Question:
Could it be that I won't lose anymore weight?

I have lost about 100 lbs since my surgeru, proximal RNY, on Dec. 12, 2000. But I lost it all in the first 11 months and really nothing more since. I know my diet could be better, but it really isn't that bad. I know, too, that I should be exercising more. Is it possible that I have lost all I will lose or if I really cut back on food intake and step up the exercise can I get rid of some more? I'd like to lose about 50 more. Still, it's the surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself.    — Katie F. (posted on June 6, 2002)

June 6, 2002
I was told by some great people on this site to up my protein and water and not graze. When I did I lost 25lbs. So I believe that it is possible to continue to lose weight. They said that you have a window of 18 months to 2yrs. I also start walking which helped out a lot.
   — Sharon T.

June 6, 2002
It's always possible to lose more weight. It's simple, if you burn more than you take in, you'll lose. Even us posties. If you regularly burn 1000 calories a day and you are eating 1000, then you won't gain nor lose. But, if you now cut down to 800 calories and burn 200 more by exercising, you will lose 400 calories a day. I think 3000 is a pound (I'm not sure though). Unfortunately this surgery blows away our metabolism. Where we may have been burning 3000 calories a day before (Hell it took a lot to lug around all that weight), we are only burning 1500 or so now. Our bodies inevitably learn to adjust. That doesn't mean that you can't lose, it just means that you are going to have to work harder at it. I lost all my excess weight by 11 months and now if I lose control or get a little nuts with myself I gain.
   — Jeannet

June 6, 2002
Hi Katie, have you checked out fitday.com? Excellent site. Once you put in all of your info, it will let you know what your basic metabolic rate is and then your general activity level rate at which you burn calories. These are separate from your extra activity. Mine ends up being something like 1500 burned by basic metabolic rate (bmr) and an additional 1000 cals burned for my typical activity level (light housework) and then you can add in what type of exercise you do for the day and it will give you a total. You have to have a caloric deficit of 3500 cals to lose a pound. So if you consume, say, 1000 cals and your burn 3000 in a day, your caloric deficit is already at 2000! There is also a place to track your caloric input, percentages in pie chart form as to how much fat, carbs and protein you are consuming. This is helping me tremendously. I'm also going to get a pedometer so that I can set a goal for how many steps I will walk a day. I have been on a 6 week plateau (I'm only 7 months out), and just in the last week since I started fitday, I've lost 3 more lbs. It helps me see where those extra cals are coming from.
   — Cheri M.