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My SO is fit and trim. When we got together I was not skinny, but I wasn't fat either. When I started to gain weight a couple of years later it really bothered him, which made me feel bad and I think in some way contributed to my continuing weight gain (smart thinking there, tubby). We're still together but my weight has caused some major issues in our relationship. He just... does not find it attractive. And I don't blame him. But I do sometimes wonder, if I had more confidence... whether I would have stuck it out at all, whether I'd still be in the relationship. I honestly don't know. I think a big part of me felt that the negativity and judgement was well deserved on my part. I am looking forward to the day I weigh less than he does lol

Just a quick tidbit. Last week at weigh-in on Friday morning, I was just a tad over 216, which puts me at right around 15 pounds to goal. This morning I stepped on the scale, and was shocked to see 223.7! I KNOW I've been good, eating carefully, exercising a LOT (tons of cardio plus weight training plus calisthenics at home plus now yoga), so there was no reason for that much of a change. On a whim, I stepped off and back on the scale -- hmm, 221.5. Somehow I'd lost two pounds in 30 seconds. Oh right, where you stand on a scale and what your posture is, etc., drastically affects the weight reading. Weighed a couple more times, same number, around 221. So then I thinks "oh wait, I've had one and a half BIG (22 oz) cups of coffee this morning." I know the old "a pint (16oz)'s a pound" adage, but just to be sure, I go weigh a full cup of coffee, and it's almost three pounds. So, I've drank four pounds of coffee -- check. Then I realize: oh, I usually weigh in boxers or in the buff before my shower, and I'm wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt; surely those can't weigh more than a few ounces? No -- they weighed nearly three pounds. So I chuckle, realize that the scale is just not super accurate, and go about my day. I do my morning calisthenics plus my cardio (30 minutes of intense sweating, probably losing another pint of fluid). I go upstairs to shower, and weigh again in the buff, after going pee, using my regular foot positioning and posture -- 216.7. What does it mean? THE SCALE LIES. It's good to keep an eye on your weight, but you simply CANNOT get too hung up on little blips along the way. You can EASILY swing the number a couple pounds in one way or another just by standing differently. For the reading to have ANY use, you have to make sure that every damn thing is the same -- same amount of Fluid, same clothing, same time of day, same position and posture on the scale, everything. Even then, tiny Water weight gains can add or remove a couple pounds in a day, easy -- and when you're further along the weight loss thing, like me, it's good to lose a pound or two (of fat!) per month, so these "little" scale fluctuations can EASILY swallow up your "real" weight (fat) changes, and you simply can NOT let yourself get too hung up. Better is to measure your body fat percentage, if you have access to a body fat scale (or best yet, a dunk tank) since what you really want is not for your weight to go down, but your FAT to go down. Also, measure your shape changes -- tummy, hips, arms, legs, etc. -- so that you can see where your body shape is changing even when your weight isn't (even though my weight has been stubbornly in the 215-220 range for a while now, I can tell that I'm getting *buff*, so it's still progres). Bottom line, the scale lies. PLEASE don't get too hung up on the exact number. It'll drive you nuts! Just keep doing what you're supposed to do (eat lots of lean Protein, lots of good complex carbs, drink lots of water, get lots of exercise) and... live your life! Edit: I should add that my scale is a good, high quality weight watchers scale; it's about as good and accurate (even for larger weights) as you're going to get in a non swing-arm scale (you know, the kind in the doctor's office). It's not just a case of a crappy scale, it's a case of all scales being imprecise, and other factors making as much of a difference as actual fat weight changes.

I had my first drink (diet coke and rum over ice) at 4.5 months out. I felt a little tipsier than I would have felt from one drink before, but I've never been a big drinker. Several weeks ago, I attended a bachelorette party where I drank 8 drinks over the course of about 7 hours, along with several glasses of water to combat the diuretic effects. I felt buzzed for a bit, then sobered up REALLY fast. I'm sure my liver hated me, but I had no adverse effects. No weight gain, no hangover and we had a blast. I did dance all night, so maybe that affected my alcohol absorption.

My highest recorded weight was 270lbs(morning of my lapband surgery), standing 5'2" short. The day of my revision from band to VSG, I weighed in at 263lbs. My BMI was just shy of 50 when I revised from the band. I did not work out at all for the first 4 months. At 4 months post-op, I started strength training 3-4 days a week, and doing cardio with a primary focus on my ab/core area one day per week via Hip Hop Abs. That only lasted 4 months and then I had gallbladder surgery with an exploratory surgery of my abdominal cavity because I was having random pain. My surgeon removed hoards of scar tissue and adhesions from my liver to colon. I was on restricted activity for 8 long weeks, and since I hate working out, I never got back into exercising formally. I was one of the skinniest, unfit chicks you'd meet. Now after pregnancy weight gain, losing all but 10 pounds of the weight, and now pregnant again, I'm not even attempting to diet/exercise. Unfortunately, my body has been through hell and back in less than 3 years. I have a least another year before I'll be able to get back to where I was before pregnancy. Working out not only helps with weight loss, but it helps with overall heart, mind and bone health.

Thank you. It just couldn't have come at a worse time. I leave for Europe in 2 weeks. My Dr. is optimistic we can get the clot resolved before then, but still has concerns w/me being gone for 16 days. I've been trying to figure out if there are walk in clinics in Lisbon, Portugal and Germany where I will be to test my ProTime. What a hassle... Still can't help but worry about this weight gain... so frustrating!

Thank you for your response. I hope I am not on it very long. The Dr. says to plan on 3 mths minimum. I am going to seriously freak out if I see weight gain because of this drug!

First of all I want to say thank you for writing this post. I feel like you have almost described my situation. I was banded 1/2/09 and had at one point lost a total of 60 pounds. I'm back up 30 pounds now. I was doing some serious considering of getting the sleeve as well. Until about a month ago, i blamed my band for not losing weight. What the heck was wrong with this thing? I have never had any problems, other than the occasional "stuck" epidsode of sliming, etc. Then one night I was watching this tv show called My 600 pound life and it finally hit me that my lapband will not MAKE me lose weight, it will only HELP me lose weight. If i wanted to lose weight for sure, i should have gotten the gastric bypass at the time. But i didn't want to go that extreme. I also just realized how sedentary my life style is. I work at a desk for 6-8 hours a day, go home, work from home from a desk for a few more hours, sit and watch tv, etc. So, why have I gained weight and not lost? Because of choices that I make everyday. I don't eat nearly as much as I used to, the band doesn't allow it. If i'm not hungry, sometimes i can say no you dont need cookies, you aren't hungry, your head is, but other times i can't. I do get full with the band. But the most successful stories I have seen/heard with the band are people that exercise and change their eating habits. The band will give us that extra control that we wouldn't have if we didn't have it. It's science: if you expend more calories than you take in, you will lose weight. So for me, I'm not sure about the sleeve because i feel that i have not given my band the fighting chance it deserves. I truly hope that I don't ever have complications from my band. I need to be good to it, eat small bites, no caffeine, no soda, no smoking,etc. I have learned through the years that i can't drink coffee or my band swells from the acidity of it. I quit smoking because that caused it to swell. So i'm afraid if i get the sleeve that i'll just gain it all back after that wonderful first year of losing all that weight. And then what? I'm stuck with weight gain and no way to control it because there's nothing else to do. We need to fix ourselves first...give your band the chance it deserves. It does work, as long as you don't have severe complications from it, it works. We just have to fix ourselves first....I need to start moving...just walking...thats how i'm gonna start. I hope everything works out for you. You control your life...you can decide to do this just as i can. If you have a bad day, its ok, there's always tomorrow. good luck and Hugs.

I had a blood clot in 03 after an ankle fracture. I do NOT remember a big amount of weight gain however I believe that cumadin will have you hold onto water more so it's probably just water weight. Don't sweat it. You won't be on it that long I'm sure.

I am a little more than 8 mths out from my surgery and so I want to first say that the blood clot is not being associated with my surgery, but I have come here hoping others with some experience with a blood clot can chime in. I thought I had just sprained a calf muscle over the weekend, but learned yesterday I actually have a blood clot. I am now on 2 injections a day of Levonox and taking 5mg of Cumadin a day. The label doesn't list weight gain as a side effect, but I was googling that this morning and found TONS of people who report just the opposite. THis scares me to death! I have already gained 10# back practically overnight from the swelling in my leg and that is bad enough. I am so close to my goal and then to have this happen just sickens me. Can anyone who has taken Cumadin tell me about their experience? I lead a VERY active lifestyle and with the exception of right now where they are not letting me do hardly anything, I will return to this shortly I hope. Anyone????

I had a consultation in June 2011, was told I was a little under the guidline weight and only had one documented illness (high blood pressure), so my chances of Aetna covering the surgery was only 50%. I did not feel like wasting my time so I explored other options. I went to a medical weight loss center and was put on phentermine for 3 months. It worked by my body became immune to it and I had to stop taking it. Around that time I was also diagnosed with nodules on my thyroid that were making me gain weight. The Dr. opted out of surgery stating that surgery could make my situation worsed to permanent hypothyroidism Right now its back and forth, depending on stress. However, the weight continues to creep up on my because of it. I went from 190 to 220 since the phentermine. I am only 5"2. Should I be re-evaluated? Does hypothyroid count as one of the eligible medical condidtions? I am on blood pressure meds but it also went up some (140/90) since the weight gain thyroid stuff. I do not want to be disappointed again. Thanks!

Hi Michelle! I'm also new to the blogging and Banding! I'm going to the seminar tonight. My insurance has been pretty cut and dry about the approval requirements, and I fit them, so I'm hoping for a smooth process (but doubt I will get it!). I just wanted to say - I noticed not only a weight gain but also a resistance in losing weight after my hysterectomy. I did well with my immediate post-op HRT but had to switch 6 months after surgery and literally gained 15 lbs in a month! I insisted I switch back to the original HRT (Vivelle Dot) after a few months. Good luck with the insurance piece! I'm nervous and excited for the seminar tonight. I've been looking forward to it for a week!

On May 18th 2011, I had whats called a sleeve gastrectomy. My weight gain was due to something called polycystic ovarian syndrome. I couldnt lose weight and it was affecting my metabolism. Then in December 2010 I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. And the weight was putting a strain on my heart. Not including all the stress I was under with the mindless, useless drama that invaded my life and is now finally over. After everything I started researching options, talking to my Dr and was then referred for a surgery consult. I ended up at Balboa in March after starting the process outside of Balboa in December, it took 5 mos total of classes (nutrition), tests, etc before they would do the surgery. Its very in depth and a lot of information. I weighed 240 in March when I saw the Balboa surgeon and was a size 20-22. As of 3.6.12 I now weigh 143 and am a size 6. I am currently 3 lbs from my goal. This surgery was explained to me that it will eventually replace the lap band because of its effectiveness and its way safer than a bypass. If it wasnt for the medical necessity I probably would have kept trying exercise and all the fad diets, but they just werent working. Now I walk alot, eat better, feel better and am starting to return to my old self. I look forward to chasing my kids around and exercising with my Wonderful Husband who has been one of my biggest supporters as well as my Amazing Family. Before I was afraid to tell anyone, but then I thought why? It was to help me and for me to be around for my kids and family

Hey y'all: Well, I got on the scale this morning and was exactly the same as before my conference. I'm telling you, it's kind of great and kind of weird all at the same time, because while at this conference I just ate and drank whatever sounded good at the time--I'm talking about drinking at least 2 glasses of wine a night, a Starbucks full-fat, full-sugar mocha a day (which really didn't sit very well, I have to be honest and say--kind of quease-inducing), meals that had multiple courses (although I tried and mostly succeeded at keeping things very veggie-centric), and--brace yourselves--dessert. Yes. I ate a few bites of tiramisu at dinner Saturday night, and it was ah-may-zing. I was really kind of scared to get on my scale this morning and frankly shocked to see no weight gain at all--no loss, but no gain, either. I feel like I've dodged a few bullets, although I was mentally prepared to see a higher number. The whole process of this conference has really been eye-opening for me in lots of ways. First, I realize now that I really can relax about eating--my sleeve definitely does its job and restricts the amount of food I can tolerate. It also restricts the types of food I am able to comfortably eat--I "can" physically eat lots of different sorts of food that I couldn't tolerate at all when first sleeved, but I don't feel comfortable when I eat certain things--most of them happen to be not such healthy choices--so I'm not nearly as interested in eating them any more. Vegetables, however, are completely sleeve-friendly, plus I love them, plus I like how I feel physically when I eat them. Sweet Starbucks coffee--not so much; I drank it because it was available and my usual wasn't available, but I will not be making that a regular thing, as it didn't make me feel good enough to overcome the queasiness from the sugar (and I absolutely will not drink artificial sweeteners--just a personal aversion to that). I was able to find appetizer-sized meals that worked in every restaurant we visited. I ate in public with friends almost every meal. Not one person ever commented about how little I ate except my mentor; we went to lunch, and my waiter was quite concerned that I didn't like my grilled asparagus vinaigrette because I couldn't finish the appetizer-sized portion. My mentor, who had seen me eat several meals by that time of the conference, told the waiter, "She doesn't eat much--that's why she looks so great!" I just grinned and told the waiter it was delicious but I was full. All's well that ends well. I walked past people that I've known for twenty years and had them not recognize me until I spoke to them. Had a lot of double-takes. Had one guy come over to my table, sit down, and start talking with my mentor--I have worked closely with this person in the past at a conference--when my mentor turned to me with a comment and used my name, this guy's jaw dropped open and he spent about ten straight minutes apologizing for not recognizing me. I got used to saying, "Yeah, it's pretty different for me, too!" I was startled to have men break into a trot from behind me in order to get to a door first to open it. My carry-on luggage was stowed for me and retrieved by various guys on the plane--and believe you me, I'm 6'2" and perfectly capable of lifting my little carry-on bag into and out of the overhead bin. LOL I was flirted with by several strangers, waiters, old friends, and colleagues at the conference--not in an ugly way, mind you, just friendly flirting. My husband said, "You have lost your invisibility. What an ironic thing that you got smaller and are no longer invisible." He is 100% right! No more invisibility. And I realized that where I used to get really uncomfortable with men noticing me, I'm able to deal with the flirting in a friendly way (most of the time, just a big smile) and just take it for what it is, which for me is as a non-pressure compliment. So, all in all, a very enjoyable conference, both for the content of the conference itself and also for the nice responses to the "new" me. I had a lot of questions about "how I did it," and I responded quite honestly that "I had surgery, and it took!"

Ouroborous, I love that! I agree, so many people have an unreal expectation of what it is going to be like. Yes, some people drop the weight like no body's business, but I don't think a lot of those people never learn to eat properly and have an increase risk of weight gain later on. And ReallyRosy, it sounds like you are doing everything right! Just keep your head up and try to relax. It will come off! I have a friend that at 6 months out she had a 2 month stall. Partly because of poor eating, but partly because of her body resisting the loss. But it did come off! And you will be able to eat again, but just realize a lot of those foods still need to be eating consciously. I do eat rice, but I will only have a couple of tablespoons because I will eat my protein and veggies first. I have other treats too, like ice cream and popcorn, just not all the time. Some people eat a lot of carb rich foods, I try to avoid those. Things like chips are my weakness, so I never keep them in my house. Keep strong and you will do great!!

Hi everyone! I am new to the forums.. I could really use some advice before considering lap band surgery. I keep going back & forth, making consultation appts then not going. Its been awhile again and here I am considering it again. I have 3 family members that had it done & had great success. I am worried about qualifying mostly at this point... My bmi is 38 now.. I have Medicare as my primary insurance & I'm hoping I can qualify to have the procedure covered. Also, I am 32... 5'3, 212pds I have been struggling with my weight for years now though... lost & gained it back several times and I am just frustrated a permanent solution sounds so good to me at this point although I know it will still take some work on my part. I just hope it would be the right decision, I was never overweight until around age 24 ..after that and having my daughter the weight started adding on.. & medications I have to take just make it harder to lose the weight or cause weight gain. Anyways.. sorry for rambling..any advice is appreciated

Im a stay at home mom, my boyfriend works monday through friday sometimes he will be gone the whole day so it's easy for me to stay on track eating good through those days but as soon as the weekend comes it goes down hill, we tend to go out to eat alot on the weekends or if were out for a while we'll stop at fast food resturants... i tend to alwasy end up over eating and also eatting the bad things, even when we dont go out on the weekends i alaways tend to cook up a storm also and not eat very good things =/ i just dont understand what snaps in my head on the weekends or when my boyfriend is around sometimes i even dread the weekends because when monday comes i see the difference on the scale and sometimes i wont get back on track for a week !! Does anyone else have these problems and is there any suggestions please?? i'm still battling with my self in july i will be 1 year post op with only about 40 lbs lost

I spent the better part of 40 years losing weight. I didn't have much trouble losing, but the same problems that caused the weight gain in the first place kept putting it back on. Finally my new doctor said my weight was causing serious health problems (diabetes, sleep apnea.etc.) and I was going to have to lose weight and keep it off. He suggested a Center of Excellence and band surgery, that was in September. I've lost about 60 lbs and still going. I haven't had this much energy in 30 years, I've rebuilt our kitchen, family room, planted a new lawn (1/2 acre) and no end in sight. These are things I've put off for years because I just didn't feel like it. If you can find the dedication to restrict your diet (with the help of the band) for a year, you can lose up to 100 lbs. This takes work on your part, the band makes it easier, but it will still take a lot of effort. Where will you be next year if you don't do it? Find a good program, educate yourself on lapband surgery, and if you do your part, you'll loose as much weight as you want and feel better than you have in years. I hope you find everything you're looking for.

I had my surgery 3/2 (Friday) and I was so excited getting weighed in at the hospital at 246lbs, which was 9lbs lower than my surgery goal weight. I was only required to be on a Clear liquids diet 24 hrs prior to my surgery so I figured when I got home from the hospital my weight would be the same ... WRONG One day later (Saturday), no more than 24hrs gone by and I come home from the hospital and get on my scale ... 258lbs!!! I was thinking it was just IV fluids or from the horrible gas & bloating, but idk? Now here it is 3 days later (Monday) and I'm still weighing in at 252lbs?? I want my 246lbs back, lol! Anyone have this happen and if so what was the outcome? Thanks for any replies

Sleeve stretching aside-I just came across this article regarding sodas: Diet-Soda Belly It's not surprising that drinking all the sugar in sodas would cause weight gain, but what is surprising is that even diet soda will pack on the pounds: Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center monitored 475 adults for 10 years, and found that those who drank diet soda had a 70 percent increase in waist circumference over the 10-year study, compared with those who didn't drink any soda. Those who drank more than two diet sodas per day saw a 500 percent waist expansion! A separate study the same researchers conducted on mice suggested that it was the aspartame, which raised blood glucose levels, that caused the weight gain; when your liver encounters too much glucose, the excess is converted to body fat. Also: Researchers looked at people’s diet soda consumption between the years 2000 and 2002, and then screened them for type 2 diabetes between 2002 and 2007, People who drank at least one diet soda a day at the beginning of the study had a 67 percent higher relative risk of type 2 diabetes compared with the people who drank none. Zero-calorie soda also increased the risk of metabolic syndrome—a group of risk factors linked to obesity that increase your chances of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke—by 36 percent. So even diet sodas have their problems

Ok, so It's been several months since I've visited my page or been compliant with my lap-band. I've been so off track since December. I had lost 83 pounds in 8 months and since December I've gained 27 pounds back! I've been pigging out on slidder foods or "eating around the band" as my surgeon calls it. I haven't even been to see my surgeon since October because I'm embarrassed about my weight gain. I feel like a complete looser and physically feel worse than when I weighed 323 pounds. I'm not sure how to start over or get serious again but I'm definitely going to try. I need to place my focus back on me. I have a treadmill, elipictal, free weights and an exercise bike in the guest room collecting dust! I'm making a public and personal committment right now to get back to being on track. If anyone has experienced anyone like this or has any suggestions on assisting me in my struggle please don't hesitate to comment or e-mail me.

It may stretch some, but stretching is not what causes weight gain. You can gain weight back by drinking your calories, choosing high calorie foods, eating slider foods that you can eat a lot of, and by eating throughout the day. Eating 500 extra calories per day will pack on a pound a week. So someone could eat a healthy diet, throw in a Starbucks Venti White Hot chocolate at 520 calories every morning and viola- at the end of the year we're talking 52 lbs. Same thing with Snacks. My problem is snacking at night. I have to keep a grip on it. I love Chex Snax mix. It has 130 calories for 1/2 cup and I can eat a couple of cups over the course of the evening while I'm watching TV. I prefer to not have it in the house. I strongly recommend counseling for those who are struggling with overeating after surgery. Surgery does not cure head hunger. I would love to have those snacks at night, but I know I can't if I want to maintain the healthy weight I have worked so hard to achieve. Lynda

When my reflux was VERY BAD my coughing was also as my throat was irritated by the acid. Nexium doesn't sound like it's working. As far as the ER they are usually staffed by NEWer doctors - just out of school so they actually tend to have more current info than most other doctors. I was sent in for an upper GI to a hospital that does NO bariactic surgery and they were looking at my band and found what my problem.was...Granted I'd have been more happy at the hospital that did the surgery but I was equally happy now knowing I can trust this place if need be. Please don't let the fear of weight gain stop you from seeking help. Hopefully this is only a small speed bump on your journey. Better to live well than die skinny! Don't let it get that serious! Yes, I do mean to scare you - but only because I care! Good luck.... Linda (PS - I would go back to a liquid diet for now because all the throwing up causes swelling which then makes the band tighter - worrying about band erosion and band slippage to a lesser degree...actually more concerned about band twisting as that can cause the problems you're having. I just had fluid taken out as this week after a band-fill a month ago progressively was causing more pain. throwing up and swelling...now I feel human again and it took 1.5 cc's out..and I lost 3 bs. after it was taken out!)

Ditch the idiot nutritionist for starters! That is such irresponsible advice. One thing any bandster knows is that once you have good restriction you do not mess around with it. It is so easy to lose that perfect place and unfilling your band is one very common way for that to happen. It can also cause slight shifting as has happened to me (mine was unfilled for a major surgery), and whilst that's not a problem, I've never gotten the same sort of restriction back, even when my band has been FULL. Luckily I've changed my lifestyle, kept my weight off for so long my body is now used to it and having less restriction really hasnt been a huge problem. And the second thing is, if you've really changed the mindset and lifestyle of a fat person, then holidays arent all about scoffing food anyway. You dont need an empty band to taste new things, enjoy small portions of them, etc. But certainly, if you're wide open with an as yet filled band, starving hungry and are prepared to wear the consequences of eating more, then you can safely do so. But it might be an idea to eat things that will fill you without too many calories - a wholegrain sandwich full of salad vergies and Protein is very filling but also very healthy, and less likely to cause weight gain than stodgy, heavy bistro food for example. That's what I did when I had to be unfilled and the only weight I ever gained was weight I'd lost due to being sick and just took me back to a BMI of 21.

Oh, one last thing: it's very, very normal to plateau, and it's very, very normal to regain 5 or even 10 pounds (depends upon your frame; us bigger guys can gain 10 pounds as easily as you smaller gals can gain 5). When the weight gain starts getting into the 15 or 20 plus pound range, that's when something is going wrong in your weight loss, and I'd talk to your dietitian/nutritionist/doctor/personal trainer about it.

Say it with me now, folks: plateaus are a normal part of the process. Getting stuck is a normal part of the process. I know... we don't want to hear that. I didn't want to hear that. I still hover anxiously near the scale sometimes, worried about every bleep and bloop on the number. But the fact is that the typical weight loss of a sleever goes something like this: A HUGE, exhilarating loss at first... it's almost effortless. You fart and the pounds come off. You eat good and the pounds come off. You eat BAD (which, you know, for a sleever in the early days means something like "well, last month I ate a cookie...") and the pounds come off. The problem with this early phase is that it completely destroys our sense of what a "normal" weight loss and maintenance profile feels like. This early phase where the weight just drops off is not normal. It's great, but it's not normal. Once you start getting down to what your body thinks its weight "should be" (it's actually a great deal more complicated than this; your body doesn't really have any idea what you "should" weigh, it's just that feedback mechanisms start to come into play and exert more force than the downward push from the sleeve) the loss will become slower and slower. And it isn't just a "steady" slowness; it's not like your body will go from 5 pounds a week to 3 pounds a week to a pound a week in a smooth progression. In fact, at times you'll plateau for days or weeks or even months (near the bottom end of the curve) at a time. At times your weight will even go up slightly (slightly: a prolonged and significant gain is usually a sign that something is wrong, whereas a 5-10 pound gain is typically a Water weight gain or a normal plateau fluctuation). You can break through the plateau -- assuming that you're not already at the low end of body fat -- but it doesn't always happen when you expect it to happen -- sometimes you get stuck and then you cut your calories and up your exercise and nothing changes (or you even gain a little) for days at a time, and then when you give up, suddenly your body starts shedding weight again. And finally when you start getting down near or below the low end of normal body fat (for most of us, it seems like this is around 20% body fat; fat location along with factors such as age and genetics seems to determine your "realistic minimum body fat"), shedding every ounce is a lot of frigging hard work, every day, forever. Most of us have a hard time keeping up that level of dedication (else we wouldn't have been obese to begin with), so most people seem to stick around 25%-ish bodyfat, which is still technically overweight (and of course, those of us who are very self-critical will harass ourselves mercilessly over that fact) but is, in fact, much healthier than the 40%, 50%, or even 60% body fat that some of us started with. Indeed, it's healthier, on average, than most modern Americans! The real problem is that early phase, where weight loss was effortless and we could do no wrong. It's sad to say, but important to remember, that that is not the norm. The sleeve continues to be a tool, and as long as you don't abuse it too bad, you can be pretty confident that you won't spiral back into that morbidly obese category. But it's not zero work, it's not effortless. You have to start really working it after a point, and the lower your body fat gets (remember: measure body fat, NOT weight -- weight can fluctuate by as much as 4 or 5 pounds *in a single day* due to water weight changes) the more you're going to hit plateaus, of longer and longer duration, and maybe even see some backtracking. The great thing about the sleeve is that even if you gain a few pounds, unlike before you can be pretty confident that you can get rid of them pretty quickly with a little self-discipline. Sorry for the long post, but it seems like a lot of people have sort of unrealistic expectations about life with the sleeve, and then whenever they see a blip on the scale they freak out and assume all is lost. It's not lost when you plateau or rebound a few pounds. It's completely normal.