Question:
For long term post-op's: Maintaining Your New Weight/Size

I was wondering what it was like to be done losing all the weight you are going to lose and just maintaining it. Do you find that you have to be on "the watch" as closely as you did before surgery so that you don't gain weight? Do you gain weight as easily as you did before? Is it as difficult, easier, or the same to lose or gain extra pounds now that you have had the surgery?    — Michele B. (posted on February 27, 2003)

February 26, 2003
You can gain. This long cold miserable winter has me concerned. I have put on 10 pounds. I like walking but not at 18 degrees with ice on the ground. Seems my best exercise is snow shoveling:( As soon as the weather breaks its time to get me in gear. Hunger isnt nearly as strrong as pre op and I will use my tool wisely. I dont know about the rest of you snowbound folks but this winter has me depressed and I think thats part of the problem. With lots of exercise I once got under goal and looked bad. I want to revisit that area. SNOW BE GONE!
   — bob-haller

February 26, 2003
I always watch my weight. My weight will very 3 lbs. So I will watch it every couple of days or so. When I see my weight start to go up I will start eating just protein only and get it back to where it needs to be. I try not to let it get to far out of hand before I catch it. It has worked for me so far.
   — Richard M.

February 26, 2003
I don't know if I gain weight as easily as I did before because I was blind to it before. Now I get on the scale everyday just to keep me aware. I gained 10 pounds or more a year from age 12 to 32 and rarely looked at a scale. Now that I'm at goal, the scale is my friend. It reacts when I do the "wrong" thing (I'm a corporate trainer and there are always donuts around to feed sleepy trainees -- hard to resist), and it reacts very favorably when I do the "right" thing. I find that, shock of all shocks, regular exercise, and water are what keep me on track. Good luck and God Bless! Kim down 166 pounds.
   — Kimberly L.

February 27, 2003
I am almost 2 yrs out and I could gain but not as easily as before. I KNOW I have to exercise regularly to keep at my goal. So for me I run 5 miles 4x a week and weight train at home. When I stopped running in Dec. (too cold) I could feel my pants getting tighter and tighter. So even tho it was cold I got myself back into the running routine. My eating habits are pretty balanced. I eat junk some days, and other days I will concentrate on healthy foods.
   — Maureen P.

February 27, 2003
I've been at gopal since September. I've had NO trouble keeping the weight off. I weigh 128 and have since November. I even think I'll gain weight from all the foods I eat (some days are worse then others!!) but I've not gained 1 pound - not even through the holidays. I NEVER deprive myself of anything either.
   — Patty H.