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First: Yes, we are all different. Second: looking solely (and comparing to others) at TOTAL weight loss at a certain point in time (i.e, at the 8th month mark), does not give the REAL picture of weight loss rate. It doesn't take into account a persons current weight, height, how close they are to goal, etc. Your 2lb weight loss in month eight could actually be statistically "better" than your 15lb weight loss in month 1, depending on what your current weight is, and how close you are to goal or baseline. *** I'm about to get into MATH MODE, so for those whose eyes glaze over at numbers and formulas, the gist is the following, and you can skip the rest, lol: To attain a more telling view of your rate of weight loss, look at weight loss as a percentage of excess weight lost during period x, instead of total weight lost. *** Now for those of you who stuck around to read my schpiel, here goes: Assumption: BMI 25 used as the baseline for goal and calculation of excess weight. I understand that using BMI as baseline is inherently flawed, as it doesn't take into account an individual's biological makeup like muscle mass, bone density, etc, etc., but its the best we can do at an elementary level. I mean, really, not all of us have calipers or full body scanners in our basements, lol. To calculate rate of excess weight lost (rLoss) for a specified period: total_weight_lost_during_time_period / excess_weight_at_start_of_time_period notated as.... rLoss = ( x0 - x1 ) / ( x0 - G ) Where: G = weight at BMI 25 for one's height. x0 = weight at start of monitoring period x1 = weight at end of monitoring period Using my own numbers as an example, at 5'2", my BMI 25 weight is 135. Month 1 (m1): 223 : weight at beginning of m1, 201 : weight at end of m1 25% : excess weight loss rate, calculated as: rLoss = ( 223 - 201 ) / ( 223 - 135 ) Month 6 (m6): 138 : weight at beginning of m6, 129 : weight at end of m6 300% : excess weight loss rate, calculated as: rLoss = ( 138 - 129 ) / ( 138 - 135 ) So really, in m6, although i lost less than 1/2 the total weight I lost in m1, i actually did much, much better (statistically) as I was much smaller in m6. Now fast forward to Month 8, the month you are specifically asking about. I was below BMI 25 by this point so this formula would not apply since my excess weight was zero (I was 119). Despite this, by the end of the 8th month, I lost 2 lbs. So yeah, the weight loss seems to have slowed down quite a bit if you only look at TOTAL weight lost (2 lbs vs the 22 in m1), but when you look at the lbs loss as compared to my actual body weight at the time, it was statistically a waaaaaaaay better rate. Ta-da! MATH, y'all. P.S. I was 116 this morning. P.P.S. Sorry this was so long.

You may not feel restriction with the portions you are expected to be eating. For some reason I could eat more than expected at any given stage if I wanted. I did feel restriction just not as soon as expected. I am almost 6 months out now I COULD eat quite a bit more than I am supposed to. I think this is uncommon and the other responses are far more likely but even if it’s the case I just stick to measuring out what i should be eating and I am losing weight just the same.

+1 on the strategy of Delayed Gratification. I used this approach throughout weight loss phase, and even now at almost 3 years out. People often ask how I can stand to be around so much food goodness and not eat any of it (or much of it), and its really because I don’t really say “no”… I just say “not now”. Works for other things in life besides food; shopping for clothes, quitting smoking, delaying the urge to confront someone when they do something annoying, getting a tattoo. When an impulse or want comes, sit for a bit or do something else for a predetermined amount of time. If you still really want to do it after the time elapsed, go ahead. If unsure, wait another bit of time. If the burning desire is gone, congrats, you just managed an impulse! On the flip side, delayed gratification *may* have some unintended effects: i am also a huge procrastinator 😂

I never had a binder after my weight loss surgery, so not sure. I never had a problem with walking, though.

I think one thing to take into consideration is we all carry our weight differently. A lot of mine was in my abdomen. As soon as my nurse saw me use my hands to support my abd to get up she got me an abd binder. It made such a difference. I only used it for a couple of weeks and then didn't need it anymore. Funny thing is, I saved it thinking I would need it after plastic surgery. Well, I forgot I wasn't going to be the same size! After my tummy tuck I needed a size XS binder, the one after my WLS was an XL! I did purchase one from a medical supply store to alternate with the one I got in the hospital because I had to wear a binder for a month while my drains were in after plastics. After the drains came outI could wear my compression garment. So, it isn't really required, but does make life a little easier. Good luck.

There’s a lot of variations in the pre surgery diets. Mine was real food too - specifically keto. So I ate meat, eggs, full fat dairy, low carbs, non starchy vegetables & berries. Yours sounds like it may be keto or similar to keto too. My surgeon requires different patients to follow different pre surgery diets based on various factors - weight, blood work, results from various medical tests, etc. Sometimes the diet is not only to reduce the fat around your liver, but to lose some weight before surgery, break some addictions/cravings (caffeine, sugar, carbs, etc.) & /or get you thinking about what you eat. Best advice is to follow the plan you’ve been given.

Actually you only need to continue with vitamin supplements with a sleeve if you personally need to i.e. blood work show you’re low in specific vitamins, etc. The sleeve only changes your tummy not other parts of your digestive system. The additional changes that occur with a bypass does increase the impact on your ability to absorb the necessary nutrients. I had sleeve surgery & haven’t taken a vitamin since month 8 when I was in maintenance. But digestive systems can work differently cause we have different physiologies so you may need to take vitamin supplements regardless of the surgery you have. Generally the post surgical diets for sleeve & bypass are pretty similar. The staged return to eating (liquids, then purées, then soft food & finally more solid foods) is to support your sensitive & healing digestive system. There also are certain foods you introduce more slowly into your diet because they’re just too harsh to begin. Both surgeries tend to focus on high protein, low carbs, low fat, low sugar, nutrient dense foods. This is a lifetime thing if you want to maintain your weight loss. In time you can eat most foods just depends on how your body tolerates them but this generally is an individual thing.

Generally, the sleeve will be less fussy than the malabsorbing procedures when it comes to supplement requirements, however, they will all have some initial requirements for the first few weeks or months as you need some additional nutrition since you won't be eating much for a while. Shakes are a part of it, for a variable amount of time, as that's the only way other than real food to get our needed protein. Over time, there will be little that you can't eat with a sleeve -which is good and bad. Good in that you can, in principle, be able to get all of your nutrition from food if you are so inclined (most aren't, which is why they still need to supplement some.) Bad in that you can still eat junk that goes against your weight maintenance goals. Some people need supplements, even with no WLS at all, simply because that is how their body works. Some programs impose the same supplement regimen on their sleeve patients as they do for their bypass patients, not out of necessity for the sleeve but for their own (the practice's) convenience. Periodic lab checks will tell you what you personally need to stay healthy. Are you having your WLS done here in the States, or in MX? The mini bypass is rarely done here in the US and is rarely covered by insurance and AFAIK has not been endorsed by the ASMBS as an approved, mainstream procedure. I would do some further research as to why this is before proceeding. The mini is done in MX, primarily as a cheaper alternative to the RNY, and is also more commonly done in some other countries. Here in the States, I would shy away from it for the same reason that I wouldn't own a French car (irrespective whatever merits they may have) as they haven't been sold here for decades and finding parts and service is a PITA. Likewise, should you have problems with a mini sometime down the road, finding someone who knows how to treat it can be a problem; if you have a sleeve or RNY, any bariatric practice at any hospital will know what you have and how to treat it.

-It is not an unreasonable position for her to keep, as the bypass does indeed provide very similar weightloss and regain results to the sleeve but at a somewhat higher cost in potential problems, limitations in future medical care and increased fussiness on supplements. The bypass is overall a very good procedure that is mature technology - it has been around as a WLS for some 40+ years, and its basis dates back some 140 years, so it is a well known quantity, both good and bad. Her concern about ulcers is well founded, and that is something that one lives with, or at least the threat of them, with the bypass as it is intrinsic to it. One may never experience one, and most don't, but everyone is living to avoid them - it is the basis of the "no NSAID" policy that is common in the bariatric world as one needs to avoid any medications that promote stomach irritation and NSAIDs are the most common class of drugs that we encounter (but there are others that one may encounter through life.) Occasionally someone will come through with an ulcer problem that defies resolution, and their main course of action it to reverse the bypass. This is rare, but it happens. Marginal ulcers are to the bypass what GERD is to the sleeve - you can't fool mother nature and there will always be potential consequences to fooling around with her. One needs to balance what one gets from a treatment against what might possibly occur on downside. Iron infusions are also a fairly common need after bypass, as it malabsorbs minerals in particular, and while some can get away with simple oral iron supplements, many can't and need periodic infusions. This is rare with a sleeve as there is no particular malabsorption. Another factor that weighs on some is the "plan B" factor - what does one do if things don't work as expected - complications, inadequate weight loss or regain? While we don't like to think in terms of getting revisions, they are sometimes necessary, and the bypass is difficult to revise if it doesn't work right; as noted above in the case of intransigent ulcers, the usual is to reverse the bypass and put you back where you started from, and likely still needing help in weight control. The sleeve, on the other hand, can readily be revised to the bypass if needed - typically for intransigent GERD problems - or to a duodenal switch for continuing weight problems. Again, not something we like to think about, but the options are there. The bypass also presents some additional limitations in future medical treatment, as it leave one with a blind remnant stomach and upper intestine, which can't easily be scoped endoscopically as with the natural GI system or with a sleeve. Again, something that may never come up, but likely will sometime in your future life. A further note, your surgeon is in good company, as my doc rarely does bypasses as well, though his preference leans toward the duodenal switch as his primary, with VSG as a second choice. He does, however, do a fair amount of business revising problematic bypasses to the duodenal switch, and will do the odd bypass when it is specifically indicated for a patient, but that is fairly rare.

I am close to you in age- I am 49. I also think I look a lot better with clothing ON than OFF right now so pictures can be deceiving. There is much to be said for a good pair of leggings and a good bra! My stomach, butt, triceps and inner thighs are my current problem areas. They have some loose skin but I accept it is part of the process. I think my Biceps actually look the best , I think they respond well to working out. I am taking a collagen supplement daily - in hopes that it will help maintain some elasticity with my skin. I have noticed my complexion is a lot better since adding the collagen. Hard to say if it is helping with elasticity since I had to take a month off from the gym since my gall bladder surgery. As my weight loss slows down now, I am going to get back to the gym this weekend and really going to focus on workouts with the goal of tightening up/toning as much as possible. Starting to research body recomposition - building muscle and losing more fat. This will also help with increasing BMR for maintenance. I am going to continue to reassess things as time goes by. I always thought I would never want plastic surgery but I may change my mind and get the Mommy makeover in a year or 2. My boobs are flat and saggy now and they are the only part of my body I am unhappy with right now. My stomach has some loose skin but it still feels better than it did at 264 lbs. From what I understand genetics, age and prior weight all play into loose skin. I am working on giving myself grace and accepting my imperfections and working to continue to improve as much as I can. Advice Welcome....

I hear you loud and clear. My weight loss is already starting to slow down. I am hoping that I have a good foundation now for the continued journey. I would like to continue to lose more but it seems it is going to be slow and harder to do as I get closer to goal. Just going to take it day by day meal by meal. Any advice is always welcome!

I think yours makes more sense to me than mine did lol. I had a clear liquid diet, all clear fruit juices unlimited. Therefore, lots of carbs. I followed it, lost weight but the jury is still out to why my surgeon preferred that diet. Everything turned out fine in the end. Surgery was fast and successful. But as cellbell said low carb is what shrinks the liver is what I have always read.

KSW22 I am sorry to hear you can not do your revision surgery and am wondering if you have ever looked into keto/low carb? I had the roux en y in dec 2004 and lost 100 lbs, but than got almost back up to my original weight. Two years ago i found keto and Dr. Ken Berry (u tube him). I had success with losing about 70 lbs, but last year when covid hit I got off track and am now getting ready to start over. It is the closest thing to what i should have done after my 1st surgery, if I had only known than what I know now. look into it and if you have questions feel free to ask.

We’ll done!!! My SW and GW numbers are almost identical to yours. I’m 5’4” and 54 years old. I’m impressed at how fit and toned your body is, and I am hopeful that I might not have any issues with extra skin. Did you do anything special—apart from exercising, weights, and so on—to ward off problems with extra skin? My biceps are a concern for me. I would really like to avoid cosmetic surgery to remove extra skin. I appreciate any guidance you might be able to offer me. And again, congratulations on your great success!

Misconceptions abound. My often cited one is looking at a person who is poor and obese. People will say look at that person complaining about not having money but probably wasted their money on food. The misconception is, poor people have poor food choices. Their diet consists of cheap over processed carb based foods. Eating these on a consistent basis will eventually lead to obesity. These poor food choices are direct marketed, readily available, easy to consume and cheaply priced. I too was a victim of this until I started to eat better quality food to maintain my weight loss. I don't know how many times I had to explain this to people who have no clue about food nutrition. I can't blame them, until my WLS I didn't know as well.

Looking good. Now, in the coming months the most difficult part of the journey will be upon you. The maintenance of your weight loss and the continuance of your good health. Many before you have experienced the overwhelming joy and gratitude of such a rapid weight loss. It is such a great experience and due to surgery attainable. In time our bodies start to revert back to some sense of normalcy and the battle to keep the weight off will be a daily struggle. You're doing everything right and all is going to plan, best of luck on your life's battle with weight loss.

If your wanting to track your moods and things along with your calories and intake you could just use the notepad app in your phone. I use it to track my weight. I record it daily but on surgery date each month I delete all but that day so I can see the downward trend month to month.

I grew as a chubby kid but once I entered school, I was kept in sports my whole life so being skinny was my normal life. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 22. I was at 150 pounds. A tad bit overweight but hey, I was a university kid who would party, drink and eat junk all the time. What was I expecting? it's what us, uni kids do... right? PCOS never tempered with my life so why care. It wasn't until I was 24 when the weight became my biggest nightmare. It was as if it came with vengeance, full force. This is when everything 'clicked' for me. I would always do crash diets, starve, Intermediate fasting, juicing... you name it, I've tried it. NOTHING WORKED. I would diet with no weight loss. AND TRUST ME... I CALORIE COUNTED EVERY GRAIN OF RICE OR OUNCE. I would go to the gym religiously for 2 hours at a time...I would weigh myself every morning in hopes I finally lost a pound. This developed an unhealthy addiction and I ended up with an eating disorder. I would give up on dieting and binge eat thousands of calories at a time. I would feel guilty, mentally, emotionally, and psychically. I would vomit and start over. I missed the "skinny" me desperately to the point I jeopardized my body, my mind and killed my metabolism due to my eating disorder. I was sitting at my heaviest at 210. For some, this weight isn't much but keep in mind- I didn't feel like myself anymore. I wasn't happy. I would drink myself to sleep. I would cry because I felt that I could have done better with taking care of my body, But Instead, I tortured my body thinking I was doing the "right thing." Scared and lost, I turned to my last resort and to fix my alcohol addiction and health around with the VSG. I am now 1 month post op and down to 169. I hope to get down to 110 like I used to be. But honestly, I just want to be happy again. This time. HEALTHY, regardless of the weight. People think that only thin people have eating disorders but, oh boy are they wrong. I am still learning how to deal with my new tummy. But What I keep in mind is, that this surgery is a tool. Not a 'miracle' surgery. I still need to eat healthy to get the results. And I aim to do so.

Unfortunately the glorious & heady weight loss of the pre & immediately post surgery days doesn’t last. Think of this time as the kickstart. Around month 3+/- when your weight loss starts to slow is when reality begins to set in again. You’re eating solid foods, there are more foods you can eat, your portions are getting larger & you’re consuming more calories. Just stay your course. It’s not a race. You’ll reach your goal in your time which is the right time for you. You can’t control factors like gender, age, metabolic rate, weight loss history, etc. which influence how much & the rate at which you’ll lose. Remember the axioms: the more you have to lose the faster you’ll lose to begin & the closer to your goal the more slowly you’ll lose.

I kept very closely to the plan I was given & the recommendations from my dietician & surgeon. They knew what they’re talking about. Your plan would advise when you can start to try to include certain foods in your diet as your tummy can’t digest some things to begin - too coarse, too fibrous, too dense, too rich, etc. When you’re able to eat solid foods again it’s not a free for all. You need to be careful not to stress & strain your tummy & digestion. It will be sensitive & as you’re discovering may not tolerate some things you used to enjoy. (It does improve but it takes time.) We’re advised to avoid nutrient poor pasta, rice & bread because they tend to swell in your tiny tummy & fill you up so you’re unable to eat the protein & other nutrients you really need. Remember you physically are only able to eat small portions if anything. There are pretty good alternatives about. A lot of people swear by a ricotta bake which reminds people of pizza or in time you could try pizza made with a cauliflower rice or a shredded chicken base. Try zucchini noodles instead of pasta. You will be able to eat salads in a little while. Some people will say they ate bread, rice, pasta, etc. without issue at some point while they were losing. Some successfully with careful portion control incorporate these things & foods like pizza occasionally in maintenance. Personally, I decided that the weight loses phase was the perfect opportunity to change the way I ate & what I ate & I still stay away from lots of foods - I realised they were danger foods for me. But ultimately, it’s your decision. You have to do what works for you. Good luck.

I fortunately just missed the 400 club, but am 6' 3" with a HW of 382 on 7/3/19, but thought I would "weigh in" on this topic. SW 309 5/18/20 for VSG CW 216 15 months after surgery. I hit my goal weight of 220 about 7 months post op and have maintained in a ~10lb range (213-222). Taking in about 2000 calories daily and doing well. When I start creeping up, I lower to 1800 or so until I get back down. Working so far, still tracking every day, hydrating, exercising, focus on my macros. I've scheduled a tummy tuck in late September to deal with the loose skin. Excited, but nervous about that.

Glad you are hanging in there! Keep working at it! I’ve been slow in my weightloss too, but still losing, and I’m very thankful for that! I am 15 lbs. from my goal, so I know it will still take awhile, but if I don’t lose another pound I am thankful for what I have lost and hope it continues. The dr. Told me at my 7 month visit that he was very pleased and said I shouldn’t want to lose much more because if I get sick I still have some weight to help. My goal is 135 or 130, I go back and forth about which one, and I’m presently at 145. I was 209 when I started, and it’s now been 9 mos. I started out the first few weeks losing 5 lbs at a week but that only lasted a couple weeks and suddenly I was down only 1-1-1/2 lbs. a week, and it has stayed that way ever since. But I fell a lot better than I did for the first couple months. I was always sooo tired. I have a lot more energy now and I can walk much better. I’m so very thankful I had this operation.

I found out today that I approved and my surgery date is Sept 15. It’s so surreal. I wanted it for years.But didn’t pursue it and when I finally did my insurance at the time didn’t cover any type of weight loss. It’s been 18 years of waiting. When I was 23 I had Kaiser but thought the 6 mos of classes was too long 🤦‍♀️🙄. I look at cute outfits that I never even glanced at before and think “wow I will be able to wear that” I’m in shock. I’m nervous about the actual surgery as well. Ahhh my emotions are all over the place.

I lost weight faster on the pre op diet but I was a lower starting BMI. I lost 14 in two weeks pre op then 10 in my first month post op and less each month from there. But again I was lower starting BMI so I am a slow loser.

Firstly, Congrats!!! 31 pounds is a great victory! It is very normal to experience a stall at that stage. Anywhere from week 2-week 6, most people experience their first stall. By re-evaluating, I wouldn't decrease your calories since I am sure you are eating less than 500-600 calories a day. Move around, up your protein and water. Stalls can last anywhere from a week to a month (from what I read.) but keep in mind, majority of us experience them and they are a pain in the ass to break. Don't feel discouraged as your body is still healing and trying to catch up to your rapid weight loss. Give this time to stay off the scale and focus on your intakes in terms of water and protein. I focus on 80g of protein (with collagen peptide powder and fiber powder) 64 ounces of water (I despise water with a passion ugh) and my calories are anywhere from 500-600 a day as recommended by my NUT. Good luck.