Three and a Half Years

[Pam G]

I think we might be "in remission", but I know I'm DEFINITELY not "cured".

I have the same five pound yo-yo. Up five then down five. I keep a watch on it. If it goes up more than five, then I cut back on snacks and increase exercise.
I think the best thing to keep in mind that we will ALWAYS be a gastric sleeve patient. Obesity is a disease. We cured our disease with surgery. We are obesity survivors. We keep fighting and we never give up.
We are successful because we hold ourselves accountable. We still get support from this forum. We know what works for us.

[Shirl]

Ok, I lost all my weight three years ago this summer. For over three years I have been bragging about how easy this whole journey was. Getting a little cocky about everything being perfect.

I think my honeymoon period lasted over three years. I easily lost all my weight and easily kept it off. While I was following the rules most of the time, I wasn't that careful, and weighed the exact same weight EVERY DAY, day after day. Kept in my normal BMI range without even trying. (OK, I love to exercise, but not track food.)

Now all of a sudden I have been gaining and losing the same 5 extra pounds for months. (Today I'm up 3.) It's probably because I had to stop exercising for 2 months after a broken neck. But it's still odd, as I am very careful about my eating. Or maybe exercise is especially important in this life-long journey. Things are crazy with the end of the school year, and with PT I'm not able to walk as much as I should. But school and PT are over May 25th, so I'll be ready to get back on track. Gym for yoga and weights, and my woods for hikes. I am still not permitted to run, maybe those 3 mile daily runs are what I'm missing.

I seriously thought after 3 1/2 years I had this down and would never have to worry about my weight again. WRONG.

Thanks so much for posting this! I'm one day from my one-year anniversary and while I had zero complications and very few minor discomforts my weightloss slowed way down very quickly, but inches kept melting off so it has been weird to me to be wearing size 10 clothing and still hover around 170lbs.

This last month in particular has been trying because I knew, I just knew and it was my hope and wish to break 170lbs this time! thinking I got this! no problem! But this has been a trying month because I have been losing the same 5lbs over the last three weeks! I'm certain that I am building muscle because I have been doing weight resistance 2x week with a personal trainer for the last six weeks and doing over three miles a day of walking almost every day. I was even more strict about my protein intake, last week I had finally broke a stall and weight 170lbs, but this morning I got on the scale and I am up five lbs!!!

Also, I had gotten sick a few weeks ago and went to see my old doctor, and I happened to have lab reports from Austin doctor's visits so he could put in my file, and after reviewing he told me that my thyroid panel showed that it was on the slow side. He redid blood work and added a few more tests and it still came back the same, but no need for thyroid medication. I'm still Diabetes free and my cholesterol panel is still normal and even my good cholesterol has gone up. That means my micronutrient goals are on target. So it looks like I just have to keep working my program and stay vigilant about not gaining more than those stupid five lbs I keeping losing and regaining.

On another note, I was watching a documentary on The GUT, and it really made sense on the digestive track should be the first human brain, without it our head brain would have not developed as big as it did lol! So saying that microbes in our gut helped the survival and thriving of our species isn't far fetched. There was also an interesting observation on obesity and gut studies of obese and slim mice showed that slender mice have a bacteria that aids in their hunger and capacity to stay slim despite eating the same diet that obese mice eat, on the other hand obese mice stayed obese or lost weight very slowly if they ate the same diet as slim mice. It made me think that I am missing that gut flora that helps keep slender mice slender LOL!!!

This week, I plan on eating yogurt every day and taking my probiotics religiously! I kind of gotten lazy about taking my enzymes and probiotics so let's see if that'll make a difference???

One thing scientists emphasized in that documentary was that obesity is 10% genetics, 10% gut flora and definitely 80% behavioral! And so I started tracking my food again this week and I have noticed that my carb has always stayed way higher than protein, when I was losing 5lbs a month my carbs were just below my protein macros and my fats were significantly low.

[Ann2]

Thanks for all that info, Shirl. Good stuff -- all of it.

Go get 'em.

[Shirl]

Thanks for all that info, Shirl. Good stuff -- all of it.

Go get 'em.

Thanks, Ann! It was a stream of consciousness, but what I was trying to say is that I am so grateful for my ✨sleeve!✨ without it it would have been harder to get to where I am for sure! But I am well aware that I will have to stay vigilant the rest of my life to keep losing to my personal goal however long that will take, and to maintain a sustainable lifestyle that will get me and keep me there.

[Denisepaul]

Thanks, I'm not very computer savvy so I haven't been able to say thank you in the past. Surprised that my last message posted. I have really some support since my surgery. I do go to the monthly meetings and thought those who said we would stay in touch,but so far I guess life has gotten in the way. No hard feelings towards them.

[sraebaer]

this is why I don't want to start exercising quite yet. I don't want my weight to depend on it.

Once I'm satisfied with my wt loss and/or stop losing and ready to start maintenance, I'll prob go back to the gym (still have a year on my membership).

Don't wait to start exercising, it's so good for you! And much more fun than watching what you put in your mouth. You will be healthier, look better (more toned), and feel better physically and mentally. For me it's such a stress reliever to take a nice walk outside. Try it, you'll like it!

[RehabNurse]

Don't wait to start exercising, it's so good for you! And much more fun than watching what you put in your mouth.

I totally concur. The tracking lifestyle is not for me.

Humans are the only members of the animal kingdom who weigh and measure food portions, calorie-count, and track intake. I've found that I do not need to weigh, measure, track or count calories as long as I live an active lifestyle that incorporates plenty of caloric burn.

Calorie-counting is a vestige of the dieters' mentality. Since I am not on a diet, I prefer to not track intake. Vigorous exercise enables me to avoid the tracking and counting.

[Pam G]

I've tried it.....many many MANY times. I always quit. That's why I don't want to depend on it.

I know myself. I'm lazy. So so lazy.

Don't wait to start exercising, it's so good for you! And much more fun than watching what you put in your mouth. You will be healthier, look better (more toned), and feel better physically and mentally. For me it's such a stress reliever to take a nice walk outside. Try it, you'll like it!

[Pam G]

our dogs need to count calories! they're kinda chubby. especially after hunting down and eating little woodland creatures! LOL

I totally concur. The tracking lifestyle is not for me.

Humans are the only members of the animal kingdom who weigh and measure food portions, calorie-count, and track intake. I've found that I do not need to weigh, measure, track or count calories as long as I live an active lifestyle that incorporates plenty of caloric burn.

Calorie-counting is a vestige of the dieters' mentality. Since I am not on a diet, I prefer to not track intake. Vigorous exercise enables me to avoid the tracking and counting.

[sraebaer]

When I had my psych appointment and told the guy I loved exercising (yes, I was a fat person who loved walks, hikes, skiing, etc!) he told me, "Well then you'll have no problem losing ALL your weight." He was right. (The surgeon had given me that you'll lose 70% line...) I think a lot of fat people think of exercise as something horrific. It's not, it's necessary for your health. Just start with short walks and work your way up. Baby steps. And now is the perfect time of year to get started, it is so beautiful out!

My mom is 90 and started walking 3 miles a day with my dad when he was diagnosed with heart disease about 45 years ago. My dad is gone, but mom has been walking ever since. The only problem is now she's lonely, as almost all her friends are dead. You can't tell me her exercise didn't give her a long, healthy life. She never made excuses, lives in Wisconsin, so walks outside when it's nice and at a nearby mall when it isn't.