Why am I such a SLOW loser?

Go****'s been 6.5 months and I've only lost around 80lbs. Everyone else I know has flown by me in my weight loss! I started out at 260 and I'm right at 178 now. Please help me!! I want to be skinny and get to goal (130lbs). ~Meggan RNY 5-21-04 260-130-178

Well then count me as a slower loser as well. I started at 247ish and now at 165 so that's 82 pounds. I have a goal of 120-125 and my doc wants me at 125-130 max. So, maybe you aren't doing anything wrong. I too, feel like I am losing slow and maybe I eat too much or maybe I should be exercising more. But, I know that I need to drink more water!!!! This will definately help, and I am working on the water issue as I type. Don't worry, you were a light weight as well and we lose slower, but you will get to goal!!! Tricia

You sound like a NORMAL loser to me, not a slow one. I know that it's NEVER fast enough-at least not for me. I lost nearly 15 lbs the month before surgery, weighed 245 on my May 28 surgery date, and I'm now 168. I try not to sweat the numbers as much as the behaviors. I work out pretty faithfully, and I feel GREAT about that accomplishment. I don't dump, and I make sugary choices too often; I feel bad that I haven't yet mastered that. Try to focus on your behavior-- Are you exercising with enough intensity/duration/frequency? Are you keeping track of what you're eating (calories, quantity, protein, fat, etc)? Are you drinking as much water as you can possibly gag down in a day? Are you giving yourself positive feedback about the amazing accomplishment of having lost 80 lbs already?? If you try to adapt a "skinny" person's lifestyle, you will certainly get to goal. My surgeon says that the process takes about 18 months total, which leaves you another 11 months to drop the remaining 48 lbs to goal. That's about a pound a week. Some weeks will be more, some will be less. There's a weight loss planner that might be helpful for you here at OH: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/postopplanner.phtml Enter your starting weight and get a general idea of what the "average" person weighs at different points. AND GIVE YOURSELF A PAT ON THE BACK!!! You are doing great!!! Hugs, Susan

Hey Meggan we belong to the same club. I started at 260 on May 5th and I'm only 178 today. It will come off, my best friend had WLS almost 2 yrs ago and she looks great she too was a slow loser. Everyone is different. 275/260/178/160

Ive read all these messages and i feel really bad i am losing really slowly as well. i started at 285 and am at 228 now I dont understand why I am losing so slowly. I excercise 3 miles a day with an excercise tape, I keep a food journal. I take vitamins womens one a day. If any one has any advice please let me know.

I think I have every one beat as a slow loser! I started at 293 pre surgery then 273 the day of surgery and today I'm at 221! That is really very slow!!!! I know I'm dropping in size and so I keep thinking it has to be the muscle that is keeping my weight up? Size 22/24 to 14/16!!! I am happy how I am starting to look and and of course I feel great but I wonder why it doesnt move! My plateaus are longer than long!

You are doing great! The important thing is how you are feeling. Try not to compare but realistic when you do. Use me for your example if needed I was almost 100 pounds more than you and just got under 200 pounds finally. I still have 60-80 to go for goal and you only have 42. You are doing great! -Gerriann Lap RNY 5/14/04 142 pounds gone forever!

Meggan, Got you beat in the slow looser dept 285 day of surgery 221.5 weighed at the surgeons office today. I'm so depressed, I've gone back on my medication I seem to be doing fine to others, but I told my surgeon today I expected to be -100 at 6 months out...I've only lost 18lbs in the last three months and really I haven't lost any in the last 8 weeks, I weigh on Mondays. In my heart of hearts I want to weigh 140 but I would settle for 150ish!! My surgeon told me today to try and increase my walking some (not in frequency, but to walk a longer distance) and to try supplementing my protein (he's not a big advocate of this due to the calories/fat/and sugar), but thought I shoud just do these two things and see how it goes. I'm very faithful to the "rules", I don't drink when I eat, I eat protein first then veggies...I stay away from bread, pasta and cereal. I try hard, but like you, I can't figure out where I'm going wrong!! If you want to chat, email me, misery loves company Maybe we can pump each other up?!? Here's to being a looser, Michelle

For all the "slow" losers out there (like me): this is a GOOD thing! It's giving our skin some time to realize it doesn't have to hang around (pun intended) and can just shrink to match our new size. Everyone admits that they keep losing inches even when the weight loss slows down -- that must be from things tightening up. When I was in for my WLS I met a 1-yr post-op patient who was having a tummy tuck; she said that the TT took off 10 lb of skin. Won't it be great 6-12 months from now when we've lost all the weight and we WON'T need ps? So let's give ourselves a chance here people! Ain't nothin' wrong with "slow but sure"! Donna 243/169/134 -76 lb after 7 mos

Well said Donna! I am losing slow and the nutritionist at my surgeon's office is very happy with my loss. At my surgeon's office if you lose too fast they will make you go back to drinking protein shakes to slow it down. I'm very pleased with my loss so far. Christie 244.5/167/138