@alureon - Welcome back to Mayo Clinic Connect. First I want to thank you for sharing a wonderful success story of losing weight and changing the management of your life style. A lot of times when people, who are overweight, lose weight there is a wonderful outcome: Breathing easier without struggling.
GERD is also often the cause of horribly uncomfortable systems and can lessen when loss of weight occurs. I am petite and if I gain weight, as much as 5 lbs my GERD acts up and so does my SOB (which is mainly caused by lung cancer).- Any advice for anyone on how to continue to maintain this? Do you plan to lose more weight?

@helpnywhereucan - I'd like to address alkaline diets as a solution to GERD or might be the cause of SOB. This is considered an optional solution. There are no hard and true studies The reduction of highly acidic foods can lessen GERD or make it worse. But the body needs some balance too so seeking the help of your doctor and or a nutritionist to find that balance I would think would be the safest way to go.
But please be aware that there are many, many myths about an alkaline diet, one being: That an alkaline diet promotes the idea that it is possible to change blood pH with diet. (This is different than urine or saliva pH.)This is untrue, and major changes in blood pH could even be life-threatening. This being said I am glad that you are feeling much better.
Did you have any guidance with changing your diet? DO you have blood work done to help maintain a healthy pH balance?