Search the Community

Congratulations! I'm almost 4 months post-op from gastric bypass and my advice is to watch every video from Dr. Matthew Weiner (Pound of Cure Weight Loss) and Dr. John Pilcher on YouTube. These were by far the best resources I found, and I go back and watch many of them (especially Dr. Weiner's, and also his new podcast) all the time even now. Especially the ones on how to build lifelong behaviors to keep the weight off. One thing I did early on, right after my first bariatric appointment where I weighed in at my highest weight ever (yikes!) was order Dr. Weiner's books. There's The Pound of Cure, which gives a detailed, step by step way to make healthy changes to your diet, plus a second book explaining how bariatric surgery really works and then his bariatric cookbook (I also really like Bariatric Meal Prep Made Easy by Kristin Willard). I made several of the changes recommended by the Pound of Cure (I didn't start with the 2-week diet, just started implementing changes I thought I could manage) and over time I lost about 12 pounds, plus just felt healthier and more in control of what I was eating. One other piece of advice: don't over-buy protein supplements. So many people on this board will tell you this, and I did not heed the advice. Now my cupboard is full of protein supplements I stopped liking after surgery and will never use. I've barely needed supplements after the first month or so, honestly. I feel guilty at how much money I spent on them, but I will likely end up throwing them all away (most are opened so can't be donated). If you want to stock up on anything, an unflavored protein powder is much more likely to be useful to you in the long run than the flavored shakes. But if you're buying flavored ones, consider trying a soup flavored one because the sweet ones get old really fast, even pre-surgery. Oh, and take "before" photos! I know taking photos can be so uncomfortable, but you will want them. Choose something very form fitting to start. I went with a pair of exercise leggings and a tank top that was so tight it was like skin. I took photos about a week after my first appointment, so around my highest weight, and then on the day before surgery and at each month-marker thereafter. So far, I've worn the same clothing each time, although I may need to change that as it becomes too baggy to show the progress clearly. Take your measurements the same day you take your photos. You may struggle to see (or refuse to believe) the changes in yourself, but the photos and measurements don't lie. Even if it's painful to see the photos now, you will be so grateful to have them later. I was in shock and wanted to cry when I truly looked at my highest weight photos, but I'm so glad I took them.

I will have knee replacement surgery in October. I'm working out a lot to keep my knee strong and have a faster recovery post-op. Also, since losing so much weight I feel great. I want to move all the time. While at work I'll knockout some pushups or something just to keep moving. My job is physical, but I have down times as well. So, during the downtime I'll move when I can. If the knee replacement will allow after fully healed and recovered, I want to start either riding a bike or running. I feel like running maybe out after having a knee replacement. I know I want to do something physical and make it a life long regiment to make sure I don't go back to the old me. Looking at some of my old pics sort of makes me disgusted with myself for getting as big as I did. That is my motivation to keep moving. The more I move the better I feel. By the way, you look great! Safe travels.

@BlueParis you're looking great! I'm impressed you can stand in those shoes. I think I would end up in the hospital if I tried. And congrats on finally getting below that magical 70kg marker. I'm happy to report that after 7 weeks of very pokey weight loss in which I only lost 4 lbs total and stalled out completely for 2 of those weeks, I have now dropped 4 lbs in 4 days. I cannot begin to express how relieved I am. I know it will slow again soon enough as a pound a day isn't sustainable, but I plan to enjoy it as long as it lasts. NSV for me this week! So, I had gotten down to around 205 lbs back in 2017 through my hospital's nutrition program. Naturally, I bought some clothing back then, though unfortunately I regained steadily over the years. Because I had moved house 4 years ago, I purged most everything in my closet. This included almost all the smaller clothing, plus the remnants of my old "professional" wardrobe that was also in smaller sizes from a good 20 years ago. (I should say, I don't regret that too much as the clothing was way out of style and I never have cause to wear suits these days anyway.) But I did happen to hold onto one springy sort of dress that I guess I must have thought was too nice to get rid of, just in case it ever fit again. Well, I pulled it out of the closet the other day to wear to my daughter's special event at school and not only did it fit, it was loose. I honestly struggle to see the difference when I look at myself in the mirror sometimes, but there's no denying how clothing fits, and I know this dress never fit me loose back then like it does now.

I was sleeved in 2017. Highest weight was 275. Lowest was 159. My 'settled' weight was around 165 and it was perfect. I gained weight after menopause and couldn't move it with resets or diets. I just had GSRe or Overstitch a few days ago, which is a noninvasive revision that allows you to keep your sleeve--- it's just tightened up again. The size of mine had expanded quite a bit. The restriction I have now mimics what I had immediately after my original wls. This might be an option for you too if you're not wanting to revise to bypass.

Not unhappy no it just seemed to not be shedding the lbs like before which I knew would happen eventually but I just wanted to be sure the rate I'm going is still good. I guess as long as I'm not gaining I won't stress too much. And I'll definitely do better with the protein and water from now on.

I had gastric bypass (RnY) in February, 2015, and while I did lose weight, and my diabetes type 2 A1C level did lower down to the mid 7's, even with the weight loss and several different medical regimens, I couldn't get it down further. My Dr. started me on Ozempic in March, 2023, and I moved up to the 2 mg level by June of that year. While I did lose a bit more weight, the big thing was that my A1C dropped down to 5.6, below pre-diabetic level (!). However, I did go through the usual gastric issues with Ozempic, but mainly a bit of Constipation. I supplemented my diet with additional Fiber capsules and one Colace capsule daily (I had taken Colace after the gastric bypass, to make the stools softer) and this seems to work just fine, and no more issues. I know it's OK to take additional fiber (I'm not exceeding the recommended dosage of 5 capsules twice daily) but wondering about the Colace, if it will cause issues long-term. My Dr. says it shouldn't, but has anyone had issues with taking it long-term? Thanks!

I wouldn't make a huge effort to stop. I started freaking out when I got down into the 130s (and looked pretty awful, to be honest), but like so many people, after being there for awhile (my body kind of stopped on its own), my weight started heading up again. It's very common to have a rebound of 10-20 lbs after hitting bottom. That's one reason it's probably a good thing I got into the 130s, because after that rebound, I ended up where I originally wanted to be.

Ty for the links @NickelChip and yay on the weight loss! Woohoo! I have a major sweet tooth also and have made these brownies twice and think they are pretty good. My twig of a hubby likes them also 😂. I mean they’re not as good as “real” brownies but honestly you get used to it if you stay away from “real” sugar which I do. (Mainly bc I know I’ll go overboard if I try eating sugar again so I just avoid it all together.) I also try to eat and cook mostly keto/very low carb most of the time. This website has some pretty good recipes and directions for freezing and stuff. I’ve tried a few recipes from another website also that I’ll link for you. i don’t make my food separate. My hubby eats whatever I cook for me, just more of it and when my kiddos (20 and 24) were here a couple of weeks ago, they ate what I made for myself also. 😉 of course I try to make stuff I knew they wouldn’t hate 😂. Try these https://thebigmansworld.com/best-fudgy-keto-brownies/ Made these a couple of nights ago https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-stuffed-peppers/ I’ve also made this and so has my daughter and she likes it too, I’ve made it once as written and then doubled the recipe once using lean ground turkey and ground pork. https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/chicken-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/ plus I’ve made a couple of other recipes on this last website that were good also just trying to mix stuff up…..I hate eating the same crap all the time. oh and we eat the egg roll in a bowl with cauliflower rice 😉

So relieved to report I finally dropped to a new "lowest weight" after my 2-week stall. Weighed in at 198.6 this morning, a drop of 0.6 since yesterday. I really hope that might continue a few days at least before I hit the next rough patch. The cravings for sweets and carbs are real! I'm fortunate that I do feel a lot of restriction, or at least I do if I am eating the right kinds of foods. I can only manage about 2-3 oz (60-85g) of heavier proteins, which include salmon, poultry, beef, and pork. I also get full at around 4 oz (100g) veggies. Sadly, if I do eat bread or crackers, they seem to go down easy. Same with ice cream or candy. I had really hoped that wouldn't be the case. It makes it that much more important for me not to keep those types of things in the house. I'm struggling with what to eat, especially for breakfast. Nothing sounds good. I'm tired of plain yogurt and cottage cheese. I'm tired of protein shakes and smoothies. I was enjoying smoked salmon with cucumbers on rye crisp bread until last week when it made me violently ill. I've become repulsed by eggs. Plus, I don't usually get hungry until later in the morning. Today, I decided to wait, and I finally started to feel some real hunger at 10:00am. So, I'm having a leftover big Italian meatball from dinner a few nights ago. Lunch and dinner options aren't much easier. Cooking is a hassle when you can eat so little, and my kids don't like the kinds of things I can eat. But I worry it sets me up for grazing when I don't have a plan. I'd really like to do some meal prep and have a list of maybe 10 go-to meals that are bariatric approved and easy to make any time of day. I'd like to spend a few hours roasting a sheet pan of veggies and cooking some chicken to store in the fridge for the week and incorporate into meals. I need to clean out the fridge and pantry. I just don't seem to have the motivation to do any of it. It's like all my energy has run dry, although my bloodwork came back good so it's not an issue of something being off. Just my attitude, I guess! I'm feeling stressed and a little overwhelmed, and it shows in my environment because my house is getting cluttered and I have a pile of laundry that is quickly going to consume me. What I wouldn't give for a housekeeper to keep the place tidy and my own cook to make healthy meals and deliver them to me at appropriate times during the day.

are u unhappy with your weight loss?

I agree with the others - we're all different, and several factors play into your rate of weight loss (most of which you have little to no control over), but that said, that sounds like a terrific rate of loss! You're losing it much faster than I did.

I put my surgery day weight in my stats instead of my highest weight because I wanted to track what I was losing since the actual surgery. But if you look at my signature, you can see what my numbers were, and they weren't pretty by any means. Everyone loses at a different weight. It depends on what we have going on with our bodies. It took me 2 years to lose 200 pounds. Some on here have lost more than that in that same time. Some have lost a lot less. We can't compare ourselves to anyone else. HAVING SAID THAT..... you lost, from your surgery date, 367 pounds - 294 pounds = 73 pounds lost. In 4 1/2 months. That's an average loss of roughly 16.5 pounds per month, or just a hair over 4 pounds per week. For reference, I lost 79 pounds by 5 months out. So you're very close to where I was. Don't lose hope or feel discouraged. You're doing well. Maybe try hitting the gym once a week and also going for a nice long walk once a week. You'll see the extra movement really helps a lot, too. Stick to your protein first, then veggies, then carbs, then healthy fats and you'll also do well. If you can't get the protein and fluids in at the amount you need, do your best. Supplement with a protein shake for now, on top of the rest of your foods because that counts for both.

There isn’t really a hard & fast rule about how much weight you will lose at certain points along the way. The calculators, advice from your surgeon, dietician, etc. are all based on averages so not what you WILL lose but what you MIGHT lose. At about 5 months you’ve lost 63lbs (plus the 40lbs before your surgery). It took me about 6 months to lose 60lbs & I lost at a pretty good rate. Yes, I started at a lower weight than you & we say, the more you have to lose the faster you’ll lose in the beginning, yet again this is a generalisation based on averages. I’d say you’re doing well - congratulations! My test always was what did my surgeon say. If he was happy I was happy. (My dietician to a lesser extent.) What does your surgeon say about your weight loss to date? Focus on getting in your protein. It’s essential as is getting in your fluids. It will help you get the most from your surgery. Eat your protein first, then your vegetables & if you are able any multi/whole grains you are allowed. This helps ensure you hit your protein goal. In the first months it wasn’t unusual for me to just to eat my protein & nothing else for a meal. Drink all day - in the car, out doing chores at the shops, etc. I found drinking through the night helpful too - still do. Enjoy every one of those pounds you’ve lost. Remember there’s no time line for when you have to have lost all your weight. You’ll get there in your time & there’s only right in that.

I think I’m going to try not having breakfast like @ms.sss and @Spinoza. I didn’t eat breakfast pre surgery but the NP emphasized how important it was to eat earlier in the day and the dietician said that’s why I’m more hungry later on. I always felt like that just made me eat more in a day but I listened to my team. I know that alone isn’t what made me gain all my weight but it is still calories. I just have to get used to taking my multi vitamin with another meal. Someday I will figure out what works for me. 🤞

I actually think maybe it’s because that test is more commonly done to diagnose delayed gastric emptying the more I read about it. So im sure mine was fast compared to people with that issue. I just wanted to think the tech was on to something and it was a possible answer to my struggle with weight and it would hopefully be an easier fix.

Hello everyone its been a while since ive been on here. If you want to check out my previous posts you will see i had quite a few struggles and bouts of depression because of those struggles. But since then things have gotten a lot better. I started the program itself at a weight of 395. I had my sleeve done on 01/18/2024 (i was 367 on that day) and my current weight as of today is 294. Im just wondering if i am losing the way i should be at this point. Ive tried a few online calculators but they just confused me lol. I know for a fact im not getting all of my protein like i should be or water intake because i just get full so fast! (not that im complaining TOO much but it is annoying when something is good lol). I always take my vitamins and such thankfully ive never missed a beat on that. I have my gym membership but i havent been going as much as i should be i get in maybe 2 times a month but i will pick back up on that. Im not just sitting around the house though i have 3 kids and a spouse so relaxing isnt possible until bedtime LOL. Anyway i just wanted to know what you all think of my weight loss so far, and if you think the loss ive gotten at this point is on track. I meet with my 6 month check in next month of course but just wondering until then.

so I started looking and booked a consultation with one for next Friday. I wont get surgery till my weight has settled but I want to get an idea of pricing, what can be done, and possible book someone I like in a future date. But I am excited!

Back down to 199.2lbs this morning, which was my lowest recorded weight from 12 days ago. Will it start dropping again now? It's a mystery! One thing about these stalls that is a little scary, other than just wondering if you will ever lose any more weight again, is how hard it can be not to give into bad habits and cravings when you start feeling like there's no reward for doing the right thing. The last couple days, all I wanted was sugar and simple carbs. I tried not to indulge in the cravings too much, but I did have a little bit of candy (red licorice bites) and a serving of whole wheat Ritz crackers, which I wasn't eating at all before. As the weather warms up, I'm finding it harder to decide what to eat. Is anyone else struggling? Nothing sounds good. I have discovered a nice treat/light meal that reminds me of the pineapple Dole whip you can get at Disneyland. Fill a single serving smoothie blender cup about 2/3 full with frozen pineapple chunks, plus about half a serving vanilla protein powder, half a cup or so of plain Greek yogurt, and a splash of milk to thin it out. Blend until you get a thick, creamy, frozen consistency. It's got about 20-25g protein depending on what products you use and it was so refreshing when literally nothing sounded good for lunch. @gracesmommy2 this is the pilates bar set I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCRCG5ZP This is the video I'm going to try: There are so many videos if you search YouTube for "pilates bar workout." I thought 20 minutes was a good starting length, but they have longer, too, and ones that target different body areas. I need a yoga mat for the floor part, though.

So I had the sleeve three years ago and gained my weight back. I am pending revision and the dr did an endoscopy and found a hiatal hernia and some gerd. He then ordered a UGI and a gastric emptying study to get some more information to decide which surgery is most appropriate. I just finished the gastric emptying study and after only two hours the food was completely out of my stomach which may explain why I always feel hungry a couple hours after I eat. I am hoping maybe there is a treatment to slow down my stomach emptying and I won’t even need surgery or if I do it will be more successful this time. I see the dr in a week and I’m sure he will have an answer but I’m just curious if this is truly faster than normal and if anyone else has had this issue.

Try not to be too discouraged at your "stalled weight loss." Your body has undergone a lot of change and just needs time to catch up and adjust. If you're following the recommendations, I'm guessing the stall will only be for a week or so. That was my experience. I am 7 weeks out from my RNY, and I had a "stall" as well, which lasted about 5 days. Since that point, I have had a pattern of staying the same weight or even increasing a pound or two for 3-4 days of the week, and then having a 2-3 pound per day drop for the other days in the week. As long as I am trending down, I don't care how I get there. Also, I'm curious about your not tolerating foods past soft. I had immediate trouble when I tried to advance to meats, and had testing done which revealed a surgical stricture. My body had reacted to the surgery site by closing down too much. I had an endoscopy with dilation and am doing better. I do still have to really focus when I eat to not eat too fast or too much. When my pouch gets too full, I get chest pain, which is just me feeling that stretch of the pouch. We all will experience differences in our bodies. I think it's really important that we all listen to our bodies and learn our new subtle signals in order to have success.

I'm not sure. Everyone is telling me that I look great where I'm at, but if I lose much more, I could start looking sickly. There's truth to that because I'm actually curvy and bog boned, so I carry my weight differently. I'm told I look between 170-175 and not even close to 190, so I'm wondering if 180 will have me looking too thin and not healthy.

Thank you!! I thought about changing my highest weight, but that's not what I was when I had my surgery and I wanted to track my progress from my surgery weight. I did keto to lose the weight my doctor wanted me to lose, and it was amazing for that short amount of time. Taught me a lot about watching calories and especially carbs. Also taught me about making some better choices with the alternative foods that are out there. So I'm glad I did it. And it allowed me to lose the weight I needed to rather quickly. I needed to lose 30 pounds and I lost 33.

OMG! I'm so thrilled for you!! I remember this!! You are looking so great in your pics!! AWESOME JOB!! I noticed your highest weight was 421. My highest was 400. When I joined here, I only entered 390 as that was the weight I was at when I started trying to lose some more 'on my own' as I was going through the insurance process (SO LONG) to get approved for bariatric surgery. 5 years later and I'm wondering if I should have changed my weight to the highest I ever was or if that is confusing to anyone. Again, I'm just so very happy for you!

Yeah, I worry that people, including 'us bariatric surgery patients' who haven't done the mental/headspace work (and I don't mean this in reference to the 2 people you know that have done the weight loss injections) that most of us try to look or are 'made to look at' at when preparing for gastric bypass will have to stay on them 'forever'. Of course, doing a sleeve or gastric bypass is a very permanent 'anatomical' decision that can, if we are not vigilant also not be successful in the long term for people who feel the surgery is the 'only fix' needed. Since all of my health issues are already under control after my gastric bypass - I NEVER had high blood pressure despite weighing almost 400 lbs and I was not a diabetic but I could tell the toll that being that heavy was taking on my body (my knees, sleep apnea, DVT's/PE's, etc.) I was leery of doing anything that would require 'forever' outside of the bypass surgery. I'm looking for a new therapist right now that specializes not only in anxiety and depression but in working with bariatric patients/weight loss as I know I can I have to be constantly vigilant with my headspace or NOTHING will work. I also am not willing to take the shots for the rest of my life for myself. For other people weighing risks versus benefits I can see this being a highly individualized and personal decision especially if weight loss surgery is not an option for them no matter the reason (leery of it, insurance won't pay, BMI not high enough, etc.). Everyone's journey is their own. The only thing I advocate is for everyone to be as informed as possible and to do their research and make the best decision for themselves. I need to do more research about long term implications of these drugs, but I haven't found much data out there (too new to have that much historical data yet). I'm within 10 lbs of when I told the clinic I'm going to that I would be tapering off and ending the weekly shots. Will try to remember to post more when I've been off the shots for more than a couple of months to talk about struggles or successes I have.