VSG Maintenance Group
Monday, May 2nd
I haven't read it yet, but in New York Times there is an article about weight regain of biggest losers. So difficult under any cir****tance, but to be to have it happen in the public eye is hard to imagine.
HW:361 SW:304 (VSG 12/04/2014)Mo 1:-32 Mo 2:-13.5 Mo 3: -13.5 Mo 4 -9.5 Mo 5: -15 Mo 6: -15 Mo 7: -13.5 Mo 8: -17 Mo 9: -13 Mo 10: -12.5 11/3/2015 Healthy BMI Reached! Mo 11: -9 Mo 12: -8 12/27/2015 Goal Weight Reached!
I had to respond that this is a great article and the essence of what I was saying I believe to be true in my case. Most of us aren't playing with a metabolic "full deck of cards" if you will. Their metabolisms have been severely disabled as compared with their peers of the same size.
Additionally, their bodies are even worse at controlling hunger. I have read other studies that suggest that with WLS some of the hunger hormones are controlled (at least short-term) by literally cutting the gut "brain" connectors. Please excuse my poor explanation--I am no doctor :) This is why I will never be ashamed to have had WLS--I think it is medically necessary, and not the easy way out, really the only fighting chance.
The stomach is the organ that produces the majority of the hormone Leptin. When we are sleeved it basically eliminates Leptin production for a while. Once the sleeve is healed Leptin production begins again, but at a much, much lower level. Leptin levels never go away with a band. From what I understand the sleeve and the DS have the best Leptin reduction of the WLSs in the long haul because most of the stomach has been removed from the body.
Hi BB, nice to "see" you. The article about the Biggest Loser was eye opening, and the first one I've seen that actually addresses the regain of most of the contestants. It's just not possible to exercise off 8000-9000 calories a day for the rest of your life. People have to be able to live a life other than diet and exercise, even though some days it seems that that's all I'm doing. 
The most telling was the confirmation that even with WLS we will have to keep our calories down for the rest of our lives to keep our weight off, even though the thought of eating more than 1,200 calories a day right now seems daunting, unless it is all carbs.
I will never be ashamed or embarrassed that I had weight loss surgery, and if anyone asks how I lost the weight, I will happily tell them what I had. Educating people about WLS is a good thing as far as I'm concerned, and for me, it was the ONLY way that I was ever going to get to a normal weight.
5' 5" tall. VSG on August 4, 2015/ Starting weight 239.9/ Surgery weight 210.9/ Current weight 137.4/ Goal weight 140/ No longer overweight, now a NORMAL weight. Now that I'm at goal, it's time to move on to maintenance!!!!!!!!
Totally depressing article. I want to see a bigger sample... an one that didn't totally torture their bodies through a combination of excessive exercise and calorie deprivation.
Age: 64; 5' 5"; High weight: 345; Start weight: 271 (01/05/15); Surgery weight: 218 (05/27/15); Pre-Op (-53); M 1 (-18); M 2 (-1.5); M 3 (-13.5 ); M 4 (-13); M 5 (- 8); M 6 (-12) M 7 (-5, Xmas); M 8 (- 9) Under surgeon's goal and REACHED HEALTHY BMI 12/07/15!! (Six months and one week.) AT GOAL month 8. Maintaining at goal range (139- 144) ~ four (4) years !!
Depressing? Eh...maybe, but again, I think we all know that we have a slower RMR than others do. That does not mean we cannot adjust our BMR over time. It has been proven that this is possible.
Let's say that my RMR uses 400 calories less than some other fellow my weight, height and age. What does that mean for me? It's either not eating a very large VSG meal that I most likely won't be able to finish or it's a NF latte and a cookie that goes down oh so easily. It still boils down to choices. For me, I have to forgo the cookie and latte because you and I know that's what I would choose.
Also, let's face it. There are outliers on either end (you being an educator must be all too familiar with the damned bell curve!). There are the skinny minnies who can't keep an ounce of fat on them and on the flip side those who smell a burger and fries and absorb the calories in the aroma! The rest of us fall somewhere in between on that spectrum. Most of us who have been MO or SMO are efficient users of calories. We absorb them all! It is our lot. The sooner we accept that, the better off we are.
What is important is that we store that information in our memory banks and keep it handy when we are manipulating our eating plans (for better OR worse). In this case, I honestly think knowledge is power.
What the article did for me was simply point out that there are true underlying reasons why I have to be diligent and work harder than most to lose and maintain my weight. It's my truth and I'm sticking to it.
Hugs to Sadie. glad she came through well. Not great news about the other leg. 
