If you had surgery over a year ago or more... how do you feel about it now? Do you regret it? How do you feel about your new eating habits? Is your weight difficult to maintain? I'm considering surgery and one concern I have is what eating would be like in the future. I have trouble sticking to diets/healthy changes now so I worry I'd fail after surgery.

Best thing I ever did. 18 months out. But if you do it... make the healthy changes. You will be proud of yourself and you will feel amazing.

Do you ever miss your old eating habits? I want to change but don't trust my willpower

I am almost 18 months and I feel like my sleeve is one of the best decisions I've ever made! I reached my goal weight at about one year and have been maintaining the past six months, actually weighed 159 as of this morning, so technically 6 pounds below goal now. I would say the main challenge I've had in maintenance is getting enough food in now that I'm training for a half marathon. I'm burning a lot of extra calories and struggling to eat them back sometimes.

The main thing with my food now is just still putting Protein first. As long as I make sure I get my 100 grams of protein in, I pretty much eat whatever else I want for the rest. I have to eat 5 times a day to get all my protein, so if I want something other than protein, I have to fit it into a snack between my regularly scheduled eating. I definitely don't advocate that during the weight loss phase though, and you have to be concious to avoid grazing.

Thanks so much! Congrats on the loss! 160 is about my goal weight. What was your starting weight if I may ask?

how long after surgery did you meet your weight loss goal?

Edited February 22, 201610 yr by Rvamom

@@Rvamom I started the process at 260. I was down to 236 on the day of my surgery. I got to 165 (goal) almost exactly at my one year mark and have been maintaining/losing a bit more in the 6 months since then. I'm now at 159.

That's awesome! That's exactly where I want to be. I'm a size 20/22 now. At 185 I'm a size 12. Do you mind sharing what sizes you started and ended at?

That's awesome! That's exactly where I want to be. I'm a size 20/22 now. At 185 I'm a size 12. Do you mind sharing what sizes you started and ended at?

I carry all my weight in my hips and thighs, so even now at 159, I am really a 12, but squeezing into some 10 pants. I've been wearing size 10 dresses since I was 180 and they are mostly too big on me now, but I haven't bought any new ones since then. If you look at my gallery pics, you can see how bottom-heavy I am. I still have to wear wide calf boots!

Here's a pic of me in a size 11 juniors dress and some wide calf boots from a few weeks ago:

@@Rvamom

Enjoy researching!

Here are a few websites that will give you an idea of what eating will look like while in weight loss phase.

http://insidekarenskitchen.com/bariatric-friendly-recipes/

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

I had surgery June 2014. High weight 255 Goal weight 140. I now maintain in the 130's. I'm healthy and living life with no regret. All of my past diets failed. Surgery helped me to understand the sensation of a FULL stomach. I'm not deprived. I still enjoy food. Eating healthy is full of flavor. I get adventurous and try many new foods/recipes.

Congrats on your weight loss. Tissues amazing! Did you ever think you'd get to the 130s before surgery? That seems impossible for me to even think about. I haven't been 130 since I was like 11 years old.

@jaimielogical You look fabulous!!!

@@Rvamom I'm one year post op and this was the best thing I ever did. I researched wls for YEARS. I believed that I wasn't "fat" enough, or that if I tried ONE more time, I could do it myself. I did Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, liquid diets, low carb, high protein and a bunch of fad diets. I found myself losing weight at first then putting not only the original weight, but 5-10 pounds more each time.

When I decided to go through the process, I had emailed a gf about my decision to go through with it. She said she couldn't imagine going through it, you guessed it. After seein how well I've done (and spending vacations with me witnessing my eating), she's having surgery on Thursday. I resent her the original email last week, how a year makes a difference!

Good luck with however you decide. Research...get informed. Have questions ready.

4 years post sleeve maintaining 150# weight loss. Best decision EVER, but maintaining requires diligence.

Sent from my KFJWI using the BariatricPal App

^^^^ what Jane said except 3 yrs and 112lbs.