Lightweights at or below goal?

I checked out your picture - you do look great!  Very athletic. 

I'm 4'10" and set my goal for 120 (195 at surgery on 12/16/09, 231 highest).  I hit my goal in about 6 months and am currently at 105, 15 pounds below.

I just continued the normal diet and actually had to stop working out because I have peroneal nerve damage (crossing my legs and losing all the weight put pressure on the nerve) but I still lost the weight.  I am, of course, still in the "honeymoon" period.  I am slowly starting to up my work out routine so that I don't end up gaining it all back.

I feel great right now, although I think I would be ok losing a little more.  I can go down to about 90 pounds before being considered underweight, but I'm at a size 0/1 so I really don't want to lose much more.  I had to buy undies the other day and a juniors XS are still a little too big.  I refuse to buy little girls panties!

You'll know when you get to a comfortable weight and remember that you will have bounce back weight so even if you go below goal, you may end up exactly where you planned to be.

Good luck!

Did you get foot drop as a result of the nerve damage?  I had issues back in September with my peroneal nerve causing foot drop but it turned out to be a B1 (Thiamine deficiency.)

Yes, it was foot drop.  My B1 was actually too high, so they cut back on it.  With physical therapy and such everything has pretty much returned to normal although I still don't have full strength in my big toe...  Man, almost 6 months out of heels seemed like forever, especially when I was used to wearing them EVERY DAY!

Thanks everyone for your posts - they've been really very helpful.  I guess I have a lot of thinking to do.  Maybe I miss my "girls" more than I thought I did -- or maybe I'm attributing more weight to excess skin than I should be.  I do have a significant panni -- enough to qualify for insurance coverage for it's removal. 

I see the surgeon next week, we'll have to chat about re-setting my goal weight. I would never cut back on exercise and I'm really not hungry most of the time.  Frankly, I did not cut carbs as much as most people... my nut essentially told me that as long as I met my protein goal that carbs (good ones) were ok. 

Thanks again -- I really do appreciate all of your responses.

Laura

Maintenance has been hard for me.  Really, I didn't feel as though I changed my eating much, but I can eat more of it. 

My goal was 125, I hit that in 10 months, I got down to 121 and have bounced around a bit.  My original "no higher than" goal was 130, but when I got down below 125, I changed it to 125.  I'm most comfortable at the 123 range. 

I'm currently at 129... and HAVE to get back down.  Yes, I know what I did (Christmas, sugar, carbs and adult beverages).  I've done it before, I can do it again! I hit 121 last November...

I could tell when my honeymoon phase was over - it was like a door closed for me!  I know I was also pushing my luck during that time... and had I followed the rules more strictly, I could probably have seen the 1-teens.

Take full advantage of your honeymoon period.  After its over its harder to figure out maintenance!

Im totally with Jody on this one . A few bariatric patients lose and keep losing and need to eat more .....MOST I think have real difficulty losing that last thirty or so lbs.

Part of the problem is people who know us pre-op are so shocked at the fast loss they say slow down not knowing there is a very FINITE honeymoon period and when its over its OVAH Bay- Bee........ its OVER FOREVER . The easy weight loss window is CLOSED . PERMANENTLY .

Its our responsibility to ourselves to get ourselves down to where we want to be ( plus allowing an extra ten- 15 lbs for bounceback weight and eventual age related regain too) in the first 12- 18 months and STAY there .

Yes that weight may look a bit bony at first . This is because most large people lose the weight AWAY from the heart the slowest - so it stays in the legs , the thighs and the butt . Whereas the areas close to the heart ....the top half of the body ....look scrawny in comparison.

In a year or so all that redistributes , thank God . Much of the huge bones necessary to suport all that weight get reabsorbed too I suspect ..in any case we start to look a LOT different and better .

I personally am 126 lbs ( in the 130s according to my doctor's scale ) and bounce between a size 2/4 and a size 0 if im running and working out regularly . Im 5'9" and TRUST me I look elegant , not skinny or bony at all . I can ROCK a bikini ;) , I still have ALL my natural boobs ( small Cs ) and they are still firm not saggy ( thank God ) and a round face ...

I DID and DO RELIGIOUSLY protect them with strongly supportive bras - two when i run- so I dont stretch the supportive connective tissue out . I always wear bras in the house . My first year they DID look a little deflated ..but they came roaring back ....( im not always Happy about this lol would have loved to have stayed graceful teacup size ;(

Now for my on camera job i really NEED to be a 00 size or around 110 lbs soaking wet because the camera puts on 15lbs easily .

I think U can be much more ATTRACTIVE at whatever weight by working out . Its not about the weight .... its about putting on muscle . I do think also working out speeds up the rate at which the body accommodates and redistributes whats left . The overall package is just WAY more beautiful youthful and healthy .....

If nothing else .. WALK WALK WALK ... theres no reason we cant walk in the snow .... in a mall ... we sure managed before surgery to walk to the buffet and miles and miles picking up groceries right ?

Ull see in a WEEK how different U look and feel with regular walking even...

I set my goal weight at 115, which I never thought I would reach. My nut wanted my goal around 122-124. I flew past goal and am currently maintaining between 96-99 pounds. Sometimes I dip down to 93, occasionally I am up to 100. I have had to up my calories a lot to not get too low. I do work out really hard, and I'm not going to give that up. I was going to see a plastic surgeon, but I decided to wait due to finances, and I'm glad I did because my body has been changing a lot and I definitely don't need some of the things I thought I would.

I am right at 5'6".  wt. 157, goal 160.  I'd like to stay between 155-160.  Hit goal in 7 months.  I knew I wanted to stop at this weight because I really like the way I look, and my rib bones started showing.  I have had to up my calories, but I eat anything that sounds good to me....I don't necessarily try to stay with more protein or "good" carbs.

Good luck with your decision and your journey.

Jane

I am having similar issues.  My surgeon does not give goal weights relying on the principle that the body stops at the point where it wants/needs to be.

I am the same height as you are.  I set my goal at 146--similar to your surgeon's projection for you. Reached that in August and now down to 123-124.  I feel bony, especially on the top half of my body. My husband has given me the nick name "Bones."

My NUT suggested that I add good carbs.  She also suggested upping caloric intake by adding nuts to a snack and granola to yogurt.  Even with trying to eat more, I have continued to lose.  I am afraid to do hard workouts, fearing that I will lose even more.  My concern is at my age, (soon to be 60) I don't want to start looking old and wrinkled.

I am satisfied at this point and feel that I have room for bounceback.  My PCP says he will be happy if my weight settles between 130 and 140.  I'll be happy anywhere in the 130s.

Never thought I would ever, ever have this problem (although it's not really a problem yet).  However, if I dropped another 12 lb., I would be considered underweight and I definitely don't need that.