ms.sss

Bha-hhahahahahahha 😂

My waist is now smaller than my right thigh was 7 months ago.

Kale chips?

I guess for me, I sort of got into maintenance abruptly, as I decided to stop losing before I reached my original goal weight (I felt like I was getting too small for my liking), so I didn't have the opportunity to plan an ease into maintenance. I was eating very low calories (comparatively) and moving to a maintenance calorie level for me is quite a big jump...and I until I get there, I am going to assume that I will keep losing weight, and I really don't want to do that (given that think that I'm too small now). But your are right in the sense that there are other struggles that those in maintenance experience besides this. Maybe we will hear more about these soon

I am so encouraged by how you maintainers show how you eat like "regular" people. Yours looks carb heavy to me, but I understand that all your exercise/activity warrants it (like @Healthy_life2). Part of my long term maintenance plan is to get 2x a week of strength training in (which I have been avoiding, because, well, I hate it), so I am going to have to address my carb phobia eventually. Can't wait to be able to say this myself

Beautiful!

@Healthy_life2, @allwet @sillykitty: as Sleeve maintainers, do you still wait 30 mins to drink after eating. (I'm not convinced this rule is applicable to maintaining sleevers as the pyloric valve intact...??)

I didn't forget...just finished my walk, as promised, slower than normal, but still an hour . Good night!

When the mixture was put in the fridge, I gave it a mix/shake after 15 mins then again 15 minutes after that. I think if i didn't it would have turned out clumpy as well.

I have jumped on the Chia Pudding Bandwagon! Base Pudding has 5 ingredients: Chia seeds, cashew milk, stevia, vanilla extract & salt. I added some chocolate-flavoured protein powder and some pumpkin seeds. 4.2g Net Carbs, rest of macro data in screenshot below. It's delicious, but is more filling than I thought it would be....ate a little more than half of it (the MFP data is for the entire serving though, will probably eat the rest tomorrow). Before: After:

...if only we could ALL be outliers *sigh* (and i don't hate you )

Thanks for this!

You are both right. My mindset is still in transition from weight loss to maintenance. The idea of doing something so different from what I've been doing for the past several months is just head shaking to me. This really is a mind f*ck. Do you ladies find you eat more food overall (lots of healthier options), or just eat more foods with higher calories (adding more treats and off-plan items)? Or a combination of both?

yep, this is what I do (even at 7 months post op). I time 10 minutes on my watch between every 3-4 bites. It results in me taking FOREVER to finish a meal, but at least I can avoid that pressure feeling (most times, at least). On the bright side, I have learned to appreciate room-temperature food.

OMG. there would be no way I could get 2000 in...unless I eat pure sugar and chase it down with some olive oil (and even then, my body would probably barf it up).

How many daily calories on average do you maintain at? (and does your exercise level affect that?)

...well that's a way better word than the one i have been using ("maintenance-er"). Duh.

That does look yum!

you know what, you went. and did something. that counts as a win. I'll do my walk tonite

yeah that was my plan also, but I went up to 800 on on the second day due to a party and figured I could do it. I've been at 1000 (not consistently, though) for over a week now and its honestly tiring (and the fact that I'm losing weight is not helping). That's it. I'm going back down to 800 for sanity's sake.

Some observations surrounding eating today, which may be hampering my efforts: 1. In an effort to get more calories in, I am eating when I am not hungry. This goes against so much of what I think I should be doing and messing with my mind. I mean I am already full (-ish)..why am I putting more food into my mouth?!?! Isn't this what got me to my pre-op weight in the first place?!?! 2. I do not like the feeling of fullness. I realize I much rather prefer the feeling of an empty (or near empty) stomach. I just spent the last 1.5 hours eating my first meal of day (albeit at my desk while doing some work) and I am definitely full. Not so full that I am in pain or need to barf, but enough that I know if I take another bite I will. Its almost as if my entire body is full (chest, arms, legs, head), not just my stomach. And I don't particularly like how it feels. I feel almost sluggish and bloated/swollen. The fact that I need to keep doing this all day, and as a consequence feel like this all day has got me bummed. 3. When I first started upping my calories, I went from an average of 600-650 to 1000. I think this may have been too fast (and contributing to my ickiness). I scheduled myself to go to 1100 tomorrow, but will wait another week instead. I'm even contemplating going back down to 850-900 for a while? What do you think, maintenance-ers? 4. (Off-tangent) For some reason, the last meal I have each day, whenever and whatever it happens to be, seems to be the easiest to get down and not feel yuck after. I wonder if there is some causal effect in there somewhere...

do it, do it, do it! If you go, I'll do another 1 hour walk after dinner tonite (on top of the 1.5 hour walk I already did this morning). pinky swear.

How long have you been below your desired weight?

I'm sort of in the same boat. I'm in the process of gradually increasing my calories to stop the weight loss. Like you, I get full pretty quickly so I am resorting to grazing all day to get the calories in. I've only minimally upped my carbs and fat and am trying to make up the calories by volume, but I'm not sure this is going to work for very long. I know I'm going to have to up those macros, but I'm not mentally ready for that yet. As for exercise, I didn't/don't want to reduce the amount I do...for me, I think its important to stay active (and I also kinda like it now, lol). I started a "Maintenance Thread", to get the conversation going on this topic...you can check it out (it just started )

Another day, another end-of-day carb deficit, so another opportunity to eat something a little more carb-y for dinner last night... Green Apple-Pistachio salad with Feta Cheese and Radish bits and a splash of Maple Vinaigrette. Ate it all. (Forgot to put something beside it for size comparison, but it was about the size of my palm)