Hi! I'm seven years out from surgery. Here are some things I've learned...

1. Are you tracking your eating at this time? If not, I highly recommend you start. Even if you do not modify your diet at all, the simple act of tracking will allow you to tune your diet.

2. People can argue about diets all day, but over and over what seems to work (long-term) for weight AND general health:

Lean proteins (chicken/turkey/fish) and lower-starch vegetables and olive oil and maybe some nuts. You can moderate the protein/fat/carb ratio all you want within this. If you want ketosis, you add fat, and really watch which veggies you eat. But within this simple plan, if your sleeve is working at all, you probably can't eat more than an appropriate amount of the above, especially if you start your meal with the protein, and eat low starch veg. Personally I find that lean, white-meat chicken can only eat a few ounces even 7 years out. Fattier meats like steak I can easily eat more. Everyone is different, so you have to find your "limiter" food.

3. Three meals a day max. Minimal snacking.

Cut out all processed food - anything in a box or a bag or from a drive-through window. I can eat processed carbs without limit. Sleeve or no sleeve. I've done that experiment (haha) several times. Sometimes it comes in handy - I have done many long-distance bike races and sometimes you do need energy... but daily it's a must-not-do.

4. Make meals ahead and have them ready to go.

5. Up your exercise. Really. The health benefits are ridiculous. Forget about weight control. Just do it. A good mix of resistance training (body weight is fine, don't need to join a gym), and movement (walking is fine). For big benefits add a bit of interval training (short bursts of higher intensity). It won't cut weight, but it will improve overall health. I find exercise and the quality of my eating are very very linked. The more I exercise, the better I eat and vice-versa. I can't explain why this happens, but it's not uncommon.

Hope that helps. Let me know how I can help further.

T

Keep it simple. At first. If you can nail the above for 6 months, you can get fancy.

Hi all-

I'm 3 years out & struggling with my daily intake of food. I know low carb works best for me. I've joined weigh****chers on & off... I just find it all overwhelming and confusing. Like- why is fruit a "free" food? makes no sense to me.

Where/who can tell me exactly how much protein/calories/carbs I should have daily to be successful? Its a real question. I dont know anymore. Should I see an endocrinologist? Can they take your blood and then tell you based on your metabolism what your intake should be?

I'm overwhelmed. I really need to lose 30 more lbs...

If any of you could share your daily diet I'd appreciate it. I'm 46, female, low exercise, slow metabolism... (for reference)

Sounds to me like your weight gain is all water. Personally I think there is no way you are eating enough to gain 18 pounds in 1 1/2 weeks. That would be an insane amount of food and you would be very very sick.

When you say your doctor changed your fluid medicine are we talking a diuretic? Maybe you need a stronger one?

Do the journaling for the food and liquid you consume that way you can show your surgeon that you are following his directions. Talk with your other doctor and see if you can take a potassium supplement (if you're not already) to help keep the potassium up while taking the fluid medicine. Best of luck to you.

Keep pedaling!

I'm back in the gym now too - retirement just opened up so much more time for healthy activity.

I made a very tiny investment in a company that produces an app called 'FitBod.' Uses AI to program your workouts, has videos to show you how each movement is done, and allows you to customize for what equipment your home or gym has and the exercises all adapt to that. Also pulls in my cycling data from Strava so that I don't over work the legs.

I love seeing all of your cycling stuff! There have been more than a few times when I've been maybe 10 or 15 miles into a ride when I just feel like I want to quit, but then I think of your RAAM stuff and keep pushing myself ;)