Happily maintaining 9 months out

[rjan 164]

I'm 9 months out, and I am very, very happy with where I am at. I had my surgery March 11, 2020. I've lost a total of 52 pounds since I started - 48 pounds since the surgery date. SW: 208 CW:156 GW:149 and I'm 5'5". This means I lost about 90% of my excess weight, which studies show is a very typical result for a patient like me who started out with a relatively low BMI (35).

Of course I would still like to lose those last few pounds and officially make it to a normal BMI, but I am very happy with where I am now and would still consider it a resounding success if I can maintain at this weight. I am big boned, and people tell me that I look like a completely normal thin person when I am clothed. You can certainly tell I have lost a lot of weight when I am naked. Even at my heaviest, I never had big breasts or thighs, so most of my lose skin is on my arms and belly. I am very happy not to have saggy breasts. The belly skin makes it so pants that fit great when I am standing feel uncomfortable when I sit, but that's a minor annoyance.

I was very strict with my diet for the first 3.5 months. At that point, I had to have another surgery and was feeling bad for quite a while, so I was not so careful and more carbs and some sugar crept into my diet. However, I continued to lose well through that time. At this stage, it feels like I am learning how to maintain, although I am still losing a pound here or there. It is true that your appetite comes back at some point, and sugar definitely increases my appetite a lot. However, I had been having really bad problems with hunger and sugar before my surgery - I was about to get diabetes, and that is basically why I got the surgery. Right now, the techniques I was using before surgery to try and keep my hunger under control actually work. I eat pretty strictly during the week, and get about half my Protein from my wonderful morning Protein Powder latte. I still eat a lot of eggs and cottage cheese - luckily I have always like them. During weekends, I eat more freely and allow myself to have some sugar. I don't count calories anymore since month 4, but I still weigh a couple times a week. I plan to keep this routine up for the rest of my life, and I think it is very doable.

I kept a detailed weight chart. I did not record every up and down - I only recorded a weight if I had lost from the previous recorded weight. For the first two months, I lost about 3-4 pounds a week. Then I had a 1 month long stall, which was really nerve wracking because it was right at my lowest adult weight, where I'd gotten stuck with weight loss before. There were lots of ups and downs during this period that are not recorded on this chart, but still freaked me out. After I finally broke through the stall, I lost at a 1.5-2 pound per week rate during months 4 and 5. Since then, I've sort of slowly slid into maintenance with a total 7 lb loss over months 6-9.

Before - my 40th birthday Dec. 2019

After - Nov. 2020

After Oct. 2020 (I'm on the left)

Thank you so much to BariatricPal and all the amazing posters here, especially for the long term members who provide a great outlook for how things will change as time goes on!!!!

Edited December 14, 2020 by rjan

[Guest]

Congrats! You look great.

[GreenTealael 25,430]

48 minutes ago, rjan said:

I'm 9 months out, and I am very, very happy with where I am at. I had my surgery March 11, 2020. I've lost a total of 52 pounds since I started - 48 pounds since the surgery date. SW: 208 CW:156 GW:149 and I'm 5'5". This means I lost about 90% of my excess weight, which studies show is a very typical result for a patient like me who started out with a relatively low BMI (35).

Of course I would still like to lose those last few pounds and officially make it to a normal BMI, but I am very happy with where I am now and would still consider it a resounding success if I can maintain at this weight. I am big boned, and people tell me that I look like a completely normal thin person when I am clothed. You can certainly tell I have lost a lot of weight when I am naked. Even at my heaviest, I never had big breasts or thighs, so most of my lose skin is on my arms and belly. I am very happy not to have saggy breasts. The belly skin makes it so pants that fit great when I am standing feel uncomfortable when I sit, but that's a minor annoyance.

I was very strict with my diet for the first 3.5 months. At that point, I had to have another surgery and was feeling bad for quite a while, so I was not so careful and more carbs and some sugar crept into my diet. However, I continued to lose well through that time. At this stage, it feels like I am learning how to maintain, although I am still losing a pound here or there. It is true that your appetite comes back at some point, and sugar definitely increases my appetite a lot. However, I had been having really bad problems with hunger and sugar before my surgery - I was about to get diabetes, and that is basically why I got the surgery. Right now, the techniques I was using before surgery to try and keep my hunger under control actually work. I eat pretty strictly during the week, and get about half my Protein from my wonderful morning Protein Powder latte. I still eat a lot of eggs and cottage cheese - luckily I have always like them. During weekends, I eat more freely and allow myself to have some sugar. I don't count calories anymore since month 4, but I still weigh a couple times a week. I plan to keep this routine up for the rest of my life, and I think it is very doable.

I kept a detailed weight chart. I did not record every up and down - I only recorded a weight if I had lost from the previous recorded weight. For the first two months, I lost about 3-4 pounds a week. Then I had a 1 month long stall, which was really nerve wracking because it was right at my lowest adult weight, where I'd gotten stuck with weight loss before. There were lots of ups and downs during this period that are not recorded on this chart, but still freaked me out. After I finally broke through the stall, I lost at a 1.5-2 pound per week rate during months 4 and 5. Since then, I've sort of slowly slid into maintenance with a total 7 lb loss over months 6-9.

Before - my 40th birthday Dec. 2019

After - Nov. 2020

After Oct. 2020 (I'm on the left)

Thank you so much to BariatricPal and all the amazing posters here, especially for the long term members who provide a great outlook for how things will change as time goes on!!!!

♥️ CONGRATULATIONS ♥️

[GradyCat 3,695]

Congrats! Good job! Way to go!

[ChubRub 1,709]

Congratulations!!!!

[Arabesque 7,414]

Wonderful. I’m very happy for you. 🏆