Question:
Will I wither away????

Never thought I'd be asking this type of question but here goes. I am 10 months post op and have been below my goal weight for about 2 months. I thought my weightloss had stopped and I was completely fine with that. However, I have lost another 2 pounds and I am 11 pounds under goal at 128. I had surgery in January and have not exercised ONCE! I am not proud of this fact. I am really wanting to start exercising and toning up. I was pretty active this holiday weekend and my muscles are reminding me that I NEED to get in shape! However, I am now afraid that I will continue to drop weight. I don't want to lose anymore. If I start an exercise program, will I quickly wither away? Have any of you started exercising AFTER reaching goal and did you continue to lose? Doesn't this sounds like an original excuse to NOT exercise? Any thoughts or recommendations? Thanks so much. Shelley    — Shelley. (posted on November 26, 2001)

November 26, 2001
Dear Shelly, I just checked out your profile and your weight loss is phenomenal! Congratulations! I see that your BMI is 23.6. Ideally, one's BMI should be 19-25. The BMI is a ratio of height to weight. You are right now in the ideal range. I am curious, who set your goal? Everyone's goal should be individualized. For instance, someone with the same height as you but a large frame should probably have a higher BMI. Also, someone that has a large muscle mass or excess skin will have a higher BMI. It's not as simple as what the scale says. Personally, I have little muscle mass in my upper body. My claves are huge though. I need to take that into consideration when figuring out my ideal weight. I also needed to consider the extra skin I have in my abdomen. I THOUGHT I wanted to be 130 lbs at goal but have realized that anything lower than what I am now is way too thin for me. Don't just go by the goal you set at 263 lbs. Go by what feels right now and by what the docs say. With a BMI of 23, I would not be that concerned that you are underweight. Now, regarding exercise. Muscle weighs a lot more than fat. If you'd like to put on a few pounds, working out is your best option. Weight lifting and toning your muscles will probably increase your weight, in a healthy manner. ~Jeanne
   — Jeannet

November 26, 2001
Boy are you lucky, one of the few that looses it all. Exercise will put weight on, and thats healthy. You can always eat a extra meal now and then if you dont want to loose more. Congrats on the GREAT loss.
   — bob-haller

November 30, 2001
I have to agree with Jeanne when she said that maybe you need to start exercizing. Muscle mass wieghs more that fat. You might still lose inches but actaually gain a little weight with an exercize program.
   — Sandy W.

January 5, 2002
Shelly - First, I would strongly advise you speak to your doctor about your concerns. A good cardiovascular and weight training program may help you with your problem. You may loose weight at first but then as you build muscle you should gain again. Talk to your doctor about measuring your body fat percentage.
   — Memory C.