Question:
Should I strive to stay the same weight?

I had WLS in Feb 2003. Started at 250 and now weigh 140-145 lbs. I am 5'4". I am very happy at this weight and acknowledge that this surgery was/is a complete success. I just wanted your opinion - if I should try to lose more weight since I find it relatively easy now, or should I just do what I'm doing to stay the same. No more - no less. I weigh everyday. Any comments?    — doubleh (posted on January 9, 2004)

January 8, 2004
I was told your body makes its own adjustment to your weight loss. If you go to low you will gain some of your weight back. I started out at 230 and lost 100 pounds at my one year post-op and have stayed there for the past 8 months with only a 2 to 4 pounds variation.
   — charanewme

January 9, 2004
If you are happy where you are...stay there. When you get below where your body wants to be it starts pulling fat from your face and such. That will make you look old and sick. For me that was at about 135. I'm 5'7". But everyone is different.
   — RebeccaP

January 9, 2004
Pam, I think this is a question that only you can answer! I had my surgery on 1/31/03 and would really like to lose another 7-10 pounds and am starting to think that it will never happen! If you, on the other hand, are happy right where you are at, then maybe it's time to stop. The other thing to consider is that some (and maybe most?) people tend to gain back up to 10% of their lost weight (this is per what my surgeon told me just this week). So for me, it would be nice to have that additional saftey net of a few additional pounds lost. In the end though, you have to do what is going to be comfortable for you. Good luck.
   — eaamc

January 9, 2004
First off, if your happy where you are, then why do you want to lose more??? The answer to your question though, is it depends on a few things. How much do you like to eat? how often and how intense do you exercise? Apparently you are taking in just the right amount of calories to maintain your 140-145 balance. If you want to lose more, you will have to eat a little less, or work out a little harder to burn more of the calories you are taking in. Keep in mind as time goes by (you are less than a year post-op), appetites increase, pouch size increases and you will eat more. So, if you like to eat (as I do..), concentrate on maintaining. If you think you can get by on less calories a day FOR LIFE, or know you will work out consistently to burn those calories, then go lower. I'm an inch shorter than you and a few pounds more, started out the same pre-op weight, and I, too, am happy where I am at, and love to eat, so consciously decided not to go any lower....So frankly, if your happy where your at.....
   — Cindy R.

January 9, 2004
I had my RNY on 2/11/03, started at 244 and I am now about 121. About 2 months ago, I had the same concerns that you do now. My nutritionist told me that as long as I was eating according to plan and eating enough calories to support the exercise that I was doing, that my body would know when to stop. Since then I have lost about 15 pounds, but have stabilized in the past couple of weeks. I agree with the other posters that you have to find a weight that you can maintain in a lifestyle that you can live with. Good luck to you on your journey.
   — Lynda D.

January 14, 2004
I'd lose more weight if it was still coming off easy. The reason for that is we seem to gain some after we stop losing anyway. We not get alittle underweight (if you can)? Then when a few more pounds want to settle on after the loss, you still should be in a good range BMI. At least that WAS my plan... which NEVER happened as I'm STILL in the overweight range at 2 years, eight months. :(
   — Danmark