How do you know when you have lost enough weight?

 am 8 months out from RNY and have changed my goal twice. I have lost over 110 lbs and initially based my goal on the BMI charts and my nutritionists advise.

However, everyone is telling me I am looking very gaunt and to thin and I have had several people come to me privately expressing concern.

I had thought they were being dramati****il I saw a picture of myself on Facebook and realized how gaunt my face has become.

I went to a plastic surgeon for a consultation this week and he did my body fat analysis and it was 20 %. He told me not to lose anymore weight.

I called my nutritionist and she said that according to the charts I am still considered overweight based on my BMI. I think thats ridiculous and don't really know who to listen to.

The bottom line is I am still losing weight and am barely able to eat anyway.

Would like to hear others experiences with this.

Thanks!
Kevin

I say ........screw the charts!!! 

I stopped losing when I thought I was too thin. I weigh 150 now and I like it. I don't want to be any smaller ...and actually stopped losing around 8-9 months too and have been maintaining since.

Hi Kevin!  Good to see you are doing well.  Though, why can't you eat ? ? ?

I am also wondering about when it stops.  It used to be that everyone praised the weight loss.  Now (last few weeks), people are afraid to ask because they think I might be sick.  I think I might have reached the too thin mark. 

Thus, I am being less careful about food.  Am I going to get burned and start regaining?  Do we really start absorbing better after 18 months?

I think it is really hard to say because we do take in info from those around us and they are shocked because we look so different. So basically I am not sure that family and friends are the best judge. 2nd some of us look or looked gaunt because our skin didn't tighten up and if you don't get all your nutrients in you will look sickly.

Make sure you are working out, build up your muscles and eat your protein and take all your vits and good fats. Part of it is based on your bone structure....the loose skin is loose skin...

Don't loosen up on the 'rules' too early or you will gain a large part of your weight back....follow the rules, if you are eating and doing what you are supposed to generally your body will stop when it is time...good luck!


deb366

 I am waiting for a date but know from experience (my sister had RNY 5 years ago) that this does happen. She lost 140 lbs in 8 months and it was a big adjustment on her system. SHe looked very gaunt and lost a LOT of hair. She admits that she didn't take the vitamins she needed and didn't follow the basic rules given to her by her doctor. After her body adjusted to the loss she started to level out. Her face filled back in and after a few months she started to look like herself just thinner.  She did start taking a B12 shot which seemed to really help her.
I agree that you shouldn't go by what the charts say. I am a tall man and they say I should weigh 198 lbs. I have been 198 lbs before and everyone said I looked like Skelator. I think you have to do what feels right for you.
Give it a little time and your body will adjust.
Congratulations on coming this far. 

I'm suppose to weigh 215 at 6'8"... there is no way in hell... I'm already getting the "you're too thin" at 285... and I want to loose at least another 25-50 lbs

I have recently been pondering the same question. I am 2 1/2 yrs. out. Changed my goal several times based on "the charts". Had not lost anything for months and months and thought I was finished at weighing 150 lbs. Then from July to now, I have lost 12 more pounds. My work life changed making me more active and more stressed, so I am blaming that. Not really sure what's going on. I feel fine, but think I look a little gaunt as well sometimes. Overall I am healthy and happy with my weight loss. So for now I am just keeping an eye on things so to speak.

So hard to know.  I'm at 306 right now.  My internist has put my target weight as somewhere between 250 and 280, which will still have me "obese" according to my BMI.  My surgeon told me that he thinks I'm pretty close to the maximum weight loss I can achieve without lipo and skin removal.  My internist didn't seem to agree... 

Go by what feels right.  Do you feel healthy?  Are you still losing?  Then keep going.  Is energy a problem?  Vitamin levels low?  Then start getting concerned.

The look of your face, as other people have pointed out, will even out as your body adjusts.  Don't sweat the cosmetic stuff until you're a little over a year out - all of it will change.

I've been told a "gaunt" face is often associated with too little protein, though.

Thanks, I do feel good. I get all my protein in thru shakes mainly as I still have problems eating and still throw up a few times a week. There is no obstruction and i really don't know why.

I am still losing slowly but surely.

My work insurance covers skin removal so I have looked at lipo and a tummy tuck but am going to wait a few more months. The PS suggested injecting fat into my cheeks so I don't look so hollow.