question about gaining weight back

I am trying to think ahead to after I lose my weight. How do people gain the weight back? I have noticed I still "bounce" back a pound or 2 now and then already and I only eat around 800 calories a day. How is it possible to gain weight back? do our bodies naturally gain weight back easier after we have lost? will we gain eating a smaller amount? traditionally we are told people need around 2000 calories a day to function normally and anything over could be stored as extra weight. will we gain even if we never hit that 2000 calories in our life? or do our bodies get used to eating 800 calories a day resulting in weight gain if we eat 1200 calories or 1300 calories? I am not very good at explaining my question. ultimately I want to know if we have trained our bodies to expect so few calories that they will hold on to any "extra" calories they get and turn them into weight gain even if it is still lower than a normal person's daily intake.

Great question Cherly!!! I've been thinking about that a lot and not known how to ask. Thanks!! I'll be curious to read the replies.

I know as a woman I tend to retain water...especially around that time of the month...like a week before and a week after....so I am usually like 2 lbs heavier during those two weeks.....I am almost 5 months post op and have 46 lbs to get to my goal weight....I was told that after I reach my goal that I can intake 1,000-1,200 calories a day to maintain the weight and not lose any more....but even once you reach your goal you still have to maintain a healthy lifestyle and work out at least 3-4 days a week....we will always have to watch our intake for the rest of our lives....that isn't going to change....weight loss surgery is a tool to help you achieve success but you will always have to do the work.....I hope that helps you have a better understanding....

I will be one year out in July. I am not getting in 1,00-1,200 calories in a day and wonder if I ever will be able to eat those many calories again. I'm not going to worry yet, just keep on eating healthy, watching the types of food I consume, exercise, and generally enjoy life. I knew when I decided on the surgery, that I would use it to live a "normal life" like other skinny people:) I will moderate the food intake, and keep moving as long as I'm able to; so far, so good. I think it's going to get harder to lose, but I'm still losing at this point and thankful each day for the opportunity to have a better life. Continued success!

The small variations in weight... the daily or weekly swings is most likely water weight. EVERYBODY has small variations in their weight, that is normal.

Regain after getting to goal - well, that is the lifelong struggle I think. What I have read is that it is normal to gain back some weight from your lowest point. For example, you lose 100# and you might regain 10-15 before you stabilize. This seems to happen post weight loss surgery for many people, but the key is to keep the little bounce from turning into a full on regain.

I clearly don't need many calories to live on so I just keep trying to up my metabolism through excercise and eating small amounts throughout the day. I am not sure what the future holds, but considering I was at 300# + even though I did NOT live on junk food and drive throughs I am quite sure that i can never again eat the typical American diet without a significant regain. It sucks, but it is reality.

Very good questions, Cheryl. I am 6 months out, and I will already gain back a few pounds if I eat more than about 800 calories a day! My weight loss has slowed to an absolute trickle, and every pound lost for the past few months has been an enormous struggle. I have to almost starve (i.e. not eat at all) to lose now. I doubt I can reach my goal weight, and I really seriously doubt that I could ever maintain it, if I did. I pick my food just as carefully as anyone else, and I exercise just as much as anyone else, but I have one of thosxe Slug-Metabolisms that loves to keep me fat. I am eating one Lean Cuisine a day, my protein drinks, and coffee with Sweet and Low. I know it sounds crazy that I can't lose weight on just that. But, I shouldn't bitch because before I had the sleeve, I couldn't lose weight no matter what I did. So at least I am better off that before. I just feel so depressed and jealous when I see some of you losing huge amounts in just the first few months. Wish that was me!

Her Moojesty (love the name) as a pre-op obese person, I can't help noticing that you have lost over 50lb. Please remember what a dream come true that is.

Her Moojesty, I am still pre-sleeve so take this for what it's worth...maybe you are getting too few calories? It sounds like to me your body is in major starvation mode. Lean Cuisines are handy, but very high in sodium. You may want to ask all the veterans on here, but from what I've read over the last several months, it seems like people start losing again when they go a few days and up their protein to 80-100g and calorie intake to around 1,000-1,200. Like I said, I'd ask the veterans. I do know my NUT and anytime I've ever lost weight, they have always told me to mix things up or your body will adjust to you eating the same things every day. While that would be great to maintain once we hit goal, not so good for when we still want to lose. lol Just some "food" for thought. :)

The seminars I attended as part of my pre-op requirements said that a large chunk (not the majority, but a lot) of patients gain up to 30%of the weight lost back after 1 year has gone by from their surgery date. 30%! They said this was due to mostly 2 things: the body finally has adjusted to losing half of your stomach and your new MUCH lower calorie intake, so it's starting to process and metabolize the way it used to pre-surgery, AND that a lot of people have gotten sloppy in their eating habits again. Not necessarily eating MORE, but what they eat, as in going back to white carbs and refined sugars.

I think the theme for this surgey is COSNTANT VIGILANCE (Harry Potter fans unite! lol). To me, this sleeve is a fantastic tool in helping me curb my portion size and hunger, but it's up to me to always make the best choices each and every single time for the rest of my life. Even after hitting my goal, I know I won't be finished :)

Just a note of encouragement -- latest medical studies show that sleevers achieve their best (and most comfortable) size 5 years after surgery. That's right -- 5 years. So let's not get too frightened. It's a marathon, not a sprint..
Nel

HerMoojesty, you can do this! You are on track. 10 lbs a month is average so you are really close. I agree with the other posters who say to switch things up. Try eating more calories for a few days, then back down to your usual. This will keep your metabolism working It might work. I think you will keep on losing weight but we all know it slows down at about 6 mos out for some people. I see people losing 3-5 lbs a month typically after the 6 month point and that is with stalls. I think you can still get down to goal. I wish you all of the best.

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Originally Posted by compact

Just a note of encouragement -- latest medical studies show that sleevers achieve their best (and most comfortable) size 5 years after surgery. That's right -- 5 years. So let's not get too frightened. It's a marathon, not a sprint..
Nel

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That's great. I would like to see the studies if you have a chance to post them. Thanks!

hi i am 8 months out and my perspective is much different then when i was 3 months etc. i eat about 1200-1600 cal a day. the key is how you eat. i eat small portions 6 x a day - whatever you do dont eat only one meal a day. my meals are not big for example one snack is 1 string cheese and 3 strawberries. breakfast is 1 egg, 1/2 toast and 1/2 cup berries. dinner is 1/4 cup protein, 1/4 rice grain item and 1 cup veggie (1/2 cup cooked). my plan can range in calories but its key not to get caught up in numbers. if i eat too much my body tells me to stop. be careful drinking water and eating can create bloating big time and stretch out stomach. watch cafeine can mess with your hunger cues even worse then ours are already. its tempting to use these things to eat less and get bigger results. 800 is very small long long term. at the beginning its hard to get in that much i understand. boy do i understand. i was on protein shakes for a long time. long term though that could create a situation where your body holds on to the calories and turns it into fat stores so it has it in case it needs it to function. this causes weight gain in the end and you have to sustain more exercise or less calories to keep losing. its not a fun situation and is actually how i got up to over 200 lbs in the first place. long story. i see a dietician and completely reccommend more then anything. metabolism is key as we are making this change in our bodies. i am at goal weight i think my dietician doesent allow me to know my weight. i wear a size 4 or 6 consistently and am still losing but slowly dont really know but base it on my clothes. i am now working on building muscle and toning - weighs more and also needs more intake to fuel but body is turning into more of a machine and can burn more. my dietician says if once we reach around goal weight which she calls set point (the weight our body is meant to be naturally) then it is not necessary to do hour long workouts 5 x a week and eat 800 calories. if that is how you have to maintain your weight then its not your natural set point. i eat pretty much anything i like just not a lot of it. i am in a program where we try new things "fear" "bad" foods and let ourselves not feel guilty. so i incorporate non safe foods into my diet regularly. the other day i had one piece of pizza - it was filling bc of the doughy but not so much that it made me sick. i am trying not to feel guilty eating things that i used to binge on and seeing i can eat it in moderation thru the tool we all have been given. not to sound braggish but i have a great healthly body now and can maintain and then some thru eating this method. the end goal is to work a program you can sustain for life. blessings to you all

I think the weight gain (if any) happens for many reasons. I am trying not to fear the gain, but to concentrate on living a new healthier lifestyle to sustain me for however long this life might be. I pictured eating like a thin person, not dieting all my life after surgery, and damn it, that's what I'm doing. Since I'm already at goal, my original goal was 160, but I set it lower and made it, I'm just trying to continue to eat like I have been and exercise as often as possible. I just want to enjoy this new life and move forward with my renewed zest for life and all it has in store for me. I hope folks don't start worrying about gaining, but just enjoy the losses and benefits that come with that. Continued success and enjoy!!