Are you at Goal? Maintenance advice sought.

[Paulax 8]

Yahoo, I have reached goal.

Yesterday, I was thinking about how to increase my calories. I can not eat more at one setting, so I tried to increasing the number of times I ate this weekend.

I am certainly not skin and bone and could probably lose a few more, but I am not trying to. I have started a learn to run program, so that also increases my need for calories.

I am not planning on a defill, unless I keep losing.

I'd love to hear how people at goal are dealing with maintenance.

[Mariposa Bella 3]

Congratulations on hitting goal. I have been at goal now for over 2 years and have done really well maintaining. I started at 190-195 (size 16) and now I fluctuate between 137-140 lbs (Size 6 or 8, depending on brand).

I did not get unfilled after I hit goal, and have maintained failry well. I don't deprive myself of anything and try to stay active. Although, this past year I was dealing with lots of stress and I had gained about 7 lbs. I did a fill in Nov, but don't feel I got any additional restriction from that fill. I did however cut out all the icecream I was eating. And I've managed to lose the excess weight.

That is all I can share about my being at goal. Again, good job on hitting goal.

[VegasGrace 1]

Hey, you've done great!

I hit goal at 150 and got a slight unfill for maintenance.

3 months later I find myself 11 pounds lighter. I didn't want to be in the 130s so I upped my calories to maintain at 140.

If I have a problem with continued weightloss I'll go back for an unfill. This is new, eat so I can gain weight. I like it!

[Jachut 487]

Honestly, I havent had to. I jsut dont say "no" to stuff as often as I did whilst losing, so I've probably just increased my calorie intake of bad foods, lol, but I dont eat enormous amounts of them. I no longer avoid a glass of red at night (which is GREAT for your cardiovascular health), I dont avoid carbs at all, I put butter on my toast if I feel like it, kind of thing.

My weight's remained perfectly stable.

[Paulax 8]

2 months later, ya, my weight stays pretty stable. I do eat much the same as when I was losing. If I overindulge in Easter chocolate, I watch what I eat for the next few days and I stablize again.

Two things I am in constant amazement of.

1. That this band helps keep my weight stable and I am thankful for it every single day.

and

2. How truly little food we need to feel good, keep up our energy and maintain weight loss. My proportions were way out of whack pre band.

Still feeling good at goal!

Cheers everyone

Edited March 28, 2008 by Paulax

[Paulax 8]

PS Jachut, I see in another post that your boobs went on vacation, they must have gone with mine.....

[VegasGrace 1]

Yahoo, I have reached goal.

Yesterday, I was thinking about how to increase my calories. I can not eat more at one setting, so I tried to increasing the number of times I ate this weekend.

I am certainly not skin and bone and could probably lose a few more, but I am not trying to. I have started a learn to run program, so that also increases my need for calories.

I am not planning on a defill, unless I keep losing.

I'd love to hear how people at goal are dealing with maintenance.

Hi again, I guess I'm subscribed to this thread as I got an update.

I wrote a while back saying if I continue to lose I'll go back for another unfill. I've tried to figure out what to do but haven't been sucessful.

It's been a while since your original post...how are things going for you now? Anything you can share that you learned since your post about maintenance?

[Apples2 19]

Hi again, I guess I'm subscribed to this thread as I got an update.

I wrote a while back saying if I continue to lose I'll go back for another unfill. I've tried to figure out what to do but haven't been sucessful.

It's been a while since your original post...how are things going for you now? Anything you can share that you learned since your post about maintenance?

A quick question for you. I have read a number of your posts stating that you are struggling with maintenance and that if you continue to lose, you will go for an unfill. I take it that you have yet to do the unfill, as you stated above that you are not having success with maintenance. I am what would be considered a "newbie" and yet to be banded. In some of your previous posts it's sounds as if life with a too full band is causing a lot of physical symptoms. The reason for my questions is that I am just trying to learn from those that have been down this road and I just cannot make sense out of why anyone would prolong an unfill. I was using this scenario the other day when I was visiting with my surgeon. He stated that it is extremely important to stay in contact with your dr. and be totally honest about if you feel you are too full or not full enough. There has to be a sweet spot for you somewhere.

I guess if I were at goal I would be so happy to get that little unfill so that I could actually eat and maintain. I guess physical comfort would be worth gaining a few pounds while a person found out what they needed to eat to maintain at goal.

[VegasGrace 1]

A quick question for you. I have read a number of your posts stating that you are struggling with maintenance and that if you continue to lose, you will go for an unfill. I take it that you have yet to do the unfill, as you stated above that you are not having success with maintenance. I am what would be considered a "newbie" and yet to be banded. In some of your previous posts it's sounds as if life with a too full band is causing a lot of physical symptoms. The reason for my questions is that I am just trying to learn from those that have been down this road and I just cannot make sense out of why anyone would prolong an unfill. I was using this scenario the other day when I was visiting with my surgeon. He stated that it is extremely important to stay in contact with your dr. and be totally honest about if you feel you are too full or not full enough. There has to be a sweet spot for you somewhere.

I guess if I were at goal I would be so happy to get that little unfill so that I could actually eat and maintain. I guess physical comfort would be worth gaining a few pounds while a person found out what they needed to eat to maintain at goal.

Hi, don't want to hijack the poster's thread but when someone goes on maintenance, many do not need an unfill. Adjustments up or down are equally important. But sometimes as with going up...someone may not have restriction...or just not quite....and most on the board respond with something like either diet or exercise more to assist with their weightloss or go back for another fill. But this sometimes results in an overfill and they just have to go back and get an unfill. So reaching restriction is a little touch and go for some.

The same holds true with those on maintenance trying to find the right balance. This poster was asking the same thing I was thinking...and you never know how many more people are wondering the same thing. She was going to up her calories and was thinking that would do the trick...as alot of us on maintenace. She said she would go back for an unfill if she kept loosing. Did she? I surely would like to know as I'm in the same boat. If I eat tons of calories I can maintain but it's so hard to keep that up. With the band I've trained myself not to eat so much, as I was an overeater before. She may have found a tip she could share. So that's why I responded to this thread.

One thing many don't mention is how stress plays a role in restriction. I read someone the other day mention it. What if someone was on maintenance, doing fine but all of a sudden they got really restricted for a while and some days couldn't hold down fluids. You'd think an unfill was in order, right? But what if that stress was related to something in life, like a daughter turning 18, moving on campus, being out on her own....

It may be wise to just go for adjustments when things like this happen. But for me, and this is for me...I think I need to learn to work thru things like this. My life has been a hurricane and probably will continue to be that way for many years to come. Now that I've learned that stress is causing my restriction, all it has taken is meditation, quite times, etc.... I think I ate like a horse yesterday. (horse being just the right amount, not over eating)

Monday I am still going back to the doctor for an adjustment and do that tip about drinking alot of Water that someone shared.

Thanks for your questions and hope I helped a little at least. We are all different and our journey is different. And just because mine isn't like Sally's and yours isn't like Jane's.... doesn't make any of us wrong...it's just different. I read a post the other day about this gentleman who lost all his weight on one adjustment. Kudos to him! But that surely hasn't happened to me.

[Apples2 19]

Hi, don't want to hijack the poster's thread but when someone goes on maintenance, many do not need an unfill. Adjustments up or down are equally important. But sometimes as with going up...someone may not have restriction...or just not quite....and most on the board respond with something like either diet or exercise more to assist with their weightloss or go back for another fill. But this sometimes results in an overfill and they just have to go back and get an unfill. So reaching restriction is a little touch and go for some.

The same holds true with those on maintenance trying to find the right balance. This poster was asking the same thing I was thinking...and you never know how many more people are wondering the same thing. She was going to up her calories and was thinking that would do the trick...as alot of us on maintenace. She said she would go back for an unfill if she kept loosing. Did she? I surely would like to know as I'm in the same boat. If I eat tons of calories I can maintain but it's so hard to keep that up. With the band I've trained myself not to eat so much, as I was an overeater before. She may have found a tip she could share. So that's why I responded to this thread.

One thing many don't mention is how stress plays a role in restriction. I read someone the other day mention it. What if someone was on maintenance, doing fine but all of a sudden they got really restricted for a while and some days couldn't hold down fluids. You'd think an unfill was in order, right? But what if that stress was related to something in life, like a daughter turning 18, moving on campus, being out on her own....

It may be wise to just go for adjustments when things like this happen. But for me, and this is for me...I think I need to learn to work thru things like this. My life has been a hurricane and probably will continue to be that way for many years to come. Now that I've learned that stress is causing my restriction, all it has taken is meditation, quite times, etc.... I think I ate like a horse yesterday. (horse being just the right amount, not over eating)

Monday I am still going back to the doctor for an adjustment and do that tip about drinking alot of Water that someone shared.

Thanks for your questions and hope I helped a little at least. We are all different and our journey is different. And just because mine isn't like Sally's and yours isn't like Jane's.... doesn't make any of us wrong...it's just different. I read a post the other day about this gentleman who lost all his weight on one adjustment. Kudos to him! But that surely hasn't happened to me.

Good luck at the dr. on Monday and also good luck with your stressful feelings about letting your daughter go out into this world. A situation like that can be stressful but if we we've raised them to be independent, it's the best thing to let them go at 18. I've been an empty nester for 8 yrs. Tough for a bit but, believe me, it does get better. My son moved to Alaska for two years at 18, right out of basic training with two duffel bags on his back. Then onto Santa Barbara and then Florida. It is fun to watch your kids thrive and make a life for themselves.

Hope things settle down for you soon, Grace.

[Apples2 19]

Yahoo, I have reached goal.

Yesterday, I was thinking about how to increase my calories. I can not eat more at one setting, so I tried to increasing the number of times I ate this weekend.

I am certainly not skin and bone and could probably lose a few more, but I am not trying to. I have started a learn to run program, so that also increases my need for calories.

I am not planning on a defill, unless I keep losing.

I'd love to hear how people at goal are dealing with maintenance.

Sorry Paulax....didn't mean to take the focus off of your original post. Congratulations on reaching goal and good luck with maintenance.

[slimmy120 2]

Do you get unfilled when you get to goal, and then keep going back to doctor every ?????months years??

[shortgal 5]

Do you get unfilled when you get to goal, and then keep going back to doctor every ?????months years??

I have read some people have been totally unfilled after reaching goal, but others get a slight unfill at maintenance. I think it depends on the person and how tight they were to get to goal and what foods they tolerate and if they continue to lose while they are really just trying to maintain.

Good news is, if you and the Dr make an error in how much they take out, you can always get a little put back in.

[Jachut 487]

I'm supposed to visit the doc to check in every 6 months, only unfill if my weight gets too low (which it hasnt)

Hey Paula, our tits must be having a ball somewhere! Probably getting lei'd in Hawaii (pardon the pun, lol).

[Paulax 8]

I'm supposed to visit the doc to check in every 6 months, only unfill if my weight gets too low (which it hasnt)

Hey Paula, our tits must be having a ball somewhere! Probably getting lei'd in Hawaii (pardon the pun, lol).

Bloody hell, put out an APB. Thank goodness for good bras is all I can say.

I am going for a TT at the end of this or beginning of next year, considering tiny implants, but somehow.....I just don't know.