Vets, explain this to me

 My best friend just got married and I was in the wedding.  The officiant and I both had RNY in the beginning of May and are doing well.  The best man who I just met had RNY "a while ago" the bride did not know exactly how long, but long enough that he just had a tummy tuck.  

He looked thin.  BUT, and this is a big but, he drank alcohol like nuts! and he drank it fast, like 4 drinks an hour.  He also ate big portions and he drank while he ate.  My friend says he eats candy all the time too, and at the wedding he ate his bag of candy and his wife's as well as a big piece of cake.  

How is he still thin?  If no one had told me I would never had assumed he was a RNY patient, he showed no signs of using the tools to keep the weight off.  I personally think it will only be a matter of time until he regains his weight.  Why do all this just to go right back to your old habits?  Is it really that easy to do?

I had a hard time to stop losing weight for 2 years post op. It was close to impossible to gain any.  But that stopped app 2-2.5 yeasr post op. Now I breathe and gain weight...  Imy body is back to how it was before RNY. ( not weight wise - but how easy it si to gain and how difficult it is to lose any)    So now I have to be extremely carefull what I eat and how much. 
Alcohol - he most likle will be paying for that one day.
Also - if you drink while you eat (specially alcohol) you can eat and eat and eat... You wash anything you eat through the pouch. He cna eats candy and cakes - most likely he doe snot dump. Only 30-40% people dump.

These are ASSUMPTIONS based on my experience:

1 - You can eat relatively "normal" sized meals after a while.  Particulary if you don't eat protein 1st.  Personally, I can eat a really large salad or a huge amount of fruit.  Protein 1st, not so much.

2 - alcohol - I have had a few half-drinks since surgery.  Pre-op, I couldn't understand alcholism.  Now, alcohol hits hard & fast.  The sensation is different and I can understand how it could be a problem after surgery.  I don't drink often -- and will keep it that way.

3 - We're making a lot of assumptions about his daily habits.... maybe, especially under the influence and in a social situation he acts one way but another day to day?  I don't know.  But, if what you said is true, he would probably regain his weight.

4 - Is it that easy to fall back into old habits?  I think so.... I have *mild* dumping when I eat sugar and it's enough to keep me honest!

It freaks me out when other people who know I had surgery, police my eating habits. That being said, I can be guilty of this as well.

I'd say, his journey is his and your journey is yours. From my experience I have seen as many people who eat and drink like you describe, as those who go to the other extreme and are terrified of ever breaking the rules so they never do. We all have to find our happy medium.

 I agree with you 100% and so I did not mention anything to him or ask him any questions.  It is hard not to police other people when they eat!  I get it ALL THE TIME!  I think every time I go out with people they always ask "can you eat that".....but at least they care right?  I sometimes watch the things they put in their mouth and want to say "should you eat that?"  but I don't.

As a newbie at this, only 8 weeks in, when I get the rare chance to see someone who is so far out from their own surgery I really do take notice of their habits as I know soon I will be there too, you just can't help but notice what they are doing.  I just wanted some vets to tell me that was not the correct way, so that I don't find myself trying those things out in a few months and giving myself the excuse, "well he did it and is still thin". You know?

 I agree with the others.  He may still be in his honeymoon period.  He may just be having a good time on a special occasion.  
I do feel that if this is normal behavior for him it won't be long until he is on his way to regaining whatever weight he lost and will go down as another statistic of a failed WLS.  This is not a miracle cure, just a way to help you stick to a healthy way of eating.