STANDING ON THE RNY/SLEEVE NEWBIES PODIUM

Ok Im standing on the gastric bypass podium for just a minute, then I will get off, lol. (I have a friend that had RNY 12/15 and is eating whatever she wants and loosing, but she isn't listening to me so I'm done talking about it to her)

Here is the deal to all those contemplating or newly out RNY/Sleeve surgery.  You WILL loose no matter what you put into your mouth for the first 6-12 months due to consuming "smaller quantities"  HOWEVER, if you do it that way by eating "normally" but in smaller quantities you WILL NOT keep your weight off and YOU WILL regain your weight.  Yes ladies and gentlemen you can REGAIN after gastric bypass some, if not all of your weight.  How do you keep the weight off??? Glad you asked.  DO IT RIGHT from the beginning, don't consume carbohydrates, sugars, "trigger foods" (the ones you used to love) RETRAIN your brain!  That is the trick to loosing and keeping the weight off.  YOU HAVE 6-12 MONTHS TO "RETRAIN YOUR BRAIN" from your old habits, to eat healthy foods, to eat less food but more often, then the hunger returns.  IF you do it this way you WILL maintain your weight loss.  Beginning an exercise routine and sticking to it during the middle-end of this phase also helps tremendously. Get your proteins in first and ALWAYS first.  Remember your doing this surgery BECAUSE you've tried everything else, your rearranging your insides, that is SERIOUS, use this tool for what it is and for goodness sake TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF and nurture your new body.  That is all, stepping down from the podium now.

  Great points!!  Just go to your local support group...See those who are 2+ years out...Compare those or are normal or near normal weight vs those who are post op and obese.  They have found a program for their protein, and carb cravings.  They have also found a exercise program that works for THEM...Not yours, but theirs.  And they stick with it.  One last thought...Alcohol.  Some studies have found that post WLS patients are 70% more likely (than the general population) to have problems with alcohol.  The drinks have a lot of calories in them.  And many people who were social drinkers pre op, have now become alcoholics post op...Strange but true.  I will have about 1/2 an oz of wine about once twice a month.  But please people...Eyes wide open in that area... 

I agree with you.  Esp about the alcohol - I don't know why anyone would restart drinking-pure carbs, practically no nutritional value.  Glad you keep it to, what my grandmother would call, medicinal quantities.

I think people discount the value of going to Support Group Meetings.  So, I will get on that podium.

Go to your Support Group Meetings:

1. Put yourself and your health first one night a month.  Put them on your calendar for the entire year and plan your other activities so you go. For this hour, you can sit in a room full of people who know what you are going through.  Some of these people know where you came from and can help you recognize and protect the progress you have made.
2. You see people who are beginning to struggle or are struggling and you see them getting help and getting back on track and you know that you can get back on track if you begin to slip.
3. You are more likely to get back on track after a few pounds, not a few dozen pounds.  This is what your doctor wants.  They do not want you hiding until your gain 50 pounds.  If you see them every month, you will know what resources they are, and be more likely to ask for help when you first need it, and not let it slide until you have 50 pounds regained.
4. You stay current with any new trends in the field.
5. The discussion is led by a professional whose job is to help you stick to the straight and narrow of eating and exercise.  These are people who can help identify behaviors that will lead to problem before the pounds pile back-on.

My goal is to go to 10 of 12 support group meetings a year.  I accomplished this goal in 2015 and I have gone to 2 of 2 so far in 2016.

Podium is now open.

I had a friend who had the sleeve who stopped for McDonalds hamburger and a few fries a month out from surgery. She was a lightweight in WLS terms and could have reached goal in one year. She just had her anniversary and is down 50lbs... but she does realize (I think) at this point she wasn't as diligent as she could have been. 

I am lucky to have several great support groups in my area, as well as the hospital one. So important.

Thank you so much for posting this! I am t-24 days to my surgery.  This post was incredibly insightful and helpful ! Points taken!