Question for the 100+lb losers

[_bribri1001 62]

To all the 100lb losers or more I am just curious to how your weight loss daily regimen was at the beginning of your journey till now. I know I see alot of people working out 5 to 6 times a week. Did everyone start working out that much or as the weight came off were you able to add more work out days to your week, also the diet. How strict were you guys at the beginning of your journey (since surgery day).

I am struggling with my diet, I still crave all the bad food, I have a hard time eating it but I still crave it creating me to be discouraged because I do buy it and take a bite or two(something I am still working on). I am hoping this is something I will eventually overcome. I am still getting used to things I can and can not eat. I feel like my stomach can not tolerate too much and still experimenting with food.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[Bufflehead 6,358]

@@_bribri1001 I have lost over 200 lbs. I exercised (and still do) 5-6 days per week but honestly it was not for weight loss, it was for overall health. I never counted calories burned or ate extra calories because of exercise. Weight loss happens because of your eating habits, not your exercise habits.

I was incredibly strict with my eating throughout weight loss. I do better when I have rules to follow and don't give myself permission for any variance. My advice -- do not start down the road with "bad" food. Don't buy it, don't eat it, not even a bite here or there. What you can have a bite of now, you can eat a whole package of some months down the road.

My rules (from my bariatric team) for the first six months:

3 meals per day, maximum 3 ounces per meal

No Snacks other than Protein shakes

Maximum 800 calories and 50 carbs per day

Minimum 75 grams of Protein per day

No sweets, no grains, no starchy vegetables, no tropical fruits (bananas, mangos, papayas)

After six months, the rules changed slightly. Meals could be up to 5 oz total, maximum 1100 calories per day, maximum 75 carbs per day, minimum 90 grams of protein per day. Everything else stayed the same.

For me, this program was hardcore but worked perfectly.

Edited January 9, 2017 by Bufflehead

[Pazza 199]

Bufflehead had a lot of great things to say, which is pretty normal.

The rules she gave seem fantastic.

I think that cravings take time to change. It is difficult to change them but remember that you will get there. It will get easier. After surgery I craved taco bell. 9 months out now and I don't.

Exercise - I did find it was easier to add more exercise as I lost weight. Start with where you are, be consistent and keep going. There are a lot of helpful resources for adding exercises or changing up your routine. Also, find omething you enjoy that works with your schedule.

Exercise does help with the weight loss but like Bufflehead said, it is important for general health. Keeping that mindset has helped me during my weight loss stalls.

I hope other vets weigh in because I feel a bit silly adding advice. I'm only 9 months out from rny and still have a lot to learn about keeping the weight off long term.

All the best to you!

[JamieLogical 8,727]

I was really strict with sticking to my food stages post op. And I was religious about getting my 100 grams of Protein per day in as soon as I was physically able. I started more intense exercise (more than just walking) at my two month mark. At that point I had managed to get my calories up to about 1100 a day. I was at about 1400 a day for most of my weight loss stage, exercising 5-6 times a week doing running, biking, and strength training.

I was SUPER strict about getting my Protein in, but not too worried about getting too many carbs or anything. Really, just by getting my 100 grams of protein a day, I found I didn't really have room for many carbs. But if my protein came with some carbs (breading or sauce or whatever) I was fine with that.

I made sure to eat on a schedule and I made sure to never eat and drink at the same time. Those are two ways to circumvent the restriction of the sleeve, so I was pretty careful about them. Not eating on a schedule leads to grazing. Eating and drinking at the same time means you can get more food through your sleeve.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I have lost about 177 lbs to date.

I was super strict and still pretty am about my food. I did do a lot of food experiments. I had baked fish most of the time for the first 6 months. Then once I was cleared for steak, it was mostly steak. I do not eat carbs at all, except green veggies. I hardly ever go above 25g of carbs a day and a "bad" day for me is 50-60 carbs.

I have been to the gym maybe 10 times. The gyms in my area suck so I quit.

I walked 1/2 a mile to 1 mile a day the first month.

2 miles a day the next month.

3 to 5 miles months 3-9.

Then pokemon go came out I was wasking 6 to 10 miles a day for months 12 to 13.

In my opinion doing gym workouts intense ones just don't worn for me. I read eat right for your blood type and learned why. Intense work outs have the opposite effect for someone like me, they increase my stress levels and make me hang onto weight. So walking, kayaking, yoga, weight lifting works better for me. I also think calculating the calories and balancing calories with working out is really hard. I was burning a ton of calories this summer and it was really hard to get enough calories in. I HAVE to replace keep my calories up or I will stall. My body hangs on to fat at severe calorie deficits.

So you do not have to hit the gym to lose weight. I think honestly you lose weight faster and easier not working out. You do however need to be active every day. If you have a lot to lose walking or swimming are the best exercise with low stress on your joints.

Weight loss issue all about your food. You cannot put train a bad diet.

Fitness and strength are going to require working out, but it isn't required for losing weight.

Edited January 9, 2017 by OutsideMatchInside

[Toni Ha 16]

ok a note to all you Big Winners.. lbs that fly off.. Not.. it is hard work. How do you combat the sagging skin problem. I have lost & gained it back for the last time. I was sleeved on the 4th of January. The worst part is eating my meds or liquid meds. Ide rather lick the bottom of your stilettos. lol Still sore. Getting better with each day.

You all are very inspirational. The only thing to fear is fear it self. & always remember " if,God be on your side Who be against you? No one.

We are all stronger and winners here.

[JamieLogical 8,727]

@@Toni Ha There isn't a ton you can do about sagging skin. Stay well hydrated, take your Vitamins, moisturize like crazy, and do a bit of strength training to "fill in" some of the loose skin with muscle. Ultimately, the only way to combat loose skin will be skin removal surgery.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

@@Toni Ha I deal with sagging skin via compression wear and dressing modestly, since I can't afford surgery. Regardless of sagging skin, I feel fantastic and know I look 100% better (with or without clothes) than I did as a lumbering 350+ lb blob of fat. much chubbier person.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I complain about my skin all the time but as I am losing more and more time has passed it is actually getting better.

I can hide it with Shapewear or pantyhose. I won't ever look great naked without plastic surgery but I look great in clothes. 99.9% of people are going to see me fully clothed.

[hmm33502 187]

Amen to @@Bufflehead tips and pointers!! I am 100 lbs down and kept most of it off for 6 years. I workout 4-5 days per week and kept high Protein 60-80g per day and lots of water! Very low carb! I did all of this with a band. When I started having a hard time with the band (slip and prolapse) I started eating carbs and bad foods because they were easier to stomach than the good foods. I stopped working out and gave up. I gained 25 lbs over the next few months. I had my band removed and was sleeved on 12/28. Doing great and back on track. Don't start with the bad foods. Don't have them in your house. A little leads to quite a bit in the future. If you cut sugar out then you don't crave it, in my experience. Once you start it again, it is the beginning of the end. Push the beginning stages adhering to the rules as much as possible at the beginning because it gets harder as you get farther out! Low carbs, high Protein, exercise, exercise, exercise!!!!

SW:327 CW:239 GW:155

Heather in Texas

[LittleBill 2,231]

I have lost 124 lbs so far, with at least another 55 lbs or so to go. I am more of a noob at this compared to some of those who have already answered, and I am a guy to boot, so take it for what it is worth. I lost 67 lbs before surgery, just by changing my diet and tracking calories. I was amazed at how effective that was. I kept my caloric intake between 2000-2500 per day. I did not do much more in the way of exercise before surgery as I already have a fairly active lifestyle. I'm no athlete, but I spend a lot of my day walking around and standing and lifting heavy things.

Since surgery, I joined a gym, but that is only going to tide me over until spring, when the rigors of lawn care take over again. I was mainly concerned about not losing muscle mass, of which I have lots. So I am doing some light lifting to maintain that, as well as some stationary bike riding to increase my endurance. It all seems to be going well for me, and when summer comes, I will replace free weights with firewood again, and the stationary bike with a real one.

I do not count my calories very closely, but I do count Protein, and keep carbs very low. I was pretty much a carnivore before surgery, so it has been easy to maintain that after. My issue was just too many calories, and I have not really had any cravings for anything I am not supposed to eat. I have done a little experimenting with the "forbidden foods", but for the most part they have lost their appeal. I will say that I still enjoy a snort of bourbon from time to time. That might get the Ladies Temperance Movement wagging their fingers and tongues, but my doctor is fine with it.

[Toni Ha 16]

Question since I am a blond only 7 days out. still pretty week, sipping and doing the p shakes, and Vitamins. when exactly can I start to exercise? for strength? already walking some in our home up and down stairs when i can or need to. (basement) just feel like I was hit by a train.

lol any help would be huge helpful.

toni ha

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@Toni Ha your dr will tell you when you can start exercise but generally it is 6 weeks post op

[JamieLogical 8,727]

Question since I am a blond only 7 days out. still pretty week, sipping and doing the p shakes, and Vitamins. when exactly can I start to exercise? for strength? already walking some in our home up and down stairs when i can or need to. (basement) just feel like I was hit by a train.

lol any help would be huge helpful.

toni ha

Your surgeon should give you instruction on when you are cleared for lifting any weights, doing any core exercises, and increasing cardio intensity. For me I wasn't allowed to do anything more intense than a "brisk walk" until 2 months post-op. Up to that point I was supposed to try to do a total of 60 minutes of "brisk walking" throughout the day.

[Toni Ha 16]

The reason why I ask. yes I know it will be slow.. I miss riding my ten walker horse as he misses being ridden. wonder how long on that. I go to see him/her on the 19th.

just call me anxious nelly.. lol

Toni ha

toni99009@gmail.com