I have a question for some of you I need help!

I am almost 4 months out from surgery and had some complications but they are over now and I have lost 80lbs. I started out at 367 I am now down to 288. It seems like my weight loss has slowed way down and no matter if I eat a few hundred calories a day or up to around a 1000 it doesn't seem to have any bearing on how fast I loose right-now. I was wondering if any of you had this happen and what I can do to keep the weight loss going. I want to loose at least 120 more lbs. How long did it take some of you to get to your goal and am I on track? I am worried because I get really hungry and now I can eat more food I just don't want to mess things up for myself. I didn't come this far to give it all up. Please Help Thanks Elaine B.

Elaine, sorry to hear you had complications, glad your doing better.  Wow, 80 lbs in 4 months is amazing, that averages to 20 lbs per month, awesome job!   As for losing and the speed at which you lose, that will vary by person.  I would like to recommend you don't go too low on calories to lose quicker as you're body will go into starvation mode and hold on to the weight vs. letting you lose.  Focus on high protein, lower carb and fat (good carbs, i.e. vegetables and fruit) or better yet go by your surgeon's or nut's recommendation if they've given you a plan.   At 4 months out and -80, I feel pretty good that you'll do well to get to your goal, you can probably count on losing weight for the next 12-18 months at least (this is the norm, there are some exceptions). Good luck!

Your body might just be taking a break. It needs to get used to you without those 80 pounds and may take a few weeks. Don't give up! Drink your water, eat your protein (be sure to get ~80 grams a day at least), and keep up your exercising. You will still loose inches. My body stopped every 20 pounds or so for a few weeks like it was adjusting or something. It can be aggravating but don't give up! It is well worth it! Diona

This is so typical--for the weight loss to have slow periods.  If you've gone this long without a slow-down,  you're fortunate!  You hit the nail on the head when you said that it isn't helping when you cut your calories way back.  At the stage you're at, you DEFINITELY don't need to cut back; you need to keep fueling your metabolism with good protein, veggies, etc., at the level your nutritionist's/surgeon's plan calls for.   The fact that you're really hungry would suggest to me that you're trying to restrict too much. Your weight loss is excellent!  There's almost no point in comparing with others (although I know everyone does to a certain extent!).  I'm too lazy to actually look up how much I had lost at 4 mo. post-op, but I know it wasn't as much as you've lost.  (I do remember hitting 100 lbs. at 7 mo.)  The next 6 mo. were a lot slower. Are you exercising?  That will help keep the metabolism up! You're doing great, and it's gonna get better & better! Jo

Elaine, try not to get discouraged - you're doing great! You can expect to go through some dry spells with your weight loss, maybe as long as 2 or 3 weeks, when you don't lose anything, and then all of a sudden you'll drop several pounds. That's the way it went with me. I don't know any way you can really speed things up - as long as you're doing some exercise and following your doctor's orders for food, protein, water, etc. I lost 105 pounds the first 6 months, half that the next six months (56 pounds), and half of that the next six months (26 pounds). The weight loss gets slower, but as you go down you'll notice every pound a lot more. Everybody's different, but what works for me is: if I'm really hungry, I eat, I just try to eat the right things. Sometime since WLS a little bell went off in me that said it really does matter what you put in your body. I can eat a little bag of baked potato chips for 130 calories (not much nutrition in there and it will raise my sugar level, cause me to crash land, and then get even hungrier), or a TLC Kashi protein bar for 140 calories (6 gr protein, 4 gr fiber, will keep me satisfied for a couple of hours and gives me energy). I have heard "a calorie is a calorie," but for me that's not necessarily the truth. I do indulge in some chips every now and then, they are a real weakness for me, but I've found that I can eat like a lot every day and still maintain my weight if I make good choices. My nut's rule is 3 bites of protein, 2 bites of veggies, and 1 bite of a whole grain or good carb (wheat, etc.). I've found that if I cut too many calories, I'll start to gain weight. I really like the idea of eating more and keeping my weight down, that really appeals to me. :) Good luck and hang in there, you're going to do fine.

First off, Congratulations on 80lbs so far! I have to agree with what everyone else has already said. Your body is probably taking some time to adjust~we usually take a break and then get back to losing again. Like Dana said, don't drop too far back in calories or you will go into starvation mode and your body will fight to hold on to EVERYTHING!!!!! You have lots of time to lose that last 120lbs~you'll get there! Just do all the good things that your dr recommends and you'll make it to your goal!!!! ((((HUGS))))