Babbs

That the weight doesn't just "fall off" for most people. Although it helps so much having the restriction and general lack of hunger, I've had to work just as hard or harder than any other "diet" I've been on. Oh, and also realizing that this isn't a diet, but a lifestyle change. I was also unprepared for the anxiety I feel the closer I get to goal about maintaining my loss and weight regain. I wouldn't change a thing

Started in April and had surgery in August.

Yes, really! Weight fluctuates. At 52 days out, you know darn well you can't eat enough to gain weight. Just like what was said, Water retention is usually the culprit. Your body is pretty much saying at this point "It's not you. It's me." If the fluctuations are going to drive you bonkers, stay off the scale and only weigh periodically. If you get to the point where you can see them and understand that they are a normal part of the whole process, then carry on.

I totally agree with this philosophy. After all, studies have come out recently stating weight loss is 90% diet. Excerise helps increase metabolism, but if you aren't consuming enough calories, your body tries to hold on to any fat reserves it can. So either eat a little more to compensate, or cut back on the excerise. Either way, you gotta change things up to get out of that stall!

All I know is you are an inspiration to me! I have always looked up to you and what you've accomplished!

That's so awesome! Good for you! Very inspiring post

Aww yes. Drinking your calories. The deadliest sin with WLS patients. I know by experience with my husband. Too many Starbucks coffees, beer and full sugar soda caused a 30 pound gain after he quit smoking.

@@VSGAnn2014 Sorry, I'm going back and forth between Rog's thread and yours. I had coincidently asked Jane the question about why she felt it's easier to gain and harder to lose, and she pretty much backed up what your PA said in #3! So there you go

@@CowgirlJane Totally makes sense! Go look at Ann's thread she started. You just TOTALLY backed up what her follow up said!

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing! I do question #3. I've seen several veterans say that gaining weight a few years out is much easier and losing the weight gained is much harder. I don't believe all of these people are engaging in bad habits. How is that explained then? PS: I'm printing your post and sticking it on my fridge for when I hit maintenence!

@@CowgirlJane I have heard that before. Why do you suppose the body gets so resistant to losing after a few years? Any ideas?

Well, depends on your definition of "a lot". Most people don't go bald, if that's what your asking. I think it all depends on how thick your hair is whether it's noticeable or not. I had very thick hair, and I would say I lost about 25-30% of it. My hairdresser basically stated I knew what "normal" hair felt like now, lol. I started losing at around month 4 or 5, and it slowed at month 8 and just recently stopped at a year out. I think it happens to most people at around 3-5 months. I don't believe there is a whole lot you can do to prevent it. Some people take Biotin, and making sure you're getting all your Protein and Vitamins will help, I don't think it will prevent it completely. It's just kind of a normal part of the process, between the shock of the surgery and the small amount of calories and nutrition you consume, it's going to happen to most. Not all, but most.

I saw my surgeons assistant first 6 weeks, and like you, wasn't happy with the treatment plan he was giving me (complications from GERD), and a couple of other things I didn't agree with ( one being I hadn't actually seen my surgeon since surgery) so I made the decision to also cut ties and be seen by my primary from there on out. I feel it hasn't hindered my health or success at all. WE are THEIR customers. If we aren't happy with the service given, then it is our RIGHT to go elsewhere. As long as health care in this country is for profit, you're darn right I'm gonna go where I feel I'm getting the best care for my money. In other words, I COMPLETELY agree with you taking control of your own health care and going elsewhere.

I think us slower losers are the cream of the crop! We have to learn more patience, be more persistent, and be more resilient than others. It helps us overcome, and builds character I don't know if you can see my stats, but it's taken me a year to lose a little over 80 pounds. I'm still not at goal yet, but close. I had a month long stall at my 6th month, and I had lost 50 pounds at that point. To put it into perspective, my sister started Weight Watchers in January. She has lost 17 more pounds than I have in the same amount of time, and now weighs less than I do. All without having to go through major surgery! Talk about frustrating!! But guess who has the better chance of keeping it off? The thing is, we still lose. It's just not as fast as others, and that's okay. It's not a race, it's for the rest of our lives, so we may as well learn as much as we can about health and nutrition and enjoy the ride! When you finally get to your goal weight, no matter how long it took, it's not going to matter at that point, is it? I know we get battle fatigue. I've been there several times. But you just gotta put on your game face and soldier on. We have no choice, otherwise this will all have been for not. Like Dorie says, we just gotta keep swimming!

@@proudgrammy Do you find you are hungrier, also? And is your volume of food you can consume considerably more? Do you still feel restriction? Sorry for all the questions, but you're a real life success story who is currently in maintenance for a couple years, too! You can be my guinea pig! Anyways, love ya

@ I love that, and you are so right. I am actually learning to listen to the hunger signal. There have been days I've been STARVING, and craving a certain protien like Peanut Butter. When I decide to give in and not fight it and actually eat until I'm satisfied, it never fails, I'll lose weight the next day. I think I'm finally getting the hang of knowing the difference between head hunger and actual physical hunger. It's a work in progress

Haha honestly? I still get bouts of nausea at a year out. Especially in the mornings. And no, I'm not pregnant

Do you like to swim? Would you be comfortable finding a pool you can swim in? I think that would be perfect, low impact excerise for you! Yes, you're pushing tour body too hard. Give yourself a break, and then try to find some nice, low impact ways to move your body

Strange. I was told to have Protein at every meal and no more than 20-25 grams at a time. Since my goal is 100 grams a day so that works out to at least 4 to five meals/snacks. Only after I eat protein I have vegetables and fruit. There are some surgeons who lean toward the plant based diets as opposed to the protien based. There's a surgeon I absolutely love on YouTube (AWESOME videos) named Dr Anthony Weiner who believes that although protien is very important the first few months after surgery, he feels veggies are more important in the long run for long term weight loss and maintenence. He touts the veggies first philosophy. Obviously his views are contraversial in the WLS community. I feel I would STARVE without having that precious protien to satiate me! But I also am finding now that I'm pretty much at goal, I'm trying to eat equal parts of both, simply because veggies have fewer calories, and of course are good for me

My understanding is that it's somehow hormonal (and I'm assuming ghrelin is the hormone). At least that's what my favorite Dr Weiner says. He says while everybody assumes pouches and sleeves get stretched out and cause weight gain, studies show after the honeymoon period at around 18 months and then a year or two out, hormonal changes that happen naturally over time cause us to become hungrier and somehow allow a little more volume to be eaten. Though he didn't say WHY it happens. Anyway, he said there have been studies proving those are the causes of weight regain, not stretching (and obviously diet). I'll have to see how good my Google - fu is and see if I can find some of those studies to answer why it may happen.

Amazing! Nice to see a face to the posts! You're doing just fantastic. I always enjoy your posts. Here to 100 more posts and 100 more pounds!

@@elhinton826@gmail.com Go ahead and start a new thread. You'll get some great advice if you narrow down to a more specific question with a new thread

And don't forget your designated driver! With the surgery, you just don't know how that liter will affect you! You know, other than the pesky empty calories that stall weight loss and coating your newly operated on stomach with ulcer causing compounds. It's not like you just had major, life changing surgery, right? But, like your surgeon said, you're young and want to live in the REAL world!

Interesting! Never thought of those Popsicles having that many carbs! Good info.

I just do Mexican food without any kind of tortilla or shell. Just as good if you ask me!