Six months post op questions

[Olypie 41]

I had my 6 month check in today and they are happy with my progress. I'm down 84 pounds from my highest weight. But somehow still feel like I'm failing.

I'm 266 and would personally like to reach 150. So that will have to be 200 pounds total loss. My surgeon thinks I'll only reach 180. I know not much difference but it just smarts I guess.

My nut says I should still only be eating 1/2 cup food total per meal. But I can eat more than that and have mainly been eating til comfortably full. Is this truly what I should be eating per meal?

My surgeon was surprised I was still feeling any restriction with my sleeve this far out and that really confused me. I thought restriction was supposed to last much much longer, like years.

He also said that at 6 months the body's metabolism catches back up and weightloss becomes more difficult and that by the 1 year mark whatever you've lost is pretty much it.

Now I know I should be doing more physically like walking even if it's hot outside etc. So I only have myself to blame for that, but is all this stuff true? Is the first year basically it for losing weight?

I just feel so overwhelmed because I thought I was doing great yet it seems just the opposite.

Would love to hear from others and what you've been told or experienced this far and further out.

[Introversion 1,876]

2 minutes ago, Olypie said:

Is the first year basically it for losing weight?

Weight loss with a sleeve differs depending on the manner in which the sleeved person works their tool. If you devote extra effort, you'll likely be rewarded by reaching your goal weight.

Some peoples' sleeved honeymoon periods last only 6 months whereas others slowly lose weight for up to 24 months post-op. Personally, I entered maintenance at 18 months out. Then again, I was a slower loser who took 17+ months to lose 100 pounds.

I eat one cup of food per meal. Usually it's about 5 to 6 ounces of meat and about 3 ounces of steamed or roasted veggies.

Physical activity is what helped get me to my goal weight. I started a walk/jog routine at 3 months out. Nowadays I run 20+ miles per week and do weightlifting 3 times a week.

The weightlifting has kept my metabolic rate high, even in the face of hypothyroidism. I have more muscle mass than the average 30-something female, so I maintain my 118-pound frame on 2000+ calories daily when most people my size would regain with that amount of food intake.

[JoyandLight 42]

You ARE doing well! 80+ lbs in 6 months is incredible! Congrats, your hard work paid off!
Your docs words were very discouraging. I've never heard it stops that early, loss just slows down.
You've already lost 84lbs, if you want to be 150, you can do it!

[carolynjackson 171]

Ur doing great, keep at it, don't get discouraged,

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using BariatricPal mobile app

[Berry78 4,261]

Doctors use the averages from large groups of people to guestimate the future. It's true that the majority of sleeve patients don't make it all the way to a normal bmi. But it doesn't mean that you will be in the majority. We have several outliers here in the board, but most of them do seem to have one thing in common. Regular exercise.

Now is a great time to start a regular exercise program to help spur on those losses. The first 6 months are you getting used to your sleeve and healing. Use the next year to really take it to another level and make goal.

If you have physical challenges, don't give up, diet is still way more important than gym time (think of it like 90/10, diet/exercise.)

[Dabearo 118]

My doc and bariatric therapist said to expect to loss about 70% of the weight from 6-9 months post op "surgery effect" The remaining 30% will come off with time, diet and exercise.

We shall see!

[ShelterDog64 2,364]

My very rapid weight loss period did last about 6 months and then slowed significantly, but I was still losing. At 15 months post-op, I'm 7 pounds from my goal which will be 102 lbs lost. There is a 'honeymoon' period with the sleeve, clearly, but that doesn't mean you can't continue to lose. I have an online friend who is my role model for this process, and she lost her weight over a period of two years...the second year slowly but it still came off. I still weigh myself twice a week and will randomly drop half a pound regardless of what I'm eating or doing, so I feel pretty confident that I'll eventually get to goal.
I AM surprised that your surgeon doesn't expect you to feel restriction any longer at 6 months post-op. Mine is still very present, although I portion well enough that I don't feel it very often.
I'm sorry your surgeon was discouraging about your weight-loss chances. I appreciate when they treat us like adults and don't sugar-coat things, but at the same time this seems to be something that could sabotage your success. SO MUCH of this is mental and the last thing any of us need is negativity interfering with our efforts.
Keep at it, add in some exercise and you'll continue to lose!

[Sullie06 1,013]

I'm 7.5 months out and can eat 5-6 ounces depending on what it is that I'm eating. I'm also still losing weight though it has slowed down after about 5 months post op. I've lost 75 pounds since surgery (105 total) and my NUT said that she still things I can lose another 15-20 pounds which is my goal weight.

[Olypie 41]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement. They mean a lot!