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I have been on this forum for about a year and a half. I have seen so many posts of people worrying about excess skin after weight loss. I find this to be incredibly trite and shallow, a roadblock thrown up in the mind to justify the subconscious reasons why we put on and hold the weight to begin with. First of all, there are of course permanent consequences for getting so big that your skin has to stretch to be twice the size it would be if we were normal weight. It doesn't go back to a state in which it was as if we never were overweight. And so what? What is often unspoken in these forums is that a very overweight person worrying about how they are going to look if they lose weight because of sagging skin, is silly in a society in which obesity is considered ugly to begin with. More importantly, most of us have the surgery because our bodies and lives were becoming unmanageable due to excess weight, not to look better at speed dating. For those who are asking the question I have seen posted on this forum a million times, no your skin will not go back to being how it was before your weight gain. There is no cream, no wrap, no swanky magic that's going to make it be as if you were never overweight. The only real option for getting rid of excess skin if you are very overweight when you start, is plastic surgery. And that comes with its own price. I am not knocking people who choose to have that, I might even choose that eventually, as vanity is one of my flaws. That said, plastic surgery is very very serious, and fairly savage. And still, your body cannot look like it would have if you had never put on weight. They will be scars. Big ones. Surgery of any kind is a serious injury to the body. The point I am trying to make is that if you are considering having weight-loss surgery to save your life, stop worrying about your skin. Worry about the inner conditions that have led you to the point where this is necessary. Focus instead on changing your behaviors. Focus instead on health, not looks. We have such a distorted view of bodies in this country. Body diversity is beautiful! Stop thinking that you have to look a certain way. Be healthy. Be you. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I just have to chime on on this muscle gain thing. You just dont gain 10lb of muscle from what is a couple of weeks of pretty mild exercise - and only cardio at that. By the way, its a FANTASTIC effort to get started in this way, its goign to have great fat loss benefits and its what you need to be doing. But to gain 10lb in a short period of time, you'd have to be doing some pretty heavy duty lifting and as a woman, you probably STILL couldnt gain that much. 10lb in an entire YEAR would be good going! When we start working out, our damaged muscles can hold onto Water, leading to small weight gains. But cardio will only build muscular endurance, and tone you up, you will not gain a lot of muscle, although it will help to protect your muscle during weight loss. So it has to be a combo of other reasons - not realising what you're eating, carrying some extra Fluid, rehydrating, hormonal fluctuations. Hopefully it was just a blip and you've lost it again by now.

Heatwhip, I don't have any words of wisdom for you, just know you're NOT alone! scales went up 2 lbs over the weekend and are staying there right now. I'm doing my damndest to ignore it and just tell myself that the sleeve has worked for hundreds (thousands?) of people...it'll work for me/us, too! If nothing else, I look at the averages. I'm 3 weeks post-op...even with the weight gain, I've lost ~12 lbs...so that's 4 lbs/week. That's still really, REALLY good for me. You've lost 14 lbs in TWO weeks...or even if it's now 10 lbs, that's FIVE lbs per week. Prior to the sleeve, I bet you'd have been thrilled with that! So chin up, girl! Just keep doing what you're supposed to be doing, give it time, and you'll be thinner before you know it!

You'll need to do some research on the different methods though. See which is good for you. Although I don't and can't see weight gain as a side effect after having wls (can't eat much!!-unless you eat the wrong foods). But I'm different, lol, I would encourage you to save yourself too if you can. No worries about pregnancy for sure. Just be safe hon.

Well, I totally disagree, lol. Most thin people use food inappropriately too. Nearly everyone does, the person who views food ONLY as a source of nutrition is a very rare person. Our culture has led us to viewing food as a source of pleasure, socialising, celebrating, most cultures approach food in that manner. Also human beings, like animals are really evolved to stuff themselves stupid, lie around in blissful satiation for a few days and then go and eat again. When we do eat, we're meant to expend huge calories to catch our meal. There's LOTS of reasons people have become fatter that have nothing to do with emotions or issues. We dont even have to wind our car windows down anymore. Speaking for myself, I was someone who held a bit of extra weight but was not obese for the majority of my childhood and up to when I started having babies. When I had babies, my lifestyle changed, the exercise dropped, the ability to think only for myself (and thus plan to shop and eat appropriately) disappeared into a haze of breastfeeding and nappy changing, followed by toddlerhood and with each baby, the weight went up a little more and whammo, sudddenly that 8kg weight problem was a 38kg one. On top of simply being a person who liked to eat, liked to cook and entertain and liked to sit on my well cushioned rear end in front of the telly, I was prone to that weight gain. I can see it in my kids now, one is active and thin, one is getting pudgy and is by nature very sedentary and one is too little to tell yet. So I have to insist - I dont have ANY issues. I just like to eat, specially when I'm bored and have nothing else to do. I learned to associate telly watching and internet surfing with food too, a habit I've broken. I couldnt say I ever had a food "addiction" in the way others talk about it, I just ate a bit too much. I dont call myself "lazy" but I enjoyed too many non active pursuits. I could always find the energy for whatever it was I really wanted, its just that my downtime I liked to spend non actively. Lazy doesnt translate into not good enough in my mind, it just means I like to be horizontal, blissing out. I can still be that, I just have to counter it with some activity. Actually, valuable as therapy can be, the whole "overtherapising" trend annoys me, it shifts responsibility onto some external event, person or thing. Seriously, I didnt exercise enough becuase that was something I didnt care to find the energy for and I ate too much because I just liked eating. When I really faced that issue - that I could do something about it if I really wanted to - I lost weight. Simple. It was down to me, it wasnt due to anything BUT me, and when I faced up to how big a problem it had gotten I knew I had to act so I did. There's no complicated issues there, it was just a matter of seeing the problem and taking action.

The fear of weight gain can help keep you at a healty weight. Recognize if the fear gets to the point you obsess over your weight. Coments "you lost too much weight" can also make you question if you are too thin. If you are a healthy bmi ..ignore the comments. You are right. It's finding a balance. Recognize you are at a healthy weight. This is what maintaining looks like for me. I have a ten pound bounce range. If I gain weight. I work to bring it back in range. Dont let the regain posts freak you out. We all have our struggles with WLS. I am compassionate with anyone who has had regain. Sent from my SM-G920T using BariatricPal mobile app

Once you get to the mushie stage is it normal for the weight to start creeping back up?? I'm still on protein shakes, mashed potato, etc. and I've gained back 3 lbs in a week. I'm getting nervous!! I don't want to gain all the weight I've already lost. Do I need to start adding in exercise now to keep it down?

You're right...with the amount you are eating it is probably impossible for that weight gain to be actual fat. I know, it still hurts to see the numbers on the scale go up but don't let yourself be fooled. It's not true! If you are a little dehydrated as you suspect, your body will hold on to all of the Water it is getting for conservation. Water weighs a lot. The only (healthy) way to get rid of that water weight is to make sure you start drinking water again. When your body "learns" that you will give it plenty of water on a regular basis it will let go of what it's holding onto. This has happened to me time and time again so I feel confident you will see it go away. But, when you are dehydrated it might take another day or two of good water drinking for things to stabilize and see that water weight go away. I aim for at least 64 oz every day...I have found water is extremely important for weight loss. So, don't get discouraged even though it's tough to avoid worrying about it. I keep 24 oz water bottles and know that I must drink at least three of them every day. It works for me to make sure I get in my water. I hope this helps!

Anyone out there that's had weight gain struggles post gastric bypass? I had my surgery back in 2009, did excellent with weight loss but over the past year I have put weight back on. I'm currently getting back on track and losing the weight but I'd like the support of a buddy who's gone down the same road.

I can really relate to your post. My husband became the food police, and started offering me little bites of his ice cream or other junk food while I was in the losing stage. I always declined, and then the comments would start. We had to really sit down and talk about my issues. He does NOT understand the need for surgery, even though he was supportive and knew that I was going to lose weight he was NOT prepared for me to get so small. He wanted me to quit losing at around 175lbs, and felt that was small enough. The comments about leaving him after you lose weight are directly tied to his own insecurities and there's nothing you can do but reassure him that you'd leave due to his behavior whether you were fat or skinny. My husband got really possessive, and would make me uncomfortable in public with his constant need to touch me and "claim" me as his property. He pulled some major b.s. on me once when a man came up and was just being polite by saying "hi, how are you?" He rushed over, slid his arm around my waist, and kissed my forehead. I looked right at him and said "Stop hiking your leg on my thigh!". He was so mad that another man would even speak to me, and it did cause a lot of conflict. What he failed to ever recognize is that I got hit on before even at 270lbs yet he was never intimidated or threatened by other men when I was fat. It was a long road for us, but we communicated and worked through it. Once I reached goal weight, I continued to lose another 25lbs. It got even worse, and we really had to sit down and talk it out. I had to remind him that I was healthy, that I was not starving myself, that I was eating double the calories and carbs that I ate during my losing stage, and that I was under direct care of multiple doctors. He still to this day tries to get me to eat more because my surgeon believes I need to maintain around 140lbs instead of 125lbs, and that I would not look so thin. So, I made the mistake of taking him with me to an appointment where my surgeon addressed my maintenance weight. I've never been able to live it down, and now with the 30-33lbs weight gain in the pregnancy, and the urging of my ob's to keep my weight around 140lbs once I deliver, it is even worse. He's hidden the scale, he's back to being the food and medication police, every day I hear how much did you eat today, did you take your meds, and Vitamins, did you drink all your Water? Every day it is a battle. At this point, and being over 2 years out, it's a lost battle, he's lost a lot of his possessive tendencies, but the fact that my face and neck has plumped out in the pregnancy, he likes it better. He has a preference for me to be a bit bigger, and a little more fluff, it's just so difficult. I have no magic answers or solutions. I just want you to know you are not alone, and I wish I had some fabulous solution, but alas, it's a struggle for us even being this far out. It spurs a fight/argument a couple times a week because he knows that I plan on getting back down to my original maintenance weight. He's so mad that I have moved my pregnancy clothes out of the closet and have pulled out all my "tiny" clothes in preparation to wear those again.

Thanks for all of your positive thoughts. I guess for me, it's hard to read forums and blogs where people seem to be losing massive amounts of weight and here I am struggling with a couple of stalls and even a few weight gains. I had a doctor tell me a couple of years ago that she had never had a patient whose body seemed to hold on to fat like mine does. In the past, I've been totally compliant with dieting and exercise and I struggled to lose the little bit of weight that I did lose. I'm finding that true again, even with my surgery. I'm praying that exercise will get the weight loss really going. I haven't been able to do much because I got a staph infection a week after surgery and my doctor doesn't want me doing much until mid to late January. I'm going to join the gym that my husband goes to and also got some kettlebells and a DVD for strength training. Thanks again. It helps to know that there are others who totally understand what this feels like. Blessings, Julie

Hi All, I am 4 1/2 weeks, almost 5 weeks out from the sleeve and I'm looking for opinions. I have an appt with my Doctor on wed, and will also ask her then. For the last two weeks or so, I am been having terrible constipation. And when I do go, it's extremely painful. I take 2 Colace every morning and it doesn't seem to be helping. I also think the lack of Bowel movement is showing up on the scale as a weight gain or staying the same. For the last two days, I added a bit more fat in my diet and that seemed to help. I've been eating for the last week pretty much the exact same diet.... shake for Breakfast Shake for lunch 1/4 pound of extra lean turkey breast with balsamic vinegar and liquid aminos and about a 1/4 cup of 1% cottage cheese. Boring I know, but I'm hardly ever hungry and this gets me to about 700 calories. Had anyone else struggled this badly with BM? I've never had problems in this area in my life having always had a pretty high fat diet. Thanks!

Lap band was removed a couple of months ago, because of slippage after 10 years. Lost 180 lbs, and I must say I looked great, so proud of myself. First they loosened the band until the surgery for removal could take place. I started gaining weight right away. I have gained 40 lbs in 4 short months, and I am starting to panic. I joined a weight loss center, and nothing seems to be working for me. Low carb, counting calories, but the weight just seems to coming back on so quickly. Is it true that since I was so obese before the surgery that now I have all those fat cells that seem to soak up the fat so easily now. It doesn't make any sense, I have been really trying, don't want to go back to my old self, I was so depressed and had no stamina, now I am active and feel good about the way I look, but its quickly going away, and i'm scared. Any tips would really be helpful. thanks

Hello everyone! I am almost five years past my gastric bypass surgery, but at this point, I have gained back almost half my weight (30 pounds). I'm feeling frustrated, as it seems like all of the problems that I had before surgery are all returning, most specifically, the inability to lose weight due to PCOS. I am getting ready to restart, as much of the weight gain is my own fault. What I'm wondering though is what have you guys done that has worked? Only interested in those who are as far out from the surgery as I am. Ultimate goal is to be able to trigger weight loss again. Not looking to lose 30 pounds, but would love to drop 10. Thank you all in advance!

Ok. I'm a very happy bandster. That being said I've noticed lately that I'm struggling with something that is really bothering me. The finality of bandster life. Let me explain.... When we have done the traditional diets, we knew there would be a day when we would enjoy the good stuff again. That is the reason why we gain back, because we don't maintain the diet that helped us to lose the weight. There is no going back with the band, unless we go for an unfill which is almost like deliberately having a medical procedure which would end up causing weight gain. I long for the days when I can eat without the fear of food sticking in my band and barfing. I'm tired of eating chili (which is a staple food for me). Don't get me wrong, I don't regret my decision at all, but I want to get my head around this finality thing. Any suggestions?

Definitely a good idea to read up on ketosis. I think people who have never been on Atkins or South Beach don't understand how it differs from a straight-up low calorie diet. That transition into ketosis is no fun! And the water-weight gain from storing glycogen again is going to upset people who put a lot of stock into what their scale says. Thank you. The Water retention is actually a noticeable feeling. The result of just one day of substituting just a small amount of calories. No weight gain thankfully. Have this forum to thank.

That's so awesome that you are freed of weight gain worries. I love that you call it a lifestyle change. I'm trying to adjust my life now (6 weeks out) so that I just ease into it. Sorry for the hormonal changes. I wondered if I would have some of that also. We'll see. I'm ready! Congrats on your success. Enjoy the journey.

I am so excited to be losing weight consistently. Unlike many overweight people, I was never able to succesfully lose a lot of weight. The most I ever lost was 30 pounds and it took me ten months and then I regained half of it before I got banded. I am still VERY concerned about keeping the weight off down the road. I'll have to be very vigilant about watching the smallest of weight gains. I called the Dr to move my fill up, I had big time hunger yesterday and feel like the band is not yet helping me as much as it could. 15 pounds for you in five weeks is unbelievable! You are really doing well. What should our next challenge be? Valentine's day to Easter or to April's fool's day?

I have a similar profile, although I'm 46 and 280 lbs. I actually attribute most of my weight gain to the PCOS and corresponding insulin resistance warring with the low-fat diet craze; at the time I was gaining weight, no-one considered low-carb. But I digress. On the go-for-it side: My health has been a steady procession down the list pf problems for a typical obese person, PCOS-->weight gain->sleep apnea->diabetes/hypertension/high cholesterol. Its pretty clear to me I will keep moving down the list to the more dire conditions if I don't lose weight (stroke, heart attack, poor circulation, joint pain). If you feel this describes you, then you are a good candidate. On the try-something-else side: the diabetes medication Victoza (generic liguratide) has done wonders for me as an appetite suppressant. It really helps keep me from being a slave to hunger. On this medication I've been able to be successful at losing some weight (25lbs) and maintaining the loss. One possible option is to try this in combination with a diet/behavior modification plan to lose weight. I've been really successful working with a nutritionist and modifying my eating habits. Unfortunately, It's just not producing enough results for me. But the work I've done has given me a lot of confidence that I can handle the rigors of wls. Hope this helps.

The goal should be healthy at whatever that weight might be for you. Here is my issue with statistics. Per my surgeon's office : St Luke's for the state Idaho follow patients for five years at each check up. The problem is that many bariatric patients stop coming to follow up appointments. Surgeons offices see a drop off of participants in the first to second year. St. Luke's is still required to send in the statistic even when they know for fact they are not accurate. These are factored into the national average. St lukes also says its normal to gain around fifteen after goal. Your body naturally wants to settle at a certain weight. I don't judge people that have lost 100% of weight, Lost below the norm or have weight gain. I also don't judge " if your body does not want to put up with a diet and calorie restriction" Things that I see when I talk to local patient in my area: (not saying all these issues will cause weight gain either) Gains can be small or a major for many reasons...Healthy issues, wrong type of surgery for the individual, not properly screened by the mental health process, muscle mass gain, eating/exercise disorders, mobility issues, hormone issues, Pregnancies, complications from surgery and going back to poor choices/behaviors (I'm sure I missed more examples) Personally, I never wanted to be considered a statist in this process. Each of us have different goals. it's a choice of what weight makes you comfortable for goal and maintenance. I hate the word failure. It might be you cannot lose weight due to the examples listed above. Could be a set back gain. What my life looks like at 3.7 years out for life I live on protein, sugar substitute, dairy,vegetables, healthy carbs and fruit.( I eat all food groups) At goal I indulge once in a while. When I have a weight gain. I go back to basics and get back down to where I am comfortable. Maintaining for me is chasing the same 10 to 15 pounds.Weight loss is slow.

My apologies. I sincerely thought it must have been a typo and was teasing to be funny, not hurtful in any way. That being said, if a person is overweight it's a result of calories in versus calories out....overeating. You are right that there are other ways to become overweight, such as drastic hormone imbalances or certain drugs that cause weight gain. But those reasons don't land you on a WLS forum.

You can go on any form of birth control after the sleeve luckily. When I had my sleeve I was on the pill and loved it! Now with my bypass my options were IUD, Nuva ring or implanon. I chose Nuva ring. I have not experienced any side effects with the ring, or even weight gain. I am happy with it

4 sets of 8-12 reps of a weight that's 80% of your 1 rep max is pretty standard set up to use for muscle growth. Mixing up the activity helps as well. Incorporating drop sets and Eccentric exercise into your routine will help keep those muscles growing. Don't forget about proper supplementation for weight gain as well, Using isolate proteins during the day, casein proteins for overnight repair / growth, creatine and other pre-workout supplements help as well.

After 25 years of struggling with the weight gain, I realized that I could not continue along this "path of self-detruction". I had my first child at 39, with all the complications that come with being obese and pregnant. When my son turned 5, I was diagnosed with Diabetes (after having gestational diabetes while pregnant). I continued gaining weight, yo-yo dieting, gaining more weight, and feeling like a failure after each diet attempt. I have high cholesterol, and need to take multiple meds. 1 year ago, I became insulin-dependent. I no longer have energy, and I want to be able to keep up with my very active, supportive husband, and teenage son. I want to feel "healthy" again. I want to feel attractive. My husband gives me compliments all the time, but I truly want to feel "cutely average". I don't want to be too thin - just average would suit me just fine. I want to enjoy the wonderful life I have with my new husband and my terrific son. They deserve someone who is fun and willing to be adventurous with them. My surgery is scheduled for May 23rd. A new chapter, a journey I am willing to take to finally make things right for me and my family. God has smiled down on me before, He is always there for me, always.

I dislike shopping as well (do I really have to do this after I come home from work?) and I don't like cooking (do I really have to do this after I come home from work?) and cleaning up after (do I really have to do this after I come home from work?). I also dislike preparing food for the next day (do I really have to do this after I come home from work or before work in the next morning?). My compromise is that I keep it as simple as possible. I buy ready made soups that only have a few ingredients listed, even though they're relatively expensive. In general I think of warm food as more satisfying than cold food (e. g. warm oats are more satisfying IMO than cold oats) so I usually don't eat a sandwich/bread on its own but with soup. Soup and sandwich is a go-to for me when time is scarce. I also use frozen vegetables a lot. Saves both shopping, preparing, cleaning up and cooking time. Rice I cook in batches with a microwave rice cooker and freeze it in batches. After I started my new education my working times have changed (including 24 h shifts which are draining as hell) I'm struggling a bit as well, though it's more with regular exercise. I never got into the real groove again after my shoulder injury so far. Ok, I usually bike to work and I have been lucky with the roads not being icy so far but that's about it. Interestingly enough I haven't gained an ounce so far, even though I didn't feel I ate less food (though I must have anyway?). That's kind of a liberating observation. Convenience food (like sandwiches from the cafeteria) or eating lunch at the cafeteria even though they have a salad bar makes for less than ideal choices too often. I don't notice it in terms of weight gain (even lost a bit since starting my education), but I feel tired and drained a lot which I think is only partly because of different working hours. So even though I don't might like it, I will see to preparing oatmeal in the evening to grab in the morning instead of simply buying a sandwich at the cafeteria. There's no way though that I'll be nibbling on a piece of cucumber at 2:30 AM when I want something sweet. Protein bar for me then.