How I eat 4 months out

I'm literally scared to post this, because there are so many long-term successful "posters" who are strong proponents of tracking every morsel & calorie. But I've been successful utilizing a different path, & want to put it out there with as much honesty as possible. I eat very high protein- meat, chicken, fish, cheese, beans & nuts. I snack on 2-3 fruits a day. I eat veggies with many of my proteins, including avocado, & use olive oil with lemon juice our balsamic for salad. If I'm feeling deprived, I treat myself to a tablespoon of peanut butter. I do not eat carbs 99% of the week- no flour products, no sugar, no rice (some bean stew with barley once a week). I DO NOT TRACK, WEIGH, NOR MEASURE. I eat until I feel sated, & I stop. I'm not always prefect with stopping at satiety instead of fullness, but I'm working on it every day, every meal. My doctor does not require measuring & calorie counting, & I'm glad for this because I don't feel I could do that day in & day out long term. I'm sure I'm eating more than the 600-800 calories many here adhere to in the losing phase. And I'm glad I'm not, because I'm losing very steadily, & I never want to feel like I'm on a diet or deprived. I feel very satisfied with what I'm eating now; for the first time in my life I'm ok without sugar. I also exercise 3-5 days a week for 40-50 minutes-cardio, light weights, crunches. Hoping to take up yoga soon. Drink my fluids most days, take my vitamins most days, aiming for perfection with those.

I'm not prescribing my plan for others. But, feel it needs to be put out there that there are many paths to success. If I stall, or stop losing, I will definitely explore other routes that have worked for others.

I'm glad you've been successful so far, but please be aware that it's easy to "screw up" and still lose weight in the beginning. If you get to the point where you're not seeing the progress you want to see, I hope that you will consider tracking, weighing and measuring then.

I don't track either, because I have issues with getting obsessed where numbers are concerned. I do, however, weigh my portions - even now at 4 years post-op. I promised myself that if I ever reached a point where I wasn't losing and didn't know why, that I'd start counting calories but, thankfully, I've always known why I'm not losing when I'm not :D

I've never reached my goal and I am 7 yrs out this coming August 2018.

I've actually gained 10 lbs and go back and forth on that

Very frustrated and nothing I try gets me to losing.

I maintained 150 lbs with no wavering until 2011 when my dad passed and then the back and forth started with no changes to eating.

Doctor says I look great but I do not feel physically good and want to lose down to at least the original go away but can't seem to get it started. All I seem to be able to do is maintained within that 10 lb lose and gain stage. I do not weigh measure but keep a semi track on calories. Had the sleeve August 2011. 2017 had extended tummy tuck, Brazilian butt lift with lipo of back. And am very unhappy with results. Yes it's better than it was but I still feel physically uncomfortable and the liposuction from one side to the other is different which I can feel physically so that's very uncomfortable and my stomach is also lopsided and it is not flat but it is gooshy. I'm in process of speaking with facility that did and and trying to be hopeful that they will give me my money back so that I can find another doctor to later correct these issues. The doctor told me I did not have enough back fat to put in my bottom so I would probably have to have another butt lift and yet I can pull 2 to 3 inch or more of fat off my back so I believe it was a money issue and trying to get me to come back for more surgeries. I wound up with 13 different infections with pictures to prove. Primary doctor had me coming in once a week for high doses of antibiotics, 4 weeks worth, and to check and cleanse the infections and the main one they were concerned about is where the port was because I had 18" of tubing going in at side of hip and into abdomen area after the surgeries and that area became infected which could have been deadly. Long story short I am very unhappy at this point. And looking for any kind of suggestions.

I'm not sure what you're looking for advice with? Losing the weight you want to lose or getting your plastics sorted out? My surgeon has a revision policy in the contract I signed - does yours?

100% agree with what you said Gwen. I'm also obssesive about #s, I've weighed milk, because I didn't trust measuring cup. It translates to weighing myself as well, & I've been able to limit myself to once a week now. I even made it 1-1/2 weeks without weighing myself while on vacation recently.

for posterity

Your post is interesting. I'm a little more than 6 months out from surgery and I'm measuring and logging everything in an app on my phone. When I had my six-month checkup last week, the dietician at my doctor's office was concerned when I said I was eating between 600-800 calories per day (80 gr protein, less than 50 net carbs). I thought I was doing great, losing 70 pounds since surgery and 90 since I began the program in June. She said I could probably lose more if I upped my calories to 1100. I've done that gradually over the last 9 days and gained 2 pounds!! I'll be sending her an email tomorrow. Yet I do see that you have terrific stats since October. May I ask your age? I'm 54. Most people on here seem to eat the amount I WAS eating when they were in the losing phase. What is the truth about "starvation mode"? I've recently read it's overestimated.

"Starvation mode" is a load of bunk.

http://physiqonomics.com/eating-too-much/

Your dietitian is in the same dream world mine was. They want you to up your calories to be at 1000 by the 6 month mark...but it for the majority of VSG patients here you'll find that they will tell you to stick to 600-800 while you are losing if you are following the standard low fat, low carb, high protein diet. I, too, tried to increase to 1000 and gained, so I went back down.

I was able to increase my calories to 1100 at about 7 months but only because I had switched to a ketogenic eating program. In order to get my fat to the level it needed to be in order to lose, I had to increase my calories. If I had stayed with the low fat/low carb/high protein diet, I would have stayed at 800 calories until I was finished losing.

Trust your instincts. You've been doing this long enough to know what is right for your body. Tell the dietitian what they want to hear, and then do what works for you.

P.S. I am 58 and 15 months post op and I still weigh, measure and log every single bite and drink.

It is so crazy how all over the place they are. My dietician wants us at 400-600 Calories until the 6 month mark and then moving to 600-800 at the 6 month mark. I have NOT been able to stay under 600 calories and eat the required amount of protein via fresh food. The only way I can do that is by finding lower calorie meal replacements. So, I'm at 3.5 months and I routinely am at 800-900 calories and staying on plan.

I often see posts about people who are farther out and can only eat 2-4 Oz of food STILL. So if that was the case for me I could definitely be closer to 600, but would not be able to hit my protein unless I was eating 100% protein.

Maybe I need to change my plan? I stay below 50g of carbs per day on 95% of days.

So stressed out about this.