maintenence tip i found

Keys to success After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery and NOT Regaining Weight

1. Healthy food choices (reduce carbohydrates in diet to 50% or less with 35-40% protein and 10-15% fat, concentrate on meats, colored veggies and fruit, limit simple carbs such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta to 2 days a week and never twice on the same day, no high calorie liquids such as soda, fruit juices, smoothies or protein supplements, no ice cream, no cream soups, no sugar free snacks, no junk food such as chips and nuts or candy, limit alcohol consumption to 2 drinks per week

2. Increased activity and exercise ( 45 minutes of aerobic activity three times a week: that means patients sweat and increase their hear rate) take the stairs, park in the back of the parking lot, get a pedometer and walk 6 miles per day

3. Behavioral changes (eat every 4 hours by the clock, no snacking between meals, don’t skip meals, don’t drink with meals and for 30 minutes afterwards, Slow down eating and chew food well, stop eating when full, eat protein first and then veggies or fruit, practice portion control with small plates, don’t utilize food to deal with emotions: anger, boredom, sadness, stress)

4. Stay connected with your Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Support groups! Being active and connected with a Bariatric Support group also you to connect with others like you and with that in in various stages of Weight Loss surgery connected, informed and accountable is a key for many peoples successes. Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery is not only a tool for weight loss but it is a life style. People may slip but those that reconnect and have support are faster at getting back up and staying on the right path.

these are great tips. thanks for posting. but when it says limit carbs to 50%, i am assuming that means 50% of total caloric intake for the day. right? diane

yes thats how i took it to mean

Those really are good tips.

I know I have said this a zillion times, but when folks come back and have gained, I peek at their latests posts to see what they MO was during the losing phase and if they stayed around at all through any/some of their maintenance.

The pitfalls are very telling, all told in their "real time" and I am thankful to have the timeline and the warnings to put into my bag of "lookouts!"

Diane thank you so much for starting this group. Im so happy that you did. I really need to get my head out of my ass and get to goal.

Linda your tips are great. I need to begin an exercise program, yep its something I've yet to do, its not like I dont' like it, I just haven't made it a priority and I know I'll never get to goal with it so low on my list of priorities.

Thank you so much!!!

Hey Linda,

These tips ARE great, however, I am not going to be that diligent and conformed just yet.  I am trying something that I 'think' will work for 'me' and if it works, I can soooo see myself doing this for life and keeping my weight off.. If I can just find my groove... like I have done in the last few days I think I will have it...  we will see.

In case I am off base and start to gain with what I am doing, I will keep this in a handy place to refer to later.

Thanks buddy!

I think #2 and 4 are great. But 1 & 3 are basically BS. They are appropriate for *some* people but not everyone.

For example, the ratio of protein to carbs to fat has nothing to do with whether you maintain successfully or not. When it comes down to it: it's the number of calories. Every type of ratio has a study that says it's no more effective than some other ratio and one that says it's more effective. (But there are a lot more that say it makes no difference).

Some people do well with a low carb diet, some are miserable and have a foggy brain. Some people can consume a lot of fat with no issues. There is no one ratio that is right for everyone.

Personally I eat a lot less carbs than that and lot more fat. It works for me. My tryglycerides are marvelous as are my other cholesterol numbers and I've got a body fat percentage of around 18-20%. I've also been successfully maintaining for 1.5 years. I think I'll stick with what works for me ...

The same with the whole 3 meals a day, no snacks thing. I need 2000 calories to maintain. I have friends who need 3000 (yes, they are guys). Please explain to me how someone with a stomach that can only hold 1/2 to 1 cups of food is going to survive on three meals a day? It's just not possible. I eat 5-6 times a day *minimum* and that doesn't include calories taken in while biking and running.

I also eat when I'm hungry. I think it's perverse to make yourself eat every 4 hours when sometimes you are hungry 2 hours later. If you don't feel hunger, then making sure you eat at least every 3-4 hours is important since you can't trust your hunger signals. But, if you can trust them, you need to listen to them!