Newbie and some questions

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Makes sense.

Much appreciated!

G4

My thinking is that the sleeve is the tool that will help me get to a weight that I can manage but that I will have to work at.

Most people of normal weight do not eat the sort of foods and the quantity that I did, and probably ate them on occasion rather than regularly.

I have decided the price of being at a lower weight is vigilance and that I need to act when the scales go up a kg, not 5, 10 for 15kg

The sleeve has given me the hope that I can get back to a more normal weight, even if that is considered 'overweight'

I suspect that we may start to let our guard down after about a year and can eat a bit more and so if we eat fattening foods the weight will go back on.

I know the carvings may come back but because I have managed to lose a significant amount of weight and have gone through major surgery to do so, I am taking Ellio's view that the feeling being slimmer is better than any food can taste' or something similar.

Glendor, the sleeve is not a magic bullet, it is a tool and yes you will have to change your habits, not be on a diet, but change your eating habits to retain the benefits you get from that tool.

DayleD wrote:

You know I was talking about this with some friends on the weekend, I was having a whinge about having to watch my weight for the rest of my life.  And they all corrected me, saying that it does take maintenance, and eating healthy and exercising, for everybody, and why didn't I think that they all did that day to day - did I just think it was me.  I guess it surprised me.  From my perspective it still seems it's always going to be SO hard to maintain, but from others it's just something they do week to week in their life.  I've always given in to eat whatever and whenever I want, and I guess habits of decades are hard to break.  My hope is  that I'll get into 'normal' thinking, where I'll get the maintenance brain and it's just part of life.  It's never been just part of life before, it's always been all or nothing (over eating or dieting).  Such a large part of this surgery is the mental changes, it's massive.

Wow!
What a great conversation!
That is where most of us have gone wrong, thinking healthy eating is only until we get the weight off.
But it really is a 'for life change'.

I actually agree with that.  You do have to 'diet and exercise for the rest of your life'.  However I believe that it's easier to do this when you are at or near your goal weight.  You have much more motivation to get there and keep there.

You know I was talking about this with some friends on the weekend, I was having a whinge about having to watch my weight for the rest of my life.  And they all corrected me, saying that it does take maintenance, and eating healthy and exercising, for everybody, and why didn't I think that they all did that day to day - did I just think it was me.  I guess it surprised me.  From my perspective it still seems it's always going to be SO hard to maintain, but from others it's just something they do week to week in their life.  I've always given in to eat whatever and whenever I want, and I guess habits of decades are hard to break.  My hope is  that I'll get into 'normal' thinking, where I'll get the maintenance brain and it's just part of life.  It's never been just part of life before, it's always been all or nothing (over eating or dieting).  Such a large part of this surgery is the mental changes, it's massive.

At my 6 month check up my dietician warned me that the people who do put back on weight post sleeve tend to do so after the first year.  I'm not sure why...but this seemed to her to be the period where she saw weight gain.  My bariatrician on the other hand, at the 6 month check up, ensured that I knew that a lot of people she saw put on weight too...through surprise pregnancies now they were much more fertile, LOL.

I don't want to be negative at all.  This is the best thing I have done for myself.  However I know, for myself, it will take dedication to keep the weight off and consistently engage in healthy eating.  But I also know that it will be maintenance that I'll be doing to keep at a health weight, and that makes all the different for my mind frame.

Hope I haven't rambled on too much...just wanted to give my opinion and how I think of things.

Cheers, DayleD

I have a friend who is almost seven years post sleeve, she still has restriction but has regained about 30% of her original weight loss. She can still and does eat unhealthy high calorie foods....the sleeve doesn't stop bad choices...that's up to you. Having said that, her restriction doesn't make her miserable at all, it's just her new normal.

Hi All
  very pleased to be here and thanks in advance :-)

  I am seeing my surgeon on Thursday to make my decision - yes or no. I have been reading as much as I can and I get a contradiction...

Every book says "Its not a magic bullet, you will have to diet and exercise for the rest of your life".

But if I was able to do that I would not be lining up for the sleeve!

So I don;t understand. Can someone explain?

Also, I read that it is after a year or more likely after 2 or more that people start to get frustrated because the old cravings come back and they cannot be satisfied. I have a friend who is a psychologist and he says he sees some people who aver very miserable a few years on. Any comments? I expect these are a minority? I hope...!

All info welcome. Thanks!!

G4