Not All Sleevers Eat 500 Cals A Day For The Rest Of Their Lives!

[GeauxForIt 659]

Joining this team...lol

Sign me up!!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I am 17 weeks out and 55lb down. My surgeon wants me to lose another 30lb. My daughter and husband think I look great now. And compared to pre-op, they are right. I too am taking the long way. I am 55 and do not like to exercise. I work long hours and eating around 1000 calories, I don't have the energy I would like. I have noticed that I still have an appetite, but luckily - (thank you sleeve), I can't eat too much! I'm dredding the day I don't feel full!

I'm 2 yrs and 7 months out and still have a lot of restriction. I get full really easy and I am never hungry. My 'new' hunger is an empty feeling, something I can ignore if it isn't convenient to eat then. I'm 53 and this surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself. I still have the 'will I gain it all back' thoughts....head games. Will they ever go away??!!! During my losing phase, I was what my nurse called 'rigid'. LoL I treated this as the most important diet of my life. The first year is the honeymoon period and I knew it. Nothing fried or sweet passed my lips!! Since then, I lightened up. I have been eating LF food forever when possible. Skim milk for over 20 years, 1% Cottage cheese, 2% cheddar etc. I do NOT do fat free anything other than milk. I've eaten whole wheat bread for years, I haven't fried anything but an egg in my house for way before surgery, again, years! An egg I fry in a non stick skillet, no grease! I wasn't a 'coke' drinker before, so cutting it out is not a problem. I eat dessert when I want to, I will eat four or five pieces of fried okra or french fries once in a while. I am aware of everything I put in my mouth, whereas prior to surgery, I'd mindlessly eat. There are things I CHOOSE not to eat just because....I.E. Mac 'N cheese. When I was losing, I averaged 600 calories a day, doc preferred 800, but I was healthy and got 60 - 80 grams of Protein per day.....I had a hard time stopping, so they had me add two or three Snacks or additional small meals per day. I HAD to do that to get in enough calories to put the brakes on losing!! I do good at 1200 calories. I maintain, up and down three or four lbs between 1200 and 1400 per day. I feel good, and never lost my hair. I wanted to get to a 12, would have been happy as a clam if I'd never lost another pound, but it was sooooo easy, I knew I wasn't finished. I wear a 4 or 6 and am down 81 lbs. I've been maintaining for two years.....I added calories to gain a little back, approx 10 lbs. I was too low. I have fun shopping and love not being the 'biggest girl' in the room. My brain is still catching up, I am not sure it ever will totally. I don't feel 'small' or 'thin' and when someone says that, I smile on the inside....I still can invision the chubby me!! Keeps me humble, I'm sure of it!! (Oh, exercise, what's that??!!!)

[skinnyjenn 20]

I love this post thank you for your inspiration! And you look great!

[cyncitygirl 100]

So I am 15 months post-op.....

Just thought I would share my experiences and what life is like for me as a sleever in maintenance. I made my weight loss goal ( a very modest goal in fact...) at about 8 months out. So I have maintained my weight loss with ease for the last 7 months. I chose a higher goal than many sleevers for several reasons....

1.) easier to maintain

2.) no lose skin. That's right people' date=' I have no lose skin, my butt is still round and the girls are still perky!

3.) I am normal, curvy healthy and average. That's all I ever wanted!

4.) I wear normal sizes. I am in a 12 and as a nurse I wear medium scrub tops and large bottoms. I LOVE BEING NORMAL. (preop I was in 2x and 24s)

I don't really care that my BMI is not "normal" it never will be, I am happy and healthy. My surgeon and primary agree I am in a great spot.

So what do I eat? a typical day is about 2000 calories. I was eating 1400 a day for weight loss.... I got up to 1000 cals as soon as I could post op so I wouldn't tank my metabolism. I don't eat low fat anything, I don't drink diet anything, no sugar free toxic crap. I eat small and healthy amounts everything. I have a vanilla latte everyday.I eat cheese at least twice a day. I eat lots of fruit and veggies and of course Protein. I go out to eat, have dessert a few times per week. I eat like a healthy, normal person.

I still have started a real workout routine at the gym... I have a fairly physical job as a nurse and I take the dog for walks all the time, I plan to workout at the gym this winter for health purposes.

All in all my point is.... I am so happy I was sleeved!!

below is a before and after.....:-)[/quote']

Wow that's great!!! I'm only a week out and this inspires me!! Today I kept obsessing about how bad I wanted a big plate of meaty spaghetti and all I could have was puréed Soup. But I have to remember in a few months I can have some and get the help not over doing it. Thank you for sharing.

Have you found any foods you don't like anymore? If you go to a party do you have to pick only one or two small appetizers to eat then ur full?

Btw you look great!! Good job!

[SummersGirl 41]

As you know' date=' SoS, I eat very similarly to you! I did lose down to "goal", which I didn't know what to pick as a goal anyhow LOL. And even though I'm in a size 6-8, I still take crap sometimes for eating too much or not reaching goal, cos I didn't reach my stretch goal. Not sure I need to get there, I'm pretty small already. Plus I am fine to eat 2000 per day and not gain at all and feel healthy and eat a wide variety of food. [/quote']

You're a size 6/8 and people give you a hard time for eating too much and not reaching goal? Ridiculous! I would love to be that size. Seem to be stuck at a 12 I eat between 1000-1400 calories per day and exercise 5 days a week. But I'm not giving up all hope just yet (just some of it, lol).

[SoCalDixieGal 172]

This has been a great thread to read and really mirrors how I want to live post VSG. If you've ever read Why French Women Don't Get Fat you might want too . . . has a similar type of feel (the whole "eat real food" movement). Just looking forward to the day when a small amount of very high quality food is satisfying!

I've had difficulty picking a goal weight as I just don't know, and I really don't want to pick a goal size as sizes are meaningless. I don't want to be defined by someone else's standard!

[Oliver's Mom 258]

This was a great thread to read. It is so inspiring. Everyone's contributions help keep things in perspective, making me realize that life will be normal. I selected a goal weight and then was told my my Nutritionist that it was too low. I plan to reset the goal as I continue to lose and get to that place where I feel comfortable. Thanks for your post! And, you look beautiful.

[SweetnCurvy 112]

So I am 15 months post-op.....

Just thought I would share my experiences and what life is like for me as a sleever in maintenance. I made my weight loss goal ( a very modest goal in fact...) at about 8 months out. So I have maintained my weight loss with ease for the last 7 months. I chose a higher goal than many sleevers for several reasons....

1.) easier to maintain

2.) no lose skin. That's right people' date=' I have no lose skin, my butt is still round and the girls are still perky!

3.) I am normal, curvy healthy and average. That's all I ever wanted!

4.) I wear normal sizes. I am in a 12 and as a nurse I wear medium scrub tops and large bottoms. I LOVE BEING NORMAL. (preop I was in 2x and 24s)

I don't really care that my BMI is not "normal" it never will be, I am happy and healthy. My surgeon and primary agree I am in a great spot.

So what do I eat? a typical day is about 2000 calories. I was eating 1400 a day for weight loss.... I got up to 1000 cals as soon as I could post op so I wouldn't tank my metabolism. I don't eat low fat anything, I don't drink diet anything, no sugar free toxic crap. I eat small and healthy amounts everything. I have a vanilla latte everyday.I eat cheese at least twice a day. I eat lots of fruit and veggies and of course Protein. I go out to eat, have dessert a few times per week. I eat like a healthy, normal person.

I still have started a real workout routine at the gym... I have a fairly physical job as a nurse and I take the dog for walks all the time, I plan to workout at the gym this winter for health purposes.

All in all my point is.... I am so happy I was sleeved!!

below is a before and after.....:-)[/quote']

U look great

[SweetnCurvy 112]

You look beautiful. That's the message a lot of people need to hear healthy weight. Not skinny. Thanks for sharing.

Exactly! Healthy is the main goal

[rocionelizalde 11]

That's awesome u look great!!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[free4life 16]

I was feeling completely normal finally after 4-5 months. I took a while. It was worth the wait!

I needed to hear this, too, although I have set my goal high. It's at 160 and I'm 5'2. I just figure as I get closer to it, I will evaluate myself based on how I feel, clothing, etc. I also needed to hear how much someone is eating. I am at about 800-1,000 a day, although I had a week where I was indulging a bit too much (50th birthday). I kind of "stalled" again, but now, have lost a pound. I am trying to up my activity level by walking my dogs more, going to the pool, mixed in with going to the gym a bit (1x a week right now).

Could you give me an idea on how you ate your calories? I also eat most everything, but in the back of my mind, I want to be sure of my Protein intake. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thank you!!

[Niecybelle 0]

Thank you for this post! My concern with having this surgery is losing too much weight. I'm not looking to be skinny. Thankful to you all for sharing.

[LaserSkinGirl 147]

Great update....you look amazing!

[Renea77 84]

Great job! You look great

[HikeEveryMountain 112]

How long did it take for you to detect what your best range for calories was after your surgery? And how could you tell?

Such a great thread. I have been thinking that ultra restricting calories after surgery is only going to exacerbate the starvation mode and metabolism slowing.