Question:
I stopped losing just after the 6th month, could I be done??

Hi! I am almost 8 months postop and havent' lost ANYTHING in two months. Could I possibly be done losing? I still have 35 pounds to go to get to my goal. This happen to anyone else?    — Jeannie4 (posted on March 1, 2004)

March 1, 2004
Ihaven't lost any weight in 2mos an have 23lbs to get to goalweight. March is stating my 10th month since rny it's a bummer but what I've read from the board that it's gets harder to lose as you get closer to your goal weight,but you will get there. Just hang in there, I'm hoping to be at goal by my 1yr. new birthday 5-28.
   — Maxine W.

March 1, 2004
This is no such thing as done. Increase your exercise to 1 hour a day of cardio and 2x a week weight training.
   — mrsmyranow

March 1, 2004
I doubt you're done at 6 months. Although I do believe there comes a time when our bodies reach a weight they're "comfortable" with, it shouldn't happen this quickly. Instead, this is probably one of those Plateaus from Hell. Examine your habits, however, because this is a time when the appetite starts coming back, and we can slip into the behaviors that got us in trouble in the first place. If that's not the case, and you've taken Myra's advice and upped your exercise and your proteins, then just hang in awhile longer. This too shall pass!
   — AmyL

March 1, 2004
Thank you for this question!!! I just hit my 6 month mark last week, and feel like I am not losing anymore. I am just sick to think that I could possibly be done losing weight, and I have quite a bit more to go. I started at 307, and am down to 212, but I should be down to 130-150 range. I am only 5'3". I am scared to death. I hope your plateau breaks. I hope mine does too. I plan on talking to my surgeon to make sure this is ok. I feel like I can eat quite a bit of food. Anyone else feel like this???
   — sara P.

March 1, 2004
I hit something similar at 5 months. It was a drag. I think I did hit a big plateu, but I also had "relaxed" my eating habits and was eating more carbs. I got stuck at like 180-185 for like 6 weeks. Finally this past week, more pounds started coming off - BUT I really decreased my carbs (NO white starches - bread, white rice, etc. and MINIMAL sugar - only lactose and the sugar in fruit) and upped my excersize. I workout 5-6x/week for at least 45 minutes. In the weeks of my plateu, I did not do this consistently - and for me, 3x/week doesn't help enough. It seems like that's what it takes for me. This is something that I could probably live with. I need to accept that this will by my new lifestyle. I too wonder when it will "end" and fear weight gain, etc. The mindset that I try to keep is that this is a lifelong process. I've uncovered a lot of food addictions that I had that I was in total denial about, and I think that I will have to remain aware of these and fight them for the rest of my life. Good luck to you! Keep at it!
   — w8free

March 1, 2004
I just came off a 3 month plateau!! I am just at 11 months. I certainly can't recomend this, but this weekend we were at a 4 day dog show. All last week I didn't exercise - too busy packing and getting dogs ready. Didn't eat right over the weekend and didn't get my water in. After losing 3 lbs in 3 months, I lost 4 lbs in 4 days. Go figure. Now I hope I don't have to wait another 3 months!! I am about 25 lbs from goal.
   — Gail O.

March 1, 2004
I am now 2 years post op. I stopped losing at 8 months post op and fretted about it for the next 16 months. In fact, I actually gained back about 15 lbs and kept going up and down within that range. I kept waiting for something magical to happen, for the weight to start dropping again, well it didn't. Last month I really did some soul searching, I am trying to break a really bad carb addiction. I also started exercising really regularly. I've dropped those extra 15 lbs now and I hope to God I can keep inching down the scale. It's a realization on my part that weight loss is a life time commitment. There is no magical 18 month window that suddenly closes. You just have to take a real hard look at what you are doing and what works for you. Give it all you've got!
   — SARose61

March 2, 2004
You lost 100 pounds in the first 6 mo- your body may be taking a break for a while. Are you still following pouch rules-no drinking with meals, plenty of protein and water, light on carbs and regular heart pumping exercisse? If not, get back with the program. If you are, then try something different-track your calories for a week, then add a few hundred more a day for a week or two or add an extra protein shake or meal a day. Do a different form of exercise...sometimes thats all it takes to get the scale moving again. I thought I was finished losing since I hadn't lost anything for 3 months, then I moved-all that packing and hauling boxes, lifting and bending-lost 4 pounds!
   — Cindy R.