Transition to Maintenance: Planning

 Morning all!  I am hoping to join your hallowed ranks in the next 10-15 lbs so am establishing my plan for the transition to maintenance. I am currently below my surgeons goal and approaching my own.  I want to pick your brains about your experiences and check my assumptions with you.  Since my transition is coming in between my 6 and 9 month check ups, I am putting together my own plan and then sending to my NUT and Surgeon for their blessing.

Here is the short form of what I am thinking of doing.  Please comment and point out what I may have missed:

1.  Diet - On reaching 185 lbs I will begin increasing calories from 600/day by 200/d/week (i.e. first week after do 800 calories a day, next week 1000 calories a day, etc****il balance point is reached.  During July when I will be healing from my eye surgeries and during healing from plastics a significant amount of the additional calories will be consumed as shakes to boost protein for healing.

re-introduce non lean protein sources slowly (i.e. red meat, pork, etc).  Also introduce some starchier vegetables into the mix (corn, potato,etc) slowly as well.  Possibly some whole grain bread on occasion.  I am trying to figure out here how to add in enough calories to get to 800 or 1000 without eating 5 meals a day.  During my healing phases from follow on surgeries I may eat 5 meals a day of lean protein instead of supplementing with shakes.  How did you guys deal with this?

2.  Exercise - continue running 3x per week with strength and cross training on the remaining 2 days.  Increase rebuild days from 1x per week to 2x per week (weekends).  During July when I will not be able to run on the same schedule due to my eye surgeries I will  have to rely on bicycling for my cardio (i'm still working this out with the eye doctor, I am going to miss my runs.  I think I should be OK as long as I dont let sweat get in my eyes)

3.  Mental Health/Support Groups - Continue going to 3 support groups meetings per month and OH.  Also, I am beginning private therapy in July to strengthen my tool sets.  I still struggle with compulsive behaviors at times and expect that to increase some as I start bumping up calories and re-introduce new foods.

4.  Plastics:  I am going to record myself maintaing for about 3 months before doing plastics.  I am going to schedule these for sometime around my first surgiversary.  This is becoming really important to me from both a comfort and self image standpoint.  I can't roll over in bed or sometimes even sit without feeling rolls of loose skin buch up underneath me.  I know you all know what I mean.  I want to do a mid-body lift first and then maybe arms next year.  The arms really dont bother me much though.

Thoughts, sharing?

Addressing upping calories, I'm becoming an expert because at my current activity level my point seems to be in the general vicinity of 2000 calories and I'm having to really work at that.

As you're aware, there are two ways to get more calories: eat more calorie dense foods or eat more food. I do some of both.

Eat more calorie dense foods: If you're carb sensitive, fats are going to have to be your answer. Nuts, nut butter, seeds, avacados, olive oil or nut oils (got this hint from Brandilynn - put some nut oil in your shakes to up the calories). Put cheese on things, go from skim milk to 1% or 2%.

Eat more food: By this, in our case, I mean more often. Is there a reason why you're averse to eating 5 meals a day? Here's how my 2000 calorie day looks. Bear in mind that I'm now eating lacto-ovo vegetarian because the same thing I loved about lean meat when I was losing (it stuck with me and kept me satisfied a long time) is causing me problems now (it sticks with me and keeps me from making my minimum calories):

Breakfast (usually a smoothie of milk, protein powder and frozen berries)
Snack - fruit or veggie
Lunch 1 - a Quest bar
Lunch 2 - usually yogurt
Shake
Dinner - now veggie
Shake
Snack - almost always nut or nut butter for the calories

I feel like I'm eating all the time, but it's working for me. During the winter when I'm less active, I plan to drop back to skim milk in my shakes, drop any oils in my shakes and drop down to 6 feedings for about 1500-1600 calories.

 Thanks Vy, Those are some great suggestions.  

I have been going back and forth on the 5 meal a day plan.  My surgeons general guidelines in their leeve owners manual says no snacking and 3 meals a day in maintenance - and that has worked well for me.  

Plus, I'm a grazer so I have to be very concious of that behavior as well and not let that get out on me.  I know I will have to continue to plan and measure.  For example, I do LOVE Nuts.  I was thinking of ways to include those in my cooking as condiments, but keep them out of reach for snacking.  LIke doing a cashew-almond encrusted chicken breast.  Incorporating toasted pine nuts in a chicken shrimp stir fry, etc.  Stop using light soy sauce in marinades, etc.

I was also thinging of doing things like making homemade granola with sugar free maple syrup instead of honey and using that in my morning yogurt.

Bear in mind that I have a very tiny tummy (about 2 oz of veggies or 4 oz of yogurt, some things like very water-filled fruit are in between) so you may be able to do it with less meals than me.

If I followed your surgeon's plan I'd be able to eat about 6-10 oz of food a DAY, nowhere enough to maintain my weight. I handle the "grazing" part quite simply by never grazing. I still plan all of this out ahead of time and don't eat what's not on the plan. That's my control device.

The granola sounds good (I'd love the recipe). I still avoid starchy foods like potatoes, bread, crackers, rice, etc. and simple sugar foods (except that found in fruit). Those things tend to be triggery for me, whereas complex carbs/whole grains generally aren't.

That's good that you are organized and have a plan...I admire those that continue to journal and know exactly what is going on with their bodies.

I didn't....just wound up going under goal weight....so all I did was cut back on the cardio and then I started maintaining...within a 5 lb window....It is amazing how I can fluctuate daily still by so much. I've learned to not freak out anymore.....I do two intense weight training sessions a week. I had been doing 3 days of cardio also, that I don't do now.

I didn't get to eat any extra calories .....at least not that I know of...and I didn't re-introduce many new foods. I do still eat 4-5x daily, and I do eat a little junk food sometimes....which I have done from early out....my portions are slightly increased....I know I noticed an increase at 6 months, and again at a year out....hopefully, that is it....and I will continue to be satisfied with about 6 oz of food which is what I currently eat at most meals. But when I was worried about being too skinny, I did journal a couple days, and I was at 1800 calories! So I don't know, that seems high compared to many VSG'ers....so maybe you will be good at 1000 cals or maybe you will need more with the working out....it is hard to say.

I'm kind of scared to add certain starches....I find that now that I'm used to NO BREAD, NO CORN, NO PASTA, etc..... it is just easier to stay this way.  Occasionally, I will have a little sweet potato or mashed potato....but I also did that from early out.

I don't come on OH as much as before, but try to check in, since it is my only support....never got into going to meetings.

Plastics, I have been obsessed with and constantly reading about....also went on 5 consults...it is expensive and I really don't want more surgery, but I can't stop thinking about the SKIN! so I know how you feel! I wish I could just be happy with how I am right now....

So I think it sounds like you have a good plan for you at this point...just be aware that you may have to change it....you never know what your body will do....

Well I do know that there should be no formal dieting directly after plastics.  I've had 2 major rounds and both times lost additional weight that has not come back.  As you can see by my ticker I am way under goal and my Plastic Surgeon has repeatedly told me to eat more.  I do try but am so so restricted still.  I am 8 months out from my last and final plastic surgery and am still down in weight.  I just wanted to give you a heads up about how taxing these surgeries are on the body.  Good luck!

Laura

I eat l 6 times a day to get enough calories in plus I  use shakes. My capacity is small, and it is not always easy without 'breaking the rules.'    I shoot for an average of about 1800 a day. 

I've had body composition and metabolic testing throughout my weightloss and maintenance, so I know pretty well where I need to target. I highly recommend it.  I can't use my weight on the scale, alone,  as a rational measure of maintenance due to the issues I have with edema in my legs. I use measurements and how my clothes fit as a sanity check.

I understand your concern with grazing. For that reason, I tend to portion food out and plan it ahead of time. I use my food journal religiously, and I record everything -- good, bad, or indifferent.  I put trail mix in small snack bags, weigh and portion cheese, make and freeze hamburgers of a particular size, and I carry food with me every day to work instead of stocking my fridge in my office (wonderful luxury) except with drinks and a few emergency items (baby bel cheese, tuna lunch kits for days I get held up late in the office). 

Hi R, welcome to this group.  Its good to have a plan for maintenance as lack of such a plan can result in regain. Yours sounds like a good one. My surgeon had me up calories by 100 per day for each week but I think 200 is fine. I had trouble stopping losing and ended up eating peanut butter to stop losing. Also went to 1% milk for awhile.   At first I just couldn't eat enough but slowly the sleeve allows you to eat more volume.  But I maintain on only about 1200 calories.

My sureon's handbook says 3 meals a day and no snacks but he has changed his tune and now says five meals a day are fine if thats what works. Try to add more veggies into your diet. I would avoid white carbs  and get the extra calories with nuts, cheese, fruit or more protein. you may still need to use some protein drinks to keep protein up.

Hope your eye surgery goes well. I can tell by your plan that you are going to be very successful long term. Can't wait to see your post when you reach goal.
All the best.  diane

 Thanks Everyone!  I received lots of terrific advice I will certainly heed!

14 lbs to go and the real journey begins!

The reality is your maintenance level will most likely be at least 1800-2000 calories and you might very well overshoot your goal.  If that's OK with you, your plan will work, otherwise you might want to revise upward faster.  Even then, you  might still overshoot it.  That's OK, it stays in your hands and you can always gain a bit back.  I would continue to keep track and journeying everything for at least anther year.  Increase fats and introduce some healthy carbs, cherries, berries, kiwi, nut butters, full fat dairy, even butter.  You are your own science experiment, see how you tolerate more calories.  Head issues might come up so stay aware of them.   It's a dangerous and difficult time, one minute you are on top of the world, the next you are shaking with fear that this will all come crashing down because it is not as structured as before.  Talk to us, a lot, we will walk you through it.  Above all, remember to be honest with yourself and journal things out.