Pushing the rules...

Hey guys, Today I am 6 months, 1 day post op. I am about 35-45lbs from goal, which is awesome. I see my surgeon on Friday for my 6 month appt and can't wait to hear what he thinks Everything is going well, but I have to admitt I am slipping up a bit. When I eat, I take a sip or two of drink to rinse my mouth. It seems I am hungry faster when I do that though. I am also snacking, something my surgeon says is a major no-no. I am getting so used to this new life, I am not doing as well as I should be about following the rules. I do take all of my vitamins daily and get my water intake in, along with protein, but I just am not focused on it anymore. I used to know how many protein grams I had at any point in the day and now I am estimating. Is this normal? Are any of you getting this comfortable post op? I am feeling great and often forget I even had weight loss surgery, if that makes sense. Anyway, just posting about this because I am wondering if anyone else is pushing the rules like drinking with a meal or not waiting the hour after eating to drink or eating crackers before the peanut butter....LOL I think I am doing fine, but I think my appetite is increasing. I am not satisfied for as long anymore, so I might need to increase my food intake. How much are you guys eating? Sometimes I feel like I eat way too much but then when I look at it in perspective, I am only eating until I am satisfied. Sorry for the rambling post but just wondering if any of you are experiencing the end of the "honeymoon". My weight loss is stalled right now. Actually had a gain of several pounds which I lost in a couple days. Of course, I think it was water weight because increasing my water flushed it right out. Thanks for reading if you made it this far!! Erica 258/169.5/(125-135 ish)

Hi Erica; I also have let myself get off track a little. But I never could eat 3 meals a day. I find I do much better eating 4-5 times a day but very little each time. For ex: for breakfast I may have a half orange then wait an hour or so drink my fluids then wait a while and eat a piece of cheese or something like that. I do that throughout the day, I do eat my protiens and "try" to stay as low w/ my carbs as I can....Thats a hard one!! I eat alot of fruit and veggies too. I always have a salad with my dinner instead of a potato. I luckily haven't gained yet, just have had a few plateau's...uggghhhhh!!! I do find that if I buckle down with my exerscising I lose much better,BUT we all know how that goes.....I think after a while we are all bound to cross the line every once in a while, as long as we don't make it a habit...I think its programmed in my head with the eating/drinking thing...I just can't do it!!! How are you doing with watching your sugars??? Have you had a "dumping" yet?? I haven't but I haven't had ANY sugars either.... Keep up the good work and do what your doin' I think your o.k!! Karry 311/189/167 goal

Hiya Erica, I experience hunger now too, at times if I dont eat regularly. My surgeon did not tell my snacking is a no no - he told me I SHOULD have a reasonable snack in between meals such as a cheese stick or something like that. Plus he said that I should be eating about 8 oz of food at a meal which I do. Things are going to change - we cant exist on 3 oz per meal forever. As we start to eat more "normal" size portions (not pre-op normal but REAL normal - as in what healthy people eat - even the regular size meals, not the biggie meals, are MORE than a normal person should eat) our weight comes off slower and slower until we hit the point where we are eating normal meals and not losing any more. Hopefully that doesnt happen until we have lost all we need to, or we would have to star****ching calorie intake. I agree with Karry - exercise is a big help in continuing to lose weight. It looks like your weight loss is ahead of target anyway - you only have 35 lbs or so more too lose so you are doing GREAT! Keep it up! Well that I rambled back at ya, I will stop, lol. God bless you and keep you, ~Andrea 223/138/123

I feel like an odd duck. I am 9lbs away from goal (surgery on 11/8/04) and I eat whatever I want. I haven't dumped, but I know my sugar limits. If I have too much of it I feel sort of woozy. I can still eat a piece of cheesecake if I felt like it but not a resteraunt sized piece, like a tiny sliver. I don't think snacking is totally evil, it depends on what you're snacking on and how much you are eating at a meal. Every few hours my body tells me that I'm hungry and I need to eat. I've started listening to my tummy to tell me when to eat and when to stop. I think that's part of the success (along with a fantastic surgeon). I know a lot of people focus on what you eat and that is important, but I think for long term success you also need to know how much to eat and when to stop. I know that if someone said you can never have X again that I would just want it even more. So I let myself eat a little bit of what I'm craving. I know it's not going to kill me. I also know that I will never let myself get that fat again and I will do what I need to in order to maintain the weight loss. I think that you need to find what works for you and what makes you happy. You are the one that has to live the rest of your life. 277/174/165