Important factors for successful WLS maintenance or weight loss

Taken from a print out given to me by my surgeon at this phase *6+ mos out* Important factors for a successful maintenance of weight loss: 1. Getting a sense of fullness is the basis of successful weigh loss surgery. 2. Regular meals larger than 1 1/2 cups will result in eventual weight gain. 3. By lightly stretching the pouch with each meal, the pouch sends signals to the brain that you need no more food. 4. Maintaining that feeling of fullness requires keeping the pouch stretched for a while. 5. Almost all patients always feel full 24/7 for the first months, then that feeling disappears. 6. Incredible hunger will develop if there is no feed or drink for eight hours. 7. After 1 year, heavier food makes the feeling of fullness last longer. 8. By drinking water as much as possible as fast as possible ("water loading"), the patient will get a feeling of fullness that lasts 15-25 minutes. 9. By eating "soft foods" patients will get hungry too soon and be hungry before their next meal, which can cause snacking , thus poor weight loss or weight gain. 10. The patients that follow "the rules of the pouch" lose their extra weight and keep it off. 11. It doesn't matter what size the pouch ends up. The feeling of fullness can be achieved with 1 1/2 cups of food. 12. Regardless of the outlet size, liquid foods empty faster than solid foods. Liquids will not sustain fullness. High calorie liquids will create weight gain. (rules of the pouch ...next post)