I posted this also on the main board.. after the honeymoon ends..

Since many of you are nearing or close to your 6 month mark.. just a question. I am usually on the December 06 board, but since I had surgery so early in the month, I thought I would post here. Thanks for any suggestions you have and letting me visit your board Hi there! I am 5 months out tomorrow. Just realizing that my "honeymoon" period will end at 6 months or so I read. I took the advice of all you longer-term wise postops and felt I have really worked my tool from Day 1 to its maximum by never eating junk, testing the waters per say, exercising 5 days a week (run 2 miles, walk 2 miles and strength training as well - work the other two days as a floor nurse so I moving everyday), log my calories on fitday.com so that I am at 800ish almost everyday and follow all the rules (get in lots of protein, whole grain carbs what little I do, not drink with meals, get all my fluid between meals, etc, etc, etc...) I feel I work for every pound even now, I have never thought of it as "easy" as some would say. But I have always had to fight my body to lose weight before surgery. I have lost 122 pounds total (lost 48 preop, 16.5 was from the 2 week liquid diet) and just about 75 since surgery. Month 4 I have already seen a slower loss at 10 pounds. I was losing 13-16 a month and I know this is unrealistic to see every month, I guess part of me thought it would continue through month 6 as long as I was really working hard at it. But that is ok. So my question is, did you notice huge differences in your weight loss after 6 months? How did you know your "honeymoon" was over? I already mainly lose once a month on my cycles, I have heard of others going to this pattern at 6 months, I already do this. I still want to lose 65 pounds to get to my goal and 55 to get to my surgeons. I mean really bad Who doesn't want to get to goal right? I just feel I am trying very hard so want that reward. Thanks for any info you can give me.

I'm not quite six months yet so I can't answer your question. I just wanted to tell you congrats on your great success! You have done so well! I've read plenty of posts on the main board where people continued to lose weight after six months. I don't think we are done by any means. Just keep doing what you know is right!

Melissa, I, too, have fought for every single pound. I was over 330 lbs on surgery date and thought I would be dropping pounds faster than most but I am 5 ½ months out and only 74 pounds down. I know that is good but I expected so much more. My sister was a lightweight, had surgery 4 months before me, did not eat correctly, did not exercise, does not drink her fluids and she was below her goal weight at 9 months out. Makes me sick when I do everything right and still the scale shows no loss. With the help of the wonderful people on this board, I have now come to see that all the work I am doing is paying off. It is just not as big of a paycheck as I expected at this point but it will come in time. Just keep doing the right thing and the weight will come off. I will take my victory one pound at a time! Keep up the good work, Valorie

You're doing great, and I have read of people losing even 2 years out. I don't think the tool stops working, I think sometimes people stop using the tool. It sounds like you are very active, so that counts for firmness and good muscles. I am large, so I have been losing fast, I still have ways to go, and feel I will get there. Don't forget about inches, man do they ever count. I always enjoy your posts,good luck and keep on keeping on.

Congratulations on the great job you're doing. Most of us are just hitting the 6 month mark so we probably won't be too great at answering your main question. I've never heard that timeline...I always heard (including from my surgeon) that the first 12-18 months were the optimal time to loose all the weight before your body starts to really adjust and absorb things better and such. I think things will slow down a little but my friend who is almost 2 years out kept loosing until just recently. She's at her goal weight. I think we'll all hit more plateaus as we get closer to our goals so things might take a little longer. But it sounds like you are doing EVERYTHING right and you've had amazing success so far. I can't imagine you won't hit your goals!! Good luck to you. And you're welcome to post on our board anytime...we're pretty friendly folk Corinna Q

Hello, I think my honeymoon phase is over. I have been loosing much slower this past month, to maybe 1 pound a week, some times I won't loose any in a week. I have lost 84 pounds since surgery. I still have 35 more pounds to loose to my personal goal of 140. I'm not worried I won't get there, it will just take longer than I hoped. As far as exercise goes I don't do much I keep putting off my heel spur surgery because I will be laid up for a month & w/ 3 kids thats hard to do, I was hopeing that there was a magic weight loss # & the pain would stop, but it hasnt, so my foot surgery is scheduled for next Thursday. I am praying I will be able to at least walk pain free again in a month. So maybe my weight loss can pick up again. I wish I would have done this earlier before my "honeymoon" phase was over. You are doing GREAT, don't stress over every little detail, it will come in time.. just enjoy your life!!