the bounce
GLBT Folks - I posted this on my personal blog today. I thought it would be interesting fodder for discussion here. I am interested in hearing your personal experiences and thoughts about "the bounce". -- Tom
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It’s the reality. Somewhere around 18-24 months post-op, bariatric surgery patients experience a bounce in their weight. Everyone loves seeing that scale go down month after month. And… then it stops. And... then it goes up a little. And… then a little more. And… then people go crazy! I see it happening in the fellow Lapbanders and RNY folks that I chat with and see in my local support group.
It’s been some time since I have given an update on my progress after weight loss surgery. I would like to report that it is because I have little to say. It’s mostly because I’ve experienced some of that “bounce" over the past few months. We all know the culprits: the cruise, the holidays and just plain laziness during the winter. It’s easy to blame these so called out-of-my-control things, but the reality is that it is under my control. I’ve just been plain lax in eating properly.
In late October I hit 186 pounds, my lowest weight in probably 21 years. In early January I was up to 194 pounds. Today, I’m on my way back down and am about 191. 191 was that magic number for me during weight loss. It was when my BMI said I was “overweight" as opposed to “obese". There is just something more palatable to being overweight than obese.
A common theme of Weigh****chers and bariatric centers is, “It’s not just about the weight." That is a very true statement that is hard to grasp since both Weigh****chers and bariatric centers measure your progress by the scale. What they are really saying that long term success is defined by how well you adapt your lifestyle to remain in good health and maintain a healthy diet. The scale is one of the best indicators of that.
Yesterday I had my scheduled check-up with my primary care physician. I worried about what his scale would say. It turned out I weighed in at the identical weight I had weighed in early October. I expected some disappointment from him but instead he commented on how well all my blood work looked, my low cholesterol, and the lowest blood pressure I have had in years. He said my test results looked like a person in their 20s. He congratulated me on making such a dramatic transformation. I realized that life was not so bad after all. I am always so critical of my progress.
So, I’ll continue battling that “bounce" in the coming months and years. After yesterday, I realize even more how far I have come. I am not perfect and know I could do better. For me “the bounce" has become a motivator to be more vigilant and stay on the right track. Before I looked at it as a sign that I was going to slowly spiral upwards in weight. I know I felt that way because it was the reality in the diets I tried over the years. The bottom line is that I am much healthier and happy at my current weight. I am comfortable at my weight but have a personal goal to shed another 10 pounds. In 2010 I am exercising more and really going to step up my cycling.
If you are experiencing “the bounce", my advice to you is not to get emotionally out of control. What good does that do you or the people around you? What you need to do is take inventory of how far you have come, where you are today and where you need to be in the next 6 months. Good luck!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It’s the reality. Somewhere around 18-24 months post-op, bariatric surgery patients experience a bounce in their weight. Everyone loves seeing that scale go down month after month. And… then it stops. And... then it goes up a little. And… then a little more. And… then people go crazy! I see it happening in the fellow Lapbanders and RNY folks that I chat with and see in my local support group.
It’s been some time since I have given an update on my progress after weight loss surgery. I would like to report that it is because I have little to say. It’s mostly because I’ve experienced some of that “bounce" over the past few months. We all know the culprits: the cruise, the holidays and just plain laziness during the winter. It’s easy to blame these so called out-of-my-control things, but the reality is that it is under my control. I’ve just been plain lax in eating properly.
In late October I hit 186 pounds, my lowest weight in probably 21 years. In early January I was up to 194 pounds. Today, I’m on my way back down and am about 191. 191 was that magic number for me during weight loss. It was when my BMI said I was “overweight" as opposed to “obese". There is just something more palatable to being overweight than obese.
A common theme of Weigh****chers and bariatric centers is, “It’s not just about the weight." That is a very true statement that is hard to grasp since both Weigh****chers and bariatric centers measure your progress by the scale. What they are really saying that long term success is defined by how well you adapt your lifestyle to remain in good health and maintain a healthy diet. The scale is one of the best indicators of that.
Yesterday I had my scheduled check-up with my primary care physician. I worried about what his scale would say. It turned out I weighed in at the identical weight I had weighed in early October. I expected some disappointment from him but instead he commented on how well all my blood work looked, my low cholesterol, and the lowest blood pressure I have had in years. He said my test results looked like a person in their 20s. He congratulated me on making such a dramatic transformation. I realized that life was not so bad after all. I am always so critical of my progress.
So, I’ll continue battling that “bounce" in the coming months and years. After yesterday, I realize even more how far I have come. I am not perfect and know I could do better. For me “the bounce" has become a motivator to be more vigilant and stay on the right track. Before I looked at it as a sign that I was going to slowly spiral upwards in weight. I know I felt that way because it was the reality in the diets I tried over the years. The bottom line is that I am much healthier and happy at my current weight. I am comfortable at my weight but have a personal goal to shed another 10 pounds. In 2010 I am exercising more and really going to step up my cycling.
If you are experiencing “the bounce", my advice to you is not to get emotionally out of control. What good does that do you or the people around you? What you need to do is take inventory of how far you have come, where you are today and where you need to be in the next 6 months. Good luck!
Follow my journey to a happy, healthy, active life at TomBilcze.com
Great post! I think so many of us get into the mindframe that we have failed if the scale starts to move in the other direction. What's truly important is our health and how we feel. I know I always worry when going to the doc that I'll get yelled at about weight gain.
Thanks so much for sharing that.
What a great blog- I hope to keep this in mind when I'm as far out as you.
THANKS for posting!
THANKS for posting!
:Danni >>>AIDS/LifeCycle 10 & 11 Finisher: 545miles on the bike in 7 days <<<
HW390/SW340/CW 208/GW170
Thanks for the great post, exactly where I am at too.
The bounce for me was not so much the actual weight gain but the loss of control over my eating. The cravings were overwhelming again. I wanted the bloody mary, the sugared pecans, the chocolate covered walnuts, the olive bread . . . . And, I was giving in way too frequently. So, I decided to do the 5-day pouch test just to be reminded of where I came from and all the work that went into my weight loss. I am on day 3. It has not been that hard but tonight I am wanting to break the "rules". And, I am hungry. I am trying to satisfy myself by drinking . . . not working so well.
So, thanks for reminding us all to examine our journeys, not just crave the goal.
The bounce for me was not so much the actual weight gain but the loss of control over my eating. The cravings were overwhelming again. I wanted the bloody mary, the sugared pecans, the chocolate covered walnuts, the olive bread . . . . And, I was giving in way too frequently. So, I decided to do the 5-day pouch test just to be reminded of where I came from and all the work that went into my weight loss. I am on day 3. It has not been that hard but tonight I am wanting to break the "rules". And, I am hungry. I am trying to satisfy myself by drinking . . . not working so well.
So, thanks for reminding us all to examine our journeys, not just crave the goal.
I have heard from others that the 5 day pouch test is a good way to set you on the straight track. Well, in here few are ever on the straight track ;)
Follow my journey to a happy, healthy, active life at TomBilcze.com
WELL IM HAPPY TO SEE THE DIFFERENT VIEWS FROM EVERYONE...IM CURRENTLY IN PRE-OP ALONG WITH MY HUBBY WAITING TO GET THE PRETESTING THE DR WANTS AS WELL AS THE PSYCH EVAL AND NUTRITIONIST EVAL FINISH...THAT IS ONE THING IM WORRIED ABOUT IS THE WEIGHT GAIN OR THE "BOUNCE" AS YOU CALL IT..THE REASON IS IS BECASUE IVE SEEN PEOPLE HAVE THE SURGERY AND STAY AT A WONDERFUL HAPPY AND HELATHY WEIGHT FOR THEM AND THEN I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY GO BACK AND GAIN ALL THE WEIGHT BACK AGAIN AND THAT SCARES ME...ILL BE HAPPY WHEN I CAN FINALLY SAY THAT I AM PART OF THIS GROUP AND CAN LET YOU ALL KNOW OF MY WEIGHT LOSS AND HOW I AND MY HUBBY ARE DOING IN THE NEXT 6-8 MONTHS....ITS ALSO NICE TO HAVE PEOPLE YOU CAN ACTUALLY TALK TO ABOUT THIS THAT UNDERSTAND THE UPS AND DOWNS AND ALSO THE TEMPTATIONS YOUHAVE AFTER WEIGHTLOSS SURGERY.....THANKS AGAIN.GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE AND CONGRATS ON YOUR SURGERIES ....
RANDY
RANDY
Aaron, You have done amazingly well. Exercise will get you a lot farther. Hey, get those knees fixed. There are all these great bike trails in your area I want to cycle if only someone would invite us over (hint)... lol Getting any closer to getting that home? -- Tom
Follow my journey to a happy, healthy, active life at TomBilcze.com
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