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at 2-3 years out, many of us put on 10-20 lbs, unfortunately (some gain much more, but that 10-20 lb bounce back happens to most of us, it seems). I gained 10 during that period, and then put on 10 more over the last year or two. I'm trying to lose that last 10 (I don't want to take off all 20 because I got too thin for awhile). The simple answer is to cut calories and/or increase your activity (and preferable both) - but I know that's easier said than done.

I still track my food at almost six years out. I know from tracking that if I stay within the 1500-1700 calorie range, I can maintain my weight. So to lose weight, I have to eat around 1500 pretty consistently (or better yet, under it - but that's tough). Looking back at my records, I'd been eating at the high end of that pretty consistently, and often a bit over. So I had to gradually pull myself back. It's easiest to do it if you just cut 100 calories at a time - do that for two or three weeks, and then cut another 100. You don't notice the drop as much if you do it gradually.

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Thanks for the helpful words!

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That was a very helpful answer. I’m 8 yrs post and I’ve gained 30 and the more I try to diet and fail the scales go up. I’m trying not to freak out.
So what I hear is 1500 cal max, and exercise.

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5 hours ago, dls7983 said:

So what I hear is 1500 cal max, and exercise.

There is no maximal calorie allotment. You also don't need to exercise to lose weight.

Exercise definitely has benefits (like preserving muscle mass when done properly) but you don't have to exercise to lose weight.

Essentially you need to be in a calorie deficit and the amount of calories people need to maintain their weight is very, very different.

You seem to be quite short - depending on how active you are 1500 kcal might as well be your maintenance amount.

Quote

’m 8 yrs post and I’ve gained 30 and the more I try to diet and fail the scales go up.

So you've already come to the conclusion that dieting is not the right thing to do for you so asking about a certain calorie limit is rather moot anyway.

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12 hours ago, dls7983 said:

That was a very helpful answer. I’m 8 yrs post and I’ve gained 30 and the more I try to diet and fail the scales go up. I’m trying not to freak out.
So what I hear is 1500 cal max, and exercise.

I agree with summerset. Calorie ranges are a very individual thing and depend on some many factors - age, gender, body composition (people with more muscle tend to burn more calories), metabolic level, activity level, etc etc etc. There are people on here who can't eat more than 1200 calories/day, and others who can eat 2000 a day.

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I’m 64, and been on a diet wagon since having babies. I’m not a big exercise person either.

You read my right when you say not wanting to be on a diet. But...lm not giving up. I don’t want to continue down this road because it’s stressful to me and my body to carry the excess weight. But I cannot seem to say on a diet.

Just watched Dr V and he said morning smoothie, lunch big salad, dinner meat and veggies. I think it might be simple enough for me to restart loosing again.

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13 minutes ago, dls7983 said:

Just watched Dr V and he said morning smoothie, lunch big salad, dinner meat and veggies. I think it might be simple enough for me to restart loosing again.

Choose a diet you can be on longterm.

If Dr. V's diet agrees with you... it's certainly not a bad one. You might want to look into Dr. Weiner's approach as well. He has quite a few videos on youtube as well.

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I am almost 7 years out. I lost 148lbs now I’ve gained about 40 back. So I’m desperately trying not to sink.... I have also been thinking about a revision however I would like to try fitness and back to calorie counting.

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I’m not as far out as many of you, but I stalled on weight loss for a long, long time (roughly 6 mo). I’ve found that if I plan meals in advance and just don’t touch sugar, I do so much better in overall daily calories. If I can reduce the number of choices I make around food, it’s just easier. Maybe Dr V is right? I’d just make sure that whatever food parameters you use, they are foods you enjoy (so you can stick with it)!

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Sandrap31, I feel your pain. I was reading through many post and it has given me hope that I can not only get back on track but continue to loose more weight I was 264 when the door open for me to do the sleeve and I lost down to 176 but now I’m sitting at 204, and to be honest I’ve gotten back into eating processed foods and sugar. So I’m going to turn around and track eating and enjoy some exercise.

Im 64, and been on a diet wagon since having babies. I’m not a big exercise person either.

You read my right when you say not wanting to be on a diet. But...lm not giving up. I don’t want to continue down this road because it’s stressful to me and my body to carry the excess weight. But I cannot seem to say on a diet.

Just watched Dr V and he said morning smoothie, lunch big salad, dinner meat and veggies. I think it might be simple enough for me to restart loosing again.

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Summerset, thank you, I will check out Dr Weiner’s video.

I’m 64, and been on a diet wagon since having babies. I’m not a big exercise person either.

You read my right when you say not wanting to be on a diet. But...lm not giving up. I don’t want to continue down this road because it’s stressful to me and my body to carry the excess weight. But I cannot seem to say on a diet.

Just watched Dr V and he said morning smoothie, lunch big salad, dinner meat and veggies. I think it might be simple enough for me to restart loosing again.

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Whatever you decide to do: ask yourself if it's something you might still be fine with in e. g. two years or five years. Of course you can never know if you will really be fine with the approach you choose a few years down the road but giving yourself an honest answer might help you rule out any approach you're uncomfortable with from the beginning on.

So when part of your brain wants to turn around on the heel and run away, screeching "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" when thinking about going to the gym six days a week, living off lean Protein, shakes, no fat, no carbs, no nothing forever - then don't do it. No, you won't "get used to it".

Yes, you can kickstart things with sort of a high-speed diet for a few weeks if you're comfortable with that approach - but have a plan how to proceed from there and ask yourself if it's the time for a kickstart. It might not be the time for a really restrictive short-term diet if you feel very stressed, need lots of energy for your working days, have an injury or acute illness to deal with or if you're prone to reactive bingeing.

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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!
      · 1 reply
      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. 💗

    • 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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