What guidelines do you follow Calories/Protein/Carbs/Water ?

My rule is 800 calories, with no more than 35g carbs total, and 75g of protein, the fat works itself out.  I don't worry about fat because being very restrictive on carbs won't allow foods with sugar to creep in there, and always driving for high protein foods will result in mixed fat results and really isn't a thing to worry about right now.  For instance if you eat processed meats like pepperoni (real not turkey) hotdogs, little smokies, and so on then the fat will be higher, and if you eat hamburger, chicken thighs, or bacon the fat will be medium, and if you eat chicken breast, turkey, and lean means it'll be lower.  

I do like to have a variety of meats.  I keep track of everything in myfitnesspal and I can have a fatty meat once a day and my totals are well within my normal.  Now that I can't have cakes, pie, cookies, and so on I do enjoy a slice of bacon dang it LOL. (I am a recovering carb monster)

Right after surgery through the first year:

600-800 calories

80 grams of protein

What about carbs?

I don't think I can consider myself a long-term success since I am barely past a year post-op, but I haven't strayed far from the basic rules that many successful veterans have laid out time and again. I drink a lot of fluids - more than 100 oz a day, the majority of i****er but also coffee and occasionally la croix carbonated water. I avoid diet sodas (trigger for me) and alcohol (not worth the calories or the risk of transfer addiction). I focus on protein (lots of dairy, eggs, meat and fish) and green vegetables for most of my meals, but since I started transitioning into maintenance in my 8th month I do add in very small portions of things like beans, rice, sweet potato, and have had a bite or two of pasta. 

I don't eat bread or white potatoes because they do not sit well for me, and I feel like it's worth trying to push past the physical discomfort to eat them since they don't really offer anything nutritionally anyways. I choose to avoid slider snack foods like popcorn, chips, crackers, and trail mix because it's too easy to let my willpower slip and consume way more than a single serving. I also choose to avoid ice cream, candy and desserts unless it is a very special occasion, and honestly I was never a big sweet tooth before surgery so that hasn't been a struggle for me. 

I walk several miles every day, but have been very lax in the past six months with gym workouts or weights, although I do want to start working with a personal trainer or take a few guided fitness classes at a small gym because I need some sort of goal to work towards now that weight loss is no longer my primary focus. I spent the first year after surgery focusing on my eating habits, but now that my weight loss has slowed down and I am maintaining fairly steady at 20lbs under my original goal weight and almost 5lbs under my surgeon's suggested goal weight I think it's time to change gears and work on maintaining or possibly building muscle and improving my physical fitness. I feel like this will not only help me feel and look better, but it will help me keep my head in the game and keep me from making excuses to slip back into old habits. I have worked way too hard to get complacent now!!

Hey, thanks for taking time to share!  If you've reached your goal weight (heck, surpassed your goal weight), I think you can consider yourself successful!  I'm so glad that I joined this site.  I'm learning so much from those of you who have done it!  It is possible!  Yeah I was never really a big slave to sweets, it was the salty snacks that got me into trouble.  Again, thanks for sharing!

Katblue