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Very true. My biggest obstacle is my own impatience. I want to hurry up and get to real food, being so sick of protein shakes. I just started my soft phase, so thankfully I can now have eggs, beans, white fish, cooked vegetables. I just keep looking ahead to everything I will be able to do once some more weight comes off. I have also just booked a Mexican Riviera cruise for January 2026 to celebrate the new me and my new life one year from my surgery. No more "rewarding" myself with unhealthy food choices, and instead I'll be rewarding myself with things that focus on my self-care. Like taking a cruise I'll be going by myself, but it's not the first time. I'm very excited. 😊

I remember my hands especially were so puffy with fluid. It took over a week just to get back to my day of surgery weight because of all the fluid. But you're still losing fat even if the scale doesn't show it, so don't worry!

I set my goal weight at 155 lbs to reach a "healthy" BMI of 25, partially because I felt like it would be nice to experience going to the doctor and not having my weight come up as a red flag (although my doctor is really great about things like that), and partially because it was the weight I was when I graduated high school and I was curious to see if I could get back there. My "secret" goal would be to reach 151 lbs, which would mean I lost 100 lbs from my highest weight. I'm currently a week from my 1-year surgiversary and 8 lbs above my goal, so I'm pretty happy.

I wanted to go back to the weight I maintained through adulthood and motherhood (between 64-67 Kilos/141-147.7 lbs) Where I felt - and looked - my best and was active and in shape. My surgeon told me that he'll be very pleased if I lose 20 kgs (70 kgs), I was aiming for 65 kgs, and that in my opinion would have been a great success. I got down to 65 kilos in 3 months and kept losing for another 6 months until I stabilized (52.5-54 kgs is my fluctuation) and that is around 11/12 kgs less than what I would have considered an absolute success. It is easy to be hung up on a specific number, however it is how you feel and how you fit into your clothes that matters. I would've never imagined myself at 52 kilos (never been that weight except when I 13) and had you told me that I would've gasped out loud in horror. Now, I feel I look great and really healthy. I have a 15 kg wriggle room, and if I do gain a bit of weight it is no big deal. I loved how I looked at 65 kgs and I love how I look now too.

Congratulations on your spectacular weight loss! You look great, and must feel healthier too

Yes, I would have the surgery again knowing what I do now. I would recommend it for everyone who has struggled with being significantly overweight despite commonsense lifestyle changes. Even with the most restrictive diets, I could never lose weight and keep it off for very long. This has been the only thing that has ever worked.

Hi! my name is Shana! I had the DS Loop on 10/31/23. My HW was 309.4 pounds. My SW was 263.7 pounds. My GW was 150 pounds, achieved 7/21/24. My LW was 117.7 pounds on 2/3/25. As of this morning, I am 121.6 pounds. I am not too upset about gaining weight because I feel that I look too thin. I have lost 104 inches since WLS day. I am having excess skin removal in 3/17/25 (bilateral tummy tuck and breast implants. Glad to be joint these forums.

I strongly believe there is no perfect goal weight. I think the goal should rather be how you feel and how you feel you look. If you feel good and are happy with how you look, then you're at your goal. If you think you'd like to shed a few more pounds, then do so. If you feel like you look underweight, then it might be time to gain a bit. I would never recommend BMI as a guideline. A much better guideline would be % body fat, but accurate testing is expensive and not readily available. Keep in mind if you were obese for any length of time, your organs are likely bigger and your bones denser. This means you might look identical at 170 to someone that was never obese that weighs 150. Also, as most folks know, since muscle is denser than fat, the scale just does not tell the full story. There are people with a "normal" BMI that are carrying too much fat because they have so little muscle mass. I get it, especially for very goal-oriented people, they want something exact to shoot for, but when you think about all the above factors, picking a goal weight is just so random and almost certainly to be wrong for you.

Hi. I had surgery on Dec 2, 2024, one week before I turned 51. And same, wish I had done it sooner. I've seen that many our age and older have done this. I'm excited for what this year will hold for me! I'd love to hit my goal weight by Dec. 31, 2025!

So happy for you! This is my next goal as well! To be in Onederland. Hopefully soon. I'm at 206.2. I always feel better once I'm in the 100s again. This time I'm doing everything I can to NEVER go to 200 again in my life! Done this too many times over 35 years of my life. No more. That's why I got surgery. Hoping it's what will help me keep the bulk of my weight GONE! My highest was 277 years ago and I lost 100 lbs. and sure enough over the years following that I slowly let it come back on. Can't do that anymore! I'm 51 and don't want this battle in my life anymore! Congratulations for getting there! I know how good that feels! 😍

Yes. They pump you full of fluids and consequently everyone experiences some weight gain. It certainly isn’t from what you’ve eaten LOL! You’ll pee it out over the next few days. Make sure you still drink because your body will hold on to that fluid if you don’t.

Yes! Yes! 100% yes I would have the surgery again. I personally know 4 people who’ve had surgery and know of several others who’ve had surgery (friends of friends, siblings of friends and relatives of in-laws). None of them have complications or have died. There have been a couple of people here who have had complications but they are few. The majority of people I’ve got to know through this forum are fine. And from what I can recall over the almost six years I’ve been here, their complications have been resolved through some sort of medical intervention. Of course there would be some who’ve had surgery who have passed away or have serious complications. There have been a couple on My 600lb Life who passed away. But what pre existing complications did they have? Was their death or the complication a direct result of the surgery or because of the pre existing condition? Carrying excess weight alone would have shortened their lifespan and led to many complications regardless of the surgery. The risks of the surgery alone are very low. I recall reading they are less than a tonsillectomy or appendectomy yet no one questions those surgeries. I wonder about those who share horror stories and what is the motivation behind spreading those stories. Are they jealous a friend or family had the surgery? Are they against a family member or friend having the surgery? Believe me people do react like this. There have been a number of people here sharing the negativity they they receive from people who supposedly love them & who at the best for them when they say they want to have the surgery or have had the surgery. I deliberately was selective in who I told for these very reasons. If you want to know the true stories from people who’ve actually had surgery you’re in the right place here. Also, I don’t believe insomnia is common. For many of us our sleeping improves. Before surgery I would average about 4 hours a night. I would often have nights where I didn’t sleep at all. Now I probably average 7.5 hours. I had 9 the other night and had a nap during the day. LOL! Many also throw away their CPAP machines because the quality of their sleep improves to such an extent they don’t need it with their weight loss. Hey @niecy. I wonder if your poop isn’t soft enough. Are you meeting your fluid goals? Have you tried a stool softener to see if that eases the discomfort? Have you spoken to your surgeon or doctor? Maybe a colonoscopy to rule out any blockages, tears, etc. would be beneficial? It is possible to be constipated & yet still poop regularly which I discovered 18 months ago. https://www.healthline.com/health/can-you-be-constipated-and-still-poop

Hello, I just had my gastric bypass surgery on February 12. Is it normal to come home with a 16 lb gain? Is it from all the Iv’s ?

I don't know that I've seen insomnia as a common thing. For me, I think it was basically because I wasn't taking part in my regular routines at that point. As for the other question, exit point lol -- not fun. Yes, I would 100% still have the surgery knowing everything that I do now. 2 months post op and I feel amazing, both physically and mentally. I've never had so much energy before. My weight loss since day of surgery is only 21 lbs, but my inches lost is a much better measurement imo. 4 inches off my waist in 2 months. My smart watch used to be on the 2nd hole and is now on the 5th. I'm in 3 different weekly exercise classes and actually ENJOY going, even when the sweat is dripping into my eyeballs. I can see a future for myself again, when there were several years that I was convinced I'd be dead by 40. This whole process has turned my life around 180 degrees and it is the best thing that I have ever done for myself. 10/10 would recommend.

I needed to hear this today! I'm losing around 3 lbs a week since sleeve was done Dec. 2. But went out of town to see my mom and sibs and drank her sweet tea and ate nibbles of things I normally don't now and I'm up in weight. Was 204.2 and now I'm 206.2. (On my phone right now but will change my ticker soon! 206 is better than 215! Lol!) Frustrating! I didn't eat much as I still feel extremely restricted but I think the sugar must cause inflammation and salt always makes me hold water weight. So I'm happy to be back home and working a lot and eating my grapefruit, cucumbers and protein shake, etc. daily. Hopefully I can begin going back down this week. So close to Onederland! Thanks for sharing this. Goes to show just how fast it CAN come back on us. I've lost and gained lots over the years. Hoping this surgery was the tool I needed to help me get my weight down and keep it there. At this point I'd be thrilled just to get to and stay at 199 forever. LOL! But my goal is much lower. But once I get into the 100s I know I always FEEL better. So I'm looking forward to that milestone!

Thank you so much, guys. I love that this is a safe space to speak our truths about this surgery. So many people think it's a miracle cure, and it's not. We have to do the work. It really is just a tool for us to use while we do the work. You guys have been so supportive. Thank you so much. I'm going to go back to weighing once per week, meal prepping again, sticking to my diet, and start back with my work out plan. I'll work to lose 10 pounds, to get back to the weight I'm happiest at. You all are awesome!!!

I so feel this! the wonderful thing about this surgery is that its a great tool! I am up about 5lbs from my "comfy" weight and I am a grazer. I could graze all day and be happy but that is what got me obese so I cannot do that. you have been inspiring and continue to do so, thank you for sharing and being vulnerable. Its good for us to hear that everyone can slip up but we need to hear that

I set my goal at "healthy" BMI. (60kg or 132lbs) I realise BMI isn't really the best indicator of overall health or even healthy weight, but it's a good starting point. But to be honest, I never even really believed that I would lose any weight at all, it was just a Hail Mary pass that I thought I would talk to my GP about and to my amazement, it's working! I was a size 24UK (US 20) 7 months ago and just thought I was going to keep getting bigger. 7 months later, I'm a size 16UK (US 12) and went from 122 kg (270lbs) to 87kg (193 lbs) I never though this would be possible. I've hit so many goals I never even set! I still have that arbitrary number goal because my GP seems to have BMI tattooed on his brain and the number matters to him, but I'm just going to go along for the ride and see where I end up and where my body is comfortable maintaining!

Congratulations on reaching your goal (& yes being 0.2lbs off is still goal in my book). My goal weight was the lowest weight I always get to before slowly but surely bouncing back from over the years (well until the last few years when I could barely lose 5kgs let alone the weight I needed to lose to get to that goal). It was the weight I enjoyed being at and felt good at being. I just couldn’t maintain it. When I exceeded my goal weight I was actually trying to work out my maintenance but just kept losing though very slowly for another 11 months. I decided, I’ll just see where I stop while still trying to work out maintenance. Of course I know now I got to a weight that was my new set point (thank you surgery). It was the weight my body wanted to be at & had nothing to do with a weight I wanted to be at. It’s also a weight that doesn’t require me to restrict my calorie intake or exercise more than I want to or enjoy doing to maintain so yay! Instead of setting a new goal weight why not just see where your body settles. You could lose those two stone or you could lose more or less. Regardless it will be the best weight for you. You’ll naturally be slowly increasing your calorie intake and discovering the activity levels you’re comfortable with anyway & wait till you see where you end up. People can continue to lose for 18 months or more so you have time. Remember, if you force yourself to lose more than your body wants, you’ll continue to battle to maintain that lower weight.

You really do a have a great attitude towards weight loss and maintenance! That’s half the battle for me. The surgery still makes the body shrink back to manageable size when our tracking and weighing attention comes back. I gain weight every Christmas because the foods only happen at that time and OMG pie… But by New Years my WLS still works great. I find I have to ease back into tracking and water etc. I usually start with drinking water. I had a roommate in college that had ED and would punish herself with being severe suddenly with food restrictions and over exercising. I hope you continue to be kind to yourself. Your honesty has been an absolute inspiration to me!

I think your awareness and attitude are very commendable! Definitely a lesson for me for the future, I am also inclined to all those bad habits myself, so will have to really keep an eye on things. Some people preach the "don't weigh everyday " mantra, but this is a great example of why weighing regularly is in fact a good idea for those of us that just have to look at food and gain 10lb!! 😆 You have got this! You know what and how! 🤗

Checking back in as I am nearly at my new goal weight now. My husband and I joined a gym in November when the weather turned too cold for us to walk/hike outside. We have stuck to going nearly every day except when we are on vacation/traveling/sick. I was on a cruise 1/23-2/3 and I even went to the gym five times onboard! Unfortunately, I got pretty sick as soon as I got home and didn't make it to the gym that first full week back. All that said and done, between the cruise and being sick, I did gain one pound, but I am back on track now and will be going to the gym for the third day in a row this evening. I am back to just "overweight" instead of obese and nearly back to the weight I was when I met my husband 8 years ago.

I discourage people from getting hung up on the number on the scale, because the non-scale victories are so much more important. The number on the scale is meaningless compared to things like your health metrics (blood pressure, glucose, lipids, etc.), fitness, and mobility. I am also curious how you can say you are 0.2 pounds from your goal weight because my weight can fluctuate by 5 pounds in a single day, so 0.2 pounds is far more precise than you can realistically measure your weight. Drink half a cup of water and your weight goes up by more than that. Somebody posted a video on this site a while back (maybe someone can repost it if you remember) with a doctor explaining why your "best weight" is not necessarily going to be in the "ideal weight" range based on BMI, especially for bariatric surgery patients -- and in fact, for many bariatric surgery patients, a "normal" BMI may be too low. BMI has limited use in determining a healthy weight for any specific individual. It is kind of a primitive measure of body composition; a much better measure of that would be getting a Dexa scan, which can determine your actual body fat percentage and visceral fat (which is what has the highest impact on health). I never really had a goal weight. I was required to state a goal weight for my psych evaluation, and I think I put 180 pounds based on the average weight loss from my starting weight. I never thought I would get to a "normal" BMI, but I am actually hovering right around a BMI of 25 (I'm maintaining between 135 and 140) with a body fat percentage of 21%. My goal now is to stay within that range because I think that's about the lowest I can realistically go without plastic surgery (nothing against that if it's what you want, but I have no plans to do so) or extreme measures.

I never set a goal weight but my surgeon said he felt 70 to 75 kg (165/155 lbs) would be what he would like to see me reach. Once he said that and I got close I decided I would try to get into the 'healthy' BMI range which is 65kg / 143lbs. I reached there and a little bit more (or less I guess) so depending on movement (bowel and exercise wise ) and if I have a bit more of a carb focused dish I bounce between 62.5 and 64kg / 137 and 141 lbs and I find I am happy with that. NEVER would have thought that was possible to achieve a couple of years ago. I think see if you can get to the 'healthy' range if it gives you something to continue working towards and then maintaining BUT do not put pressure on yourself, the BMI is out dated and the most important things are to be physically & mentally healthy and happy in yourself, that can be whatever figure you want it to be on the scale.

My initial goal weight was 200 pounds. I hit that and thought "I'd like to be in ONEderland so I'm gonna keep going" and I got to my new goal weight of 190. Then I dropped well below that, gained the excess back, and I'm at 190 again. I need to lose about 7 or 8 pounds to get back into "wiggle room territory" and maintain it. But yes, I definitely had a secret goal that i never thought I would see lol