Hi every one I am new here I had my surgery on October 24,2023 my date of surgery weight was 322 and I am currently 198.6 which at times I can not believe how much I have lost but at other times when I am in a stall I feel like it goes so slow even though I am grateful the way my body looks or the way I see myself in the mirror places tricks in my head I also want to know how you guys stay consistent with working out and eating healthy all the time because now at almost a year out I am scared from all the weight gain stories and I am scared because now I eat a little more than before and I just want to go back and I am so scared. My nutritionist suggested this app and so far I love reading everybody story.

3 hours ago, Astrid0511 said:

Hi every one I am new here I had my surgery on October 24,2023 my date of surgery weight was 322 and I am currently 198.6 which at times I can not believe how much I have lost but at other times when I am in a stall I feel like it goes so slow even though I am grateful the way my body looks or the way I see myself in the mirror places tricks in my head I also want to know how you guys stay consistent with working out and eating healthy all the time because now at almost a year out I am scared from all the weight gain stories and I am scared because now I eat a little more than before and I just want to go back and I am so scared. My nutritionist suggested this app and so far I love reading everybody story.

I’m a few years out so I have a little bit of perspective. I think staying consistent in a sustainable way is the key. Inly commit to drastic changes you can see yourself continuing 5-10 yrs later. It’s the only thing you can really control, everything else happens on a biological level.

Also try to avoid diet/lifestyle creep. Special occasions diets (birthday cake, peeps, royal icing cookies, apple pies, stuffing and pies, gingerbread houses, eggnog etc) should stay where they belong. Don’t do it all of the time. There’s always going to be special occasions but they don’t have to derail months worth of progress (l’m looking at you November/December!).

Congratulations in advance on your surgery anniversary ❤️

I am one of those regain stories and my best advice would be to stay involved here and at any in person groups available to you. Also keep your follow ups with your team. They keep you accountable. If you do start to regain, reach out here and reach out to your team, and don’t let shame keep you from asking for support. I thought I would be chastised by my team when I finally did go back but they were nothing but kind and compassionate. They said obesity is complex and we just needed to approach it from a different angle. All they wanted was to help. Also, most of the people that regain don’t regain all their weight by eating bigger portions of healthy food. It’s when the bad food choices start to creep in that the pounds really start to add up. Having a healthy level of concern about regain will work to your advantage but don’t worry about it so much that you aren’t enjoying your fantastic healthier body right now. Congratulations on your loss and keep doing what you’re doing.

Like @GreenTealael, I agree finding a way of eating that is sustainable is key. If you choose to follow an eating style that is too restrictive or makes you feel like you’re missing out or can’t participate, it is destined to fail like any diet we tried to follow in the past. And same with whatever exercise you choose to incorporate. If you don ‘t enjoy the exercise, find it restricts or limits your lifestyle, you aren’t’ going to continue with it. Of course, over time you will find you make adjustments or swap out certain foods or activities as your way of eating or exercise routines evolve. You may explore other options, discover you can have a little of this or that occasionally, try a different activity, or you have lifestyle changes. Do I eat exactly like I did when I first stabilised? No. I can actually eat more but the modifications I’ve made are pretty close to how it was and it still works for me & allows me to maintain at the same weight.

You have to be vigilant and keep working at it though. Complacency is a slippery slope. Don’t be afraid to seek support & help with therapy if you find yourself sliding back to habits and behaviours. We can’t always do all of this on our own.

All the best.

Congratulations on having the surgery and your loss.

I agree with the other comments above.

Don't see this is a restrictive diet as that will possibly become unsustainable thinking and lead to bringing back bad habits and what might be a cheat day becomes cheat days/weeks/months. I believe it is about finding balance and enjoyment in what you are doing, enjoy the food you are eating but obviously in smaller portions and try to make the healthier choice between fried and grilled foods etc. I also plan my grocery shopping based on what I want to cook and eat for a week and don't buy off list, that way when at home I don't have anything 'bold' to eat and I am not going to go to the shop just for a bag of popcorn (boy do I miss popcorn).

I am not one who enjoys exercise and tried gyms, yoga, running, zumba before over the years but I have found over the last few months that once I start a pilates class, aqua aerobics or go for a walk that I am more relaxed so I think finding an activity you like and trying to keep to some sort of routine will help as well, for me that is paying in advance for classes, so I can't opt out

4 hours ago, FifiLux said:

Congratulations on having the surgery and your loss.

I agree with the other comments above.

Don't see this is a restrictive diet as that will possibly become unsustainable thinking and lead to bringing back bad habits and what might be a cheat day becomes cheat days/weeks/months. I believe it is about finding balance and enjoyment in what you are doing, enjoy the food you are eating but obviously in smaller portions and try to make the healthier choice between fried and grilled foods etc. I also plan my grocery shopping based on what I want to cook and eat for a week and don't buy off list, that way when at home I don't have anything 'bold' to eat and I am not going to go to the shop just for a bag of popcorn (boy do I miss popcorn).

I am not one who enjoys exercise and tried gyms, yoga, running, zumba before over the years but I have found over the last few months that once I start a pilates class, aqua aerobics or go for a walk that I am more relaxed so I think finding an activity you like and trying to keep to some sort of routine will help as well, for me that is paying in advance for classes, so I can't opt out

If you have in person support groups you may also be able to find an exercise buddy. I met a lady the other night at mine and we exchanged numbers so we can walk together if I can handle the heat. She does 5 miles a day so I won’t be able to do the whole time witb her right away but hopefully she won’t mind backtracking a bit or I can just turn back alone until I can get caught up to her distance wise. I plan to see what I actually can do to start on my own so I don’t kill myself trying to keep up with her though but wheni had the sleeve I never did exercise or go to support meetings and this time I’m three weeks out and already ordered my walking shoes. The support groups really do work.

On 8/30/2024 at 11:36 AM, FifiLux said:

I also plan my grocery shopping based on what I want to cook and eat for a week and don't buy off list, that way when at home I don't have anything 'bold' to eat and I am not going to go to the shop just for a bag of popcorn (boy do I miss popcorn).

Sorry to be so out of the blue, but I have popcorn all the time haha! Girl you can enjoy popcorn for sure (salted tho).

3 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

Sorry to be so out of the blue, but I have popcorn all the time haha! Girl you can enjoy popcorn for sure (salted tho).

I have had it a couple of times post-op (ooh it was so delicious and salty) but as pre-op I used to consider popcorn a food group in its own right and should have appeared in the food pyramid I am trying to stay away as much as possible. I used to have bowls of it every weekend and even during the week if I couldn't be bothered cooking dinner I would make a large saucepan of salted popcorn.

Like potatoes now, for me it is something that will be an occasional treat but not to become a staple in my cupboard.

Ok, so I'm 2 years and 4 months out from my 1st surgery and 1 year 3 months out from my revision. I'm still losing (trying to stop losing but so far I'm still losing an average of 4 pounds per month) so I haven't experienced the rebound weight gain yet.

I can tell you I eat popcorn all the time. I also eat smokehouse almonds, cheese cubes, salami and/or peperoni slices for snacks. I eat Rebel ice-cream, keto brownies, sliced apples mixed with fresh blueberries and raspberries, Greek yogurt with fresh berries and monk fruit sweetener mixed in, keto cake with sugar free icing, French toast with keto bread, fresh berries, and sugar free syrup.

If I want "guilty" food, I have something like steak, 2 spoonfuls peas mixed with mozzarella cheese, and 2 spoonfuls of Bob Evans mashed potatoes. I don't tolerate carbs very well, so I have to be careful with them. I also have kettle chips fried in avocado oil, 1 packet (instead of my former usual 2-3) of oatmeal such as cinnamon apple or banana cream, and minestrone soup and crackers (only like 4 or 5).

Everything is a balance. Nothing in excess, no large portions, no "off plan" foods too often. Just a little here and there and whatever you have should be fine. Just remember to keep working out, keep moving your body, keep prioritizing protein and you should be good.

im 6 years out next month.

for the past 3-4 years i can (and do!) eat anything/everything in small amounts.

(this includes all the things most say they don't eat or drink). i average 2000-2300 cals a day. and i've stayed below goal weight this entire time. and have not needed to buy bigger clothes lol.

but i also exercise quite a bit. the exercise is all things i really enjoy doing so its not "work" for me.

balance is important, but also getting rid of the idea and thought processes that something is bad or not allowed or forbidden or whatever. because this usually leads to angst and shame and guilt that does nobody any good.

On 9/1/2024 at 8:22 PM, ms.sss said:

, but also getting rid of the idea and thought processes that something is bad or not allowed or forbidden or whatever. because this usually leads to angst and shame and guilt that does nobody any good.

Yes! This has been my problem. I never want to eat something so badly as when I can't have it. I'm not doing cheat meals at the moment because I need to lose the weight for my surgery, but telling myself "I can have this later" helps. And after surgery, I may not even want it.