Losing Weight adter the "honeymoon" period

Ok... so I am about 30lbs from my goal. I have been stuck at the weight I am now for the passed 2-3 months... and no, I havent been losing inches either (yea, a REAL plateau). I am just about 1-1/2 years post op. I just wanted to know from you further out people 2+ years... how hard was it to lose the weight once you were this far out? I desperately want to lose another 30lbs before I have PS in Feb/March... it is just REALLY hard to do. Give me your advice, comments, suggestions, anything! Thanks!!!

I stopped like that also, but i didnt want to wait to do the PS because i had the apron of fat and when that was removed it weighed 24lbs....so that increased the lose even more. Then over the next 2 yrs it was a gradually losing from time to time and more just recently because of haveing to be more active...haha, hate excerise, but moving. Im still 30 from goal at 4 yrs out, but im not worrierd about it because I feel and look good now and it seems that im losing butt and leggs instead of anywhere else . I dont like the idea that as you losse more , the more pills you have to take. I wanted the surgery to lose weight , be healthy and NOT take medicine all my life , and now im taking more than ever. I hate that.

I don't want to discourage you but the same thing happened to me at 16 months. No matter how much I exercised or how careful I was with eating the weight would not go. After consultations with my PCP, surgeon and plastic surgeon who all said you are where you need to be, no fat left to lose. If you continue to lose you will be losing muscle and it may be something vital like your heart. I felt like a failure at 210 lbs (lost 200 at that point). It took some time for me to make the mental adjustment, but it happened. I had my plastic surgery (tummy tuck) which took off another 22 lbs leaving me at 188 pounds on a 5'6" large frame. I am wearing size 10 pants and 14/16 tops (due to bust line) but I still had an overweight BMI. I'm almost a year beyond the plastic surgery now and finally realize this is good enough. No I am not skinny even though I hear that from friends/family, but this is where my body decided enough was enough. I still eat 1,000 calories a day, work out every morning for 45 minutes, often a second 45 minute workout at night but the scale won't go below the 188. It will quickly move up if I increase the calories, then drop back when I go back to the 1,000 calories but stops at 188. Someone else wrote a post on another board about an article they had read. The bottom line was that as obese people we have built muscle to carry the weight and our bones have gotten larger in an effort to carry the weight. When we lose the weight we still have that underlying muscle and large bone. Best of luck to you for your continued success on your wls journey. Some people do lose after 18 months. It gets harder to lose every month out from surgery. By 18 months most doctors agree our intestines have adjusted and we are absorbing most of the calories we eat/drink. We will never absorb vitamins/calcium because that part of our stomach has been detached with the RNY so we still need to take vitamins/calcium for a lifetime.

Its not discourgaing - just reality I guess. I am 5'-7" and 190lbs. I thankfulling dont have THAT much skin to get removed from platics... and what I do get done will wait quite a few years until I pop out a few kids. You are so right... no matter what I do for the last couple months... it WILL NOT go below 190. I still think I could lose alot more weight... I know I still have fat on my body. I am currently a size 14/ and can wear L tops. The only plastics I am getting done for now are my boobs... I dont feel 24 carrying these tube socks around on my chest area. I just hope my body lets go in a month or so and allows me to lose the rest of the wieght... maybe it is just comfortable where it is now... and I agree I look 10x better than what I did before... just want to go a LITTLE further.

You have email .

I am 22 months post-op and still losing between 1-4 pounds per month. I maintain a routine of 1200 calories a day and my weight loss is better when I up my protein, water and exercise. I have nearly 30 pounds to go and I anticipate not having plastics until 2008. The honeymoon period takes away the ease of weight loss, but not the possibility. You just have to work alittle harder to obtain your goals. Keep focused. Up your protein, water and exercise. Document your daily intake and your daily exercise routines. Dilligence will pay off. Best wishes, Karen G

Karen: A friend and I are 20 months & 27 months out. We both were talking yesterday and have both gained between 6 & 10 pounds back of our loss and we are starting to panic. How much protein are you averaging per day to still be losing 1-4 pounds per month. I know myself, I have started slipping into not eating as much protein as before and I think she has too. Your wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Rita R

My menu plan differs from day-to-day, but I maintain between 60 and 90 grams of protein. I eat lean red meats, skinless chicken and baked or broiled fish. I avoid all fried foods completely. On occasion I will supplement a protein bar for my noon meal or 1/2 a protein bar as afternoon snack. An average day would look like: B - 1 packet instant oatmeal with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (I also eat Kashi Go Lean crunch as an alternate) S - 1 peice of fruit or 1/2 cup diced melon or berries L - 3 oz tuna on two whole wheat crispbreads or a salad with tuna topping S - 1/2 a protein bar or 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with 1 teaspoon cinammon D - 3 oz lean meat, chicken or fish, 1 cup steamed veggies and occasional brown rice or a slice of flaxseed bread I drink a minimum of 64 oz of water, but often it is closer to 128 oz in a single day. I use Real Lemon or Crystal Light for flavouring and I am also into the Fiji water with added calcium and magnesium. If I feel like an evening snack, it is usually a cheese stick or a turkey slim jim. I try never to eat after 8 pm, to allow my body to process its intake before I retire for the night. My weakness is still my caffiene addiction and the milk that I consume with my coffee. Before surgery I was a 6 cup a day habit and I have this down to 2 a day. I have one coffee in the early morning, between breakfast and snack and a second coffee in the late afternoon on my commute home from work. I count the creamer for calories and I use sweetner, but I no the diuretic effect slows my progress. Increasing your daily exercise is really important in keeping the loss going. I have bought second hand gym equipment and set up my own gym in my basement. I am also a member of a gym at work and try to work out at lunch time a couple times each week. At home, I work out to Dr. Phil. LOL I have an elliptical machine, a stationary bike, a treadmill, a resist-a-ball and free weights ... all in front of my TV. So rather than sit to watch TV, I work for it. Weeks when I don't get enough exercise are usually because I am entertaining. Right now, I have my mother in law visiting for a whole month, so it is making getting my exercise in alittle more difficult. Don't dispair. Find an exercise you really like, that you can add to your lifestyle. Try different things. I took 12 weeks of belly dancing and it was a hoot. If you promote activity in your life, you will continue to be rewarded with weight loss and a more toned physique. Many blessings, Karen G