy, but i feel like it gives me a chance to catch myself and get back on track