OK - I want the weight loss to stop now!

My goal was 155-160 - I've been in the 147-149 range last two weeks - I want to stop losing, find some balance.  At the same time I am very, very, very afraid to start eating more.  I like my eating habits now, three meals and 2 snacks daily - feel great but I'm starting to look (and feel) just a little too thin.  Wow, I never imagined I would ever be saying that.  Has anyone experienced this before?  I'm 5 months since surgery.

That will be a good problem to have (I think). I am already starting to get hungry routinely and am concerned about maintenence. I'm not there yet, os I have no advice for you, but I plan to continue what I am doing right now - Tracking my food, excersizing and weighing routinley. I think that if we are diligent, we shoudl be able to increase our calories little by little until we are maintaining. 

Still, I'm anxious to hear from the Vets.

I'm 4 and a half months out so just behind you and still have 50 pounds to goal.  Did you speak to your doc yet?  How about the Nut?  If your goal was 155-160 and you've reached it, according to my doc, you can reevaluate your goal or move into maintenance which would call for adding more calories to your meals, not necessarily adding meals.  Since your only 5 months out - which is where I am just about, maybe your pouch isn't big enough to add more food to your meals so you may indeed have to add an extra meal or protein drink.  Regardless, talk to your doc if this is starting to worry you.  Good luck.

I've been there.  My goal (and my doctor's) was 190.  I hit goal and dropped down to 187...Exercise and eating right.  I started to freak out.  I thought I couldn't stop losing...Would end up in a rest home whithering away.  So what did I do??  I started eating everything in sight to gain weight!!  Big mistake!!  Later I learned that if I had gone with the other surgeon in the group, he would have put my goal at 180 and I would have been fine.  This is all 7 years of hindsight though.  As long as you don't go below 2% body fat (excluding skin) you should be OK.  Here is what I wish I had done (regretting this for years).

Start adding more complex carbs.  You can Google complex carbs and see what I'm talking about.  Things like adding more vegetables and whole grain crackers is the right way to go.  It will keep you where you want to (and need to) be.  Do not start down the road of simple carbs (chips, sugar soft drinks, candy, deep fried breaded food, breads, cakes).  You think about it...What got you so heavy to begin with??  Probably some of those things.  Simple carbs are also very addicting.  Before, you could feel your blood sugar level dropping, so you would grab a Snickers Bar.  Hopefully not today.  Your body most likely will settle at the right weight it should be over time.  Just keep eating correctly (protein, vegetables, whole grain foods, small amounts of oils, some fruits) and you should be good.  Brian   PS  Over the years I've regain about 40 pounds...Wish I'd have known what you know now!!  Going back to things like; Pepsi, candy, chocolate, deep fried foods.  I was thinking...I'm doing so good...Why not reward myself...Live a little.  Live a little...Like a Meth addict going back to the Meth.  Be careful my friend... 

Great advice and I will take it to heart, thank you. I've been fearful of adding anything to my diet only because I'm feeling very well, not hungry, and I can eat just about anything.  I am very happy with where I am right now and would like to stay right in this 145-150 range. The only thing I haven't had since the surgery is anything with added sugar - not one cookie, piece of cake, etc. I feel like if I find out I can eat this too it may start me down that path you talked about.  I will be careful.

 

I saw this list of complex carbs.  Don't think some of them are that good (potatoes, macaroni, brown bread).  A bread can say "whole wheat"...But have very little of the whole grain in it.  Anyways, these just give you some ideas.  Brian

List of Complex Carbs that can be Eaten Everyday• All-bran cereals• Apples• Artichokes• Asparagus• Bagel• Baked beans• Bananas• Beans• Broccoli• Brown bread• Brown rice• Brussels Sprouts• Buckwheat• Buckwheat bread• Cabbage• Carrots• Cassava• Cauliflower• Celery• Chickpeas• Corn• Cornmeal• Cucumbers• Dill Pickles• Dried apricots• Eggplant• Garbanzo beans• Granary Bread• Grapefruits• High fiber breakfast cereals• Kidney beans• Lentils• Lettuce• Low fat yogurt• Macaroni• Corn• Muesli• Multi-grain bread• Navy beans• Oat bran bread• Oat bran cereal• Oatcakes• Oatmeal• Okra• Onions• Oranges• Other root vegetables• Pastas• Peas• Pinto beans• Pita bread• Plums• Porridge Oats• Potato• Prunes• Pumpernickel bread• Radishes• Ryvita crispbread• Shredded wheat• Skim milk• Soy milk• Soybeans• Spaghetti• Spinach• Split peas• Sprouts• Strawberries• Sweet potato• Tomatoes• Turnip Greens• Watercress• Whole Barley• Whole grain Cereals• Whole grain flours• Whole meal bread• Wholemeal spelt bread• Wild rice• Yam• Zucchini
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/complex-carbohydrates-list.ht ml

 

My surgeon's goal was 250, my goal was 225. I started to get nervous when I went below 200. I track everything, and increased calories by 100 a wee****il my weight loss stopped. I have been rock steady at 185 for close to a year now.

Start adding calories slowly. 100 a day for a week, then repeat until you get where you want.

I have the same fear.  I worry that losing weight will become an obsession, and I will go all Karen Carpenter.  Can't trade one for the other, so will have to be careful.  Good luck