Official Ongoing Gastric Sleeve Maintenance Thread

[Georgia 2,908]

Btw. About how many crackers are in your snack 2-3 times a day? And that is on top of your 3 meals, right?

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

it's really hard when head hunger takes over. I have a real problem in the evenings wanting to eat anything I can find. It takes a lot of willpower not to . At the end of the month it will be 2 1/2 years for me, and it's getting harder all the time.

I am sure if I didn't work out regularly, I would be putting on weight. I have to watch the scale carefully.

[Lakelady 2]

How fun that there is chatter here again! I'm still trying to maintain instead of losing. This surgery has made me think and eat like a skinny person. I can eat about twice as much as I could the first few months if I really try to get the calories in. But then I'll have a day where I couldn't possibly have taken in more than 800 Kcal. Sigh. I hope it stays so easy. I really need to stop losing-I've never been this small and its so weird.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Hi NannieG - I think I said I'm eating "lite" Grahams - believe it or not, 2 full crackers is ONE serving! I will eat 1 cracker (which is half a serving) or 1.5 at a time. Initially I was measuring the Peanut Butter, but now I just 'eyeball' it. I use between a third and a half TB each time I have the grahams. I started using the Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter before I had surgery because it has nothing but peanuts and salt, none of the partially hydrogented stuff. This is on top of my 3 meals. After I reached goal, I continued to lose, my dietitian told me to start adding in healthy Snacks to get the amount of calories I need...she also said to live a little. She suggested that when I get a steak that offers something like peppercorn or mushroom gravy, get it on the side a dip. I've done it, but boy, it's hard doing stuff that I did NOT do before surgery....it was quite an adjustment. I gained back several lbs, not quite up to my original goal, but I think my body is comfortable where I'm at. My doctor's goal was 150, it varies day to day, but on average I'm 10 lbs below goal. If I inched up to 150 I'd have a stroke!! I do NOT allow myself to get to 144. It's amazing how I can eat out all weekend and be up to 143, all I have to do it up my Protein and liquids, like we all know is the key....and by Wed or Thurs I'm back to 140'ish. Try the grahams if you need additional calories, they're yummy!!

Btw. About how many crackers are in your snack 2-3 times a day? And that is on top of your 3 meals, right?

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Good morning Lake Lady! Isn't it great to be able to eat like a naturally thin person??!! I love it! Has it been a process with you? When I reached about 12 months out, I was a little freaked out because I AM eating about twice what I could at 5 months out. Like you, at the end of some days, I realize I've eaten 800 - 900 calories. I can do two things, eat nothing else - which is easy since my hunger is not like it use to be....it's wonderful if I'm up a few lbs and want to get rid of it....or two, I drink a glass of milk and have a graham cracker and use a little more Peanut Butter. I sooooo feel in control now. I am in the habit of snacking again, which really bothered me at first, but I KNOW that it's 'ok' - I NEED to snack or I'd be a stick by now. I didn't want to be unhealthy. Again, like you, I've never in my life been this small. I love shopping, even if I just try on something to SEE IF IT FITS. I still look at my jeans when I am going to put them on and think NO WAY!!! LoL

How fun that there is chatter here again! I'm still trying to maintain instead of losing. This surgery has made me think and eat like a skinny person. I can eat about twice as much as I could the first few months if I really try to get the calories in. But then I'll have a day where I couldn't possibly have taken in more than 800 Kcal. Sigh. I hope it stays so easy. I really need to stop losing-I've never been this small and its so weird.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Thank you all for this wonderful advice and input! I looove peanut butter! I haven't been able to transition to the natural though. I just love my good ole tbsp of Skippy super chunk. I sometimes think that snack makes me lose weight at night... LOL

I gained a good 10 lbs with my breast augmentation. Most is the weight of the implants and the swelling / IV fluids - but I know I did gain a little fat back too. I wasn't able to do any kind of workouts for almost a whole month. That coupled with boredom being home with nothing to do, so I was snacking way too much. On some not so desireable things too! I'd say I gained back maybe 3-4 Lbs of fat!! :-(

I've always used my workouts as the buffer to prevent weight regain. Thank goodness I'm able to workout again, and for the last week I've cut out all sugar and salt and I've already got all that I gained back off... yay! I think from now on I'll leave all real candy alone and real ice cream. I tried ice cream one time (was scared for the longest because I became lactose intolerant). But I think it really scared me a lot to know how fast that weight came back on. Like you NtvTxn, I still weigh myself first thing in the morning. It is a really good indicator on what I need to do for the day.

Now I'd like to work off the added gain from my implants I think. That would really mean more weight loss. I'm not going to be all gung ho about it, but would like to even it back out. I'm hopeful to that I'll have it off by November 2nd, which will be my first liposuction on my thighs. I didn't lose weight evenly unfortunately, and I really REALLY don't want to lose anymore on top. My arms, stomach and chest area are rail thin... but my bottom half still needs to lose! I'm SO glad for my breast augmentation, it has helped to make me look a little more even.

My husband says to just do what I do like normal and see how I feel after my liposuctions and when the swelling is down... then judge. I think he's right. So here I am now, somewhere between wanting to maintain and wanting to lose about 4 or so Lbs. I'll just see what happens. I know I'll lose more though since I'm cutting out all sugar and salt. Not carbs though!

To all us maintainers... be blessed!!!!

[sleeve 4 me 910]

How fun that there is chatter here again! I'm still trying to maintain instead of losing. This surgery has made me think and eat like a skinny person. I can eat about twice as much as I could the first few months if I really try to get the calories in. But then I'll have a day where I couldn't possibly have taken in more than 800 Kcal. Sigh. I hope it stays so easy. I really need to stop losing-I've never been this small and its so weird.

This is what is totally happening to me now. Some days it feels like I can eat a whole lot, where other days I eat so little (thank God lol). I know it's the sleeve that is doing the work for me and keeping me down. It's truly a miracle tool for me. I love my sleevie!!!

[sleeve 4 me 910]

Btw. About how many crackers are in your snack 2-3 times a day? And that is on top of your 3 meals, right?

I also have about 2 full sheets and typically a few hours after dinner. I don't have it everyday, only if I'm craving it. mm mm good. And I eat the regular graham crackers with skippy natural Peanut Butter.< /strong>

[Georgia 2,908]

Thanks, Sleeve 4 me! I will start trying those. Have been doing nuts and found these nature valley nut crunch bars w only 160 cal and more Protein but u have I also got in the habit of Pure junk stuff too! Gotta get back in line. SURE don't want to gain any more Nd really wOuld like to lose down to have about 5-10 to play with.

[Nanna509 1]

I was 2 years out Aug. 13 and had reached goal, i think, about 8 months out. Maintaining is becoming a very big struggle. I sit at my job all day and all I can think about is eating. I'm 5'6 and hung around 138-142 now I've bounced up to about 146-149. It's driving me crazy!!! I weigh every day and workout 6 days a week. I know if I didn't exercise i would immediately put on 20 pounds. I have notice in the last few months I'm dragging through my workouts and I just feel tired ALL the time. Don't get me wrong, having this surgery was the best thing I ever did but I wish I felt better. I am bad about taking all my Vitamins. I probably only get them in about 5 days out of the week. Could that really be making that much difference? I thought my blood sugar was dropping because I sometimes get very light headed and start sweating but I had it checked several times and it was normal. I feel like I'm crazy. Anyone else experiencing this?

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

I was 2 years out Aug. 13 and had reached goal, i think, about 8 months out. Maintaining is becoming a very big struggle. I sit at my job all day and all I can think about is eating. I'm 5'6 and hung around 138-142 now I've bounced up to about 146-149. It's driving me crazy!!! I weigh every day and workout 6 days a week. I know if I didn't exercise i would immediately put on 20 pounds. I have notice in the last few months I'm dragging through my workouts and I just feel tired ALL the time. Don't get me wrong, having this surgery was the best thing I ever did but I wish I felt better. I am bad about taking all my Vitamins. I probably only get them in about 5 days out of the week. Could that really be making that much difference? I thought my blood sugar was dropping because I sometimes get very light headed and start sweating but I had it checked several times and it was normal. I feel like I'm crazy. Anyone else experiencing this?

Nanna, I do notice a big difference when I forget to take my supplements. It is a big deal for us sleevers. How are your B-12's? Its hard for our stomachs to process the B-12s from our food naturally. Maybe you should see your PCP and get a full blood panel to see if you're lacking anything.

I still feel great during my workouts. It also depends when I'm doing them too. First thing in the morning and I'm full of energy (right after my coffee and B-12's) but later at night after I've been at work all day and my workouts are at only 50%.

Good luck! It still sounds like you're doing really well for being at goal for over a year! It's best to get it in check now rather than later though, if you were happier 10 Lbs lighter.

[iegal 460]

I will use this thread as a confessional. I do need to change my habits for a better me at goal. Being skinny was the secondary goal of VSG. Being healthy was a primary goal. The things I struggled with before VSG is the same thing I struggle with now. I have not posted about my 1 year anniversary back in mid September since I have not had my one year check up. Hoping to provide a full picture, not just before and after pictures. I know what report will say about my health.

Here is my partial list of sins.

• I eat way too fast again. Figured out that if I shove in food fast, I can trick my full signal and get more food in. Friday evening I almost got sick...ARGH
• I often neglect to take my supplements’.
• Not enough Protein - back on the carbs for the main staple of my diet
• Still not drinking enough Water. Need to drag that cup around. Often mistake thirst for "hunger" and shove in food, usually junk food.
• I snack often and now since I have had the sleeve - sweets are my thing. Now I have dessert which I could pass on all the time before surgery.

So, today I use my sleeve as a reason why I can eat this or that. I can eat junk most of the time and not gain the weight back since it is in limited amounts. In comparision to a drug addict or smoker whose goal is to get away from the addiction completely, I am not able to do this with food. I can not walk away from food forever. Can you imagine telling an alcoholic that you can only have three drinks a day to survive - so choose your drinks well? Or a drug addict that you can get hopped up upon occasion? I still plan my life around food, hoping I make healthy choices most of the time.

While your advice would be welcomed, it is really not needed. I know what I need to do. What I need to find is the same resolve that I had to hit goal. My life cannot be spent taking advantage of this beautiful sleeve. Therefore my battle and demons remain before me and beside me. My battle is not with food, but with me.

Thank you for allowing me to be honest with myself.

[GetInMyBelly 80]

That I'm sure helped a lot of us open our own eyes. Thank u for posting it here.

[Lakelady 2]

Diva-your pics are just amazing! I have a friend who is miserable with complications after a gastric bypass which she instead of a sleeve because "she had so much to lose!" You had more to lose and did it all with the sleeve! From now on I'm going to be singing the praises of the sleeve and steering people this way.

[Lakelady 2]

iegal-Thanks for the 1 year update and outline of struggles of maintenance.

You are at goal right?

And staying there right?

Maybe you are a little hard on yourself?

I had a Weight Watcher's ice cream bar and Mike's hard lemonade last night but I don't feel bad about it-they were delicious and eating straight Protein and veggies won't work for maintenance for me. I know I'll if my scale ever get near 130 again I'll switch right back into losing mode.

Maybe I'm too early and too honeymoon to know the return of hunger and reach the peak of my stomach capacity? I know I couldn't limit my intake or choices before surgery-maybe it'll became difficult again and I just haven't experienced that yet.

Okay-enough chatting-off to work!!