Why do

[desertmom 297]

I read so many posts of long term post ops saying they can eat so much more at 3 to 5 years out?

Does the stomach stretch with time or what? Does this happen to everyone? Can all long term sleevers eat more?

Help me with this please! I am struggling with this idea a lot as I have started thinking my eating habits havent changed as much as I previously thought.I just cannot eat as much now! i am trying to be brutally honest with myself at this point.There is no way I can live low carb for the rest of my life as I am grumpy as heck while low carb.I eat super small meals but will pick at chicken,veal strips,beef Jerky ect between meals.Just a bite or two but I am doing it.I am missing "something nice" all the time now,just cannot identify what that something nice is.

I havent eaten ice cream,chocolates,crisps or any sweets since surgery (well,maybe a teeny tiny choccy that did make me feel sick just a month or so ago) I would however,like to eat things like olives and sweet potato and Beans ect ect again at some point.

How do people find their maintance if it changes with time?I have had an obsession with this weight issue for 20 years and had hoped the surgery would help with this.But now I am starting to feel that it will be the centre of my existance for the rest of my life.Just when I thought I had this eating thing down pat,I started feeling like I am just fooling myself.I am still losing weight every week though,6 pounds from goal.I am good at losing weight,have always been but I was better at regaining it...lol

How do people find a balance or rather,do they?

And then I read my self righteous answers to some of the people that struggled to stay on track and I feel payback is a b&£tch! Its a choice,make your own rules,just do it! UGGG,what was I thinking!

[lsereno 2,525]

I am coming up on two years out. I have been pretty stable in the amount and types of food I can eat for the last year.

I do have to be careful of the choices I make to stay at goal weight. I can't eat the same volume of food I ate pre-op, but I could easily eat the wrong foods and gain all the weight back.

Here's what I've eaten today:

9 a.m.: whole wheat english muffin with two slices low-fat ham lunchmeat

11 a.m.: 1 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt made into a smoothie with splash of OJ, Splenda, Water, and 1/4 cup mixed berries

1:30 p.m.: 2 oz. cornish game hen (left over from dinner a couple of days ago) mixed into 1 cup Progresso Vegetable Soup

I plan on having spaghetti and caesar salad for dinner a cupcake for dessert. I may snack on some pretzels while the game is on too.

Lynda

[desertmom 297]

Hi Lynda

Thanks for answering.We had dinner at friends last night and the guy is a chef.To not offend them (they still dont understand that I really cant eat much and dont eat carbs) I had a little of everything he insisted I try,even the cheesecake.

It was duck,which I avoid as it is very fatty,mash potato,cabbage ect ect.

When we got home I had a panic attact when I was reading through some posts on long termers eating and regain.The thought that struck me was if my volume increase much I am screwed!

My food capacity varies greatly from day to day and of course the carbs go in sliding..lol. I dont overeat but even when I see your 2oz of Protein portions I fear that I can eat 3,5 some days with ease.(fish,ground beef)

I cannot think of the future.will have to do this one day at a time.It was also thinking of plastics and how strange people look when they regin after plastics that sends me into a spin.

Have decided to wait one year with plastics.Get into maintanance,maybe wait for menopause to pass..lol.

Again,thanks for responding.I will plod along.It has served me well in the past 10 months and I will not regain.Even if I have to think about this mindfully every day for the rest of my life.

[lsereno 2,525]

Hi Desert Mom,

I can eat 3.5 oz of Protein, but most of the time I choose not to so I have more room for veggies and a little starch.

Those sliders are a problem! As are calorie-laden drinks. It may get easier with time, but it's always going to be a struggle for me. That's one of the reasons I'm still here on this board, giving and getting support.

I do think about my choices daily. Of course, I'd love to have a McGriddle with sausage, hashbrown and OJ for Breakfast. But I'm sticking with my lowcal ham on whole wheat english muffin. And yes, that iced pumpkin bread would go great with pumpkin latte, but I'm gonna stick with the plain biscotti and the tall soy latte, thanks! Not that I don't have treats, but I have to control them instead of letting them be the norm in my daily diet.

I am waiting for plastics too. I've been at goal for almost a year now and I can see a difference, but things are still not perfect. For me, I may decide it's good enough. I'm 56 and pain/expense averse :-)

Lynda

[desertmom 297]

Hi Lynda,

After last night's late night panic..lol..I actually dropped nearly 2 pounds.I am still losing quite fast even though I am eating off plan quite often.it just means Im eating some carbs now actually.Not a lot but some.I dont easily eat food thats bad for me.Just eat too often sometimes and grazing is bad for me too even if I just snack beef Jerky or chicken.But I have figured if I could lose 6 pounds this month (mid Dec to today) while on a 3 week holiday,I cant be doing too much wrong.From middle November to mid December I actually lost 14 pounds.

I will also have to just be vigilant about the eating.Now that I have my perspective back,I realize that skinny people also have to make good choices,I know.

As for the skin issue.Did it "settle" some in the past year?I have decided to keep losing until my legs are not as uneven as it is now.It just seems to have a lot of fat still.I am very pain averse myself.Took me 2 years to get the courage to get the sleeve done.But the skin does bug me a lot.However I am 45 myself and if I do the arms,legs boobs and bodylift,I will have to do my face to go with the younger body...lol.

Having this forum helps restore my sanity some days when I doubt what I'm doing so I might just stick around for a long time still myself.

[lsereno 2,525]

Yes, it has settled.Good luck on your journey! Looks like you are almost at goal.

Lynda

[suzthebrit 146]

Not that I don't have treats' date=' but I have to control them instead of letting them be the norm in my daily diet.

Lynda[/quote']

I am only 2 months post op so I can't really comment on your concerns about long termers but I think Lynda hit the nail on the head! Everything in moderation! Skinny people don't not eat cake, they just eat it once a year on their birthday, not once a day just because!

Good luck.

Suzy