I'm 43 and at the starting point...where you were 9 months ago! How has your journey been? It's great to see success!

I'm still in weight loss phase. I'm only 9 months post-op, so I'm expecting to continue to lose "easily" for the first 12-15 months. I won't go into maintenance until I'm at goal, which for me is 105. I'd like to hold steady at 105 until 18 months post-op. Then when rebound/regain happens I can try to maintain it easier.

Basically, I had to increase my calories between months 3 and 4 because I was just too weak and way more active than my calories could keep up with. My surgeon's team expected me to consume 1000 cals a day from week 4 post-op. I couldn't manage that much, and since I'm smaller than the average WL patient they gave me some leeway. I stayed at 700-800 cals until I started feeling crappy. That happened to be when the effects of surgery were finally wearing off and I was back to my normal routine:

I don't work out in the traditional sense because I simply don't have the time. Literally. I'm up at 5:30am every day and on the go until about 10pm every night. I babysit my 15 month old grandson while my daughter is in school from 7a-4p and the days she works I have him from 7a-10p. I get the three older grandsons up at 5:45, make them breakfast, get them dressed, make them lunches, get snacks and water bottles filled and get them out the door by 6:20a. Then I sit and have coffee until the baby wakes up around 7a. He naps around 11a and that's when I do kitchen stuff. Plan dinner for everyone, clean up anything from the night before, etc. He takes his next nap around 2p and the older boys get home around 2:40p. I get their homework settled, sign paperwork and if necessary take them to appointments they might have. After school stuff is taken care of, I get laundry and housework done for as long as the little one sleeps. Since both of my daughters are in school and/or working 7 days a week, I don't get days off. And I certainly don't get time to myself for exercise. LOL By 4p I'm cooking or planning the evening meal for 4 picky boys and trying to maintain the little bit of housework I managed to get done!!  Hubby gets home and helps out with the baby around 6:30p and they all have dinner and I feed the little one unless his mama is home. He usually wants me to do it even when she's home though. 

I pretty much do everything for 8 people, every day. (My hubby does some of his own laundry occasionally, it helps)

I went back and read this and saw that if I really wanted to, I could work out at 6:30 in the morning. I won't -- but I probably could, LMAO.

Anyway, the dietician at my office heard about my daily life and convinced me that I need at least 1000 cals, some days more. So even though I don't work out in the traditional sense, I am plenty active. Oh and PS, you should see the muscles on my arms from lugging around a 30 lb toddler for 15 hours a day. Hahah.

As for what I eat. Hmm, I mostly eat meat, eggs, dairy and the occasional carb. I don't really eat veggies or fruit on a daily basis. And I still eat mostly soft foods, meaning I don't eat much raw fresh stuff. I will have 5 or 6 sweet potato fries with a bunless burgers. If I make spaghetti for dinner and I get a few noodles on my plate, I don't pick them back out. I try to eat just the meat sauce but won't freak out if I eat a few noodles. I'll have a tablespoon of mashed potatoes with meatloaf if I made them, but if I make mac n cheese, I leave it off my plate, I'm not a person who can be happy with a completely strict diet. I don't believe in deprivation, it just doesn't work for me.

As for your big loss, I think that changing things up will trick your body into releasing extra fat sometimes. When you stay very strict for a very long time your body holds onto all of it's resources. By adding some extra fuel, it was able to get rid of some unnecessary fat. At least that's what I tell myself when it happens for me ;)

I think I've given you more info than you wanted, so I'll stop here. If you have any questions or just need some advice or a shoulder to cry on, we're all here. We've all been there.

We have four of our grandsons living with us, so there is always a party snack battle, LOL. I resist mostly, but I do occasionally pop a few goldfish when I'm cooking. Ugh, no self control.

Menu is not fully planned, but going well, so far.

Coffee: Starbucks grande latte

Breakfast: Protein waffle

Snack: Handful of pecans

Lunch: Deli meat and cheese rolls

Snack: Premier Protein, chocolate

Dinner: Sous Vide pork tenderloin

I'll get it all into myfitnesspal later to check my totals, but I feel confident this get me to 100g protein. If not, I'll have a yogurt before bed.

I DO NOT do any type of aerobic exercise, and I have no intention of starting now. LOL  I don't enjoy it, it's not fun. I do like the Leslie Sansone walking DVDs, but I have no intention of maintaining any sort of structured aerobic exercise plan.

I have trained with weights since I was a teenager. It is something I love to do. I gave it up several years ago but now that I'm feeling healthy I'd like to start back again. I know it's an ongoing commitment, but it's something I love to do, so I'm sure I'll be able to maintain any gains. 

WARNING TO SELF AND TO ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN!!! AVOID 'BAD' CARBS AT ALL COSTS!!! THEY ARE ADDICTING!! THEY WILL SLOW DOWN YOUR WEIGHT LOSS DURING THE LOSING STAGE (and you won't even notice)!! THEY WILL MAKE THE SCALE GO UP AFTER THE HONEYMOON PERIOD IS OVER.

Success in Maintenance starts with GOOD CHOICES during the Honeymoon Period.

I feel I need to repeat this: I am a FIRM believer in Good Whey Protein Drinks!!!!!  It is sooooo much harder to do Maintenance without them!  

Good Morning LW's!!!  It's a Beautiful Saturday here in Western PA. One of my Grandson's turned 5 yesterday and today's his party.  Super excited to have all of our girls and grandkids together today.  I'm going to be fighting the party snack battle this afternoon.

Breakfast:  DH had McDonalds but I just drank my shake

Protein:    Matrix Mint Cookie 35g

Lunch:     1 Roasted Chicken Leg

Party:      Piece of Pizza with meat toppings, 3 chips, 1 Hershey kiss, small piece of cake and a little ice cream    

                I'm actually happy with this.  It could have been sooooo much worse!

Protein:    Matrix Mint Cookie 35g

Dinner:     Grilled Ham and Cheese