Question for "Lightweights"

eeyoremom2
on 6/17/12 10:09 am - WI

RNY on 06/01/12

I am not entirely sure what constitutes a light weight my starting BMI was 42..I am just curious how quickly a "lightweight" loses the weight my surgeons office says 6-7lbs a week but that seem like way too much just curious what others experiences were.

5' 2" HW: 240.2 SW: 234.2 CW: 162.1 GW: 137lbs

"No dream is out of reach as long as you believe it."

"With faith all things are possible"

Price S.
on 6/17/12 10:30 am - Mills River, NC

RNY on 09/09/10

A lightweight has about 100 lbs to lose, or a starting BMI around 40ish or anyone else who likes what they see here and sticks around.

6-7lbs a week is a maybe for the first week or 2 but certainly wouldn't last very long. After the first month, most lightweights lose around 10 lbs a month, the at 5-6 months it slows down again. Because we have less weight to lose, the number of pounds is less but the percentage of excess weight lost is about the same. Most LWs get to their goal and to a normal BMI, some in the 7month to 12 month range. Others take longer. We urge you not to complare yourself to others. We are all different.

66 yrs young, 4'11" hw 220, goal 120 met at 12 months, cw 129 learning Maintainance

Between 35-40 BMI? join us on the Lightweight board. the Lightweight Board

Eliza55
on 6/17/12 11:56 am - PA

RNY on 08/11/11

You've lost about 20 lbs in 2 weeks - that's just amazing, as many folks don't lose much in the first couple of weeks post surgery. Congrats!! Look at the % of excess body weight lost - that's how the docs track weight loss. For an RNY, it's typically about 70% before you stop losing. - that's 70 lbs if you have 100 lbs to lose, but 140 if you have 200 lbs to lose.

As Price said, don't compare yourself to others, or you'll go crazy. This is a journey that includes the initial weight loss phase and maintenance. All the good habits that you can develop now are very important to long term success.

Your weight loss targets put you in the range of a lightweight - we'd love to see you on this board.

Best of luck to you!

Eliza

Consult:239 SW:217 1mo:195 2mo:182 3mo:169 6mo:139 9mo GOAL CW: +2 from underweight

Roz !!!!
on 6/18/12 3:36 am - Butler, PA

Welcome to the LW Board!!!! I understand how excited you are!!! Everyones different so it's really hard to predict how much and how long it will take you to get to get goal.

I averaged about 10 lbs. a month at the beginning and then it slowed down. It took me about 13 months to get to my lowest weight.

Roz

God is walking with me every step of the way. Because of HIM this is possible!!

RNY 10/15/2008 9+ Years!!! Height: 4' 11" HW: 203 SW: 197 CW: 119 on Maintenance

lerkhart
on 6/18/12 3:56 am

RNY on 08/03/09

Welcome to the LW Board. Like others have said don't compare yourself to others, we each lose at different rates. The less you have to lose the slower it seems, but percentages are all about the same.

I lost about 20 pounds the first month and then usually anywhere from 7-10 a month after that except.

Linda

14.5 lost pre-surgery 5'1 1/2"

southernlady5464
on 6/18/12 9:46 am

DS on 01/24/11

Welcome to the lightweight board...

As to the lbs versus percentages...here is how it works:

It's not POUNDS, it's PERCENTAGES!

by Carolyn M.

Two people, both 6 months post-op. One has lost only 63 pounds and feels bad about her "slow" weight loss. The other has lost 96 pounds and thinks she's doing great.

They are both wrong.

Person A had only 105 excess pounds, so she has already lost 60% of her excess weight. She is actually ahead of the game at 6 months out and is on track to lose it ALL.

Person B had 265 excess pounds. At 6 months out she has only lost 36% of her excess weight. At this rate, she will end up retaining 28% of her excess weight, enough to keep her in the obese category.

See what I mean? Don't compare pounds to pounds, that's like apples and oranges.

Percent of excess weight lost: pounds lost divided by total excess pounds
Use a BMI of 25 as a goal weight

On track to lose it all is 25% lost after 2 months, 50% after 6 months, and 80% at one year.

Please note: These are averages. Your mileage may vary.

That's how it works.

Liz

eeyoremom2
on 6/18/12 10:38 am - WI

RNY on 06/01/12

I really like your answer and if I go by percentages I have already lost almost 12% of my excess weight at only a little over 2 weeks post op. That sounds better then the pounds. I am just worried that this is going to be all for nothing...I have failed at so many things in the past I think it is just a matter of mentally understanding this is different and as long as I exercise and follow mynsurgeons orders that it will work. Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement.

5' 2" HW: 240.2 SW: 234.2 CW: 162.1 GW: 137lbs

"No dream is out of reach as long as you believe it."

"With faith all things are possible"

KJHOLMES
on 6/18/12 9:50 am

My BMI is 35 and I was so wondering if anyone else shared my thoughts about having a BMI that low. It still means that I am overweight and I already have so many health issues, I am just trying to prevent anymore complication from Diabetes. The problem that I have is people looking at me saying why are you having that surgery and not knowing my story. My doctors have told me it is am

MajorMom
on 6/18/12 7:24 pm - VA

DS on 08/09/07

Yeah, people only see the outside and have no idea what's going on on the inside. Keep your head up, you're taking action. :)

--gina

5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
******GOAL*******
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
Join us on the Lightweights Board!
DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny

southernlady5464
on 6/18/12 11:29 pm

DS on 01/24/11

Welcome to the lightweight board.

Only you and your doctor(s) know if wls is for you. Make sure you check out all the surgery boards, also the revision and regrets boards. Pick your surgery, then your surgeon.

I knew I needed to be able to take NSAIDS and that ruled out the RNY as my first option. The VSG was not available to me but I also needed the malabsorption part of the surgery. The lap band was never even on my radar screen, my pcp would not write the referral if I had wanted the lap band. And I wanted the most effective surgery for diabetes....that was the one I picked, the DS. Others do well with other surgeries but I needed the DS.

Anyway, just tell others that you feel like educating that you and your doctor know this is best for you. For those that are just nosey, just ignore their comment or give them what my dh calls "the RCA dog look"....the one that says, are you crazy?

Liz

Question for "Lightweights"

It's not POUNDS, it's PERCENTAGES!

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Question for "Lightweights"

It's not POUNDS, it's PERCENTAGES!