What can I expect to loose

I realize everyone's weight loss is different, but I'm just curious to hear the weight loss pattern of some other guys.
I started at 323.7 and I've lost 100 pounds in 5 months. That's pretty amazing.. plus I'm actually smaller now at 223 than I've been when I was this weight before. If I don't loose another pound I'd be ok with this.. (ok.. not thrilled) although according to the charts I'm still obese (5'8")

My weight loss has slowed from 4 pounds per week, to 1.5 pounds(in the past month) . I want to get down to 170 (truthfully I'd be happy with anything under 200)..  I'm still amazed at how little I eat..  I'm consuming about 1000 calories a day.

I'm still pretty careful with what I eat.. although I have a little more room now, so I do eat a few carbs with each  meal . I haven't been walking as much (rainy fall weather) .

I expected the weight loss to slow down a bit, but thought it would happen when I was around 20 pounds away from goal.. Is this pretty consistent with some of you guys? I've tried upping the protein, lowering the carbs.. the only thing I haven't done is increase the exercise.. I'm not really complaining because I'm still loosing... just that it's slowed right down and I'm afraid it's going to stop.

I'm leaving in a few days for a vacation that will involve eating mostly restaurant meals.. When I return I plan to join a pool/gym and do some swimming and weights. Hopefully that will keep my metabolism going and the weight will continue to come off.

Should I be eating less? should I still be expecting to loose 4 pounds a week? or is this pretty normal?  just curious how it worked for some of you other big loosers?
John

You are doing great.  I started at 318, lost 75# in the first 3 months and another 75# between the 3rd and 9th month.  I would say you should eat as much protein as you can get in and don't worry about calories until you are on maintenance.  When I was losing I thought I would be happy at 220#s and anything under that wasn't expected.  When I hit 200 I felt great, at 180 I couldn't believe it, at 160 I felt too thin and tried my hardest to gain some back.  I am 5'10 and try to keep myself at the 170 mark although it is hard for me to stay that heavy.

We are all different and have different habits that we have to overcome.  I suggest that you concentrate on changing your bad eating behaviors during the next 6 months and not worry so much about your weekly losses.  In the long term if you are going to be a success, changing your eating and exercise habits is the key.

Good luck, and stay involved on the boards, when you are a success you not only help yourself, but the many other guys in here.

Thanks Robert for your advice.. I checked out your profile.. particularly your fat picture.. wow.. What a transformation..
Most of my bad eating behaviors have already changed due to the surgery. Obviously the biggest difference is the quantity. Before surgery I was never full. never satisfied. Now even if I wanted to eat more I can't..  I try to make better food choices now.. (mostly in the snack category) since I generally ate fairly balanced meals before. I also find that my tastes have changed and I don't crave high fat salty foods any more.

I can't believe that you can actually end up being TOO Thin.. My biggest fear is that I will gain all the weight back,, just like I have after every other diet.. I guess that's why I'm on the scale everyday and why I'm a little apprehensive taking this road trip vacation, where I'll be eating in restaurants and not carefully monitoring my intake .

Can you give me some specific examples of how you changed your life.. both exercise and food to get to where you are today? Did you hunt before you lost the weight?  I just can't see me becoming a jogger, (for one thing I've got too much flabby skin lol) but basically I just hate the whole idea.. My wife was walking with me in the summer months, Now that it's colder and get's darker earlier she's not interested in walking.. and I find it really boring to do by myself. Most of my activity comes from home renovations both at my home and helping my 5 sons at their houses but admittedly that kind of work is a little sparadic. I probably need a scheduled physical activity which is why I'm willing to give the gym another try.. It would be really awesome to find a sport or activity that I enjoyed and that had a social context to it.. but I've never been very athletic AND I absolutely hate golf..  How did you get more exercise in your life?
J

My bad habits started to show their ugly faces after my one year anniversary.  As I started to feel better and eat more the struggle to keep them at bey got tougher.  For me keeping myself so busy that I didn't have time eat so I had to schedule my meals is what did it.  I increased my volunteer hours.  I stepped up to run my sportsman's club archery leagues, joined a downhill ski racing league, and then took the EMT and Outdoor Emergency Care classes to become a National Ski Patroller.  Besides that I kept hunting and fishing which are year round activities.  My life is now so full that I don't have the time to sit on my butt and eat a bag of Doritos !

As for your trip, there are choices at every meal, just make good choices.  You can order a cheeseburger, take the top off the bun and throw away the fries.  The best thing I learned through all of this is that it is ok to throw away food.  A steak is a great meal, You can eat it 3 times.  When you are with the group eat the amount you should, pack up the rest in a box and eat some more a couple hours later.  You can eat just as much as everyone else, you just need to split it up into more - smaller meals.

You will do great, you already know what you can eat and how much, getting it in when you need it is the challenge.

Look at some form of martial art class as a scheduled exercise.  It may not seem like much of a workout until you actually do it.  I have started ATA TaeKwonDo classes and feel every minute of the class the next day.  Not only is it a social class encironment but there are actually set goals, being the belt promotions.

I find it a lot of fun, but then I enjoy the whole walking/jogging thing too.

What you are describing seems consistant with what is happening to me.  Our surgery dates are close (mine is 5-17-10). So far I have lost 108 lbs, but I began to slow down dramatically a few weeks back. I stalled for a couple of weeks, lost about 8 pounds , and now I've stalled again this week. I saw my surgeon today for a follow-up to a gall bladder removal 2 weeks ago and I asked if the stall was related to the surgery. He said that it was not related, and that I should "stay the course" and I'd get moving again.  His words: "You have a long way to go yet" meaning I am not done losing.  I hope he's right. I initially set a goal of 250 and a secondary goal of 200. Getting there would mean another 100 pounds, but it would make a hell of a difference.

Good luck to you.

My only input is that you may want to up the calories. I think thats why you have slowed. When I hit the wall I upped the calories and started losing again. I wont give you my calorie intake because I am trying to gain muscle and workout way more than most do , so it probably wouldn't be wise to follow my guidelines. But 1000 calories is just not enough. Try moving to 1250 or so and see if you don't speed up the loss.

 Hey John,   As I read the posts in this forum, I see so many of us dealing with the same things.  I'm coming up on my 6 month post-op mark.  I've lost 85 lbs, eliminated my diabetes, lowered my blood pressure, look and feel 1000% better.  BUT, I've been stalled at 201-205 lbs for the past 4 weeks.

If I never lost another pound and stayed where I am the rest of my life, I would be fine.  BUT, I really would like to break that 200 lbs mark and be hanging out around 195.  According to the charts, that still puts me "over weight".  I too am obsessed with not putting the weight back on.  

I think the biggest advantage of the RNY or any WLS is that you really can't "over eat".  It hurts if I do.  I can't eat too fast.  Again, it hurts if I do.  I can't eat certain "unhealthy" foods (sugar or high fat foods).  Once again...you know...it hurts or I puke or worse have it coming out both ends... ok you get the picture.

That pain thing is a real motivator not to eat CRAP or even too much of the good food.  

Conversely, the good feeling I now get from exercise is a motivator for me to get up, go to the gym and workout.  I'm doing 25-30 minutes of cardio (treadmill, bike, or elliptical (torture) machine) followed by 30 minutes of strength building (8 different machines or free weights) a day, doing different machines each day.  The trainer at my gym advised to change things up to 1) keep the exercise from getting boring and 2) keep the body "guessing" at what I am doing.  This helps keep the metabolism up.  I go to the gym M-F.  Usually on Saturdays I do a bike ride or am very busy doing yard work or other activities with the family.  Sundays - its a day of rest, maybe an easy bike ride or walk with my wife.  Bottom line, I am up, moving, and not laying on the couch eating.

I feel great!  On those days when I don't exercise, I generally feel sluggish and not on the top of my game.  One of the important things here is I have never been a jock or exerciser before.  Along with my eating habits, this is something that has changed in my life.

Again, this forum and the support and stories from everyone here, including your posts really has been a help.  Keep up the great progress!  Congratulations on such a great weight loss!