Strangefruit

I had the surgery fall 2012... The first year was great... The end of the second year, I have gained 18lbs and went through menopause... I am wondering if this is common... I still average about 1300 calories a day, but cannot seem to shake this weight gain... On 1/15, I started doing the 5:2 Intermittent Fast Diet... One week out, I am finally down 3.6lbs... I am committed to doing this 5:2 plan for at least a month to see if this gives me the results I need... I have read that a weight gain after menopause is not uncommon, but I thought 18lbs was quite a bit for one year. ????

VSGAnn2014 - if I ate over 1500 calories a day, I'd be over my starting weight... I'm glad it worked for you - it worked for me intially - but I never got to my goal weight and every pound I loss was a struggle... and now, the only way I can lose is to eat 800 calories a day or less... my goal now is to just maintain and feel better...

Sorry, ReallyRosy - I didn't notice you had already posted that article ... my frustration is that - no, I didn't think after losing weight after surgery I would be able to eat anything I wanted ... but I did think I would be able to eat a normal amount of calories for someone of my height and activity ... I was not prepared to have my calories restricted almost as much as my pre- surgery liquid protein fast! The only reason I could do that was I knew it was temporary ... but I cannot go the rest of my life existing on 800 calories or less per day AND working out 6-7 days a week. I walk, I exercise, I do yoga... but I also work full time and have kids... for my lifestyle (and yes - some people manage to do it) working out 7 days a week and eating less than 800 calories per day is not why I had the surgery ... and honestly - had I been told that THAT is what was required for maintenance (I was told to adopt a "healthy eating (normal) lifestyle and exercise ... had I known this was required for maintenance I would not have had the surgery.

Has anyone read the article in th NY Times / NPR also did a story on it ... it specifically tracked folks that had lost weight on The Biggest Loser, but said how your metabolism is permanently changed... even though I had sleeve surgery 3 yrs ago, I cannot LOSE weight if I eat more than 800 calories a day, which is pretty darn low... Here is the article: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/health/biggest-loser-weight-loss.html?_r=0&referer=https%3A%2Ft.co%2FbFjsCgTUDe&referer=http://m.facebook.com (I just noticed it's a Facebook link - if it doesn't work for you, Google NY Times and Biggest Loser...)

So... I'm three years out ... I'm up 25lbs... I am reading - and planned to start - the 5 Day Pouch Test Owners Manual... it is supposed to help sleevers like me who have fallen off the wagon get back to eating correctly and "reset" their pouch to fullness. But ... more and more I am thinking I am tired of counting calories and watching what I eat ... life is stressful and at aged 55, I should be able to come home and have a glass of Merlot of I like and some Brie and triscuits... the holidays are coming and I WANT to have Cookies and muffins and an occasional hot chocolate... The angel on my shoulder reminds me that 25lbs ago, my back, feet and knees didn't hurt... I could use stairs easily and not get winded ... I loved the feel of having collarbones! But then, I think, "Why not be fat? You can buy larger clothes- you're still smaller than you WERE!" *sigh* I need a little more than a nudge ... I am not sure I want to be healthy as much as I am tired of BEING ON A DIET of some kind. I had planned to start the 5 Day Pouch Plan on Saturday ... I'm reading the book first, and am already dreading two days of only Protein shakes and broth. When I did it pre-surgery, I really believed I would never go back... now, I'm not so sure anymore. Thoughts?

Thank you. I'm sure we all love to contribute, but someone who was sleeved two months ago really isn't ready for this particular thread.

I am sorry to read about your struggles, but I have to admit feeling a little better that I am not alone in my struggles... it's HARD and very frustrating.

I can graze on nuts and craisins all day... I have a beach mix with almonds, plantain chips, coconut slivers, yogurt covered raisins and pecans. I keep a measuring cup in the jar to ensure a 1/4 cup serving... If I get too hungry, my blood sugar gets unstable and I get light headed and shaky... Keeping this with me helps at the office or running errands when I need some quick protein. But eating 1290 calories a day using My Fitness Pal, taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator, parking further away AND doing the treadclimber for 30 min every other day would get me maintenance and if I'm lucky - a 1lb loss... So, it's hard even NOT eating crap. BTW, I'm 54 and was sleeved in 2012...

that sounds good. thanks for sharing.

laurak712 - are you vegan? you can eat rice, beans and pasta and eat less than 1500 calories? I can eat beans, but rice and pasta make me ill. What do you eat in a typical day?

I also think LauraK is an exception... Please don't assume if we are struggling we're eating "crap"... 1500 calories a day causes me to gain. I MUST limit my intake to 1100-1200 AND workout 4-5x a week or I gain. Consider yourself very lucky. It doesn't work like that for all of us. I am 5'6" and also started at 240... my lowest weight was 172 and I'm struggling now in the 190s. sorry for the double post... my tablet froze and it appeared my original comment didn't post...

1500 calories a day causes me to gain. I MUST limit my intake to 1100-1200 AND workout 4-5x a week or I gain. Consider yourself very lucky. It doesn't work like that for all of us. I am 5'6" and also started at 240... my lowest weight was 172 and I'm struggling now in the 190s.

Thank you for posting this. Reading this and other posts that seem to say that for some of us, the surgery makes our already sluggish metabolisms even more wonky is encouraging and depressing at the same time ... I generally eat less than 1300 calories a day and cannot lose weight ... ????

I'm 3 years out, I've gained about 35lbs back from my lowest of 172, and really wish I did have. supportive surgeon... My guy is so much if a dick, I actually call him Dr. House (from the Hugh Laurie character)... He's rude and abrasive - I would never have selected him, but with Kaiser Permanente, I didn't have a choice of surgeon ... He's thin as a reed, which really makes my wonder why he went into Bariatric surgery, but he's such a dick, he made me cry in the hospital when I was dehydrated and couldn't even eat ice chips. I bought a Bowflex Treadclimber hoping to help with my exercise - I absolutely hate it, but continue to use it because I don't want my family to say, "I told you so"... I've stopped using the elevator at work, I walk around the building at lunch time, I log everything I eat in My Fitness Pal and still cannot get the scale to move. Reading about others opinion that this surgery messes up our metabolism is comforting while at the same time depressing. *sigh*

Today is the beginning of Week 3 with the 5:2... I am encouraged as I have lost at least 2lbs each week... Today is a particularly hard fast day though... (My fast days are Monday and Thursday)... A lot of head hunger... I ate my two daily gummie Vitamins and found myself craving more! I was lookin around for something more to eat like my always hungry beagle! My "goal" is to stick to this plan for at least a month ... If I am successful, then I should be back close to my lowest weight since surgery... And then I will feel like that number is within reach... I keep reminding myself that this should be easy for anyone who had to do a two week pre-surgery Protein Shake fast...if I could do THAT, then surely I can do this! Whatever I am craving today, I *can* have tomorrow!

It's really easy... I use FF low sodium chicken broth - but you can use beef or vegetable broth if you prefer... Here is the BASIC recipe, but I use whatever spices i have on hand and substitute vegetables per my mood... 2/3 c sliced carrot 1/2 c diced onion 3 c broth 1/2 c green beans 1 tbs tomato paste 1/2 tsp basil 1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 chopped zucchini Use nonstick spray and sauté carrot, onion and garlic...add other ingredients, bring to a boil ... Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft. I like to use sea salt, shredded carrots, fresh green beans and more zucchini...I also add green onions and peppers... I also eat with hot sauce or Tabasco sauce, but I like spices... Oh and today marks the end of week one of the 5:2... I am down 3.6lbs!! Wooot wooot!!

Today is a fast day... I made a pot of that weight watchers 0 point vegetable soup for fast days...it works out to be about 21 calories for a 1 cup bowl. Nice and filling... I had a protein shake with frozen fruit in the blender for breakfast, the veggie soup for lunch and will have a nice salad with chicken on it for dinner... The advantage that some of us have from others doing this plan, is that having to fast for TWO WEEKS living on only protein shakes pre surgery makes this one day fast seem like butter. Oooh...shouldn't think about butter on fast days.

This is the end of Day 1 of my fast for the 5:2 plan...It is going really well... I really haven't been that hungry, except for head hunger... I had planned to have protein shakes for all 3 meals with some tweaks- am, vanilla with frozen fruit, lunch - chocolate with added powdered instant coffee and powdered unsweetened cocoa (cuts some of the shake sweetness), and I have planned another vanilla shake for dinner... when it occurred to me - I could have a Green Giant steamers broccoli and cheese sauce...the entire box is less than the protein shake, and it's way more filling, physically and psychologically... I am stoked! That sets me in for the day at 494 calories! And, I did my yoga tape today, so I feel really good...

I think I'm gonna try this... I'm worried that I won't last or it won't work, or that I'll feel ill (light headed or shaky) at work and punk out and eat... But I'm gonna try.

I started out at 255 and got down to 172... My goal was 165, but I looked and felt good at 172... It's been two years and I am now at 192, and not happy about it at all... I am eating (usually) within MyFitness Pal caloric intake (1300 cal per day) but not able to lose weight - I know I need to bump up my exercise but my primary "thing" was walking and my weight gain has exacerbated my plantar fasciitis and just routine walking is painful... (I know, excuses)... I felt so good when I lost the weight, but can't seem to get in sync again... I would like to try the 5:2 fast plan, but usually when I get really hungry I get jittery and light headed... Could I do the whole fast day using protein shakes? I need to do something to kickstart my weight loss...

Domawa, I wouldn't worry... you are on i.v. fluids during the surgery, that is likely most of the weight you have gained... you will lose that and level off and begin losing regularly... Try to just relax, follow your docs orders and get better... and stay off the scale for about a week!

AmyLu chicken burgers sound great... I am going to look for them. I don't want to EVER drink another Protein shake if I don't have to though, so I will pass on the premier shakes (that's the brand I used to drink)... Thanks!

Glad to hear the surgery went well! Good luck on your continued recovery and weight loss!

I don't know what to tell you, except it sounds like at least your insurer WILL cover you... lots of folks have to self pay or go to Mexico. My insurer made me wait a year - a full YEAR - from request to surgery, and even though I thought I would never get there, I finally did. Have you read: "The Emotional First+Aid Kit" A practical guide to life after bariatric surgery? It's by Cynthia L Alexander, PsyD, and I didn't read it until AFTER my surgery, but I wish I had read it before. I recommend it highly... Good luck on your journey!

It *will* get better... I am 16 mos out and JUST starting to feel like myself again. I regretted my surgery and people would say, "Oh, but you look so good! How could you regret it!?" But I did... I missed my old friend - food. You will learn new coping mechanisms... new ways to eat... I thought I would never be able to get by without rice - I *loved* rice... I can no longer eat it. That may not be the case for you... Many sleevers tolerate rice.. I cannot. I can eat noodles, however, but not a lot. I cannot eat chicken breast at all. It is too dense...I use boneless, skinless thighs for recipes that call for breast... I am finally able to "eyeball" food and know what is an appropriate amount for me.. I can drink a LITTLE while I eat, but generally, I take tiny sips and it is not uncommon for me to leave a dinner table with a full glass of tea...but then I take it with me and nurse it all night. I still have occasional accidents - for me that is eating ONE BITE too much - and feeling uncomfortably full until I throw up... It happened to me a lot the first few months, but now I know that something as small as one more shrimp can be too much. I am battling a cross addiction (I understand it is not unusual for people with food addictions to latch onto new things) of shopping. I spend WAY too much time on etsy, ebay and Amazon.com... For a while, I had a good excuse because I needed new clothes, but now I have to give myself limits or I will go overboard. I once had 4 packages arrive in the mail on a single day and I had no idea what was in any of them! :-) Sorry, I got off topic... but I wanted you to know that you are not alone..it is not unusual to regret the surgery... I did for the first 8 mos... I didn't regret HAVING it, but if I had the decision to do over again, I would not have had it. Now - 16 mos out, I can finally say that perhaps I *would* do it again. It's been a wild ride and it's not over!