How much longer will I lose?
I know that many people disagree, but I have researched into the 'end of malabsorption' - many people believe that the villi in your intestine grow and/or absorb more nutrients than shortly after your surgery and I found no credible research that supports this theory. Even my bariatric surgeon thinks they grow, so I know I hold the minority view. I do not conduct research myself, so I am open to reviewing studies that show otherwise if any finds one. Please post a link - there is a lot of misunderstanding, or at least disagreement in the scientific community, about the role of villi in regain and I would welcome any new research.
However, I have been in contact with the people who actually conduct research into this field - usually to help people who have lost portions of their GI track to cancer or have short intestine syndrome (my surgeon agrees that this is a proper comparison). Currently, even with drugs, they cannot make your villi grow and absorb more nutrients. All they can do is make the large intestine absorb more water. WLS researchers acknowledge that many people regain at 2-3 years after surgery, but put it down to creeping bad habits or something as of yet unknown, but not super villi.
Anyway, this can be positive because you are more in control and your body is not undermining your efforts. If you are still losing 4-5 pounds a month - great - stay on your post-op instructions and ride it as long as possible.
I do not know your exercise program, but most people lose 20% of their weight as muscle - even when on a regular diet and not WLS. So, if you have lost a bunch of weight, you may want to check into weight training to replace some lost muscle. Only muscle burns calories. So additional muscle can help get rid of those last pounds.
Sharon