Veteran Post-Op Participants...

[PreciousCargo 55]

Silly question...

When you hit your target weight how do you maintain it? Is it eating more calories, higher fat content in food, etc?

It seems now when I eat more I lose weight, go figure. There are some days I can eat more than say the day before when I can barely get down a couple of bites.

Also, how do I figure what is a good weight to maintain? The doctor's office said 195 is my goal weight, I would still be considered overweight. However, it might be an ideal weight for me.

[Foxbins 625]

Congratulations on 83 lbs lost! I picked my goal weight by wanting to be a normal BMI--for me that would be 160. When I hit 160 I was still losing pretty easily so I wondered if I could hit 150, where I had maintained easily in my late twenties and early 30's. I hit 150 and decided to maintain. I had two surgeries back to back and lost an additional 13 lbs and I like how I look and it's not difficult to maintain so I am staying here. I maintain by eating higher calorie foods for Snacks, like nuts and nut butters, eating the skin on chicken, sugary fruits like strawberries and cherries, and using full-fat cheese and dairy products. I added in extra calories pretty slowly (100 extra a day for a week) and monitored if I lost or stayed even. It took a little while but now it's balanced.

Also, I too have days when I can only eat a little bit and days when it seems like I eat all day. It's the nature of the sleeve, I guess.

I think your goal weight should be where you are happy with how you look and at a point that you think you can maintain. Don't be afraid to go below your Dr's goal if you want. I expect a little bounceback at 3-5 years and I have some wiggle room being toward the bottom of a normal BMI now.