I am finding 16 Mos post op I am just under goal and weight had leveled out last 3 months. Actually 2 lbs up from lowest weight and was as high as 7 lbs over low weight a few weeks ago.

Do I eat healthy everyday every meal no. But I can see I need to get back on the wagon as at a point now that could gain weight back if ate enough calories of junk.

I usually eat a 100 calorie egg beater omelette for Breakfast. Some reduced fat salami for lunch. dinner is where it can get sketchy sometimes. Some times have had pizza or wings, baked fries etc.... Snacking and sweets are creeping back in here and there. I can eat pretty much anything, no foods that make me sick.

I recognize as we all know the surgery is a tool not the rule. I am at a time where it is now time to work to maintain. I definitely eat better choices than before as a whole but can also recognize to continue to maintain and be successful I have to work at it harder and make better choices as whole.

Just curious how everyone else is doing and honestly. Anyone gain back weight or any stories of struggles in this area?

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I am 8 mos out and I eat everything. Popcorn and nuts. I eat beans, pasta and bread sparingly. It fills me up too quickly. I've posted before and I've received negative comments about my eating habits. But it works for me. I started at 200 and I now weigh 133...and I don't fluctuate much. I eat many times a day, but 4 or 5 bites. I don't log my food or count anything. Maybe I'm being naive or getting cocky...but I've counted and logged food my whole life and I feel free now. I can definitely eat more now. I don't think I've stretched out my stomach. I can eat very little in the morning, but as the day goes on I can eat more. I never drink alcohol, carbonated drinks, or juice. I eat chips, tacos, English muffins and peanut butter. Turkey jerky, nuts, cheese, pizza, Sweets aren't my thing, and if I do eat them, it's a few bites. Don't eat ice cream. I love cheeseburgers (half with one bun). A taquito. Half a piece of chicken and four bites of salad with ranch. A few fries. Sweet potato. No fruit really. I eat what I want when I want...just four or five bites. I would really have to work at it all day and make myself uncomfortable to gain weight. I don't know if this is bad advice, but it works for me. Good luck.

Anything I want to. Just not very much at a time.

I don't tolerate the really hot/spicy stuff very well anymore.

I also can pretty much eat or drink whatever I want. But each item requires a choice because some things will settle better than other and/or will make me feel better than others. I think my success relies on pretty much a routine week of 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese for breakfast (80 cal 12 g protein); Quest Bar for lunch (180 cal 20 g protein); and then limited amounts of whatever else eating Protein first. I have learned it just feels too lousy to overeat and is not worth it. I also know if I do not get enough protein I feel bad too. I have struggled with taking in too much alcohol on occasion and that is something I am working on moderating. I think that has been more a symptom of self-medicating so I am learning to address that need in other ways.

On the whole, I am amazed at how well this choice has worked out for me in a way I believe I can maintain.

I also can pretty much eat or drink whatever I want. But each item requires a choice because some things will settle better than other and/or will make me feel better than others. I think my success relies on pretty much a routine week of 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese for breakfast (80 cal 12 g protein); Quest Bar for lunch (180 cal 20 g protein); and then limited amounts of whatever else eating Protein first. I have learned it just feels too lousy to overeat and is not worth it. I also know if I do not get enough protein I feel bad too. I have struggled with taking in too much alcohol on occasion and that is something I am working on moderating. I think that has been more a symptom of self-medicating so I am learning to address that need in other ways.

On the whole, I am amazed at how well this choice has worked out for me in a way I believe I can maintain.

Agree on alcohol. I can overdue it sometimes. Never did shots in my life now kind of regular when we go out. But I have been tempering that back. Not good in general but also a lot of empty calories. I'm living life but also need to remember the life I used to live and not get back to that place. Trying to hold a rule that if my size 32 jeans which I used to wear 52, ever get tight, I need to not buy a bigger size but watch my diet and work off a few lbs. That's my alert system for gaining back.

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In theory I "can" eat whatever I want. I am 2.5 years post op. I try most days and most meals to stick with the plan though. It's easy once you hit your goal weight to get "comfortable" and let old habits back in. You will regain if you do this. It is more of a lifestyle change for me, so I try to stick to it as much as possible.

I seem to "tank" my day at night with Snacks. Have my low Cal egg beaters for breakfast, low Cal Protein at lunch, somewhat sensible dinner, but I find I snack right before bed. I need to work on that or get some healthier snacks at night. I'm down today though within 1 lb of my lowest

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I follow the rules 90-95% of the time. At 19 months out, sure I go off plan once in a while, and it certainly reflects on the scale when I do. I'm up a couple pounds right now. But I just get right back on plan and work a little harder at the gym to get it back off. So far so good. I know down the road the weight becomes even more resistant to come off, so I am definitely mindful of that, too.

We are all not perfect. We have just been given this almost perfect tool to help us do the best we possibly can

maintain be successful- I have to work harder- make better choices

@@nprcowboy

woo hoo

ride 'em cowboy!!

hat waving high in the sky..........

great to see you again

when i had my sleeve December 2011

i thought terrific

health, weight, happiness is gonna get better and better

no problems!!

living the good life

piece of cake!!!!

life will always be wonderful without trying!!

right?? WRONG!!!!!!

like most of us, i know "the plan" with my sleeve

what to eat, when, how much etc etc

everything that NEEDS to be done/followed to the "T" etc etc

easier said than done - but must keep following the rules

that being said

do as i say, not how i do!!!

i am 8.7 OVER goal

i have been trying to take it off for a few months!!!!

obviously i must work harder to succeed

evening is hardest part of the day for me

all day i eat well, at times i might have a "cheat" thing

ittle cheats are fine/ok - too many will creep up on me

i MUST always write down on MFP (works for me)

"to thine own self be true"

honesty with yourself can be hard

- i am going to take the "plunge "and adjust my

ticker - "reminding" me that i weigh over goal

eeeeek

@@Babbs "We are all not "perfect"

huh, did you forget about me?!!!!

@@nprcowboy - thanx for bringing a little class to this humdrumb board!!

now OP, you know i'm just teasing!!! LOL (kindof!!)

if each and every one of you weren't sitting in the studio audience

i'd be writing to myself

take care NPR

kathy

Well I did work a it harder and happy to say this morning I hit my lowest weight. But if I look at my logs in MFP I can see over past 3 months I have pretty much leveled out. So I have to be more mindful of choices and the tool we got has done it's job and it's my time to make sure I learned the trade from the sleeve

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I'm 5 weeks out and already can eat pretty much anything and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup at a time. It's a little scary! I ate a whole soft shell taco from Taco Bell yesterday. Didn't feel great after, but I wasn't miserable either. I'm hungry a lot too. Was hoping the hunger and any cravings would be gone with my sleeve - but I guess not. It's a leaning experience for sure.

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I'm 19.5 months post-op, and I can and do eat everything. Just not all at the same time. But to use words like "everything" and "normal" and "regular person" would probably give the wrong impression.

Viewed more realistically, I eat NOTHING like I used to eat!

For one thing, I am completely aware of what I'm planning to eat and what I eat. I eat more nutritious foods, fewer empty calorie foods, and a lot less food.

Successful maintenance, which I've been doing for nearly a year, is dependent on my understanding the macronutrients of what I'm about to buy, cook, put on my plate, and put in my mouth.

Happily, I don't have a grazing problem, even at night. I eat 3 meals a day and 2-3 Snacks, which keeps my motor humming.

I do have treats, but I know in the morning what they're going to be and when I'm going to eat them.

Every day I thank the gods, the angels, the fairy godmothers, my surgeon, my PCP, and whoever the dude or dudette was who thunk up this sleeve thang for giving me a chance to get this obesity monster off my back.

Finally, this is a fair fight! And I'm beating obesity's ass.

*happydance*

I'm exactly 18 months post op and my daily food regimen is still fairly rigid, but I prefer it that way. I eat to live not live to eat now so I don't give myself a lot of choices and I still track everything that goes in my mouth as well. The day of surgery I was 272 and today I'm 114 and just working on maintenance. As far as meals, I eat 5 times a day, things like cottage cheese, tuna, high Protein frozen meals, Protein Bars for busy days (I have 3 active teenagers), nuts and I do eat a handful of Wheat Thins every day. We go out to eat as a family maybe once every few weeks and I order whatever I want, it just lasts me 3 or 4 meals now. I was addicted to ice cream, donuts, cake before surgery and I can't tolerate ice cream at all now and one bite of cake is usually my limit. I was also a serious chocoholic and have found that it upsets my stomach as well- the only candy bar that I can tolerate is a

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Skinny Cow heavenly crisp. My biggest downfall is the calorie and carb bomb that is alcohol. I love wine and margaritas, and aside from being a super cheap date, I know these things have zero nutritional value but still refuse to give them up.

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I'm 6 months and only went into maintenance a month a go. As long as I'm under goal, I do a combination of "yellow days" and "green days".

On a yellow day, I eat what I ate when I first got cleared for solid foods - about 1200 calories/day.

On green days, I "pretty much eat anything" and have some sugar free alcohol (vodka, whiskey, red wine). Still, thanks to my sleeve, I doubt it's more than 2,000 calories.

So far so good. In the event I go more than a pound or two over my goal weight, I'll go back on "red days" and log everything and target 1,000 calories.

So far, so good...

I like your approach, @@Cape Crooner .

It's not mine, but it seems quite sensible. And more importantly, it's working for you.