Looking for Post WLS Advice from Someone who is in my boat - Sorry, Long Post
Hi everyone. I am a 39 y/o man who started my weight loss journey at a BMI close to 70. I was 462 lbs at my highest. I lost 30 lbs prior to surgery and had WLS in April 2008. Over the next 9 months I lost 145 lbs. My current weight is 287 with a BMI of 42.8. At around the 7 month mark post surgery, my weight loss slowed to a crawl. I was losing 18-20 lbs per month, then it dropped to 8-10 lbs. At 9 months out I am virtually at a standstill.
My gross caloric intake averages anywhere from 1000 on a really good day to 2000 on a bad day. On those bad days, I make sure I exercise more. On average I walk 2-5 miles a day and workout at the gym 2-4 times a week varying cardio and resistance exercises. My overall goal is to get my net caloric intake to around 1200 calories. I am a fanatic about tracking everything I consume on TDP so I know I am pretty close to accurate on the calorie thing. Because I seem to no longer be losing, I am feeling like a failure. I still have 87 lbs to lose and don't know if I will ever get them off.
I know I should feel successful. No more co-morbidities like diabetes and hypertension, and I have lost 175 lbs in a year. But I want more. I am willing to work harder and have been trying but nothing seems to work. I have eaten more, eaten less, exercised more, increased water, varied diet, etc. But it seems like I will lose 2-3 lbs then gain 4. I guess I am feeling sorry for myself and just looking for some guidance and or advice on how to get this process moving again.
One of the most unfortunate things for me that I have experienced throughout my WL journey is that having started at a much higher BMI than most, my experiences throughout this journey have been a little different compared to most of the RNY'ers I know. Most folks at 9 months out are close to their goal weight, while it seems I am still miles away. My fear is that this process will stop working before I am ready for it to quit. As each day passes, I find I am able to eat more with a larger variety of foods that I can tolerate. I don't dump anymore so I can no longer rely on this as a physical deterrent. With this being my last ditch effort to lose weight, if it quits, I feel like I will be resigned to a life of obesity for the remainder of my life.
It's beginning to resonate within me that I am becoming more and more like a normal individual who needs to diet and exercise to get the weight off and that my secret weapon for weight loss is gone. My BMR should be 2500 cals a day but my instinct is telling me that it is much lower, especially given that my net caloric intake is only around 1200 cals and I am not losing. Just wondering if anyone out there has gone through any of this? Is this a temporary set back? Will the weight loss kick in again? Is this normal? Am I eating too much or not enough? Lots of questions and no answers. Hopefully there's someone out there who can relate.
Feeling lonely on this journey...
~DL
My gross caloric intake averages anywhere from 1000 on a really good day to 2000 on a bad day. On those bad days, I make sure I exercise more. On average I walk 2-5 miles a day and workout at the gym 2-4 times a week varying cardio and resistance exercises. My overall goal is to get my net caloric intake to around 1200 calories. I am a fanatic about tracking everything I consume on TDP so I know I am pretty close to accurate on the calorie thing. Because I seem to no longer be losing, I am feeling like a failure. I still have 87 lbs to lose and don't know if I will ever get them off.
I know I should feel successful. No more co-morbidities like diabetes and hypertension, and I have lost 175 lbs in a year. But I want more. I am willing to work harder and have been trying but nothing seems to work. I have eaten more, eaten less, exercised more, increased water, varied diet, etc. But it seems like I will lose 2-3 lbs then gain 4. I guess I am feeling sorry for myself and just looking for some guidance and or advice on how to get this process moving again.
One of the most unfortunate things for me that I have experienced throughout my WL journey is that having started at a much higher BMI than most, my experiences throughout this journey have been a little different compared to most of the RNY'ers I know. Most folks at 9 months out are close to their goal weight, while it seems I am still miles away. My fear is that this process will stop working before I am ready for it to quit. As each day passes, I find I am able to eat more with a larger variety of foods that I can tolerate. I don't dump anymore so I can no longer rely on this as a physical deterrent. With this being my last ditch effort to lose weight, if it quits, I feel like I will be resigned to a life of obesity for the remainder of my life.
It's beginning to resonate within me that I am becoming more and more like a normal individual who needs to diet and exercise to get the weight off and that my secret weapon for weight loss is gone. My BMR should be 2500 cals a day but my instinct is telling me that it is much lower, especially given that my net caloric intake is only around 1200 cals and I am not losing. Just wondering if anyone out there has gone through any of this? Is this a temporary set back? Will the weight loss kick in again? Is this normal? Am I eating too much or not enough? Lots of questions and no answers. Hopefully there's someone out there who can relate.
Feeling lonely on this journey...
~DL
(deactivated member)
on 1/4/09 1:11 am - San Antonio, TX
on 1/4/09 1:11 am - San Antonio, TX
I'm right there with you. I lost like 40lbs before surgery, and about 150 in the next year, putting me at 250. I'd still like to lose another 50-80lbs but my weight loss has slowed to a crawl, and then to non-existant, althought I've dropped 2 sizes since I last saw any substantial movement on the scale. I started to slow at 6 months (from an average of 15lbs per month to about 10 and then 5 and now about 2). Starting so large is frustrating, because I feel like I haven't been as successful as my smaller peers, but I guess you get what you get and then you just keep on working if you want more. There are several people here who started with quite high BMIs and have gotten to goal and maintained. They all seem to have in common that they didn't give up, the upped exercise intensity and frequency as weight loss slowed, and whether they track food or not they are very mindful of what they eat - high protein, low carb, and only planned snacks.
The slowing weight loss is common, expected, and in the long term shows that your body is adapting and becoming healthier. Its beginning to absorb things better and your resting metabolic rate isn't as drastically different from your caloric intake anymore so you just aren't burning fat to survive like you were at first. You are burning fat at a healthier rate now. Unfortunately some bodies adapt more quickly than others.
Good luck!
The slowing weight loss is common, expected, and in the long term shows that your body is adapting and becoming healthier. Its beginning to absorb things better and your resting metabolic rate isn't as drastically different from your caloric intake anymore so you just aren't burning fat to survive like you were at first. You are burning fat at a healthier rate now. Unfortunately some bodies adapt more quickly than others.
Good luck!
(deactivated member)
on 1/4/09 7:45 am - San Antonio, TX
on 1/4/09 7:45 am - San Antonio, TX
Well, I don't know about that, but I appreciate the sentiments :) I got your boxed packed and taped, just have to mail it tomorrow. I never got around to it yesterday, oopsie.
I had to lose 81 lbs pre op to have mine done. It was laproscopic and the tools are only so long. It took me ten months to get from 487 to 406. I am slowing down a little now at 7 months post op. My Dr thinks it is because I lost for so long pre op...my stalls are coming sooner. I am honestly not worried. I am sticking to the rules and believing it will all work out ok for me.
Ditch your scale and keep working out and eating right. you will lose more. I lost nothing for 2 weeks and then this week I lost 6 lbs. Our bodies can be weird like that.
Hang in there
Ditch your scale and keep working out and eating right. you will lose more. I lost nothing for 2 weeks and then this week I lost 6 lbs. Our bodies can be weird like that.
Hang in there
Start: 487 lbs (8/07) Lost 81 lbs pre op on South Beach. 406 lbs at surgery (6/08). 179 post op, by 2011. I lost 308 lbs. Gained 98 while pregnant (2012-13) lost all but 25. My goal is to be 179 again!
Two years after that....
I could not be happier.
Hi Dalton,
I am right there with you. I had my surgery in April 2008, and my wt loss has also dropped off dramatically. I still need to lose 40 pounds to get to my first goal, then would like to shed anoter 20, so about 60-70 in total more. I stared with a BMI in the 60's. I too find myself wanting to eat more, and test the waters per sey, but I really try to stick to the basics....protein protein and more protein. I admit that I do need to hit the gym more, and that has been my goal for the new year. Hang in there, keep following your docs guidellines!!! I know we can do it... we just have to stick with it!!!
Good luck to you in the new year
Caroline
I am right there with you. I had my surgery in April 2008, and my wt loss has also dropped off dramatically. I still need to lose 40 pounds to get to my first goal, then would like to shed anoter 20, so about 60-70 in total more. I stared with a BMI in the 60's. I too find myself wanting to eat more, and test the waters per sey, but I really try to stick to the basics....protein protein and more protein. I admit that I do need to hit the gym more, and that has been my goal for the new year. Hang in there, keep following your docs guidellines!!! I know we can do it... we just have to stick with it!!!
Good luck to you in the new year
Caroline
MY JOURNEY BEGINS...
I lost 68 pounds before surgery and started with a BMI around 62...and it's now closer to 26. It'll happen slowly but it will happen--- here were the keys for me:
1) Eat everything you plan every day. Consitency DOES work.
2) Plan well-- with at least 40% protein every single day, and no more than 35% carbs
3) Get your RMR tested and try to get near it so you're not undereating
4) Log everything you put in your face. Even if you decide to do something crazy, know exactly what it costs you.
At 18 months post op, I am still losing. It's possible!
1) Eat everything you plan every day. Consitency DOES work.
2) Plan well-- with at least 40% protein every single day, and no more than 35% carbs
3) Get your RMR tested and try to get near it so you're not undereating
4) Log everything you put in your face. Even if you decide to do something crazy, know exactly what it costs you.
At 18 months post op, I am still losing. It's possible!
"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U. Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift 12/08
Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09 -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
Total Cost: $33,500 Start wt: 368 RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150 Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7
Is it possible to join something like weigh****chers to help you get those last 80 off? I am not post op and this is one of my fears that b/c I am so big I would never get to what an ideal weight is. But anything is better than were I am and where you started. If I get stalled I plan on joing WW and by than I would have trained myself and be more self disaplined so I would beable to follow it successfully. You may want to try it.
Hiya Dalton!
Our stories are almost identical in the fact that we started out at almost the same BMI. I do know that there is a window of opportunity that opens when you first have surgery and that window stays open for a period of 9 to 12 months after the surgery. For each person that time that the window is open is different. I don't think there's any trick to it. I'm almost 8 months out (had my surgery in May) and I've lost 214 pounds with 56 pounds left to go before my doctor's goal (76 pounds to MY goal) and I'm hoping my window of opportunity is still open because my weight is still coming off but it's VERY slow. I'll gain a little then lose a little......I fluctuate within 6 pounds and then all of a sudden it'll drop 12 pounds in a week.....then stop for a couple or three weeks then drop again. I haven't counted calories because I know for a fact that I'm not really getting enough in. I eat heavy protein foods though and I eat until I'm full and I don't think any of it adds up to 1000 calories. But I'm not in starvation mode or I would be gaining more weight back. You're not alone in your journey......we're out here! :)
Our stories are almost identical in the fact that we started out at almost the same BMI. I do know that there is a window of opportunity that opens when you first have surgery and that window stays open for a period of 9 to 12 months after the surgery. For each person that time that the window is open is different. I don't think there's any trick to it. I'm almost 8 months out (had my surgery in May) and I've lost 214 pounds with 56 pounds left to go before my doctor's goal (76 pounds to MY goal) and I'm hoping my window of opportunity is still open because my weight is still coming off but it's VERY slow. I'll gain a little then lose a little......I fluctuate within 6 pounds and then all of a sudden it'll drop 12 pounds in a week.....then stop for a couple or three weeks then drop again. I haven't counted calories because I know for a fact that I'm not really getting enough in. I eat heavy protein foods though and I eat until I'm full and I don't think any of it adds up to 1000 calories. But I'm not in starvation mode or I would be gaining more weight back. You're not alone in your journey......we're out here! :)
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