Switching the Mindset to Maintenance
How do you switch your mindset to maintenance mode? My bariatrician told me at my last appointment that he doesn't want me to lose any more weight. I've lost a grand total of 117 pounds (77 of that since my VSG in October 2025) and am now sitting in the normal BMI range.
He told me this two weeks ago. My first week on maintenance I gained .2 of a pound. My initial reaction was to be upset, but I reminded myself that was GREAT! I was still in my healthy range and I didn't want to lose anymore. But since then, I've lost four more pounds. I don't want to lose anymore (never thought I'd say that!) and am working on hard on getting my head into the right place with this. I think my problem is two-fold:
1- The personal goal I had set pre-op is still a few pounds lower than where I am right now. I'm VERY happy where I am, but the completionist in me wants to hit that number that I set at the beginning. I know I need to listen to my medical team and follow their instructions. They know what's best. They helped me pick that goal and told me then that we would adjust it up or down as needed, but there is still a big part of me that feels like I haven't "finished" until I get to that specific number.
2- Also, I've NEVER eaten to maintain my weight. Since my early teens, I've either eaten to lose weight or just eaten everything. I'm worried that not seeing the scale go down will ultimately be a discouragement- even though I don't need it (or really want it) to go down anymore.
What has worked for you in making this shift in mindset?
For those curious about the hard numbers. I'm currently 49 years old. I was 260 when I started this journey in August 2024. 220 on my surgery day in October 2025, with a goal of reaching 140. My doctor told me to start maintaining at 147, and today I'm 143. I've gone from a BMI of 44, size 22 pants, to a BMI of 24 in a size 6!