Surgiversary and maintenance!
Congratulations Sheila!!!
Job well done.
All points are valid. Exercise 5-6 times a week sounds great, but be prepared that there may be time that you would not have time, or energy to do it that often. Staying active s more realistic goal for me.
I can maintain or lose weight without regular exercise. I actually gain weight when I exercise more. Last 8 months I lost 40 lbs of my 30 lbs regain without exercise. Some of those months I was getting not more that 5-6,000 steps a day. My daily goal is to have 10,000 steps a day. I lost the majority of he regain within the first 5-6 months I decided to lose that. The last 2 months I am trying to adjust my eating from losing to maintenance. It looks like I can easily lose weight, or gain it. But just maintenaning is a hard work.
I allow myself some foods without major limits when my scale is way below my goal. As long as my pouch allows and it is relatively healthy (i.e Paleo nut bars, Kind low sugar nut bars, etc.) I can add some of them as my snack.
The food I try to restrict are foods that could make me really sick (i.e. dumping, "fat flash", severe gut cramps, or things I am allergic to, etc) or foods that could cause a horrible gas (i.e. beans, SA, very high fiber veggies)
When I work on losing my regain - I limit some foods, and limit calories and volume of my daily food. As long as I don't obsessed about scale and my weight, I may choose to weigh myself once a day, but take a 7 day average as my "current weight". Since my weight can fluctuate within 5-6 lbs in any 7 days, weighing myself once a week may be misleading.
I need more than 100 oz of liquids per day. And I need electrolytes.
Taking daily vitamins is not negotiable. I may skip a day or 2 when I get sick, or have a day I need to have clear liquids only. (Like before a procedure or surgery)
Getting detailed lab work, getting my own copy of the results and learn what levels are best for me. Just "normal" is not good enough for me and my body. I.e "normal " B12 level is listed as 250-900. Yet I need mine to be over 800-1500. I discovered that app 2-3 years post op. I think my body always had problem absorbing and retaining B12, but frequent blood testing allowed me to connect my "feeling good" to my B12 levels.
Adjusting what and how much of supplements I take based on my blood work.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
You look amazing,Sheila! AndI love your rules too. Protein bars and sugar free ice cream/desserts are NOT allowed in my house at all. I cannot moderate with these items and they make me crave sweets more too. If you keep your focus you will do great. I personally had no regain until about year 6 and then regained 18 pounds. I've taken off all but 2 and some change. It's a daily battle for sure!
