Discussion: Maintainance

I would like to have an active discussion on how we can maintain our weight loss.  I am enjoying this discussion very much as well.  For me, maintaining my weight loss is simple, I weigh myself every day, I excercise every day, and I still measure/log what I eat, not every day, but most days.  This is what works for me.  Do I enjoy going to the gym at 5 am?  No, not really, but that is when I have time so I have to go then.   I also only allow myself a 5 lb weight fluctuation in either direction.  When this occurs, I fix it.  (I was the one who ate 6 cadbury eggs in one day last week)  I try to make good food choices, and yet I don't really deny myself anything.  If I crave it for 5 straight days I will eat some.  Notice I said SOME. (not counting the candy egg fiasco) I am over 4 years out and so far this is working for me.  Everyone has to customize their plan to work for them.  I am enjoying all the suggestions posted here. Traci 303/131  (yep, I lost the 2 pound candy egg gain woo hoo)

My RNY was 9/17/03. The only goal I ever set for myself was a size 18 because It was my size when I was 11 and its the only true measurment I had except for weighing 250 freshman highschool yeah and I was hoping I wouldnt stop at 250. Today 3  1/2 years later I weight 200 and am a size 12. I am also 5'11" tall. My Doctors goal for me was to lose & maintain the 70%, which I have done easily. about a year ago I decided I should weight 180 and started working hard towards that goal. I exercise everyday, take all my vitamins & suppliments, drink yucky water 100 ounces a day, never drink with meals and never consume for than 1300 calories daily ( even if some days 800 are from chocolate) and I am STILL maintaining 200 pounds. Not Up not down and sometimes it feels like thats where I will be no matter what beacause even when I have completly stopped exercising I maintain 200. I have become obsessed with that damned number 180 and I will say that when I read that you are now 135 I was jealous. why not me? I dont believe anyone tries as hard as I and before I get jumped let me add that the days of chocolate in my daily life are long gone and I suffer because of it.  My honey made me stand in front of the mirror Easter and take a good look. My face is way boney, my rib cage & shoulder bone (across chest under neck) all stick out like I am anorexic but all I can see is the skin & folds hanging on my legs & hips and I feel like a fat cow! That is where my jealousy lies. I try so hard and I am still large...200 is large...some of you would "die" if you still weighed that. to get back to your post a little better I will add that I have never had a real gain...since 18months postop been playing with the same 4 pounds up & down....I just dont know why I can lose anymore..OK this totally frustrating post has been made by a woman who has not had one single piece of easter candy, has walked 60 miles so far this month, has drank 1000 ounces of nasty water, is 3 1/2 years postop and still FAT!!!   sorry if I went off topic. Diana RNY 9/17/03 260/200/still aiming at 180

Diana, have you tried increasing your calories?  1300 is not enough, our bodies get used to that lower amount and then stop losing, just like before we had the surgery.

Continued success....you are a success

What a great discussion. Thank you so much for all of your candor. I hope to be as successful as all of you. I am hesitant to set a goal and am unsure as to why. I am 5'7" and my Dr's goal is 141 (I think that is based on my original height - 5'6", yes I grew an inch). 159 puts me in a healthy weight, which would be nice but seems so arbitrary. I feel really goos now at 170. I wear mostly size 12 pants and large tops. I have never been a size 12 before. It's kind of nice.

I am disappointed, it says there are 51 replies but I can only see a few of them...I was anxious to read what everyone wrote. Anyway I am only 19 months post op so I probably don't have any great advice or thoughts on this but I'll share my theories. I think in general people who either don't reach their goal or don't maintain their goal weight do so because they don't get their brains in the right place. I think the first 6 months are crucial for retraining your brain entirely as far as how you think about food....what you eat, why, where, how, etc and also in regards to exercise. If you have emotional reasons for your eating they have to be dealt with or the problem will be there later regardless of the size of your stomach. I did not have any deep rooted issues I just ate crap and way too much of it. I realize that now and it is my goal to never go back to that again. I also never moved and now I exercise regularly and I'm even training to do a marathon, I love to be active now. Like you mentioned I also weigh myself every single day and I do not let my weight go up. I know 1-2 lbs fluctuations can happen but if my weight is consistently up for more than 3-4 days I do something about it and I never allow it to go over 130lbs. I think if you stay consistent and diligent about your new lifestyle you can keep the weight off long term. As several people mentioned I'm sure it is common after a certain amount of time to start to feel invincable, I will make sure I remember not to do that!! I have worked to hard to get here.

It wont show all the replies.. anyone else having this problem

First, I cant read all the posts and i am very disapointed in that.  maybe someone will come to my rescue.  I can only read the first 4.  Any way, I was the one who posted "I AM OUT OF CONTROL" Before my surgery, my surgen said.  "Gina, this is only a reset button, it will bring you down to normal, but you have to keep it there" Yeah, yeah, i thought.  Now, I am panicking.  The goal that i set was 170, (by scale standards it was to be 150, but i look GOOD at 170)  However, I never reached that my lowest was 179, i think.   Close, but no cigar.  and now i am 210.   I know its my own fault.  I dont exercise, eat right, blah blah blah.  I am no longer on the honeymoon.  After a long time of eating how i wanted and never gaining, i thought I would NEVER  gain again.  You know, there are some WLS people out there struggling to maintain their weight.  I thought I was one of those.  Until...... my pants started to get tight.  No i didnt weigh myself.  I went by how my clothes fit.  And now they were and are getting snug.  thats when i got on the scale and just about had a heart attack.  then the guilt and fear hit me right in the face.  I was out of control.   But since than, I gave up diet coke, and all the crap i have been shoving down my throat.  Its very very hard.  I WANT TO EAT and I WANT IT NOW.  But I'm not gonna do it.  I need to do some walking even if its 10 min.  hell thats better than nothing.   Well, I just wanted to respond to the group.  Hopefully someone will tell me how to see the rest of the posts. God Bless you all Gina

Just checking to see if this reply shows up.  I see some are having a hard time with reading.

Hi Debra, I had my 5 year anniversary in February.  I had no problems keeping my weight off during the first 3 years.  In the 4th year, I gained about 20lbs which I attribute to stress triggering old poor eating habits (This was our Katrina Year).  During the 5th year, I gained another 15lbs.  I can't say exactly what was happening with me other than simply losing focus on myself.  During the few years post-op everything revolved around my surgery, weight-loss or recovery.  My health was a priority to my hubby and myself.  As time went by, I started into the old habits of taking care of everyone else before I took care of myself.  The excitement and drama began to fade.  The gym was no longer a priority; I became tired of making two meals and started eating what my family liked more often.  I also noticed that we were eating out more often. I stopped coming to the boards because I no longer felt I had anything to offer.  I am back now and on track.  I've lost 3 lbs this week and I'm choosing to focus on me again.  I hope this helps you gain perspective, it has helped me to write it.  Here comes the last part of my repentance process... pre-288lbs/ current-201.8lbs/ former-165lbs; (also my new goal)  pre-op size 24, former 10, now 14 snug Whew, that was rough! Elesha