The KEY to LONG TERM success?

My surgery is next week, and like most of you and I have read and researched just about anything I can get my hands on about the RNY procedure.  As I am sitting here today, I would like to hear from YOU.  For those of you that have had long term success in maintaining your weight loss, what do you think is the most important factor (or factors) in accomplishing that?  I have several things that come to mind, but I really would like to know in your own experience what you think they key is for you.  What is your daily protein/water intake?  How many meals a day do you eat? Do you have an exercise routine?

If you don't mind when you answer, please include how many years you are post-op and how much weight loss you have maintained if it's not readily available in your signature.  Thanks!

I'm about five and a half years out.  I initially lost about 150 lbs and was below my goal weight.  I regained about 20 lbs and now I'm right around my goal.  I'd say things that help me maintain my weight loss are measuring my portions, keeping junk food out of the house, and participating in a support group on a regular basis.

Thank you for sharing your keys to success!  

My Long Term Success Strategy:

I did not come blindly to my decision to have WLS. I looked into it for many years, and very seriously for a year prior to having RNY. 

I am very independent. I do not wait for others to hold my hand. I get all the resources I feel I will need when making a major decision. I make my choices with solid understanding under my belt. I develop a mental plan of direction and write down my course of action. 

 I prepare myself for the challenge ahead knowing I may run into some roadblocks along the way. I create a way out to overcome whatever obstacles I may encounter. If I find I need more resources, or I need to gain more knowledge, I actively seek it. 

 I do not make excuses. I know what I want and where I am going. I do not cry over a mis-step. I do not get others to join me in a pity party.

 I remain positive, purposeful and upbeat. I hold myself to a higher standard. I do not care about what everyone else is doing. I have come to know myself and have addressed those secret places in my life we all tend to avoid. 

 I have always had a clear goal and plan and I have never swayed from it. I am very strict and strong-willed. My personality, tolerance, life experience and stamina are all part of the equation. 

 I know myself and my limitations. When I began this journey, I felt I was fully prepared mentally for any challenge I would come across. I put in a lot of time doing research, and I continue to educate myself as time goes on. 

*If interested, please see my profile page regarding my journey.

Thanks for sharing!  From reading your post I think we have the same type of personality.  I look forward to reading more about your journey :) 

I failed my first WLS miserably, regaining 100 lbs.  I did not look into having a revision because of the weight gain because frankly I felt like such a loser even WLS wouldn't help me.  I was a die hard food addict, sugar and refined carbs are my drug of choice.  I had a revision due to side effects from malabsorption.  My  revision was actually to reduce my malabsorption.  I had a sleeve that was too large and my surgeon wanted to revise that into a RNY pouch and I agreed only because I figured that I had regained 100 lbs with malabsorption, I knew I could do real damage without it.  My surgeon even told me that I probably wouldn't lose any weight.  I really didn't care, I just wanted to feel better.  I had the pouch done so I wouldn't gain any more weight.

That said, when I was faced with the revision I realized I had a second chance and I used it to really look into why I failed and the reason basically was that I never dealt with my food addiction, I never really changed my eating habits.  I know they told me it was a tool but I really thought it would cure my eating issues and I would never have to diet or change what I ate, that I would naturally be able to eat less and the malabsorption would take care of the food choices.  I am here to tell you it didn't work that way.

On the day of my revision, July 23, 2010, it was my first day of not intentionally eating sugar or gluten.  I haven't eaten it since.  I am much, much more grateful for that then I am the weight loss.  After I detoxed, which was timed perfectly with me recovering from major surgery I haven't missed it at all.

So, avoiding those things which I cannot eat in moderation, was number one.  The second is planning ahead.  I cannot just wing it when it comes to eating.  I can't just decide "today I feel like a hamburger" or whatever.  I need to plan what I am eating because eating what I felt like, when I felt like it and in the amounts I felt like did not work too well for me.  I need structure and discipline when it comes to food or I will just make bad choices.

I am not obsessed with it, I just have pretty much the same things for breakfast, lunch and dinner, mainly protein and a side dish of fruits, vegetables or something else.  The items themselves change to what sounds good but the types are the same.  I keep prepared by making sure I have those foods available if I am working or going somewhere.  Fortunately, the surgery has helped me a great deal in that regard as I rarely get hungry so I don't freak out if I am late getting home or going to eat.  I am able to wait and I don't have hunger coloring my judgement.   I am also lucky in that I get satisfied pretty easily with smaller amounts of food so that also makes it easier to stick with a healthier way of eating.

The other things that I feel have helped is always aiming for 100 grams of protein and 100 oz of fluids a day.  Before I eat anything I drink at least 16 to 32 oz of fluids.  I start my meal with protein, which satisfies me so I can have a small amount of other things.  I don't have to finish my meals.  In fact, I can't, so I wind up having a bite or two of what I want and I am satisfied with it.  My goal is being satisfied with my food, not stuffed.  Overeating can be very uncomfortable so I am careful to monitor my amounts.   I don't eat impulsively.  If there is something that looks good to me instead of just popping it into my mouth I work it into a meal, or something after my meal. 

And the other big thing is I never drink before 30 minutes after a meal.  That helps me stay full and also helps me think about what I put in my mouth.  If I am thirsty and I know that I have to wait thirty minutes before I can take a drink I will often pass on something, at least until I have had enough fluids.  That helps me to stay aware of what I put in my mouth.

I am nearly 4 years post op and I have maintained a normal weight for about 3 years now.  I initially got too low and instead of going on a feeding frenzy to gain some back I decided to add in more protein and to eat healthy, knowing full well that bounce back can happen.  I have seen many people think they lost too much in the first  year or so, so they use that as an excuse to go crazy and then regret it when they bounce back even more.  I have bounced back about 10 lbs total from my lowest weight in the last few years and I still wouldn't mind a few more but I am careful to monitor my weight so that if I go about my personal comfort level I can take it off.  It is easier to lose 5 lbs then it is to lose 20.  So far, thankfully, I haven't had to lose any regain but I am prepared for that in case it happens.

Good luck to you.  I can tell you are serious about this and you are prepared to learn what you can to make your surgery as successful as possible.

I am so pleased to have read your post. I had VSG 2 1/2 years ago. I was 490. I got down to 335. Once I hit my plateau I sarted gaining.  After I stopped losing I stopped tracking. I was so vigilant for the fist year and then it all went out the window.  I ate candy and more candy and fast food. I was just revised to the RNY 04/28 and I am terrified that I will have similar issues in a year but I hope I have dumping ( I don't intend to test it but hope it's there if I slip). You are one of the few that went VSG to RNY instead.  I just don't want to make the same mistakes.

Thank you also for sharing!  You have reminded me especially about planning.  I know I need to plan better in order to be successful!

You know what they say.  Fail to plan, plan to fail, lol.  I am not anal about it, I just have a basic eating style that I follow and I make sure I am prepared for any situation such as a party or potluck.  Sometimes if I go out to eat someplace new I check out the menu online and plan my meal that way.  Otherwise I check out what I have in the house to eat and figure things out from there.  I really do keep it simple.

I will be 7 years out in August and have maintained all of my 190 pound loss (with temporary fluctuations of up to 5 pounds). I did, however, gain 8 pounds with a total knee replacement this winter and am still working to get that off.

For me, the keys have been:

1) truly embracing this as a change in how I eat rather than treating it as a diet with counting/tracking lots of things

2) always being mindful of what I am eating (if I have a snack or a treat -- which is almost every day -- or if I splurge on something with extra calories/carbs/fat, it is a conscious choice -- made after considering the cost in terms of calories vs the return in terms of enjoyment -- not a mindless consumption)

3) knowing which foods I cannot have in the house (I can control my consumption of pretzels, Hershey dark chocolate kisses, and even ice cream if I have it in the house, but I cannot be trusted with cookies or mini doughnuts)

4) weighing myself weekly; for me, this is often enough to keep an eye on any fluctuations, but not frequently enough to cause me to place too much emphasis on my weight (if there is a sudden jump, I do weigh again in a few days to be sure it is just fluid retention)

Lora