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So earlier this week I was battling with some lack of focus in my efforts to stay on track. I am 1 year post-surgery, have lost a good amount of weight, but I still have about 30 pounds to go before I get to my goal weight and goal BMI. I have been stalled for a while and I was feeling down. I want to thank you all for sharing your stories on this forum! Reading all your experiences, troubles, successes, and thoughts has re-energized me to lead the healthy life that I know I need. I live pretty far from my hospital so it's hard for me to attend the once a month support groups that they offer. This on-line forum has allowed me to check in each day with others who are fighting the same battles that I am and has provided me a way to reach out to others who know the road we are all on. I may stay on forever, I may stay on for a couple of weeks, but this forum and all of you came along at the right time for me. So thanks!

Despite the cruddy overcast weather, I’m feeling oh so good. I was in beast mode at the gym. Did a ten min warmup, my weights (went heavier today), then a 30 min intense interval training on the bike. My sweat was literally dripping all over the machine. Lol. Out of consideration for others, I did wipe it down with the cleaner they have available. Just wish others would do the same. Anyway, feeling pretty good here, and healthy. Just finished a 3oz snack of a Greek Quinoa Salad. Yum. Full of nutritious goodies. Y’all have yourself a blessed day. Off to the mall....

I got this advice below from my surgeon this week (I get an email from them most weeks with helpful info and videos - it’s kinda cool). I’m Australian so it’s using the metric system but it might be helpful to you. We often get asked from those patients with a sleeve gastrectomy whether the sleeves will stretch over time.The short answer is yes, all sleeves do stretch over the years. The sleeve reduces the size of the stomachs capacity from around 1.5L down to 200ml. This good news is this sleeve will keep this capacity down to 200 ml for several years. After the 3-4 year mark the capacity will increase to around the 300- 400ml mark but it stops at that size. It’s important to remember that the sleeve is merely a tool to help on hunger control and portion control. What's just as important is to modify our eating behaviours - getting used to small regular portions, eating proteins first and being mindful of our eating patterns. We need to be mindful of the difference between when our body needs fuel versus eating for emotional issues (tiredness, stress, boredom etc.). The emotional (non hungry) eating patterns are what often drives weight regain. Make the behavioural changes in the first 2-3 years when the sleeve is at it’s tightest and you’ll be rewarded by long term weight control and you'll be able to avoid weight regain. Watch the video below for more insights.

Hello everyone. So today was my first Post Op appointment. My surgery was Jan 30th 18. I am proud to say I am down 15 pounds!!!!!! HW 235 SW 230 CW 220 I was feeling a little discouraged and down this past week because giving up food was hard for me but this definitely gave me that confidence I needed! I’m happy to say I don’t regret this surgery! Looking forward for the future! Would also love to hear anyone else’s stats

I like that yes it is your year of victory!!! Be encouraged and stay encouraged!!!! Yes my challenge is gas right now!!! I’m doing well with exercise/walking!!! Also need to improve my fluid intake!! But I’m just three days in this process there’s only room to get better!! We shall do this [emoji2][emoji1491][emoji1440]‍♀️[emoji817][emoji847]

Drinking postop is wild. For me, I would get exceedingly drunk off half of a drink...and then mentally sober up just as quickly, which I could keep drinking through and not feel drunk anymore. Obviously, I'd still be drunk, but didn't feel it at all. It started very innocently this way for me, and quickly led to a couple years of alcoholic behaviours. These days, I can control it, but I had to take about 9 months away from alcohol altogether. I limit myself to 1 drink and if I'm with people who can't fathom that, I just won't drink with them at all. Additionally, I am convinced that it completely derailed my weight loss.

Hubby and I celebrate with trips to a more upscale hot tub gardens, get a room with a fireplace and a waterfall, and let the world melt away for a couple hours. We also still eat! We both love adventurous dining, I just eat a hell of a lot less now. My bestie and I celebrate with trips to antique stores, plays, and just hanging out doing art together. For home with friends....rather than pizza, chips and soda......we do crockpots of white chicken chili and veggies with hummus. We still play stupid games, watch movies and hang out together. Hasn't changed that much:) And there's still some junk food around....but we're better about making sure the main meal is healthier. I love to celebrate with my kiddo and hubby by doing something in nature. Kiddo and I both love nature photography, horseback riding, canoeing and hiking:) We celebrate hubby's victories with small plane rides. Flyboy needs to stretch his wings every so often:)

Congrats! My wife just had the same conclusion, and I am excited to go on that road as well. Best of luck to you!

The reason you can have more now is because the extreme swelling from surgery is starting to go down. Plus, as Creekimp said everything you are eating (liquids, yogurt, etc) is just sliding right through your pouch. Taking an hour to eat yogurt is a long time. My surgeon recommends that we eat our meals in 30 minutes (and at 2 weeks out we were on 4oz of pureed). I think you're fine - but if you do have concerns you can always call your surgeons office to discuss them.

I don't consider myself a true veteran since I'm only 2.5 years out, but I'll respond since this website considers those with more than 1 year of bariatric surgery experience 'vets.' I maintain with the following phrases repeating themselves in the crevices of my brain: "Obesity isn't curable, ever. Obesity is incurable. Obesity can't be cured." Let me explain...while obesity can be placed into remission by achieving a normal weight, the formerly fat person's internal biochemistry will always favor fat storage. There's a reason so many bariatric surgery patients regain some or all of their lost weight: we can't ever eat like our naturally thin counterparts who can eat junk and stay at low body weights. The formerly fat person's body is in the weight-reduced state. A naturally thin woman who has been 130 lbs her entire adult life maintains far easier than a 130-lb woman who once weighed 300 lbs. The weight-reduced, formerly fat 130-lb woman's metabolic rate is slower than that of the naturally thin woman, burning on average 300 to 500 less calories daily even though both ladies have the same heights, weights, and body fat percentages. This is why formerly fat people are primed to regain. In essence, I'll always need to be vigilant. I exercise. I have no forbidden foods. I try to avoid the slippery slope of eating junk and crap because staying on track is easier than getting back on track. Good luck to everyone who fights the battle of the bulge. The battle is lifelong.