Question:
Down only 42.5 lbs at 2 months post op...

I feel like I'm getting nowhere, I lost 30.5 in the 1st month and when I went for my 2 month check up I was only down 42.5lbs??? I barely eat anything... I can't tolerate alot of things... so on any given day I might be getting 20 gr of protien, and maybe 350 calories... I do walk (about 15 mins a day), and my weight loss just doesn't seem to be as great as alot of peoples... Is there one out there with some advice?    — Amber D. (posted on January 17, 2003)

January 17, 2003
The rest of the question didn't show on the first part of this. Eating will get easier with time. The first few months I had to make myself eat. As your tummy heals you will do better and better..The weight loss will come too. It has taken me a while to figure out that if I do what I am supposed to do I will lose weight. Also, take your measurements. When you hit a plateau, and you will, your measurements are going down even though you aren't losing weight..Hang in there honey, you are doing great!!
   — Sharon1964

January 17, 2003
Hi Amber, I am in the same position. I am 10 weeks post op and I have only lost 42 lbs, but that is an average of 4 lbs a week. If I continue with 4 lbs a week, I will lose over 100 lbs by 6 months. It will come on it's own terms. I also noticed that I went with out losing for 2 weeks, and boom than an 8 lb loss. Hang in there. I think you are doing good - that's 42.5 lbs closer to goal!!
   — Kristin L.

January 17, 2003
Don't worry Amber. I don't know what your beginning stats are, but I'm 5'6" and started at 271. My surgeon at BTC said I should lose 5-6 lbs per week to begin with, then it will eventually slow.
   — Deborah R.

January 17, 2003
Amber, I just went for my 6 week check up and have lost a total of 31 LBS...I feel like I have lost more in inches though...I am 5ft tall and started at 261.. Nancy P
   — NANCY P.

January 17, 2003
I'm 11 weeks post op and down 42.5 lbs as of this morning! I am 46 years old, 5'2" and started at 236 lbs. I am losing slower than I thought I would. But - it took me a lifetime to get that big, so I probably won't lose it overnight. As others pointed out, your body may be in starvation mode due to the low protein and calorie amounts you are taking in. Just think about how much you have lost, and that you will keep losing at your own rate. I am probably not going to lose as fast as someone half my age, or who started out heavier. You will get there!
   — koogy

January 17, 2003
Amber, first of all stop saying "only lost 42.5 pounds". If you start getting into the "only lost" syndrome now, you will never be happy with any loss. There will always be someone out there who started at the same height/weight as you and is losing faster- its a fact, so just understand that we all lose at different rates. The key here is that we ALL lose weight. Now, with that said, at 2 months post-op you should be taking in alot more protein than 20 grams. The more protein you take in, the more you will lose and you want your weight loss to come from fat and not muscle. If you don't get in enough protein the loss is from muscle and bone and not fat. Do what you have to to get in more protein, whether thru food or supplements-it is essential. also at 2 months post-op you should be walking more than 15 minutes a day. Try to up the exercise, and how are you doing with water? Are you getting in 64 oz a day or close to it?? Remember fat leaves our body thru urine, so if you don't drink enough....and finally, eat more!! Yes, if your body thinks that you are starting to starve it, which 350 calories a day would qualify as starvation, then it will try to slow down and hoard the remaining weight. So, to prevent that, eat good quality protein, just a few ounces every few hours to keep the body fueled and thinking that your feeding it plenty. Good luck, home some of this helps.
   — Cindy R.

January 17, 2003
The biggest problems I see here are insufficient protein and caloric intake. Twenty grams of protein represent roughly 1/3 of what you need for your bare daily minimum. Since you're having food tolerance problems, please try to find a protein shake you can tolerate, or a flavorless protein powder supplement you can add to foods. And for somebody with a BMI of 41, your weight loss rate seems ahead of the pack (if that even matters). It won't mean much if you can't get your pouch working right for you, though. :( Good luck on getting your intake up!
   — Suzy C.