http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...d=1#post688219

especially meg's post from today.

the choice we made - to have the surgery - in no way excuses us from the lifelong work of maintaining our weight loss. it ALLOWS us to be able to do that. As Dawnajoy so eloquently put it several months ago, WLS levels the playing field for us so that the techniques that work for everyone else finally work for us.

Thanks for pointing us to that thread, Jif. I've only recently discovered maintainers, never quite felt I belonged there before, but as I struggle to maintain my weight loss, I thought it was the logical place to look. Another new find, for me, is the LWL section, and I am loving that.

With the surgery that I had, the duodenal switch, there is a large amount of information floating around on the internet stating that you really don't need to do anything except take your supplements and put protein first, and the weight will just fall off and stay off. This actually seems true for a lot of people and, in fact, was pretty true for me. Statistically speaking, the DS is very good for keeping off weight in the long term, with very little regain. I've not heard, through literature or the people I've met, of anyone regaining more than 20 lb. I have known people who didn't lose "enough" for some reason. Anyway.....

For me, I began to see a few pounds creep on somewhere in the second year. Not enough to worry, but enough to watch (like three pounds). I made an attempt to really watch what I was doing. I sort of fluctuated up and down with the same 3 pounds, then 5 pounds, over a period of about a year. Recently, it went to seven pounds, and I felt it was time to get serious about it.

When I had the surgery, I promised myself I would never go back. I promised myself I would watch for regain, watch for old habits creeping in, and be honest about what is real (both good and bad). Another issue for me is the fact that I wanted to live my life to the fullest, not to live like an obese person, but in a smaller body.

So....I went back to weight watchers recently, which has been a real eye opener for me. I also started working out with a trainer, which I highly recommend. It is probably the most important thing I have done for myself, second to the WLS.

Not only am I getting a much needed refresher in what a balanced diet looks like, and an incentive to really be cognizant of what I put into my mouth and when, I am really becoming much more adept at the diet and exercise strategies I want in my life, in order to maintain the changes the surgery enabled, and to have health and well being for the long term. I am in my 40s and the reality is that, like everyone else, at this age it does take effort to stay where you want to be. There's no free ride for anyone. But that's ok, I never wanted a free ride, I just wanted the same chance as anyone else.

It really doesn't matter to me that someone else might have better results doing something else. It doesn't matter if someone else is able to maintain without exericse, or that someone else lost more, or that others don't struggle with regain. This is my life, my reality and it's the only one I get.

I am so glad I researched so well before having surgery and that I have stayed active here and in other health and diet related areas.

Dawna

Hey Dawna! All of us at Maintainers (and LWL) are delighted that you found us! OF COURSE you belong there!! We're all in the same boat, chickie, and all fighting the same fight. Your thoughts and experiences are valuable and I'd love it if you shared some of this in Maintainers. Don't be afraid to start a new thread or just introduce yourself -- you have insights that will benefit all of us.

Hi Dawna,

I'll say I never imagined I'd read a few forums here including WLS or Maintainers but I will say that you can learn so much from forums that you don't think you fit into. For WLS, I like to read it sometimes because a lot of people here have been or are significantly overweight like myself. Maintainers is good not only for people at their goal weight but for getting there because they know the struggles it takes and can share their experiences.