What happenes when you reach goal?

[Lori1964]

I have so many questions I hope you don't mind me asking, but when you reach goal after having either bypass or band surgery how do you then maintain your weight and how easy is it?

Many thanks
Lorna

 

[Gail-michelle]

I think we just eat a higher calorie food to maintain, but not sure. Probably when you have reached goal you may just stablise, meaning your rate of weight loss slows down dramaticly perhaps.

 

[Laura.]

Good question and I will be interested to see any replies, it's something I have been wondering for a while but didn't have the sense to ask!

 

[wildthing]

Yep I'd be interested to know too. I'm guessing with the band you have it de-filled a little so you can eat enough calories to just maintain your weight although i may be wrong, maybe some of the more experienced banders/bypassers will be along soon...

 

[Caroline101061]

I have been told that the body naturally plateaus at the weight it wants to be and if you want to lose more, then you need to exercise and diet like crazy. My hospital has over 400 patients and none of them are underweight LOL! Its a question of maintenance once you hit target - still being careful about what you eat as you can regain weight, still exercising etc.

 

[phatgirl]

It all depends on 'when' you reach your goal as to 'how' you maintain. Your time of greatest/quickest weight loss post-bypass is in the first year, particularly in the first 6 months. Fat-girl-slim reached her goal in the first 7 months while she was still in very active weight loss. Therefore she has to work harder by upping her calories in order to maintain her current weight and not keep losing. The chances are less that this will happen but it can. As for me, I just reached my original 'healthy' BMI target and I am just weeks from my year being up. My weight loss is very small right now (less than a pound a week). If I was happy to stay at this weight I could maintain it with very little effort at all. However I would like to see another stone off so I am still working to lose. This is a personal choice and you can lose weight for up to two years post-op so I want to continue downward, not everyone will want to keep going down. The process for maintaining is simple, just increase your daily calories in small amounts until you reach a couple of weeks without loss, then you know what your magic calorie number is. Keep in mind however that this may change again once you are over 2 years out and you may have to reduce those calories in order to maintain your weight because your body will adapt over time.

Nic

 

[gillabean]

Nic, being nearly a year out, do you still not feel hunger?

 

[Lori1964]

Thanks for the replies everyone it is starting to make sense to me.

Nic can I ask how many calories you try to stick to at the moment and do you think even with the surgery it would be easy to start gaining weight again?

Many thanks
Lorna

 

[phatgirl]

I do feel hungry now but not like I used to and I am satisfied very quickly. I wouldn't say that I am hungry 3 times per day but definately every day now unlike months ago when I wouldn't feel hungry for several days (I still ate though).

I don't really calorie count, I run my food through an online food calculator occasionally and I average between 800-900 cals daily but I don't weigh and measure my food so it could be off by 100+ calories. It isn't really needed to be a focus but more a place to check if your weight loss slows and you might notice that your calorie intake has risen.

Unfortunately I do think it is easy to gain back weight after bypass. I don't think it is easy to do it in the first year but after that if you haven't really completely changed your lifestyle you will see regain. I don't want to scare anyone but I have to honest with all of you, it is a big fear of mine that I will not be able to maintain my healthy lifestyle since I have never in the past been able to make permanent changes.

I am 'using' that fear to motivate myself to stray true to my lifestyle changes and not backslide. Fear can be a very powerful tool if used wisely.

Nic

 

[Lori1964]

Hi Phatgirl,

Firstly I just want to say thank you for your honesty in your reply. That is what I like about everyone on this forum not only are you all so helpful but you say it as it is.

It seems that you really have the right frame of mind not just to complete your weightloss journey but to maintain the "new you" once you are there. I hope when it comes time for my journey that I can have the same mind set as yourself and so many of the others on here.

Lorna x

 

[IRJ]

If and when i achieve my goal weight i will be a very happy and healthy person.

 

[thinkbethin]

Its something I don't think about as I can't ever imagine getting to goal lolxx