Maintaining or gaining?

I had maintained at 180lbs for a year when I pinched a nerve in my neck that went into my arm and I got down to 173lbs. I have gotten better these last four months and gained the pounds backhand today was at 181lbs where my doctor wants me at. I guess my worry is that I am gaining now so I will try and be careful about intake. Just talking out loud ....kinda helps to say it sometimes!
Jeff

I'll tell you Jeff, maintenance is a *****  For some reason I thought it would be easy.  In the past, the fews times I was able to maintain a normal weight for any length of time I don't recall even thinking about it.  I just ate the way I ate, healthy of course, hit a good weight and stayed there without really thinking about what I was doing.  I guess I just ate the amount of calories I needed to maintain my goal weight so once I got there it stopped.
Now I have been eating pretty much the same for the last 3 months but I have suddenly put on a few pounds.  I could use the weight since I got too low but like you, I have that fear.  Round and round she goes, where she stops no one knows.
I just want to find a healthy weight and stay there.

It does help.  That is why this site is so important to me.  It always provides an additional reality check for me to read about others who are experiencing what I am.

Welcome back Jeff.  Glad you are better.

I can say that maintenance is much harder than dropping the weight.  One of my reasons for staying connected here is the accountability.  Liz does the Sunday weigh in that allows you to look at what you were last week and where you are currently.  It can be a real eye opener and catches things quickly before they get too out of hand.

I also like to post on Roz's Menus and Miles for the accountability.  Although sometimes I fail to go back and update it at night!!

Good luck.

Linda

That's how I ended up gaining. Had a surgery. Lost my appetite entirely. Man, those percocets are great diet aids! Too bad they're seriously addictive and cause brain fog. haha

Weight dropped further from where I was maintaining. I was thrilled. I recovered and it bounced back up... and then just kept going.

Am now gaining and losing the same 4 pounds over and over and wishing I could get back down 10 pounds to where I was. I guess 10 beats 20.

Hi Jeff!   I'm glad you are starting to feel better. Pinched nerve....OUCH!!!

Maintaining is a constant awareness of what you eat and sometimes scratching your head trying to figure out why the scale went up that pound and counting on it being down again tomorrow.  Before WLS I never bounced back and forth but now I could be anywhere within a 3 pound range on any given day.  I've given up trying to figure it out and I have just come to accept it. I try to make the best choices I can and constantly grateful that my tool still lets me know when I'm starting to over do it.

Thanks for the update Jeff...Keep us posted!