Black RNY Result

Is it me or do most black women lose and maintain in the upper 100's after RNY? Ive noticed in most of the before and after pics that were smaller but still big? Am I imagining this? why dont we hit the Doc's ideal goal for our height...our bones ARE NOT bigger than white folk. I am 2 years out and am still trying to lose 25lbs to goal! Just curious what are your thoughts?

 One element - exercise.  A LOT (not all) but a LOT of Black women have every excuse in the world not to regularly exercise..... 

I don't have time
I am tired
I don't want to mess up my hair
I don't feel like it

If you look at it - we as a Black COMMUNITY don't make exercise a real enough issue to tackle.  It's also lifestyle.  Most of us grew up with some 'down home' favorites - foods that are bad choices.  Sure some of us find a way to prepare them in a better, healthier way - but a lot of folk don't. 

Now - with all that said - hell, even *I* am 30lbs up from my lowest cruising weight - but as you know, I'm a runner and weight lifter.  I am more strong and athletic now than I was at 185.... so - even after all those reasons - go figure that one out! LOL 

"But I don't want to sweat out my perm Mack!! "

lol

That is why I stay weaved up. Gym 6 days a week no hair problem, no kids, all the reason to be in the gym and I have all the time to waste.
I never realized how much time and money I spent on food before.It gives me so much more time now.

I totally agree with Mack. But I really think our biggest problem is our food choices.

My personal unscientific analysis is its a matter of choice.  I've done a lot of research on wls results and several studies (not all) indicate a lower % of total excess fat lost for American Black women.  I have not seen this difference for sisters world wide.  

I used to cringe at the posts that gripe about the surgeon's goal of about 70-80% of excess fat loss being "too skinny"; looking like a crack head (a 20% overweight crack head?); weight/bmi are only arbitrary numbers; and how they want to keep their 'curves'.  The focus is on an 'acceptable' size vs body fat percentage. 

Well developed muscle and lowered body fat % will keep you genuinely curvy as opposed to just big.  Of course you have to be built that way. 

My second unscientific analysis leads me to believe: 
- That last 20 lbs or so is the hardest to loose.  By the time we get there we're tired of the post op diet.  Yes, I liberally use the dreaded "D" word. This 'lifestyle change' is a 'diet for life'.  When we hit the "Tweens" (as in between newbie and vet) we just want to enjoy our smaller selves and stop stressing over food so we slip resulting in stagnation at best. 
- Bounce back weight creeps on slowly leaving us 10% or more above our lowest weight.  Its even harder to loose the last few pounds a second time.  Mentally we're just tired and metabolically we are in danger of getting caught up in that yo yo. 

These issues affect all wls patients.  However, living in an enviornment where heavier is more accepted makes it easier for us to ignore.  When people around you are equally overweight or keep telling you you're slim, there is little incentive to do what you already don't want to do. 

I find this issue in the rual South where I'm still being told 'you never needed wls' and even 'you looked better before'.   GA is one of the fattest states in the country.  In the more cosmopolitan Northeast (I said cosmopolitan not ghetto, lol.) fat is spurned.  The 'normal' sister from the South could stand to drop a few pounds even among the brothers.  Its all a matter of your enviornment.  In NYC and the burbs many upscale women would rather die than have a waist over 26".   

Just my $0.02 plus some. 

MSW...you are so in my head!!!

Good morning Charlene! Great topic!

I agree with the others about exercise. Get braided up, weaved up, shaved off...anything to not use your hair as an excuse.

I agree with you. I see a lot of post-ops going for a specific size vs a healthy BMI. We love our curves and *some* of us sacrifice our honeymoon period by NOT losing as MUCH as possible for fear of looking SKINTY or like the neighborhood crackhead.

Or

They buy into the "black men don't want a bone" theory. No slamming intended but really...it's what's on the inside that counts. And if your innards are filled with failing organs, disease and FAT chances are *I* wouldn't want you because WonkaD don't like being around the walking dead. Just my .02 on that via *personal* experience.

UKK THAT!

I personally didn't get sliced and diced to get into a size 14. Now that's easy for me to say because I was only 268lbs (huge to me!) when I started my journey....

* I wanted a healthy BMI.
* I wanted to "bottom out" because of the potential "bounceback" that is often discussed. That schitt right there has me FREAKING OUT! 

But anywho....

It's almost two years for me too and I'm seeing the "redistribution" going on. My stick thin figure is getting curvy. My hips are filling out and I'm getting volume back into my breasts. Luckily, the scale hasn't moved so I'm happy for the moment.

Did we not have this convo during the walk?  Ya see, I have to share my madness with others too!!!

I didn't have the RNY but I have noticed this too. I agree with what the others have said as well.

1. Don't exercise as much as we should. Not saying all but quite a few.
2. Don't take advantage of the honeymoon phase.
3. We don't want to look like a bobble head or crack head.
4. A lot of the medical experts have supported that less belly weight is healthier. I see a lot of AA women tend to be heavier in the hips/butt area with a smaller waist/belly area. (this was helping my thinking on staying thicker)
5. It was easy to lose in the beginning and we just started to slack on the eating habits.

I remember talking to my Dr. and his goal for me was 160lbs. I told him that I didn't want to be that small I wanted to be 165 since I'm an adult and wanted to keep my woman curves. What is 5lbs though...huh? If i loose curves I can build them back up with exercise and weights. Now in hindsight my Dr's goal seems too conservative especially since I'm dealing with some body issues. Head hasn't caught up with body.

I have refocused now and I'm almost at a year out and i want to get as small as I can due to the bounce back weight. So if i were to gain weight I will be far enough away from the 200's.

Also how do I know how I would look at 145?  I may like it, shoot!  Forget what others are saying as long as we are healthy. The lowest I can be and have a healthy BMI is 122lbs. I was 121 in 7Th grade at 5'5 and at 5'8 now I'm positive I don't want to be that small again....but if I get there....I am also positive It wont be hard to gain weight back up. Besides you know I know how to eat!


Just my humble opinion.