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I was asked twice in the last week whether I had lost weight on purpose - assume it's because my face is so much thinner. Gonna keep chugging on for a while yet - might be good insurance in case of a regain further down the line.

This hits home for me so much. My husband is also an alcoholic, with severe OCD. He works, he does all he should, but once 5:30 hits, he has to (in his mind) be sitting with his first drink of the night. He does the same thing, listing all the things I do wrong, and how I make him miserable. And ever since the day I set my surgery date, he has made a point to accuse me of cheating or that I will cheat because I will think I am better than him. He is not over weight, so I am not sure why he thinks that. Sometimes I want to throw my hands up. Instead I just rearrange my life to accommodate his insecurities, and taking away from my own success. It sucks...

Surprisingly well. No nausea, no throwing up. I’ve been slowly progressing with foods and now on pureed foods but I think it’s causing me to gain a few pounds 😞

I'm so upset. In the last 9 days I've gained 9 pounds!!! Nothing has changed with my diet and workouts. I take my vitamins like I'm supposed to. I never cheat on my diet, I work out 5 days a week. So I called my dietician and after we went over everything she said "remember when I told you that having pcos would cause you problems with weight loss? Well here it is. If you remember, you lost 100 pounds on keto and then the weight just started coming back no matter what you did? It looks like it's happening again." I literally started to cry, because nothing I did stopped the weight from coming back. I asked if I could do a pouch reset and maybe reverse it now and she said "you certainly can try, but you aren't gaining because of over eating or cheating on your diet. You're gaining because of a hormonal imbalance that seems to like you being fat". I don't know what to do. I had such high hopes that the surgery and weight loss would help improve the pcos, but it looks like, once again, it's out to sabotage me. I guess it's not enough that it caused me to have 10 miscarriages through the years, or need fertility meds to have my daughter, or never be able to get pregnant again after her. Now it won't let me lose weight and keep it off. I feel so defeated. All my hard work and once again, it's all for nothing.

21 lbs since surgery is awesome! I also had VSG on the 25th and I’m only down 12 since surgery. That includes a random gain after I added in semi-solid food, so I am still up from my lowest. I can tell that I have been retaining water. Not only do I see it, but I could tell with drinking and not going to the bathroom. I have been desperate for answers and what I have read is that you spend most of your first month dehydrated, even if you are getting in fluids. That a portion of the weight loss is water and that sometime during the first month your body makes an adjustment to rebalance fluid levels, causing a stall or gain and that eventually this works itself out. I went for a big jog thinking I would help myself and the next day I was not only sore, but 3+ up on the scale lol Now I’m just trying to drink as much as I can and trying to convince myself that there is no way you can gain fat weight from an average 600 calories a day!

Always remember, we all lose at our own rate. Some are slow losers while others lose more quickly. There’s no right or wrong rate of loss. Sure there are generalisations & averages but you should never use them to judge if you’re failing. It really is impossible to compare your loss in pounds or inches to anyone else. So many factors influence your loss. Body shape, skeletal frame, age, genetics, starting weight, where you carried your weight, general health, genetics, etc. As you lose more weight you’ll notice you’ll drop sizes more quickly. Sizes tend to differ by 2 inches. It takes a loss of more pounds to lose 2 inches around your body when you’re bigger than when you’re smaller. That lose ‘10lbs & drop a dress size’ only applies to people who are pretty much in a healthy body weight range to begin. Took me a good 10/15kg (30lbs) to drop a dress size & a bit when I first started losing. How much exercise you do is really personal. Yes, there are lots of benefits but, for most, exercise only contributes to about 10% of the weight you have to lose. Have 100lbs to lose, exercise will burn 10lbs. I didn’t really exercise at all & I lost all my weight & more. All I do now is some stretching, & use resistance bands. I wouldn’t burn 40 calories. Ha! But that’s me. You’ll get there but in your time.

As I said I think I kept losing until my body got to its new set point - thank you surgery. for me my new set point was at a lower weight than I’d expected (my goal was the lowest weight I would always bounce up from). Your set point will strongly influence your final weight. You can eat yourself above it but it takes a lot of effort to eat & exercise yourself below it. People often talk about getting too thin & looking gaunt but, apart from a couple of months while everything settled, I don’t look like a lost too much nor am I bony, I just look small. But then I am short & have a smaller frame & believe me I still have body fat. I’m talking to you thighs, hips & tummy! 😉

You seem to have a really cynical outlook on all of this. I, too, am a scientist by profession, and I've always been a bit of a pessimist, but I think sometimes, it's worth giving people the benefit of the doubt. It looks like you don't think your bariatric team has your best interests at heart. I know you've been burned before, and I also know what it's like to be constantly judged as stupid, lazy, noncompliant, untrustworthy, unworthy, etc. because of my weight, so I can understand your feelings about this, but don't forget that these are people who have devoted their careers to providing weight loss surgery. I'm not saying that they all genuinely care about alleviating the plight of the obese, or that they're sympathetic toward those of us in a position of needing this surgery, but I doubt there are very many medical professionals in the bariatric surgery field who are out to punish and criticize fat patients just for fun (or out of personal dislike of fat people). If for no other reason than their own self-interest, chances are that they want patients to succeed with weight loss surgery, and they are probably doing what they believe will contribute to their patients' success. Another thing to keep in mind is that sometimes people can be right for the wrong reasons. I've run into this in my own job, where someone has told me something that didn't seem to make sense, and I (as someone like you with an inquisitive mind) have gone looking for the real story, only to find that what I was told was correct, even though the reasoning was not. In this case, your dietitian might be giving you good direction even if she doesn't actually understand what she's talking about. Just because that dietitian (or even the whole bariatric team) doesn't know or understand the reasoning behind the rules, it doesn't necessarily mean that the rules are incorrect or arbitrary. Finally, if you hang around this forum for long enough, you will see that many patients want and need a lot of hand-holding. Some people would rather be given strict but arbitrary rules than loose guidelines. People are constantly on here posting questions like, "I had surgery X days ago; can I eat Y?" And honestly, considering that, I can't blame surgeons at all for wanting to make things as black and white as possible so they don't have to spend all their time answering these incredibly specific questions, tailored to each individual patient. Most patients are not medical researchers, and many want definitive instructions from their doctors. Many people would be paralyzed with indecision if they were told, "Some studies say X and others say Y; you figure it out." Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how closely to follow your surgeon's directions, and if you do your own research and believe you have found a better way, you can make that decision. But I would venture to say that you will likely have a better experience if you have a mindset of working WITH your bariatric surgery team instead of taking an adversarial approach.

I'm 4.5 months out from my surgery and at 5'2" I've lost 65 pounds so far. I've gone down from a size 22/20 jeans to a size 14 or in some cases even size 12. To put in perspective, my older sister who had the same surgery (RNY) a few years ago, also 5'2, had lost 45 pounds at the point I'm at. This shows how different weight loss is individually. In my case a lot is probably from nutritional issues and losing weight too quickly. That's an ongoing issue my team is still trying to work out. It's hard to get enough nutrition when you are full for the day after literally one bite of something in the morning.

Re: does it really matter I mean, yes. There are other possible bad outcomes besides literally dying. If the effectiveness of bariatric surgery comes down in large part to microbiomic changes, for example, suggesting that I remove all fiber from my diet until over 6 months post surgery and introducing large amounts of artificial sweeteners into my diet could in fact work against positive changes to the gut microbiome. If my ability to lose weight pre-surgery comes down to emphasising foods that extend satiety (fiber, protein, fat), dramatically reducing my fat and fiber intake before surgery could cause me to overeat or binge eat and my weight loss to stall or reverse. If long term success comes from following one's hunger cues, teaching myself to eat according to the clock they've set, whether I'm hungry or not, in order to meet arbitrary goals could limit my weight loss long term or trigger binge eating again. They're not suggesting I take a spoonful of arsenic at bedtime, but that doesn't mean that their suggestions are neutral. They have no systematic evidence that their program creates success for the average patient or not. (The great part of this sort of program, from the practitioner perspective, is that you can almost always blame poor outcomes on non-compliance.) Some of the program requirements for the pre-surgery diet are literally impossible to follow at the same time. I can't take one or two bean-sized bites per minute, finish meals in less than 30 minutes, and eat 2200+ calories per day without a significant portion of those bites being high fat meats, full fat dairy, or, I dunno, peanut butter straight out of the jar, all of which are verboten. So regardless of what I'm doing now, I'm not compliant. It's not possible to comply fully. (The handwavy answer was "healthy fats". I have no idea how much avocado my dietitian expects me to be able to eat. I suppose technically if I ate just chicken breasts with avocado and nothing else...) I'm also not the average patient anyway (it's probably pretty clear at this point that I'm not neurotypical, for example, I understand that people with regular would either comply or lie without much difficulty either way), so even if their arbitrary program did create success for the average patient for whatever reason that means very little for whether it would work for me. The arbitrariness and the ultimatum annoy me. The fact that I'm being asked to disregard everything I know about how I personally deal with change to adopt a post-surgical style diet (low-fat, regimented, and frequent) half a year before any potential surgery date with an intact GI system, that I'm expected to throw away everything I know about what I need to lose weight, stop binge eating, and have the energy to do intense exercise frightens me. I'm terrified that I'm going to gain weight or relapse into binge eating (thus getting denied for surgery) and I feel like they're pushing me into that direction. All because Typical Tammy deals best with gradually introduced changes over a long time period and simple, unambiguous, authoritative instructions from medical professionals she sees as trustworthy experts? Nah. I mean, I'm sure there are, but this is the only one I have access to. And, ultimately, it doesn't really matter, as long as I can jump through their stupid little hoops, I can get what I need from them. It's just.... a long and irritating process of circus training. I'm not really looking for advice or anything, I understand the options and am resigned to them, this is a rant and rave.

Thank you! I talked to my surgeon and he said as long as I didn't gain any weight from my original consult I didn't need any pre op diet. Just not to eat the night before. I'm getting scared the closer to the date. I just had a covid test I guess several are needed prior to the surgery date. I have my preop doctor's appointment on 10.6 then surgery 10.11. How are you feeling? Scared but excited.

Oh gosh I think it's human nature to compare ourselves to others in a similar boat! I do all the time, for good or bad. OP - 4.5 months after surgery I had lost 43lbs. I've gone on to lose 115 at just over 10 months so I think you're bang on target to reach goal. I wish you all the best on your journey. I have also noticed that weight loss and changes in clothing size are absolutely not linear - there are times when I have lost lots and not gone down a size like *forever*, and vice versa.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if there's one thing you'll here on this site perhaps more than any other it's this: don't compare yourself to others. There's nothing good that can come of it. Even if you found someone that was your exact same starting weight, height, and even had surgery the same day, there are still way too many other variables that could impact your progression. Just some examples: age, physical fitness, %body fat, basal metabolism, diet, bougie size, surgical complications, etc. Honestly, it sounds like you're doing fine. If you're not happy with your loss so far, talk with your bariatric team. They may have suggestions for you such as increasing the amount and type of exercise and/or changes to your diet. Best of luck!

Hey Guys! I'm at the mid point in my weight loss journey. My starting weight was 241 and now I'm 181 (4.5 months out). I went from a size 22/24 to size 18. My old size 18 pants are slightly lose but nowhere near enough to go down a size. I figured at 65 lbs. down I'd be a smaller size. I've kept up on my protein but really skimmed on exercise, so maybe I should have lost more body fat by now. Can anyone with similar specs share about where they were halfway through the journey? Current Measurements: 5'2" As of 9/14 Waist 38.5 in Thighs 23 in Hips 46.25 in Arms 16 in Neck 15.75 in Size: XL; 18

I went to my final pre-op appointment yesterday. Was nervous about being delayed bc the weight was up a few pounds but I was approved at all stops (surgeon, labs, anesthesiologist) to move forward! I’ll be the first case of the day on my surgery date too which is nice, the only procedure that’ll be done on time that day as they said lol. Been on my liquid diet for a few days and I’ve been doing all right with it, hope to get in every last bit of weight loss I can.

Hi, Had my surgery on 5/18/2020. I've been able to maintain between 188-191. However, I started adding the THRIVE packet to my my protein shake in the morning. And have lost 6 pounds this week. My question is, is this program ok for us 2 years post op? The monthly consists of a patch, a pill for energy and the vitamin packets. I am 5'3 my starting weight was 310 my current weight is 184. Thanks

So excited[emoji16] about finally getting my surgery date today!! I'm scheduled to have the Gastric Sleeve Surgery on 11/28/22 . I'm so ready to start losing weight and enjoying my journey while doing so. The Scale only goes down [emoji116] from here !!! 250 here I come !! Sent from my SM-S134DL using BariatricPal mobile app

Unfortunately, I live in a rural area outside of any major metropolitan areas. This practice is my only real option without restarting the process and driving several hours each way for appointments. And it's really not this practice that's the problem; I had the same problem with the previous practice I tried with. (That one allowed fiber during the pre-op but absolutely forbad cooking your vegetables, because everyone knows that if you steam the broccoli you eat, your surgery will fail and you won't lose weight as well as the people who are chowing down on raw florets pre-op.) I just have a fundamental problem complying with arbitrary and unjustified rules. I definitely don't trust my team, because I don't want to be denied again, so I'm not about to negotiate with them. (The surgeon in particular seems extremely rigid and unwilling to listen or negotiate.) I feel like the questions I've asked have already put me in serious jeopardy of being denied on the grounds that I won't comply. I plan on being a more forthright with the team after surgery, because what can they do then if I ask questions, hit me over the head and put my GI tract back together? But I'm never going to be able to trust a dietitian or anyone else that can't back up what they demand I do.

Valid, very valid! My entire family is obese, immediate and extended. Literally every single person... I have fault it my entire life and never remember seeing the "100's" on the scale. I am 6ft tall so I don't know if I ever will but I would like to see 199 just once so I can say I officially weighed under 200 lbs. I just posted about this earlier today. haha Obviously I didn't go from toddler weight to over 200 lbs but I guess I was over 200 once I was at the age to weigh myself and remember. Regardless, I have struggled with loosing and gaining over 100 lbs multiple times through my life. That is what brought me to surgery. I hope it helps me maintain my weight loss this time.

Just keep drinking! Also there’s a short weight loss stall near you. Not to worry about, ignore the scale when it happens. Look up 3 week stall on here to see more. You’ve got this!

I eat pasta but not often and it is plant based made from vegis, lentils or chickpeas. That way it is healthy. Starting weight 227 Current weight 166 Surgery date 12-22-2021

I was sleeved 12-22-2021 I am down 61 pounds and only 6 pounds from my goal weight set by my surgeon. I would like to loose another 30-40 pounds to get back to my high school weight. My reward is I got to go back raw vegan again and I have energy like I am a teenager- I am 53. When I get to where I feel good in a swimsuit - I still have fat on my thighs and hips - My hubby and I will be going on vacation somewhere there is a beach. Id like to go to Hawaii. Starting weight 227 Current weight 166 Surgery date 12-22-2021

Looks like my last post was on July 27. Things have slowed down quite a bit. Still doing well though. I finally cracked into the two-sixties with a weigh in last Saturday of 269. That would be -134 overall. In the last 2 weeks, I've increased my walking and hitting the gym. Body comp definitely changing so I'm less concerned about the scale at the moment. I still see losses in my face and the way my clothes fit even if its a bit less off the scale. My goal is to crack the two-fifties before Nov 15... my 1 year anniversary. The last time I was that weight was high school... 30 years ago. Feeling good. Arrhythmia gone for a few months now. Getting stronger.

Everyone above is right, lot's of reasons your weight might fluctuate. There's one reason I can guarantee you it's NOT. That you gained fat. While this is a bit of an oversimplification, you would have needed to eat 3500 calories more that you burned in the last week to gain just 1 pound of fat. Since at 3 weeks, you're probably not even eating 3500 calories in a week, I's a safe bet that whatever else is causing your overall weight to fluctuate, it's not that you added fat.

Good question! I don't have any answers but I think about this too. I picked a "goal" weight based on how I felt/looked after a large weight loss years ago. I got down to about 255 lbs and looked shockingly small in pictures. I felt great so I kind of picked 225 lbs as my goal weight to get just past that. My surgeon agreed with it as a healthy manageable goal weight. Really, I would like to see 199 on the scale ONE time but then bounce back to around 225. i only want to see 199 so I can say I did. haha. I literally NEVER remember a time I saw a "1" in the front of my weight. i think by the time I got to the age of caring or even knowing to weigh myself I was already over 200 lbs. I don't want to stay there because I am 6ft tall, and my personal preference is not to be "skinny" but to be healthy and comfortable. Honestly though, I am taking it day by day. If I get to 250 lbs and I am good with it then lucky me. If not, I will keep pushing until I am satisfied. I am already off all medications and healthy so I have already won in my book.