can we be honest...
....without being negative? I had my VSG 3 years ago and Im worried if what Im going through at this point is "normal"? I lost my 130 pounds in the first year and a half and since then I haven't lost anything, BUT I haven't gained either. Up until about 6 months ago I still had what I considered a good amount of restriction, enough to where people would still comment on how I didn't eat very much. However, now, Im getting comments from my family saying "wow, you can eat so much more than you used to." I noticed it as well, but I didnt think much of it until the last month or two where I think wow I cant believe I just ate all that. An when I say that, its not nearly what it used to be pre-surgery, but what I would consider a normal woman to eat. The problem I have is now I really want to work hard to lose another 40 pounds (when the weight stopped coming off so easily I sort of took a leave of absence from trying super hard because I was in love with my new body and life that I just took it for what it was) and finally get a tummy tuck, but it wont come off and Im hungry all the time. Im doing my best to eat high protein and lots of veggies ti fill me up, but I dont get that same full feeling Ive now become used to. There are parts that I enjoy of being able to consume more, like being able to drink water a lot faster and of course when I am eating something amazing I can come closer to finishing it! But my mind is just going crazy with worry that Im going to be a failure...
SO I suppose the question is, around what time did other veterans notice they could eat more and is it this difficult for everyone to get the scale moving without the sleeve helping anymore?
Thank you in advanced,
Anna xxxxxxxx
Haven't been here for ages but I'm 4 years out and I've recently been noticing I can eat double what I use to and like wise concerned. I asked my surgeon when I first had surgery if your sleeve can stretch out and he said no. But mine has matured to (I'm guessing) at least a cup or more. If you eat refined carbs they digest right away and you can eat more. Are you eating protein first? I only lost 50/60 lbs and losing stopped 6 months post op. The last year I have struggled with eating too many carbs and gaining. 
The way I look at it is once you get past a certain point its back to losing weight like everybody else....calories in and calories out.
VSG Aug. 30, 2011 HW 266 SW 249 GW 166 lbs.
This is a question that haunted me before deciding to get sleeved and I have to say I don't like what I'm reading. I mean, i don't expect to continue losing forever but I do expect my sleeve to be a tool that will always help. I don't want to go back to eating everything that is placed in front of me, that's why I did it in the first place.
It will always help. HELP. It will never do the work for you. You have to eat right. If you eat dense protein, you can't eat enough to gain weight. If you eat crackers, you can eat them all day long.
There are 1,000 ways to gain weight after surgery. If you follow the plan, you'll get great results. If you don't, . . .
6'3" tall, male.
Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.
M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.
Okay, being honest.....
First, I've had some regain. The only reason I gained weight was because of what I put in my mouth and swallowed. Yes, there were a bunch of situational and emotional and coping factors involved, but I gained weight from over eating highly processed and sugary foods.
Here's what I've learned from my experience: I can eat A LOT of calorie dense, highly processed crap food. Most refined carbs fall into this category for me. If it's made with white flour I can eat more than is healthy for me to eat. If I eat a "clean" VSG appropriate diet I can pretty much eat what I want in portions that are acceptable to me being over 3 years out.
A while ago I decided to test my capacity. I can eat about 5 oz of dry chicken breast. I generally eat 3 oz of meat, 1/4-1/2 cup of vegetable, and a few tablespoons of a starch if I'm having one. By volume it works out that I can eat about 1 cup. (edited to add: I can pretty much only eat this amount at a sitting. I started grazing in the afternoons and late evenings. I know the grazing on inappropriate foods is what allowed me to have regain. IT WAS NOT THE NORMAL INCREASE IN CAPACITY EVERYONE EXPERIENCES!)
Getting the scale to move is harder only in the sense that we have mature sleeves and are able to eat much, much more than immediately post op. So, in that sense, yes I think it is more difficult.
What I have had to do is completely eliminate added sugar from my diet. It has also helped that I am not eating any white flour. These two changes have made it much easier to keep calories low and hunger at bay. I do have to make sure I have adequate healthy fat to keep my body satisfied.
What I think is really important to keep in mind is that while I may be able to eat more than two slices of deli turkey before being over full like immediately post op, I still have a great tool that restricts how much I'm able to eat. My hunger level is nowhere close to what it was in the days before getting sleeved. I also know how to eat appropriately for weight loss. It's just up to me to do that.
I always shake my head sadly when I see someone a year out posting that they are in maintenance and adding more food.
Maintenance does not start until year three. The first three years are honeymoon compared to life after year three. This is where the hard work begins.
The thing that has helped me the most is weighing myself daily. If I see a gain (even one pound) I am very aware of my eating that day. If you want to lose another 40 pounds, then you must allow yourself the time needed to do that. One pound a week for someone at your stage is super awesome.
That means that for 40 weeks, you need to eat 500 calories a day less than your body is burning. An easy way to do that is to multiply your current weight by 10 and take that as your needed calories. So if you weigh 180, then your maintenance calories are 1800. Subtract 500 and eat 1300 per day to lose a pound a week.
It took me many years of trial and error to finally accept that fact. I track all of my calories and I weigh daily. It is simple but it works.
Do anything else and you will have the 40 pounds plus added pounds. Don't worry about filling yourself up. Eating to fullness is not the goal. Eating enough to still lose weight is your goal. Hunger is not an emergency. Fill up on water and nothing else.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
