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We can probably all remember the nerves. It’s a journey for sure but you will be a few months out and in a new groove before you know it and well on your way to a healthier version of yourself. Take measurements and pictures now and along the way and maybe even write a letter now to your future self to read when the weight loss slows down to give you the motivation to keep it up. Answer the questions of what is your reason for doing this and what your wishes are for your future self. The mental is just as important as the physical in this so journaling and logging your progress using something other than the scale can be really helpful.

Me too! The only thing I am stressing about is the hair loss! It is soooo much 🥲🥲🥲

You are gonna get there before you know it! And congratulations on your loss so far, that is amazing!

Yeah. I'm big boned anyway so I'm supposed to be a little overweight. I'd rather set a realistic goal and succeed than try to get down to the weight I'm "supposed" to be and fail and get discouraged. Besides a weight loss of nearly 150 pounds is still a pretty significant weight loss it's losing an entire person worth of body weight.

I wouldn’t even listen to that surgeon if you feel good and you’re still losing and you’re doing your activity honestly he’s just putting you in as if you’re a statistic. I really hate it when doctors do that. It’s like either. They think you’re lying about what you’re eating or they just assume that one thing works for everyone at the exact same rate. i’m doing OK I posted in another thread that I do have some medical stuff going on. I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer so I have been juggling my weight loss and fitness along with a whole lot of doctors appointments and scans and chemo. Surprisingly I think that it is my yoga and my walking that have kept me sane. I did stop doing my cardio class because they told me that the chemotherapy is extremely dehydrating and it was important to not get myself to warm like to avoid being out in the sun for a long time or anything like that and as I already mentioned on here before I sweat quite a bit When I work out. I am fighting the urge to have carbs since Thanksgiving, but part of that I believe is the steroids I get with my chemo. They told me it wouldn’t be an issue because I would be nauseous anyways and I wouldn’t be able to eat much but I haven’t been nauseous one day so far knock on wood. The chemotherapy actually seems to have increased my metabolism to wear, even though I am eating little things off plan and exercising a bit less I am still losing weight. They assigned me an oncology dietitian who told me that she does not want me to lose more than I was losing before the chemo, which is about 2 to 3 pounds a week. At first I dropped like 6 pounds and we were pretty worried but I honestly think it was just water weight or something. anyways, it’s been a challenge as I’m sure it has been for everyone to juggle whatever life events. Everyone else is dealing with, but I’m getting through it. My habits of packing food like turkey, jerky and cheese sticks and protein shakes or yogurt smoothies, and taking with me and freezing things have been my lifesavers. I don’t always exactly want to eat that and I’m giving myself a little bit of grace right now because of my circumstance but trying not to be too forgiving at the same time. I am actually doing my walk right now because I was out of town for a doctors appointment today and then I went and did a wig fitting because I’ve lost my hair for most of it anyways and I literally just walked in the door and ate my salad that I picked up on the way home for my dinner. I’ve got to get this done and get to bed early because I have yoga first thing in the morning. I am honestly just so thankful that I started this weight loss journey when I did and that my nutrition and fitness are in such a better place because I really truly feel like that is helping me already and it will continue to help me get through all of this anyways, I really hope everyone else is doing OK as well. It’s a crazy roller coaster for sure but we’ve got this!!

Hello everyone! I'm checking in - @ShoppGirl- It sounds like you've really been through the wringer! You are a superstar for managing both chemo, a virus, and surgery recovery all at the same time and I hope you're being gentle with yourself and giving yourself lots of pats on the back! @Chatterbox - YES - portion sizes have gotten more flexible; for me taking an ADEK supplement has helped with the hair shedding; I've gone through that to a point as well and typically have VERY thick hair and I've noticed some extra shedding but even with that it hasn't thinned my hair dramatically. @Justarwaxx - You're doing great!! Please be kind to yourself! With increased activity level the calorie consumption does have to go up so you can keep up your energy! Now that I'm using my Fitbit I am able to better see my activity levels - I haven't hit 10k in a day but I got close a couple of days and my average went below 5k per day while I was sick as well (Gosh it's going around!) but I think the important thing is to LISTEN to your body, give it fuel, and just try to have more calories spent than you take in. I'm burning over 3k calories more days than not so if I eat a few carbs, a piece of bread once in a while, a half a sandwich, some veggies - that's ok. I think a lot of it is knowing and understanding the difference like so many have said on 'head hunger' vs 'physical hunger'. Usually at a given meal I eat maybe a total of a cup of food; I try to aim for at least half of each meal to be protein, then veggies, then maybe a little rice or other starch. I'm hit and miss on my food logging; I slipped for a few weeks and am trying to reset. I wanted to repost these recipes I used during the puree period because I don't know about ya'll but I tend to find things that work well and then totally forget they exist! Lately I've been doing lots of soups for myself and my family. I made an easy chicken noodle soup yesterday with half a rotisserie chicken breast, I steamed carrots and celery in the microwave until they were soft, sautéed some diced onion in garlic and onion with a little chicken broth, then added it all together with the cooked chicken breast cut up and more chicken brother. I threw in a small handful of egg noodles and let it all simmer. When I do something like a soup with meat I try to serve myself up a bowl that is heavy on the chicken and light on the veggies. You can do basically the same thing with broccoli, cabbage, and canned or fresh diced tomatoes. Fluids and healthy veggies with a protein is my go to; and I'm doing pretty well with my personal progress. You all got this! Don't get discouraged when you go through stalls; some weeks I will lose about 2 lbs and then the next week I might lose 6 lbs; it's all a process and the weight loss will slow and become more steady as long as you watch your calories, eat healthy at least 80-90% of the time - it's about getting your nutrients and staying at a calorie deficit. ❤️ Reposted recipes from earlier: "I'd say the hardest part for me continues to be the 'No drinking 30 mins before/after meals' but I use the Baritastic app to set a time. I also use the timer to make sure my 'meals' take at least 30 minutes. Want to make sure I don't rush and end up feeling poorly afterward. Things that have worked well for me during my puree stage include egg drop soup, chicken/tuna salad made with puree chicken or tuna, light mayo, and sometimes a bit of relish, and for added protein a boiled egg or two, with or without the yolks per preference. (Dill relish is healthier than sweet relish). I did allow myself 2-3 saltines with those, usually about 3.5 oz of the tuna or chicken salad makes me feel sated. Other recipes that have worked include the ricotta bake and unstuffed cabbage rolls, pureed low fat/0 sugar yogurt or cottage cheese with Genepro powder and cooked, strained strawberries or blueberries (I added a bit of 0% Milk to make it more of a smoothie), Riccotta pureed with either a bit of fruit or avocado, small serving of oatmeal pureed with fruit (test yourself with an ounce or two less than you normally eat for oatmeal because it sits heavy and often swells - add some zero or skim milk to make it thinner if needed. Other recipes include homemade no-noodle chicken soup of sorts with rotisserie chicken, chicken broth, and pureed carrots w/a little bit of onion powder or diced onion. I also made a homemade 'philly cheese steak' filling of sorts with some sautéed bell peppers and a bit of diced onion, some roast beef lunch meat, and cream cheese. Others speak highly of pureed refried beans with a bit of seasoning to taste more like taco meat, adding either a bit of mild salsa or a combination of onion powder and perhaps a bit of cumin. That's a personal choice, and definitely suggest going slow with your seasoning due to possible heartburn. You could add a bit of shredded low-fat/skim mozzarella or even low fat sour cream to round it out. Today I made 'chicken pot pie w/no crust' which was basically just cooked carrots and finely diced celery and onions with finely diced rotisserie chicken with a can each of 98% fat free cream of celery and 98% fat free cream of chicken. I haven't had any yet because I'm a little unsure about the celery, even cooked, but pureed and in a small serving I'm sure it would treat me fine. The Ricotta Bake I made was super simple and I know there are a lot of variations to the recipe online. I made my own marinara sauce by peeling about 5 smallish tomatoes, dicing them, and simmering them with a little less than equal parts water, Italian seasoning, and a bit of diced onion. The ricotta mixture was easy; just used 8oz ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan (I used the shaker but fresh is better) and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. I put a layer of half the mix on the bottom of a buttered baking dish, topped it with 1/2 lb cooked and seasoned ground beef, then put the rest of the mixture on top. Poured about 3/4 of the homemade marinara over it then covered the dish with aluminum foil and baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. It's basically a no-noodle lasagna. The Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls I made were equally easy - I used a rotary grinder (Works SO well, bought on Amazon for around twenty bucks) to grate half a head of lettuce. Instead of canned diced tomatoes I once I again peeled about 5 small/medium tomatoes and diced them, adding to the skillet along with maybe 1/8 cup diced onion and another 1/2 lb of the ground beef. For seasoning the recipe I used just had me add a packet of Italian Dressing Seasoning mix. The family enjoyed it and after pureeing the ground beef a bit I found it fine to eat, although slowly and very well chewed. Both it and the Ricotta bake probably make about eight 1/3 cup servings with about 22g of Protein each.

I like the compliments but I also use it as fuel to stop eating and to keep trying. After all the nasty rude comments this is a welcome change to my ego and when I’m exhausted and exercising I focus on the good changes and push on. After my surgery I hit an almost 4 weeks of no weight loss. It was heartbreaking and I almost gave up. Those positive comments kept me trying and sticking to the diet. My problem was I was on the wrong type of protein supplement but it was torture. Take the compliment as a positive. I tell people I will be the grandma on the beach wearing a thong and looking fabulous . YEAH.

@MrBeeswax I'd say the same thing, there are no limits here. I've looked through a number of scientific papers on weight regain and insufficient weight loss after bariatric surgery and about the only thing you'd find if you do the same is that the data is all over the place. I've seen numbers from as low at 10%, all the way up to 80% of patients regain some weight. The reason for that is there's very little consensus on defining what weight regain even means. If, for example, I lose too much weight, then gain back a bit, some studies would include me the the weight regain numbers. I'd say that's a healthy thing to have happened. I suspect @SouthernSleever fits into that category, though I obviously don't know for sure. One other thing you'll find in those studies is that a lot of the patients that regain a lot of weight or failed to lose enough weight tend to be "non-adherent", meaning it's their behaviors, not the tool that's the real issue. We say this a lot here on this board, but it's worth repeating: Bariatric surgery does not fix your head. If you're not willing to commit to learning how to eat better and move more, then you too may be one of those that "fails" bariatric surgery. I would strongly urge you to keep that in mind if you do pursue surgery. You absolutely can reach a healthy weight, but surgery is not a miracle cure. I takes a ton of hard work and commitment to be successful.

This coming Friday is my 6 month “surgiversary” and I’m 174 today (down 84 pounds from 258 pre-pre op diet so technically 6.5 months next week I guess). I totally thrilled with my loss so far. I feel good and I’m relatively happy with the way I look, but the anniversary is making me look at the numbers. Does anyone know when they calculate BMI if we should go by our young adult BMI or our current one. I mean our bones still weigh the same as our tallest height I would assume but I have shrunk at least an inch. I am just curious to know when I will reach a “normal” BMI. I went from 40.4 to 27.3. I’m getting close 🎉

well, i'm sure im not in the minority, but i mean get along with almost everybody (at least i think i do...lol)...the few people (men or women) that don't become my best friend or fun acquaintance at first sight were probably having a bad day...or maybe i was. in any case, i don't dislike an entire gender, species, race, BMI range, hair colour, whatever...thats just unfair, no? when i was working, i also worked in a male dominated field (IT), and i was often the only woman in the room for decades. but i still had (and do) have many female friends, most of whom i've known since grade or high school, and some newer ones i met along the way to old age. all of whom i am forever grateful for as nothing compares to girl time! much like i get more attention from men the thinner i get, i do so with women as well (and kids even). BUT what i have noticed over the years (and actually brought this up with my own Kid on many occasions) is that i seem to be getting alot of positive attention for younger women, like my daughters age (20's) much much more than i did when i was fatter. i am often approached and complimented on my purse, my hair, my nails, my exercise regimen, what i'm eating, how loud i laugh, my car, my singing, my enthusiastic dancing...you name it. the Kid says its because i exude a fun approachable vibe, and Mr. says its because i'm the size of a pre-teen girl and they mistake me as so....hahhahaha.

I agree with you, I definitely feel so much better and in less pain! I just can’t believe for 4 months I’ve been in this stall when it seems that the first year is major weight loss for most people 🥺 I do have regular check ins with my dietician and have been following the advice they give and they also suggested adding some calories but it’s hard to fit in my stomach. But no excuses I gotta do it. Just frustrating and no one on my care team seems to be alarmed or offer any medications even though it’s been 4 months of this. lol

I went with the sleeve because my surgeon recommended this based on my age and general health (35, no comorbidities, no history of GERD) I went on the NHS here in the UK so as it was covered by public funds, I only got the choice of sleeve or bypass. I was also hesitant to choose the bypass because my mother had it, had insufficient weight loss and because her operation went wrong and the had to fix something years ago, they couldn't fix a bowel perforation that she had which she died of. So because of her history with that, I wasn't sure that I wanted to go that route. If my surgeon had recommended bypass, I would have chosen that.

This is a new video Dr. Weiner (bariatric surgeon in Tucson) put out through his podcast this week. He is one of the best resources out there for reliable information on bariatric surgery and the science of weight loss. This 55-minute video is all the most up to date information to get you started with all the basic questions you might have (and if you want more in-depth information, he has hundreds of other videos that dive deeper). He talks about nutrition, exercise, surgery, and GLP-1 meds.

As we know MOVEMENT can be an important aspect of the bariatric journey! I credit a lot of my rapid weight loss to the fact that I love movement. Movement is freeing, it helps the mental as well as the physical. What movement do you do daily? What movement do you enjoy? How often? Post pics if you like!

You're doing an incredible job! Honestly, it’s frustrating to hear about doctors who express disappointment even when patients are clearly making amazing progress. You've lost 60 pounds in 5 months—that’s phenomenal! Weight loss isn’t always linear, and the fact that you’re still losing and so close to your goal is what truly matters. You’ve already proven your dedication, and you’re clearly on track to hit that mark soon. Don’t let any external pressure overshadow your success. Your body is adapting, and you’re working hard—be proud of that. At the end of the day, it’s your journey, and no one has the right to diminish your accomplishments! Keep going; you’ve got this!

It sounds frustrating, but weight loss plateaus are common. A review of portion sizes, nutrient balance, and possibly adding strength training might help kickstart progress again.

Fingers crossed the lump turns out not to be a concern. I had to have a biopsy earlier in the year for a suspicious finding on my mammogram but so far so good, they just plan to monitor it. Best to get everything checked, but I do wonder if weight loss can lead to some of these irregular findings. I'm a little stressed with Christmas just around the corner. Not quite ready for it and it's gotten so cold I don't want to do anything for the next few days except sit under an electric blanket! Got to get the motivation up for wrapping gifts tomorrow.

I did have a follow up with the surgeon, however it was a phone follow up as he is some distance away, so no scales! He said not to worry, your body just thinks you're dying, so is holding on to everything! 😳😬 I know that's most likely what's happening! But it's just a bit frustrating.. this month, 19 days, I have just lost 1.4kg or 3lbs or so. I will try to trust the process more not get caught up on the numbers! My colleague who started way higher, but same surgeon, same surgery, just hit 40kg loss in 5 months. It's hard not to make comparisons, we talk about this a lot at work. She did have a larger starting weight though, but I know there is a window for the sleeve to do the work, it terrifies me thinking this might not work 🥺 I even had a client today tell me he has lost 20kg since Nov, by cutting out sugar!! Argh! 😧

Semaglutide (and other various GLP-1 agonists) effectiveness can be dose dependent. 4 weeks is likely not long enough to see changes especially if you are still at the starting dose. Here’s a link with some decent easy to understand info: https://www.richlandmd.com/cosmetic/semaglutide-dose-for-weight-loss/ Also these meds are used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications. According to a meta analysis reviewing multiple trials “We observed that aside from the administration of semaglutide, reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity were also part of the intervention. Hence, semaglutide alone probably will not be able to achieve an 11.85% weight loss” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9758543/ Take a look at your early post op diet plan and give that a try again. If you didn’t have one, I can share that mine was protein forward (80g minimum) with minimal carbs (under 50 g and mostly complex) and low fat (20g) and almost no calories from drinks unless they are protein shakes. *edited to add: These meds can cause constipation so any weight gain could be due to that You really should consider checking in with the prescribing/administering physician to ask about your progress. Best of luck!

I wouldn't know. I have no experience with "small amounts". I don't begin to understand the causation, biology, anatomy, genealogy, etc, etc, etc. All I can say is that I had my WLS at a time when my wife and I were both seeing an uptick in our drinking. Perhaps to mask the problems in our marriage....perhaps to make the best of things.....perhaps we simply enjoyed it. The WLS, gym work and new way of eating were working wonders for my health. Initially this was met with approval and it seemed to be really helpful in calming the stormy seas of our marriage. I was firmly committed to keeping the weight loss train chugging ahead. After healing from the surgery I began drinking. No beer, but high grade tequila and vodka with skinny mixers. Without the benefit of meals, the impact was much deeper than simply sipping beer and then having dinner. This was 7-ish years ago. Fast forward to today. I've been alcohol free for the past 6+ years. It simplifies things. It is one less variable in daily life. It is simply easier for me to abstain than it is to have something else to measure, to control, to monitor. Right now monitoring my diet is enough. I don't know much about alcohol and I'm quite sure my surgeon and his staff all said to avoid it, period. LOL, to me listening to that noise at the time. I can say this....it is refreshing and good to not have it be part of my life. I face things head on and get to solving issues right away vs sulking and sipping on them over a night or two. Strong coffee is a much better substitute for me. Get some professional alcohol-specific guidance on this matter. IT can improve the trajectory of your life. Don't try to wing it and solve this on your own. Get the right advisors onboard and helping you make the best decisions for you.

Has anyone ever had weight loss "stalling"? The scale has not moved for almost a month (it has not gone up either). I doing everything I can think of: exercising, eating correctly, measuring food portions, food journaling, more water, daily vitamins. EVERYTHING. Is the end of the road for me? (I am 10 months post-op. ) Anyone else go thru these times?

So, I'm 6 months post op as of yesterday, and while maybe TMI, I'll say that I have not been this horny since my early 20's (I'm 35 right now). Not that I've ever had a low sex drive, but not only am I horny all the time, post weight loss things are now visibly bigger, I last a lot longer, and have found new angles lol.

Hey everyone! I'm 2.7 years post op. I've maintained about a 140 lb weight loss. I have a lot of loose skin and I honestly feel like I can't fully enjoy my body until I get some of this skin off. The problem is I can't afford it. I spent everything on the surgery (insurance didn't cover) and I'm not making much money right now because I decided to go back to school. I am currently living in Texas. I would love to know how some of you paid for your plastics. Was it hard to make payments? What options are there usually? I'd like to get my belly skin, breasts and arms lifted. I am just looking at arms right now and just that alone is $14000. I just need any ideas or out-of-the-box suggestions. The weight loss surgery and weight loss/maintenance was one thing, but making this next step happen feels impossible sometimes.

I’m not a calorie counter. Didn’t have to & I was happy about that. I’d done it before and for me it just made me think about food more and I found it annoying and frustrating. However I would check my calorie intake and I still do random checks especially about new foods or recipes. I was more vigilant about portion size because that was the requirement I was given (1/4- 1/3 cup from purée slowly increasing to a cup at around 6 months). I still watch that carefully though I’m more aware now of the portion size of what I’m eating without having to get my scales or measuring cups & spoons out regularly. And I can eat more than a cup of course. I’m probably equally vigilant about the nutritional quality of what I eat. (Sister-in-law was just telling me about a new protein bar she’d found and I’m googling the nutritional info & ingredient list & comparing it with the one I already eat.) If you are required to track your intake then you have to track every single thing you put in your mouth to eat or drink. It can be very easy to consume a lot of extra calories without realising it even ‘healthy’ ones. If your team hasn’t set this as a requirement, than do what you feel most comfortable with. You know your relationship with food and eating getter than anyone. Though I’d probably at the very least do random checks if it isn’t a requirement. Yes, stalls are frustrating and can be depressing. Remember they are an important part of the process and it’s the time your body shuts down to take stock of where you are now Whithead your weight loss and changing diet, and what your needs are around things like digestive hormones, metabolism, etc. Weight loss is stressful on your body & it needs to take a breath to better manage the changing situations much like you do psychologically during a stressful time. The stall will break when your body is ready. Stick to your plan and don’t stress your body more than you are required to by your plan. It will be okay. All the best and I hope your surgical site heals soon.

Me either. Why go through all that's needed to get the surgery then stop doing what's needed to achieve the goal? Determine your goal and get some counseling to change your mindset. Addictive personalities tend to substitute the food for something else. Alcohol, etc. I had to chuckle at how many times @The Greater Fool called the surgery, the MAGIC SURGERY. lol. It was kind of magic for me TBH. It fixed whatever was causing all of my weight loss efforts to fail. I exercised and dieted for years with limited results. So, it was extremely satisfying when it all finally actually worked, and I got healthy. I don't kill myself with dieting anymore or with extreme exercise pre-op. I walk 2 miles a day and try to stay moving and do some weights. I eat normally now (2 years out) but stay within the guidelines of the plan and treat myself on occasion with a drink or a piece of chocolate. I do know some people who believe the shot (GLP-1) are magic too. LOL They eat whatever they want without moving and then wonder why it's not working. People can out eat the drugs one DR told me while discussing my RNY. I have never used them but know it has helped others in addition to their WLS. Bottom line, neither WLS nor the drugs will work all on their own. But it sure helps to get you there. Do what you need to do now to become healthy again. Which in the end is really the most important thing. The honeymoon doesn't last foreva..... GL @Claire D I wish you the best!!!