Malabsorbstion

I'm not quite at three years yet, but I've been maintain for about a year.  I hit my lowest weight about a year ago.  My goal was 140 and I got down to about 122.  My weight fluctuated a little, which is normal, between about 122-126.  Just the last few weeks, I think I've gained a couple pounds.  My weight now seems to bounce around a little between 126-128.

It has not been very difficult to maintain so far.  But with this little weight gain, that might mean it's going to get a bit harder.  Sometimes it is hard to make the best food choices and I do allow myself a little treat once in a while, but sometimes it's hard to watch everyone else have dessert and not eat any myself or take two bites off my partner's plate and then stop.  I still like food and still like to eat but I've found lots of healthy food I like (still like some junk food, though, just don't buy it much).  I eat about six times a day, so I'm never very hungry.  I still feel satisfied on pretty small portions.

Kelly,  would you please list what you ate yesterday to give us an example?  Do you count calories and/or carbs and proteins etc.?  Thanks.

I'll tell you what I ate yesterday but it was really not a normal day for me so I'll also tell you what I eat on a normal day.  I make sure I get about 70 grams of protein but I kind of keep a running tally in my head.  And I round off the numbers, so if I have a protein shake with 23 grams of protein, I'll call it 25 to make it easier to add it all up in my head.  I don't exactly count calories, at least not all the time.  I do know about how many calories I get in a day, and I round those numbers off too.  I do not count carbs.  I just limit the starchy stuff.  I eat some of it, just not a lot

Breakfast yesterday - I slept late so I didn't even eat breakfast.  It was practically lunch time when I got up.

Lunch yesterday - I ate a salad from Panera.  Well, most of a salad.  I got the Fuji apple chicken salad, but with no chicken because I don't eat meat.  I did not eat the bread that comes with it, gave that to my partner.

Snack - carbmaster yogurt

Dinner yesterday - I went to chipotle.  It's very unsual for me to eat out twice in one day.  But it happened yesterday.  I had a burrito bowl with a very little bit of rice, black beans, peppers and onions, cheese and salsa.

Snack -carbmaster yogurt

Snack - protein bar

A more typical day, like what I'm planning to eat today, goes more like this:

Breakfast - protein bar

Lunch - today it's leftover pinto beans with peppers and onions, diced tomatoes and salsa

Snack - probably a carbmaster yogurt

Dinner - it's going to be soup, canned vegetable soup with some extra stuff thrown in, like some beans and some fresh veggies I need to use before they spoil.  I'm also making bread in my bread machine today and I'll probably have about half a slice of that.

Snack - probably more yogurt.  I really love yogurt these days.

Snack before bed - protein bar or shake, depending on what  I'm in the mood for (and how lazy I feel at the moment)

Thanks Kelly.  I just wanted to know what food you ate in a single day.  I knew I could count on you to reply 

Melizabeth

Thanks for posting what you eat on a normal day! I've been wondering what my days should/would look like farther out.

 Hi Kelly

I am really enjoying your posts. Did you find that as you got closer to goal  the weight loss slowed down. This is the case with me. I keep a close watch on what I eat and I log everything i put in my mouth. I also exercise 6 days a week. I too eat 6 small meals as I just can't eat all that much at a given time. I had my RNY Aug 23 2010 and have lost a total of 150lbs ( 42 of those pounds prior to surgery) 

My goal is to weigh 120lbs - maybe a little less - as I have been told it is common to regain a few pounds after getting to maintenance. Any pointers you may have regarding weight  loss as you get close to goal would be most appreciated.

Thanks, Sarah

This is why it's crucial to establish healthier habits during that first year -- it will make a difference come maintenance time. You will also be able to eat more over time but just because you can doesn't mean you should. Almost at three years out, it's so easy to overeat in volume if I don'****ch it.

I feel silly for not knowing this.  Are you able to maintain at 3 years??

I'm only 6 weeks out and I have not 'cheated' as of yet and I really hope not to for as long as I possibly can, but now that I know that the malabsorption ends, I'm a little nervous.

No need to feel silly -- I didn't understand the caloric part at all until I started reading more on here..I knew of the vitamin/mineral part but not calories : )

Yes, I am maintaining and I feel good at where I am in my journey right now. Maintenance is its own mindset b/c there does come a time when you can eat more, you can tolerate more foods, and hunger and appetite do return. And the further you get out from the "freshness", the easier it is for pre-op habits to creep back in. But, not everyone is destined to not maintain. I did hit my all time low right after my LBL of 127 and now I maintain 133-140 at any given time but usually around 137..and I'm good with that. And honestly, in the grand scheme of things - a slight gain of 10 pounds after losing 100+ isn't necessarily a bad thing -- you have to think about this in terms of quality of life and what the whole journey has done for your overall life without being a slave to the scale.

I was strict during my losing phase and I still am pretty rigid-- but since I have adopted a fitness routine that works well with my lifestyle, I am able to indulge (and sometimes peeps on here don't think I set a good example) but I live my life by moderation, not deprivation. And I credit that to educating myself as much as possible during that first year or so.

Best wishes to you!

Thanks so much!

Can I ask what you indulge in?  Do you eat many carbs?