Pre surgery thought on how to maintain

[Kaylamarie 9]

Let me just start out by saying this topic I am bringing up is not for everyone but for people who may be concerned with not being able to control eating, or keeping yourself at your goal weight when everything is said and done.

I had Gastric Bypass Feb 18th, 2014, 11 months ago. I have just entered this stage of really trying to figure out my forever meal plans. I am past my phases and really don't have any intolerances. I hit my goal weight about a month ago and now finding myself at a place of fear, confusion and just not sure if this is going to be forever. (this is to good to be true feelings). I weigh 135lbs , coming from 251 and I am so worried that I will gain the weight back, it has consumed me. I am suffering from panic attacks daily, and constant worry. I'm over obsessed to the point I have a binge attack and eat things I know im not supposed to. And yes i can indulge every now and again in a treat, and yes i can plan out my meals, and yes i can have a food journal , and yes i can just say no and remember what put me in this position in the first place, but reality then hits. I realized last week this cant go on, I have to find the underlining issue and figure a way to deal with it. I did a lot of research prior to that conclusion and found a lot of gastric patients start counseling as a pre requisite for the procedure and stay in it. if I could turn back time that would be the one thing I go and change about this entire process. I seen my counselor this morning for the first time for about a 2 hour session. The one thing I took away from todays session, is this is something that needs to be mandatory. Undoing what we have been doing all this time, eating, is not something we can just change just from learning what we learn during this surgery process. it is something that we have to change with time , and help. I am in the middle of finding my bodies balance by myself. Struggling with everything from how many calories am I supposed to eat, to... am I stretching my pouch out, this one little bite wont hurt, to stop hitting your brother, back to ok this one little bite (now my2nd bite) wont hurt. Its all very overwhelming and explains why people gain weight back in time. Talking with a professional is necessary. i want to share this with anyone who is concerned with the after , the after the weight is off and im getting to a place where im ready to maintain my weight. It will be the hardest part of this entire process, i promise. Up until this point it , ive had my challenges but this by far is the biggest. its like ok i dare you to have this surgery and lose all the weight. ok done. ok now put your tool down and keep it off. hmmm. ok this might be a little tricky. Get into counseling as soon as you can, find your underlining problem and work on it with a professional.

[Begin Again 12]

Thanks for sharing your story, congratulations on your success. I know many of us have lost only to regain prior to getting surgery. I think you offer some good advice, to get to the underlying issues and the "why" of weight gain. I'm sorry you are struggling, but happy that you are seeking help and thankful that you are reaching out to help all of us.

[James Marusek 5,244]

I am 20 months post-op from a RNY surgery. After 7 months I lost the weight and entered a maintenance phase. My weight has been steady thus far. I asked my nutritionist "Why do people lose the weight after surgery and gain some of it back when they reach the maintenance phase?" She said it is because of grazing. She said if I continue doing what I have been doing, the weight should stay off.

In the weight loss phase, my caloric intake was very small, under 900 calories per meal. But when I went into the maintenance phase, I found there was a range (around 1000 to 1500 calories), that if I stayed within this range, I didn't gain weight. I get most of my Protein from my meals now, so I do not need Protein supplement, nor the calories associated with them. So I have around 500 calories per day to play with which I put in the snack category. From past experience, I know that fats work for me in eliminating hunger. So generally that is what I focus on for Snacks. I might have a scoop of home made (no sugar added) whip cream made with Splenda with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Or I might eat some Adkin's Snacks or treats. I try and stay away from carbs when I snack. I avoid sugar with a passion even though I have a sweet tooth. I opt for artificial sweeteners or some low calorie natural sweeteners. Prior to surgery I was diabetic. This went into remission the day I left the hospital and has stayed in remission ever since. I periodically monitor my blood sugar levels to make sure my meal plan is avoiding that condition.

Anyways, that's what I do. Although the program provided a lot of guidance during the weight loss phase, I feel like I am on my own in the maintenance phase. But I think the key is discovering a meal plan that keeps one happy without gaining weight.

[Kaylamarie 9]

I am 20 months post-op from a RNY surgery. After 7 months I lost the weight and entered a maintenance phase. My weight has been steady thus far. I asked my nutritionist "Why do people lose the weight after surgery and gain some of it back when they reach the maintenance phase?" She said it is because of grazing. She said if I continue doing what I have been doing, the weight should stay off.

In the weight loss phase, my caloric intake was very small, under 900 calories per meal. But when I went into the maintenance phase, I found there was a range (around 1000 to 1500 calories), that if I stayed within this range, I didn't gain weight. I get most of my Protein from my meals now, so I do not need Protein supplement, nor the calories associated with them. So I have around 500 calories per day to play with which I put in the snack category. From past experience, I know that fats work for me in eliminating hunger. So generally that is what I focus on for Snacks. I might have a scoop of home made (no sugar added) whip cream made with Splenda with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Or I might eat some Adkin's Snacks or treats. I try and stay away from carbs when I snack. I avoid sugar with a passion even though I have a sweet tooth. I opt for artificial sweeteners or some low calorie natural sweeteners. Prior to surgery I was diabetic. This went into remission the day I left the hospital and has stayed in remission ever since. I periodically monitor my blood sugar levels to make sure my meal plan is avoiding that condition.

Anyways, that's what I do. Although the program provided a lot of guidance during the weight loss phase, I feel like I am on my own in the maintenance phase. But I think the key is discovering a meal plan that keeps one happy without gaining weight.

Congratulations on your success, and thank you for your advice. It really gives a good idea of what may work for me. of course we are all different and I wish it was as easy for me. My surgeon actually advised me to not snack that it would only lead to grazing. So I have done that all until now... I'm hungrier, even with me working out less then before I am still hungrier. so iam having to now snack. but only once, that's the in between Breakfast and lunch. I'm trying to avoid any other additional snacking. For me I have already experienced a gaining weight period this past Christmas , I gained about 6lbs. but since the new year I have been able to lose it. But it felt like I have struggled to do that. I have defiantly bottomed out and hit my maintenance stage I can tell for sure. And that's just the thing is finding a meal plan that makes you happy without gaining weight when you have a massive sweet tooth. I am having such a hard time, however i think it is a matter of time before I can find a way to beat this. I didn't come this far for my sweet tooth to win in the end. Thanks again for your examples, I will take some of these ideas.