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Sorry you're struggling so much! Based on what you're describing, neither weight loss surgery, nor GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic/Wegovy/Rybelsus would do anything for you. Both WLS and these meds work by helping patients reduce caloric intake. You've already said that doing so didn't work for you, so I see little point in either approach. Here's the deal. While this is a slight over simplification, you can't overcome basic physics even if there's some sort of hormonal imbalance. If you eat less than you burn, you'll lose weight. If you eat more than you burn, you'll gain weight. There's no way around that. This makes me think you may be asking the wrong question? I think instead of asking how can I reduce my food intake further, the question you should be asking is why is my metabolism so low and what can I do to increase how much I'm burning? Based on what you've described, there really are only two explanations: Either you are eating a lot more than you think you are (it's common for people to dramatically overestimate caloric intake), or your metabolism is unnaturally low. My first recommendation would be to have a baseline metabolism check done. This is sometimes called resting metabolic rate (RMR), resting energy expenditure (REE), or Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Do some Google searches and you should find a place near you that can test this. Even if you do nothing else, knowing how many calories you burn at rest will help you understand what you should do to get to a normal weight. Next, I'm going to guess that your previous fitness attempts were focused primarily on steady-state cardio. While that's great for heart health, it's not what I think you need. I would strongly recommend finding a reputable trainer that can help you add muscle mass through proper diet and exercise. Simply put, the more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism. In your case, where you've likely severely negatively impacted your metabolism through a starvation diet/anorexia, you may have to "reset" things with this type of training regimine. One final point: stop obsessing with the number on the scale. This is a poor analog for how fit you are. Your body weight is comprised of lots of things other than fat (muscle, bone, water, organ weight, etc.), so you could actually be really fit at 180, or carrying too much fat at 160. For example, you made a point of saying that after months of working out in a gym, you ended up weighing more than before you started. That's actually somewhat common and not necessarily a bad thing. That extra 6 pounds may have just be fluid retention, or muscle (likely some of both), so the number on the scale was not a good way of tracking your overall health. This is one of the reasons we strongly recommend also periodically checking your body measurements, as well as potentially checking body composition. You can buy a BIA scale to check that, or there are plenty of commercial places that will do it for you. Best of luck.

I didn't have any hair loss.

This is an interesting question. I've read quite a lot of the scientific literature on Intermittent Fasting (IF) and I think it can be summarized as follows: IF has similar and many times better results vs. daily calorie restriction if the goal is weight loss. A lot of this additional benefit is due to the inherent ketogenic nature of IF. Compliance with IF is typically better than daily calorie restriction. If weight loss is the goal, IF can fail spectacularly if the subject overeats when not fasting. This is problematic for some people because they feel like IF gives them an excuse to eat badly on refeed days/times. IF really only works if you eat "normally" when not actually fasting. While there are numerous studies showing improved biomarkers with IF, almost all of those were done with either animals, or with overweight subjects. When compared to daily calorie restriction, many, if not most of the benefits are explained simply by underfeeding, not by IF specifically. (I should note here that IF can be extremely beneficial for certain specific medical conditions. I'm excluding a discussion on that subject and assuming we're talking about otherwise healthy adults.) Taken as a whole, the conclusion I've personally come to is that IF can be beneficial for the right people, but it's not for everyone. Which leads me to your question: Is Intermittent Fasting good for maintenance after WLS? Assuming by "maintenance" you mean you'd be at or under a normal body weight, I'm not sure how beneficial IF would be? After all, IF is typically talked about as a diet or weight loss strategy. My point being that if instead, you are worried about or are actually seeing weight regain in "maintenance" then IF may work for you. Keep in mind however that IF & daily caloric restriction should both technically work. The question I can't answer is which is best for you. Only you know which eating pattern you can best comply with. Also, there are genetic and epigenetic factors at play here as well. Some people just do better with different eating patterns. The best advice may just be to try IF and see how you like it. Don't forget there are lots of different IF eating patterns and while 16/8 may work great for one person, someone else may need 5:2 or even alternate day to be successful. If gaining weight is not an issue and you're looking more for the potential health benefits, I'll point out again that most of the scientific literature seems to support that both IF and underfeeding in general have the same benefits. This means it really comes down to you again. Can you avoid overeating when refeeding? Do you struggle with compliance on a "normal" diet? Your answers will determine your success with IF.

So much of this is an individual journey. There are averages & common experiences but a lot of variation too. From whether you’ll lose hair or not & how much you’ll lose & for how long to how fast or slow you lose. As for the hair loss, some, people swear by taking supplements to help with the hair loss (biotin is very popular) but their hair loss still slows to their usual rate after 3 or 4 months like most do. I say save your money. Cut your hair if it’s long so your new growth doesn’t take as long to catch up to the length of your remaining hair. Plus short hair looks thicker & bouncier without the weight of longer hair pulling it down. And it doesn’t look as much in the bottom of the shower. 🙂 As for the rate of weight loss, best advice is to stick to the plan you were given by your dietician. Or if you didn’t get one for past the initial staged return to eating, get in touch with them to review what your eating, guidance & other options yiu could include in your diet. But I agree, 25 lbs in 2 months is a good loss. Remember you lose at your rate & your weight loss will slow as you get close to your goal.

well...i sort of do intermittent fasting naturally (both during weight loss phase AND during maintenance) i normally don't eat until after noon (just not a morning eater...never was even before surgery). After surgery i don't normally eat past 7 or 8 pm..i got into this habit cuz i had a horrible experience with nighttime regurgitation one night and it was enough to make sure i always went to bed on an empty stomach. ...sooo i ended up practicing 16/8 IF without really meaning to. been doing this pretty much about 90% of the time for about 4 years now. not sure if doing so has any added health benefit but i do it anyway cuz its just how i roll lol. p.s. i meet all my nutritional needs most of the time and can easily get 1800+ calories in during those 8 hours (fyi, i graze). my last set of labs 1.5 months ago say im in great health...and i dont even take any vitamins. YMMV. Good luck!

not everyone loses hair - and some people lose just a little. I didn't lose very much. I could see extra strands in my comb after coming it out (probably twice as much as usual), but just looking at my hair, I couldn't tell a difference - so no one else would have been able to, either.

I was sleeved in September but i still have a ways to go - I’ve only lost 25 lbs - can i ask what you are doing? Are you doing low carb? Just wondering if i can do anything to accelerate my loss - congratulations on your success!

WOOHOO! Congratulations! You will be there before you know it. There is nothing you can do for hair loss but be patient and it will grow back. It is natural and can be accelerated by multiple things. Some people lose hair just from anesthesia, iron deficiency, etc. It is common in WLS because of the lack of calories, your body "dumps" the easiest thing first when fighting. Kind of like why your toes and fingers get frost bite first. There are a ton of supplements but they don't stop hair loss, they just help regrowth. Don't stress it, just keep up on your protein, fluids, vitamins etc. and you will be just fine. Wishing you the best!

Hey guys, I recently got my sleeve in October and I am now so close to my goal weight! I am just scared of hair loss and would like to know tips or tricks please

Sorry you are struggling. We all know how frustrating that can be when it seems you are doing everything right. With your height and weight, you have a BMI of about 32 which will not meet the insurance requirements anyway. Probably why they won't bother referring you. You need to have a BMI of 35 or higher and at least weight related health issues. (High BP, diabetes, etc) or have a BMI of 40 or higher without the related health issues. The only way you will be able to have any type of WLS is to pay out of pocket if you can even find someone to do it with your current BMI. I am sure, there are surgeons out there that would do anything for the money, but I am not sure you really want "that kind" of surgeon being trusted with your life. With that said, have you discussed medical weight loss with your doctor? Prescription meds to help with weight loss? If not, you could try that. I feel for you and wish you the best!

I've had a long history with weight problems. By the age of ''4'' I was already 68 pounds despite having the diet of the typical child. By the time I was 15 I was in the 180's and eating honestly no different from my peers. By 17 I had joined a teen fitness group and failed to lose any weight what-so-ever. I resorted to starvation about a year later and by 19 I was 150 pounds and subsisting on 500 calories per day, taking diet pills and using tea laxatives. This lead to a cardiac issue which lead me into an Anorexia treatment center by 20. I cleaned up my act and began a ''healthy eating journey'' but sadly for me that resulted in a slow creeping weight gain of about 7-8 pounds per year. Sometime in 2014 I had reached ''180'' again and decided to join a gym. Worked out for months and lost nothing. I reduced my sugars, cut out processed food.. somehow I ended up weighing even more. I was 186 by the end of that year. By 2021 I was ''210'' pounds. My doctor weighed me. I was in shock. Literal shock.. could not even believe it because I was working with a nutritionist at the time and following through with everything. This last year I have worked out constantly, eaten no carbs and I am 208. I have only lost two pounds. I am nearly 33 year old and my weight has been a seemingly life long struggle and close to resistant to change unless extreme measures were taken (Anorexia). I am very disappointed with this. I have been tested for PCOS, Cushing's, NCCH etc many times and nothing showed up. I had severe acne (took accutane three times) and mild hirsutism as well but all blood tests come back normal, ultrasound reveal no cysts and I've gotten a monthly period since 13 years old. No doctor can explain this. I feel as though they do NOT believe me when I tell them what I eat. I just had an appointment with an endocrinologist and he said what I was telling him was ''impossible''. I have asked my doctor to refer me for weight loss surgery but at 210 pounds and 5'7 they just won't do it. I am at a loss.

It can be difficult at first to get the full 64ozs in. Swelling from the surgery & a sensitive tummy can’t make it more challenging. As long as you’re making an effort & getting closer to the full 64ozs you’ll be ok. And don’t forget your protein shakes, soups, broths, all count to your fluid intake. Often warm drinks are more soothing & easier to drink: try adding green or herbal tea to your daily fluid intake. Protein waters are great addition as well. Some find it helpful to set a timer so they sip every 5+/- minutes. I also drink during the night. 64ozs or 8 cups of liquids is actually the recommended intake goal for all adults not just those who’ve had weight loss surgery. It’s necessary for your body to function effectively.

It’s becoming more & more common & not just for weight loss surgery patients. I know 3 women who have iron infusions (none had wls). Five years ago I knew no one. (If you will continue to take iron supplements as well as the infusion, don’t take the iron when you take calcium as the calcium inhibits the absorption of the iron.) As for restless legs, my mum (suffered for decades) found a lot of relief from Sifrol. It’s a Parkinson medication. Worth talking to your doctor about.

There is no doubt that cannabis has several positive qualities concerning human health. It is used to relieve pain. It is effective in combating insomnia. It is also used to combat some personality disorders. Unfortunately, cannabis is not omnipotent when we talk about human health. Many diagnoses involve the use of medical drugs, with which, alas, marijuana does not constantly interact well. Such medications include narcotic drugs, including anesthesia, used in surgical procedures. Therefore, you should consult your doctor before taking this product. So, for example, when I had weight loss surgery, I was apprehensive and ready to take my chewable bought on OrganicCBDNugs. But luckily, the doctor was able to reassure me without them.

I was a revision which means weight loss is slower, but I am 5'4" and started my journey at 286 lbs and today I am 246.3. I am 1-month post-op. I'm using the 3 patches that the bypass patients use plus one multivitamin.

Anything, small gifts. Gift cards. A t shirt, socks, hair ties. I usually try to find something interesting or unusual , like a small desk calendar with daily useless facts or something like that. Snacks other than candy, like protein stuff. (beef jerky, protein puffs, shake sample packets) Possibilities are endless, tell him to get creative and think outside of the box. PS: For 19 years I have been with my spouse and I ALWAYS got a big bag of starburst. Last year I asked for sugar free treats instead of them to try out before my surgery. I hated 99% of them, I would rather go without. This year, I said I wanted starburst again! lol But, a small sleeve like you get at the gas station. I can eat 1 or 2 and be good for days or weeks without another one, so I would rather just enjoy them once in a while then not at all or to bother with the sugar free stuff. (I do good with sugars so I don't mind having a treat every once in a while)

trial size hair care products/skin care products, socks, earrings/ring/necklace, pens, candles, tea bags, ear pods, combs, phone holder/strap, sunglasses, sexy underwear (or sensible underwear, lol), charging cords, face masks, gum, water bottle, silk scarf, fitness tracker.... (now i have a sudden urge to go shopping)

I don't know how much of this is due to weight loss vs just getting older, but according to the marks on the wall at my Mom's house, I'm almost 3/4 of an inch shorter now than in 2007. Guessing I had pretty fat feet! ... or fat on the top of my head, Lol!

it gets better with time… you adjust .. and if you start getting too small you can adjust your macros to slow the weight loss

I wish I knew that pretty much at the 6 to 9 mark month the weight loss stops. I also wish I knew about the possible hormone levels being throw out of whack and what that could do to your metal health.

Hair loss is probably the number one distressing appearance-related side effect of rapid weight loss (honourable mentions to loose skin, of course). Most, if not all, of us suffer from it. Some suffer more than others. Like the others above, I want to offer re-assurance that its mostly temporary. Little chicken hairs will start to sprout up and then in a year or two those chicken hairs will be down to your shoulders. Im my case (and some others I have read), it actually came back thicker...but i think this is also due to the fact that my overall health is better than it was before. BUT, in the meantime, here are few couple tips to get you through this annoying stage (choose what you feel comfortable with...or none at all ) 1) cut your hair shorter (i did a pixie cut at 3 months). the carpets of hair accumulating on the floor and catching in the shower drain will appear less. shorter hair theoretically will weigh less, so it will be less likely to pull down flat against your scalp and show larger swatches of said scalp. and when the chicken hairs start coming in they are less noticeable and blend in better with the rest of your shorter hair and not look so thin on the ends. 2) keep your hair clean. greasy hair will flatten and mat against your scalp which will show more of it (BUT don't shampoo too much...and that's for everyone, not just those losing their hair!) 3) I think I see what looks like a braid in your hair in one of the pics above? if you can, maybe save the braids for later as the style will pull on the hair you have and possibly come out at an even faster rate. 4) there are these hair fibre "powders" that you can buy that temporarily camouflages the scalp. its basically hair coloured powder that you sprinkle on your hair to give the appearance of fullness until you wash it out later. Best results on darker hair with enough existing hair for the fibres to adhere too. 5) and for the truly brave, there is SMP (scalp micro pigmentation)..its a process whereby a tech tattoos hundreds (thousands?) of tiny little dots on your scalp to mimic hair follicles and create the illusion of fuller hair. I had this done last year because I have had the same side part in my hair since I was like 8 years old, and as the years have gone by its was noticeably thinner in that section. Full disclosure: it effing hurts. but I'm happy with the results, lol. 6) and lastly, at least for me, vitamins, creams, lotions did nothing to stop or slow down the hair loss. i know lots of folks have sworn by some or all of these methods, so ymmv. Good Luck, and hang it there! ❤️ P.s. sorry this was so long.

i was notoriously un-hungry during weight loss phase. the discomfort of eating more than my stomach would allow was also a factor...the potential annoyance of the "full feelings" (which was a given) always trumped the desire to eat (which didn't happen often anyway). I was definitely Pavlov'ed (still in am a way) Eventually, my stomach allowed more stuff in (we're talking like 1 cup in volume here, which i realize still isn't much in the grand scheme of things), AND i was able to digest a little faster, so I could eat again in a few hours. As a result, I am a grazer. I was a grazer pre-wls, but that was more all-day snacking, just wanna eat type of deal. Now its sort of necessity. I have small "eating sessions" many times throughout the day, lol. I'm 4 years out now, so the portions are a little bigger and less spaced apart, but comparatively, volume-wise, its still a lot less than "normal" people. RE: turning skinny. I'm assuming you are referring to becoming TOO skinny? Everyone is different, and has different ideas of what "too skinny" is, so it would be difficult to get a baseline on this. Regardless, lots of people worried about this (myself included), but based on the anecdotal evidence of many, many members posts on this forum, as well as personal experience, the idea of being too skinny is fleeting. The entire time i've been on this forum, I have yet to come across someone who is 2-3+ years out (AND otherwise healthy/doesn't suffer from medical condition) who lament being too skinny. There was ONE a couple years back who was 2 years out and had a BMI of 18 and was indeed concerned about her ever-shrinking frame, but I have not seen/heard from her in a couple years, so not sure how she is faring today (hopefully she achieved some peace, though). In short, the fear of becoming too skinny during weight loss phase is a normal feeling, but mostly unfounded. Ask anyone 2-3 years out if they are worried about being too skinny, and I'm willing to bet that you will be hard-pressed to find one who still is (and who isn't suffering from a medical condition). Good Luck! ❤️

I lost hair and started wearing chemo caps and headscarves and finally bought a wig. Then I made a new friend who is utterly bald due to alopecia. Her courage in going hairless has been inspirational and I have become much less self-conscious about my thin hair. My hair has started growing back (but is still very thin). My head gets cold so I do wear baseball caps and knit stocking caps but I'm no longer embarrassed to go bare-headed inside.

I am 20 years out and have experience just about everything that comes with having weight loss surgery. I am also a pharmacist and have been like a community resource for the docs in my circle. It was a struggle to keep the weight off and to get back on track after regain. sw 296 lw: 126 regain weight 177 cw 145-150. But it is possible.

If you had it to do all over again what would you say was missing in your weight loss surgery experience thus far? Length experience doesn’t matter.