IT WORKS!!! Well, duh. (kind of long)

Ok, this post is just the typical 'I told you so' post. But I say it to myself.

We all know what we are supposed to be doing after VSG (or which ever surgery you have had). But I guarantee a lot of people just don't. I, for instance, am/is/WAS one of them. Do I always take my vitamins? No. Do I always get 64oz+ liquids in a day? No. Do I always eat 'healthy' (low carb high protein) No. I bet a lot of others may be the same, they just don't say it. Which is totally okay.

But Monday a co worker and I (I inspired her to also get VSG 1 year after I had mine) decided to do this '5 day pouch test'. 2 days of protein shakes and pureed foods, then soft foods etc. Just exactly what we did in the beginning stages of VSG.

I should have you know since Monday I was 188lbs. I am now 184. Lost 4lbs in 4 days. (My lowest since VSG was 180 and couldn't seem to break it, or keep it). So this is the "I told you so, Marissa" post. We KNOW what we gotta do. Do we always do it? Probably not. I don't eat horrible, honestly. I just don't TRULY follow 100%. But after cutting my batwings off a month ago (almost 2lbs of fat) I KNOW I should weigh at least 2 lbs less, right? LOL. Still swelling I know, but in a few more weeks when I am fully healed, 2 lbs should be gone from that lowest 180.

If anyone out there is in a slump or just doesn't know wtf to do because they are at the SAME WEIGHT (Like I was for about 7 months, literally) try something like this. Really. I have read numerous posts before about people doing it. Well I finally did it and its like HELLO IT WORKS. I am not really craving anything like pizza or French fries like I thought. I did have a tiny headache Monday night but they say that's the carb mind thing. I actually am so happy. I am not annoyed that I had to go back to basics. I made awesome soups pureed - lentil or bean but didn't eat a lot of it because it does have carbs in it, I add unflavored protein powder to almost everything I eat. It's easier during the week for me because I have almost a pretty set schedule so its a routine. I don't plan on stopping this 5 day thing after tomorrow. I plan on sticking to it. The weekends are always more difficult, for me at least, so we shall see how strong I am this weekend. We know what we gotta do, just do it :o)

I'm sure everyone has had times in life where they just need a reboot. It's easy to say you're perfect when you're taking to people online, but let's face it, no one is perfect.  Good for you for tackling this early on and not letting a weight loss slump overtake you!  

I'm a year farther out than you and I will agree with you 100%! When we eat appropriately we either maintain our weights or continue to lose, depending upon calorie level.

I think many of us, myself included, believe we sort of have this thing down during the first year and ease up a bit once we hit goal. I know I certainly did. My restriction pretty much kept me in check and if I was up a couple of pounds it came off very easily. After about the 15-16 month mark that wasn't so true anymore. By 18 months I was up a few pounds (some purposeful, but about 5 pounds not). Then by 2 years out I was up a full 15 from where I wanted to be. NOT GOOD. By last summer I was up a full 20. I have been playing with the extra weight for that year and a half and finally just before the holidays felt I had a handle on it. I did take a break from WL over the holidays, but got right back to it.

As long as I eat a VSG appropriate food plan (diet), e.g. high protein, low carb, moderate fat,  I don't have cravings and am able to stay in control of my eating. Like you, I didn't eat horribly, but enough of the extras that I gained weight. It creeps up, old habit rise, and before you know it....

One must be ever vigilant!

Thanks for the way you put this.  I'm 11.5 lbs away from my original goal, but I'm thinking maybe I'll go another 10 after that.  Maintenance scares me.  I'm doing pretty well at losing weight, but I'm so worried about gaining it back.