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For me, I use my highest weight of all time. Any weight loss progress is progress! I didn't start the bariatric surgery process until April of 2021 when I was 318lbs. However, my highest weight was in January of 2020 when I was a little over 330lbs so that is what I consider my "starting weight". Good luck to you ❤️

Oh, I bet they're similar to the words I wanted to say. (I only used the f-bomb once, and as a proud son of New Jersey, that counts as INCREDIBLE restraint, we toss that particular four-letter word around like it's a comma.) I went to see a different doctor for a workup today, a cardiologist, and he congratulated me on the weight loss and said it shows in my heart health. So NYAAAAAAH to the now-fired NUT.

When was your surgery? Are you on Actigall/Ursodiol? Gall bladder problems are quite common for WLS patients in the active weight loss phase, especially if you had a history prior to surgery. Definitely contact your surgeon and get seen! If the pain can't be managed, go to the ER.

I use the weight I was when I decided to pursue WLS because that's when I started my weight loss journey. My highest recorded weight was actually in 2017, but I didn't start my weight loss journey until 2019 so I use the weight I was in 2019 rather than 2017 (i.e I use 389 instead of 392) because I had too much stuff going on in 2017 and wasn't focusing on weight loss at all (I had brain surgery in 2017 and my sister also had a really traumatic miscarriage when she was at 19 weeks).

Since my surgeon's clinic doesn't use the two-week liver shrinking diet, giving patients a narrow range of weight loss in a specific time period instead, I count my starting weight as my first visit to their office.

Wow! That's really low calorie. By 6 months out I was expected to hit 1000-1200 per day. These days a "high day" is 1300 cal and a low day is 1000. I find if you eat too little, your body stalls faster too because it thinks you are starving. I try to vary each day by at least 100 calories when I am paying attention and actually loosing. So glad to hear you are going down again this week. That's wonderful! And yes, I agree. On a longer stall, I have totally slipped into the mindset of "Oh well, guess that's it for weight loss. At least I weigh less than I have since I was 19!" I mean, I wouldn't even mind stopping loosing weight at 180. At my height that's still way too much but 102lbs down would be such an amazing thing regardless.

I count my starting weight from the day I was diagnosed with diabetes and was referred to a weight loss surgeon. I think it's really a personal choice. For me, I need the encouragement and sense of accomplishment it gives me. I've lost 129lbs total and 83 of that has been since surgery - which 83 is great number, but 129 gives me more internal happiness so I use the 129lbs.

Oh, this book is terrific, too: The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients, by Colleen Cook.

Check out this book and its companions. Its plan is what I intend to follow when I'm back to normal food post-surgery. I've been following this pre-surgery and have lost 50 lbs, This seems to be the most logical and nutritionally sound food plan that I've found. It's not "keto" but there are similarities. Particularly look at the Metabolic Reset (on page 20) if you are stalled. The Author's premise is to eat far more vegetables, unlimited fruit, snack only on these and nuts & seeds, and use animal protein as flavor not as the star of every meal. Matthew Weiner, MD, A Pound of Cure. He's also written The Bariatric Guide and Cookbook, and How Weight Loss Surgery Really Works. I recommend all three books, available in paperback and Kindle. The author is a bariatric surgeon.

These things... Even if you've never had a weight issue or weight loss surgery, you can't lose weight in one specific place. And, it does look like what you've got there is just loose skin. And... when you are wearing a shirt it doesn't show at all. But I think you may have to learn to live with the comments for the time being unfortunately until as @Arabesque said, people come to learn what you look like now and replace the old you with the new you in their minds. I also want to add that I hope I am as successful as you are!! You're an inspiration!

Long after everyone else had quit making comments about my weight I had one person that just would't stop. Every time I saw her she would say things like "you've gotten too thin, you need to quit losing weight, how much more are you going to lose etc..." I finally told her if she didn't stop commenting on my weight I was going to consider it harassment and go to management. She has stopped. If anyone else makes a random comment I just say "this is the size I'm supposed to be." I was 112 lbs when I graduated college and I have a couple people at work that remember when I was that size so I'm fine where I am. Congratulations on your weight loss!

It’s likely just a stall. We almost all experience at least one, some experience a lot more. They usually last 1-3 weeks but can be longer. It’s just your body coming to terms with the changes: weight loss, reduced calories, etc. Your physical body gets stressed too & just sometimes needs to take a breath like we sometimes do emotionally & mentally. Keep doing what you’re doing & you will start to lose again. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

Oh, the unsolicited advice & sometimes hurtful comments. People do get over it & as @ms.sss sud it becomes old news. Now I just get comments about how good I look 😉. When you first loose the weight it is a bit of a shock to others & yourself. They (& you) have a picture of you in their heads & it dues to align anymore. Like they can’t recognise you anymore. It takes time to get used to how you look being so much slimmer & for that fat image to be replaced. Also you will find that once your weight stabilises your remaining fat seems to resettle around your body. At first it seemed I had lost my hour glass shape & I had no butt at all. Now, my waist is definitely there again & I have a little booty but my weight has not changed. If you are working on toning you’ll likely notice the resettling more. And don’t forget either that muscle weighs more than fat. As @ms.sss also said your weight will be lower if you have skin removal. So it is something to take into consideration. I think you may even find that the abdominal fat you see is really just loose skin. I didn’t go down the skin removal path as I don’t have much loose skin. (It doesn’t impede me in any way & isn’t noticeable even in fitted body con clothes.) There are a lot of factors that influence how much loose skin you end up with: highest weight, how long you were overweight, age, gender, genetics, weight gain & loss history, etc. So you can never really compare what you look like with others. Though we’re human & we can’t always stop ourselves doing that. 😉 I always say you have to find a weight you are happy with, are healthy at & can maintain without having to make too restrictive sacrifices that limit how you enjoy your life. Only you know what weight that is. Congrats on your weight loss. You’re looking amazing.

Truth be told I don't think I had any mangoes nor curries during weight loss phase lol...but I'm pretty sure if I did, I would have had no issue if I had wanted to eat it. I had no food intolerances other than excess sugar. Now if we are talking VOLUME though, I don't think I would have been been able to eat this much food in one sitting (both teacups would equal 1 cup in volume) until about 9 months to a year. I should add that a "sitting" for me in that first year would have been like 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on what it was. I took FOREVER to eat. I'm 3 years out now and my "sittings" are about 45 mins-ish and I can eat about 1 - 1.5 cups in volume comfortably,

First congrats on the weight loss! You've done fabulously! I learned myself that everyone and their mothers believe that they should be dispensing advice to you about your body and eating habits. During weight loss phase, especially as I was nearing goal, soooooo many people would tell, ask, DEMAND that i cease losing weight immediately or even to gain some back. Ugh. I became very skilled at stealthily changing the subject (usually about them because people love talking about themselves). I didn't bother arguing or explaining because I knew it wouldn't change their attitude anyway, and any response from me would just extend the unwanted conversation longer. I'm 3 years out now and NOBODY talks about my weight loss any more, its old news. Whats interesting is that I actually weigh less now than at the times when they were all "concerned" about my weight loss. I do look less gaunt now (thanks, carbs) but I think its because they had enough time to get used to it and it was no longer jarring to see me so different looking in so short a time span. If changing the subject doesn't work, you can be honest and ask them to stop, be brutally honest and demand that they stop, or go nuclear and just lose it so they will be too afraid to bring it up again, lol. OR, you can just give them what they want...which is to tell them that they are right: "Yes, you are right. I am too thin. I will make an appointment with my doc. Thanks for looking out for me". P.S. on another note, you can't really spot-lose weight. If you want to lose more weight on your belly, be prepared to lose the proportionate amount of weight everywhere else. also keep in mind that plastics will take a few to several pounds off you. I have read of others on here who lose 8-15 lbs of "material" after plastics. Good Luck! ❤️

Hi everyone! My name is Mikki and I am a year into my journey. I had gastric bypass surgery last year in September. Over this year I lost 90 pounds and ideally would like to lose another 90 but over time the weight loss greatly tapers off and I've become lazy and complacent. It's time to get back on track and shed these last pounds but I know I can't go it alone, so I come seeing kindred spirits and support. It's a pleasure to meet all of you very courageous ladies. I look forward to being a part of this group!! Sent from my LM-Q730 using BariatricPal mobile app

I can’t believe you are still dealing with this. At least you found that warm beverages help. When you said tea you made me think of oolong tea (I think that was the name) it’s a tea that I tried for weight loss. Supposed to be an appetite suppressant. Maybe that would help?? I did lose weight on it. I just gained it back like everything else pre surgery.

Exactly as @Hop_Scotch said. It’s the way it goes for all of us. You may have odd weeks you lose more others you lose less but you’ll find your general trend, while still downwards, does slow. Just wish surgeons, nutritionalists, etc. would tell people this. It would save a lot of angst & worry. Heaps of home workouts videos on you tube from low to higher impact, strength training, yoga, etc. I bought some resistance bands & you could also buy some weight cuffs for ankles & wrists. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

For me there’s a weird thing that happens with working around so much sugar and fat- I end up not wanting to eat it. The smell gets to me and I end up wanting dark leafy greens and vegetables after so much baking. However, today has been a different story. With broken sleep and the loss of a patient at the beginning of my shift yesterday and not being able to communicate with the family due to language barriers…. I definitely indulged today but feel like crap because of it. I don’t like feeling sick to my stomach and like all of my energy has disappeared. So for that reason I don’t indulge often. I’d rather eat a salad or drink a smoothie full of fresh tasting goodness that is going to nourish my body and soul.

I created a blog entry with the same content below here, but I feel like no one ever reads BP blogs, so am posting in the forums for good measure. Sorry for the dupes! Also sorry this is so long! ---------------------- It's been 3 years, y’all. I’m a 5’2” female and was 235 lbs & 45 yrs old at the start of the 2 wk liquid diet. Didn’t lose any weight prior. I was on high cholesterol and blood pressure meds, diagnosed with fatty liver, pre-diabetic, peed every 20-30 mins, and snored like a freight train (so said Mr.) Day of sleeve surgery: 223.2 lbs No recovery issues, but I became dumper on sugar (still am). I got off my meds, eliminated liver and diabetic diagnoses within a month. I can hold my pee like a superhero (including not having to go once during a 9 hr flight pre-covid!), and I sleep so silently that Mr. admitted to checking on me during the night in the beginning to check if I was even alive. I ate VERY little during weight loss phase compared to most, but it worked for ME…I didn’t suffer any medical/nutritional issues nor any angst throughout. I tracked everything I ate/drank, weighed myself every morning and took my measurements every Wednesday (I STILL track and weigh daily - its just habit now -, but no longer take my measurements regularly) Reached goal of 127 lbs 7 months after surgery. I had zero stalls. I had a tummy tuck, arm lift and breast lift at 14 months post op. Lowest weight: 109 lbs (this was a month or so after plastics, but quickly gained back to 115-ish) I’ve basically been 115-ish +/- 5 lbs since a couple months into maintenance. Weight this morning: 116.0 lbs even. Happy place is below 120 and/or that my clothes still fit, LOL. These days I exercise semi-regularly, running minimum 5km 2-3 times a week supplemented with the occasional 20-30 min strength training sessions at home (I continue to hate strength training exercises but consider it a necessary evil), and various other for-fun cardio activities. Part of me wanted to get back to higher exercise levels so I can get the “fitter” look I had back then, but I long ago reconciled myself with the fact that I don’t want it THAT badly. Maybe someday I may change my mind, but I’m cool with it for now. I average 1800-2000 cals a day. I drink alcohol and carbonated water on the regular, use straws, chew gum, drink coffee, and eat popcorn, fried foods and carbs. I love desserts. At 3 years out, my restriction is still in effect and could probably eat about 1-1.5 cups of food in volume at one sitting before I need to tap out: some things I can eat more of (salads) than others (dense protein & fluffy bread). I will barf if I eat too much or too fast. I have energy for days, and am more than satisfied with how I look and feel. Life is good. Had my 3 year follow up last week and I continue to be the picture of health, and my surgeon asked again if I wanted to be on a poster. Ummmm, no thanks. Regrets? ABSOLUTELY ZERO. Well, except maybe that I didn’t get a v-shaped tummy tuck incision vs the straight line one that I got. Just means that I can’t wear higher cut bikini bottoms without my scar showing (see the last pic in the collage below). But I mean, really, I’m just nit-picking at this point. This forum has been a constant in my life for the past 3 years, and I’ve made some great connections and some actual REAL friends. Its really nice to engage with others who know what the eff you are talking about, even if its just about food porn and clothes sometimes, lol. Hugs and Congrats to those who made it to the other side with me, and Hugs and Good Luck to those on their way.

Its been 3 years, y’all. I’m a 5’2” female and was 235 lbs & 45 yrs old at the start of the 2 wk liquid diet. Didn’t lose any weight prior. I was on high cholesterol and blood pressure meds, diagnosed with fatty liver, pre-diabetic, peed every 20-30 mins, and snored like a freight train (so said Mr.) Day of sleeve surgery: 223.2 lbs No recovery issues, but I became dumper on sugar (still am). I got off my meds, eliminated liver and diabetic diagnoses within a month. I can hold my pee like a superhero (including not having to go once during a 9 hr flight pre-covid!), and I sleep so silently that Mr. admitted to checking on me during the night in the beginning to check if I was even alive. I ate VERY little during weight loss phase compared to most, but it worked for ME…I didn’t suffer any medical/nutritional issues nor any angst throughout. I tracked everything I ate/drank, weighed myself every morning and took my measurements every Wednesday (I STILL track and weigh daily - its just habit now -, but no longer take my measurements regularly) Reached goal of 127 lbs 7 months after surgery. I had zero stalls. I had a tummy tuck, arm lift and breast lift at 14 months post op. Lowest weight: 109 lbs (this was a month or so after plastics, but quickly gained back to 115-ish) I’ve basically been 115-ish +/- 5 lbs since a couple months into maintenance. Weight this morning: 116.0 lbs even. Happy place is below 120 and/or that my clothes still fit, LOL. These days I exercise semi-regularly, running minimum 5km 2-3 times a week supplemented with the occasional 20-30 min strength training sessions at home (I continue to hate strength training exercises but consider it a necessary evil), and various other for-fun cardio activities. Part of me wanted to get back to higher exercise levels so I can get the “fitter” look I had back then, but I long ago reconciled myself with the fact that I don’t want it THAT badly. Maybe someday I may change my mind, but I’m cool with it for now. I average 1800-2000 cals a day. I drink alcohol and carbonated water on the regular, use straws, chew gum, drink coffee, and eat popcorn, fried foods and carbs. I love desserts. At 3 years out, my restriction is still in effect and could probably eat about 1-1.5 cups of food in volume at one sitting before I need to tap out: some things I can eat more of (salads) than others (dense protein & fluffy bread). I will barf if I eat too much or too fast. I have energy for days, and am more than satisfied with how I look and feel. Life is good. Had my 3 year follow up last week and I continue to be the picture of health, and my surgeon asked again if I wanted to be on a poster. Ummmm, no thanks. Regrets? ABSOLUTELY ZERO. Well, except maybe that I didn’t get a v-shaped tummy tuck incision vs the straight line one that I got. Just means that I can’t wear higher cut bikini bottoms without my scar showing (see the last pic in the collage below). But I mean, I’m just nit-picking at this point. This forum has been a constant in my life for the past 3 years, and I’ve made some great connections and some actual REAL friends. Its really nice to engage with others who know what the eff you are talking about, even if its just about food porn and clothes sometimes, lol. Hugs and Congrats to those who made it to the other side with me, and Hugs and Good Luck to those on their way.

At your current weight of 229lb, 20lb per month is excellent. Way more than most. A lot of people only lose that much in the beginning Weight loss slows down as you we all progress, its natural as you don't have as much fat too lose and with a lower weight the calorie deficit isn't as big as it was in the beginning. As you progress further weight loss will be lower and slower, this is not out of the norm at all. You are doing great.

@ClarkKent It is a tough journey but I still know that this is the best decision I ever made weight loss wise. If anyone dare say to me I "took the easy way out" I swear I will slap them! Jk 😉

I was wondering my almost 5 months post op and my weight loss has slowed down to almost 20 or less pounds a month is this normal ? And anyone got any good work out idea todo at home

I agree that just randomly issuing a referral without having discussed it with you is unusual and potentially annoying. My PCP was more like "You know, being overweight is hard on the body, have you considered weight loss surgery?" Only when I indicated that I was open to the idea did he send a referral. But then, my PCP doesn't send ANY kind of referral without talking to me first.