10 months post-op

[Pinkbunny 10]

I’m currently 10 months post op. I was sleeved March 12, 2021 at 200 lbs. I’m 5’3 and weigh 149 currently. These last two months have been the slowest months for me. Like 3-5 lbs per month. I know, it’s Heart breaking 😒. What I’ve realized is because I’m smaller, my body requires less calories to lose, so I googled a calorie calculator and I have to eat 680 CALORIES TO KEEP LOSING. That’s insane!! I would starve every single day and be miserable, but my goal weight is 110-120. Has anyone else gotten to my weight and dealt with the struggle of trying to continue to lose weight on such low calories? How did that work for you? I’m currently trying to substitute meals with tea, so I can manage 680 calories. I guess it’s working lol.

[lizonaplane 1,612]

Do not eat only 680 calories a day. That is not healthy once you are that far out. I'm not sure what calculator told you that, but it's not realistic. Did you set it to lose a lot of weight every week? Talk to your nutritionist.

It is harder to lose weight as you get thinner, but 3-5lbs a month is a LOT when you are ten months out and very close to a healthy BMI (I am your height and 141 is the top of "normal" BMI.).

What you do needs to be sustainable; drinking tea instead of meals is NOT sustainable, and not healthy. I'm 4 months out and I am eating about 850-100 calories a day, which is within the normal range for 4 months out, per my nutritionist.

[Hop_Scotch 1,630]

I agree with Lizonaplane, you are very close to a a healthy weight for your height, weight loss is going to be lower and slower for you now, much patience will be needed. The weight loss you are achieving is actually really good as this point and at your weight.

[ShoppGirl 4,790]

I agree. I was sleeved March 9 and also started with a low BMI. I am 9 pounds from goal (and top of “normal” bmi) and seem to be almost stalled there. I am going to try adding exercise before reducing calories any further but I am eating a lot more than you at 1000-1200 most days.

Edited January 10, 2022 by ShoppGirl

[catwoman7 11,212]

it took me 20 months to lose all my weight, and the last three or four months were slow as molasses. I was eating more than 680 calories, though. I was eating more like 1200.

the closer you are to a normal BMI, the harder and slower it is to lose weight. Three to five lbs a month is actually pretty good. There were some months near the end when I only lost about 2 lbs the whole month.

ever go to Weight Watchers meetings and listen to these barely overweight people scream and moan about how hard it is to lose 10 lbs? I used to (mentally) roll my eyes when I overheard such conversations. Now I totally get it.

just stick to your plan. It'll be slow, but you'll get there.

[MistySkye 181]

I’m 5lbs from normal BMI - and it feels like it’s crawling, but I’m still losing on avg 1lb per week, so within a normal expected loss range. I actually have been upping my calories lately, and out of nowhere dropped 2.6 this week.

[Arabesque 7,256]

First, everyone’s rate of weight loss slows as they get closer to goal. So you’re doing fine. Secondly I’m your height and basically maintained my weight (110lb+/-) now for a good year. So, yes reaching a lower weight is possible. But you & I are still very different. We may be the same height but I’m 56, have a small frame, am not very active & have a low muscle mass.

I reached my goal at 6 months consuming about 900 calories. I continued to lose. I found it challenging to eat enough food to slow/stop the weight loss. It was 11 more months & losing another 11kg (24llb) before I stabilised. By then I was eating 1200-1300 calories. I eat about 1300 to maintain now. Honestly, my surgeon & GP were concerned with my continuing weight loss & my weight when I stabilised. They’re happy now but continue to monitor me carefully (every 3 or 4 months) for which I’m grateful.

I’ve looked at some of those weight loss tables too & they all advise different recommended calorie levels for me to lose or maintain. (An iIF one advised 1000 calories for me to maintain recently - wrong!) They don’t know who you are physiologically or psychologically. They don’t take into consideration your frame, your muscle mass, your weight loss history, your metabolic rate, etc. They don’t consider whether your weight loss goal is healthy for you.

The question is if you have to eat 650 calories to get to the weight you want how many calories will you need to eat to maintain your lower weight? A low weight goal is not always sustainable in the long term. Eating a restrictive low calorie diet also is not sustainable - it’s why diets fail. By continuing to eat so few calories you’ll also damage your metabolic rate? The surgery boosted your metabolism. Do you want to risk damaging it again?

Talk to your surgeon & your dietician about your goals. At this stage you should be continuing to increase your caloric intake & working out your long term eating plan.

I don’t know I if I will be able to maintain my weight into the future. Life can throw crap at us or I may decide I want to be more flexible in my food choices.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Arabesque

[Pinkbunny 10]

This is all great advice!! I upped my Water intake since Monday when I made this post and I’ve lost 3lbs. Since I’m drinking more water through tea, I haven’t been hungry enough to eat more than 800 calories…if I even reach that. This is all a HUGE learning process for me that never ends.