how does your body know?

when you first have the surgery your body knows it and you drop the weight immediately,, then little by little you get accustomed to different foods and start to eat "more normal" than right after the surgery.  but why if you go back to the way you ate right after surgery you dont drop the weight like you did before?  i am three years out of surgery and was getting worried about portions again so i did the five day pouch test and did ok with it.  and have now done liquids two days a week for two weeks but havent lost anything.  luckily after reading how much some have gained back after this long i am doing ok i guess since i have only gained ten pounds,, and i do know that this is because since i moved my exercise has been pretty much zero but other than the exercise does anyone have any insight?

I'm not an expert because I'm just barely two years out but this is a recurring theme on the other boards. I believe the same thing applies. when you lower your calories, for any reason, your body thinks "famine" and hangs onto the weight. People newly out from surgery have this issue. They call it a stall. I think it can happen again even as far out as that.. I could be wrong but that's my take on it. I would suggest keep doing what you're doing and your body will eventually HAVE to give up the weight and start dropping again..You can't exist at the weight you are at and consume calories for a lesser weight..>it's just not possible in the long run.

thanks,, i am going to keep my fingers crossed and try to get back into exercise mode, i know that has somewhat to do with the gain and i am tracking again on Fitday

If you have the motivation to get yourself into an exercise groove, it really will make a difference.  It helps for multiple reasons.  First and foremost, it burns calories.  Second, if you do some strength training you'll build a bit more skeletal muscle, which gives you a slight increase in your metabolism.  Third, exercise in and of itself boosts your metabolism, both while you are doing the exercise and for a little while afterwards.  Fourth, exercise causes your brain to release some "feel good" chemicals, so it can actually improve your mood.  And for me, it's easier to make good food choices when I'm in a good mood.   Put simply, maintaining our weight loss in the long-term is about finding balance between how many calories we take in and how many calories we burn.  Exercise helps you burn calories which, in turn, will help maintain your loss.  Or you can just eat less on a long-term basis.  Me, I'd rather sweat at the gym 10 hours a week and be able to eat 2200-2600 calories a day.  (Which is, by the way, what I do.  I started at 396 pounds, am currently at 190 and have been maintaining w/in a 5 pound range for about 6 months now (give or take a few pounds around my period because of fluid retention).)   Good luck getting yourself back into exercise mode; I think it will help you if you do!!!   Kellie

I was just at my surgen of 4years out why since i had the surgery i don't eat half of what i ate before the surgery is that i am gaining weight ? he said since i don't do enough exercising my metaboliam is way low so we aren't burning the calories , he said if i went back to the gym and did cardio and weight that weight would drop, i just don't have the motovation to do that.

i know,, stinks sometimes doesnt it,, lol ,, but i used to walk three to four miles a nite and then exercise for about 30-45 minutes a nite and now it just seems when i get home from work and finish cleaning up after dinner, homework with my daughter and getting her ready for bed i am ready for bed,, stinks to get old !!

I had to stop exercise and I noticed that I could not keep my weight stabilized.  I had to cut back on calories since I could not exercise or get my heart rate up.  That was really hard to do!  I went from a busy active life to NOTHING and from eating a good 2000 calories...I had to cut back to 1300-1500 calories to maintain my 165 lbs.  (I'm not a light weight)  Now I am well again and have gotten more active and so has my appetite... I have slowly let myself eat a little more...So far so good!  LOL  But As soon as I see that scale jump ...I either have to move move move my body or cut back my calories.  I'd much rather move my body...But sometimes I do get lazy and tired...and so I just take it easy on the calories...I have learned over the last few months that making these adjustments are truly necessary for success...It's not easy either way....but it's possible and not too hard with my RNY tool...At least not like before surgery. It's hard to remember sometimes that I can eat til satisfied and forget about food for hours.  I sometimes neglect or refuse to remember that!  LOL  I'm my own worst enemy...I swear!!!!

i am about the same weight as you,, or at least i was,, 5 ft 10 and 165 but now i am up to 175 and it makes my jeans TIGHT !!!  i have given up being a slave to the scale and now measure by my clothes but i went to the doctor about three weeks ago and that's where i learned it was ten pounds and not the five or so i had thought it was,, oh well,, back to the drawing board,,

I'm only 5'4!  LOL  So You would look much longer and leaner than I do. I carry my weight in my bottom half.  Legs and bum.   But one thing I didn't mention was that I had lost from 315 to 158...(Exactlly 158 half of myself)  Almost immediately I gained up to 165 and have stayed at that weight with a few minor gains in the winter when I get too lax on sweets and carbs.  (oh so many cookies and cakes and goodies to try from Halloween to New Years) What a struggle for me! I always gain a little then.   But I did gain 7 lbs back  from my initail weight loss 2 years ago and never seem to be able to get it off since I gained it. I do good at losing anything over 165....but I cannot seem to get under 160 no matter what I do. So I decided that this is where I need to be and just accepted it and try to maintain it as close as possible.  I still wear the same clothes for 4 years.  So I'm good with this weight.  You have some 5-6 inches on me!  LOL You look awesome too!

thanks,, i have to post a new picture on there,, that one is from about one or two months post op,, i know exactly what you mean though regarding halloween thru new years,, it is cold outside and too much junk food inside !!