There is NO Magic 6 Month or 12 month Weight Loss Period!

Not only am I not MISREPRESENTING your comments, but after re-reading your original post I would say that you are a perfect example of the power of maximizing the honeymoon period.  You state that you worked your butt off during the first six months and lost a great deal of weight during that time.  You also state that it got harder to stick with the program the further out you get.  I AGREE with that 100%.  That is why everybody should maximize that time.  As far as being able to lose past the 6-12 months period.  That is a given.  Even people who never had WLS can lose weight at any time.  It would be indeed stupid to think that somehow you can't lose weight after a year.  It's not that you can't do it, it just gets harder to do and feels more like a diet.  Those were almost the exact words used by my doctor when I asked him about this issue.  He told me that at a certain time, losing weight becomes more like what it used to feel like before the VSG.  The bottom line is that for many of us losing weight in the first few months is so much easier than doing it later.  Can it be done?  Sure it can.

I agree with OM completely!  Whether it has been the intent of others who preach the honeymoon period or not, it certainly comes across as though the honeymoon period is the only time you can lose a large amount of weight.  In fact just this past week I was reading about the percentages of weight you should have lost by a certain period, and I realized that I have fallen quite a bit short of that.  Before reading that, I was so excited and feeling so good about my losses so far.  Again no one called me a failure, but that's how it comes across (or at least how I interpretted it).  Another thing that really gripes at me, is some people's love affair with their surgeon.  I LOVE my surgeon, but you know what...he is not the only surgeon in the world.  He is a GREAT surgeon who thoroughly educates his patients.  I meet with a nutritionist at every visit.  But....SHOCK....he doesn't force you to limit your carbs to under 20 (which I think is bologna).  If you eat protein first, you won't have room for tons of carbs and you will still lose.

I love the vets and I appreciate that they take the time to help all of the newbies like myself, but it gets frustrating sometimes.  It really ticks me off when someone comes on here and has the nerve to confess that they have fallen off program, and when people try to encourage them...they get ripped into for encouraging them.  That is just plain wrong...period.

 
Just to keep a few things clear......

Yes- Generally speaking the first six months is when WL is the easiest....for everyone....No.....In most cases yes. For that reason it is called "The Honeymoon Period" It is encouraged to take advantage of this time period. The second six months for most is very good also.....not quite as good as the first...but still pretty good. And it does become harder after the first year, but still very doable.

Yes- Right now there is a lot of VSG surgeons, some that have done a few VSG's to a few thousand. There can be a big range in results......there has to be if the procedures are not all the same.

Yes- You have a top VSG surgeon in Brandon Williams.....how do I know..... OM has let us know and has been promoting him and the Scholars of Vanderbilt University for a long time now. I guess I'm not suppose to praise my surgeon though......

Also....we were all new to this at one point.....we all read pretty much the same stuff....when I was new and read about the Honeymoon Period (It's not a new/recent term) it didn't make me feel bad.... it motivated me to keep my head down and not waver from the plan. I was a SMO High BMI and met 100%+ EWL in a very timely manor.

Just trying to keep it real.....

frisco

As someone who will be a year out tomorrow, I'd like to add my thoughts.  First, I GREATLY respect OldMedic, Elina, and frisco.  They have encouraged/helped me in many ways over the past year.  However, I am that person who feels like a failure.  Why?  Because I have not met my goal at one year.  I've lost 100 pounds BUT still not at goal.  I should be proud of that but I feel like a failure because I wasn't able to get the last 10 pounds off when others made goal in as little as 6 months.  I realize this is insane thinking.  But when you read day after day how important the "honeymoon" period is it makes one feel as if it will never happen if you didn't make goal in that time frame.

At this point I'm beginning to ramble so I'll close for now!  Hugs to you all.........Jennifer

 
Jengo.......10 to go !!!!

You been losing weight when I haven't been looking!!!

When your 10lbs. away....your far from a failure and all those theories and statistics go out the window!!!!

The only thing that matters is that last 10lbs. !!!!!

You got this..... PM me if you wanna talk about it.....

frisco

My surgeon never even mentioned a honeymoon period, he did however say that this is my new life and that I will never be able to eat like I did before.  I am almost 6 months and have lost most of my weight, I only have 20 lbs to goal and I don't count carbs at all.  I eat exactly what my family does only a whole lot less.  I keep saying that I'm not going to come back on here because of the militant (IMO) no carb, low carb, honeymoon period, you have to do it my way advise that is given to alot of new people, but I do because occasionally there is some common sense thrown in there.  Thanks Old Medic for keeping it real.

 
First congrats on your WL! Pretty awesome!

You do understand though that you are one of the fortunate few that can do it in more of a normal manner. Most of us find out how carb sensitive we are and carb control becomes a key component.

I have a few Friends on this forum that did it like yourself, brownblonde and stiilfawn come to mind...even jennchap. I think what they had in common was they did eat a varied diet....but there overall intake was very low.

Most often we read about people who have stopped losing or gaining and most times it's because they let carbs back in.....

I have been maintaining my weight for over a year now and find I still have to watch my carbs...I give myself up to 80grams and that seems to be a good amount for me.....which means I can eat pretty much anything....just in VSG quantities.

I'll be looking for your at goal post!

frisco

No one asked me, but I'll throw it out there... I think both sides of this coin are right. I weighed 355 at surgery (375 at my heaviest right before the pre-op diet). To meet 60% loss at 3 months or even 6 months, I would have had to lose 141 pounds. It's 5.5 months now and I'm down 103.

Us high BMI girls lose slower than the average male of the same (or even lower weight). Hell, I think I've lost at a pretty good clip, but there's no way I could meet that EWL estimate, unless I stopped eating completely.

We're all different. We all lose differently. Will I lose 100% at 12 months? No. Will I do it at 18 months? Probably no, again. I have 235 pounds total that needed to go. I was aiming to hit 50% of that Jan 1, but the reality is that I probably won't.

You can bet that I'll be busting my ass trying to do it though!

I also think that people's bodies are different. Some put on the weight really quickly, some slowly. Some, the weight melts off of, some it comes off slowly. It depends on their own body chemistry - and yes, what food choices they are making plays into that.

I definitely believe in the honeymoon period - as being the time to lose the most weight the fastest. I'm maximizing that as best as I can and I think I'm succeeding. I'm not meeting those percentages, but ya know... I've lost 103 pounds in 5.5 months. That's significant. My life is SO much different than it was six months ago, it's amazing. It's only going to get better.

I'll meet goal. It may take me 2 years instead of 1. It'll be hard. I'll have setbacks, it will suck, but I'll do it. And to hell with anyone that thinks I can't

... just sayin'

(oh, and I know the math nerds will ask... my goal is 175 on here, but to be at a normal BMI, I'm supposed to lose another 35 or so - I'm waiting to see what 175 looks like on me and how much skin I'm going to have to deal with - I'm told it could be as much as 30 pounds of skin - ugh! - plus 175 puts me at a nice round 200 lost)

I wish we had a like button.

Thank you Old Medic. You are truly a breath of fresh air.

My 2 cents: I watched a friend lose most of her weight (about 70+ lbs) from 8 to 15 months out. She's never logged a thing. She is definitely not the poster child for the correct diet. She DOES work her sleeve and is better at listening to her sleeve than I am to mine. At 15 mos, she lost her last 20 lbs. She also lost another 10 lbs at 18 mos. She's now 10 lbs under her goal.

She's the reason why I ignore the honeymoon phase crap.

The sleeve is for life and I intend to use it that way.

I TOTALLY agree!