Let's Shake The Tree!! Hey Vets, Maintaining is All About The Rules...Right?

[FluffyChix 17,415]

Ok, let's have some drama for the weekend and shake the tree!!!!

Question: Is the only difference between meeting your goal and maintaining it long term versus losing some of the weight and regaining part or all, only about following your diet, weighing/measuring/logging and exercising (i.e. maintaining healthy diet/exercise practices)?

ORRRRRRRRR

Does weight gain at year 2 or 3 "just magically happen" through no fault of your own and despite continuing to eat the SAME exact healthy diet you were eating to lose and initially maintain? I mean, if you're still eating 1000-1200 cals/day and exercising 4-5 days a week, 45 minutes a day--will you regain the 10-20lbs regardless of how pure you are? Or is regain ONLY gonna happen when we revert to old poor food behaviors and overeating/eating crap or eating around our surgeries?

I'm honestly terrified of being in this second group. I want to know what I must be on-guard about after surgery. Like I can't fool myself into believing that after surgery moderation in everything will allow me to lose and maintain my losses. It's just illogical. I never had balance before. I crave bad crap. Often eat emotionally. Etc. If I don't revise ALL of those things, it seems to me, I'm just a few bites away from regaining all the hard won losses? True? Or false?

Will all of you who've maintained their losses please share your secrets for maintaining your weight losses without a regain or only a tiny regain, please????

Edited February 3, 2018 by FluffyChix

[shedo82773 1,236]

For me it was eating right not stuffing myself (I'm not gonna lie I have and will have bad days) I try my hardest to get in enough of Protein/water. I have exercised since I had my RNY. At first I walked 6 days a week. But it did get under my skin. If I missed even 1 day it thru me into a tail spin!! I am extremely proud of myself for continuing my exercise. I still have great restriction. I feel like I am in a pretty good place now. I'm not going to say my mind hasn't played lots of mind games. I am still terrifed that I will be one of those stastics that I have gained back all or most of my weight again. I think I knew and felt like this was my last chance to get it off and keep it off. I really don't have much magic. Stay focused and if you slip pick yourself up and KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!!

[thisisthenewme 358]

I’ll chime in here.
I had RYN Oct 2016 weighing 292. I had a lower body lift Aug 2017 at 197. The lowest I got to after my skin surgery was 184. I’m currently 190....down 5 from a very enjoyable Christmas! Back on track and feeling great. I never really exercised much just some treadmill walking and very active with my son.
I think the key is moderation, but also not letting things get to far off track that it’s hard to pull them back. My goal weight is 185 and I complete feel like these 5lbs will be no problem. Just logging my food again and trying to limit treats. I’m a size L-XL/12-14 and love everything about life right now. Planning a second surgery to have a small revision to the upper tummy and a breast lift/augmentation (maybe arms and thighs too) in April :-)
Hope that helps!
 

[Newme17 3,444]

Hey I’m not a vet but from my nutrition studies (yes, I used to study this) if you’re still eating a 1000 cal a day even at that 2-3 year mark and working out as you described, you will gain weight because your body is not getting enough food/calories. For example, I'm 5’6”. My goal weight is about 150-160 (due to being muscle heavy). I workout about 3-4 times a week. When I get to goal, I should be eating about 2200 calories a day just to maintain. My BMR is 1450. Even that is above the low 1000-1200 cal a day. So gaining weight, one is...not eating enough and two is, back to eating the way you did.

Many of the vets who are maintaining and working out eat more as well, for the ones I’ve read. If anyone is still in that 1000 calorie mode and working out and maintaining, well, they must have some miracle working metabolism/energy. Lol

Now, this is an unpopular subject but I gained probably half my excess weight from not eating enough food. My doctor always got on to me for not eating!!! Go figure...it’s true. So, now, I make sure I eat. I can’t eat a lot NOW, but I’ll make sure I eat enough when I get to maintenance.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Newme17

[FluffyChix 17,415]

9 hours ago, Newme17 said:

Hey I’m not a vet but from my nutrition studies (yes, I used to study this) if you’re still eating a 1000 cal a day even at that 2-3 year mark and working out as you described, you will gain weight because your body is not getting enough food/calories. For example, I'm 5’6”. My goal weight is about 150-160 (due to being muscle heavy). I workout about 3-4 times a week. When I get to goal, I should be eating about 2200 calories a day just to maintain. My BMR is 1450. Even that is above the low 1000-1200 cal a day. So gaining weight, one is...not eating enough and two is, back to eating the way you did.

Many of the vets who are maintaining and working out eat more as well, for the ones I’ve read. If anyone is still in that 1000 calorie mode and working out and maintaining, well, they must have some miracle working metabolism/energy. Lol

Now, this is an unpopular subject but I gained probably half my excess weight from not eating enough food. My doctor always got on to me for not eating!!! Go figure...it’s true. So, now, I make sure I eat. I can’t eat a lot NOW, but I’ll make sure I eat enough when I get to maintenance.

Ok, I get you! So let me do the scenario another way? So let's say, you're taking in the amount of calories per day that are prescribed for you by your doc/RD. These are maintenance level calories based on your individual food requirements and exercise habits. The intention is that it's an isocaloric diet--you will neither gain, nor lose on it--supposedly.

And you go about life over the next 2-3 years without changing one tiny spec of this prescription. You're still eating that same diet/calorie level. You are not cheating. You're doing your exercise at the same level, same amount per week, etc.

Will weight gain be inevitable? Will you be held hostage to your body adjusting/acclimating and overcoming the changes made through surgery? Are we doomed to fight regain, even though we do everything right?

(ie for RNYers we get part of our intestines removed, and studies show that at 2-3 years, our remaining intestines have grown more microvilli so that more food absorption can occur. So it's adapted to the new anatomy--at least partially.)

ORRRRRR

If we do everything "right" as described above, can we safely expect to be able to maintain our total original weight loss without fearing the 10-20lb regain?

Thanks for entertaining this question with me and for any reassurances to the future!!

[summerset 5,265]

17 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Does weight gain at year 2 or 3 "just magically happen" through no fault of your own and despite continuing to eat the SAME exact healthy diet you were eating to lose and initially maintain? I mean, if you're still eating 1000-1200 cals/day and exercising 4-5 days a week, 45 minutes a day--will you regain the 10-20lbs regardless of how pure you are?

If you're able to maintain that kind of starvation lifestyle for 2 or 3 years and beyond - kudos to you!

Quote

I'm honestly terrified of being in this second group. I want to know what I must be on-guard about after surgery.

I'm terrified of having to eat 1000-1200 cals a day while needing to exercise 4-5 days 45 min a day.

Quote

Will all of you who've maintained their losses please share your secrets for maintaining your weight losses without a regain or only a tiny regain, please????

Find a sustainable lifestyle early on. Like a really sustainable lifestyle. One that fits your needs and not that of somebody else or a lifestyle that blows to pieces the very moment "life hits you".

I know a lot of users on here throw a fit the very moment there is talk about "moderation" - however, I think our whole life is about "moderation", not only this eating stuff.

Or maybe I should rather use the word "regulation" instead? You need to learn how to regulate yourself, the amount you eat, drink, use alcohol or caffeine, have sex, exercise, express your emotions etc.

Too little of these things and life might be miserable, too much of these things and life might be miserable, too.

[summerset 5,265]

2 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

If we do everything "right" as described above, can we safely expect to be able to maintain our total original weight loss without fearing the 10-20lb regain?

You seem to be absolutely terrified of this? May I ask why?

[FluffyChix 17,415]

1 hour ago, summerset said:

You seem to be absolutely terrified of this? May I ask why?

Sure of course. I'm 55 years old and morbidly obese. I've been on diets since age 9. Clearly I've no concept of how to have moderated sustainable relationships where I'm able to contain the hunger/craving beast so that I'm able to maintain a normal weight. Because I've always regained+10-15%.

I chalked that up to being a fallible human being. And also know that the body is a beast that loves to maintain its fat cells in full mode and will try to do any kind of shenanigans to refill them, once emptied through diet.

So now, the stakes are infinitely higher. I'm about to go rearrange my gut anatomy and cut out a portion of my intestines. I KNOW that my old habits got me to being morbidly obese. So if I think that just the surgery is gonna keep me from returning to morbid obesity--I think I'm not being honest with myself. I don't trust myself with the "old habits." And developing trust with the new habits is what my goal will be about for the future.

The big question for me is that if I create these new habits and "new normal", will my body STILL try to sabotage me with weight gain down the road? It's like trying to anticipate future problems and address them while I have the luxury of time to plan and implement--rather than having to react to something in crisis mode.

That's why it truly interests me to find out why you guys are successful. It also interests me to find out why some people struggle and face regain.

And the hypothetical numbers I pulled out (1000-1200) are just that--they're just a hypothetical amount. I know right now, at 1500 cals per day with 60-80g from Protein and 60-70g of carbs, walking on average about 50 mins a day, 4-5 days a week, I'm in maintenance. Presurgery. I'm losing maybe about 1-2lbs per month that can be wiped out by one poorly planned meal. That's an excruciating tight rope. I'd like to know if I need to expect that post-surgery, or if it gets maybe even a little easier to maintain (once we're out of the honeymoon period).

[thisisthenewme 358]

Just my experience, but I find things easier to maintain now with the surgery because my stomach is smaller and there is no way I ca eat the quantities of food I was before, the RYN causes leas calories to be absorbed!, and I can’t eat very many sweets without feeling nauseous thanks to dumping syndrome.
I also find that after losing so much and having skin surgery the desire and willpower to maintain are awesome!!!
I agree with previous posts though, you need to find a sustainable routine. I love to be active, but with a 3 year old, finding time in MY schedule is hard. So I knew I’d never be able to maintain going to the gym 4-5 days a week - that I would have to do this without burning a million calories the rest of my life. Besides the battle of the bulge is won in the kitchen, not the gym. For me, exercise is about my heart health and overall just feeling good - not losing weight.
However, what works for one person might not work for someone else. It really is about finding out how your body works and what is best for you.

[summerset 5,265]

41 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Sure of course. I'm 55 years old and morbidly obese. I've been on diets since age 9.

So you lose 200 lbs and regain 20. That's still a weight loss of 180 lbs. Still success. Nothing that throws you back into the morbidly obese range.

I think there is a big difference between a rather small weight gain (compared to the weight lost) and a really big weight gain.

[FluffyChix 17,415]

14 minutes ago, summerset said:

So you lose 200 lbs and regain 20. That's still a weight loss of 180 lbs. Still success. Nothing that throws you back into the morbidly obese range.

I think there is a big difference between a rather small weight gain (compared to the weight lost) and a really big weight gain.

No the regain historically without surgery has been 100% regain + 10-15%. That is very typical and usual for 95% of the population. I'm just very normal. LOL.

Or are you saying that if I were to lose 200lbs, that with a 10% regain, I'd still have a 180lb loss?

Edited February 4, 2018 by FluffyChix

[summerset 5,265]

45 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

That's why it truly interests me to find out why you guys are successful. It also interests me to find out why some people struggle and face regain.

Truth be told? My really honest opinion on this? The stuff so many people don't want to hear?

I think there is much more luck involved than many people might want to acknowledge. In some people it seems the surgery seems to work better and they get to a normal weight without much struggle. They also maintain without much struggle. Others struggle a lot, battling a lot of hunger or head hunger etc.

Some people are able to adopt new habits way easier than others. Again - some are luckier than others just like there are people who are quick learners when it comes to learning a new language etc.

Some people also really like to exercise - it's not much of a chore for them, that's why they're consistent without having to use a lot of energy to kick themselves in the butt.

In the WLS population I think it's like in the rest of the population when it comes to the occasional overeating - some get away with more overeating than others without gaining weight. They also don't fall back into an everlasting bingeing mode once they screw up at a birthday party.

This "working on yourself" stuff is extremely important if you lack the skills (I talked about "regulation" in my other post) but let's face it: some people do way better when it comes to this just like some people do better than others learning new languages or new working skills. Travel back in time in your mind and think about school or college: I guess you will remember some people who didn't have to study that much and had good grades anyway because they simply seemed to get the hang of it somehow while others struggled a lot to get even moderately decent grades.

We all have to play with a set of cards life has dealt us - make the best out them.

[summerset 5,265]

1 minute ago, FluffyChix said:

No the regain historically has been 100% regain + 10-15%. That is very typical and usual for 95% of the population. I'm just very normal. LOL.

Hm, I'm beginning to think I got you wrong. I thought you were talking about this 10% regain of lost weight after WLS.

[FluffyChix 17,415]

2 minutes ago, summerset said:

Truth be told? My really honest opinion on this? The stuff so many people don't want to hear?

I think there is much more luck involved than many people might want to acknowledge. In some people it seems the surgery seems to work better and they get to a normal weight without much struggle. They also maintain without much struggle. Others struggle a lot, battling a lot of hunger or head hunger etc.

Some people are able to adopt new habits way easier than others. Again - some are luckier than others just like there are people who are quick learners when it comes to learning a new language etc.

Some people also really like to exercise - it's not much of a chore for them, that's why they're consistent without having to use a lot of energy to kick themselves in the butt.

In the WLS population I think it's like in the rest of the population when it comes to the occasional overeating - some get away with more overeating than others without gaining weight. They also don't fall back into an everlasting bingeing mode once they screw up at a birthday party.

This "working on yourself" stuff is extremely important if you lack the skills (I talked about "regulation" in my other post) but let's face it: some people do way better when it comes to this just like some people do better than others learning new languages or new working skills. Travel back in time in your mind and think about school or college: I guess you will remember some people who didn't have to study that much and had good grades anyway because they simply seemed to get the hang of it somehow while others struggled a lot to get even moderately decent grades.

We all have to play with a set of cards life has dealt us - make the best out them.

Absolutely GREAT reply! This makes total and complete sense!

And sadly, it means that I can't really plan for the future--since I really don't know where I fit in that continuum. Thanks so much again to all of you for sharing! This is phenomenally interesting to me!!!! And super helpful, so thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to help me!

[summerset 5,265]

4 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Or are you saying that if I were to lose 200lbs, that with a 10% regain, I'd still have a 180lb loss?

Yes, this.