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When and how to start maintenance?



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I am at goal but really as small as I want to be. Trying to figure out how to increase my calories to get it to stop. (It stopped for 6 weeks and then all of a sudden I have dropped 7 more pounds in the last 2 weeks!) @@VSGAnn2014 - Thank you so much for this list of tips. It is very helpful! Do you track your food? If so, just curious about your macronutrient breakdown. (Mostly trying to figure out how many carbs or maybe what % of total calories is carbs. Those are the things I still keep fairly low but not sure I can increase calories without increasing this as I am already getting 100-125g of Protein so I can't increase there.)

You're welcome, @@Daisee68 .

Here's a typical day's macronutrient proportions:

Protein - 100 grams

Fats - 75 grams

Carbs - 175 grams

Yes, it varies. But less than you might think. :)

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Dang, @@Babbs, I seem to agree with everything you say! I overshot my stretch goal and worried that I'd keep losing until I disappeared. Didn't happen. Still eat pretty much the same food as before, I just eat more of it and more frequently. So like you, I've gained about 5 pounds and am within 4 of my original goal, a.k.a. "Neveragainland". I'm two years out from surgery and I've heard that that's where it starts getting tricky. What used to cause me to go into ketosis and the weight to fall off doesn't work anymore. And as we know, the lower you are, the harder each pound is to lose. So trying to lose 5 pounds when my body thinks I'm just fine is hard. But I'll admit that I'm less regimented now that I used to be. So my message to @@Hello new me is to do exactly what you said. Just keep on keepin' on. I suspect your body will turn it's own corner. But if it doesn't, talk to your doc. Congratulations!

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Roger, good to hear your voice. :)

A number of us around here are now or soon will be heading into our third year post-op. ;) My second surgiversary will be on August 18. I'm still holding steady at 135 pounds, but I'm aware that the coming year could be a booger!

A long time ago I named year three The Year of Boring Real Life. Here's to all of us!

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@@VSGAnn2014 - Yeah baby! Congrats - two down and the rest of our lives to go. So here's an odd thing... I tend to gain a couple of pounds during the week, and then lose it on weekends. And we usually have 2-4 events involving food and drink every weekend! But being busy means less time to graze, I guess. Whereas sitting at a desk for 8-9 hours leads to trips to the fridge. So even thought I only eat food on my "allowed" list, I eat more of it. And then at night there's that midnight snack just before bedtime (usually cheese). That plus more movement and activity on weekends adds up to an inverted weight-management schedule. Now to figure out this weekday puzzle.....

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Thanks all for the great advise. I decided to keep trying to lose until I hit my stretch goal. With the 4th weekend and summer in general (weekends at the lake and going to the beach), it seems like I have hit the dreaded lose one gain one time. I am trying to tighten up on what I eat so that I can lose those few last pounds before my one year Anniversary.

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Go for it! It gets harder as time passes, so maximize your opportunity!

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I stopped losing at about fourteen months out. Your body will tell you.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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