first months progress

I am new to boards and just getting to know people. Thus far I have had a very good first month. I have only gotten sick once, am already back exercising at the gym and feeling really good. I am curios how much weight people on average lost in their first month after surgery. I had RNY. I'm down 28 lbs and feel really good like I said but I'm wondering what other people saw in their first month. Megan

Megan, Welcome to getting to know all of us. It is absolutely impossible to tell how much people lose their first month.  You have to go by percentages.   The reason for this is someone with let's say 200 pounds to lose is "expected" to lose 100 pounds (or more) the first year.  The "gold standard" although numbers are changing, is 50% of your excess weight in the first year (hence 50% of 200 is 100)  Therefore, someone with 100 pounds to lose should be looking at 50 pounds their first year (or more)  The person with 100 pounds total to lose will probably lose "less" per month than the 200 to lose person - but is still progressing where they should be. And besides  - you will hear time and time again on this board to 1)  NEVER EVER compare yourself to others.  We all lose differently  and 2)  Get rid of the scale!  It can be your enemy as well.  Many of us (myself included) fell into the weighing ourselves way to often.  And then a stall hits (somewhere between 3 and 6 weeks out for most people) and you think "OMG I'm not losing anything, what am I doing wrong!  I'll be the only person WLS doesn't work for" You sound like you are doing fantastically thus far, glad to hear you are back at the gym!! Oh, if you haven't already, I strongly suggest doing measurements and then repeating them once a month.  Even on months when you don't lose much - you will notice you have dropped inches.  Especially with the gym workouts. Good luck! Pam

Hi Megan,    Welcome to the PA Boards!  I agree with Pam.  Try not to compare your weight loss with someone else.  I know it's very hard not too.  I'm almost 3 months out and I'm always looking at the people who had surgery around my date to see what their weight loss is.  Everyone is different.  We are all starting out at different weights and some people loss faster than others.    First I'd like to tell you that the fact that you are going to the gym is a huge plus.  I still have not gotten my big butt back there.  You are doing wonderful already!!!!  You have to remember that you will see stalls...but...don't let them discourage you.  As long as you stick to the program and sip your water and get in your protein, you will continue to do great.    Keep up the good work! Gail

Hi Megan, Listen to what Pam and Gail had to say and put your scale out of sight, take measurements and pictures once a month and if you really need to weigh yourself, do it once a week, same day and time at the gym. . . I tell you from my personal experience, that I looked around at people who had their surgery around my time and was not happy with my results, had I not stopped doing that I would be feeling like I failedand been miserable.  There are just too many variables, many of which have been addressed in Pam's post, so I won't restate them.   Remember, stalls are a part of this, it's just your body catching up to the shock of what is happening, as well as muscle being created via the gym and being more active, so just enjoy the journey, with 28 lbs. down so far, you are already "successing"! Hugs and warm wishes, Laureen

Thanks ladies, that is reassuring.  I did not have my surgery at Barix but I have a copy of their book. It did say that percentages are important not lbs, something my own manual didn't actually mention. I have lost 18% of what I need to loose total in one month so after I read that I was feeling better but was also interested in what others thought. I do weight myself at home but only once a week. I do it on Monday's now but am planning on moving it to Saturdays for when I go back to work. I teach high school so that will be better then on Mondays in the fall. I also do get measurements at the gym.  Unfortunately I started those after my first two weeks out of surgery so they were a bit smaller to begin with but it is still a reference. I also have  a shirt my father bought me that was quite tight when I started this and I try it on every week or so to see how I'm doing in that respect as well. Thanks again for your thoughts. This is such a hugh decision. Once you go through it success is so important and I feel good, but I just wan to make sure I'm doing everything I possibly can to be successful.