Spinoza

What a nightmare for you. I think you know so much now about how to manage your diet that hopefully you'll be able to work around the new rules being imposed upon you. It's so unfair that you have to stick to those when you know it's not what you want. I hope the new regime sorts your colitis and you can stay on the immunotherapy - that's what's most important now.

I would like to end 2025 at approximately the weight I start it. Not because I am hung up on a certain figure but because it's where I feel best. And where all my new clothes fit best. I did achieve that goal this year, but only after regaining a goodly chunk and then actively having to diet to get it off again. I don't like dieting and I feel like I shouldn't need to any more - if I use my sleeve properly. It still does its thing as soon as I let it. I know where I went wrong - I stopped tracking and then stopped weighing myself when the stopping tracking resulted in regain. I also allowed myself more alcohol than I needed (drinking empty calories is completely idiotic). I've nipped that right in the bud. I'd like to eat well, keep tracking, and MAINTAIN (ish) this year. Good luck to everyone with their goals and I love the reframing from resolutions, where so many of us have set ourselves up to fail for years.

Look at that photo. It's lovely to see you so happy with the results!

That dress is absolutely stunning on you. Yes I'm a fellow saver for special events here. I'm getting a little better as I get older though (less time)?!

I pureed many different family dinners - just whatever was being made for everyone else! I loved them because they smelled and tasted of actual food after 4 weeks on nothing but protein shakes. They're not for everyone though - mine were smooth baby food texture and lots of people just don't like that. I still used shakes to meet my protein goals for those 2 weeks, or at least get close.

OP you're absolutely doing the right thing getting that lump checked out. Everything crossed for it being nothing at all to worry about. How amazing that you're approaching your first goal - that time has flown! And crossing into a lower stone is such a boost, every time. It's weird how your tastes change. Often I actually want more savoury treats like crisps (potato chips for the USians!) I will have a little pudding/dessert on xmas day though - just a taste or two. After that it'll be back to the cheese board, LOL.

So sorry to hear you lost your grandma OP. You have done amazingly and you look absolutely stunning. I'm sure your grandma was really happy for you too.

OMG yes this!!!! Honestly, 3 years out I still have to have a big think, several times a day, about whether I need to eat or just want to eat. I think this is how it will be forever. Seems a small price to pay for being half my previous size but it is a thing.

I'm in my 50s so also close. I had a sleeve 3 years ago. I'm not exactly sure what you mean when you talk about having it again - do you mean a revision of some kind? Second procedures are necessary for many of us, for many reasons. If we can look at *why* we regained, sometimes we can avert regain a second time around. Sometimes not. If you do go with further surgery (and many of us would if and when we regained I think) it might help before that to go back to the immediate post op rules and stick to those. I went for a sleeve partly because it left the door open to a revision if I *did* regain. I'm only 3 years out and glad to have that escape hatch (but - more surgery is not enticing!!!!) I am totally open to GLP-1 /GIP drugs if I do regain a lot. Just different tools. Also open to a revision if necessary - as I said I kind of chose the sleeve on those grounds.

And how have you done this week? Still better than before I hope. One day at a time, as with any journey. We've all done it with WLS.

I hear the GLP-1/GIP drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, etc) can drastically reduce cravings for alcohol. If you have that combined with some regain could your surgical team prescribe perhaps?

And I third - well worth watching as many as you can.

Things absolutely do slow down, for the reasons the others have said. I lost almost 10 stones with my sleeve, half my starting weight. 9 stones of that was in the first year post op (with many stalls towards the end that made me think I was done) and 1 stone was in the subsequent 9 or 10 months. In the last few months I was honestly losing half a pound a month or less. It's fascinating looking back. The concept I am most happy to have learned on this board is that of a new set point. Once I knew that our bodies can decide early after surgery what weight it now wants to maintain, I felt less like the driver and more like a passenger who could sit back and just enjoy the ride. No actually - not quite sit back - follow the rules strictly to enable the smooth journey to my new set point. Mine ended up a bit lower than my 'goal' (plucked out of thin air) weight. Lots of people's seem to end up much higher. All of this is fine if we can make our peace with it. I get the feeling you have much more to squeeze out of your procedure @Bypass2Freedom. I do understand the frustration when you're following the rules to the letter but not losing. It's steps and stairs always - never a linear loss (well not for me). You're doing this.

As ever, you have been generous with your time and with sharing information @shoppgirl. I am so sorry that you are going through all of this. I cannot think how you are coping. I know we had our sleeves at the same time. Much love.

This sounds so frustrating. Could you track everything you eat, even for one week (on my fitness pal or similar) and get a handle on what you're actually taking in? Do be careful about drinking calories - so easy to do with sweet tea etc. Totally empty. I do that with alcohol sometimes 😟 NickelChip is absolutely right - it might be really helpful to eat more whole and freshly prepared foods. Protein first (it really honestly does fill your sleeve up), veg second and carbs (including coating on chicken, etc) a very long way behind.

And enjoy those gorgeous new arms!!!

Also a big wow from me. Your posts, your honesty and your progress through this journey are nothing short of amazing and inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing Sophie 💚

@Todd_196 how has this week been for you? We are all here to support you. I hope you're on the way to a happier life

"Unfortunately, so many people think they have a right to comment on our bodies" I think that's the take home message here. Some people are well-meaning, some people aren't. Either way it doesn't give them the right to say whatever is in their heads about us without considering what the effect of hearing that might be. I have been beaten into a corner by those both when I was obese and now that I'm not. The furthest I go with commenting on the appearance of people in my life is to tell them they're looking good. And that doesn't relate at all to their weight. They're almost always looking good to me 🤩

Sounds like it went as well as it possibly could have. And losing weight over Thanksgiving - only WLS can achieve that surely! Nice work - I know you were wary before you went.

Lunches looking good @ms.sss! Love the combination of smoked salmon and avocado especially.

All the beautiful faces - looking good, and healthy! 😍 I am so sorry I'm just too plain old shy to post photos of myself! Maybe some day. I keep threatening in the OOTD thread too but I just cannot press upload. I assure you all I do have a face, and outfits. 🤣

OMG fascinating article. Thanks GT!!!

Ugh - having read back the post above - sorry- it reads like there is one road to success and that any deviation from that path of righteousness could lead to 'failure' - that wasn't my point. Actually nothing could be further from the truth. WLS ALLOWS us to have a day when we eat rubbish, just because we feel like it. The surgery is still doing its thing the next day. It's the brain, the brain, the brain that will mess things up for us and tell us that one day equals complete failure. And that therefore what is the point. If we can access the support we need (and this does mean formal therapy for lots of us) I suspect that improves our chances of significant and sustained weight loss. Hope this is more helpful.

Such good advice above. I so love this forum. 😍 OP I hope you can judge yourself less and forgive yourself a few lapses - you are human, as are the rest of us. You have done the best thing you could for your health and have gone to enormous trouble (and expense?) to do it! We ALL have slips and do things that we know aren't good for us. If we can look back and analyse why we did what we did then sometimes that can help us avoid the same mistakes in future. I am 3 years post sleeve and I carry protein-based snacks wherever I go - usually nuts or seeds in little packs that I can carry in my bag. If I am hungry (and I do get fierce hunger at quite short notice a couple of hours after eating) and I'm in danger of eating something I shouldn't, then I will eat those. I know they will help stop me eating the rubbish that my head wants but my body doesn't need. It works a bit for me so I hope will help you. I never leave home without them. In addition I have stock phrases to 'explain' (not that I have to but - yunno) why I am not indulging in the delicious sugary fatty rubbish along with everyone else. I learned those phrases here. Oh I ate before I came! I'm just not hungry right now. I'm doing strict keto so I'm avoiding sugar at the minute. And so on. IME people completely lose interest if you say 'a thing', LOL. I wish you the best of luck. You've stumbled a little this week, that's OK, it's a marathon not a sprint. I hope you can use some of the resources suggested above. It's hard. It's hard every day, even after WLS. Take one day at a time and be kind to yourself. We are all here for you.