LadySin

Before surgery, I felt like dieting was the equivalent of holding my breath. I could do it for a while, I could see super success, but eventually I had to breathe! I couldn't hold up the massive amount of will power necessary to continue on a path to a healthy life. It was like contending with an insatiable monster in my tummy who was always hungry and always in control of my thoughts and actions. I felt like I could not win no matter how hard I tried, and each attempt I made to over throw the monster left me weaker and fatter and sicker until I weighed 474 lbs and suffered from diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. It's been a little over a year and I weigh 265 now and I lose about 10 lbs a month still. I've lost the percentage that is normal, but I plan to continue losing. Sure, my dream is to make it all the way to 160, but this surgery was enormously successful already! Even if don't lose another pound. My diabetes is in remission, my hypertension is gone, my cholesterol is low, I don't take any meds, but the most amazing part is--THE MONSTER IS DEAD! When I eat, it feels like a choice I make for myself and that feeling is soo good, so incredible to me. I know if I'm careless, I could let the monster back in. That's a scary prospect that pops in my mind from time to time, but presently, the surgery helped me to overcome something I just could not do on my own.
As you think about your own decision to proceed with surgery, consider not only what it can do for you right now, but what it may help you prevent for your future self. Sure, it's possible you might not get to your goal weight and/or maintain it for life, but you may never see yourself get bigger than you are now. You may prevent future health problems, and it will absolutely give you a stronger shot at success that you might not be able to achieve on your own volition. This is a big, big decision and goodness knows, I had major problems with my sleeve that resulted in terrible stent experience and ultimately a revision which I just had done, but I would do it all again knowing all that I know now. Very worth it!
Consider that the the average weight loss for "most" is with little effort and happens in the first 6 months after surgery. If you are willing to risk the surgery and put in effort through diet change and exercise, you WILL reach your goals and be happy. Cheers!

From my experience, and perhaps I have been gifted with good genetics, the outcome of this surgery is up to you. I have seen the 60% figure quoted in many places. That wasn't what I wanted either, and through a lot of hard work (and some minor suffering), I have been able to loose all of my excess body weight. 60% or so is an average. Within that, some people will loose a lot of weight, others will gain weight. Your outcome and your journey are personal to you. My advice. Find a lifestyle that works for you and is sustainable and just do that. If it works, keep doing it until you reach your goal. Change up things when what you are doing isn't working. Cover the basics, consume less calories than you burn. The most important thing is to keep going in the face of inevitable discouragement and set backs. You will make mistakes, but everyday the calorie clock resets and you are given a clean slate. What you did yesterday is less important than what you do today. if you want this result enough and you are prepared to put in the effort (which is considerable), you can do this!

Based on most studies, the average person with a sleeve looses 60-65% of their Excess body weight (meaning the amount they weigh above the normal BMI for their height). This 60-65% number is based on a study of multiple studies of VSG outcomes at 1, 3 and 5 years. The average person in the study started with a BMI of 42 and 80% of the participants were women with an average age of 45. Men seem to do a bit better with weight loss using the sleeve than women for reasons that are no fully understood (while men and women perform equally well with the RNY). People that start the weight loss process with a lower BMI (under 40) tend to do very well with the sleeve (often with losing more than 80% of excess body weight and sometimes 100%). Co-morbidities pre-surgery seem to have some impact on outcome. People that smoke seem to have better weight loss numbers (not that you should take up smoking) and people with diabetes tended to perform less well (depending on the study).
Finally, there are people that have a genetic predisposition to responding to metabolic surgery. Some people are predisposed to be super-responders. These are the people that seem to lose 100% or more of the excess body weight and can do it without following their post-op diet religiously--and they keep it off forever (or so it seems). Other people have the opposite outcome. They can follow their diet religiously and they lose very little weight and have a tough time keeping it off. Most people fall somewhere in the middle--those are the people that lose 60-65% of their excess body weight.
If losing 60-65% of your excess body weight does not seem sufficient to you, there are other procedures available---including RNY, a duodenal switch or a newer procedure called SIPS (or modified duodenal switch). These other procedures promise better total weight loss results (particularly for the SIPS procedure), but the trade offs may not be worth it. That's really between you and your doctor(s).

I'm like Swanton_Bomb. My doc said that the average weight loss is 60-65% EWL. I calculated that (conservatively off of the high of my normal BMI). I'll be honest, if I "only" lose that much, I'll be disappointed - mostly because I'll still be barely in the obese category. But I'd still have lost about 80 lbs. I talked to my therapist about this a lot. I mean, I'd be massively modifying my body and still potentially be obese? But, in the end, I'd still have lost almost the same as carrying around a newborn calf on my body 24/7. So, I decided that was wroth it.
I'd love to lose more weight. But I know myself, if I set some lower goal and don't achieve it, it will take a toll on my mental health and I'll feel like an udder failure. I'd rather set my goal conservatively, then if I lose more I'll be pleasantly pleased.

My doctor said 75% of excess weight! I am sure there are some who go beyond that. It all depends on motivation, determination, and drive to continually be there. Also accountability as to not start to slip over the course of time.

60-65% is the average. Whether or not you can do better than that is determined by a combination of factors. Part of it is your food/exercise choices. Part of it is genetics. Part of it is any other health issues that you already have. The psychologist is being both conservative and also probably assessing whether you have realistic expectations. (Sometimes you'll see posts on the boards from people who thought they'd be losing 20-25 lbs every month until they hit goal.) But, having done lap band, you know it's a long haul, not a sprint. It's not unfair or mean for her to let you know the range of outcomes. For those of us who started in the morbidly obese category, believe me, 60% makes a huge difference, even for those who cannot go further than that.

I'm not sure how anyone can say you will weigh X amount a year out from surgery. Your weight loss will be an unknown outcome.. Be encouraged to know people have hit goal and beyond. Be realistic and understand that in some cases people don't reach goal. (for many reasons) None of us here can tell you what your weight loss will be.
Would it matter if you only lose 60-65% and are out of the obesity category? The goal is healthy weight range, Right?
(1) How much is the most weight that some of you have lost? Your experience will be unique to you. Try not to get hung up on other people's weight loss rates and totals. It will drive you crazy.
(2) Have you guys hit your goal weight, or are close to it? I hit my goal and beyond. I am maintaining my weight four years out.

Oh I'm sure people buy it out of convenience but I need this, thats the difference.
But id gladly partake in some fat migration lol.

OK that sucks then! I live in a fairly pretentious area and there's this spa that offers that just for the hell of it. You can get your face dewrinkled, your ass fat lasered, and a Vitamin cocktail delivered straight to your blood stream all at one stop shop!

I’m 9 month post op I’ve lost 127 lbs started out with 300 day of the sleeve I’m 12 lb below my goal doctor said I would only lose around 80lb so I busted my ass in the gym I’m going 6 times a week I also practice jujutsu 4 times a week and follow my doctors diet to the letter by the time I was 6 month post op I lost 93 lbs your doctor is right by the way sleeve will only help you get on track the rest is up to you, change your life style your eating habits drinking habits sleeve isn’t a magic weight loss tool you need to put in the works go to the gym get a personal trainer bust your ass off and when you feel like quitting step it up a notch when you feel like wanting to stay home watching tv force yourself to exercise is the only way you will be able to get the pounds off and keep em off

I think the success of the sleeve has everything to do with you and your individual decisions and actions. I had the surgery on May 2nd and 7 months later I can already see how easy it could be to go back to unhealthy choices. Life goes back to normal on the other side of surgery and the surgery itself can only do so much for you. Changing your lifestyle really is everything. I know we hear that, and also that the surgery is just a tool a lot pre-op... but it really is true!

I am 5’2” and starting weight was 270 I had sleeve done in March. I weigh 150 now. My goal was 130 but after talking to my primary doctor and surgeon we changed my goal to 145 due to looking too skinny and unhealthy. So I am 5 lbs from goal

I see we have a lot us having surgery on 1/15! We are on a count down!!!

Here's mine from Lauren's Hope. 

Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Just if something was to happen to me they would know as we can’t have certain medications and stuff

A lot of people give Splenda crap, but it's one of the very few artificial sweeteners I can deal with too!

For your hot cocoa mix, my NUT has approved 1 cup milk (I use fairlife for more protein), 1 TBL unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 packets stevia, and a tiny bit of vanilla. It really hits the spot, without sending me into a sugar spiral.

This happens to me ALL the time!
I have one little thing and get instantly re-addicted to sugar!
I go, "well, it's Thanksgiving, it's a holiday... Mashed potatoes, stuffing, pie... Tomorrow I'll get on track".
Then they send me a lovely to-go box... Including more pie... A smart person would have politely thrown the pie into the dumpster on the way home but....
And then, well heck, my diet is blown any way so I might as well have some hot cocoa, it's Christmas-time after all and it's been so cold lately...
And I start craving sugar like MAD!
Two weeks later and I am finally back on track...
It's so easy to fall into trouble and so hard to climb back out. *Sigh*

I was diligent with working out my first two months. Third month, I started taking the quick weight loss for granted. My home treadmill became a place to hang my clothing. It stalled out my weight loss and set me back. This was the moment I realized this takes work. The honeymoon was over. Sold my treadmill and bought a gym membership.

@Healthy_life
one year after surgery ??- nope, nothing different - i'm perfect🤣 (notttt!)
pre-op - i wish i had done more research!! Lot's more
newbies et al - do as i say, not as i do!! read, read, read
KNOWLEDGE is POWER!!!
kathy

I would not have ate pizza , espresso and gelato at every meal while in Italy when I was 4 months post op. It was approved by my team, but i feel like I had to seriously work to catch up.

Just FYI, the Protein in broth is mainly from collagen, a necessary and beneficial amino acid, but a very incomplete protein. And if you depend on it to meet your protein goals, you could quite quickly find yourself in a mess of trouble.

I'm post-op. I had my bypass on June 16, 2018.
I've lost almost 44lbs so far.
The rest of my stats are under my user pic.

@insta_adventurer It is extremely difficult to insert a bit of gentle humor into one's comment without being misunderstood. I obviously failed in sharing what I considered to be humor with you. Darn those emojis. They didn't help me out one bit.
I am also obese. Actually, on all my medical records I'm classified as morbidly obese. Your profile is blank so I'll take your word for it that we are in the same group.
Again, my attempt at humor did not go over well with you. I mentioned person-first language in my post because it's something that I recently encountered, so it's on my front burner. PFL is about respecting people by not labeling them with their diseases. Yes, it's just silly semantics to some, but it's also an interesting movement with heartfelt objectives.
It's not my nature to be disrespectful or unkind to others. I would never be so pretentious. I'm sorry that you misread my poor, poor attempt at humorously mocking your words.
Do you have a surgery date yet, insta adventurer? How far along are you in the pre-op process? Are you planning to have a sleeve done or a gastric bypass?

Bless you, I am 72, and as I related before, I was the one a former friend said " Oh you're STILL. alive!" Did so hate to be such,a disappointment but I surely will look,better in a smaller casket someday.