Recidivist

I had one family member and one close friend who were extremely critical of getting weight loss surgery. Both are quite obese themselves. I think they felt either threatened or jealous of the fact that I was doing something to take control of my health and my life.

Same for me. I used to be hot all the time and wanted the aircon high, and after surgery I was always cold. It has gotten better now that I'm 16 months out, but I still tend to run cold. I actually prefer it to being hot and sweaty all the time!

After surgery, I was actually self-conscious at how little I was eating in restaurants and would tell servers I wasn't feeling very well.
The bottom line is that you are doing this for YOU. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks and just be proud that you are doing the right thing for your body and your health.
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When I saw people for the first time in years after I lost all the weight, they generally said nothing about my new size. A couple of people asked if I was feeling okay, and I finally realized that quite a few people thought I might be seriously ill. I started taking the initiative to tell people how great I was feeling after working hard to lose so much weight, and it seemed to make people feel much more comfortable talking about it.

So well said, Krestel! I read things on this site before surgery and thought, "I won't be like that" (such as being tempted by sugar and carbs). Almost all of it turned out to be true. The process is difficult and you will wonder at times why you did this to yourself. And it's still a challenge even at the maintenance phase. AND it's totally worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

All my issues have been things that ppl always told me about on this site oddly enough. I was stupid enough not to really really listen. Im still dealing with what I look like now after having lost the weight and am at a normal weight, but it's all in my head (which ppl told me) BUT you never really understand it until you get there. SO if I had one bit of advice, it would be no matter what ppl tell you and what you read, the experience will be totally soul changing...sometimes bad..but MOSTLY good. It is so worth the journey!!!!!!

After surgery, I was actually self-conscious at how little I was eating in restaurants and would tell servers I wasn't feeling very well.
The bottom line is that you are doing this for YOU. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks and just be proud that you are doing the right thing for your body and your health.
\

I've been in maintenance for a few years now and even though I eat those things occasionally now, I don't very often. In my mind, I still don't have nearly as much stomach real estate as normal people do, so I want to make sure the food I eat is nutritionally dense. A lot of starches aren't. Although I do eat small servings of whole-grain carbs occasionally.

It was about three months, which I think was overly cautious.

I count/limit carbs. I also watch my calories. I’m 20 months out, and been out of weight loss mode for over a year.
i dont think I track because of fear or mistrust or fanaticism. I just do. Its habit, i guess. Plus it sort of speaks to my spreadsheet-loving, anal personality, lol.
Like @Recidivist, my body seems to be very easily influenced by carb limitation. I can quickly drop weight if I cut them out. I don’t know if it makes me gain weight in the same manner though, as haven’t tested it out the other way (i.e., loading up on carbs for an extended period of time).
I average maybe 100g NET cabs these days...which includes my occasional dessert-indulgences. However, while I was in weight loss mode, I was under 20-30g NET carbs...and I really believe this is what fuelled the speed of my weight loss (well, that and my self-imposed calorie restriction). I did this for 6-7 months, and was pretty strict about it.
With that said, I don't think I could have sustained a 20-30g carb level intake indefinitely (nor would I want to...like i said, i love me some dessert)...but I know I can always employ that strategy when needed. In fact, I did it twice already: once after a vacation last year (lost a 5lb gain in less than 2 weeks), and then again just recently (lost a 6lb gain in less than 4 weeks)
Like with everything, do what works best for YOU. If counting/limiting carbs gives you stress/anxiety/decreases your quality of life, then don’t do it. But if you can handle it, then give it a try, from my own personal experience, it seems to work. But yeah, its not for everyone.
P.S. I love food. We have a great relationship ❤️ I just don’t eat as much of it anymore.

I'm 16 months out. I started maintenance at about eight months and experimented with different levels of calories and carbs to stop losing weight but avoid gaining.
I noticed a direct correlation between more carbs and weight gain, more than calories. When I got about seven pounds above my goal, I started limiting carbs to the extent possible. Since then, I've stayed at my goal weight for about six months.
The bottom line: 20g of carbs is great during weight loss but very unrealistic during maintenance. I avoid carbs where possible, but I probably get about 40g per day, which has enabled me to stay at my goal weight. It would be difficult to go much lower than that while trying to eat "normally."
(I'm at about 1,600-1,800 calories per day as well.)

I shared it only with my spouse and a few close friends. I told everyone else that I was on a medically supervised diet through a local hospital, which was technically true.

Its been a year, I talked to the doctor about my progress on May 21. Since I'm 6'0 she recommended I drink a 128 oz and half Water, Protein Shakes to maintain muscle, my calorie intake 1600 and carb intake no more than 20g. I've still been trying to get to 1600 calories. Before I had the talk with the doctor, I was consuming 1200 calories which seems to be easier to maintain 20g carbs with that calorie intake. I was also still losing weight even though I went beyond 20g of carbs. I think I might do my own thing.

I had a leak, but as someone said earlier, it occurred while I was still in the hospital immediately after surgery. They suspected it due to an extremely fast heart rate and high white blood cell count, and it was confirmed by an x-ray after swallowing barium.
I'm not sure whether leaks can occur a few weeks after surgery--but in case that turns out to be the case, you'll be relieved to know that mine was quickly and easily repaired and there were no long-term issues.

All of the above was true for me. I was vigilant about carbs for about the first 7-8 months until I reached goal weight, and I also tried to watch fat as well. (And I had no sugar at all.)
I got to goal weight easily, then kept losing and became rather gaunt. I started adding carbs like bread, rice, etc. and got back "up" to my goal weight--plus about eight pounds. I cut down on the carbs again and went back to goal weight fairly quickly, which is where I've stayed for the the past eight months or so.
I still limit carbs, fat and I consume zero sugar. It's not for everyone, but it works for me.

Hi!!!! June 2020 here! It's the great of total chaos! How is everyone???? I'm personally doing really well but I haven't been on bariatric pal in quite a long time! My surgery date was March 14th 2019. HW: 299
SW: 289
CW: 152


Sent from my LG-Q710AL using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm meeting a professional contact in a coffee shop later today whom I have never seen in person. I was describing what I look like so he could recognize me, and I told him I was "slim." It sort of made my day, because I used to tell people to look for the "big boy." 🙂

Just wanted to share a photo taken hours ago from the giant ferris wheel in Melbourne, Australia (where we are spending the weekend at the Australian Open). Not a great photo, but it shows where I am physically.

It sounds like you are doing everything right and just need to say the course. I will say that your diet is far more important than exercise for your weight loss, and I don't think you need to be terribly concerned about exercising daily if you are doing the food right.
My weight off came of very quickly, which was wonderful at the time. I reached goal weight in about six months and found it difficult to stop losing weight, which was truly bizarre. As a result, I had a very tough time transitioning to maintenance. Slow and steady wins the race!

It sounds like you are doing everything right and just need to say the course. I will say that your diet is far more important than exercise for your weight loss, and I don't think you need to be terribly concerned about exercising daily if you are doing the food right.
My weight off came of very quickly, which was wonderful at the time. I reached goal weight in about six months and found it difficult to stop losing weight, which was truly bizarre. As a result, I had a very tough time transitioning to maintenance. Slow and steady wins the race!

This has been my struggle. I get the the most negative comments from overweight and obese people. And I am thinking, if the solution was so simple, why are the naysayers still obese? My motto for everything is, to each its own. My decision to have a weight loss surgery has no affect on them, why are they so bothered?

This is not an issue that can be resolved from comments on this board. The two of you need to get couples counseling to understand and work through the root cause(s) of the intimacy issues in your relationship. I wish you luck!

This is not an issue that can be resolved from comments on this board. The two of you need to get couples counseling to understand and work through the root cause(s) of the intimacy issues in your relationship. I wish you luck!

I shared it only with my spouse and a few close friends. I told everyone else that I was on a medically supervised diet through a local hospital, which was technically true.

This is not an issue that can be resolved from comments on this board. The two of you need to get couples counseling to understand and work through the root cause(s) of the intimacy issues in your relationship. I wish you luck!