Benefits of losing weight slower than expected

[butterfly23 423]

I am 3 months post-op and am tired of focusing on how much I have not lost. I’ve been eating 80-100 g of Protein, drinking at least 70 ounces Water, staying under 1000 calories and am active. I started at very high weight and expected to lose more than 45 lbs my first 3 months, but I am tired of focusing on what I have not lost instead of what I have gained. I am so grateful for my sleeve and my chance to live a healthier life. This is my ode to losing weight more slowly than expected and the benefits:

• More time to develop healthy eating habits before maintenance
• Skin has more time to catch up (more time to lotion!)
• Shifting focus to NSVs like sitting in booths and chairs with arms
• Less chance of gallstones
• Opportunity to practice loving kindness towards myself and being grateful for any positive change
• Chance to manage expectations – if it wasn’t for WLS, I’d be thrilled with my loss, so why not be thrilled now?
• Practice focusing on my own wins and not comparing self to others
• Not having to explain to others since loss isn’t dramatic (yet)
• Chance to trust the process and not focus on the end (self-care, water/protein/low-carb/active)
• Redefine success as how I feel, not numbers on scale
• Understanding this is not a diet, this is my lifestyle now, so what is the rush?

Have you had a benefit to a stall or slower than expected losing?

[NoMoBand 278]

EXCELLENT post!!

[Soapandcandlequeen 124]

This is great!

[butterfly23 423]

Thanks @@NoMoBand and @@Soapandcandlequeen! I am hoping others may add to this list as I am working hard to focus on the positives and can always use more ideas. Best of luck to you!

[leag78 469]

I'm also a slow loser. I only lost 50 lbs in 3 months. It concerned me until I read your list. It encouraged me to believe that even though I'm losing my weight slower than others, the point is I'm losing the weight. So actually I'm winning. We are all winning here.

[Babbs 14,681]

Lol! @leag78....ONLY 50 pounds in 3 months?? I've got news for you....that's not slow.

I'd lost a little over 50 pounds at 6 months. And I've lost 28 pounds since (5 months later) THAT'S slow.

[leag78 469]

It depends on where you started from @@Babbs, because my sw 342, 4/8/15. You probably started a lot lower which explains your slower weight loss...lol

Edited July 16, 2015 by leag78

[LVGhostgirl 84]

I'm a slow looser!! Thanks for the post.

[Babbs 14,681]

You are correct in the sense that the lower starting BMI, the slower the weight loss. But even with your starting weight, 50 pounds in 3 months is not slow. It averages out to 16 pounds a month.

I'm just curious, how much were you expecting to lose in 3 months? What was the average your surgeon expected? @@leag78

[leag78 469]

At least 65 lbs in 3 months. They have high expectations.

[rp1980 116]

While I won't say I'm a slow loser, the weight loss after three months has certainly slowed and this list is a nice reminder to keep myself on track. @@leag78 I was sleeved on 4/6! I don't see a lot of April sleevers. My SW was 311, though I was 325 before my two-week pre op diet. We're both out of the 300s woohoo.

[tomi71 581]

I am 3 months post-op and am tired of focusing on how much I have not lost. I’ve been eating 80-100 g of Protein, drinking at least 70 ounces Water, staying under 1000 calories and am active. I started at very high weight and expected to lose more than 45 lbs my first 3 months, but I am tired of focusing on what I have not lost instead of what I have gained. I am so grateful for my sleeve and my chance to live a healthier life. This is my ode to losing weight more slowly than expected and the benefits:

• More time to develop healthy eating habits before maintenance
• Skin has more time to catch up (more time to lotion!)
• Shifting focus to NSVs like sitting in booths and chairs with arms
• Less chance of gallstones
• Opportunity to practice loving kindness towards myself and being grateful for any positive change
• Chance to manage expectations – if it wasn’t for WLS, I’d be thrilled with my loss, so why not be thrilled now?
• Practice focusing on my own wins and not comparing self to others
• Not having to explain to others since loss isn’t dramatic (yet)
• Chance to trust the process and not focus on the end (self-care, water/protein/low-carb/active)
• Redefine success as how I feel, not numbers on scale
• Understanding this is not a diet, this is my lifestyle now, so what is the rush?

Have you had a benefit to a stall or slower than expected losing?

When it came to explaining rapid weight loss I feigned illness (after all, obesity IS a disease, right?) I mostly told folks that I went to the crossroads at midnight and made a deal. LOL THAT usually stops questions.

You bring up such important points because everybody's experience is different and it's so tempting to compare ourselves and while sharing notes and experiences can be helpful it can also cause turmoil if we think we're not making progress.

Anywho, Rome wasn't built in a day! Good things take time!

Edited July 17, 2015 by tomi71

[butterfly23 423]

@@rp1980 @leag78 congrats on your loss and hard work thus far! As a fellow April sleever, I cannot believe it has been three months since our surgery. I still have at least a couple months until I get out of the 300s but you and others on this site are inspiration. As my post indicated, I am trying not to focus on the scale but it is hard not to so I have posted my list where I can see it to remind me of the benefits of losing slower than expected.

[rp1980 116]

@@butterfly23 when were you sleeved in April? I can't believe it's been three months, either! You should be very proud of your 45-lb weight loss! I love the list. And I agree, we're in this for the long haul. At the end of the day, what does it matter if it takes is one year or two years to reach goal? I'm just happy that I'm losing!

[borg/assimilated 576]

@@butterfly23

I am also a slow loser. I love bullet point six, which I have found myself thinking as well. If I hadn't had WLS wouldn't I be thrilled with losing 4-6 pounds a month ( which is what I have averaged the last 3 months)? I am losing! I sometimes have a little concern over not losing as much early post WLS as it is supposed to get harder after 6 months, but maybe for us slower losers it will just continue to be slow and steady?