Let's share!

(1) How far out from surgery were you when you hit goal or quit losing? I was 9 pounds under my original goal of 145 at 11 months out. And I maintained there for about a year. Then I gained about 7 pounds, went back to basics, had some plastic surgery and now I weigh 130 to 134 depending on the time of the month it is. (2) How much weight did you lose? 145 pounds (3) How far out from surgery are you now? Surgery was 1/15/04. So I am 2 yrs and 4 months out. (4) Have you regained any weight? I regained about 5 to 7 pounds but lost it plus a couple of more and have been maintaining fine. I do have to be very conscious of what goes in my mouth and make sure that I exercise like I should. I gained the 5 to 7 pounds when I let my guard down thinking I was normal whatever that means. I realize I am just one of those people with a slower metabolism and a food addiction, and I will have to stay focused to maintain forever. Along with therapy for the food addiction and exercising and eating like a WLS patient should I find it pretty easy to maintain. But if I let my guard down for a second I know I could gain it every bit back. (5) If you've regained was it due to reverting back to old eating habits or stopping your exercise? Old habits die hard and creeped back into my life for about a month or so before I realized what had hit me. Got back to basics, got some therapy for the eating disorder and now am maintaining fine. (5) How hard has it been for you to maintain your weight? When I behave myself and keep my eating disorder at bay I find it pretty easy to do. Therapy helped me a good bit with the binge eating and food addiction. Now that it is under control I find I can eat pretty normally making good nutricious choices and don't have to worry too much about the scale moving in the wrong direction. I know there are some people who have regain due to medical issues or medications they are taking. But I truly believe that most of those *****gain all the weight or half the weight back just simply lose touch with what it is they are supposed to be doing or have an untreated eating disorder that wins out over good choices. I could see how that could happen easily. I know that for a little while I let the stresses of work and a really busy schedule get in the way of my concentration and my guard was down and I did gain a few pounds. But I got the help I needed for my eating disorder, let some things go in my life I didn't have to do so I would have more time to focus on me and my health. It is like my surgeon said, the WLS can help get it off but it is up to you to change your lifestyle and eating habits so that it stays off. So true that is. This was a good post. I enjoyed reading all the responses. Very interesting. Melissa

(1) How far out from surgery were you when you hit goal or quit losing? Hit my personal goal at 11 months out. Quit loosing about 15 months post (2) How much weight did you lose? around 125lbs (3) How far out from surgery are you now? 3 yrs (4) Have you regained any weight? I gained about 5-7lbs back but the 5 was I tried to gain back due to looking sickly at my lowest. I am very comfortable at my current weight of 130-135 (5) If you've regained was it due to reverting back to old eating habits or stopping your exercise? I think its because I snacked more . (5) How hard has it been for you to maintain your weight? I am a slave to a scale so if I get up to high I go back to the basics and it comes back off

Hey Pat I'll play... 1) How far out from surgery were you when you hit goal or quit losing? At 14 months I hit Goal of Normal BMI. Stopped losing 6 lbs below goal at 18months out. (2) How much weight did you lose? Lost 206 lbs. Went from 385lbs to 179lbs. (3) How far out from surgery are you now? It'll be 3 years on July 4th! (4) Have you regained any weight? 3 to 4 pounds up, then back down depending on day of the week. But pretty much sitting below goal still. (5) If you've regained was it due to reverting back to old eating habits or stopping your exercise? N/A (6) How hard has it been for you to maintain your weight? Not so bad. I do eat my 5 smaller meals a day still and that keeps me from getting hungry. The "hard part," has been fitting my extra walking/running into my schedule. I really do think it has been easier for me because the "start" was so difficult. Nothing quite like a near-death experience to re-order your habits! Best Wishes- Dx

I replied through e-mail but my server and yours didn't want to communicate so I decided to see if reply on the thread would make a difference. I've found the reply's to the thread interesting in that once more I've found many others who are struggling with the same problem. It seems that most of us struggle with one problem or another. I'm fortunate that I enjoy exercise so that's not a problem. I know when my feet hit the floor (5 days a week) that I'll be working out within minutes, then back home to shower dress and go to work. Starting my day with exercise gives me more energy all day and often leads to another workout after I leave work. Being single obviously gives me more time to work out. A family person has to balance their needs against the needs of the family. I usually work some type of fun exercise into the weekends like hiking around the lake or through a wooded area nearby. Of course there is always shopping which may not be considered cardio exercise, but I figure 2-3 hours of walking is better than sitting in a chair. You make me really appreciate how easy my wls journey was in comparison to yours. Bottom line though is we are healthier, happier people today because of the surgery. I'm so excited about your plastic surgery. I was so concerned about the pain going into my surgery (tt & upper body lift), but found it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd anticipated. I was uncomfortable at times the first couple of days, but no real pain. The biggest pain I felt was in having to pay the bill since my insurance didn't pay anything towards my surgery. You will be in my thoughts and prayers as your surgery approaches.

Thanks Pat I am sooooo looking forward to my PS. A friend of mine asked "After your other surgery problems, aren't you afraid?" I think this one will be like that slot machine "due to - pay out!" Your exercise routine gives me an idea... I might try starting back after the PS By doing it "First Thing in the Morning." Now, I fit in 2 miles walking and 2miles running Into my afternoons, 3 days a week. I teach at the University, and then after my classes, Before I head into my studio to work, I can usually get a full hour to hour and ½ that is "all mine." But, if anything else pops up, I lose my window of opportunity. I think if I just use the PS as yet another "starting point," I can get in the habit of keeping "exercise time" in the clear. Fun Post! Best Wishes- Dx

Our servers really have a hate relationship going. I can send you things as a reply to the message board, but not by pressing reply to your message. I find if I plan to exercise after work that something always comes up. My current plan guarantees that I get in one workout a day because I don't allow myself any room to say no in the morning. Then if I get another workout in that afternoon I'm ahead of the game. I average getting in the two (45 minutes or more each) workouts in at least 4 days a week. I walked 3 miles (1 mile at the time) 8 days out from my plastic surgery because I was bored to death and felt like it. When I went back to my plastic surgeon on day 9 she told me she was shocked and didn't think to tell me not to exercise because her other patients weren't even standing straight by day 8. She'd planned to talk to me about what I could and couldn't do on my 9 day follow up visit.....too late for me. I was standing straight 3 days after surgery, but I seem to be blessed with a body that heals quickly. Anyway long story short I had drains for weeks and weeks. She thinks it was due to the exercise since no other patient ever had them as long as I did. Guess I'm warning you not to push yourself too quickly. I saw a show on plastic surgery after that where the plastic surgeon said no exercise for 2 months after the surgery. Be sure to discuss this with your plastic surgeon before surgery so you don't mess up like I did. No long term problems, but the drains were a bother. I agree this surgery is going to be magic for you.

1) How far out from surgery were you when you hit goal or quit losing? Still loosing (2) How much weight did you lose? 252lbs (3) How far out from surgery are you now? 22 months (4) Have you regained any weight? No (5) If you've regained was it due to reverting back to old eating habits or stopping your exercise? Trying very hard to avoid grazing and the old demons keep try beckon me. I rely on attending support group and logging one each day to OH to keep myself in check. (5) How hard has it been for you to maintain your weight? I have noticed the further out I am the more effort it takes to loose weight. I avidly excercise 7 days a week. I am fearful if I stop exercising that I will regain.

1) How far out from surgery were you when you hit goal or quit losing? I hit goal right about 1 year out. (2) How much weight did you lose? 151 lbs (3) How far out from surgery are you now? 32 mths out. (2 years, 8 months) (4) Have you regained any weight? Yes, I regained about 25 lbs, but got back on track 4 months ago and am back at goal. (5) If you've regained was it due to reverting back to old eating habits or stopping your exercise? I regained because I was no****ching my carbs. As soon as I went back to protein first, It started coming off easily. Tom