5 years post-op today (warning: long!)

 Happy Birthday Lora and thanks for all the information you provided about your journey.  Can't wait to see the pics with your new dress.

Thank you for sharing your story with all of us. You are an inspiration to all. Congratulations on your success.

Thank you for sharing. I really appreciate you writing this. Just know that you are helping me so much. Best wishes to you for 5 years!!

Your post has actually prompted me to join and respond, which will be a first for me! Thank You.

I too have had gastric bypass. It has been 8 years and I have maintained my weight loss. I was 272 pounds and my goal was 168. I currently weigh 164 and typically stay between 163-168 which allows for a bit of flexibility for water weight, etc.

I want to drop another 10-15 pounds. Key word here is want to....I am 5'9 and  the smallest size clothing I have managed was an 8 for a brief period, but settled more comfortably in a 10. NO complaints! My mother passed away at 55 and weighed close to 600 pounds - heartbreaking and the basis for my decision to make a change which some thought was very extreme. I couldn't disagree more and have proven them wrong and have also been a source of inspiration for many to follow in my tracks to a more healthy life.

What I am looking for and can't seem to find are tips to help me drop these last 10 pounds in a healthy fashion. I am not looking for a miracle pill, but a real solution to help. All the posts that I have generally found are based on people who have had surgery and regained significant weight, which by the way is too bad. We were given this opportunity as a TOOL, not a magic solution. 

Anyway,  thank you for your post it was refreshing. And if you or any of the members have advise for me in my quest to shed these last 10-15 pounds I would love to hear from you.

 

What has enabled me to control my weight and occasionally lose some weight creep is going back to basics.  When my weight creeps up to my 5-lb self-imposed limit, I increase my protein and liquids, and drop as many of the non-dairy, non veggie carbs as I can (and I have to give up my small daily 100-calorie snack). I get a lot of protein from yogurt, milk, and cheese so it isn't practical to eliminate those carbs, but increasing the protein generally means also decreasing carbs automatically since when I add protein it isn't dairy protein that I add. I try to add some additional physical activity, but I have a knee that is being replaced in March that really prevents me from doing much exercise.

I have had to do this three times in 3.5 years in order to keep my weight down, and within a few weeks I have always had that 5 pounds off.  The other advantage to doing this is that it reinforces the new, healthy eating style rather than being a "diet" and opening yourself up to that whole diet-deprivation-regain cycle that actually contributed to our obesity. I helps strengthen the habits that will keep the weight under control. 

I have been under a lot of stress the past few months since I made this post, and for the first time EVER in my life don't feel like eating.  I still eat by the clock (I have some hypoglycemia that demand it) and have been forcing myself to get my protein in, but that has been about it.  I don't ever track calories so have no idea what my intake is from that standpoint, but I am now down to 141, which is 1 pound below my original lowest weight.

Try going back to basics and adding some additional physical exercise if you are able.  I think ou will see the scale move.  It moves slowly now, of course, without the malabsorption, but it does move.

Lora