The Maintenance Thread

[Recidivist 1,141]

I managed to gain three pounds over the past week (which, in case you aren't aware, makes me happy). I could stand to gain at least five more, but I'm relieved to see that I've stopped losing. I'm still finding my sweet spot in terms of how many calories I can eat in maintenance.

[FluffyChix 17,409]

11 hours ago, AZhiker said:

My doc said that eventually the rest of the small intestine gets used to the idea of a new job - absorbing nutrients.

We actually grow more microvilli capable of absorbing more nutrients. That's how smart our body is.

[GreenTealael 24,848]

18 hours ago, 2Bsmaller18 said:

This might be a dumb question.
I’m wondering when we have the honeymoon why does it end? Is it because we are at a stable weight near our body’s ideal for awhile or is it because our body becomes more efficient at absorbing calories (for bypass). Is it because we can eat more or we start to feel hunger or a combination of things? Could it also be just the nature of getting older and our metabolism naturally slowing a bit?

This is an animal study but only for RNY of course (don't ask how I fell down this rabbit hole 😝)

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21400

[catwoman7 10,844]

18 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

This is an animal study but only for RNY of course (don't ask how I fell down this rabbit hole 😝)

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21400

interesting. This more-or-less confirms some thinking I've had. I had one of those commercial DEXA scans when I was 146 lbs. My body fat was measured at 22%, which is considered lean for women. I've been in the mid-150s now for awhile and am having a devil of a time keeping it there, let alone getting below that. I was kind of wondering if maybe that gain was mostly muscle (i.e., lean mass), which might help explain the struggle. This article does indicate that there's some evidence that your body will continue to defend lean muscle weight after RNY. That of course is not an excuse for me to throw in the towel and stop trying, but that MIGHT be part of what's going on here...my body might be resisting because it's my fat percentage might now be more "normal" (as opposed to lean) ????

[ms.sss 14,617]

19 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

interesting. This more-or-less confirms some thinking I've had. I had one of those commercial DEXA scans when I was 146 lbs. My body fat was measured at 22%, which is considered lean for women. I've been in the mid-150s now for awhile and am having a devil of a time keeping it there, let alone getting below that. I was kind of wondering if maybe that gain was mostly muscle (i.e., lean mass), which might help explain the struggle. This article does indicate that there's some evidence that your body will continue to defend lean muscle weight after RNY. That of course is not an excuse for me to throw in the towel and stop trying, but that MIGHT be part of what's going on here...my body might be resisting because it's my fat percentage might now be more "normal" (as opposed to lean) ????

Do you notice the extra lbs? I mean, the scale may show a higher number, but do your clothes fit the same more or less?

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Like I think @Healthy_life2 or another of the super athletes (can't remember) weigh more than they did but where a smaller size now than in high school...

[ms.sss 14,617]

1 minute ago, FluffyChix said:

Like I think @Healthy_life2 or another of the super athletes (can't remember) weigh more than they did but where a smaller size now than in high school...

Ok, I'm not a super athlete by any means, but I also weigh more now than I did in high school (115-ish now, 105-ish back then), BUT I am definitely smaller in overall size now vs. then.

[GreenTealael 24,848]

1 hour ago, catwoman7 said:

interesting. This more-or-less confirms some thinking I've had. I had one of those commercial DEXA scans when I was 146 lbs. My body fat was measured at 22%, which is considered lean for women. I've been in the mid-150s now for awhile and am having a devil of a time keeping it there, let alone getting below that. I was kind of wondering if maybe that gain was mostly muscle (i.e., lean mass), which might help explain the struggle. This article does indicate that there's some evidence that your body will continue to defend lean muscle weight after RNY. That of course is not an excuse for me to throw in the towel and stop trying, but that MIGHT be part of what's going on here...my body might be resisting because it's my fat percentage might now be more "normal" (as opposed to lean) ????

Perhaps...

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

Ok, I'm not a super athlete by any means, but I also weigh more now than I did in high school (115-ish now, 105-ish back then), BUT I am definitely smaller in overall size now vs. then.

Muscle takes up less space than fat. May be why clothng fits better.

[FluffyChix 17,409]

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

Ok, I'm not a super athlete by any means, but I also weigh more now than I did in high school (115-ish now, 105-ish back then), BUT I am definitely smaller in overall size now vs. then.

5K per morning = super athlete in my book.

[ms.sss 14,617]

52 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

5K per morning = super athlete in my book.

Yeah, I guess it is a lot compared to what I used to do pre-op (read: NOTHING, lol). But I strive to be like @Healthy_life2 and @AZhiker and others who have done endurance races. I've got a Tri in my sights for next year...maybe then I'll consider myself an athlete 😉.

[catwoman7 10,844]

3 hours ago, ms.sss said:

Do you notice the extra lbs? I mean, the scale may show a higher number, but do your clothes fit the same more or less?

I think I look pretty much the same - and I'm wearing the same clothes, so....

[2Bsmaller18 435]

15 hours ago, AZhiker said:

My doc said that eventually the rest of the small intestine gets used to the idea of a new job - absorbing nutrients.

I wonder if some of us that works better, it might mean gaining more weight but it could also mean getting more nutrients. I wonder if there is a study where people kept the weight off long term and had nutritional deficiencies vs people who gained a significant amount of weight. The stories I heard from my Nut. were people having deficits that stopped their Vitamins so I guess even if your body gets better at absorbing calories and nutrients it still isn't enough.

[Stella S 612]

I like that some out weigh their teen self. I weigh more by 12 lbs but am so much healthier!!!! I think I look better 30 years later but definitely older.

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Ha! I haven't been 130 since 4th or 5th grade! LOL.