So thought I'd start this thread for those who are currently in maintenance (or are trying to be ), there are not as many active maintenance-ers on here, but I'm hoping for the ones that are, they can chime in and impart their wisdom for those are trying to achieve that coveted balance of weight stability.

...or we can just chat about whatever. LOL.

4 hours ago, Recidivist said:

That was from the big ferris wheel in Melbourne (Australia), where we were attending the Australian Open!

The Open is what I think is the contributing factor to my current state of sickness! I have been getting very little sleep this past week staying up to watch the 3am EST marquee matches. I think it's wrecking havoc on my immune system.

We went to the AO way back when we were living there...we always get the typical giant tennis ball souvenir at any tourneys we attend. Each year, we then pull out the appropriate ball from storage and throw it at the walls when we get upset (like this morning's semi-final)...

Edited January 30, 20206 yr by ms.sss

On 1/28/2020 at 8:33 PM, catwoman7 said:

I can eat salad with no problem (I couldn't the first few months out - but after the 4th or 5th month, yes). What you ate wouldn't have bothered me. Not sure what happened there - unless you just ate too fast for your stomach?

What’s funny is I was eating salad at 4 weeks PO.

ZERO idea why it almost killed me this week.

Okay, so weird tummy issues seem to be gone, and I’m finally back to my “normal” eating pattern

Finally got back on the scale this am and while I’m still in the 130’s, I didn’t drop this week like I was afraid I might after 2 days of limited calories.
Went from 137.6 to 137.8 so I’ll count that as a maintenance “victory”

So what are y’alls plans for the super bowl?

Today I’ve started an ab challenge, and plan to run on the TM for a half hour, then household prep to get ready for the week (why oh why can’t a laundry fairy decide to come live with me?) and then I’ll be talking to my BAC peeps tonite.

I’m not really a big NFL fan, so hubs and son will be watching, but we’re skipping the whole party thing and making it about what we want to do— not what pop culture thinks we should do.

My food for today will be completely typical:

Protein shake for breakfast, sensible lunch, then some leftover steak with salad and veg for dinner.

I’m almost 3 years out, I never quite reached my goal. I got down to 150# but once I started eating carbs again gained some. I have maintained at around 170#. I’m happy with my loss, but ideally wanted to reach 130# as my surgeon never gave me a goal to reach. I feel like I have to be good because this far out I can eat more and don’t want to fall into old habits. I’m glad I found this thread because I’m recovering from the holidays and more carbs than I should’ve eaten, but I’m back on track and feeling better.

Hi guys! I met with my surgeon and my dietician today. After we discussed my athletic goals, where I am now, where I started, we’ve decided to go ahead and shift into maintenance mode. Realistically, I will probably still lose the 10 more pounds that I had in my head, but weight loss will no longer be my focus. I’m going to start working on my endurance and building up some muscle ? I’m fortunate that my surgeon’s background is in sports nutrition.

Later tonight I will start really perusing this thread!

3 minutes ago, AngieBear said:

Hi guys! I met with my surgeon and my dietician today. After we discussed my athletic goals, where I am now, where I started, we’ve decided to go ahead and shift into maintenance mode. Realistically, I will probably still lose the 10 more pounds that I had in my head, but weight loss will no longer be my focus. I’m going to start working on my endurance and building up some muscle ? I’m fortunate that my surgeon’s background is in sports nutrition.

Later tonight I will start really perusing this thread!

Congratulations @AngieBear New year and fitness goals! . Do you use myfitnesspal?

40 minutes ago, hmills653 said:

I’m almost 3 years out, I never quite reached my goal. I got down to 150# but once I started eating carbs again gained some. I have maintained at around 170#. I’m happy with my loss, but ideally wanted to reach 130# as my surgeon never gave me a goal to reach. I feel like I have to be good because this far out I can eat more and don’t want to fall into old habits. I’m glad I found this thread because I’m recovering from the holidays and more carbs than I should’ve eaten, but I’m back on track and feeling better.

Glad you are here and back on track. Anything we can help you with ask.?

3 hours ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Congratulations @AngieBear New year and fitness goals! . Do you use myfitnesspal?

Thanks! And yes. Feel free to track me down. This is me:

Okay, so I’m home and have had a bit of time to process. One thing I realized is that in my entire adult life, I have never been at a weight that was one I wanted to stay it. It was always about losing the next 10 lbs, or whatever. Even when I was gaining I knew I needed to lose weight, so I was in that mindset. I was just beating myself up for what I weighed and for still gaining. This feels very very odd.

Here is what I’m hoping for: building up my endurance so that I can go on 12 mile trail runs again. Last time I was up to that I weighed 230 lbs, so I’m interested to see the difference. Already hills are a VERY different experience. Right now when I run for more than 30 minutes, my body is trashed the next day. Not surprising, as I’ve been very low carb and low calorie. So my first priority is to get that in better shape. My dietician said to add in complex carbs and 2 snacks a day and see where that lands me.

We are moving my powerlifting equipment out of the garage and into the house. My blood pressure is pretty low, and I get dizzy if I bend over too far, get up from laying down, etc. So it being in the garage was a safety issue (nobody was around). I’m looking forward to making headway in that area, too. In addition to being a longer distance runner, I was also a decent powerlifter a few years ago.

My body composition will change as a result of my increased activity. I’m looking forward to feeling strong and fit again.

i almost forgot! They printed out my intake photo. I’m including an after/current.

Edited February 5, 20206 yr by AngieBear

Holy cow that before and after is AMAZING

i just realized that I might have an intake pic running around somewhere from the first weight loss clinic I tried.
might seriously have to go look for that

The past couple weeks I am feeling first hand what I think is the whole "letting things slide" conundrum that some WLS folks go through in maintenance.

Fist, I get that what I'm currently going through is directly related to my PS recovery, but shi*t happens, and it could be anything really, just something in life that throws you off track.

Anyway, I am getting/got a good reminder I am not exempt from backsliding, and I need to keep on top of things if I want to continue to enjoy the fruits of my WLS labour.

I have increasingly been feeling like crap which makes me want to just lay down and be still and let the grass grow on me. I am saying eff it, when faced with food decisions and more and more making the less than optimal choice.

In an effort to nip this in the bud, I stated forcing myself to go outside and at least walk (I still don't want to run due to my sore boobs & armpit and fear re-RE-injuring them) and doing some lower body strength training (which I hated before PS, and still do, dammit).

I realize that this stupid PS recovery has kept me from doing so many activities that I enjoy and making me super annoyed. I really need to find a bunch of other activities I enjoy that I can do given my current state, STAT.

Edit to add: Mr., who has noticed me sinking into crappiness, offered up a quick vacay somewhere sunny, but I can't even go into water AND I would look like frankenstien's monster with my still red incisions IF I even took off my compression garments and silicone tape, which I wouldn't anyway. This post should probably be in the Pity Party Thread. #sorry.

Edited February 6, 20206 yr by ms.sss

On 2/4/2020 at 6:26 PM, AngieBear said:

Thanks! And yes. Feel free to track me down. This is me:

Love your name - I sent a request. My name in MFP is fit_chickx

18 hours ago, ms.sss said:

feeling first hand what I think is the whole "letting things slide" conundrum that some WLS folks go through in maintenance.

So much this. I am going through the same thing and it really scares me. Tonight I ate nearly an entire bag of chips in addition to other crap. I just couldn't, wouldn't stop.

I wondered when the honeymoon period would end, and apparently for me it seems it is at 18 mos post sleeve surgery. I accept that over all this time I truly haven't conquered my emotional eating issues, nor have I committed to exercising. Wrapped up in all this I think is that I'm basically just lazy and I don't like any type of discomfort, physical or mental. Gosh I just really like food, damnit. It does bring me comfort.

I will continue to work the mental aspect of this journey. #onedayatatime

21 hours ago, ms.sss said:

The past couple weeks I am feeling first hand what I think is the whole "letting things slide" conundrum that some WLS folks go through in maintenance.

Fist, I get that what I'm currently going through is directly related to my PS recovery, but shi*t happens, and it could be anything really, just something in life that throws you off track.

Anyway, I am getting/got a good reminder I am not exempt from backsliding, and I need to keep on top of things if I want to continue to enjoy the fruits of my WLS labour.

I have increasingly been feeling like crap which makes me want to just lay down and be still and let the grass grow on me. I am saying eff it, when faced with food decisions and more and more making the less than optimal choice.

In an effort to nip this in the bud, I stated forcing myself to go outside and at least walk (I still don't want to run due to my sore boobs & armpit and fear re-RE-injuring them) and doing some lower body strength training (which I hated before PS, and still do, dammit).

I realize that this stupid PS recovery has kept me from doing so many activities that I enjoy and making me super annoyed. I really need to find a bunch of other activities I enjoy that I can do given my current state, STAT.

Edit to add: Mr., who has noticed me sinking into crappiness, offered up a quick vacay somewhere sunny, but I can't even go into Water AND I would look like frankenstien's monster with my still red incisions IF I even took off my compression garments and silicone tape, which I wouldn't anyway. This post should probably be in the Pity Party Thread. #sorry.

I hear you. I think this may be partially due to the interruption of routine. But I also think it's about progression and maturation of your surgery. And depression. The crap foods/no exercise/no light stuff all breeds depression and inactivity. I'm a few months ahead of you and I went through this phase. The difference is that I was expecting it coming. It's like the other shoe that I've been waiting to drop. You know? So I was on guard for its arrival. And had a cunning plan in place.

When I feel the "doldrums" coming on and I feel disgust with things I've let slip back into routine from the old dead ways, I immediately know to "SWITCH GEARS" and change the game up on myself. This does something huge for me...it gets rid of boredom and complacency immediately, cuz it's a new game, with different rules. And then I deep dive into researching the newest changes. For me it's mostly about doing the headwork. It truly helps. And it helps to be involved with a real life face-to-face group (online) who have the same mentality.

For you it might be taking baby steps to dump your triggers (ahem...movie popcorn ) and start to clean up the diet. And it might also be adding new workout routines you are allowed to do--even if it's walking in short sprints. You can fast walk after this surgery can't you? And then getting back to doing what you love, running, when released to do it.

It's a scary realization that you can have regain, especially when you've enjoyed so much latitude with your maintenance diet composition. I'm only one bad meal/bad day away from regain. So it's a real see saw and can be a mind f**k. But it also keeps me on my toes. LOL. And it's not a big shocker to me. Cuz well...been dealing with it forevs. But it's much easier mentally and emotionally taking off 2lbs than it is taking off twenty. I'd rather eat miserly for 2-4days rather than 4-8 weeks or longer!

@rs ... Le Sigh. It's annoying...I know what I need to do, but feel like I just don't care/not getting any enjoyment from projects/setting or achieving goals/etc like I used to. I can feel my anal Type A tendencies disappearing...and I find that I'm saying to myself "Why Bother?"

You know, (I forget where you are located..was it Washington?) I think it was mentioned on another thread, but perhaps the recurring theme of the blahs and general malaise for many on this forum I have been reading on threads lately is due to the weather this time of year? (Well, plus we also had PS, so there's that).

Maybe that is why we are having difficulty staying the course?

Maybe we will feel better come spring?

I am going to take your #onedayatatime hashtag to heart today. Eff yesterday, eff tomorrow, eff getting so pissed about my perceived inability to "just do it already".

I am scrapping food and exercise goals today. I will do what I will do and be ok with it. My ONE SINGLE focus for today is to get to the end ofit without getting pissed at what I'm doing or not doing.

Ya with me?

Edited February 7, 20206 yr by ms.sss