RNY Long-Term Success

As I approach my 1st surgery anniversary I can't help but wonder about long term success after an RNY. 

I've read everything I can get my hands on... but still feel uncertain about the road ahead. 

Is it more the behaviors that I need to do that will make me a long-term success?  Or 

Avoiding other behaviors that will make me a long-term success??? 

On the one hand the answer to these two questions may well be one and the same... but reading all the stories of people who have gained weight back I can't help but wonder what the common denominators are? 

Here is what I think I understand at this point in time.

1. Not exercising or stopping a fitness routine is counter-productive

2. Making unhealthy food choices (I remain terrified of dumping so I have yet to eat ANYTHING over 10g sugar per serving. I figure if I don't start I won't need to stop and as long as I "BELIEVE" that anything more could cause me to dump, I have plenty of incentive to not push my luck)

3. Snacking (This is my Nut's FAVORITE thing to harp on me about. Eat only at meals, any snack should be a drink, not food. I do have an occasional handful of almonds, serving of rice cake, or spoon of peanut butter. IF this is all I ever snack is it going to undermine me?)

4. Boozing

5. Emotional/Binge eating

Any other major pitfalls? Your personal strategies of success? 

I'm all ears! 

Its not magic its about calories in, if you exercise you can eat more, if you don't you have to cut calories, everyone has a magic number they can eat and not regain, it is a combination of activity level, age, metabolism.  I eat 1000 calories 5 days a week and 1500 on the weekends.  I don't exercise, nor have I ever, I eat low fat meat and cheese, brown rice, greek yogurt with fruit and nuts and healthy fruits and vegetables with some treats.  But every day is not Christmas so you shouldn't eat like it is.  I limit my food during the day and only drin****d tea with loads of lemon, but I am a Systems Analyst and sit all day and eating makes my brain foggy and my body bloated so I skip it. 

I think weighing yourself regularly is important. I weigh daily. If I am up 3 pounds, I cut bac****il they are gone. Too many people I know live in denial and do not take responsibility for their actions.

Drinking while eating is another pitfall I do not see on your list.

I have lost and kept off 200 pounds in the past 5.25 years. During this same time I have seen many who had surgery the same time as me crash and burn.

Thanks for the reply. The crash and burn folks are so heartbreaking. Far too many give off red flag after red flag prior to the crash and burn so it isn't all that hard to see what is going to happen to them.

I've been pretty good on the drinking while eating thing... I don't always wait 60 minutes after, but more often than not do wait 30 minutes. 

I weigh the same day/time every week. More frequent weighing creates issues for me... 

Hope you have continued success! 

I will be four years out in August and have yet to gain back even the controversial bounce-back weight.  I agree with Laura that daily weighing is the key.  I keep a four pound swing.  If I hit that four pounds its on!!!  

I work out in a group class, high impact, religiously.  Without fail.  

I have kept off ALL 121 pounds lost.  I have truly learned moderation.  I was not a dumper but I'm thankful for that actually.  I have learned that moderation doesn't mean a brownie today, a cookie tomorrow, pizza the next day--it literally means 90% of what goes in is healthy 10% is moderation.  I live like most normal, fit women live.  I plan my meals and I try not to ever eat on the fly--that's never good.   For example:  pre-surgery I would have had a Big Mac, French Fries AND a coke while I have now completely cut out fast food all together, I will have a small cheeseburger, lean meat, full fat cheese and whole grain bread but I WILL NOT have fries and a coke.   When I worked with my nutritionist, I told her a sure-fire way for me to fail would be to have foods that were off limits for the rest of my life.  I knew that denying myself would never worked.  She helped me take the "diet" mentality out of my mindset.  I'm never on a diet.  I eat well for me, because I deserve it, because I'm worth it and because I feel so much better and when I have a half of a brownie or a very small piece of cake for someone's birthday I AM NORMAL!!!  I am living and I am totally in control.   :)  Feels great.  

So the secret to no re-gain is absolutely, irrefutably accountability and control.  If you find yourself slipping get help very quickly.  Weigh daily.  Exercise religiously (for me exercise is less about burning calories and more about burning stress so I don't eat emotionally--it works) and always stay the course.  Surround yourself with people who support you.  

You will be what your mind tells you that you are.  My mind tells me I'm fit, healthy and worth the effort.  So far, so good.  

Hi....

I will be eleven years post op in April.  I lost 180 pounds at my lowest.  I re-gained a bit (about 20 lbs) but I had two babies and went from my early thirties to my mid-for  ties...so I'm pretty satisfied.

I do monitor my weight and particularly how my clothes fit.  And I have had to rein myself in on occasion.  There were times when I was falling into some bad habits (no exercise, a bit more alcohol than I should have, or eating too many carbs) but I have been vigilant and kept myself in good shape.

I do yoga two to three times a week, eat sensibly and still take my supplements.

Good luck!

Keep your support team in place.    My highest was 460 I had rny 9/2002 day of surgery 412 and plateaud mostly at 270, but then was at my lowest 8/2005 around 228,so surgery loss would have been 184.  I  am one of The FAILURES. So in 8/2005 My mother started a series of terminal declining surgeries and conditions and my weight immediately started going up.  I saw it happening, got in contact with dieticians, even scheduled 2 revision surgeries, but no follow through.  I followed through on my mom's care.  Knew my weight was climbing but couldn't get my power back over it.  Finally by 12/2012 my weight had gone all the way back up to 379.  I had been in contact with local mental health provider and nutritionist and had set that I would take control, once mom passed.  So I had emotional support in place and was ready for it.  I have lost back 68 pounds this first year, by journaling and just basically trying to do what we were taught.  My pouch is obviously stretched and the dumping is not there like before, but some of it has reset. I am hoping to keep losing and avoid a revision surgery.

I guess my biggest piece of advice would be, is to keep your support team in place.  At 3 years out I had lost the weight, was at my personal goal at 5'11.  So I had stopped contact with my dieticians and local meetings.  Since I lived 4 hours from the surgeons and the dietician it was a "big deal"  and in an already stressed mental state more than I could/did take on.   

Now, knowing I am an emotional eater I will always have some type of structured support for myself, whether it is a bariatric support group, weigh****chers, therapist, dietician whatever.  That way I won't have to seek out the help, they will already be there.

Protien is key. I have lost 300 lbs and am 7 years out.  I eat what I want really but I eat the meat first. It stays in the pouch and I feel full and eat less junk. I don't really eat sugar. I am almost on a modified Atkins. I do drop in to see a psychologist every 2 years or so for 3 to 4 visits, when stressed. She fixes my mind and my body does what the surgery allows it to. I love my RNY. This bord is great for support too. If I drink I have a vodka with lemonaid and 2 splendas. In my mind I have to believe it is the protien that keeps the weight off...