Hi,

I am 10 and half months post-op, and I think my honeymoon phase is coming to an end.   And my maintaining weight-loss phase  will begin, sooner or later.  I am down 106 pounds from surgery and 130 from my high!!!   I am 11 pounds under my 'dream weight' (165 - my lowest high school weight from over 40 years ago).  That being said, I would be happy to reduce my goal weight and maintain at another 5-10 pounds less than I am now (at 145-149).  That range feels like a healthy weight and my knees will appreciate the lower weight.

So, I am concentrating on mastering any skills that I need.  Thanks to you long-timers who have posted on long-term success.  

I will post periodically when I find something that is helpful or that I think will be a good conversation starter.  I am not getting paid for anything, and I will say if I know the person.

Post #1 - I found a video that was made by one of the doctor's that operated on me. She oversaw my post-op time in the hospital and I saw her on an 'emergency' basis when my stomach was not happy with a new brand of protein shake, about week after surgery. She suggested that I wait an hour before/after eating and drinking, which worked for me.  So, here is her take on maintaining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pxElXEFssI    This is only a minute long.  A few good reminders.

For me, and planning a menu ahead of time are important for me to start.      And focus on waiting before/after liquids.  

So, I am off to check people's posts on their menus.  This food planning is taking me some time to figure out, but I am a creature of habit and once I figure out a 1 or 2 weeks of meal plans, I will be fine.  It's more complicated than just getting in 60-80 gms of protein. It took me awhile to figure out that I needed a plan to take my vitamins and water  (thyroid and lots of water before BF, multis with BF, calciums with lunch and dinner.  I am not on iron)   

If anyone is experiencing a similar phases-change or has more tips, please join me on this next segment - reply, post, etc. 

 PS - Before I could do a meal plan, I saw this OH video from a past OH Conference, about how much protein you really need long term. (It also explains why some longer timers report having more than 60-80 gms of protein).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2a08Mq6Nt8

(There might be a way to link to this from the OH website, but I don't know how)

Here's what she says:  Gms of protein per day = Goal wt in pounds divided by 2.2 times 1.25

145/2.2*1.25=82 gms of protein per day. Call it 85 gms for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pxElXEFssI

Congratulations on your weight loss success. I wish you well with figuring out maintenance. I will look forward to your updates , ideas and suggestions. Great info on the amount of protein needed. Thanks

Thanks.  I never heard of that formula before, and that video just popped up.  Another great thing from  OH.

Thanks for the info! I am into to a healthy BMI but not quite ready for maintenance. I am not exactly sure how I will know I am done but I know I am not there yet.

 But, I am always on the lookout for what is coming up next and have been thinking about what sustainable maintenance will look like for me.

Good luck in your new phase!

If you are (easily) losing more than 5 pounds a month, I don't think you are ready for maintenance yet.  Ride that honeymoon train as long as you can!!

The honeymoon period actually last for two years or longer.  What happens now after the weight loss is a period where the weight stays off effortlessly.

For me, it was at 30 months that I suddenly saw the scale go up a pound a week.  After I had gained back fourteen pounds I started really trying to stop gaining.  I joined Weigh****chers, tried different diets, added more exercise.  The gain stopped but it took years to actually get back down to what I thought was going to be my maintenance weight.

When doing your maintenance I would advise also keeping a close eye on the scale.  I had stopped weighing at home and only weighed at the doctors office.  When I went back to daily weighing the scale stopped going up.

Thanks, I've always weighed weekly and I will keep close watch on the scale.

I am 5 years post op and I'm still trying to figure out maintenance.  It doesn't come naturally or easy for me to know how to eat to stay a normal size.  I've never done it before and I am still in ah that I have done it this long.

The only things I know to do is to plan ahead, avoid sugar and gluten, don't drink with meals or 30 minutes after and protein first.  Everything else is fluid, the way I eat today is different then how I ate a year ago.  My taste in food changes.  I could eat something everyday for a year and stock up on it and then not want it at all. 

Maybe someday I won't have to think about it but for now it's a daily thing to be mindful of what I eat and not grab something spontaneously.

Thanks for your thoughts - I can live with what you do.  I haven't really had to think much,  I just cook every once in awhile, freeze it, pull something out of the freezer.  Now I'm feeling some hunger, so I am thinking I made need to plan a healthy snack, although I (thankfully) drink and the hunger goes away.  I went away on vacation last week and did not do particularly well.  It was really the first time that I think that I did not drink enough (urine was dark).  I'm back home and back to a normal routine, getting enough fluids, and hunger is subsciding.