How many vets are actually AT goal and staying there?

[LeaveItToSleever 80]

If you're at goal, how long have you been maintaining within a 5 pound window?

How do you transition your mind and eating from loss to maintenance or back to loss from maintenance?

I'm finding that I just don't make the time to come to VST much anymore.

I have been at goal (give or take) for a few months. I did not do anything different, and I am not doing anything different, to "transition" to maintenance. But for that matter, I didn't "do" anything to lose weight. The ONLY difference is that I can't eat as much. When I came up with my goal weight, I was only guessing where my body would "break even" metabolically and stop losing weight, and apparently, my guess was pretty accurate. Just like you, I don't come to the boards frequently either. I just can't relate. All the posts sound so alike to me, either complaints about problems I never had, or questions that should be discussed with care providers. So mostly my online chatting is about fashion, or with people in my profession. Nothing to do with WLS!

[Escape_Pod 358]

I don't know if this is common, but I see huge weight swings depending on my carb intake, even if it's higher Fiber carbs (like Quest bars). I can see gains or drops of close to 10 pounds over the space of 7-10 days depending on how I'm eating. I think it's very much like the rapid drops most of us experienced on the pre-op diet, because super high Protein, very low carb flushed fat out of our livers and changed the way our bodies retained fluids - you simply need more fluids on board to process carbs is what I've always read. So most of my up and down swings aren't really indicative to me of weight gained or lost, unless I've been consistently eating the same diet, more or less, as far as carb / protein / fat balance. Long term trends, yes, I'm most definitely up. (a lot, unfortunately). But day to day the scale's pretty meaningless. I think that's actually become a problem, because when I'm bingeing, and my weight starts to climb, I deceive myself into thinking it's not "real" gain. Uh huh..... Tell that to me with a straight face now that I can't wear last year's cute clothes. Sigh... Anyway, my point is, if your carb percentage is very different from day to day, I'd guess for many people that's going to mess with your scale number and you'll see swings like I do.

[aroundhky 1,174]

I don't know if this is common, but I see huge weight swings depending on my carb intake, even if it's higher fiber carbs (like Quest bars). I can see gains or drops of close to 10 pounds over the space of 7-10 days depending on how I'm eating. I think it's very much like the rapid drops most of us experienced on the pre-op diet, because super high Protein, very low carb flushed fat out of our livers and changed the way our bodies retained fluids - you simply need more fluids on board to process carbs is what I've always read.

Very good point "Escape"! A lot of the weight (not all) associated with carb intake is Water. I think that's where the "hydro" comes in on the word carbohyrate. From what I've read, cutting down carbs for a few days will help one lose weight, but the initial weight loss will be more Water than fat. Then fat loss will come a little later on the low carb eating, and that loss will be a lot slower than the water loss.

[tparkerc59 334]

Why does this have to be so hard for us? I guess some of us just have to log every bite, watch what we do and be very vigilant. It's hard to see other family members and friends eat what they want and stay trim. The sleeve has made an enormous difference in my life and I'm grateful, but it truly is only a tool not a magic bullet.

I get so tired of people saying I took the easy way out. Walking 6 miles everyday and logging every morsel of food I eat to keep my Protein high, carbs/sugar low and calories at about 1000 is not particularly "easy". I was secretly hoping it was a magic bullet! LOL. I am obsessed with what and how much I eat just and how steps I've walked about every waking minute.

Okay...rant over, back to counting and logging.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Nevermind, NtvTxn, just saw on the other thread that you do not exercise. I think probably the thing that saves you from gaining is your diligence to what you eat and tracking your food.< /p>

My daily caloric intake is 1300 calories, give or take 25. I really am not a lazy bum...ok, I am, but I don't sit around eating bon bons all day...well, I don't do this ever!!! I clean house, I have a 5 lb weighted ball that I toss around, these dang arms are the only things that really drive me nuts!!! I literally sprint up the stairs and make extra trips ON PURPOSE to put clean clothes away or whatever!! I do not and will not join a gym, I've done it in the past, and I might as well wad up some money and throw it out the car window. I lose interest really quickly, the things I mention, for instance, parking as far out as possible and walking into the store.....these things are part of my life. I just do it without even thinking about it now. So, although I'm not on a tread mill or elliptical machine, I am moving.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Sleeve was 4 years ago.Lap Band 7 years ago. From her Sig: lap band 12-29-06 / revision to sleeve Dr. Alberto Aceves 4-29-09

Yay, someone a little further out than me. So tell me, what should I expect in year #4? Did everything remain about the same as in year #3, hunger, amount you can eat etc? You look great, congrats!!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Why does this have to be so hard for us? I guess some of us just have to log every bite, watch what we do and be very vigilant. It's hard to see other family members and friends eat what they want and stay trim. The sleeve has made an enormous difference in my life and I'm grateful, but it truly is only a tool not a magic bullet.

I get so tired of people saying I took the easy way out. Walking 6 miles everyday and logging every morsel of food I eat to keep my Protein high, carbs/sugar low and calories at about 1000 is not particularly "easy". I was secretly hoping it was a magic bullet! LOL. I am obsessed with what and how much I eat just and how steps I've walked about every waking minute.

Okay...rant over, back to counting and logging.

You know, nobody has ever "SAID" to me that I took the easy way out. I suspect there are a few who think it and are secretly sitting back, waiting for me to "fail". Sad, isn't it??!! The few I have in mind, all three, maybe four, could benefit from 'taking the easy way out'. IF someone were brazen enough to voice that opinion to me, I'd have to say, "So what? BFD?" I don't really think it's true, I've always been able to lose weight, NOW it IS easy, or at least easier, to make wiser choices and resist when I need or want to. If anybody wants to call this the easy way out, so be it. Some of them should haul their fat a$$es to a nearby bariatric doctor and take the "easy way out" as well. Ok, that really was NOT nice.....but seriously, some people are nuts, I never thought this was an easy way out for someone, I may have thought they were crazy, but not taking the easy way out. I THOUGHT popping Phen Fen was much easier.

[FishingNurse 1,211]

Everyone posting on this thread have been my biggest motivators. I'm just shy of 2 years out, made my very modest goal at 9 months post op. It's hard sometimes to come to the site now because I always feel everyone besides me is satisfied on eating low carb, 800 cals, and 1/4 cup max per meal. I'm embarrassed, I feel like the anomaly almost... Luckily I'm 6 pounds from my low weight currently. I'm ok with that, but not HAPPY with that. I'm also kind of pissed I have to "diet" to get those stupid 6 pounds off. I could gain back all of my weight easily, but I won't. I won't go back. But it does take effort. I still have restriction with some foods but I could seriously eat 3/4 box of Cheezits in an evening, I have! Basically, I am so so happy with my sleeve but its hard to lose weight gained. The 6 pounds I'm trying to lose have been haunting me for months. All we can do is keep trying!!!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Everyone posting on this thread have been my biggest motivators. I'm just shy of 2 years out, made my very modest goal at 9 months post op. It's hard sometimes to come to the site now because I always feel everyone besides me is satisfied on eating low carb, 800 cals, and 1/4 cup max per meal. I'm embarrassed, I feel like the anomaly almost... Luckily I'm 6 pounds from my low weight currently. I'm ok with that, but not HAPPY with that. I'm also kind of pissed I have to "diet" to get those stupid 6 pounds off. I could gain back all of my weight easily, but I won't. I won't go back. But it does take effort. I still have restriction with some foods but I could seriously eat 3/4 box of Cheezits in an evening, I have! Basically, I am so so happy with my sleeve but its hard to lose weight gained. The 6 pounds I'm trying to lose have been haunting me for months. All we can do is keep trying!!!

But you CAN do it!!! I had to 'diet' a few months ago to drop three pounds that appeared out of nowhere! It's took a few weeks, but all I did was cut back on my caloric intake by 100 calories, so really it did not feel like a diet at all. At two years and three years, we can eat more than a fourth cup. I can't eat a full cup at one sitting, but about 2/3's - maybe 3/4's. Depending on what it is. Doc doesn't want his patients ever eating more than 1 cup at one sitting. I can't, so it's not an issue. I don't do low carb, I don't know a thing about carbs, so if you do, you're way ahead of me. Again, my doctor doesn't worry about them unless a patient isn't losing, then I guess you get a crash course in carbs!!! I was eating, at the most, 800 calories, when I was LOSING, not now. 1300 per day! Are you tracking? You are not alone, those of us who are further out are in a different place than the 'newbies'. You're doing fine, throw the cheese Its in the trash!!! LOL I use to love them, put them in a blender and the entire box will come to a couple of cups, I'm sure of it. That amount would be easy to consume, and the calories, fat and carbs would be off the charts, I'm sure of that too!! A slider food for sure!! Good luck and have a great Fourth of July!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Everyone posting on this thread have been my biggest motivators. I'm just shy of 2 years out' date=' made my very modest goal at 9 months post op. It's hard sometimes to come to the site now because I always feel everyone besides me is satisfied on eating low carb, 800 cals, and 1/4 cup max per meal. I'm embarrassed, I feel like the anomaly almost... Luckily I'm 6 pounds from my low weight currently. I'm ok with that, but not HAPPY with that. I'm also kind of pissed I have to "diet" to get those stupid 6 pounds off. I could gain back all of my weight easily, but I won't. I won't go back. But it does take effort. I still have restriction with some foods but I could seriously eat 3/4 box of Cheezits in an evening, I have! Basically, I am so so happy with my sleeve but its hard to lose weight gained. The 6 pounds I'm trying to lose have been haunting me for months. All we can do is keep trying!!![/quote']

It is so good to see u. I was just thinking about u yesterday. This is a chore for us and we've got this. Everyone here is being proactive and vigilant about working to keep out excess weight off.

[Georgia 2,911]

Everyone posting on this thread have been my biggest motivators. I'm just shy of 2 years out' date=' made my very modest goal at 9 months post op. It's hard sometimes to come to the site now because I always feel everyone besides me is satisfied on eating low carb, 800 cals, and 1/4 cup max per meal. I'm embarrassed, I feel like the anomaly almost... Luckily I'm 6 pounds from my low weight currently. I'm ok with that, but not HAPPY with that. I'm also kind of pissed I have to "diet" to get those stupid 6 pounds off. I could gain back all of my weight easily, but I won't. I won't go back. But it does take effort. I still have restriction with some foods but I could seriously eat 3/4 box of Cheezits in an evening, I have! Basically, I am so so happy with my sleeve but its hard to lose weight gained. The 6 pounds I'm trying to lose have been haunting me for months. All we can do is keep trying!!![/quote']

Sleeve of steel, wonderful to meet you. I'm right there with you. I tried several times to start the losing process again after regaining and adding bad habits like sliders around 2 years out. Took me a while then stumbled onto 5:2 fastdiet. Has tremendously helped me just to get my mind back in gear and body to respond. Low carb just didn't get or keep weight off because I would constantly fall off the wagon with cravings. This way I eat normal (1200 cal) most of the week and 2 days I "rest" (500 cal fast day). I am also really watching and logging (something I NEVER did). Keeps me legit. And just think. We are talking about 6 pounds, 10 lbs, 3 lbs. Etc! Whoop whoop. 2-3 years OUT!!!! And HOLDING our weights within reasonable limits. Yay, us!!!

[clk 3,519]

I'm ok with that, but not HAPPY with that. I'm also kind of pissed I have to "diet" to get those stupid 6 pounds off.

I get this! It makes me angry and I am not going to lie, I am finding that mental shift from "I do what I want" to "Oh crap, I can't do what I want" terrible.

There are a number of us here and on the 5:2 thread fighting to get those last few off. It's a pain but it's part of the process. The part nobody talked about a few years ago when I was sleeved! In all my time here, the only constant voice that this can be a challenge is oregondaisy. And because things were so easy for me before, I just assumed they'd stay that way, but something really does change a few years out, I think.

In any case, welcome back and join us here. We definitely understand the struggle!

~Cheri

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Kathy, We all fear re-gaining, which is why I suspect I'm a wee bit obsessive! I love what you've posted, your words reflect how I think! On the bright side, I just went to see my doctor for my 3 year check up. When I told him my "routine" - my "new normal". I asked him if I was a nut case. He said that (and I HATE these words) anal retentive patients seem to do good long term. I really prefer 'obsessive compulsive' but I thought I should quote him! LoL I chose to take this as a complement!!

Freudians! Somethings just demand we keep our eye on the prize! I just think that if you love your life, who cares if you need to organize to support your goals!?

I have been at goal (give or take) for a few months. I did not do anything different, and I am not doing anything different, to "transition" to maintenance. But for that matter, I didn't "do" anything to lose weight. The ONLY difference is that I can't eat as much. When I came up with my goal weight, I was only guessing where my body would "break even" metabolically and stop losing weight, and apparently, my guess was pretty accurate. Just like you, I don't come to the boards frequently either. I just can't relate. All the posts sound so alike to me, either complaints about problems I never had, or questions that should be discussed with care providers. So mostly my online chatting is about fashion, or with people in my profession. Nothing to do with WLS!

May things stay effortless for you! That would be bloody fantastic if they did! I don't blame anyone who has had an effortless time maintaining for leaving the boards. Its just not the case for some of us. Still changing, still learning. You know where we are if you need us.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Everyone is so insipiring in their motivation and dedication. Thank you for putting your struggles in a public light to also help and indirectly motivate both pre ops and post ops about the challenges of losing weight as a mature vet. food for thought ( haha): even normal people who have not had WLS struggle with losing the last 10% of excess body weight. For this reason, I believe it is key to see yourselves as normal (maybe even better then normal) in getting off those last lbs to your personal goal. Those that are naturally thin struggle the exact same way! Deep breaths everyone and bask in the progress you have made so far. It will happen soon enough and, again, you are all inspiring.

[coops 1,790]

I have been struggling to see anything near goal for 21 mths... is this my goal? I hope not. I refuse to live the rest of my life under the heading of 'obese' - even if it is by just a few pounds.

I can relate to so many of these posts and to be honest, I have no words of wisdom or advise because nothing has worked for me to get the last 14-28lbs off!

I can't tell you how much I hate not being at goal... how this changes my perception of myself from being a success to a failure in the matter of minutes.

Every day is a struggle and the smallest of 'slip ups' will be punished by upward movement on the scales.< /p>

However, I refuse to give up. I refuse to be 'done'. And I refuse not to finish this stupid race! This is not the finished 'me'!

I am not a quitter; never have been and I never will be ... and like I have said before; perhaps never getting to goal has stopped me regaining more than 7lbs. I don't know.

In fact, I am going for a new title of -'the longest sleever to get to goal'! Now, that would be a thread to watch out for...lol