I am 2 1/2 years out. It will be 3 years at the end of November. I started out at 418. The first 100 lbs. just melted off. The next 50 lbs. were more of a struggle. I have found myself at the same weight for almost 9 months now. No gains. No losses. Just hanging at 268.

I have a few issues that I struggle with. I am not interested in plastics, but the more I lose the more I just look like a deflated balloon. This is wreaking havoc on my self-esteem. I know that I am healthier. I have engaged in activities in the past year that I never thought that I would be able to do again...camping, hiking and canoeing to name a few. I just wonder how much more gross (this is my word for myself) that I'll look when I reach a truly healthy weight.

I have never had one of those sleeves that make you vomit, but I have restriction and I respect it. I don't push my sleeve. I just make poor food choices. I have gone completely down the slope smack dab into carbs and sugar. Waffle for Breakfast. Veggie fried rice for lunch. Black Bean Burger with bun for dinner. A Pop-Tart and tea before bed. (Picking up on the vegetarian vibe?) I just can barely look at tofu and the premade veggie Protein products are so sodium laced.

I also admit that I abhor exercise. I was going to yoga 3x per week. Then I started having serious back problems. A herniated L4 & L5 with nerve root compression that causes mobility problems with my left leg. I went for 3 different injections, steroids and other, with a minimum bed rest of a week after each one. I totally lost my yoga mojo.

I did the 5 day pouch test. Yes, my sleeve still works. I lost 7 lbs., but I felt like I wanted to eat the arm off my couch. I get legitimately hungry now. Not head hungry. Like my sleeve growls at me hungry.

I know that this is a long post. I'm hoping that there's someone out there with a similar experience or positive encouragement. I beat myself up enough. I've stayed away from the boards for a very long time feeling ashamed for not being at goal. I don't want to hide anymore. I just can't seem to kick myself back into gear. It's like starting from square one except I'm in the 200's instead of the 400's. Anyone? Thanks!

i am just over a year out and stopped losing totally around month 9. i KNOW some of it was due to my lack of exercise and also increased stress from my job/graduate school.

i have now switched jobs AND joined a gym. trying to get back to basics on eating too, and going in reverse with my diet back to post op habits.

i still have about 18 lbs to goal- 14 lbs original loss PLUS the 4 i gained back over the past 2 months.

I am 2 1/2 years out. It will be 3 years at the end of November. I started out at 418. The first 100 lbs. just melted off. The next 50 lbs. were more of a struggle. I have found myself at the same weight for almost 9 months now. No gains. No losses. Just hanging at 268.

I have a few issues that I struggle with. I am not interested in plastics, but the more I lose the more I just look like a deflated balloon. This is wreaking havoc on my self-esteem. I know that I am healthier. I have engaged in activities in the past year that I never thought that I would be able to do again...camping, hiking and canoeing to name a few. I just wonder how much more gross (this is my word for myself) that I'll look when I reach a truly healthy weight.

I have never had one of those sleeves that make you vomit, but I have restriction and I respect it. I don't push my sleeve. I just make poor food choices. I have gone completely down the slope smack dab into carbs and sugar. Waffle for Breakfast. Veggie fried rice for lunch. Black Bean Burger with bun for dinner. A Pop-Tart and tea before bed. (Picking up on the vegetarian vibe?) I just can barely look at tofu and the premade veggie Protein products are so sodium laced.

I also admit that I abhor exercise. I was going to yoga 3x per week. Then I started having serious back problems. A herniated L4 & L5 with nerve root compression that causes mobility problems with my left leg. I went for 3 different injections, steroids and other, with a minimum bed rest of a week after each one. I totally lost my yoga mojo.

I did the 5 day pouch test. Yes, my sleeve still works. I lost 7 lbs., but I felt like I wanted to eat the arm off my couch. I get legitimately hungry now. Not head hungry. Like my sleeve growls at me hungry.

I know that this is a long post. I'm hoping that there's someone out there with a similar experience or positive encouragement. I beat myself up enough. I've stayed away from the boards for a very long time feeling ashamed for not being at goal. I don't want to hide anymore. I just can't seem to kick myself back into gear. It's like starting from square one except I'm in the 200's instead of the 400's. Anyone? Thanks!

I made three years in April and I was a slow loser. But the problem were due to complication after the sleeve. The doctors worked hard to find out what the complications were and help me fix them. Now I am back on track.

I really find if we start with our Protein, not drink Water (like grilled chicken and asparagus or broccoli), then add some mashed potato or corn, we will do just fine... A few sips of water and done...

You won't gain weight on that, we can't not lose if we're eating fish and stuff...

I haven't made goal yet either, I am twenty or so pounds away from my goal, I believe I have made my surgeon's goal which was Sixty percent of excess weight.

Wendy, from your date, it looks like your not even at a year yet....

babbs I didn't join the site until after surgery. I had surgery last July, so am just at a year.

Hi everyone! I have been reading all of the posts here and have a few comments. This surgery has taught me so much about myself both good and not so good. I have learned I had many misconceptions as an overweight person.

As being overweight people, for some of us, such as myself, all my life, we have gone through enough torture about our weight. The idea of weight loss surgery at least in my opinion was to be free of that torture! Yet, having weight loss surgery didn't remove the constant worry. It really takes work to achieve and then maintain a weight loss goal with or without surgery. This is something that caught me off guard. I didn't expect it to be consistent work. But what I have learned in the 1 and 7 months since my surgery is that everyone has to work at maintaining their weight. That was a shocker for me. What I hear in these posts is that disappointment in not achieving a goal or a specific number. This is one of the reasons I am very,very thankful that my surgeon and his team didn't set a set goal for me. They asked me what my goal was which I said at 5"10" and female I wanted it to be 185. Then my NUT said we will see what your body will do. So first determine what your goal is. I too weighed 180 in high school but had a weight loss experience in college where I lost 135lbs and weighed 164lbs, the lower end of normal for my height. However, my body just could not sustain that weight loss, I got unmotivated and gained all the weight back and then some! Fast forward to 2014 when I had gastric sleeve surgery and have lost 218 lbs. I currently weigh less than my goal of 185lbs. This has been the biggest shock of all! I honestly didn't think I would achieve my goal. My idea was that I would be happy to be a size 18! I am currently a 12-14! Never in my life have I been this size! The main things I have done which I believe have really helped me are : Number one believe in yourself. Don't let negative thoughts or comments from anyone derail you. Be consistent, my NUT preaches this and it is true. Track everything you eat, this helps not only to keep track of calories, but to uncover patterns. Don't drink your calories. I think this has been a huge mantra for me. I have bad knees, which I would like to stop saying, so I will correct myself by saying my knees cannot perform to their optimal best. This could have derailed me entirely, but I just tried all different types of exercise and mix it up so as not to get bored. Some weeks are better than others in terms of how much I do. I normally try to do 3 days 60 minutes. I would like to improve on this though. Just stay active. Done sit on the couch. I used to watch hours of TV every night but now I hardly have time. Don't beat yourself up. This is not an all or nothing approach. I used to apply that approach every time I started a new diet, which would end as another failed attempt. With every meal, there is a new opportunity to improve and make a better choice. Look at what you have already accomplished! You are a success! Take a look at your original goals and decide if they are still what you would like to accomplish. If yes, then go for it, if not then re-write them and go for it! Whatever you decide know that you have many talents and gifts not determined by a number on a scale! That number on the scale does not define you! Go to your local support group and check in to this forum! I am only sorry I haven't been on more but as with many of us, we are going through our own issues and one of my issues has been that I didn't feel worthy to give any advice. So now I am on not to give advice but rather encouragement and support. Anything that I may say and share to help someone else is a personal goal of mine. Be well, take care!! Keep in touch