The reality of long term maintenance

Hi Mikey,

I am thinking of you buddy...  I can relate. 

We will be just fine, we need to trust ourselves and our sleeves and know that we will end up where we are supposed to.

Big hugs, this too shall pass.

Cindy

Well Mikey we are having similar issues. But I have seen your pictures and you are skinny skinny skinny. So maybe we shouldn't obsess about a couple of pounds. Gotta remind ourselves that our bodies are complex organisms and lots of things can account for fluctuations besides the addition of fat. I saw myself in the mirror today and my phantom pound is sure not visible. I look slim and am being idiotic to fuss about it.  And while I did have a wistful moment when someone at the studio was talking about brownies, that moment passed.  I do eat Trader Joe's sugar free low carb dark chocolate once in a great while but to tell the truth it makes me sort of queasy. I stocked up on half a dozen bars months ago and nearly all are still there.

MY go to food when I get home from the studio and haven't made dinner yet (and my former self would have eaten anything I could grab) is grapes. They are sweet and filling and fairly low calorie. So I guess I will try to focus on some of the good things I can have and remind myself of my pre surgery thoughts which were that I have had enough pig outs and peanut butter cups for a lifetime and I am ready to move on.

So Mikey if you are feeling a bit bummed or having cravings, remind yourself of what you have accomplished and how truly remarkable it is. Might help you move on past the chips. Gotta keep telling myself the same thing.    Diane

AAWWWWW....Please don't feel sorry me.....I was afraid of that but thank you none the less. 

I've been continuing to reflect on what you wrote and what everyone else wrote, and I was realizing that I am not in your maint. situation yet, but I will be. I will be going down that road after you in a few years, and it scares me.  I had been thinking about maint this past week and was coming to the conclusion that I will be doing Atkins type maint. for life.  It fits into the sleeve protein first requirements, and the food plan is gluten free. Low carbing is what we are already doing anyway, and I've been able to find tons of great recipes for high protein, low carb, gluten free foods in my collection of Atkins cookbooks and online.  It still scares me though, especially where People are a gaining a few pounds for no apparent reason.   I may be in for another food mourning, as in the one you and others who have answered your post are going through.

And for the record...LOL....I do think you have it tougher.  It's a mind field of yummy junk food out there that I am immune too.  I have to look at this wheat allergy as a blessing....a forced  choke chain and leash.  If it were not for this problem/blessing, I would be at Krispy Kreme donut shop frequently burying my face in donuts......   Obviously, before this wheat allergy diagnoses, I had no control over my bad eating habits requiring the need for this sleeve surgery.  I need to look at it as having 2 tools in the fight against obesity.

I'm not in long term maintenance mode yet.  At 18 months, I'm still in the losing stage of all of this.  I've been eating low carb for the most part for the entire journey.  Tracking on myfitnesspal, exercising and pretty much doing what my Kaiser plan calls for.   I really don't know what will change even when I get to where I'd eventually like to be which is a place with some bounce back room.

I've been eating low carb for the last 20+ years so this doesn't feel much different to me.  What does feel different is waking up and seeing a number that starts with 140something instead of 240something.   That's what's priceless about my Sleevie.

I read everything here.  I'm grateful to read the wisdom of those of you further out than me. I worry that if those of you that are so carefully following your plan are gaining a few pounds without changing much, well what if it happens to me too?  I feel for all of you!  So I head to myfitnesspal and toss in there what I'm planning to eat today, then I'm once again hoping to follow through with the food, go for a walk, do some pilates and get a good sleep tonight.  So maybe a little prayer would help? Probably not.  :)

Yesterday was my one year surgiversary. What a difference a year makes!!! I feel and look like a different person and people tell me this everyday. Many times, I don't think I see the full change that others see, but I certainly feel the internal changes. My mood is better, my energy is higher, I feel more positive, and I think I am a nicer person. I enjoy clothes shopping more than I ever did before WLS.

I have been maintaining within a 2 lb window since mid-April. I am still trying to find that balance between my intake of calories and energy expenditure. I exercise 5-6 times/week and actually enjoy it. I never enjoyed exercise in the past. I feel stronger and healthier and look forward to working out. I work with a trainer 2-3 times/week and do some aerobic exercise 3-4 times/week. I started a Spin class a few weeks ago, which had always been very intimidating for me in the past. Now, I look forward to going, because it is such a good workout and it is helping me to maintain my weight. I go to Spin class 2-3 times/week. I walk for 20-40 min during my lunch time, just to get off my butt. Other activities include: using the stairclimber, rowing machine, bicycling, walking. I try to vary the routine and activities on a daily basis.

For me, maintenance is all about continuing to practice the habits and behaviors that helped me to reach my goal. I still measure and track my food. Yes, it can be a pain and a lot of work, but the alternative is worse. In the past, whenever I stopped doing this, I regained the weight. I do not want to do this again. The consequences are too great for my health and well-being. Exercise is a vital part of my life and will continue to be, so that I can maintain my weight loss.

Sometimes, I look at sweets and think that it might be nice to have a bite, and sometimes I do, but I also think about the impact that they would have on my health, and I choose not to eat it. Reframing the decision as a choice, and not deprivation makes all the difference in the world. I choose not to eat certain things, because I value my health, well-being, and it would be so hard to lose the weight again. I don't think I have it in me, to go through the weight gain and battle to lose it again. It is more productive for me to track my food, exercise, and rejoice in my good health and ability to exercise.

WLS has been a wonderful gift. I know that I am early out, but I am hoping that, by continuing to practice healthy behaviors, I will be able to maintain my 100 lb weight loss. Some days I do better than other days. The old behaviors are still there and I have to make choices and decisions everyday. The sleeve helps me to do this, but in the end, I am responsible for what goes into my mouth.

Gail

I am 4'11" and have lost 100 lbs. Wow. That boggles my mind.

Gail, Congratulations!  It slipped my mind that you and Kristen share the same surgery date.

You've done awesome and you look so darn different.  You're vibrant and healthy and always look terrific.  Kudos on a brilliant recovery!

Thanks, Lee. Yesterday, I was in my office, and it suddenly dawned on me, that it was my one year surgiversary. What a difference a year makes!!!

We all look so different. It is surreal.

Gail

I am glad not to have the gluten issues, but even so, there should be some satisfying foods that you can eat. I have a friend who has celiac spru and makes lots of yummy things.
I certainly see what you mean about eating out though. Really a bummer.
I can identify with the limitations on a certain level, since I am lactose intolerant and cannot eat sour cream, or ice cream, or any kind of milk. That limits alot of foods, and I am extremely thankful for that. Ice cream is something that I never want to be able to tolerate again. It can really put the weight on.
I do indulge in a treat whenever I feel the urge, but after a bite or two, I ask myself if I really want to fini**** and I usually just go ahead and put it away.
I used to tell myself that I would be better off throwing the food out, than to finish eating it, but until I got my sleeve, I was never able to do that. Now I throw out alot of food.
Not really bragging about that, but it is better than me eating the food.
Love my sleeve.

I'm so sorry about your lactose intolerance.  It must be hard to avoid since dairy is just as prevalent as wheat in the American diet.  And I understand what you mean about being thankful that you never have to tolerate ice cream again...LOL...

I cook a lot.  I can make some yummy real  foods, it's true, but everything has to be made from scratch, with safe, gluten free ingredients, in my gluten free kitchen, with my uncontaminated pans and utensils. It gets tedious.   I am out of the fast lane.  If I want to eat it,  I would have to make it, which is time consuming, so I am grateful that I cannot satisfy whims and wants at a moments notice like regular people can.  This will help keep me from gaining weight.  I am not into making goodies at all.  I don't want them in the house.  But, I have learned to cook satisfying meals at home.  Like tonight, I sauteed Tilapia with sea salt and lemon.  It fits into my diet, it tasted good, and it is gluten free.

It's being in public and being unprepared that I hate.  I usually pack food everywhere I go, or I have to stop at a store for either yogurt or a can of chicken. 

I'll bet your Celiac friend went through a period of food mourning as well.  How could she not?  The American diet revolves around wheat (and dairy).
 

This is an excellent thread.

I've really been struggling lately. since I've been seeing my bf, there is a lot more eating going on at my house. For the longest time, there was nobody here but me and no temptations. He loves ice cream and it's really hard to resist. It used to make me really sick when I was first sleeved but not anymore.

I am determined to stay at this weight though so I just hope I can do it. It would really suck to have to buy all new jeans.

You're doing great Diane. I wish I weighed 119 !