How many vets are actually AT goal and staying there?

[deedadumble 1,033]

Good

Besides I've seen you in person... And there is no way you are obese!!

Awwwww thanks!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Yes, I do know this person IRL. She relied to much on the surgery, did not change her eating habits, and expected the surgery to do all the work. She looked good for the first 2 years. Now she rarely leaves her house other than to go through the drive-through fast food places.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Yes, I do know this person IRL. She relied to much on the surgery, did not change her eating habits, and expected the surgery to do all the work. She looked good for the first 2 years. Now she rarely leaves her house other than to go through the drive-through fast food places.

Sooo sad! I wonder if the 5:2 could help her get back on track. I just can't imagine how horrible that much feel.

[Georgia 2,911]

Yes' date=' I do know this person IRL. She relied to much on the surgery, did not change her eating habits, and expected the surgery to do all the work. She looked good for the first 2 years. Now she rarely leaves her house other than to go through the drive-through fast food places.[/quote']

That is truly heartbreaking

[Georgia 2,911]

Well, had my "3 year" surgiversary appt. this morning. All TEN minutes of it! lol " How are you?" Doing fine. " Looks like you have kept your weight down and followed the guidelines." (I shake my head up and down. Not telling him otherwise! " Let me see incisions to check for hernia. Wow, Can't hardly see them! See you next year!"

And I have to pay for this. My bloodwork was good, though, except for Vitamin D low (as usual)

AND I weighed less today than I did LAST year! Yaay! Now, back to normal. I'm off track and feel like I need to fast today because it is my regular fast day but I fasted yesterday! Not particularly hungry either.

Anyway, hard to believe 3+ years have come and gone so quickly! Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

[tparkerc59 334]

Well' date=' had my "3 year" surgiversary appt. this morning. All TEN minutes of it! lol " How are you?" Doing fine. " Looks like you have kept your weight down and followed the guidelines." (I shake my head up and down. Not telling him otherwise! " Let me see incisions to check for hernia. Wow, Can't hardly see them! See you next year!"

And I have to pay for this. My bloodwork was good, though, except for Vitamin D low (as usual)

AND I weighed less today than I did LAST year! Yaay! Now, back to normal. I'm off track and feel like I need to fast today because it is my regular fast day but I fasted yesterday! Not particularly hungry either.

Anyway, hard to believe 3+ years have come and gone so quickly! Happy Tuesday, Everyone![/quote']

That is wonderful results! You are such an inspiration to those of us just embarking on the maintenance phase! Congrats!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I just got home from the gym. I was so bored from all the things I was doing and I needed to learn new things. I have hired trainers before at this gym, but none of them were as good as this guy.

I got a big NSV from him today. He said that I was doing my weight training like a 20 year old, and that I'm way farther ahead than he expected. I've been feeling so bad because I don't get to the gym as much as I used to. I was glad to hear him say that cause I feel like such a slug.

I am really glad I found you guys. I wouldn't have known about the 5:2 diet and I think it's going to keep me on track this week.

[Georgia 2,911]

I just got home from the gym. I was so bored from all the things I was doing and I needed to learn new things. I have hired trainers before at this gym, but none of them were as good as this guy.

I got a big NSV from him today. He said that I was doing my weight training like a 20 year old, and that I'm way farther ahead than he expected. I've been feeling so bad because I don't get to the gym as much as I used to. I was glad to hear him say that cause I feel like such a slug.

I am really glad I found you guys. I wouldn't have known about the 5:2 diet and I think it's going to keep me on track this week.

You go, Girl!

[coops 1,790]

I just got home from the gym. I was so bored from all the things I was doing and I needed to learn new things. I have hired trainers before at this gym, but none of them were as good as this guy.

I got a big NSV from him today. He said that I was doing my weight training like a 20 year old, and that I'm way farther ahead than he expected. I've been feeling so bad because I don't get to the gym as much as I used to. I was glad to hear him say that cause I feel like such a slug.

I am really glad I found you guys. I wouldn't have known about the 5:2 diet and I think it's going to keep me on track this week.

training like a 20 year old... how cool and fit are you! I wish I could train like a 40 year old and I am 42...lol!

Seriously though, that must of felt really good to hear... and perhaps it will show you how strong you actually are? I agree that the 5:2 is a great way of staying on track and staying focused. Plus, the flexibility of it really suits me.

[swizzly 901]

Congrats, Georgia! Well done...

I have posted in this thread already I presume, or I wouldn't be getting notifications, but I am too lazy to go see what I've already said. So here's a summary of where I'm at now, 2.5 years post-op...

What I had going for me pre-op...

• Was not a binge eater
  
• Always stopped when full; had good strong 'full' signal
  
• Was "only" BMI 40-ish and didn't have health problems apart from newly acquired hypertension
  
• Used public transport and walked every day
  
• Had higher-than-average basal metabolic rate
  

What I had against me pre-op...

• Hadn't 'dieted' in years, was used to eating what I wanted, when I wanted
  
• Over 40; hypothyroid, though successfully treated already for many years
  
• History of eating and exercising disorders and some bad compulsive tendencies from way back
  

What I had going for me post-op...

• Surgery easy like falling off a log, very little pain whatsoever; no nausea or vomiting (at all since surgery!) since day one post-op when I got the dry heaves
  
• Supportive and very 'moderation-based' program that didn't encourage calorie counting or any other similar behaviors (which are potential triggers for me)
  
• Program that moved to 'real' food on day four post-op -- no shakes used; I could eat normal food from the start, which I think helped with head hunger and cravings
  
• Lack of access to (or desire for) junk food and fast food
  
• Had a proper, strong 'full' signal back within a couple of weeks of surgery! Boy was I happy to see that old friend...
  

What I had against me post-op...

• Never, ever lost my hunger/appetite, not even for a day or two. I've been hungry, same feeling as I had pre-op, the entire time. I consider this also to be an advantage though...because...
  
• I could eat 1000+ cals early out (this was a deliberate goal of mine, as I didn't want to tank my metabolism which was high for my age, yay!), so I also don't consider this a minus, but I know some people would, so I'm putting it as a challenge, because...
  
• Already at one year post-op I could eat quite a lot of food, I could -- and still do -- eat 1500-2000 cals per day even without eating junk food
  
• I didn't start a proper exercise program until nine months post-op -- again, though, this is also a positive for me cos I can get crazy pretty easily and I need to manage one potentially obsessive behavior at a time...
  

This all netted out in me reaching my own initial goal (don't have one from surgical program, they don't roll that way) of 75kg within like 12-14 months I think? And then over the next few months, getting to my next goal of 70kg, which put me on the borderline between 'normal' and 'overweight.' Then I wanted to get down to 65kg just cos I wanted to, and that's where I'm at today -- still trying to get to 65kg, plus trying to take a couple of kilos that snuck on in my holidays, the wee bastages. (NB: Sig line still says 68kg cos that's the lowest weight I've been at, for a couple of weeks at one point.)

What I feel I have going for me now? Well, I went sort of paleo about six months ago and gave up eating wheat and all grains and most legumes -- not eating these saves a whole crap ton of calories cos wheat and grains are in everything yummy/bad for you. I TRY to avoid sugar, though I do eat dark chocolate nearly every day. I drink too much wine, I should cut that out more. But life is also meant to be enjoyable so I'm on the fence about some of these things...

I do work out about three times a week, and I every day walk to work and home. And since about six weeks now, I've been doing 5:2 to try and get to the 65kg range. So far, I can't tell if I've "lost" ANY weight on the 5:2 cos of my usual scale bouncing all the time. I bounce between overweight and normal 3-4 times in any given week. So I kind of ignore it and just note the general trend. Which I haven't seen one yet. So all you 5:2 losers are making me jealous!

And, I really don't eat too much 'junk' food, though I can put a hurting on a bag of nuts. Naughty. I can't give up the Peanut Butter so I eat it off a small spoon several times a week. I gave up Quest Bars cos the fibre in them was causing me problems, but I totally love them and would still eat them if I could! I eat a high-fat diet, always have since surgery as I hate low-fat or altered foods -- though I use some of them again now for the fasting days... I eat a lot of olives. Avocados. chicken. Beef (esp raw like tartare or carpaccio yum). Calf's liver (yes I love it). tuna. Mozarella and tomatoes. cheese in general. Greek yogurt. Paleo recipes and casseroles. Veg. Yum. I eat yummy stuff, and now I want to cry having described it all cos it's a fast day and I'm HUNGRY lol.

And I like how fast days make me feel (AFTER THE FACT!), but I am bummed I'm not losing weight from them yet. And I refuse to count calories/track food (I only pull the food scales out on fast days) the other five days, so me and my psyche and my body are at an impasse it seems.

But I'm happy with where I am, I'm happy with the process, I don't stress over it, I didn't fret about losing weight really fast, I will never be overly focused on the numbers cos I just can't go there. So I take it easy and try to enjoy the ride...which has gotten me to my second goal, just not my third. Maybe I shouldn't be greedy...

Loving this vets' forum. A lot. You all give me the best ideas and keep me going. :wub:

ETA: HA! Cheri, THAT is a long post!! LOL...

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I didn't weigh myself yet today. I have to decide what day is going to be my official weigh in day. I have never weighed once a week in my life. I have always weighed once a day or more than once a day. I just can't do that with the 5:2 plan cause I would freak out if I gained back what I lost on a fast day. I need to give this a few weeks.

Yesterday was not a fast day but I hardly ate at all. Doing the fast has cut down on my hunger.

Swizzley it seems like you don't need the 5:2 plan. You sound like you're doing great in maintenance with out it. I have to say, this is a way better way to get back on track than the 5 day pouch diet.

[swizzly 901]

Swizzley it seems like you don't need the 5:2 plan. You sound like you're doing great in maintenance with out it. I have to say, this is a way better way to get back on track than the 5 day pouch diet.

Thanks, Oregondaisy! But I was definitely headed in a bit of a wrong direction, and gained two kgs for real -- and we all know how that turns into 5, then 7, then 10...etc. So I wanted to nip that RIGHT in the bud -- and also get to my ultimate goal of 65kg. Plus, I'm keenly interested in the health benefits of fasting anyhow, so if I do lose all the weight I want to, I will still do 6:1 to maintain I think.

I'm always starving on fast days but then on the next eating day, I am not running into the kitchen in a hurry or anything. It's weird...but I like it.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

....I have to say, this is a way better way to get back on track than the 5 day pouch diet.

I agree!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Swizzly I love this about you. Very positive and proactive. Maintenance is something I need to learn and to stay in the moment of today. Today I had a stressful person that put me over the top and I found myself eating when I wasn't hungry.... so now I'm reigning in that monster and recognizing it. This is such a process....this veteran site really motivates me and keeps me focused. Can't let those old emotional reactions take over either. I am the master of skinniness and I pray that I can keep it......

[swizzly 901]

Swizzly I love this about you. Very positive and proactive. Maintenance is something I need to learn and to stay in the moment of today. Today I had a stressful person that put me over the top and I found myself eating when I wasn't hungry.... so now I'm reigning in that monster and recognizing it. This is such a process....this veteran site really motivates me and keeps me focused. Can't let those old emotional reactions take over either. I am the master of skinniness and I pray that I can keep it......

You ARE the master of skinniness!!! It's not about 'never' doing something 'bad' like eating from emotions (there are very good reasons people do that, by the way, scientifically speaking, and none of them have anything to do with people being weak or bad...). It's about recognizing it in the moment, not attaching it to shame and/or self-denigration, and moving forward with your head held high. <3