Question:
Losing pounds but not inches

I am two months post op and have lost 43.5 pounds. I am very happy with the loss, but I am frustrated with the fact that I'm not losing inches. I have only lost about four inches off my waist and that is the most dramatic change in measurements. I exercise at Curves six days per week. Most people have gone down several clothing sizes by this point in their journey, but I'm still wearing the same clothes as I did as a pre-op. What is the problem? ~Kristy (lap rny 9/18/03 - 320/276.5/168)    — kristynush (posted on November 19, 2003)

November 18, 2003
Kristy, I wish I had some comforting words. I am afraid I am having the opposite...I am losing inches and not pounds. I have been on a plateau for four weeks. I too do Curves. I also do water aerobics. I know are bodies change a lot. I would encourage you to be patient because you are still very newly post op. The inches will come. I promise. Ann in TX, Open RNY-BTC March 7 ~414/302/140~
   — Ann B.

November 18, 2003
Hi Kristy! I am with you on this one. In the very beginning I noticed the scale moving quite quickly, however I was wearing the same clothes. I didn't measure myself so I am not sure of the inches lost. I do know the clothes were getting looser and fitting more comfortably than ever before. Keep in mind WL is very individual and we each have a slightly different experience. For me, it was as if I woke up one day and all of a sudden my body began "catching up" with the weight loss. My clothes became too big (to the point of falling off). I felt like I was just shrinking! It still seems that way now... there will be a week where I have lost weight but it doesn't "feel" like it...then the next week, it seems as though I've lost SOOO much because my body has "caught up" with the loss. So, maybe this will be your experience too. You are doing fabulous!!! Since you already go to curves, maybe focus on toning exercises to assist your body in this catch up process. Keep up the great progress!!!
   — Kamy

November 18, 2003
Hi Kristy! I am with you on this one. In the very beginning I noticed the scale moving quite quickly, however I was wearing the same clothes. I didn't measure myself so I am not sure of the inches lost. I do know the clothes were getting looser and fitting more comfortably than ever before. Keep in mind WL is very individual and we each have a slightly different experience. For me, it was as if I woke up one day and all of a sudden my body began "catching up" with the weight loss. My clothes became too big (to the point of falling off). I felt like I was just shrinking! It still seems that way now... there will be a week where I have lost weight but it doesn't "feel" like it...then the next week, it seems as though I've lost SOOO much because my body has "caught up" with the loss. So, maybe this will be your experience too. You are doing fabulous!!! Since you already go to curves, maybe focus on toning exercises to assist your body in this catch up process. Keep up the great progress!!!
   — Kamy

November 18, 2003
If I can offer my opinion.... When I had this surgery 13 months ago, I was wearing pants that were probably 2 sizes too small to begin with. Let me assure you that when you LEAST expect it, you will go into a department store and a size that you never DREAMED of wearing will fit you. Don't give up, you are doing wonderfully. IT WILL HAPPEN. LAP-RNY 10/8/02.. down 132 lbs and lots of sizes.
   — Steve B.

November 18, 2003
Kristy, You probably still have some swelling inside your belly. My surgeon said it usually takes 10 - 12 weeks for that to all go away. When I was 6 weeks out I was going down in pounds quickly but not inches so I called to ask what I was doing wrong and he said to just wait and he was right, at about 10 weeks I quickly went down an full size. Keep up the good work.
   — tazfan

November 19, 2003
Early post-op I went thru that too. It's no less frustrating than what I'm going thru now, which is not losing pounds, but the clothes size went down. Grrr - I mean that's nice, but I've become a slave to my scale (hanging head in shame). Gosh darn it!
   — [Deactivated Member]

November 19, 2003
Trust me, your body will catch up soon. It happened to me also. Your body is going through rapid weight loss, and your body just doesn't understand how to handle it yet. Believe me, when you hit your first plateau, you will start to notice dramatic shrinkage. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until I started hitting plateaus that I noticed my clothes getting smaller. I am now 6 months post op, started at 291, size 24-26 and now at 182 wearing size 10's. So you see, it will happen lightening fast!
   — Happy I.

November 19, 2003
I'm having the same problem. I'm 3 months out and am still wearing the same clothes. I've lost 55 pounds and I can't remember how many inches I've lost. My clothes are fitting looser but I don't want to move on until they are falling off. I started out at 30/32 and now wear 26/28.
   — Morna B.

November 19, 2003
I know how you are feeling!!!! I had my rny surgery 2 1/2 yrs ago. I have lost 110 lbs and still wear the same size bra!!! It is really depressing. I have no rear end or legs left but the girls are still there!!!!
   — RODEO CLOWNS S.

November 19, 2003
You ARE loosing inches, just not in places you can measure. Let me give yo an example- I can now see my spine. You know- the little bumps back there? I never saw THAT before. You can't measure it, but I lost the fat on my back and now I can see my spine. Fingers, toes, breast fat, backs of hands, tops of feet- all things you can't really measure- but you loose fat there too. Don't worry- soon you'll start to loose inches in more noticable places. It all catches up. Good luck to you!
   — LMCLILLY

November 21, 2003

   — Evett B.

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