No Magic Pill

I had VSG 8/14/14. I haven't really had a large regain, I mean I have gained weight back and forth-my lowest was 245 lbs and my highest 262 since I lost weight by surgery two years ago but I usually just stay within the 252-256 range.

My problem is that it appears I just cannot lose weight anymore permanently. My body seems comfortable here at around this weight. I feel ok around this weight especially compared to the 347 lbs that I used to be! This is the weight I came out of High School at but in the military I had gotten down to 50 lbs lower So yes, I do want to lose at least another 25 lbs but it is extremely hard now.

For now I'm hoping to just keep eating correctly, exercising and maintain a healthy lifestyle and who knows, perhaps in a few months, even years my body will adjust and allow me to lose weight again. All I can do for now is continue living a healthy lifestyle. The VSG says that it will aid you in losing about 55-75 percent of the weight you need to lose, and that it has done so results as promised! I needed to lose 140 lbs and I've lost between 90-100 lbs.

I try to eat low carb, watch my portions, stay active and exercise. Am I consistent? No, no enough, I tend to go off every now and then. So I need to stay realistic and also realize that now it is on me. The old habits with it's fad diets, binges, pills, gorging, starvation, extremes and so forth have to disappear, to be replaced by logical, modest, realistic and permanent changes in my lifestyle. Regardless of our surgery, I think that applies to all-RNY, VSG, DS, Band, etc.

One thing all the successful veterans on here appear to have in common is that they all have had regain, downfalls, etc, but also that they overcame it by realistic, modest changes and self-accountability. Not one of them is under the impression that the surgery does all the work, but most realize that the hard work is after the surgery. 

So I thank all of you for your posts helping me to understand that regain is possible if I become too comfortable and do no****ch myself. If only everyone came to forums like this they would save themselves a lot of headaches and a LOT of surprises! Hey, this is NO magic pill!!

To lose weight I have to step out of my comfort zone and count calories.  I have to weigh everyday and I have to keep my calories at 900 to lose one pound a week.

You are eating in the vicinity of 2500-3000 calories a day to stay at 252-256.  Ten calories per pound to maintain plus calories you burn through exercise.  Your body is going to adjust, but to maintaining on fewer calories.  As time goes on I have to eat less calories to just maintain.

If you cut to 2000 calories a day you will see the scale go down one pound a week.  Not much but keep it up and it will be 52 pounds in a year. 

Sorry. Not to be disrespectful or argumentative but I do not think that is true. I'm not going to pretend I know everything but I could not eat that many calories even if I wanted to with my new stomach! VSG changes your caloric intake and metabolism, where at one time I could lose weight very fast on 1800 calories a day, now I can gain weight on even 1400 calories per day! I have MFP and I do input my calories. And while like most I probably under input my calories (like my golf score) as well as over input my exercise, I think I can truly say I do not eat over 1800 calories a day.

In my first 10 months I lost a lot of weight even when I ate more that 1000 calories a day, after a year it slowed down, and now after 2 years it has basically stopped. Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic where I am-not content or comfortable, but encouraged-but for the most part I doubt that most VSG'ers are able to eat 2500-3000 calories a day!? If they can or do then they are in BIG trouble!

I still can only consume a small salad or 1/2 sandwich wrap. For the most part I am pretty honest with myself and others with my caloric intake and yes I do go off program and cheat from time to time, and no I am not drinking calories, but for the most part I've adopted a healthy lifestyle.

My weekday for the most part go like this:.

Gym 4 x week: 20 minutes cardio, 30 mins weight resistance.  Breakfast: Boiled Egg, 1 slice turkey sausage, bacon, or  small cheese/veggie Omelet or 6 oz Oatmeal with peanut butter or nuts. Coffee w/ heavy cream and Truvia. Lunch: Grilled Chicken, Tuna, Chef salad or 1/2 chicken salad or turkey sandwich, or low carb leftovers. Snack: 1/2 apple slices, Green tea w/ cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice. Dinner: Chicken though, breast, Broccoli, Mushrooms, veggies. I do tend to drink sugar-free iced coffee a few times a week. And my one bad high carb habit are pretzels. And ususally I do not eat after 7pm.

Usually for snacks I do eat nuts in between which I know are highly caloric but also moderate in carbs and good fat-but I do count them in-a handful or an ounce is about 160-200 calories.  On weekends I may go out to eat once a month-sometimes twice but for the most part I only eat 1/3 of what I order and save the rest for two/three other meals. I don't drink alcohol much, and never sweetened drinks or juice, unless sugar-free. So, while I may not be in the 800-1200 caloric range, which when I try I get weak, jittery because of hypoglycemia I certainly do not go over 1800 calories a day-usually 1200-1600 I would think. Admittedly I concentrate more on less sugar and less carbs than I do on fat and high calories. As I said I do cheat once in awhile but not usually on high carb or sugar laden foods as it puts me into a weakened low sugar episode!

 I'm not complaining, just being realistic. The Surgery did it's job, now I am accountable to do mine. Yes, it is harder, my caloric curve is lower but I know that. Your formula regarding me staying at 252-256 while before surgery may be correct, but after surgery I do think it is incorrect.  If I go up to 2000 calories a day, I will gain one pound a week. Maybe, I still am under estimating my caloric intake, but I do not think I am eating over 1800 calories a day, and with hypoglycemia I have to be very careful, and aware of high carbs, sugars and processed foods which I just learned about. Regardless, I AM ACCOUNTABLE I think but if anyone sees an area I need too improve on, or perhaps do less of I am more than willing to listen and apply-that's why I come here! Maybe cut the nuts? : )

"Maybe cut the nuts" OUCH (couldn't resist)

Yep, was thinking the SAME thing!!

Depends what nuts yo are eating...But I ate a lot of nuts and lost my last 10 lbs of fat. 

I cut dairy, alcohol, grains..starches (beans, starchy veggies) and most fruits. (I allowed myself 2 servings or berries once a week )

Nuts I ate were limited qty brazil nuts, almonds, macadamia, and some (not that many - peanuts) 

Splenda - cause cravings.. Truvvia - has dextrose =sugar. Sugar alcohols - made my Bs rise and caused issues... SF coffee - I made my own using liquid organic stevia and unsweetened almond or coconut milk.. 

I used coconut oil and butter on my veggies... I used real food - no protein shakes or protein bars... I eat late...like before bed late.. so then I don't eat until around 10am  or lunch time.. That works for me..

but I also had "free for all " meal or a day once every couple of weeks or once a month...

Great post, thank you for sharing.  Try to switch things up. I find i have a tendency to do the same exercise/moving and eat the same things a lot.  Also, weigh and log everything you breath.  Well, I mean eat   But I swear breathing cake has calories!  For me, I have to cut my carbs to almost nothing and increase my protein!

You got this and keep posting here, we got your back

What a great post. I think I'm not too far from where you are surgery wise & I did realize somewhere along the way I had to change things up, not just calorie wise but what I ate too., & my workout routine. I had to re adjust the ratio's protein, carbs, calories etc. 

The body becomes incredibly efficient at working with less. Calorie wise I should've been able to have 1500 calories & still lose, but I know for me that is not the case & would often gain if I stayed at those numbers for too long. 

Yes it takes work & a little self discovery to find what works & doesn't work for you. It's a lot of trial & error, & sometimes you gotta take a step back & re evaluate. Change what you need to change, stay with what works.

No magic pill here either, like you said, it's all on me now.

I think if you really wanted to lose and maintain - you would do it.. You will do it when it become important enough for you.

One day - I realized that I really wanted to lose the last 10 lbs regain.. did I have to? no ..  I was at that time a normal weight, normal size..normal body fat%..then I realized that i was just making excuses... I was TRYING ... instead of DOING IT..

just like you: "I try to eat low carb, watch my portions, stay active and exercise. Am I consistent? No, no enough, I tend to go off every now and then."

So I just took personal responsibility.. found what worked for me and just followed the plan... It worked. 

I know it gets frustrating when you can't lose anymore weight. My suggestion is first eat like you normally do but write down every single thing you put in your mouth even if it is just one pretzel.  Figure out how many calories you need to consume to maintain your weight. Once you do that reduce your calorie intake. Unless you have a medical issue, if you eat less calories that you need to stay at your current weight then you will lose weight. It I'd not possible to eat less calories than you need and not lose weight. Obviously you need to burn more calories and eat less calories to lose weight.

My advice is to journal everything you put in your mouth, try changing your workout. Do more cardio,  try cutting your carbs down to almost none and increase your protein.  Do you drink enough water?. Once you know how many calories you need to decrease your intake to lose weight, make a menu ahead of time, prepare your food for the day and follow it.  For me, it was easier to lose when I could open the fridge and  grab my lunch and eat it. If pretzels are your weakness, don't buy them

Good luck to you. I'm sure you will get there.