Why do you say it is harder further out?

For those who don't think the sleeve can stretch...... um..... your dead wrong..... it's human tissue, not steel and even steel stretches.....

A properly made 32f sleeve that starts out at around a 2oz. capacity normally matures to about a 4oz capacity.

A sleeve that is made 10 numbers larger with a bougie in the 42f size "can" end up exponentially larger by 4X if abused. The larger the sleeve, the more stretchy tissue is retained.

You don't have to believe me....... but just ask yourself "why" eventual capacity with the VSG can range from 2-3oz. to near 16oz.

Who do you think is going to have a harder time maintaining their weight....... someone who can eat 4oz. or someone who can eat 8oz. ?????

The combination of getting lax on compliance and having a larger capacity is not a good recipe.

frisco

I said it CAN stretch, but that stretching occurs with persistent over-eating. Is that not true? I'm not being snarky, I'm legitimately asking. Can the sleeve stretch out if we don't do anything to CAUSE it to stretch? I'm a little terrified if it can. 

I wasn't aiming at you directly...... lot's of people get told that the part of the stomach that the sleeve is made of "can't" stretch.... which is 100% BS

The only real way to stretch a sleeve is to put internal pressure in it from over eating.

Think elastic on underwear....... how nice and taught it is when new......and generally speaking.....as we got fatter and fatter..... that elastic gets stretched out. And if it wasn't stretched out it would keep it's shape and elasticity.

I don't know if that was a good analogy...... but, you get the point.

That's why eating till your full is a very bad approach. Eating under your capacity is the key to preserving restriction for the long haul.

"We" are used to satiety coming from a bloated pressurized stomach...... the higher level approach is learning to recognize satiety after food leaves your stomach/sleeve, but that's a whole other story.

frisco

I'm almost 20 months out and have been at goal since Sept.  Of course I can it more, but that doesn't mean I should.  Have been trying to get an answer to this question, but only can find what is normal for people that have not had surgery.  How long does it take for the sleeve to empty eating protein and veggies 6-8 oz.?  Thought you might know.  Would be glad to hear from anyone.  It feels like 3 hours, but I don't know if it is partially empty and if I am really hungry, or there is just room.  I have been working on cutting back the amount I am eating at meals and adding snacks in an effort to keep the best restriction.  To the OP it was effortless until about 2 months ago.  Take advantage of this period and as frisco says under eat your capacity. 

Capacity at 8 months is for sure more than at two... but, still a ton of restriction and more than enough to get the job done.  I have a very large sleeve on a tall frame, and there is no way in hell I can eat 16 ounces.  A meal for me this far out is 4 ounces of protein (less if beef) with a little cooked veggies and salad on the side... and that is if I am really hungry.  I eat until I am 'full" too often, so if the sleeve was going to stretch I would have done that by now.  Persistently overeating carbs, however, can make one feel like the restriction is minimal.  If I have a bad couple days in a row (and I have) then it is shocking how much I can eat.  When this happens, I go back to a couple shakes a day, protein first, and only veggies and fruit for carb- in a couple days restriction is back at full force.  You can absolutely lose weight after 6 months... I had to in order to make goal and it wasn't any harder than prior to the 6 months.  Now, complacency is the demon... by 6 months many will simply loosen up a bit and inadvertently put themselves in maintenance.  Work the plan and you get to goal.  There are many on here that have lost a crazy amount and lost well past the 6 months mark to do it.  With that said though, motivation tends to be highest in the first 6 months so take full advantage of that. 

Here are some basic reasons why it's harder for me to maintain now at almost five years out.

1) Yes, my capacity is greater than it was early out.  I can eat about twice what I could during my losing stage. 

2) I get hungry more often, my ghrelin production has clearly been picked up by my pancrease and other organs.

3) I know all the tricks about how to eat around my sleeve.  Anyone that thinks it is easy to just use will power all the time to stay away from these tricks is really kidding themselves.  It is easier early out because your ghrelin (your hunger) is reduced.  Once your hunger is about the same as before surgery, it is just as hard to maintain as it was before VSG.  The only real difference is that your capacity is different and hopefully you have used your time to learn about your eating habits.

4) You can now eat everything you could eat before surgery only in smaller portions.  Of course you can still drink all of your calories and you can eat every hour if you want to do it.  (or if you don't want to do it, but can't control the urge every time). 

The bottom line: in the end, the surgery is a great reset button.  You can eat less but none of your emotional eating issues are adressed by the surgery. Once your huger comes back (and for most of us it does) and your capacity increases, you are back to needing to deal with your emotional eating only now the amount of calories you need to gain is reduced.  (Because you are smaller). 

It is possible to lose again and to maintain, but for the majority of us it is and will always be a struggle to some degree.  If you set yourself right from the start, you have a better shot at doing this long term.  What I need to maintain: 1) small sleeve that even when healed is only about 4-6 ounces, 2) exercise, 3) enough sleep, 4) education about my carb intake, 5) weight range goal, 6) plenty of fuids, 7) more veggies than early on.  These things help, but if you didn't take the time to change your relationship with food when it was easy during weight loss, you are toast. 

You can disagree....this is all just my own experience/research talking but..... take what you need and leave the rest.

This is the best question I have ever asked.  I feel much more empowered to work my sleeve.  All of your responses were great and I appreciate them all!  Cheers to reaching and maintaining our goals.