Polara

Babbs kinda took the thoughts right out of my head! I hit goal in 10 months (248-135). Maintained for 2 years and now that I am over 3 years out, i have gradually gained about 10 lbs. Year 3 is no joke. I never had a problem getting off a few pounds and now it seems these pesky ones don't want to leave me. I am not terribly disappointed as I feel I look a little healthier but my pants are starting to not fit right and I swear I will NOT go up a size. That is a slippery slope for me. As Babbs said, good for you on making goal and your attitude is AWESOME. I swear some times that is half the battle. Just be prepared that what works for you RIGHT NOW for maintenance might change the further down the line you get. Awareness is key! That is my motto. Be aware and mindful of my actions and what I put in my mouth. And don't ever think you got this under control for life. These boards have been my lifeline for the past 3 years. I may not post often, but I am on here reading and soaking up everyone's wisdom. I wish you luck and a sincere CONGRATS on your success thus far! Lorie Thanks! I try to maintain a positive attitude and outlook because I will become insanely anxious and paranoid otherwise. That's part of the territory that comes with my mental illness, and I find that sometimes the residual paranoia that always lurks in the back of my mind (regardless of anything including my medication, it will never be 100% gone, I've just learned to cope with it) can rear up a bit at the thought of backsliding even the smallest amount because I absolutely refuse to get where I was...or even above my personal goal if possible! I have been told that maintenance needs change as time progresses, it is something I am very aware of. My surgeon, bariatric nurse, and NUT have reminded me time and again. It's always going to be a process and a work in progress, but I feel that making the right choices in regard to the foods I choose to put into my body and my levels of activity will help me stay on the right path. One of the things that has been said again and again is that this isn't a diet...it's a lifestyle change. This process isn't only physical, but mental as well. It's re-evaluating your relationship with food and reforging a new, healthier way of life and how you nourish yourself in all aspects, especially your body. There will be temptation, and nobody is ever perfect 100% of the time...but being cognizant of the things you are eating (I use MyFitnessPal for tracking absolutely everything) so if pounds do return you can see where things are going wrong is a big help, I am sure! Though what I need to do for maintenance will change over time, my desire to persevere and stick to the progress I have made will not. As time progresses, I will adjust as needed to keep myself healthy and where I want to be. The decision to have surgery and change my lifestyle is not something that was taken lightly and I know it is for life and is in no way a quick fix or instant solution. I apologise for this diatribe, but I was a bit triggered in regard to my paranoia this morning after reading the reply to my post. I understand that it was meant to be helpful, but the paranoia got kicked off quite a bit and I stressed nearly all day. Perhaps explaining myself and why I am so positive that I'll have long term success is my way of justifying the fact that I made my original post about getting below the goal set by my surgeon and then sticking to it within a few pounds after only a bit over 9.5 months. I just felt the need to get this off my chest so I can feel less like I have to be in "defensive mode" and can continue trying to feel comfortable enough to form supportive bonds here. Sorry again for the diatribe...I feel really awful for the two huge defensive verbal wall of text posts, but my mind won't rest until I get things out.

You don't sound like a d**k, and I get where you are coming from. Yes, I haven't been out of surgery long, and yes, I am aware of the "honeymoon period." My surgeon and support staff went over all that with me time and again before I made the decision to have the surgery. Nothing is a magical "fix-all" to obesity or weight issues, and yes, it will be constant work. A large part of my weight issue stemmed from a psychiatric medication that I was given, as I mentioned earlier. It is called Zyprexa, and this is a very well-known side effect. It made my appetite go through the roof, and though my psychiatrist stopped it after a meeting with my GP and my appetite went back to "normal," the weight wouldn't come off. I followed a medically supervised diet to the T and went through the whole "yo-yo" effect because yes, the body does get used to having a new "normal" weight when you are obese and as far as I have been told, surgery is the only thing that can actually have a true long-term effect. It has now been written in every medical folder I have, psych and physical, that I cannot be put onto weight positive medication again, so if this fails, it is all on me. I have a will of Iron...always have. It is one of the reasons I was so frustrated on my medically supervised diet where I was focusing on following it to the letter, doing what I was told, and having no success. I'm not saying I am better or worse off at anything than anyone else, but we are all different people with different backstories who have gone through different struggles. Most of the staff at my surgeon's office are bariatric patients themselves, many who have been post-op for a long time, and they have had success by following the plan given to them by their surgeon and using the tool they were given. I think that though it will be a struggle in the long term, and there is always the possibility of regain, it comes down to the individual and how closely they follow the lifestyle change they originally set upon and use the "tool" that is surgery. I'm not trying to start some sort of forum flame war and I appreciate your thoughts and advice. I'm in this for the long haul. I wanted to get back to the healthy and active lifestyle I had before my weight gain, and that is what I have set my mind to ensuring happens. If I regain 5-10-15 pounds in a year or two or three, I will work double time like hell to get back to where I am now. There is absolutely nothing worth eating good enough to give up my health for...NOTHING. I see people on my table every day who die from issues related to obesity, and I've made up my mind that will not be me.

As previous posters have mentioned, don't think of this as a diet. It's a lifestyle change and you are essentially giving your relationship with food and eating a total overhaul! Following your surgeon's instructions post-op is really exceedingly important, because as people have mentioned, your tummy is still healing. Forcing food into it that it isn't ready for yet can cause staples to pop, tears, blockages, and all sorts of scary, scary things to happen that will make your recovery time longer and more painful. It is very difficult to deal with lack of variety when it comes to food post-op, so I feel you there! The World According to Eggface and Bariatric Foodie have some great recipes and ideas for noms that are suitable for various stages post-op so that you can whip up something tasty and different! Here are links to their sites: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.co.uk/ http://www.bariatricfoodie.com/ Lots of luck! Xx, Polara <3

I am only a bit over 9 months out, hit my goal weight in June, and in mid-July hit 135 lbs. Since then, my weight has fluctuated between 134 lbs - 136 lbs depending on the time of the month for me and if I've been overdoing the sodium. One of the things that has really helped me maintain my weight is following the eating guidelines given to me by my NUT and bariatric team. I've also become very active and am now part of a women's rugby league again, which is fantastic because rugby was something I had to give up when I became obese since I couldn't do it physically any longer. As a mortician (funeral director), my job does entail lifting quite a bit (caskets and human bodies can be quite heavy!), so that also helps me keep in shape and active, as morbid as it sounds. Overall, I think the combination of following the dietary guidelines I was given and being very physically active has really helped me maintain my weight loss. I don't plan on changing my eating or activity habits, so hopefully, I'll be stable where I am now for the foreseeable future. I am VERY happy here, as this is the weight I was before I gained over 100 pounds due to psychiatric medication, which is what started me on this path (I have severe schizoaffective disorder and was given Zyprexa, which pretty much made me gain 5 pounds the moment I filled the script, no joke). I'm now on a combination of weight-neutral medication that works for me with notes in both my physical and mental health files that I can no longer be put on any medications classified as weight-positive (THANK HEAVENS!). It's been a long, long journey so far...but I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Mine took an hour and a half, and I had a hernia repaired at the same time.

It is a very difficult adjustment at first, but after a while it becomes second nature. Remember that this is a process that does take a great deal of time to get used to because you are changing years and years of eating and drinking habits! As my bariatric team says, "Inch by inch, it's a cinch...yard by yard, it's hard." Take it day by day and bit by bit and you'll get there in the end!

@@leebick How about eggs?

I haven't had noodles or pasta since surgery! They're definitely not on the list of approved foods from my surgeon, so I avoid them. However, I have found that crepes can make a good substitute. I take four eggs and a half cup cottage or ricotta cheese (depends on your tastes, honestly), nuke the eggs and cheese in a blender and then cook the batter in a pan greased with a bit of olive oil. After they cool, I slice them into thin strips and store them for up to 4 days. They are a great low-carb pasta substitute, and I have found that with a little sugar-free syrup and berries can make a great sweet treat. Alternatively, you can store them whole with a bit of parchment or wax paper between them and use them in lieu of bread for wraps. Just a suggestion if you find that you are missing pasta!

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.co.uk/ http://www.bariatricfoodie.com/ <3

I tend to fluctuate between 134-136 lbs. depending on the time of the month or if I've had a bit too much salt. Don't stress - weight can fluctuate for a variety of reasons. As long as you are following the diet and instructions given to you by your surgeon and support staff, you will be fine!

The World According to Eggface and Bariatric Foodie have some great recipes that can carry you through all stages of the post-op diet! They are real lifesavers

I am a huge coffee fiend, myself! My doctor told me that I couldn't have any coffee for a month after surgery because of the acidity, and I did follow his instructions. After that month passed, though...right back on the coffee! I usually have either a skinny latte or Americano with a shot of sugar free syrup when I go to Costa or Starbucks. Most of the time before I leave for work or when I'm at home, I use my Nespresso machine and pour the shot of coffee with a bit of sugar free syrup and a splash of unsweetened roasted almond milk over ice. Investing in some sugar-free syrups off of Amazon and getting a Nespresso machine has saved my hubby and I a TON of money.

Sometimes cooking meat in a slow cooker or by using another method that makes it very moist and tender can be a huge help! That being said, I am 9 months out and pork STILL wrecks me no matter how it's prepared, and I have a friend who can't tolerate red meat at all and she has been out for almost a year! Trial and error is probably the way to go when it comes to figuring out what your tummy can tolerate

I have lost over 100 pounds since my surgery on 9 December 2015 and am now stable at 134-136 lbs. It's still a shock to see myself in the mirror sometimes, and often I don't recognise myself. Clothes shopping is a surreal experience...it can be so hard to purchase things online because though I wear a size US 6 or S/M, I tend to purchase things in larger sizes than I need to because I am so used to being big. Seeing them in a store and actually trying them on helps me quite a bit. There are still times when I ask my husband over and over if something makes me look too large/fat/etc which sometimes drives him crazy because I'm not overweight anymore at all. He totally understands where the insecurity comes from because he knows that there is still a disconnect between what I see in my mind and what I actually look like, and he always reassures me...but I can't wait for my brain and body to sync up!

@@blizair09 Thank you! It's not easy, but it's very worth it in the end...you got this! \o/