Alright...here we go.

[angie 3]

Thanx for the posts you look great! Half the man you used to be! What a awesome tool of wls! Im so glad I did it! I hope in 3yr ill still be maintaining & doing as great as you! Your advise is honest & commen sense!

[Lee6Lee]

Mem222 said, "You mentioned eating to ramp up your metabolism - can you elaborate?"

I know you keep telling us how, but...we want to hear it again!

[tinman]

Mem222 said, "You mentioned eating to ramp up your metabolism - can you elaborate?"

I know you keep telling us how, but...we want to hear it again!

My theory is very, very simple. We all have to eat in order to keep our "engine" operating at peak efficiency....ie....at a high rate of speed. In order to figure out what to eat, you need to experiment. In my world, there are four pillars that help support our weight loss.

Nutrition
Hydration
Exercise
Supplements

Ignore just one of these pillars and you will stall, stall often and stay stalled for weeks and months at a time.

Let's talk briefly about each of the pillars and what they mean.

Nutrition. Quite simply...it's the 80/64. 80 oz of protein and 64 oz of water. Both are required and non negotiable. Chronic malnutrition and chronic dehydration will kick off a stall quicker than your former self could hoover up a pint of Haagen-Dazs. Also, when dabbling in the protein, you need to pay attention to how much fat and carbs you take in. If you eat protein but starve your body of the real fuel it needs (fat and carbs), chances are you will cause your body to think it's being starved and the stall will happen. So, experiment with how many carbs and fats it takes to get your metabolism ramped up. Some of you will be better off with very little carbs and fat. Some will need lots more. What ever you are doing, if it's not working, do the opposite. If that doesn't work, then aim for somewhere in the middle and keep adjusting. You'll eventually hit on the right amounts.

Hydration....I touched on that in the previous paragraph. You must, you must, you must increase your bust...errrr.....water intake. This is about as mandatory a rule as there is. 64 oz of water. Not gatorade, cocktails, sodas, beer, wine, what ever....you can have as much of that as you want, but, don't count it against your 64 oz of WATER.

Exercise. Don't over exercise. Remember, if you exercise too much, your body will shut down because the calories you are giving it are so woefully inadequate that your body again thinks it's being attacked and will shut down the metabolism

Supplements....self explanatory. You need to take supplements to make up for what you naturally cannot be putting into your body because you just can eat enough to do so. Again...deprive yourself of essential nutrients and your body will rebel.....and we all know how that rebellion is manifested....a big old nasty, slimy ass stall......

So, that's it in a nutshell. If you want to know more and in detail...buy my book. Wait....buy my book once I've written it. I need a literary agent. If you know one, pm me. I need help.

[peteyrulz]

Tinman, you are absolutely correct! My first month out
I was convinced that I needed to keep my cals 800 or less,
carbs at 40g or less, protein to 60g. Somewhere mid-summer
and I read one of your posts & tried it your way.
OMG...it works!!! As long as I drink my H20, get 70-80g protein/day (still
working on that, btw!),
take my necessary vits/mins & exercise, I am having no problems dropping
the weight AND I FEEL FANTASTIC!! I haven't had this much energy since
I was in my 20s, and that was a gabzillion years ago!

IT WORKS!!!

[ANNETTE2015]

Tinman, you should be on TV, or run for President ;-)

[missemily516]

Robert, I love having you on this site. You and Ann and Jessie, and many of the others keep me coming back. I agree with your advice and am happy to also be one of the winners here, having just hit 140 lbs. lost. You look fabulous, and I wouldn't kick you out of the women's room if I found you there!

[DCCT]

Robert,
You LOOK great and by your smile, I know you FEEL great!
Thanks for all your posts.
Keep up the honest and helpful posts.
Catherine

[Lee6Lee]

S

My theory is very, very simple. We all have to eat in order to keep our "engine" operating at peak efficiency....ie....at a high rate of speed. In order to figure out what to eat, you need to experiment. In my world, there are four pillars that help support our weight loss.

Nutrition
Hydration
Exercise
Supplements

Ignore just one of these pillars and you will stall, stall often and stay stalled for weeks and months at a time.

Let's talk briefly about each of the pillars and what they mean.

Nutrition. Quite simply...it's the 80/64. 80 oz of protein and 64 oz of water. Both are required and non negotiable. Chronic malnutrition and chronic dehydration will kick off a stall quicker than your former self could hoover up a pint of Haagen-Dazs. Also, when dabbling in the protein, you need to pay attention to how much fat and carbs you take in. If you eat protein but starve your body of the real fuel it needs (fat and carbs), chances are you will cause your body to think it's being starved and the stall will happen. So, experiment with how many carbs and fats it takes to get your metabolism ramped up. Some of you will be better off with very little carbs and fat. Some will need lots more. What ever you are doing, if it's not working, do the opposite. If that doesn't work, then aim for somewhere in the middle and keep adjusting. You'll eventually hit on the right amounts.

Hydration....I touched on that in the previous paragraph. You must, you must, you must increase your bust...errrr.....water intake. This is about as mandatory a rule as there is. 64 oz of water. Not gatorade, cocktails, sodas, beer, wine, what ever....you can have as much of that as you want, but, don't count it against your 64 oz of WATER.

Exercise. Don't over exercise. Remember, if you exercise too much, your body will shut down because the calories you are giving it are so woefully inadequate that your body again thinks it's being attacked and will shut down the metabolism

Supplements....self explanatory. You need to take supplements to make up for what you naturally cannot be putting into your body because you just can eat enough to do so. Again...deprive yourself of essential nutrients and your body will rebel.....and we all know how that rebellion is manifested....a big old nasty, slimy ass stall......

So, that's it in a nutshell. If you want to know more and in detail...buy my book. Wait....buy my book once I've written it. I need a literary agent. If you know one, pm me. I need help.

Thanks...from ALL of us! So excited to start using this advice! Sorry you have to keep repeating it...

I feel like a WLS success, but want to "finish" it by losing a few more pounds. Several years ago a doctor said I should weigh 160. I'm below that, but want to have a good buffer zone. Instead of staying below 160, I would like to make a goal of staying below 150. The lowest I've gotten was 153. I was 153 again last week!
Time for water.

[sraebaer]

I so agree, I don't see how people think they can stick to some "diet" for their life. If they could, how did they get fat in the first place? Why have surgery if you can count calories and eat perfectly?

My metabolism secret is running. I run every day, eat what I want (protein first, never overeat, but don't deprive myself of ANYTHING) and have maintained for over a year. Love my new life.

[Mbenson5]

Hi Tinman,
I am so happy for your success, and I read your posts, but I do want you to be aware that some people tend to be soft hearted and have struggled with enduring ridicule for their weight their entire life, so may tend to be quickly defensive. I don't know if I would say thin-skinned, but maybe it is that. I was thinking of posting yesterday, because I was really struggling with getting back on track and needed some encouragement. However, after reading all the comments about people complaining about all the "whiners" on here, I just decided to keep it to myself. This site used to be somewhere I could express my frustration and get the positive feedback I needed to keep going. I do enjoy a lot of your no-nonsense way of dealing with your approach to living with the sleeve, but please realize that men and women lose weight differently and sometimes we need encouragement because we DO NOT lose as quickly as men. I admit, I need warm fuzzies! My husband had his sleeve 2 months before me and he lost his 100 lbs in 8 months, done! He is an avid biker and eats well for the most part. No more heart troubles or sleep apnea! Me? I am still struggling with that last 10 lbs after 3 years. Anyway, I do hope you stay on here, but just understand the things you say on here impacts others who may need to express their frustration without fear of being called whiners or thin skinned. I look forward to hearing your ideas and progress! You look fantastic! Melissa

[Lee6Lee]

Hi Tinman,
I am so happy for your success, and I read your posts, but I do want you to be aware that some people tend to be soft hearted and have struggled with enduring ridicule for their weight their entire life, so may tend to be quickly defensive. I don't know if I would say thin-skinned, but maybe it is that. I was thinking of posting yesterday, because I was really struggling with getting back on track and needed some encouragement. However, after reading all the comments about people complaining about all the "whiners" on here, I just decided to keep it to myself. This site used to be somewhere I could express my frustration and get the positive feedback I needed to keep going. I do enjoy a lot of your no-nonsense way of dealing with your approach to living with the sleeve, but please realize that men and women lose weight differently and sometimes we need encouragement because we DO NOT lose as quickly as men. I admit, I need warm fuzzies! My husband had his sleeve 2 months before me and he lost his 100 lbs in 8 months, done! He is an avid biker and eats well for the most part. No more heart troubles or sleep apnea! Me? I am still struggling with that last 10 lbs after 3 years. Anyway, I do hope you stay on here, but just understand the things you say on here impacts others who may need to express their frustration without fear of being called whiners or thin skinned. I look forward to hearing your ideas and progress! You look fantastic! Melissa

I'm responding to the "last 10 pounds" part. You look amazing, and I think we both suffer from the mental "10 more pounds and I'll be perfect" condition. I weighed in today at 156. Our daughter said I look 130. Everyone carries their weight differently. I looked in the mirror this morning and I think I look great (if I do say so myself). But we'll always have to be on guard, and if chasing the "last 10 pounds" does the trick...it's a good thing! I feel like I'm still learning all about the sleeved life. Tinman has been helpful in doing that. Very grateful.