Question:
When will I stop losing?

I had Rny on 1-04-08 and have lost 123 pounds since then. I started at 278 and now I am 155. My doctors goal weight for me is 150. I am only 8 months out and was wondering when I will stop losing? I only weigh myself once a week and usually lose between 1-3 pounds a week. Will my body know when to stop losing? They say you can lose up to 18 months after surgery, so I am curious if anyone else had these concerns? Thanks.    — minyana3 (posted on September 10, 2008)

September 10, 2008
I was at "goal" at 6 months post op. My goal was to be in the normal bmi range, which was 140 lbs for me. After I got there, I set my goal to be my all time dream weight, which has always been to weigh 130 lbs. After 6 months post op, my weight loss did slow down. I hit 130 and kept going a bit, and started to get worried that I wouldn't stop because I was still not at 1 yr post op. I got to 125 and it just seemed to stop for about 3 or 4 months. I stayed around that range, but then we went on vacation this past July, and it started my weight loss again and now I fluctuate between 118 and 120. I will be 16 months post op tomorrow and I do have to watch what I eat, but I don't worry about getting too thin. I'm about 10 lbs away from being under weight, and yes, my goal is still 130, but I don't think I'm too thin and I am healthier than I have ever been. I think your body just settles where it thinks it should be (most of the time). There are times (which are rare) that more has to be done to keep the weight from coming off (like drinking high calorie protein shakes or something), but that is very unusual. I did have the same fears as you, but now i know it's not anything I have to really worry about. I do have to watch myself, because if I miss a meal or anything like that, I seem to lose pretty easily now. It's a very strange thing to have to watch your calories pretty much all your life to keep from gaining weight or to lose weight, but now I'm having to watch myself to make sure I eat enough so I don't lose weight. It can be done, but for me vacation just started it up again because we were doing tons of walking and were on the go constantly. I pretty much eat 5 times a day, but on vacation we ate maybe 3 times a day. I still can't eat a lot at once, so only eating 3 times a day, isn't good when I add up the calories at the end of the day. WTG on your awesome weight loss!
   — Teresa V.

September 10, 2008
I lost for about 15 months...Most lose to about a year...It varies with everyone. I've heard of people losing for 2 full years (Without really trying or dieting) It's not that you can not lose anymore after your body stops losing on it's own...It just means that you have to work hard to lose or maintain after it stops on it's own. It's like pre-op once it stops...It not impossible to lose but it's certainly hard! And as always so easy to gain...That's why it's called a "tool"...you have to operate that tool...it no longer is on auto pilot after that year or so...It all get handed back to you and you have to maintain your loss! You're gonna make goal! You did wonderful!
   — .Anita R.

September 11, 2008
There is no time cut off as far as losing weight goes... it gets harder the further out you are, but its not impossible. Your body will stop losing on its own. If you want to stop losing before your body is ready to stop, it's just a matter of adding more calories to your diet. Congrats to the weight loss! :)
   — mrsidknee

September 11, 2008

   — rina_mo