Post-ops: What has helped you most to maintain your weight loss?

So you can have..Meat chicken,fish,eggs,pork, any meats you like just not fried or breadings, I use real mayo and mustard. I apologize Im not good at explaining, lots of groups on FB for low carb foods , you got this you can do it, gets easier with time if you stick to it.

Kelly M,

Thank you very much, you've been helpful..it looks like you eat a lot of protein, which is easy for me. I'll look to join a couple of the Low Carb groups to get recipe ideas. Have a good week!

Hi TJ,

Are you able to get in on a Zoom Call with your Bariatric office when they host support groups? I know ours are not in person, yet so the last few months it's been nice to still get some support, even if it's not in person. Support groups are what hold me accountable

Hi Dee,

I have no idea how to Zoom. I have not thought of that at all. I will check into it!

Its really easy. I have the app on my phone and if you have the link to he meeting which is provided my the organizer you copy and paste and join!

our support groups where i live are put on hold but i will be glad when they start up again, miss them

I regained 20 pounds last year due to life stresses but lost it all via WW. I went to the weekly meetings pre-Covid, then Zoom meetings since then. During the loss period and now back in maintenance I track my food, weigh and post on OH every day.

One habit to start is weighing and measuring what you eat. I love pasta but even after 17 years post-op I still weigh pasta. Learn serving sizes. Read labels. Back to basics is really the only way to jump start this.

Not sure what type of surgery you had but if you're looking to limit carbs, understand the difference between simple carbs (white sugar - flour) and complex carbs (natural fruits and veggies). Eat fiber. Simple carbs turn into sugar and we absorb 100% of the sugar - no matter what type of surgery. I've learned that if I notice my weight creeping up a bit, it's usually because of too many carbs.

Another trick I still use is plate size and utensils. I never eat from a dinner-sized plate (I put too much food on the plate). I never use the big fork - I only use the salad fork to eat.

Drink plenty of water!

I've had good luck with making small simple changes and then ramping up from there. I switched from putting sugar in my morning coffee to a sweetener. I quit drinking regular sodas. I know you aren't really supposed to drink those anyway, so I limit them to maybe once a day and drink water the rest of the time. I had DS and it's an effective tool, but as you get further out post-op and start getting older it stops working without effort. So I guess that's been my best help is that I'm actually starting to make some of the changes that I didn't in the past. I can't cheat as much and still be okay. Another thing to keep in mind is that with the digestion and everything else associated with eating like crap, it's a whole new and better world to eat better. You feel better and you aren't bogged down with side effects of overdoing it.

Staying positive and and not listening to the negativity. Taking 1 Day at a time. Food for me is survival not a go to. This surgery brings Joy and happiness from a life that we've all missed.
4 years Post -Op still maintaining.
You have to change your brain to the new you. The surgery altered our stomach's not our brain it's up to us to change for a better life.