NeonRaven8919

Excellent Point!!!!
Lots of us who were/are obese seem to have the habit of chasing the "full" feeling. As @NickelChip alludes to, we would be waaaaaaay better served to think of the cue to stop eating as "no longer hungry" vs. "i'm stuffed and done now"

i HEART your stepmother and sister!!!

I went home to America for Thanksgiving for the first time in 20 years! I was really nervous about going back, but I actually had a really good time!
Thanksgiving went really well! My stepmother had the sleeve two years ago and I told her I had the sleeve recently so she just dished me up a plate that was about the portion size she eats now so I didn't have to do any guess work with new foods! She even made a sugar free desert for the two of us! I had about a bite of everything and that was enough!
I even managed to lose 2.5kg (5.5lbs) during the 8 days I was there. I think what helped the most is I was staying with my sister who has two girls who are 6 and 3 so she just dished me up the same amount that she did for her kids so I was never tempted to over eat. Child size plates have been really helpful!
I went to my favourite stores for the nostalgia. I bought a hoodie which is a size MEDIUM and it fits! Eventually it will be as baggy as my current ones, but it feels really good to wear a medium!
I was really worried about what this food centred holiday was going to do to me, but it went really well.
I'm seriously considering moving back to Montana permanently, but that's a topic for another day.

I went home to America for Thanksgiving for the first time in 20 years! I was really nervous about going back, but I actually had a really good time!
Thanksgiving went really well! My stepmother had the sleeve two years ago and I told her I had the sleeve recently so she just dished me up a plate that was about the portion size she eats now so I didn't have to do any guess work with new foods! She even made a sugar free desert for the two of us! I had about a bite of everything and that was enough!
I even managed to lose 2.5kg (5.5lbs) during the 8 days I was there. I think what helped the most is I was staying with my sister who has two girls who are 6 and 3 so she just dished me up the same amount that she did for her kids so I was never tempted to over eat. Child size plates have been really helpful!
I went to my favourite stores for the nostalgia. I bought a hoodie which is a size MEDIUM and it fits! Eventually it will be as baggy as my current ones, but it feels really good to wear a medium!
I was really worried about what this food centred holiday was going to do to me, but it went really well.
I'm seriously considering moving back to Montana permanently, but that's a topic for another day.

I wish it were that simple, but it's not. We have to keep in mind that our weight is made up of a lot more than just fat. There are multiple body composition models used, but the one I recommend most people use when trying to lose fat is a 3 compartment model that consists of the following:
Fat Muscle Bone I recommend this one since it's easy for most people to visualise those 3 components. Keep in mind however that roughly 70-75% of muscle mass is Water. Why is that important? Because sometimes we can be fooled by the scale into thinking we're not losing fat, or that we're gaining fat when we're not. Most likely, what you're seeing is simply changes in water weight.
A really common scenario is for people on low calorie diets (like most people here), to see a plateau and think that means they need exercise more and/or eat less, but when they do that, they actually gain a bit according to the scale. The reality is they didn't gain fat, they retained more water.
I think it's important to keep in mind that we all have something called a Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the minimum number of calories your body needs simply to stay alive. It can be thought of as the number of calories you expend per day even if you were completely sedentary.
BMR is a complicated subject, but on average, the bigger you are, the higher your BMR. Yes, it goes down as you lose fat, since fat is not completely metabolically inert, but fat loss does not have nearly the effect on BMR that losing muscle does. This is one of the main reasons bariatric patients are told to focus on Protein intake because protein is needed to help prevent excessive muscle loss when dieting. More muscle = higher BMR = faster weight loss, or being able to eat more at goal weight
The average BMR for women is ~1400 k/cal per day. Higher if you are taller or more muscular, lower if you are shorter and/or have lower muscle mass. Men, for obvious reasons tend to have a higher BMR that's more in the 1700 range.
My point in telling you all of the above is that it's highly unlikely that someone eating 900 calories a day needs to eat even less if weight loss has stalled. Frankly, if that is the OP, then I'd actually recommend exactly the opposite: try upping your caloric intake a couple hundred k/cal per day and see what happens. I know it seems counter intuitive, but your body is not a simple machine where the calories in vs. calories out paradigm actually works.
Happy to discuss more and provide additional info, but this post is already overly long.
Best of luck.

so a quick google states that a weight loss "stall" or "plateau" is 4 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS of no weight gain NOR loss while on a CONSISTENT calorie intake. basically, this means netting the SAME average amount of calories (intake less expenditure) for 4 weeks and staying at the same weight for said 4 weeks.
this generally means that you have reached an equilibrium with your intake (calories) and your expenditure (activity). which means you either have to reduce your intake or increase your expenditure to restart a downward trend. the inverse of this is also true: increase your intake or decrease your expenditure, and you will GAIN weight.
sooooo...if you are below 4 weeks of the scale not moving (in conjunction of your measurements not reducing), then stay the course...you are in a stall. if you are ABOVE 4 weeks of the scale (and measurements) not moving, then this would indicate the time to start re-evaluating your lifestyle IF you want to lose more...you are in a plateau.
if you are happy with your current lifestyle, and just don't want nor need to make changes, then is a matter of accepting yourself as you are now. ain't nothing wrong with that!
not everyone gets to their arbitrary goal weight. and those that do, the majority don't even stay there.
find the weight that you are cool with expending the effort to maintain. it's different for everybody.
good luck! ❤️

Yep, I'm 9 months post-op and may or may not just be coming out of about a 3-week stall. It's very normal and expected to start slowing down, stalling, and having small weight gains at this point. I hit a low of 170.2 toward the end of October, immediately bounced up a pound, and didn't drop below that low point until 3 days ago. Personally, I find that whenever I hit a new low after a little bit of a stall, especially if it involves a large one-day drop (I went from 170.8 to 169.0 in a day), I'll usually bounce around a little before seeing any steady declines. Most people continue losing weight until at least 12 months, and sometimes a little bit more until 18 or 24 months. But with a lot more stalls, especially the closer you get to a "normal" BMI. (I'm about 14 pounds away from not being considered overweight by the medical charts).

The important thing is to develop a healthy eating and exercise routine that is sustainable no matter what the scale says. If you're doing what is reasonable and recommended, keep doing it. There's no need to change what isn't broken. On the other hand, if you know you've been straying from your good habits, focus on getting back to where you know you should be. Eating healthy foods in the correct portions on a regular schedule, moving your body throughout the week, getting the right amount of Protein, taking Vitamins, and drinking Water are all things you will be doing for the rest of your life, even though at some point the scale will stop going down.
The advice I am giving myself these days is to try to separate those good things I am doing from the number on the scale. Because for me, if I start seeing weight loss as a "reward" for "being good", it makes it harder to continue the good lifelong habits when that "reward" inevitably goes away. It also won't do you any favors in the long run if you try to introduce a bunch of things you know you will never be able to maintain just to get the scale moving faster. I might be able to drop a few pounds really fast if I went back to 500 calories per day or re-did my 2 week liquid diet, but I can't live like that forever, so it's a false victory.
I think we all have to find the right balance of habits we can maintain fairly steadily for a lifetime and a healthy weight we can maintain without torturing ourselves. And remember that just because you hit the 12-month mark doesn't mean the game is over. You can always introduce improvements to your nutrition or your exercise that will result in slow and steady changes over time. You don't have to workout 5 days a week for 2 hours a day if that isn't your thing, but if you add some resistance training a few times per week or an extra walk after dinner, you will see those results down the road.

Isn't it amazing how a number on a scale can drive us to take action when none is necessary. How it can control our emotions. We tell ourselves we won't give the scale such power over us yet here we are.
We can get there from here without a scale.
Good luck.
Tek

OMG this is so relatable (aside from the cheating/abuse part - I am sorry you had to go through that, some people are horrors to put it mildly). You are doing so so well, you should be really proud of yourself and your journey so far.

This is one thing I look out for all the time. I am 3.5 years into recovery and not had a drink of alcohol since 8/11/2018 but california sober got me for awhile. Got really real and I am worried about this but learned during pre surgery **** that it happens, and is real so I stay very diligent. Keep up the good work, the first step is always the hardest.

@Todd_196 Thank you for being brave and sharing this. As another guy that who has ups and downs in this area, I appreciate it. Alcohol is so tricky after these surgeries. I am very proud of you!

Good job! I'm not going to say the hardest part is over, because it's not addiction for a lot of people is a continual struggle. What I will say is that alcohol is a depressant, so by giving it up it could effect your life in so many ways for the better. Less depression means more happiness, more willingness to interact with people, more ability to workout and want to take care of yourself. All things to help in your sobriety and with your weight loss journey. Good luck to you in this time of change; change is never easy, but it's worth it.

I'm sorry you're going through this, but I'm proud of you for being able to admit this and make the decision to change it. I worry about those that drink daily and don't moderate their alcohol consumption after the surgery. It's one thing to enjoy an occasional drink, it's another to drink daily (or multiple times per day). I really am impressed with your ability for self reflection and honesty. I really hope you're able to work through this. You took the first step today. Keep going, and good luck!!!

Todd, you have admitted that you are an alcoholic which is the first step. Hallelujah for you being able to do that. God bless you on your journey. My husband drank over 50 years. We just celebrated year 3 of his sobriety. It can be done. We are rooting and praying for you. Love, Teresa in Virginia

First and foremost, I'm not going to preach abstinence, we are all adults and can make our own decisions.
For me, apparently, I'm not an adult enough to be responsible. I've let alcohol take over, I drink daily and I've gained weight back.
My spiral started around 4 years ago and has progressed steadily. Until recently, I was in control. I could drink and be ok. I would get drunk and know what happened the next day.
Now however, I will get drunk and can't remember a thing. The next day I have massive brain fog, can't concentrate, can't orate correctly, I feel like crap, have the shakes etc. To be clear, I never leave my house and drive. I worry however that it could come to that.
My weight is making my back problem even more painful. My clothes are tight, I'm depressed, and it's just awful. I feel like it's groundhogs day every day. I say I'm going to stop and I last a few days and then I slip back.
However today I've made a decision to stop drinking entirely. I'm done. I'm not drinking ever again. I clearly can't control my self. I'm an addict with food and now alcohol.
Much like food did, booze will ruin my life if I continue. I'm going to join AA and clean my life up yet again.
Writing this is a first step for me. I'm not looking for pity, or to be chastised.
I need to be self shamed and admit what I am. I'm an alcoholic. However, I can change this, I will change this. I will be healthier soon, it will be hard but I'm going to get there.
So please, be careful with alcohol. We all spent a lot of time and money to say nothing of the physical and mental pain we've been through, don't throw it away.
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So, I'm 6 months post Sleeve. I'm 86 pounds down from surgery day, and about 116 pounds from my max weight. Body dysmorphia is a real thing I've experienced where I forget on the day to day how far I've come, but when co workers or friends see me they are super excited and happy for me. One picture is me back in January, wearing a denim vest that is 4xl and barely fits, and size 58 jeans... Now(2 weeks ago) down to a loose 2xl shirt, and a size 44 shorts. I almost cried like a month ago when I was able to buy clothes off the rack at Target for the first time since 2006.
PS. Someone please teach me how to take a selfie lol


IMG_3342.heic

Congrats on how well you have been doing!! I had the gastric sleeve and would love to share my story
The good: I had my surgery on January 24, 2024, and I am now almost one year post-op. I reached my goal weight about seven months after the surgery and have been maintaining it within a +/- 3-pound range. Once I started weightlifting, I noticed a significant transformation in my body, which has kept me motivated because I am starting to love what I see in the mirror. I have gone from a size 2/3X top to an XS/S top, and from size 18 pants to size 4. I never imagined my body could look and feel this good. My health has vastly improved, and I have so much energy. I am happier, and that positivity radiates from me.
The bad/challenges: I still experience episodes of binge eating, although it is not as severe as it was before. However, when I'm not being mindful, I tend to grab chips and eat too many, or take mini candies and other Snacks that I shouldn't have. I am aware of my actions, but for some reason, I don't seem to care in the moment. It has happened maybe two to three times, and each time, I feel really angry with myself. I recognize that this is something I need to work on, and I'm conscious of it. I understand that this will be a lifelong challenge for me, but I am actively working on it and taking it one day at a time. I tend to be hard on myself because I am so afraid of going back to my old habits. This is a second chance at life and I want to make the most of this!
Everyone has their own journey. We will all face challenges and struggles, but for the most part, this is an amazing tool! Make the most of it in the first 12 to 18 months. Take advantage of the rapid weight loss, work out, and engage in activities that intimidated you when you weighed more. Take risks, because I promise you will be so happy that you did!

This is kind of a random anecdote, but I recently went to a new doctor who noted on my chart that I was "ill-appearing," citing "temporal wasting." I had never seen that term before, so I googled it, and it means a hollow look on the temples of the face, which can be a sign of malnutrition (but also just aging and weight loss). Maybe an interesting point that there are some legit signs that doctors look for to indicate illness, and perhaps laypeople pick up on it subconsciously to get the sense that you look unwell.

So, you don't feel "full", but do you feel "hungry"? Or do you just keep eating because you can?
This early on, your body is still adjusting and relearning signals. Hopefully, you don't feel physical hunger pangs (most people don't but some do). Either way, you need to portion out your foods. A bariatric meal is generally 3-4oz of meat and around 1/2 cup vegetables. Even if you CAN eat more than that, you aren't supposed to and don't need to. It's pretty early to be adding in a grain, but that can also be part of your meal at some point.
The feeling of restriction is different between the sleeve and the bypass, so I can't speak to it from experience, but I've seen so many people here say the sleeve restriction doesn't truly kick in for a few months. Until then, it's your job to only eat what you're supposed to eat. It helped me to get very small plates. I ate off a saucer for the first 6 months. Half of it would be my meat and half was a non-starchy veg. I would weigh the meat (after cooking) and just fill the empty space with the veg.
If you are already truly feeling hunger, fill yourself with vegetables, fruit, and healthy whole grains as opposed to Protein or simple carbs. After a certain point, let's say maybe 100g in a day, you really don't need the protein, so if you're truly hungry, a salad or steamed broccoli will do a lot more to fill you up with very few calories ounce per ounce. It can also really help to set specific meal times and not allow yourself to eat in between.

Do you track your food? That would help! I rarely feel "full" I just eat what I know I should be. 3-4oz of Protein, veggies then carbs (if I even eat them). Lots of Water. Snacks are meat sticks, cheese, PB balls, fruit and ect...Also moving is huge! Building up the exercise, example I started at walking 1/4 mile in 30 min to now I run 3.25miles in 30min, its been a huge success to my weight loss. Movement really will help!

I have a date!!! 😊
I'm ready to throw useless New Year's Resolutions out the window and actually DO something to better my life.
Who will be joining me in starting the new year out right???

Christmas should be easier because I will be two months post op and I've been getting better at adjusting to my new eating requirements. Also, I'm not really a drinker so I will be able to say no to all the drinks which will happen

It was a Black Friday sale and they only had the medium, but I will start buying new clothes soon. Most of my work outfits are too big.
I do have some small plates, but I've only just started eating solids when I was in America so I've only used small bowls. Now that I can eat more, I'm going to start meal prepping again instead of just heating up cans of Soup.

That is great, good for you. Maybe you should have bought a size small hoodie as well, you'll no doubt need it soon.
If you haven't already done so at home maybe buy smaller bowls and plates. That is what I did, some at home and a set at the office and I use for my meals, what was called an appetiser set - plate 15*15cm and bowl 10*10cm. I use a regular sized side plate sometimes but rarely and using the smaller ones makes Portion Control easy.

No, Luxembourg. Here it is covered but you have to meet certain conditions like significant weight loss, loss has stablised and then the doctor submits a report to the health service. I figure I will go and see what he says, the cost of the consultation is 90% refundable so nothing really to lose.