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I'm down about 80lbs. I've been stuck since the end of December though and I'd really like to lose another 20. Especially because I'd really like to try for another child in a few months so I'd like to get to my lowest before I risk gaining any with pregnancy. I finally made an appointment with my dietician for later this week so maybe he can help me get things moving again. I'm working on exercising more but with that comes an increased appetite so it's a hard balance.

I totally understand, BMI and weight on a chart looks so different than on various people.

HI! I'm a 46 year old female from South Louisiana. I will be having gastric sleeve on 3/16/22. I'm currently 5'3", 245lbs and my goal weight is 145lbs. (if i lose more, that's a bonus but i felt 145 was a realistic goal.) I am insulin resistant with HBP. Thyroid disease runs rampant on both sides of my family, as does diabetes. I'm borderline Type 2 and my TSH levels are also borderline. I've tried for years to lose weight through diet and exercise. I think i tried every fad diet out there. While i would lose weight initially, the minute i was left to my own resources, the weight just piled back on. Exercise was a whole different issue that my PCP just couldn't understand. It didn't matter what i was doing or where i was doing it, after 15 minutes i began to overheat and 2x had to be taken for medical attention. (one of those times was doing nothing more than walking in my neighborhood.) My PCP always said it was my BP causing that and if I would just lose weight, it would stop. Well doc, how do you propose i do that if i can't exercise without passing out? When my employer finally started covering bariatric surgery, if certain comorbidities were met, i jumped at the chance. That is when i found out i was insulin resistant. I'm about to hit the clear liquid stage of my pre-op diet and am very stressed. Yesterday I had issues with nausea and vomiting every time i tried to drink a protein shake or protein water. I just couldn't get it down. I hear that is normal the 1st 48-72 hours of the liquid diet but yesterday was day 5. (i was able to find the Fairlife portien shakes and those didn't make me gag.) I'm really nervous about the clear diet. Any suggestion on clear protein drinks that taste good and won't make me gag? (I have tried the Gatorade g2 in fruit punch and the blue one. The blue was one the only one that didn't make me gag as much. I also have tried the Protein2O and those were just awful as well.) I have found some good broths that i will try and i have the Isopure unflavored protein powder. I tried adding the powder to warm broth and that was a disaster. Thanks in advance for the tips. I'm excite to start this new phase in my life and get healthy, not only for me but for my husband and kids. I beat cancer, i can't let obesity be the thing that kills me.

Hello and welcome. Premiere protein shakes are what my surgeon recommended but they are all different in terms of what shakes they want you on (best advice is stick to your clinics plan). Many people have to do broth on their pre op diet. I was fortunate mine wasn’t all liquid (again stick to your teams plan). My significant other was very on board. I was thin when I met him though so he could see the difference in how my weight slowed me down physically as well as emotionally over the years as I gained it and didn’t have the fears that some partners get that I would get thin and act different or leave him cause I loved him when I was thin before and he knew what to expect. I am glad your significant others is starting to be supportive. Perhaps take them along to doctors appointments and support group meetings and they will get more on the same page. Congratulations on starting this life changing journey

I didn't think of this before, but in the spirit of honesty: definitely consider if your body has decided you're done losing weight (or at least at this pace). I know this may not be what you want to hear, but remember - being hungry is the first step in overeating. You're almost a year out, you've lost a tremendous amount of weight, of course your body is going to start getting hungry. Maybe it's not so much random cravings as simply ... hunger?

These exercises should be performed at least twice per week for the first six weeks after your procedure. They are designed to increase blood flow throughout your body and warm up your muscles prior to any weight training. These exercises are not hard, but rather intended to get your blood flowing through your system, loosen up your joints and prepare your muscles for the upcoming workout. You can perform these exercises before or after your workout.

I agree with most everything everyone has to say on here with one exception. You MUST do more exercise. I don't care if it is just slow walking for an hour a day, even if it is broken up over 3 or 4 sessions, but you have to exercise and keep moving. If you are not exercising at your stage you are going to plateau. You have to do more than you were doing at the heavier weight to burn off calories. Your BMR is getting lower, meaning your body is using less calories for basic functioning than before you you have to make up that difference as you lose weight. You are in some type of calorie burning/intake equilibrium. How about resistance training, weights, bands etc. Anything that creates calorie burn is seriously needed at this point. Of course this is assuming you are tracking and controlling your food and calorie intake.

I am approaching a year out and I suggest that you don't buy a lot of anything. It's a bad habit I got myself into. Yes, you want to be prepared, but I am exiting a two month stall because of my newly formed addiction to Quest products (damn, they're awesome!). Instead, I recommend you learn to menu plan and gain a dependency on fresh foods, not pre-packaged items if that is at all possible. Lean meat, fish, and veggies are the way to win, not relying on packaged, processed food. Like others have said above, your tastes will likely change, or you stomach will. On my pre-op diet I looked forward to my chocolate Fairlife shake. Now they taste awful to me and cause unbelievable gas.

I’m down 110 lbs and feeling pretty good. Starting to notice some sagging skin in some areas 👎 and not sure what to do about that. I’m down to my initial goal weight and not sure what is next in terms of goals. I definitely gotten my appetite back over the past few months and feeling a bit nervous about that, but so far have been able to stay on track. Congrats to everyone for their amazing work!!!

Expect to feel pressure when you eat or drink. That's how a a Lap Band with saline in it works. That's the restriction you need to eat smaller portions. You need to sip small amounts and allow it to pass from your pouch, then through the Lap Band and into your stomach. Imagine water passing through a funnel. It slows down at the bottom opening because it's so much smaller than the rest of the funnel. Lap Band is the same concept pretty much, so you have to do everything slower. I always felt my fill right away. My surgeon was liberal with fills. As far as timing of fills, you'd have to ask your team about that. Usually they see how you do for a month or so to see if you lose weight at that fill amount. Be patient, it can take quit a bit of to get to your ideal fill amount.

This part stressed me out until I calculated where I was at 3 months and realized I am now at 7ish months and am more than double that amount now. Phew! I am trying hard to not think about time and just focus on what I need to do for as long as I can. But this was a good video - thanks for sharing @GreenTealael I like the idea of best weight vs focusing on BMI "ideal weight."

Hi all. So I had my revision 4 days ago. A 45 -50 pound weight loss would be perfect but I am terrified of regain. I am so afraid I'll gain again. Is anyone out years from surgery and maintaining??

Hi all. I’m pre op, and I love to be well informed, from good, verified sources, and I would like to share a book title that I have downloaded on my ereader….who knew there were books on bariatric surgery?! It such a great resource and compliments the advice I’m getting from the psych and the dietician. The book is called “Living with Bariatric Surgery. Managing your mind and your weight” by Denise Ratcliffe. Published on 2018, so all up to date. I really recommend it, it’s been helpful in my decision making process so far. Any other really great resources that people can recommend? Particularly for after surgery, both short and long term. P.S I have no connection or interest in the book, just thought it would be good to share

So Lizzie, I’m picking that you have been accepted for surgery and have a date in April? Me too! Part of the process I have been through is seeing both a dietician and a psych, and will have this support after the surgery? Do you have this support? If not then you need to take steps to put it in place so that you can talk through your issues with a qualified psych and not have to roll with all the (undoubtedly well meaning) judgement on a public forum. I don’t think that you will ‘get turned round for BMI under 30’ at the surgery stage if you have been approved and accepted. That would be really unethical of the surgeon if that is really on the cards. Regarding the liver shrinking diet I don’t think that this is negotiable, (you say you’d ‘like’ to do it…I’m confused about the process you are following). If your surgeon has told you to do it, then do it as prescribed and the weight loss that goes with it is coincidental, you are doing it to make the surgery easier not actually for weight loss at this stage. I’m also picking from what you say that losing weight isn’t an issue but keeping the weight off is? Is that right? In which case yes surgery is absolutely the right approach for a chance at a permanent solution to get off the diet merry go round of yo yo weight loss and gain, if that is what you want. You say you feel that you need to indulge in unhealthy eating to keep your weight above 30 BMI? My advice would be that if you have been accepted for surgery, and you have talked to your support crew (psych and dietician) and surgeon about your dilemma, and got some constructive advice, then stop jumping on the scales for the next few weeks, eat healthily, like really healthily, include some healthy carbs, eat real food, then just stick to the liver shrinking diet for the amount of time your surgeon requires pre op and stop stressing. Focus on your health not your BMI at this stage. Keep doing healthy exercise, be as fit and active as you can be before surgery. Follow the plan from your surgeon and dietician exactly as they say, and know your own mind. I think that you need to be very sure of your reasons for doing this very permanent, crazy thing to your body. If when you have done all the research you can you feel that this is the best and only way forward to get to a healthy BMI for the rest of your life, then go you!! If however you still think that you can lose the weight….and more importantly keep it off through diet and exercise then maybe that would be the healthier option, both physically and mentally, for you.

I agree with almost everything he says. First of all, I was told by my clinic that only about 10-15% of people make it to a normal BMI - most end up "overweight' or "class I obese" (which is not very obese - we're talking about 20 or 30 lbs overweight). The research I did after I was told that seemed to back that up. My third and final goal was to make it to a normal BMI, and I was actively discouraged from doing that - but I actually did make it -and stayed there for quite a while (I'm now about 6 lbs overweight at almost seven years out). I was told - like he said - that someone who's formerly obese has heavier bones and muscles than a person of the same weight who's never been obese, because we needed that extra "infrastructure" to hold up our weight. Granted, you do lose a lot of that as you lose fat - but you don't lose all of it - so we can weigh 10 or 15 lbs more than a never-been-obese person who's the same height and build and look pretty much the same as they do. and as far as getting too thin - I got down to 138 at my lowest - I looked pretty ghastly at that weight, even though that is around the middle of a normal BMI for me. I could practically see every bone in my body. I look and feel much better in the 150s. the only thing he said that didn't apply in my situation is that you lose about half of what you'd be expected to lose by a year out by the time you were three months out (in other words, if you lost 50 lbs in the first three months, you'd be expected to lose twice that (100 lbs) by a year out. I'd only lost about 40 lbs by three months out - and I was down about 120 lbs by one year out. So I think that can vary a bit.. otherwise, I do agree with pretty much everything he said - and my experience reflects most of it.

Hello everyone I am a post op for lap band on Jan 20 of this year liquid diet 2 weeks then I was getting hungry more often and my portions were bigger I lost 19 lbs so far but I haven't lost anymore and haven't gained I had my first fill yesterday my doctor filled it up to 5cc then told me to drink water as I felt alot of pressure drinking it he kept taking some saline out till about 2.5cc I was ok. Now I could drink water like nothing I don't feel much restriction I am starving and could eat a horse however my Dr told me to go back to a liquid diet for 1 to 2 weeks? Uhhhhh like the eff? How long do I have to wait for yet another fill? Is there a certain time frame? I don't have any motivation so yet another clear stupid liquid diet for 2 weeks I've lost more hair then weight 😂 I need some advice oh and I've read many times the fills don't go in affect for couple of days? I'm confused

Hello everyone I am a post op for lap band on Jan 20 of this year liquid diet 2 weeks then I was getting hungry more often and my portions were bigger I lost 19 lbs so far but I haven't lost anymore and haven't gained I had my first fill yesterday my doctor filled it up to 5cc then told me to drink water as I felt alot of pressure drinking it he kept taking some saline out till about 2.5cc I was ok. Now I could drink water like nothing I don't feel much restriction I am starving and could eat a horse however my Dr told me to go back to a liquid diet for 1 to 2 weeks? Uhhhhh like the eff? How long do I have to wait for yet another fill? Is there a certain time frame? I don't have any motivation so yet another clear stupid liquid diet for 2 weeks I've lost more hair then weight 😂 I need some advice oh and I've read many times the fills don't go in affect for couple of days? I'm confused

I came across this video on a surgeon’s perspective on how to set weight goals after WLS. Thoughts? Experiences?

I was the last day of May, so I’m just over 9 months out. I’m down 74.4. Only 1.8 away from the elusive “healthy” BMI. I would probably already be there, but I was in Florida for 22 days - I didn’t gain, but only lost 0.4 during that time (which is actually a huge win - since 2 weeks of that trip was at WDW)

I can't say that I have "treated" myself with anything when it comes with food. I mean, if I feel like having something I just do if it's let's say, a cookie or two (an actual true serving size or less). Like the dietician says, it's not like you're sitting down eating an entire bag/box/etc. of said "bad" food 'cause now I have limits and stick to them. Anyway, that doesn't happen often anyway as I really haven't felt the desire to have such things. Haven't treated myself to clothes yet either because I can't see wasting money if I could potentially still lose weight (I have about 50-60 lbs to go). BUT, what I WILL FINALLY treat myself to soon, now that I lost the weight that I have, is a kayaking trip with my husband!! I was always worried about my weight before and would never give it a try. Was also always embarrassed to ask about weight limits when it came to it before too so I just never did. So now, within the next month or two when it opens, my butt is gonna be out there on one! LOL THAT will be a real treat for me. Would also like to eventually get on a jet ski. Another thing I always avoided due to my weight. Haven't been to an amusement park in decades either. Something my husband and I used to always love to do. But of course I have avoided it due to my weight but now, unfortunately, he can't really do it either due to some heart issues he has. So, not sure I'll ever get back to one of those but we'll see. He said he'd still go with me even if he can't get on anything so maybe one day I'll take him up on that.

All of these methods are great. I find it’s more of a head game for me, and I need to keep trying new activities to surprise my body into shirking pounds. The “game” is tricking my body. I also don’t expect perfection, Sundays are my relax day. I started 75 Hard. I modified it for real life, but the idea is to stick to eating plans, journal and do two planned exercise moments on top of the basic activities you normally do. I also found I burn more calories walking and weightlifting. I bought a rowing machine to mix things up even more. I just keep changing up my activities. Last fall I was very into yoga, now I go only once a week. I’m looking into a weighted hoola hoop, biking, and swimming for the summer. Stick to your eating plan and keep mixing up your activities. It’s even better when you include a social element like a friend or family member on a walk!

I think I discovered part of my problem, based on what I read from other postes and what others go through at my stage. FOOD DOESN'T BOTHER ME. How can this be??? I guess everyone is different? I don't get pain, I don't feel sick, I don't get nauseous, so I can just eat. It might sound like a dream, but really, it's not. Because if I can eat, I can, well-- eat. and eat whatever I want. And obviously I don't want THAT! It means my control has to come COMPLETELY from my mind, because my body won't stop me. Interestingly, it does protest when I drink a lot, and I do wish it was the reverse. I want to drink! I wish my body protested from food, not liquid. I have a friend who told me before my surgery, "You'll see, you won't even be able to LOOK at the things you liked before. You'll have no inclination to eat them, or graze on things." I was looking forward to that, but it's not the case with me. If I allowed myself to, I could graze on anything all day. These responses were very helpful in giving me a framework, which I am beginning TODAY. (in case you're wondering, my team doesn't really work with this. The nutritionist didn't sit with me and map out a meal plan or anything. Basically she said, you're body will tell you what you can and can't eat. So seeing what others have been eating through the day is helping me form my own meal plan, and hopefully the numbers will start coming down. Because FYI... I haven't been losing weight! I lost 20 lbs between my pre op and the week after, and I've been the same since then, one month out. Not sure how that can be, but the scale don't lie. So thanks for the responses, hopefully this will help me jumpstart.