Going lower beyond goal

Hey ladies,
I need some sound advice.

Stats I am 5'5 and 135 small frame. I now wear 2/4 dresses, 2/4 jeans and got in a 0 skirt from Old Navy yesterday!

I am still losing about 5 pounds a month. Should I slow things or keep going? I want to add muscle to look toned like Jennifer Aniston or Jada Pinkett Smith, I don't want to end up w no curves.

When did you stop losing? I know RNY can lose up to 18 mos-any VSG responses would help?

I would say add in another protein shake and see if that helps. It may help slow you a bit and will help with muscle maintenance. You will have some bounce back so go lower than you're comfortable with and let the bounce back bring you back to where you want to stick.

--gina

Thanks. Did you have bounce back w the DS?
I know RNY experiences the bounce back but itsnt it more of a regain situation w the sleeve? Like 5-10 pounds- more related to the person vs the tool.

I think we all have some natural bounce back which is different than regain. We get to that lowest level and will bounce back up 5 or so--that's bounce back. Regain, I think of in terms of 15-20+ pounds. I had an initial bounce back of 3 pounds first 6 months after my lowest low. Now I'm fighting with 6 pounds of regain at 5 years post-op. 

--g 

I was in your position, granted as an RNY-er about a year ago. My nut had me add in an ounce of almonds a day vs. a half ounce, as well as a tablespoon of peanut butter, and switch up to 1% milk from skim.

It worked, I settled down, and now I'm actually working on some regain.

The one thing you seriously don't want to do (and I didn't believe it when people told me this, but they were right!) is to start gaining weight back at this point. Wait until your body settles down, and then it'll put you back at a safe point.

 "The one thing you seriously don't want to do (and I didn't believe it when people told me this, but they were right!) is to start gaining weight back at this point. Wait until your body settles down, and then it'll put you back at a safe point."

Yes, yes, yes!

Go as low as you can while you add back in good fats and some healthy carbs like more veggies and some fruit but don't sweat it because bounce back is real and you need some cushion.

Mac- I know you had a injury. Did you gain on purpose or start eating more? I've seen some w VSG stay within a 5pound range and others gain more. What contributes to the variance I your opinion?

Here is what I did:

Got down to 112-113 with occassional forrays into 109 territory. I was very thin -- 17% body fat -- and you could see my ribs, spine and chest bones. I was happy at that weight with clothes on, but not without clothes.

Went up to 115-117 and stayed there until winter. I considered this where I had settled.

Went up to 118-119 in the winter when I exercise less. Body fat was 18%. Clothes got tight. I was unhappy and torturing myself, convinced I'd gain all my weight back even though intellectually I knew that was crazy. I mean I had 18% body fat and I was unhappy because I hadn't stayed at my lowest weight. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy!

Went back down in the Spring to 115-117. After that, I relaxed. I could see that this going up in the winter and down in the Spring was going to be my new normal and was the normal state for most of my triathlete friends.

Went back up in the Winter to 118-119 and then in the Spring instead of losing, I did a heavy strength program and put on about 5 pounds of muscle. Hovered around 124. The boney look was gone and I was fitting into my skinniest clothes such as only fit me when I was in the 112-113 range. I was very happy with how I looked. Part of me was a bit freaked out to be over 120, my old "I'll never go over X" weight. But I looked fantastic and I knew it was just head games.

Got injured, shot up to 132 in 3 weeks. Panic! Got it under control and got back down to 127-128 with occasional drops into 125 range. Am slowly losing my muscles and have the chicken-wing chest look going again but can't see my spine or ribs. I like how I look naked. But my smallest clothes are a bit tight and my loosest clothes aren't really loose any more. I'd like to be  under 125 but every time I get there, I get really hungry and eat my way back to 127-128. That seems to be my new set point.

I think once I start exercising again, I'll put the muscle back on and lose some of the fat. My goal is to get under 120 as I think that's a good weight for me. But, if I get under 125 and look like I did the last time I was 125, I will  NOT be complaining!


This is my opinion about it all: we in the WLS community have this thing about our weight and blaming ourselves for any gains over X pounds and talking about how we've "gone back to bad habits" everytime we eat something "bad", but personally I think it's way more complicated than that. For one thing, not every gain is bad. My muscle gains were awesome. I want those muscles back!

The other thing is, we are human beings and we need to come up with a lifestyle that's sustainable. I plan to live for another 30 years at least and I don't plan to eat like I did early out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I don't think every time I have a cookie that I've done something wrong. Life needs some spice and I'd rather be 10 pounds over my so-called "ideal" weight and living life than living like a monk just so I can say my BMI is 22 instead of 24.

So that is what I've come to. Early out, I was absolutely convinced that I would never bounceback and that people who did that were just not dedicated. But I was strong and I was dedicated and it just wasn't going to happen to me. But then it did. And I can't beat myself up over it. Because I'm happy. I look great and I have a great life (well, except for the injury). I have wonderful friends, my house and family are happier now that I'm not working out so much. Life is good.

Plus, I just can't hate myself for not staying under 120 when no matter how hard I try to lose that extra weight, my body fights me. It fights me now to stay in the 127-128 range just like it used to fight me to stay over 200 pounds. This seems to be the weight that it wants to be. So I'm going to let it be this weight and see what happens.

My only fear now is that I go up by 5 pounds every year because that means I will be back to 225+ in 20 years. But I really don't think that will happen because of the fact that I did go down every Spring when I was working out.

so agree...go as low as you can as fast as you can....I read that on OH, and it helped me.

Thanks ladies! Your advice is spot on!