3 year anniversary today...

[melanie0941]

Hello Sleevers,

I am 3 YEARS post gastric sleeve surgery today!

First, I want to say... I am soooo glad I got the sleeve. I have NEVER regretted my decision. Sure, there have been some ups and downs on this road but at least I felt like I had a fighting chance with this phenomenal tool.

Some "PEARLS" of my experience:

- I kept my surgery to myself and a handful of friends and family... who I asked them to protect my privacy ... which they did.
Didn't have to deal with the drama of someone disagreeing with my decision or saying something that "hurt my feelings" or
derailed my focus. Best decision for me ever!

- I made a decision to NOT just use the volume restriction of the sleeve but to make huge nutritional improvements in what I put into
the sleeve. I entered my intake into Free Calorie Counter, Diet & Exercise Journal | MyFitnessPal.com so I could educate myself for almost a year. I still periodically go back and
do this as what I think is "healthy" is not always so. This data entry exercise pulls me back to reality. I went to a series of vegetarian
classes to try to understand how to cook tasty healthy vegetables... with emphasis on those with protein. I learned soooo much and have
added so many healthy vegetables to my option list. I DO eat meat... but I didn't need a class for that. ha

- I realized I am a carboholic - I LOVE carbs. I also realize that if I cut way back on carbs for 3 days, my drive for carbs greatly decreases.
As, the carbs go up, so does the weight. Carbs cause an increase in insulin... then insulin goes to work storing fat. Its that simple.
If you cut back on everything else (fat, sodium, etc), you will NOT get the same results as cutting back on carbs.

- I have not taken even one sip of a carbonated beverage. Not gonna step on that slippery slope. Too many alternatives out there.

- I have always been one to exercise but I have made it a core activity... something that is not optional. At a minimum, I take a walk
around the block... but mainly I go golfing (walk), go to the gym and primarily do the elliptical and some weights. Weights are very
important to help build / retain muscle mass... which helps burn off fat. I have had some injuries that I could have used as an excuse
but insteadI had to alter what exercise I did but I never let that be an excuse. (neck surgery, serious achilles tendon injury). When I
walk, I have started using the new ap called "run keeper" which helps keep up with my time/distance. Kindof fun too!

- I frequently search on www.PINTEREST.com to get wonderful LOW carb recipes... I can save them there and when I need to make a
dish or meal, I can quickly look there before I get tempted to buy unhealthy options. This is my FAVORITE cookbook now.

- I don't keep foods that tempt me in my house. No cookies, cakes, chips, candy, bread etc. Its easy not to eat them when they are
not there. I HAVE had a few times where I "bake" some carby desserts... Not good! But at least it takes me some time to make them
that I often times change my mind and don't bother.
I always keep snacks that I like in my house... My favorites are almonds, turkey bites,
canned peaches packed with NO sugar, Protein Bars... One of my favorite treats is to get 1/2 cup 0% greek yogurt... mixed with a tad of
honey, then stir in some frozen berries. OMG! That will usually stop my carb craving... Keep in mind that all these carbs DO add up
and they will stop weight loss and will make you gain back lost weight if not very careful. If you are seriously trying to get rid of weight,
reduce your carbs to 50 or less. I now try to keep mine below 120/day. I don't always succeed but every day is a new day and I just hit
re-set every new day.

- I weigh everyday when I am at home. Its important for me to do this as I can get a reality check much quicker when I do so. I don't fret
over a pound or two change as I once did... but when it gets over 5 pounds etc... I go back to some of my tools (my fitness pal ) etc to
start counting my carbs... as that seems to be the reason I gain weight...

- My sister and niece both got the surgery after I did. One gained most if not all her weight back. The other gained much of her weight
back. Neither made the nutritional changes necessary for success. They eat less volume but they eat waaaaay too many carbs for weight
loss. All that to say... this Sleeve is a TOOL!!! You WILL gain weight if you don't make nutritional changes.

- I personally will fail at times... When I do, I must pick myself up... dust myself off and get back on track. I still struggle but I DO know
now that I CAN do it. Just writing this post has encouraged me to keep up the fight! :-)


Good luck to all of you as you continue on this journey.

[Joe Poppa]

.....- I personally will fail at times... When I do, I must pick myself up... dust myself off and get back on track. I still struggle but I DO know now that I CAN do it. Just writing this post has encouraged me to keep up the fight! :-).....

Congratulations on your hard work.

It isn't failure, it is being a human; we are far from perfect. Just learn from your not-so-good choices, but enjoy life in the process too.

[chrissy_sekmet]

Wow you are an inspiration! We all have our ups and downs, but I like being able to hit the "reset" button lol

[carolynodien]

You are a wonderful inspiration! I, too, just passed my 3 year mark. I am back on here to renew my inspiration because in the last year I got a little sloppy and have eaten WAY too many carbs. I have gained 15 lbs (after losing 85). Carbs are so easy to eat but they are certainly my downfall. I just started back on myfitnesspal.com and plan just chucked ALL my cookies ("in case I get company"...yeah, RIGHT!). Back on track!!! Thank you!!!

[suzn358]

Thank you for your post. It's great to read someone's post after some time has passed. Congratulations!

[Ema]

Wow! Great job and you are a wonderful example of who many of us aspire to be like. Your pearls and true pearls and I appreciate you sharing those with us! Good luck keeping on the path! 'Bama is doing well this year!

[Ann2]

Melanie, thank you, thank you!

I'm pointed in the direction you've already gone: significant nutritional changes. It is helpful to hear your specific experience of what's working for you: <50 grams of carbs to lose weight; <120 grams of carbs to maintain weight; never fail to exercise; weigh daily; tracking food to build and re-engage your discipline, etc.

I look forward to being 3, 4, 5 10 years post-op -- and maintaining my target weight. THAT is my goal.

[melanie0941]

Yes, my Bama is doing pretty good this year... We have LSU, #1 Miss State, and #4 AU yet to go... Hopefully we will win out! :-)

[Parisslim]

melani0941
You have given me such incredible hope and inspiration.!!!
I appreciate how you provided so much detail about the reality of the many changes you had to make to keep your success.
And that you just hit re-set and keep going.
I applaud you.

[jessy81]

Hi Melanie! Boy am I glad to have found ur post! I was going crazy about this issue....i've been sleeved for 3 years now & have gained a bit but i've also learned that there are a few things control how much u gain weight back:
1- the amount of carbs & sugars u take per day
2- the amount of exercise (ANY exercise) u exert EVERYDAY
3- the frequency of ur meals ( i learned that u need to snack on a high protein or a high fiber food)whether ur hungry or not
4- u need to quit forcing urself to finish up ur plate...even if only a bite literally is left on ur plate
5- u need to minimize having sugary or carb loaded items within reach....or at least always always have a protein snack available on hand.
6- once u slack on counting calories, consuming carbs, sugary items..even in small quantities AND when u slack on DAILY exercise...u will gain weight!
7- u need to weigh EVERYDAY and take body measurements as well with a measuring tape & keep a weekly record of any changes
8- poor consumption of water can lead to unnecessary eating...ie: u maybe thirsty but not know it....before snacking on anything...drink a glass of water first
9- DO NOT get cocky about weight loss! it's a life-long hard process & the sleeve is only a tool...just a tool! Abuse it & it will not work!
10- Always test how ur body fits in tight clothes...relying on baggy outfits will keep u unaware of subtle changes & will encourage weight gain.
11- Ur diet & exercise ALWAYS come first before ANYTHING (husband, home chores, kids...whatever).
12- If ur weight escalates, do not freak out, breathe....remember how it's only a few pounds that could be salvaged, it's not the end of the world YET...however the weight gain will not go down as easily since u need to plan more now & control ur hunger pangs & food choices
13- Never let go of the protein shakes & vitamins...u need to keep maintaining that 80-100 gms of protein a day for the hunger pangs & hair loss issue!
14- If u sleep less than you should, you will end up craving carbs & sugar...when ur physically tired...it's easy to give in to comfort food.
15- If exercising in a gym is not feasible, then walk around the block, do home video exercises....ANYTHING...just move.
16- Depression = carbs/suger overload = instant weight gain & lethargy
17- Diet sugar helped me a lot vs regular sugar in coffee & tea...i'm not a soda drinker at all, but still relying on "fake" sugar helps sometimes...also i switched to honey recently...just cuz it's healthier...but i still need to count the calories
18- Accept that ur gonna diet for life....the thing is small diet food portions now should satisfy u more than pre-op...esp. if u load ur plate with sauteed veggies.
19- Protein & veggies can be baked or roasted...not necessarily boiled with no taste
20- Relying on PAM (no calorie cooking sprays) and spices like cinnamon, paprika, oregano, dried garlic & dried onions make a huge difference in taste without adding many calories.
21- Slacking a little goes a looooong way in the long run....it's about getting used to a healthy lifestyle.
22- Do not get discouraged easily! Nobody said it's an easy process....this will take time & effort!
23- Losing weight is easy...keeping it off is way more challenging.
24- Never change the sequence of how u eat: Protein first, then veggies then carbs then sweets.
25- Make a diary of how u feel , what u eat, what u did as exercise...it keeps u on track.
26- If u have a slip up, don't dwell too much....feel guilty, plan better, get determined not to have it happen again. We are all human, this isn't an easy process, it will take time, effort & energy.
27- Plan ahead for food & exercise...failing to plan is planning to fail indeed. Prepare ur breakfast & lunch for work before u sleep. Keep water at hand always as well as protein bars, dried fruit & nuts.
28- There will always always always be people around u either snickering at ur weight loss or weight gain & constantly giving advice...do ur best to ignore them & stay focused on ur own pace & efforts. U know ur body best.
29- Always stay informed. I keep reading whatever I can read online about how to decrease carb cravings, how to maintain weight loss, quick exercises....always be informed.
30- As hard as it was for me, try not to obsess about this issue. This is gonna be ur challenge for the rest of ur life...learn to cope with it. There will be ups & downs...but it's up to you to figure out how to get a grip again.

I hope i've helped these pieces of advice go to me first before anyone out there....i'm desperately trying to get back to my lowest weight loss point...i'm sure i will, but i'm sure it won't be overnight & i'm trying to be as patient as possible about this.

It's just not easy everyday....but i'll get there hopefully Have a great day everyone

[melanie0941]

EXCELLENT advice!! I agree with it all.

I would suggest that you copy and paste your post you just sent to me ... into an original post so that everyone else can read. The only people that will most likely see this post are ones that responded to my original post. This is good info that everyone needs to read....

You did a grrrrreat job with your summary of pearls!!!

Take care!

[Wayne2]

How did your relatives gain so much weight back if they only have about 15% of their former stomach?

[melanie0941]

Very easy... Just by eating too many carbs. Carbs come in many forms... many of which are liquid, very soft, and some simply dissolve and slide through the sleeve... like chips, sugar, crackers, ice cream, cookies, potatoes, etc etc. These types of SLIDER foods go down the sleeve fairly easily after the first few months. My relatives didn't simply sit around and eat sweets all the time... but they ate and continue to eat too many carbs. They both exercise frequently. The sleeve will stretch a bit but the problem usually isn't the "volume" of food, its the "content" of the food/drink.
Soooo... all that to say, you can NOT just rely on a reduction in volume of food with the sleeve. You need to use the time following surgery to move to a permanent healthier diet that is higher in protein... and lower in carbs that you are probably accustomed to pre surgery.

Hope that helps explain... :-)