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I agree with Pink Dahlia...eat the good stuff first (protein) and then if you still have the craving have a little of the "fun foods". It will take time for your thought process to catch up to your physical changes. One thing for me is that once I started having my previous foods give me a hard time (getting stuck, feeling uncomfortable, or not making my scale move in the right direction), I slowly changed eating those goodies. Don't get me wrong, I still love Peanut M&Ms and have NO problem getting them down but I can definitely tell when I get on the scale that they don't help me. One motivator for me is when I see no weight loss at the doctor's visit and I can hear another patient with "5 lbs loss" or something similar. But I also realize that I have my own path and I will lose what I have gained in my own time. As long as I don't gain, I am pleased with myself and I know that I am learning what is working for my body. This is a slow process and everyone is on their own speed. I found that Pinterest helps to keep new ideas in my head for eating low carb items like cauliflower mashed "potatoes". Great ideas to be found on there so check that out if you haven't yet. I also try to use MyFitnessPal to keep track of food intake and get motivated by others posts.

Have you been doing Keto or anything like that? Apparently that can temporarily push up your cholesterol too, but like your doctor said, I bet it's just from the rapid weight loss.

DL Thank you for your post. I have written to you before about this. Your information is so very helpful. At 18 months I have now been at my goal weight for nearly six months and have been successfully maintaining doing exactly what you are doing. I still panic when I see the scale climb a pound or two, but I am always able to bring it back down in a couple days. MFP is the key to maintaining. I wish there was as much support for those of us in this phase of the journey as there is for those at the beginning. Thank you for providing that!

Hi Ginger and a huge congratulations on your success!! Great job!! I went into my weight loss journey with the idea that my body would tell me when it was at the weight it wanted to be. I never set a goal weight. Intentionally avoided forming any expectation of how long it would/could take. After averaging just slightly under 1300 calories/day for fourteen months, my weight loss slowed to a crawl and eventually just stopped. After several weeks at the same weight, I knew I had arrived at my destination. Then I had exactly the same question you have - now what? Seemed like a good question to ask my surgeon. She told me that 1) she did not want me to lose any more weight (BMI is/was 22.9) and 2) she recommended about 1800 calories/day for weight maintenance. I felt that jumping from 1300 calories/day to 1800 calories/day was more than a little uncomfortable. So I decided to work my way up to 1600 calories. I changed my calorie goal to 1450 and maintained that for about two months. All the while checking my weight on a daily basis. I had established a window of 151-156 pounds that I wanted to maintain. To be honest, I was somewhat surprised that even though I had increased my average calorie intake, my weight remained in that window. So after a couple of months, I increased it again to 1600 calories. And once again, there was no change in my weight - for about four or five months. In fact I thought I had found my "number" - 1600 calories. But after four or five months at 1600, I started struggling to keep my weight above my 151 minimum. To this day I have no idea why. My diet had not changed. My calorie goal had not changed. My exercise had not changed. But my weight was dropping. So I increased my calorie goal again - this time to 1750. I have been at that daily goal for over a year now and my weight has been rock solid within my window. My weight this morning was 152.2. I should note that I am an avid fan of maintaining a food log. I've been logging in My Fitness Pal for over three years. This is a good example of just one of the many benefits of logging. No log is absolutely accurate no matter how hard we may try but I do everything I can to make my entries as accurate as possible. My log was priceless in helping me make the calorie adjustments and then monitor the results in terms of my weight. Without my log, calorie intake would have been a guess. An educated guess, but a guess all the same. Logging is a huge confidence booster! Congratulations again!!

Looking for others experience. Almost 3 weeks post op. Yesterday and today have started to have mild cramping feeling in both my legs. Like I just did a workout on a spin bike or something (but haven't) Also waking up middle of night and the morning with very dry mouth. I am on a diet of pureed food. Including shakes, Protein injury Soups, I am managing around 48 ounces of fluids. I rarely seem to be able to meet the 64 ounces, but keep trying. I feel more fatigued then I did a week ago too. And as far as weight loss, it has not moved more than a pound for two weeks now. Anyone experience the same, or know what these two symptoms might be?

Hi Mindijean and others. I knw from other posts that you've just had your sleeve op, and hope all is ok I had a somewhat advanced cervical cancer (of a kind not detected by Pap smears) that was treated with major surgery 7years ago. I've been we'll since though growing fatigue in the past few years, resulting in a leukaemia diagnosis yesterday (on my birthday too!). I'm in a "watch and wait" phase at present and hoping it stays that way for a long time, but I expect to need chemo (and all the lovely nausea and vomiting that goes with it) in the future. I guess this means my weight loss is assured (????) but I'm nervous about how - as a sleever - I'll cope with treatment and its side effects. I too would like to hear from others who've been down this very scarey road. I could really do with some good news right now, to be honest.

90% of the battle is diet. If you are having a hard time getting those last 20 off you need to look at where yours slip ups are and decided if you are ready to go the distance. If you are exercising that is great but it is not enough by itself. I would also add once you get the maintenance, you really have to focus to remain there. At least that is my experience so far. Little slip ups go from not losing to suddenly gaining a pound here and there. I have found the only thing that resolves this is going back to the basics.

We can always "straighten up" for a height measurement. But when we're heavier, especially with tummies that protrude, our backs bow inward to balance the tummy weight. That's why so many of us who are overweight have back pain. Then we lose the weight, our backs straighten up, our necks straighten up and voila! We're effectively taller. Congratulations!

I can relate big time. Especially with amusement parks . I can't recall anyone ever specifically telling me I was too big, especially to participate in some form of exercise. But there have been times over the years when I opt out of doing something for fear of being too big or physically challenging activities because I either thought I couldn't do it or I didn't want the people around me to see me struggle. I was in Egypt a few years back and went on a trip to the Sinai. My tour group was scheduled to do the trek up Mount Sinai to visit the famous monastery and watch the sun rise. I didn't want my tour mates, who were all my age, skinny, and in much better shape, see me wheezing and huffing and puffing the whole way up, or worse yet - see me give up. So I pretended to have a bad headache that morning and I didn't go. One of the bigger regrets in my life. I do group class yoga. When I started at the studio I really thought I was making a fool of myself. The studio staff and class members were very supportive, but I hated that all of them had years of experience on me. So I switched from that studio to my gym, and now there are many big ladies in my class and we are all trying to lose weight. We're no yoga masters but we all have a lot more fun. The class is more oriented toward fitness anyway so it's a better fit.

I had lost down to 175 in 2009 before I went to Guatemala and then gained up to 240 before my surgery and even then when I went up Volcan Picaya I was not in good enough shape to get all the way up without help and opted to rent a horse to go the rest of the way. And then near the top they told me it was too steep for me to ride the horse the rest of the way and I would need to go on foot but I took one look at where I had to walk up and decided I really couldn't go any farther. I imagine that I probably would have made it all the way up if I had been near my goal weight of 130 lbs and I felt embarrassed that I had spent $6 to go and then $12 to rent the horse and still wasn't able to go all the way up to the top of the volcano. .

If you think that's a long post you haven't been reading my posts. Shame on you. Okay, so here's what I see. Let's start with your stats. One, you COULD lose more weight if you want. Your BMI is still overweight, though let's not deny that there is almost certainly a large amount of loose skin because of your tremendous loss. Congrats on that, by the way, you've worked the hell out of your sleeve so far. But you don't NEED to lose more weight. So don't feel like you're not a success or that you fell short. Because that's obviously not the case at all. Two, let's talk about this "enough is enough" thing. This is more common than you think. I did the same thing. "If only I could be 150 again, I'd be so happy." But today I'm 141 and mad I'm not 135 (my goal) and frustrated that I never saw 120 pounds (firmly in the normal BMI range for my short stature of 5'1") so I relate to this a lot. In my case? It took realizing that I wasn't unhappy because I was fat. I was fat because I was unhappy. And my weight was the very easiest of the many issues I was lugging around in my suitcase o baggage to tackle. It was the big, obvious thing I could change to feel happy. But losing weight did NOT make me happy. Don't get me wrong. It made me happier. But it wasn't that magic switch where one day I went from having problems or issues and the next day to loving myself because I could fit in a size six. It just doesn't work that way. I wonder the same thing. Now my focus is plastics. And my husband asks me what the focus will be once the plastics are done. Because once the loose skin is gone I've completed my journey, right? So do I finally feel completely content with my results at that point? Or do I find another issue to pick apart until I'm there? Will I need another distraction from whatever else I've got going on in my head? Look, there is nothing wrong with keeping onward. Just remember that success is measured by achieving a goal and then maintaining it happily. If it's an obsession, you're not happy. If you always want more, you're not happy. I beat myself up trying to hit 135 and stay there. But until I got pregnant with my wee one I could easily stay between 137-141 pounds with zero effort. Staying just two pounds lower took a strict diet and it was always a challenge. So go further if you want it or need it. But stop before you get to that point where you're fighting your body and making yourself unhappy. You have come so far. There is no need to live as though you've stopped short if you've done all your body can do. And be smart about this. I don't need to caution you about the people that trade one form of disordered eating for another, right? It happens. So be careful. And I recommend some counseling if you're not already doing it. I firmly believe everyone can use it, and it certainly never hurts a person. Congrats on coming so far. Remember to change your perspective if you start to get negative. I am guilty of this, too. If you look in the mirror or at photos and only see the parts you'd like to change, you need to stop and reflect on how far you've come. Good luck, ~Cheri

I had a little bit of a rough start but am ok now. I am having really slow weight loss but that was to be expected with my PCOS. However I am with Gorda123...it is very very frustrating. It has definately been harder for me mentally than physically. I think this is because I have always been an emotional eater and now I am having to deal with those emotions instead of eat for them. I am trying to be postitive though and approach it with the mentality of when was the last time I have been able to lose 37 lbs and keep it off. You will have to make this decision yourself. It is something you have to do for you and nobody else but I do think the band is a great tool but it still requires you to do the work. Good luck and keep us posted!

You are always welcome.Some will say exercise 5 days a week ,eat your Protein,no bread no carbs and if I had done that I may have lost a few more pounds in this years time,but I am sure I would not have been as happy and satisfied with my life.Nor do I feel it is a lifestyle I could maintain after weight loss.I am not on a diet,I am trying to find a way to survive and have a health and happy life. This year I hope to lose the last 40 pounds but if I don't and I am just able to maintain I will still be happy with myself and all the progress I have made.

I wasn't all happy with the surgery, actually i hated it for about 3 - 4 months! I had real buyers remorse. . .I've been out now 1 year and 1 month and have gotten so used to it. . . I'm still losing but really slowly, but just cause my weight loss has slowed down doesn't mean that my life sucks now. . .nope, I am 12 lbs from goal and look good. . . I can do so many things now that I couldn't do before when I was morbidly obese, but if you mean after you get to your maximum weight loss goal and don't need to lose more will I regret it? I don't know. . .my fear is when I'm older. .. you know how the elderly already don't eat and are frail and many suffer from malabsorption of Vitamins and minerals, what will happen to those folks who have this surgery? Including me and I already have severe malabsorption problems with Vitamin D? If the elderly don't eat much with stomaches, what are we going to endure towards the end? That is my fear, the unknown . . . but that is yet to be seen I suppose. . .

Thanks, I do understand re alcohol but I had this app for a couple of months pre op and I do know that stuff like alcohol & carbonated drinks are way off limit. Not sure if the op is slightly different here but nothing is off limits to us. In fact the bariatric nurse told me to have a glad of wine 1 week post op as I was convinced my op hadn't worked!! Lol that does not however deter from the fact that alcohol contain cals and I agree this is not something I do even weekly however my 2lb weight gain began a week prior to my having the alcohol so that has mystified (and panicked me) a bit. I have been so intrigued by the small differences is diet advice from both countries post op. it is rare for anyone here (I believe to suffer any gas pain!!) not sure why that is, however I was so grateful I didn't as it sounded painful. Anyhow I'll stay off the alcohol and continue with my 20 lengths swimming 3 times weekly and hopefully I'll move from my current hurdle to a more positive one soon. Thanks for your messages x

Congrats on your weight loss so far!!! I had my procedure 12/11/08. I go for my first fill on 1/22. I can't wait. I don't feel any restriction and I too am trying to watch what I eat. I have done really well. I've got to get more focused on my walking. I have lost 12 lbs so far. I was hoping for more before my first feel. I was 210 going into surgery. Now I'm 198. I'm also 57 years old and this site has been very helpful and the resources are great.

Everyone always says how much they love the surgery, it's good to hear that someone else suffered from buyers remorse. I'm 5 weeks out from surgery and I've been fighting depression. I know that this surgery was the best thing for me for health reasons and everyone tells me that I'll eventually love it, but right now, I wish I could turn back the clock and not go through with it. I spent over 2 years researching and talking to people about their experiences with the surgery and thought I was prepared, but I was wrong. I have the same thoughts about how the surgery will impact my health when I'm older. But, as someone in the support group that I attend pointed out...without the surgery, I probably wouldn't have gotten old enough to worry about it. Because of my weight and the related health problems, I was on my way to an early grave. I've got a great support group and they're helping me sort through my concerns, fears and regrets. I'm looking forward to the day that I can honestly say that I love my new sleeve.

I have had weight gain for a few days then it suddenly drops

I have Empire bcbs Uhc in ny and had no problems 40 bmi and borderline diabetic and sent in gym hystory and weight watchers lol and I just was dx high blood pressure AUg and I saw Dr 10-30- had all my tests and surgery 11-17-11 Good luck

So bummed. I tried. I stopped getting my band refilled. I am back to my old ways. Need help.

You have to understand that when you fall back to your old ways that you will gain weight. We all LOVE food. We all are addicts. You have to grab this by the horns and never look back. I keep a picture of me at all times that I can relate to if I am having a moment. When I was at my highest weight. It keeps me from ever wanting sweets or junk food. I don't eat it, don't want it. I can not trust myself to have one piece of candy or I will eat it all. I am not giving out Halloween candy just for that reason. Why torture myself over that. I will go to the mall while its going on. I know that sugar is my down fall and can never it it again. People think I deprive myself but for me it's not depriving its what I have to do to keep it under control. I could very well eat what every I want but I don't because I personally know myself and do not want to go back to my evil ways. You have to want this and want it bad. Pick yourself off, dust yourself off and get back on the wagon.

that is so frustrating I know and so easy to do. I am new to all this and was doing well till last week gained 3 lbs I know that's not much but I am eating less then 1,000 cal a day and I gained how csn that be. I am calling for another fill.You keep going get your fills and stay in touch so we can help you. line dancing

You just have to keep on fighting. Giving up won't work. You can do this. I don't know what to say about self control and gaining your weight back. You are the only one that can control that. I went 6 weeks once without losing an ounce... I didn't give up. I can't, I won't allow myself to go back to my old eating habits. You can make this work but you really have to want too. I'm sure you want it to work, but you have to want to make it work. I know, deep in my heart I will NEVER.... NEVER go back to my old eating habits. I may have a bad day here or there, but it is a day... I'm going to take that back. I have bad moments. Like yesterday with some Halloween candy.... I didn't let the whole day go to heck because of it. I ate healthy aside from those Reese Cups and I exercised. Just cuz I indulged a little I didn't let the whole day be a loss. I don't believe in complete deprivation. I don't beat myself up and I keep doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Honestly, I know I will never go back to eating like I used to. I will always eat the way I am now. It just seems normal to me. I wish you luck... It's hard at times but it is doable!

Hey everyone! Ok so I weigh 250 lbs and my surgery is in Oct. 13 ..... I'm so excited but I'm a bit worried about having loose skin after the weight loss ..... I'm just wondering if there's any way to prevent that from happening ??

I am so sorry to read this, I also went thru so many chnges trying to get an approval. I have cried, screamed, been happy, been mad and ready to go blow up some offices...lol I dont kno how religious u are but this weight is a form of bondage and God does not want us to remain in bondage, so therefore if you trust him he will fix this in your favor...he gives us the desires of our hearts and if ur heart is like mine being here for my sons without limitations on their life is ALLLLL I could ever hope for. So hang in there, if its urs cant NOBDY take it...not that clinic or the insurance company.