Question:
I want to hear more from long term post-op & living a good program.

I am very interested in reading the pages of those long term post-ops who are living a 'successful' (healthy, fit, goal weight)life. I know of no way to search for long term post op people here. Any recommendations of good pages to read for some insight into what life is like 2, 5, 10 years out? How many calories do you eat? Have you changed all your old eating & fitness habits? Does food haunt you and you just white knuckle it? Or are you content with this new you and full master of your domain? What all changed? And what about 'unsuccessful' ones, what happened that kept it from working?    — Linda E. (posted on August 2, 2002)

August 2, 2002
I'm 8 yrs, my husband is 7. I'm 5'1", have weighed 110-115# for years now. I don't count calories, only sugar g OUT, protein supplement g in. I work around/with my old habits. I never exercised, except we had a big yard, busy hobbies, etc. I do now, a little, to build bone & muscle, not to lose wt. I eat what I want, minus sugar & milk. The stuff I love, I still eat. I am in charge of what/when/how much and IF I will eat. The food no longer dominates me. You can email me pvtly for more details, if you want. I could fill up 20 pages here! LOL!
   — vitalady

August 3, 2002
I am 3 years out.. I have been at goal for 2 years...and you bet your sweet bippy I count calories. I eat mostly protein....a tiny bit of carbs...broccoli...never potatoes. And my weight will fluctuate 5 lbs.....if I were to eat carbs routinely I am sure I will gain rapidly. I now weigh 127 lbs and wear a size 4..I exercise a minimum of 1 hour per day and currently have trippled that to remove that "5 lbs" I referred to earlier. My preferences still run to high fat/ high calorie foods...the surgery did nothing to stop that...i am just chosing to eat chicken and fish as the rule. I feel my body could always do more with a calorie then most people...that is why I was morbidly obese in the first place. My life has forever changed...i will never be able to go "back" to my old lifestyle....I am convinced that a moment of inattention will surely result in weight gain...I have no doubt. The WLS just allowed me to be comfortable on a smaller amount of food. I need to eat routinely 900 to 1000 calories to maintain...and that is not a lot of "yummy" foods. I love my life..don't get me wrong....but I had to make "peace" with the fact that hamburgers, hot dogs and macaroni and cheese are not something I have very often....not like the "old days".
   — lee J.