Maintenance help for gastric bypass

My brother-in-law just had gastric bypass a few months ago (October?) and is using MFP. He has lost 100 pounds - which is amazing. He has 100 left to go.

He was eating 800 calories/day liquid at first. But he is still eating very, very small meals. He feels satisfied though and not hungry - and he is a man who loves his food, hence the bypass. He will always have to eat many small meals. If you don't do that, then eventually your stomach expands and the bypass won't work any more. And, of course, you also need to change your eating habits so you make healthy choices.

He's working closely with a nutritionist.

I would talk to your nutritionist. He said for him, high protein and low carb (under 35%) was the key. He also had to maintain very steady meals so he never got a blood sugar drop. If you've been heavy enough for a bypass you probably are somewhat insulin resistant. Therefore you want to have foods with a low glycemic index so that you have a nice, slow, steady supply of sugar in your system. No insulin spikes.

I had the same issue I had gastric bypass 12 months ago and at goal weight I too only no how to gain or add weight so this whole maintenance is way over my head but my surgeon said I am eating way too few calories at 800 and suggested I work my way up to 1600 which I have done over the last 6 weeks it's not been easy but I do feel better and I'm not putting on weight just sitting on 62.5 kg so I'm happy with this but I do think we need help with education on how to eat to maintain as I'm terrified that I will gain my lost weight I hope this helps

hey there everyone. I am almost 2 years out of having gastric bypass & I can tell you I wasnt offered any maintenance assistance from the Bariactric group. I started at 290 and am now holding at 190- I was down to 170 & Im having trouble keeping it off- not only that but I don't even feel I have a pouch anymore. is anyone else in this boat?

I'm almost 9 years out from Gastric Bypass RNY surgery. I had gained a good 15/20 lbs back due to not following the rules. Go back to the basics, the rules! Avoid other people giving advice that has not had the surgery. Your body is not like anyone else's who has not had this surgery. What helped me to get back on track is the Five Day Pouch Test. I don't feel my pouch anymore, but it reminds me of the rules and gets me back on "protein first", not drinking with my meals and keeping my portions and calories in check. According to research on the internet, I keep reading that below 1000 calories is suggested for maintenance. I see my gastric bypass doctor regularly, but I never ask him about my calorie intake. He reminds me to NOT eat with my meals, stick to small portions, drink water and at least 60-80 grams of protein a day. His advice works. I had gotten pregnant and gained an additional 33 lbs. I just got that back off and now I'm working on that 15/20 lbs off. When I get there, I've learned my lesson to not forget about the rules and follow them! Good Luck! What did your dietician/doctor say?

I had WLS Gastric sleeve 6/11/12 and met my personal weight goal in April 2013. I lost 47 pounds pre op and lost as much as 109 post op and was as low as 124 when I started maintenance. It is usual for WLS people to gain back 10 to 15% of their weight when they start adding calories in and go into maintenance mode my WLS surgeon and Nut. said, so around 13 to 19 pounds for me I guess or 140 to 143 for my weight. I went up to 130 and then 135 and then 140 when I added in about 100 cals a day from 1000 cals a day working my way up to what the nut said, 1500 cals a day. I went down to 1300 cals cause I wasn't comfortable eating 1500 cals a day. As long as you follow the rules and make good food choices you can maintain at 1300 cals with exercise 3 to 5 times a week. Last summer I moved and wasn't going to the gym for my usually workouts and the scale went up. I know between that and not so good food choices is why I gained and went over 140. I am now trying to get that plus some more weight off currently. Maintenance is HARD! Harder than Pre Op or right after surgery. Enjoy that "honeymoon" period of 1 year after WLS cause after that things get tough. Old habits come back. With the sleeve the good thing is I can eat about anything but it is also the bad thing about the sleeve. My WLS does alot of pre op screening and you have meet team approval with their WLS psych, WLS nut., WLS physical therapist and the WLS surgeon before you can even get your insurance papers sent in for surgery approval, wait time when you start the program they tell you is 6 months to 2 years. Alot depends on if you follow their instructions and what they want you to do pre op so you will be successful post op. I started my process in Feb 2012 and got team approval in April 2012 and waited till June 2012 to have sleeve done due to work commitments. I followed all their rules and was a model patient but it is HARD after you loose all the weight!!! Like I have always said, WLS is surgery on the gut not your head!! It is true, if you eat or make poor choices due to head issues like boredom, stress and so on it is still there after you loose the weight. I do go to our WLS monthly support group and have 1 year post op appointments too. If I need help I can always call and make an appointment but my current health insurance will not cover zip with any of this now. I had a different health insurance back when I had the surgery and till June 2014 that covered alot.

Good luck!

This was really helpful. I had WLS (RNY) 12/2013 and lost 106 lbs. I've gained back 6 pounds an am concerned about regaining. Thanks so much