weight coming back on...when to watch for it...

I ran into a friend the other day, and he had RNY three years ago (almost).  He made a comment that the weight has a tendency to sneak back up on you.  I've heard this sentiment from others, and I've heard of a lot of post-ops struggling with their weight again.  I know the party line about following the rules (protein, water, exercise, supplements), but I'm curious at what point it truly becomes an issue again.  Part of why I had this surgery is so I could stop thinking about what I'm eating all of the time.  I did that whole dieting thing forEVER, and I hate to think that I will have to be back in THAT place again.  So, for those of you who have already made it past the year or year-and-a-half mark, when did you have to start being more focused on your weight again?

Honestly, I think it is something you will need to focus on for the rest of your life, if you do not want to gain.  I track what I eat, weigh myself and exercise daily.  I don't "diet" per say, but I make sure I stay within a certian calorie, protien, and carb ranges.  I still see my Nut every 4 months or so, and we go over my food choices, and exercise.  

I am almost 3 years post op, and have lost 195 lbs, with no gain (I am still losing, but very slowly at this time - about 5 lbs to go).   I don't ever want to go back to where I was, so I work it every day.    

You will, for life, have to think about what you are eating - personally I no longer weigh/measure but I still read labels and make good choices about what I am eating. I have to keep an eye on how many treats I allow myself in a week and make sure that veggies stay in my diet (they like to sneak out)... while I dont have to be a 'food nazi' I still have to be aware of what I eat in a day and make sure that I am following my nutritional guidelines. I still read all labels and look up resturant nutritional information before I buy/eat something because there are a lot of 'bad' things hiding out there (especially ones advertised as healthy!). Its really a part of life for me, just like I brush my teeth... its not 'work' any more and I just go about my day as normal. I pretty much eat the same group of foods (im pretty plain) so its easy for me to keep track.
Anyways I have *knock on wood* currently maintained my goal weight since Februrary - so 9 months, I am 2.5 years out. My 'check and balance' is my scale - I weigh each and every day... I know how much I typically fluctuate and know that too much salt blows me up like a tick on a dog. I have a 'panic weight' of 150, if I hit that I know I need to be more dilligent about my choices. I rarely hit that weight and when I do its typically back down a few days later. I found that so far this has worked best for me.

For me it hit at about 18mths to 2yrs post op (I'm almost 4yrs post op now). Once we hit "maintainance mode" the focus seems to shift to watching daily caloric intake~maybe that's just a natural progression b/c we are able to physically eat more food and sometimes different kinds of foods. I felt the same as you~I was doing this so I never had to diet again, but it hasn't really turned out that way. I need to be vigilant with what I eat and how much exercise I get or I will gain weight. I guess if along the way we've made the changes from our old, bad habits to new, good ones then it really shouldn't be too hard, but its tough to be good every single day. Life gets in the way or sometimes we fall off track~this is all normal~its what we do in those times that defines if we will continue to be a success or if we will begin to fall back into weight gain. Its really scary sometimes and it does seem like many are struggling with weight gain or struggling to maintain. Anyway, I don't know what the answer is, but just wanted to say that I understand. Hopefully you will be one of the lucky ones that doesn't have to spend a good portion of your day working on strategies to stay successful!

In my opinion it is for the rest of your life.

I am almost out 3 years and I needed to cut back a bit on the crackers
I was at 130 and then I slipped a little..
ya know no****ching the carbs and fat intake
and started to go up to 138 and I said  to myself no frekin way!
So I stopped the extra crackers and replaced them with lean turkey rolls
and salad.
Protein
protein bars and shakes
water
salad
stay away from sugar and bread.
Now I am back to 133 my safe zone.

peace,
carol

I am 7-1/2 years postop and have struggled with regain for several years.  My advice to anyone and everyone is to weigh regularly, and never go past that "line in the sand" weight, whatever that is for you.  It is so much easier to handle 5 lb than 15 or 30 or 50. 

It is easy to become complacent.  For awhile the weight is maintained effortlessly.  There is a lot of talk on the boards from people whose weight easily falls off and never comes back.  That may be true for you (and I hope so), but I think it is a reasonable thing to weigh once per week, for the rest of our lives.  Easy enough.  Adjust diet and exercise as needed.

Good luck to you!

Dawna

my weight loss came to a screeching halt at 6 months post op and havent lost a pound since...it has been a constant struggle to maintain, maintain, maintain but it is sooo worth it in the end

I am one of the people you speak of.. It started to go down hill for me at about the 18 month mark.. and of course if you were cursed with some other disease as I was (C*****) you will have and additional strike against you as I did.. The diet I had to follow... lead me to carb loading.. even though they were good carbs.. my metabolism wasn' prepared for them... and now with no thyroid and malabsorbation of the thyroid meds.. I cannot get my metabolism right. I just have to look at any food and the scale goes in the wrong direction.
I don't wish this on anyone.. it is horrible.. I have just given up.. in some parts of my mind.. but I alway try again.. somewhere I find the strength but It hasn't been doing me any good.. so then I get depressed and fail... sabotaging all my efforts.

Good Luck to everyone... please stay healthy...