Question:
Calling all

I am 4'11" and weigh 200# I qualify for surgery because of BMI 40. I should weigh 115, my question is for you that are not so tall, will we loose as fast as our 300+ friends? It seems in this case the more weight you have to loose you loose quicker. ( I know everyone is different) but I would like to hear from some of you). PS for those of you who think I'm "lucky" because I only have to loose under 100# it's no picnic for me. Iknow your pain, Iv'e been called a pumpkin and it wasn't even Halloween! Thanks    — Cindee A. (posted on February 28, 2001)

February 28, 2001
Most of the support groups are for pre and post op people. However, as a fellow pre-op, I think we do need to be supportive of each other. Any other pre-ops, feel free to email me [email protected] and we can do Email support. This is a tough time for many of us, we've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and then it seems like we're not getting any closer. Let's put our heads together and find ways to cope and be active and help everyone get to the other side a little faster. A recent poster talked about all the pre-op things we need to do. I think this is something we can all think about and share our thoughts on. I have been working hard at exercising and observing my habits so I know what will be the biggest changes. This is a good learning time. Let's join together to make it a little easier for all of us.
   — kcanges

February 28, 2001
First of all, yes, it is likely that 300+ people will loose fast..at first anyway. Here's how a nutritionist explained the weight loss to me. She said it takes 11 calories per day to maintain each lb of your body. Thus, for somebody who let's say weighs 350...they eat 3850 calories...suddenly post surgery they can only eat 700 calories per day...that is 3150 less then their body is used to, thus they have very quick loss. On the other hand, as they loose, their loss will slow like everyone elses. Their bodies wlll need less calories to sustain a lower weight, and little by little they will eat more....so, by time they reach 225, the amount they needs to sustain that weight is about 2475, but by that time they are probably eating about 12-1300 calories a day...a much smaller difference, and thus the loss is slower, and thus the reason why our loss slows and seems to go in slow motion from about 200 on down. Now, you may think, well, then I'll only eat 700 calories all the time....not going to work...your body will think you are trying to starve it and go into starvation mold and hold onto everything its got....so, basically this is a natural part of the process, and should apply to everyone equally. She also told me how many calories you have to cut/exercise away to loose a lb, but I foget how much it is.
   — tlg6056