The Maintenance Thread

[KT1981 294]

On 10/17/2019 at 3:16 PM, ms.sss said:

As an aside, and if it makes you feel any better at all, I find that lots of people are concerned about losing too much weight/looking too thin when approaching maintenance (myself included). Now just speaking from my experience, when I decided to stop losing weight, I believed I was way too small and my face way too Skeletor-ish. Now, 4.5 months later, I actually weigh less than I did then AND I personally think I look and feel great awesome (probably cuz I am now used to my thinner self and my fat self is becoming more and more a distant memory). My Skeletor-face seems to also have filled out, and my skin seems to have snapped back some (not enough to forgo plastics, but still).

This was an important note for me. I want to get to 130, but I also fear how I may look. I'm pretty happy where I am, minus my stomach (which probably can't be "fixed" without surgery). My legs are like toothpicks and my arms are skinny, but with extra skin. I sometimes fear my face will look skeletal in another 15 pounds. Some of this may be in my head, but some of this comes from recent comments (both from those who knew obese me and those who've never known me any other way). You make a good point about how things seem to shift around just right- I've noticed that already on my journey! For now... back to loss mode and getting back to the gym to gain some muscle!

[ms.sss 14,972]

4 hours ago, sillykitty said:

Welcome back!

This has been my exact same experience. I am incredibly grateful because traveling and enjoying all aspects of culture, and most especially food culture is hugely important to me.

I wouldn't rule out bread. Bread in Italy just sucks for some reason, unless it is pizza or focaccia!

Where in Italy did you visit?

Ha - I'm actually glad I'm no longer turned on by bread...it is my former nemesis, and I have no desire to get re-acquainted with it, LOL.

We stayed primarily along the coast in the Emilia-Romagna region, which is about a 2 hour drive south of Venice. Loved every minute of it! Looking forward to going back someday...

Edited October 21, 2019 by ms.sss

[ms.sss 14,972]

On 10/17/2019 at 6:37 PM, Healthy_life2 said:

Fantastic work! Congratulations on goal and moving into maintenance.

Conflicting information is frustrating. It maybe because this person is new. Can you call for clarification on maintenance phase food instructions? I agree with @FluffyChix. and @ms.sss I wouldn’t worry about your next appointment . At 5'5" Healthy BMI is 150 to 112 lbs - If you are getting close to 112lbs (underweight) call your team.

My office gave me the one size fits all maintaining plan. I hit goal at my 6^th month appointment. my surgeon told me if I lost ten pounds, I would be my ideal weight. The nurse said” I would look less skeletal if I gained ten pounds” Obviously, my gold standard team was not helpful with my transition into maintenance.

Find a weight you feel healthy at to maintain. You got this.

So further to this.

I had my 1 year follow up at the hospital this morning to get my bloodwork/labs done as well as had appointments with both an RN and my new Nutritionist (my regular NUT apparently has moved on).

This new NUT was an odd one. She was giving me all worried/disappointed looks as she told me that I must stop losing weight and increase my calories asap (despite the fact that I showed her MFP has me averaging 1800-ish calories the past 2 weeks-ish EDIT: oops I mean 1 week-ish). She seemed especially concerned with the weight I lost since my 6 month checkup as she said it would have been preferable if I stayed at the weight I was at that time (which was about 135-140lbs then - still in the "overweight" BMI category for my height, I might add). She suggested I try to gain back at least 10 lbs.

Now compare this to the reaction of the RN (who I saw not even 5 minutes after the NUT), who clapped her hands and gave me a hug. Or even the reaction of the office staff at my surgeon's office (who I had an appointment with last week), who gave me high fives. Or even the surgeon himself, who was apparently so pleased with my progress that he asked if I would pose for photos to be on a poster, for eff's sakes.

I mean, it might just be me, but shouldn't the people who are giving a pateint care/support at least all be on the same page as to what their vision for said patient be? My old NUT would have been cool about where I am. This new one seemed to want to employ scare tactics: she bought up malnutrition, bone loss, eating disorders. Um, I just had my labs done, I would think she'd want to see the results first.

Long story short (with the added benefit of me being able to vent a little about this mildly frustrating/annoying encounter), the final weight we all get to should be the one we are comfortable being at (coupled with good lab results), and one that we can maintain in the long term. Opinions and advice from team to team (and even within teams) are going to vary, aim to take whatever info you can get and make informed decisions/plans based on YOU.

Edited to add: P.S. Oh, and she said I don't need to track my calories or carbs in MFP, because I "don't need it" Huh?

Edited October 21, 2019 by ms.sss

[FluffyChix 17,413]

33 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Long story short (with the added benefit of me being able to vent a little about this mildly frustrating/annoying encounter), the final weight we all get to should be the one we are comfortable being at (coupled with good lab results), and one that we can maintain in the long term. Opinions and advice from team to team (and even within teams) are going to vary, aim to take whatever info you can get and make informed decisions/plans based on YOU.

This a thousand times!!!

Gosh, so weird!!

[GreenTealael 24,964]

3 hours ago, ms.sss said:

She suggested I try to gain back at least 10 lbs.

Were any instructions provided?

[Healthy_life2 8,322]

So further to this.
I had my 1 year follow up at the hospital this morning to get my bloodwork/labs done as well as had appointments with both an RN and my new Nutritionist (my regular NUT apparently has moved on).
This new NUT was an odd one. She was giving me all worried/disappointed looks as she told me that I must stop losing weight and increase my calories asap (despite the fact that I showed her MFP has me averaging 1800-ish calories the past 2 weeks-ish EDIT: oops I mean 1 week-ish). She seemed especially concerned with the weight I lost since my 6 month checkup as she said it would have been preferable if I stayed at the weight I was at that time (which was about 135-140lbs then - still in the "overweight" BMI category for my height, I might add). She suggested I try to gain back at least 10 lbs.
Now compare this to the reaction of the RN (who I saw not even 5 minutes after the NUT), who clapped her hands and gave me a hug. Or even the reaction of the office staff at my surgeon's office (who I had an appointment with last week), who gave me high fives. Or even the surgeon himself, who was apparently so pleased with my progress that he asked if I would pose for photos to be on a poster, for eff's sakes.
I mean, it might just be me, but shouldn't the people who are giving a pateint care/support at least all be on the same page as to what their vision for said patient be? My old NUT would have been cool about where I am. This new one seemed to want to employ scare tactics: she bought up malnutrition, bone loss, eating disorders. Um, I just had my labs done, I would think she'd want to see the results first.
Long story short (with the added benefit of me being able to vent a little about this mildly frustrating/annoying encounter), the final weight we all get to should be the one we are comfortable being at (coupled with good lab results), and one that we can maintain in the long term. Opinions and advice from team to team (and even within teams) are going to vary, aim to take whatever info you can get and make informed decisions/plans based on YOU.
Edited to add: P.S. Oh, and she said I don't need to track my calories or carbs in MFP, because I "don't need it" Huh?

Laughing, it sounds like we had the same office. It would be great if they were on the same page.

Some of us log and some of us don't. I know what works for me. Logging has just become a habit. I use it mainly for running and weightlifting at this point.

Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

[ms.sss 14,972]

14 hours ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Some of us log and some of us don't. I know what works for me. Logging has just become a habit.

Me too. I find I actually like logging. It speaks to my inner type-1 😎

[ms.sss 14,972]

14 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Were any instructions provided?

Yes...

The new NUT recommended that I add in another meal and snack in my current menu. I normally don't eat until noon, and she said she would like me to eat a meal within one hour after I wake up in the morning and have another snack 2-3 hours later. She said this would help me with energy throughout the day (even though I told her I have no issues with energy nor alertness), and will add calories. She also said that I don't need to track/watch my calories nor carbs and aim for 50-25-25 meal composition (50% veggies, 25% Protein, 25% starch). And I may just be being sensitive, but I swear she was giving me side-eye when I told her about my exercise routine.

The RN gave me some tips about weaning off my PPI (I still haven't successfully done it). She said lay off the wine and other acids (read: my beloved salad vinaigrette!) for a while and see if that helps. I am very sad about this advice, but I think she may be on to something. My next scheduled appt. with her will be at my 2yr mark.

My surgeon said he doesn't need to make any more scheduled appointments with me, but if have any issues (which he said he doesn't think I will *crosses fingers*), just to call.

[GreenTealael 24,964]

28 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Yes...

The new NUT recommended that I add in another meal and snack in my current menu. I normally don't eat until noon, and she said she would like me to eat a meal within one hour after I wake up in the morning and have another snack 2-3 hours later. She said this would help me with energy throughout the day (even though I told her I have no issues with energy nor alertness), and will add calories. She also said that I don't need to track/watch my calories nor carbs and aim for 50-25-25 meal composition (50% veggies, 25% Protein, 25% starch). And I may just be being sensitive, but I swear she was giving me side-eye when I told her about my exercise routine.

The RN gave me some tips about weaning off my PPI (I still haven't successfully done it). She said lay off the wine and other acids (read: my beloved salad vinaigrette!) for a while and see if that helps. I am very sad about this advice, but I think she may be on to something. My next scheduled appt. with her will be at my 2yr mark.

My surgeon said he doesn't need to make any more scheduled appointments with me, but if have any issues (which he said he doesn't think I will *crosses fingers*), just to call.

NUT thinks you exercise too much and eat too little ?

[ms.sss 14,972]

16 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

NUT thinks you exercise too much and eat too little ?

I don't think she thinks I eat too little, as much as she thinks I'm too low on the scale for her liking (which i guess could be the same thing??...I dunno).

And she didn't come right and say I exercise too much, but that was the impression I got based on her disapproving-pursed-lips-looks 🙄

[Healthy_life2 8,322]

37 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

I don't think she thinks I eat too little, as much as she thinks I'm too low on the scale for her liking (which i guess could be the same thing??...I dunno).

And she didn't come right and say I exercise too much, but that was the impression I got based on her disapproving-pursed-lips-looks 🙄

Take opinions with a grain of salt. They may be raising an eyebrow to rule out transferring addictions or eating disorders. I get that some of us can struggle with these issues. The flip side is…People into fitness/sports that never had surgery don’t get this type of judgment. My team did point out that they don’t encounter many patients with an above average fitness level.

Only my opinion,

I’ve had the eyebrow raise. *laughing* If you are taking rest days and exercising without injury. If you are simply working on fitness goals. I see no need for concern.

[ms.sss 14,972]

OK, now this has me thinking, and out of curiosity, want to pose the question to the maintainers out there (and non-maintainers, if you are reading and want to share..) :

How much do you all exercise?

[Healthy_life2 8,322]

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

OK, now this has me thinking, and out of curiosity, want to pose the question to the maintainers out there (and non-maintainers, if you are reading and want to share..) :

How much do you all exercise?

Not everyone is going to enjoy working out and its ok.

Comments that I worked out too much made me question if I was in disorder zone. How do you know if it’s too much? *laughing *I googled it.

In the beginning, I was lucky to walk a half hour. I hated the thought of exercise and going to a gym. Weight loss mode I worked out mild/moderate level one hour 5 to 6 days a week. Most of it walking/elliptical. Light lifting added later. First fitness goal – Run a 5K in memory of my mother. I worked up my fitness over time and found my inner adrenaline junkie. I started to enjoy working out.

After I reached maintenance. I changed my weight loss goals into fitness goals. I figured I had come this far, what else and I capable of doing. I now distance run. (half and full marathons) I don’t have the fitness ability to do spartans and triathlons. *smile*

I understand some people take it too far. If your team walked into a gym, how many people would be described as working out too much?

Currently, I am at the gym 4 to 5 days a week cardio and lifting. Weekend are rest days. Depending on what I’m working on, I can be in the gym two hours. High and low intensity days. If I’m prepping for running season, long run days can be three hours+ on a route. I do less cardio and more weightlifting in the winter.

[GreenTealael 24,964]

3 hours ago, ms.sss said:

I don't think she thinks I eat too little, as much as she thinks I'm too low on the scale for her liking (which i guess could be the same thing??...I dunno).

And she didn't come right and say I exercise too much, but that was the impression I got based on her disapproving-pursed-lips-looks 🙄

Then her response is oxymoronic... The whole purpose of the surgery and lifestyle change was to pursue the weight and fitness goals you could

2 hours ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Take opinions with a grain of salt. They may be raising an eyebrow to rule out transferring addictions or eating disorders. I get that some of us can struggle with these issues. The flip side is…People into fitness/sports that never had surgery don’t get this type of judgment. My team did point out that they don’t encounter many patients with an above average fitness level.

Only my opinion,

I’ve had the eyebrow raise. *laughing* If you are taking rest days and exercising without injury. If you are simply working on fitness goals. I see no need for concern.

I guess transfer addiction could be a concern teams watch for but it could happen at any weight with any activity, IDK

No one would suspect my fake eyelash and horticulture transfer addictions...

2 hours ago, ms.sss said:

OK, now this has me thinking, and out of curiosity, want to pose the question to the maintainers out there (and non-maintainers, if you are reading and want to share..) :

How much do you all exercise?

Bare minimum if I'm being honest, everything else is unsustainable for me.

Edited October 22, 2019 by GreenTealael

[VIKING 0424 1,105]

2 hours ago, ms.sss said:

OK, now this has me thinking, and out of curiosity, want to pose the question to the maintainers out there (and non-maintainers, if you are reading and want to share..) :

How much do you all exercise?

IM AT THE GYM 4DAYS A WEEK AND I WALK 5MILES A DAY EVERY DAY NO MATTER THE WEATHER (VERY WET LATELY) I ENJOY THE WALKS GIVES ME THE RELAX TIME I NEED