1+ yr(s) Post Sleeve Accountability Thread

[Tara McGee Jackson]

Anyone that is 1 or more years out want to do a weekly thread where we check in with each other? We could share issues we are having, exercises we are doing, whatever. Our issues are very different from what most threads on this forum are about and I thought it might be nice to have a place to discuss whats going on with us. Plus it could help others to read so they know what to expect.

I will start.

I am almost 3 years post op. I eat like TOTAL crap. I eat whatever I want. I usually eat 2-5 candy bars a DAY! I have done this since about 8 months out. Its starting to catch up with me now though. In the last 6-8 months I have put on 10ish pounds. I am also not working out.

This all changes TOMORROW! I will not be the 276 pound girl again! So back to protein shakes for breakfast and lunch followed by a lean protein dinner with a few veggies. I am even cutting out fruit for the first week. I need to detox my body of all sugar cravings then I can add back in the healthy ones(fruit). I will do this for two weeks I probably wont workout until I am done with this stage as I will be weak and moody! LOL

Anyone else want to share?

[ACE]

I am alsmot 3 years out too, I eat pretty well but with having had a baby last year i got used to eating larger amounts or more often during the day to keep his weight ok but now i am struggling to not eat as much as often. I feel like i over eat by like 2 bites at every meal and the feeling of being full mkes me uncomfortable and for some reason that is telling my brain you are still hungry so I am having to keep close tabs on that issue lately. As you said I will never go back to who I was before this and so I am doing shakes when i just dont want to eat and i know i need to keep my protein "schedule" and when I do want to eat i get my plate of food and then cut it in half. I notice the little part of me that is like a 2 yr old having a tantrum when i do that but i am fighting that again with each meal. And as much as I hate it I am going to have to start my food journaling again so i have to face what i am eating and how much but if it gets me the last few lbs off to get to where i want to be then its so worth it. Its almost like we have to reset at times and start again to remember how to eat and stay on track. I am glad you thought to start this thread I am sure it will be helpful to a lot of others

[cowgirljane]

I am over 2.5 years out... I am doing great with maintenance currently a 23 BMI, HOWEVER my son just moved back home and I am struggling with controlling my eating the last few weeks. Certain foods are like crack to me... it is like I can't seem to resist. He is not a junk food eater, but even bread and peanut butter and cold cereal call my name with a siren's call. I want to eat it even when I am not hungry...

I recognize that I need to get a grip before I start regaining. I need to be able to live in a house with someone who eats normally and maintain my weight. My body has been morbidly obese I would say about 43 of my 50 years (and overweight most of those non obese years) so my body is just waiting to regain... I feel it.

[thehungryguy]

can you still eat too many sandwich a day ? if not i hope i wont have a problem in the future at all :P

do you feel strong restriction when eating burger or sandwich (excluding wraps) and how much you can eat

[ChrissyT]

Great thread! Thanks for starting. Sometimes I feel that since I can only eat a little of something it's okay to eat a little. Bad idea. Carbs go down with no problem and are mostly empty calories. I have to stay far away.

[Tara McGee Jackson]

can you still eat too many sandwich a day ? if not i hope i wont have a problem in the future at all :P

do you feel strong restriction when eating burger or sandwich (excluding wraps) and how much you can eat

I can eat about half of a homemade hamburger and almost a whole junior fast food burger(just depends on how much is on it and how thick the bread is).

I still feel a lot of restriction I am just hungry often and making bad choices.

[thehungryguy]

funny thing is that i can eat half homemade burger :P and i am only 46 days post op but i prefer chickens and meat without bread . it is easier on my stomach for now

[Mbenson5]

I am so THRILLED you started this! I really try to encourage the newbies, but sure would love the support of those of us who are a little further out. I think I know who most of you are as you have encouraged me in many ways. I was 2 years out June 13 and it has been amazing, but challenging at times. My dr is very happy with my progress, but he agreed to tighten up my sleeve when I had my hernia surgery 2 weeks ago. I am still hoping to lose this last 13 lbs which appears to be the most elusive. Even still, I can get discouraged when I see others who have lost 100 lbs in 6 mo...and I am still not there. So, putting my big girl undergarments on and so doing this! Thanks guys!!!

[Nyma]

You guys are awesome!! Thanks for being SO honest with your process. We're all humans so there no such thing as a perfect path but we can always get back in track. Thanks for sharing!!

[Lee6Lee]

I've been sleeved only a couple of months or so, and hope you don't mind if I tag along. I need to learn it all.

[Tara McGee Jackson]

I am glad some of the newer sleeved find this helpful as well. One day you will be where we are and going through the same things. I hoped you would find this as helpful as us "old-timers" do.

I have done pretty well the last couple of days. In two days I have lost 2.5lbs. I will take that! And it puts me back in the 150's!

[healthydebbie]

Thanks for bringing this up. There's a lot a shame and guilt when you think you've failed yourself. I guess we all just need to recognize that taking good care of ourselves is something we'll always have to work at. There will be moments of strength and weakness, but if we make the effort the benefits are great on so many levels.

Maintaining was easy for me 2yrs out, but this year has been more difficult. I have found myself 15 lbs heavier than last year at this time, and I'm frustrated with myself. It's just so much easier, and less painful, to eat larger quantities of food now. I've decided that this isn't what I want. My clothes are snug and I feel uncomfortable. It's hard to imagine how much worse it was being nearly 300lbs. I made the decision last week to recommit to exercising and being in control of my eating. I can say that I feel so much better physically and mentally when I eat well. Meal planning and food journaling are key things that help me stay on track.

[sauerpowermomma]

I am a year and a month out. I have to say that I am so glad I did this, yet I did not get the total results I wanted. I thought by now I would have lost the 100 pounds I wanted to lose. I lost 65 and play with 5 of those pounds back and forth. NOW, I had something happen a few days ago that has never happened before, and I may sound strange, but I am thrilled it happened. I over ate at dinner, ate too fast ( I have never really mastered that) and guess I just over did it, but did not feel too bad, and then we decided to go get some frozen custard. I ate maybe half of that and then B A M! I FELT AWEFUL.
This has lasted a few days. I have been on full fluids and soft food since then. Although I did have a small bowl of cereal last night and only could eat a portion of it. Like I said, I am glad this happened, I felt like I was given a new chance or something and I almost felt newly sleeved..lol. I do not believe I am done yet even at this far out from surgery. I WILL lost that bit of weight, even if I only get another 20 or so off, I will be glad. I am not so young, 59 now, and just want to stay healthy, as this weight loss took me off of ALL meds. Let's stay with this thread, this is awesome. We are blessed to have been given this opportunity and this TOOL to use, let's keep using it and be victorious!

[LauraM5]

I am 2.5 years out as well! I have good days of eating and bad. Over the last year I have gained about 15 pounds. I swim 3-4 days a week as well as do boot camp 3 days a week. I am stuck at my current weight. I was hoping to have lost 100 pounds by now as well. Unless on go on only liquids for 2 weeks I can not get the weight off even when I eat super clean. It gets frustrating. I have tried going up in calories and down in calories. Thanks for starting this trend! Its keeping me on target!!

[tinman]

Good thread

I eat what I want, when I want and made just the way I like it. So...how am I doing? I am almost 24 months post op. I have been at and under my goal weight for almost 10 months now. I gain and lose the same two or three pounds every week...just like the "normal skinny" folks.

I resolved very early on not to put myself on a restrictive eating plan post op. It didn't work before I was sleeved and I was certain it wouldn't work after. So, I identified what I thought were the most important factors in losing weight post op and focused my attention on those items while not depriving myself of anything at anytime.

I still do that to this day.

So, does it matter how you get your protein, exercise and hydration as long as you get it?

Nope...it does not.

At the end of the day, the absolute most important factor in losing and maintaining is not to over eat.

If you don't over eat, you just cannot eat enough of the foods that you think will make you gain weight in order to gain weight. It's impossible.

So, once I stopped stressing about "falling off of the wagon" or "eating some bad foods" or "slipping into bad habits", I was able to identify what actually is the catalyst for good, consistent weight loss post op and I took advantage of that.

Free your mind and the weight loss will follow.