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Congratulations, well done you I didn't set any specific goal but aimed for being in the 'healthy' bmi range but didn't worry if I didn't make it as I knew I would already be so much healthier than I was pre-surgery. I went a couple of kg lighter than now but felt it didn't suit my face, looked very tired and older, so I am trying to stick to the 64/65kg but tone up more. Your body will find its eventual weight and don't put pressure on yourself to achieve something that you may not be able to maintain as I think that is where a lot of us have failed in past diets etc., we set targets and don't meet them so get stressed and self sabotage or the other side, which used to be my big problem is that I would reach a goal and then think it had been easy to get there so no problem to eat or drink more as I could just get back to a diet again. Don't think of this as a diet but a lifestyle tool that you now use, keep up with your protein requirements and exercise and your body will do its best for you.

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.

The InBody test measures body composition using bioelectrical impedance, which can give you an idea of your muscle mass, fat percentage, and water levels. It's more precise than handheld devices but not as accurate as a DEXA scan.(pic attached) However, I’m not really bothering too much with it since the fat gain it shows is pretty minimal. I’ll just make some adjustments to maintain my muscle mass. cant wait for my app to confirm all these questions with my team. Gym staff might have good intentions, but they’re not as trained as medical professionals as u said. It’s always better to get advice from someone who understands the bigger picture.

It is weird but I always come back from vacay having lost weight or pretty much stayed the same. I think it's because I don't weight train (lose a little muscle mass) and the insane amount of walking one usually does on vacations.

Ok! Thank you. So glad it's normal. I usually only hear it several minutes after I've eaten. Like I guess the food is settling in or something? Lol! Yes. I had trouble getting in water at first. Doing much better now. Feel better and not as hungry also because of that so it's very true, I feel hungry when I'm just thirsty. And I think I'll start cooking my veggies. Except cucumbers have been fine and I love them. Grapefruit is good and works well for me too. I need to get yogurt again. Soft foods help. Thank you for sharing. My weight is going down again finally and determined to pay close attention ans keep good habits and continue all the way to my goal. And beyond. I want to build muscle as much as I can so doing tension bands and kettle bells. Just want to be healthier all around by the end of this year. Just will do what I can. No one is perfect. ☺️💗

I probably should have said more clearly that the minoxidil suggestion was because OP thought some of the thinning was age related. I also had age-related/thyroid related thinning, so when the expected additional thinning happened after surgery, the result was shocking. I decided to use the minoxidil at that point, knowing that it was not going to do anything for the surgery-related loss and that it would be something I would need to continue for the rest of my life. I completely agree that if it's just the temporary weight-loss/surgery related hair loss, minoxidil is not the right choice. But if you already were concerned about hair thinning prior to surgery, it's something to consider. I also had almost no eyebrows (pre-surgery, for many years, because of thyroid) and daily minoxidil treatment has started to bring those back.

Hi every one I am new here I had my surgery on October 24,2023 my date of surgery weight was 322 and I am currently 198.6 which at times I can not believe how much I have lost but at other times when I am in a stall I feel like it goes so slow even though I am grateful the way my body looks or the way I see myself in the mirror places tricks in my head I also want to know how you guys stay consistent with working out and eating healthy all the time because now at almost a year out I am scared from all the weight gain stories and I am scared because now I eat a little more than before and I just want to go back and I am so scared. My nutritionist suggested this app and so far I love reading everybody story.

I’m certainly not trying to be argumentative either. The reason that I went out of my way to state that it was from AI to begin with is so that the OP would be aware of that fact and take it as they may. Then I added that I was able to see the original articles and they could too if they did the research themselves and I suggested that they ask their doctor if it applies to them specifically. Also if you’re speaking specifically about the part that was talking about their rule of thumb for number of calories per pound, that was not from AI at all. That was from hss.edu and I referenced that above so that one can find and read the article for themselves and determine if it is applicable. It was all intended as food for thought and something to look into. Not medical advice as I am not a doctor Personally, if I have a question I gather data from a lot of sources to include chats and AI summaries as well as medical journal articles or friends and then I ask a professional to decipher the medical jargon, tell me what out of the chat and less reputable sites or word of mouth is true and what applies to my specific situation. In my opinion though, what it boils down to is that our metabolism while recovering from surgery or something else is going to be different than the same person when they were feeling fine just trying to lose weight and we should at least be aware of that and ask the right people the right questions if we care about weight, muscle loss, recovery time etc. I can only ever speak accurately about my personal opinion or experience and that experience is that the oncology dietitians’ advice worked for me and it was basically if you’re craving a cookie then no, don’t have it but if you’re craving fruit or vegetables or something otherwise nutritious then your body probably needs them and you should listen to that when your recovering from something. Basically don’t just be counting calories and starving yourself during recovery, nourish your healing body. Of course my situation is different so that’s why you should always consult with your doctor.

I'm team both? My diet mantra is 80/20. What I mean is: I try to focus on getting ~80% of my calories from minimally processed foods. (AKA, I try to eat clean.) I don't really track this, I just focus on making good food choices when I can. I try to eat a wide variety of foods, so nothing's off limits. To me, there are no bad foods, there are just some that provide more nutritional value than others. Plus, the more variety i have in my diet, the better overall nutritional profile I'll have. I try to shoot for 80% of what I eat being things that have a bit more nutritional value. For example, most of the time, I might pick spinach or kale over lettuce. I eat carb centered. It's not quite 80%, so my mantra may be a bit off? I suppose between carbs and protein, it probably is 80%, so I'll settle for that. I know this one will be controversial here since the bariatric dietitians push protein so heavily (and don't misunderstand me, protein is critically important), but as endurance athlete at maintenance and 2.5 years out from surgery, I need more carbs than I did during the weight loss phase. Critical to the above is that I don't obsess over any of it. I guess my point in the above is that if you're trying to determine the "best" protein source, maybe the real right answer is there is no best. Once your body starts breaking down the protein you consume into the component amino acids, your body doesn't know where those amino acids came from. The advantage of not focusing on just one source of protein is that there are vastly different micronutrient profiles across foods. The more variety you eat, the better off you are nutritionally.

Great thread ladies I'm 4 months post op and kinda get crazy and wild around ovulation time sorry not sorry haha. So I'm on here looking at people's weight gain during pregnancy and or any issues they might have had. Good to stay prepared!

Honestly, your food pictures all look pretty healthy, so no notes there. I would watch out for any mindless snacking, just in case you have fallen back into a habit of popping a handful of nuts when you walk past your pantry (guilty!) or adding a lot of cream to your coffee. You know, the type of thing your brain may not even be registering. I had a friend who thought his coffee was fine because he didn't put sweetener in it, but he put a ton of half and half, along the lines of a full cup per day, or an extra 300 calories he forgot about! But other than that, plateaus are normal. I am approaching 9 months post-op and for the past 6 weeks, I have been bouncing up and down by about 2 lbs but never dropping lower than the lowest weight I hit in early October. From everything I've heard and read, it's part of the process and is pretty common the closer you get to a normal weight and the farther out you are from surgery. There are a few things you might try, though. First, increase your protein so you are at 80-100 grams instead of the minimum 60. Try to make that from real food and not a shake. You might also increase your non-starchy veggie intake, which will provide more fiber. Add in another 32oz of water each day. Go to bed an hour earlier if you can. It's counterintuitive, but increase your calories by 100 and cut back on your exercise a little to see what happens. Sometimes, your body starts to conserve too much energy because it fears starvation and giving it a little more while asking it to do a little less breaks that cycle. Also, the fact that you fit into clothing at 195 lbs that your family members wore at 30 lbs lighter suggests that some of your weight is not fat but "infrastructure." When we get very heavy, our body grows more bone and muscle to hold it, and bigger organs to carry out their functions on a larger scale. When we lose weight in a hurry, all that architecture remains in place for quite some time, adding to the number on the scale. You may look now like you did at 10, 20, or even 30 pounds lighter back in the days before you ever became obese. If you have some old photos of a time when you were the goal weight you have in mind now, try doing a side by side comparison. You might already look really close to where you are trying to be even if the scale says otherwise.

It is so interesting to see that in one way or another, this seems to happen to all of us! I would be so intrigued to get a male perspective of someone who has also had bariatric surgery, just to see if this resonates with them! Unfortunately, so many people think they have a right to comment on our bodies, even if they think they are doing so in a kind way. But I do think people are right when they say it is others perception of us that makes them say things such as "you're wasting away" - they aren't used to seeing us at a smaller weight!

Both are very important to your general health. Vitamins because you’re not able to consume enough of a variety of foods to get all the nutrients your body needs to function effectively. Protein should be your focus not only now but forever. It can be a challenge to reach your protein goal every day especially in the first couple of months after surgery when your portions are so small. But work at being at least close to your goal and that your general trend is you’re consuming more and getting closer to the goal. We usually say eat your protein first then any vegetables you are able to and lastly any allowed complex carbs but only if you are able to eat more. This often means a meal is solely protein and nothing else. Protein is very important to your wellbeing and if you’re not consuming enough your body will take it from any it can i.e. your muscles. Not taking your vitamins or meeting your protein (or any other goals you are given) will have a negative impact on your health. The regular blood tests your surgeon & team will request are to ensure you’re not deficient in any nutrient. (5.75yrs out I still have regular blood tests - was 3 monthly until year 4 & every 6 months now.) You are likely experiencing a stall. Stalls are very common with the first one (yes, first one) almost all of us experience occurring around the three week mark though it can be earlier or later than that. @catwoman7 would tell you, there are literally 10s of 1000s of posts here about the infamous three week stall. A stall usually lasts 1-3weeks though some experience longer stalls. Frustrating yrs but they happen for a reason. A stall occurs when your body shuts down to reassess your current needs in response to your weight loss, smaller calorie intake and this first one the stress of your surgery & recovery. You will start to lose weight again when your body is ready to move forward again. Stick to your plan & meet your nutritional goals as closely as you can so you’re not & stressing your body more than it already is experiencing.

possibly or also some people have high blood pressure that is purely genetic I mean if it’s not diet or weight related maybe the surgery doesn’t make it go away?? I imagine that reducing weight and changing diet would have to help some, but maybe it doesn’t cure it entirely. Good you are back on it though for now if you need it.

So sorry to hear about your loss. You look fantastic though. If you do get a reduction you may want to wait a bit just to make certain your weight had stabilized. Insurance does cover it sometimes if it’s medically necessary because of rashes and such as mentioned by @NickelChip which requires alot of documentation but your bariatric dr should know what to do for that and also for back pain but I was told that they have to remove a pretty significant amount of breast tissue that may not leave you with the cosmetic result you desire to do it for back pain through insurance. It’s certainly worth doing a consult with a cosmetic surgeon though to get their advice though.

I just had my sleeve surgery yesterday. It was an outpatient procedure which I was happy about as I’d rather go home than stay in the hospital overnight. All in all it went well as I was up and walking a few hours after I woke up. The only downside to the surgery (if there had to be one) was the gas pain and nausea. Although, I’ve been told not everyone experiences nausea. Just a day after my surgery and I feel fine. Taking my pain meds as needed and I’m able to keep down liquids. I’m excited to see my progress as I lost 43 pounds before my procedure date. I hope to lose another 110 pounds to be at my goal weight. Good luck to everyone getting their surgery in 2025! We can do this! Cheers!!!

Nope there’s no normal. You have to work out what you need in regards to nutrients and calories to maintain & your body to function effectively. Gender, height, age, weight, activity levels, how your body functions, etc. all play are part. For example 2000-2400 calories is the recommended calorie intake for a woman. If I ate that I’d be as big or bigger than I was before surgery. In fact I never ate that much when I was obese. When my weight first stabilised I ate about 1300 calories yet a year or two later I began consuming about 1600 & still maintained - my needs obviously changed or stabilised. If I weighed more, was taller, younger, more active I would need to eat more. As to working out what I needed, I just slowly ate more as I was able until I stopped losing and my weight stabilised. A basal metabolic rate calculator can give you an idea of what you may need calorie wise but much like BMI calculators they’re not perfect - don’t consider genetics, health needs, muscle mass, etc. I found the one below pretty on point for me but … https://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html

Oh yay! I used to use it but good to know if or when I go back to it! When is it ok to go back to your movements? I finally made it to the gym today and did a body compat class .. I'll attach my chart! It was a full body workout like a mix if martial arts.. excited for my weight in

The emotional rollercoaster after surgery can really screw up your hunger signals. Your head hunger signals go into overdrive as your head tells you to eat to make you feel better. Not helped by surges in estrogen that is released from our fat as we lose weight messing with our emotions too. Also many nerves are cut during surgery plus the swelling & inflammation @SpartanMaker mentioned distorts messages like hunger and satiety even if they actually get through. And it’s a pretty major surgery and it knocks you about. It takes time before you don’t feel tired, weak, dizzy, doughy headed, etc. It takes a good 6+ weeks to fully heal after surgery, so these mixed signals & feeling unwell will continue for a while. Generally though, if you’re craving a specific food, flavour or texture, it’s head hunger. If you’re feeling sad, anxious, frustrated, angry, bored, etc. it’s likely head hunger. In time you’ll discover real hunger signals are different. For me I feel restless like something is wrong not that I ‘feel’ hungry. Having eaten enough can feel different too. Many sneeze, or get the hiccups. Don’t eat until you feel full or until you’ve eaten all you want. It takes 20 odd minutes for the full message to get through normally & a lot longer this soon after surgery so don’t eat until you feel full - you’ve eaten too much by then. Stop when you’ve had enough, when you don’t need any more. You’ll have lots of meals (appropriate portion sizes) you simply can’t finish because you’ve had enough and don’t need any more. I still do at 6 years out. The lightheadedness could be from being dehydrated too or from your blood pressure dropping (many experience this). Are you meeting or close to meeting your daily fluid goals? Often an electrolyte drink can help. It does get easier and you will feel better. Just give yourself time.

my go-to fave was ISOPURE dutch chocolate flavour (its the least sweet of the *many* brands i tried). low carb, not too sweet, not powder-y feeling. blended it up with 2 tsp decaf instant coffee crystals, 1.5 cups water, 1 cup ice and 2 tsp benefibre (for regular pooping lol). had 2-3 of these the early post wls months, then 1 a day in the later months until about 7 months post. recently went back to drinking 1 a day to deal with some unintended weight loss. ISOPURE also has a flavourless zero-carb version that used for cooking...not for drinking though cuz it really isn't that flavourless, ha.

Thank you very much! Congratulations to you as well for your successful journey. It's amazing to finally be free of the fat and, more importantly for me, the addiction to food and the total control/power I have over food now. It's seriously my lifelong dream at 55 so staying motivated was baked in.. Thank you again. I am sure I didn't elaborate or explain my reasons enough but actually I am concerned about slowing down the weight loss. I still eat very small portions and am worried it would be hard to sustain on just protein, without carbs. I like my body running more ketogenic than carbed up with the ups and downs of carbs. Without adding fat, and with our malabsorption aspect of the surgery, I am wondering if its possible or not so much..If I am being honest, at 240lbs, I started eating dirtier with carbs to try and stabilize at 240 until I got my knee surgeries, but then just dropped another 20+ within a month and a half or so. My steps and activity increased, small by normal people standards, but a lot for where I have been, after I got another Cortisone shot to the knees. This just illustrates my concern once I reach goal weight and I am rucking, hiking, and lifting. Those three things will be lifelong for longevity and mobility going forward. Obviously everyone is different as far genetically and such, but I have been extremely low calorie, plenty of short fasts up to three days, and have plateaued at certain points during my weight loss, and after doing a refeed with carbs and basically whatever I want to eat, I recharged my metabolism for another huge run of weight loss. The refeed was usually only a couple days to a few days but less than a week. Now with this approach remember I am lifting weights. I mean hard as I can weight lifting 4 days a week. It sucks! Low energy lifting is not fun but the recomp.. I really believe the built-in calorie burn from lean muscle mass is the most efficient way to permanently stay in shape. Male or female doesn't matter. IMHO if your metabolism is slow and you are struggling with the last few pounds, I mean the literally like 5-10 pounds from goal BF, man or woman, start lifting weights. The body recomp will floor you. And that weight or really I think just your body composition after significant weight loss without adding lean muscle mass leaves you looking(Sometimes) like a no muscle bag of skin. Flat. It's not fun but the results.. Anyways thank you for the reply and just to make clear if any of the vets care to weigh in, the WLS gave me the tool, the only tool I will ever need again to lose weight. It's so powerful for me that I need to think about slowing down my weight loss combined with, if possible, being low carb and more ketogenic as a lifestyle choice I prefer. I just don't know if low carb is sustainable without the fat calories. that specifically is what I am looking for. Does anyone prefer low carb/ketogenic after surgery and is it possible? I already realize that fats can be problematic, is anyone doing carnivore after DS Sadi. Not my preference but the only option it seems for low carb without the keto fat plan. Thanks in advance for any tips.

I think I will use them more once I’m out of weight loss phase but I want to incorporate some now just to get the variety of nutrition that they offer. Got my labs back this morning and they are good so far. I would like to keep them that way.

2024 was a great year. I lost a sh*t ton of weight and became HOT and athletic again, landed a dream job, my relationship transformed and its the best its ever been, I am thriving and thankful. 2025: Travel (3 trips booked) Build my booty back Manage my anxiety through guided meditation Read 40 books (read 38 in 2024) Save more (have been so reckless with my spending) Continue eating the way I do, never depriving myself of anything but never going overboard with anything either, taste and put it down if I didn't like it, prioritize protein, nourish my body and continue to be anxiety free regarding food and lifestyle

Thank you 🙏🏻 my gastroenterology appointment is in three weeks so I am going to start there and I look forward to figuring it out because it’s not fun I have talked to a few doctors on the scope of my PCP…. One has seen complications/odd symptoms in long term gastric bypass patients. When I say complications, I mean digestive complications because there are plenty of people who don’t have enough nutrient, etc., and have issues that are beyond that. I pretty much covered all of those in my first 10 years when I really didn’t know how to take care of myself from a nutrient standpoint and vitamins. I do think it could be a parasite, or potentially a combo of diverticulitis and acid reflux. Most of the potential diagnoses have weight loss associated with them, and that is definitely not the case unfortunately lol. Yes, I would love to press the fix me button, but I know I have to do the work on this

Do you track your food? That would help! I rarely feel "full" I just eat what I know I should be. 3-4oz of protein, veggies then carbs (if I even eat them). Lots of water. Snacks are meat sticks, cheese, PB balls, fruit and ect...Also moving is huge! Building up the exercise, example I started at walking 1/4 mile in 30 min to now I run 3.25miles in 30min, its been a huge success to my weight loss. Movement really will help!