A question for the long timers:

As those of us recently sleeved are sip sip sipping and walk walk walking maintaining hydration and gathering protein, what skills should we be practicing and working on perfecting that will make this life transition real and permanent?  Just staying hydrated is a full time job, for sure.  BUT, fortunately, things are going along okay at this time.  I realize that it would be very easy to take this time and loss for granted and slip right into old habits when real food is back on the table, so to speak.  I would like to hear from all you success stories the two or three things you did at the beginning of your health journey that contributed to your long term success so that perhaps we can emulate you all!?

 

Thanks in advance for you effort, words of wisdom and general caring advice!

1. Read old threads on here-pages and pages
Also did tons of research. Sorry but with Google there are answers out there w medically sound data. Example-do a search on starvation mode myth.

2. Stalk a vet. I had favorites. Most of them are gone that I followed but one Macmadame - she has a blog. I like that she researches and does not give answers off the top of her head or just based on what the nut/Dr says.

3. Chart your weight/ measurements. I weighed daily once I was 1 month out. I knew about the first stall and tried not to get mentally wrapped up about it. For me, I saw a pattern with my losses. Tracking daily helped me understand my body better.

4. Work on your mental issues. Anxiety, depression, fear, anger, denial, grief -work on yourself AND encourage yourself. Stop using negative talk while losing weight.
"I only" lost 2 pounds this week. Tell someone 1 year out that and see if they don't side eye you like you're just a nutjob.

The first few weeks are going to be unlike the rest of your life...but, a few thoughts

- tracking. I started tracking my food as soon as I was done with liquids. Ive tracked every single day since then. 

- measuring portions - when you do start eating, even when it's 2 tbsp of food, measure you food and stick to those portions. Dont feel pressured to eat everything. 

- eat on a schedule and not when you are bored/emotional. If you havent figured out why you eat or why/how you gained your weight, figure it out ASAP so you can identify and watch for your triggers. 

 

And for heaven's sake...stay away from the damn carbs, even when you can only eat 2-3 bites. I see people talking about eating crackers and bread and cookies at 6 weeks out. Take full advantage of the lack of hunger and tiny capacity. It will only get harder and harder to resist the further out you get. 

Thank you !  I have been watching you, can't wait to see your pics!  I think it is easier to find why I don't eat, I have yet to hear about a trigger I do NOT have!  Thanks for you valuable feed back!

Not really a long-timer here, but happily (and so far, easily) hanging out below goal.. 

For me, a few things I needed to do to make this stick this time:

1. Change what you consider "real food" and "treat foods." For me, that has meant getting away from most grains/sugar save for a rare treat outside the house. Learn to make healthier and tasty versions out of real food- not pre-packaged diet foods. Plan meals, cook real food from scratch, learn to cook if you need to.. This has led to health improvements for my husband as well, both in bloodwork and bodycomp- and he was a normal weight guy to start.

I had already been limiting my breads/pastas/sugars years prior, but ate too much still and relied too much on pre-packaged/carryout junk as well when things got hectic. I had to get back to basics of meat/veggies. Needless to say, if it's snack-food, and comes in a bag that can live on a shelf for 6mo, it's very likely something you shouldn't bring home to eat. Find a couple healthy & fresh options for carryout for the times when you want that so you don't resort to pizza or junky stuff from fast-food places.

There are a lot of great websites to help with healthy & tasty cooking. I'd be happy to list a few if you want.. 

2. Logging and measuring your foods. Period. Early out you are very limited by restriction this seems unimportant but this changes after a year or so. I now can eat more than I did, and as I varied my diet from chicken, chicken, beef, pork.. I also can eat more of some foods than others. When this happens, if you are still eating by eye/stomach cues.. your portions will creep, along with cals and you may very likely find yourself eating past your new lower maintenance level since your body will be smaller- your calorie needs will be too. Get in the habit from the start.. learn what it takes to hit your goals and it will become second nature.

For dieters, not just post-WLS patients, those that maintained a majority of their weight loss were those that adapted to consistent tracking for life. We are very good at underestimating what we eat unless we actually measure, this is human nature.. I know what didn't work, I had to be open to making changes that would work- tracking is one essential change for me.

3. Find some activity that you ENJOY doing.. really enjoy. Not something you need to talk yourself into doing.. and do it. Make it sustainable. I used to be a gym-rat when I lost weight the first time, there 4x a week for 2hrs at a time. That lasted about 2-3 years, then I slacked when life/dating/work got in the way.. but my eating didn't change (and I wasn't logging anymore either..) and I slowly regained almost everything I lost. This time, I do what I like, I am active.. but I don't spend hours in the gym..

Most important- GET OFF YOUR BUTT! Do not be a "sitter." Even just sorting paperwork while standing at work, getting a tall computer workstation to surf, anything.. but limit your sitting time. Get rid of TV.

You will expend more energy if you try to be on your feet the majority of the day vs sitting, than you would taking a 2mi walk and sitting the rest of the day. Being active is essential. As you lose, this will be easier.. but you can start anytime.

Good luck (though luck has little to do with it) so, better to say: Wish you well on your lifestyle changes!

 

 

I would love to see your suggestions for heathy cooking sites, that would be great!  I have a family with 3 girls 6-11, and must make it workable for me and my atkins loving husband and them.  Shouldn't be a problem, but choosing a program and following seems to be key!

 

Thanks for the thoughtful answer!

 

1) This is non negotiable in my opinion in the first year - Track every single thing that goes into your mouth. Write down calories, carbs and protein.  I know it is a hard thing to do, but it is essential in my opinion.  Start now.  Don't "guesstimate", measure, weigh and keep as diligent a record as humanly possible.  Along with this, start a daily chart of your weigh and measurements.  Take measurements once a week, and record everything on a graph.  You will learn to spot your own patterns of weight loss and "stalls" that are not really stalls will eventually stop scaring you.  Also, take pictures every month.

2) Learn to cook.  In order to stay successful as a long term VSGer, you have to learn to mostly eat homemade protein and veggies.  There is really no room for processed foods on a regular basis in your future life.  If you do not cook now, learn and commit to doing it regularly and for the rest of your life.  I can't overstate the importance of this.  The good news, is that you can keep it simple if you want to, or add creativity and flair, like Frisco does, but this MUST be your permanent way to live.

3) In the end, the ultimate success or failure of this procedure is not going to be about how much weight you will lose or even whether you will hit goal, if you do this right, the weight loss is almost a given. The ultimate goal is going to be to learn to stay motivated and mindful even long after you reach goal.  Your habits, patterns and thoughts about food are going to have to change and you will have to pay very close attention to learn what triggers you to eat.  You are going to have to face your emotional eating, evening eating, stress eating and whatever else you have done in the past to "use" food.  You will have to be brave, strong and smart to cut through denial and face reality as it truly presents itself to you.  You will have to make sure that you have an internal locus of control and are not blaming anything on outside factors.  You will have to own your eating choices, evaluate them, and either accept them or change them.  You have all the power.

Thanks to you for your candid answer.  I am very afraid of the denial game, as it got me here in the first place.  I am commited to logging everything in MFP before it goes in my mouth.  It is funny right now of course, because it strokes out every time I end my day.  But, that is one of my commitments made in order to proceed with the procedure.  It is my intention that the  VSG is to give me rapid results so the pain can stop while I can use the "honeymoon" period to I  address my emotional issues and relearn how to feed myself and my family.  I have been working on my emotional issues and re-ordering my life for the last 9 months.  I am putting in place all the tools that I need to make a conversion.  But I know that my worst enemy is myself, my subversive self-sabotaging self.  This is what I am steeling myself against, and the ghost that scares me the most.  

 

Thanks for taking the time to help all of us starting down the long road...

Not sure what you mean by a long timer, but I'm a year out and at goal, so I hope I count!

1. MEASURE AND TRACK your intake. I started tracking the day I got home from my VSG (actually I started 3 months prior during my pre op diet) and have not stopped since. I think it's very important to track for a couple of reasons:  one, for the  accountability and two, to avoid the creep. It's so easy to let portion size creep back up and that could lead to weight gain very quickly.

2. Start practicing eating for life. I no longer eat sandwiches - ever! I LOVED sandwiches in my former life. There was nothing better to me than a big, sloppy sandwich with avocado and bacon on it! Bread just doesn't do it for me any more. Bread is a total waste of space and calories in my mind now. Once in a great while I will indulge in a piece of bread at a restaurant, but I think I've had maybe three or four pieces this whole entire year. You'll need to discover what eating practices work for you. Some you will rebel against, but most likely will need to follow. I thought the whole low carb thing was utter crap until I realized that carbs called my name and were really a big issue for me. Can you say denial! LOL. Basically, you will have to change how you eat if you want to maintain your  loss.

3. Latch on to a mentor. It doesn't have to be like you're friends. It could just be someone whom you admire and follow every post. I had two that I followed and they did eventually become my friends on OH and in RL. They really helped get me to goal with expediency and have been great helping with the issues that come with maintenance.

4. Put yourself first. Probably the hardest thing I've done this year. I have made myself, my health and my weight loss a priority in my life. I schedule my gym time like it was work. I choose where we eat, if we eat out. I plan our meals now around my needs and tastes (I don't have kids). I come first. I used to come at the end of the list. Now I'm at the top because, hell, if I'm not at my best, then I'm not really that great for the others in my life.

 

Amen!  That is how I lost my mom at 49!  Everybody before her, and then she dropped dead from undiagnosed congestive heart failure.  She left a severely handicapped daughter and 1 fresh out of college and a devoted husband of 30 years and we had no idea how to function without her.  I don't want to repeat that with my girls. (3 of them).  I decided to stop working for my dad (took my mom's place) and come home and focus on my and my family until I can get myself together.  Thanks for taking the time to answer...don't mind me, I'll just be stalking...