Question:
I've always been an average eater/ slow loser. Will I still lose fairly quickly. .

with the help of the surgery? I'm not a big eater. I eat very much like an average person. I eat junk, of course. But so does the average person. I don't eat a whole bag of this, or a whole box of that. If I eat for example OREOS, I eat 2 or 3 and that's it. I very rarely finish a meal at any restaraunt. Not even a meal at a fast food place. When I've done Weight Watchers, it took me 5 months to lose 17 lbs. I was walking for exercise, and doing the program like I was suppose to. Does this mean that I won't lose very well with the open RNY? I did Optifast and followed the plan perfectly. I lost 45 lbs. I weighed 227 then. I went down to 175. (I lost 7 more lbs. once we started eating again. It was a six month program. Three month fast and 3 month eating plan. Everyone else lost 70-90 lbs. I'm having surgery May 23. (open RNY) I just am so afraid of failure. I'm afraid of losing slowly and getting depressed and discouraged, just like I always have. Just wondered if there is anyone else out there like me and had great success. I have alot of motivation. I WILL do what I'm told by my doctor. I'm not afraid of MY actions, just of what my body will do with my efforts. Please HELP! ! !    — lerli1 (posted on April 20, 2002)

April 20, 2002
Lora, I had the exact same concerns that you have. I never finished a bag of this or a box of that, I was always content with just a few, and I never would eat seconds, or finish a meal out at a resturant. My husband and I would often split a plate. Was not a snacker or grazer and not a sweet addict. I think that I am plagued with a metablolism that doesn't exist and that is why I have always been heavy. I have been a slow loser, but still not as slow as some that I have seen, but probably overall one of the slower ones. I lost 30 lbs. the first month, around 10 each month following until month 4, now around 6 lbs. a month at 5 1/2 months out. I have been very pleased with my success. I have been a little discouraged lately with the slowed loss, but I am only about 30 lbs. from goal, so I really try to look at it that way. Thats probably why my loss has slowed (being close to goal). I did start out with a BMI 40-41 so that also contributes to the slow loss. And although you are not a BIG eater right now, you will still eat MUCH MUCH less than you can now. And that with the malabsorbtion from the intestinal bypass, you will have success. Enjoy your journey!!
   — Cheri M.

April 20, 2002
Lora, I planned on posting this exact same question later today. I have been having the exact same concerns. I have never been a binge eater--of course, I eat more than I should, but like you said, so does everyone else in this country. And I do like junk food. But I do not eat a ton of food in one sitting, and I do not graze. I basically eat three meals a day and occasionally a snack. I'm having my RNY on May 7, so I can't speak from experience yet. But I'm planning on being a slow loser, relatively speaking, like the previous poster said. I just hope that once I've lost all the weight I'll lose, I'll have an easier time keeping it off than someone who was a binge eater before surgery because I won't have to fight not to binge or graze. And, like the previous poster pointed out, we will still be consuming so many fewer calories than we do now. I'm finally starting to believe that this surgery WILL work for me, unlike anything else I've tried. Good luck to you!
   — Kristie B.

April 20, 2002
This story sounds a lot like me. I have always been big, even though I didnt eat a whole lot and stayed very active. So far the surgery is working for me but it is going rather slow. I have lost 86 pounds since July 16, 2001. I get pretty frustrated when I look at other people's losses, but I will get there, it just may take a little longer.
   — Cory F.

May 28, 2003
Hello, I have many of the same concerns you have. I have been following a 1500 calorie diet, exercising regualarily, and the weight is not budging. I am 5'4 and wiegh 245. I am hoping to have WLS, but also concerned with what effect it will have, really hate the idea of doing all this to my body and not seeing positive results.
   — Kimberly J.