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I stalled for about 10 days (2.5-3.5 weeks post op) but now I am losing again. From what I've read it seems that stalls are very common and completely normal. Just keep working the plan and the weight will come off! We didn't gain it overnight so I think patience and persistence is going to be key to long term success! 🙂

Not sure what to think about this but before WLS, my eyelids were always puffy and I thought maybe someday, I would get an eye lift to open up my eyes more. 71lbs later, my eye lids are no longer puffy and my eyes look open and bright! Lashes are easy to curl and makeup goes on with no issues!! Guess if our feet can lose weight, so can our eye lids!! 😁

I am 19 months post op from DS surgery. I’m SO happy with my weight loss. I’ve been fluctuating between 140-144 for a while now (months) this week out of the blue with no change in my diet (which could definitely be better) or exercise (which is always good) I’m up to 145 146 148. Should I be worried this is a wall I’m hitting? Wil I be 175 by the end of the year? Not that I’m emotionally scared from my pre surgey life or anything ha! Or is this just normal and keep on truckin’ and expect to be back in the 140-144 zone in a week or so. Argh so nerve wracking!

Is it normal to stay at one weight for two weeks I’m stuck on 178 for two weeks it’s been a month since I got my gastric sleeve

RNY April of 2012, so that makes 9+ years out. My surgeon no longer practices bariatric surgery and most likely isn't even in my state any longer. I have had to make due with visits to hematologists, psychologists, primary care docs and more recently, went to a different WLS center for a consult and also to an endocrinologist to address the weight creep up that has taken years to put on--really can't blame the Covid, but rather letting a combo of sloppy habits and less intense exercise run the course to the expected outcome: the dreaded regain. To complicate matters, I have been so exhausted that I have been trying to get to the bottom of that as well. Ruled out anemia (I have had to get iron infusions three times), ruled out thyroid (although I do take NP thyroid and the endo upped the dosage a little bit), and while menopause is a factor, I got on bioidentical hormones to try and feel better. Somewhere in the middle of this, I had the brilliant idea that perhaps I should wean myself off antidepressants because they might have contributed to the weight gain as well. Uh. This is not the year to get off antidepressants, being all stressed out at work with all the students back to in-person learning and no clear direction about how to distance kids who seem determined to sit on top of one another, etc. After the new bariatric consult, where I was basically told that because I had open gastric bypass and then had incisional hernia repair and fleur de lis abdominoplasty, my insides are too messy to do any kind of revision, with the adhesions and all. But what I NEEDED to hear was what I have been doing: back to basics. Push that protein--90 grams. Watch the carbs and fat. Exercise. And eat less calories. 1200-1400. Since that visit I have tracked my intake on MFP and gave myself one day a week to have a higher calorie day and some kind of splurge. The rest of the week I do two very high protein meal replacement shakes, a Greek yogurt, a couple of hard boiled eggs and something small but proteiny and veg for dinner. I have to say, keeping it boring has kept the appetite at bay. And so far, so good. Nearly back to Onderland again, and I plan on keeping going until I get back to my lowest weight, which hilariously still has me in the overweight category according to the BMI. In addition, since not crawling into bed as soon as I get home is one of my major goals, I went back on the antidepressant, at a little higher dosage after explaining my symptoms of exhaustion. All this to say that the work is never done and I wouldn't have it any other way! This is my first post and I figured I would just throw it all out there and include the juice, since that is what it is all about for me and I have been very much enjoying reading all the posts here. Didn't want to be a freeloader with nothing to contribute

yep! before this recent weight gain, in 2004, I had lost 180lbs (hw:346 Lw:160) with just diet and exercise (maintained for 15+years). At that time I was just 21 years old and not accustomed to the new found attention I had been experiencing. Intentionally, I got a job waiting tables to help me get (way) outside my comfort zone and learn to process people looking at me. Before when people looked at me it was to stare or make fun of me - or whatever. But suddenly, I had to adjust to what those looks meant. I have to admit, in hind sight, I enjoyed that experience. It helped me to grow as a woman. I remember I used to turn red in the face if I thought a man was attractive and talking to me. Waiting tables helped me to focus on my purpose for standing at a table and not be distracted by attractions - one way or another. Good luck on your journey to love yourself!

You should be amazingly proud of yourself! (And only care about the opinions of those who truly matter to you!) You have made the BEST choices for YOUR life - not others. If they are uncomfortable with your choices, if they want to make snide remarks because they’re unable to deal with their own insecurities - forget those comments and place no weight or value on them. You cannot control what people do or say, and you don’t have the time or energy for it. Your time and energy is better spent towards carving the life you want. Your journey is inspirational and you owe no one an explanation.

I agree with @ShoppGirl. You have options, and now is the time to focus on losing weight after surgery. You would have a hard time taking in enough nutrients right after surgery to sustain a fetus. I would talk to your surgeon and an OB/GYN right away!

Sittin’ on the porch just chillin’ with my feet up. Just had to take a pic at ALL THE EXTRA ROOM i have in my rain boots since losing the weight ….I remember being so bummed that I couldn’t get my giant calves to fit into tall boots…now i’ve got room to spare! *high fives self*

If you want to exercise and when you do you feel like you are losing too much weight you can introduce healthy fats into your diet such as avacado, nuts/ nut butters and healthy oils. That being said. I am almost 7 months out and the only exercise i do is walking.

I know you might not have lost a lot of weight but how do you feel? Everyone always asks how much weight have l lost. I don't weigh myself regularly my surgery was on April 15th but I went from 11 meds to 4 meds, I can walk my dog at the park without getting out of breath after a few steps. My A1C is almost normal. You have to not stress the actual weight loss but the good things that come with the surgery. Hang in there.

1700 calories/day is fine as long as you can maintain your weight on that - some of us can (I can eat that and maintain - sometimes even a little more if I'm being particularly active). But if that amount starts causing you to gain - then yea, you'll have to cut back. I still eat a mostly healthy diet. I only use the free version of MFP so I can't see my foods highest in calories, but I'm guessing they come from things like protein pancakes, protein muffins, and hummus on Wasa crackers (all of which I've eaten more than usual this past month or two). Also, I'm usually high on days when I've gone out to eat, regardless of what I eat. So I try to limit that (which has fortunately been easier with the pandemic).

no - this is the surgeon's requirement. There are surgeons who won't operate on patients who have BMI's over 60 because that's considered "high risk". The insurance company isn't going to consider that particular piece when deciding whether or not to approve your surgery. In fact, they'd probably prefer you get under a 60 BMI as well so your risk of complications is lower. I was initially worried that if I was too successful in my six-month supervised diet that was required by my insurance company that they wouldn't approve the surgery. But that's not what they're looking for. They're looking to see if you're capable of following a plan long-term, since that's what you'll need to do AFTER the surgery. They don't want to fork over thousands of dollars for someone who's likely to not follow rules and just gain all the weight back. So if anything, this 80-lb required weight loss is likely to improve your chances of being approved -- not disqualify you for being too successful. I lost 57 lbs before surgery by working with a dietitian and gradually improving and shaping my eating habits to align with what I'd be eating after surgery (gradually increasing my protein intake, gradually weaning myself off caffeine and simple carbs, gradually reducing my calorie intake, etc). If you don't think you'll be able to do this on your own, then find a dietitian who's had some experience working with bariatric patients. I was really surprised I was able to lose all that weight pre-surgery - but I think it was a combo of wanting to do whatever I could do get the surgery -- and the accountability of working with a dietitian (i.e, knowing I'd have to report to someone every month on my progress).

Yes, fun…but definitely NOT for weight loss phase!

Hey, how is everyone weight loss journey coming along? Sent from my SM-G998U using BariatricPal mobile app

Real food definitely felt different at first. I got over mourning the loss to eat a big volume. Once the weight loss kicks in I started to enjoy the ability to control my portions more than the desire to eat large portions. I also try to figure out healthy substitutes for things I miss. 20 lbs in 4 weeks is amazing.. it will really start to add up if you stay focused and on track. Keep strong!

I am officially down 77lbs. My weightloss has come to a crawl as well, and I am about 6.5 months post surgery. I still need to lose 60lbs before getting to my ultimate weight; but only about 30 before I truly feel comfortable.

I have always thought to myself this is too easy… I had vsg 2/24/21 I am down 80 lbs since surgery and 104 lbs overall since 10/31/20. Some of it is luck and some of it I feel is good choices and embracing the lifestyle changes as well as mindset. I listen to a few wls podcasts and belong to a few wls groups. I go to support meetings offered by my surgeon’s office and spend a lot of time researching. Celebrate the NSVs and keep making new goals. Tracking helps me meet my goals, measuring everything helps me learn proper portions. Walking and weightlifting are also contributing to my weight loss. I did have 1 hiccup- gall bladder had to come out 5 months after vsg- but I did have a history of gallstones and the rapid weight loss probably was what caused my gall bladder to become inflamed. Hoping it continues to feel easy and I can stay on track for the long term.

I started my journey in July of 2020 with a determined goal to lose weight on my own prior to surgery. I'm 5 days post-op and have shared my journey through social media. My support has been amazing, EXCEPT for one individual that I finally private messaged and then publicly corrected when she continued with her comments. You see, I decided to set a goal of losing 100lbs through lifestyle changes prior to surgery because I didn't want to endure surgery and then have an even harder struggle on the other side trying to adapt to a new lifestyle. Now all I'm dealing with is one "Karen" and an annoyingly slow healing process. lol This person continues to comment that if I did so well on my own why I even bothered with surgery, clearly I didn't need it. Then went on to assume that I must be on an insurance plan that paid for it since I did it without any care in the world. People's comments reflect their own insecurities. While my nagging person has chosen a different angle than your naggers, they all seek the same purpose: to get you before you might get them. What they don't realize is that you aren't in a mindset to "get them" at all. I could block my nagger, but I don't. You could avoid yours . . . but maybe you haven't. Stand tall, prove to yourself that you are the best version of you in the moment. Those naggers need to see your success so they can make changes in their own lives.

I'm 3 years out, and over 2 years in maintenance. Like some above, I weigh myself every morning (to make sure i'm not leaning to far above or below my happy weight range); I track everything I eat (to keep eye on caloric intake), get some exercise in (run min 5K 2-3 times a week, plus other random activities here and there: dancing, hiking, swimming). I've figured out that at my current activity level, i can maintain my current weight at around 1800 cals a day. Other random things I do that I *think* contribute to MY maintenance (or could just be habit now and may not actually be making a lick of difference, lol): I try to keep bread, rice, pasta intake low. I don't completely avoid them, but they don't have main billing in my diet, or even supporting cast. More like nameless extras with non-speaking roles, lol I make it a point to never eat to full. I may not always succeed, but I try. I wear tight pants. Don't laugh, but having tight pants on when I go out for dinner helps to ensure that I won't overeat to over-fullness, when it's easier to do so cuz I'm just sitting around a table for hours with food, you know? I always share desserts (or get a mini/micro one) cuz I know dessert is my downfall. I don't eat before noon if I can help it. If my weight goes above my happy weight range, I cut some calories until I until I'm at the bottom of said range (luckily this hasn't happened in over a year...knock on wood) I do my running in the morning so its done and i don't get a chance to procrastinate throughout the day. That's all i can think of at the moment, but I'm sure there are a whole bunch of other things I do....

I haven't had a sex drive in about 6-7 years. I'm only 3 weeks out from surgery but I have lost 65 lbs since preparing for surgery. People said it would get better with losing weight, but it hasn't improved at all. I asked my gyn about it a few years ago and she said it was my age (I was about 38-39 at the time). I was sort of shocked, since I know older women can still enjoy sex. Sex is also painful for me. I'd eventually like to date again (haven't dated since 2015), but I feel like this is a big barrier.

I absolutely know what you mean. I have gone up and down with my weight so much and noticed the way that people treat me differently so much that now even my very fit husband gets it (because I have pointed out examples to him so many times over the years). He will even joke and say Your at your cruising weight maybe i Should take you to Home Depot with me cause I don’t know where something is. Because it never fails when I am heavy I can’t find a single sole to help me but when I am thin (also with a larger bust) I can’t fend off all the help I get. I mean to the point that it is just ridiculous. Sometimes it makes me feel good for a brief moment but then I almost feel bad For feeing good and part of me wants to scream that I am the same EXACT person that Was totally invisible just a short time ago.

I have never suffered in my career due to my weight. I make a great salary and have never had trouble going from one company to another when I felt like the team I was on (or the manager) was just no longer a good fit. And I would always get a raise when I did that. I'm extremely well suited to my career and it's very demanding. Prior to COVID, I flew 2-5 flights a week to cities all over the US working on cancer trials. Since COVID started, it's been a slower pace with less travel, but I still make the same salary. For me, I always had confidence in myself as an employee and a person. I had no confidence in dating or sports, but to me, those were more about my weight. To me, my ability to be a good employee is about my ability to communicate, solve problems, and be dedicated. I'm hoping that losing weight will help me have more energy for the short nights and long days on the road and when I travel for fun. Also, I might eventually like to date again... or not.