20 moths out and I think Im in maintenance ?

[Betty1971 386]

Hello everyone!

I am 20 months post VSG and for the most part I would say its been successful! I was able to donate a kidney to my daughter in January and she is doing GREAT! My hubby is 3 months post VSG and absolutely killing it! I am very happy for the most part.

I have changed my goal weight a couple times and really wanted to get at a 125 or 130 but my body is just holding on to the last 10 pounds! I have tried all the tricks to get things rolling, upping my calories a tad, more exercise, less exercise and even did a three day Protein Shake restriction just to see if that would bump me out of this. I have a Tummy Tuck with muscle repair scheduled in November. My team told me this is just where my body is comfortable, he called it my new set point.

Has anyone been able to knock off that last few pounds without a super crazy calorie deficit. Now that I only have the one kidney I am very aware of what goes in and out of my body and I don't want to do it any harm.

I am keeping my Protein at 100 grams per the nephrologist and nutritionists request and my calories run about 1300 a day. The math tells me I should still be in loss mode, but clearly I am not.

I also keep telling myself that I am no longer overweight and I do not need to hyper focus on that damn scale!!!! BUT watching my hubby drop so many pounds makes me really really want that end goal!

Anyway they set me up for my tummy tuck (flur de les with muscle repair) for November and I am excited for that :)

[KimA-GA 540]

sounds like you are doing fantastic and all of your family is doing well!

remember the scale is just a number - it more depends on how you feel and it sounds like you feel great!

[Betty1971 386]

That darn number is a crazy thing. It gets in your head and kind of takes over your brain. I still worry every single day that it will start creeping up regardless of what I put in my mouth.
I have retrained my brain when it comes to eating and my relationship with food BUT the mirror and scale are the devils

[The Greater Fool 2,039]

Ignore the number on the scale. What's important is how you feel about where you are.

If you absolutely must lose those 10 pounds, and keep those 10 pounds off, get comfortable with dieting for the rest of your life. Sounds horrible to me, but lucky for you, you're not me.

If you find you are happy and comfortable where you are, welcome to your new goal. Congratulations. You still need to eat and drink mindfully but it doesn't need to rule your life the way weight loss diets do. Go off and enjoy your life.

Those numbers we have in our heads are crazy makers. Yes, you were at your best when you weighed that wonderful weight when you were younger. That's the weight you want. But your body has changed. You now have a larger frame which dieting won't change. That larger frame requires more muscle to move around that dieting wont change. If you get to that perfect number you will not look or feel like you think you will.

Whatever path you choose, make sure it's what you-now want, not what you-then wanted. You-then was young and stupid. You-now are experienced and wiser.

Good luck,

Tek

[kcuster83 1,504]

WOW. All I can say is WOW. ***In a VERY positive way***

First: Absolutely awesome you were able to donate a kidney period, but to your daughter is amazing. Good for you, good for her! So glad to hear she is doing well!

Second: Good for you killin your weight loss journey! You have to end where it makes you happy. Forget the numbers, the recommendation charts etc. Just be happy and healthy!

Third: I love hearing stories where someone's spouse took the WLS plunge. Even better when they are having a great experience. I would love to be going through this with someone at the same time. Common goals, common life style. Seems good to me.

Again. CONGRATULATIONS!

[catwoman7 11,214]

unfortunately, there are women who can only eat 1300 kcal a day in order to maintain. I know women who have to eat even fewer than that to maintain (1000-1200-ish) - and others who can eat 2000 (lucky bums!!!). It's such an individual thing.

and yes -- it's possible that your body has settled in at its new setpoint. You can always go lower by cutting more calories, but that's up to you. I kind of gave up the ghost. Trying to take off more and maintaining at that lower weight was a struggle that I decided wasn't worth my effort anymore (even though I struggled with that for a couple of years and would still have days I'd like to be lower!!)

on the other hand, it's also possible that your body might NOT be at its set point. I do know the last 20 lbs or so was a real bear for me to take off. We're talking like two pounds a month. But I eventually got there...

[pintsizedmallrat 473]

2 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

unfortunately, there are women who can only eat 1300 kcal a day in order to maintain. I know women who have to eat even fewer than that to maintain (1000-1200-ish) - and others who can eat 2000 (lucky bums!!!). It's such an individual thing.

I am one of these people, unfortunately...I'm incredibly short and the weight loss has revealed I have a fairly small frame in addition, so my maintenance calories will likely be somewhere between 1200-1300...I have 4 pounds to go to my goal weight, though, so my weight loss has slowed considerably.

[Arabesque 7,313]

Agree totally with @The Greater Fool. The number on the scale is less than important than how you feel. Happy & healthy should be the real goal.

Can you drop below your set point & lose more? Sure. But it will require you to reduce your calories & up your activity. And when you get to that lower weight you will have to continue to consume fewer calories than you do now & do more physically.. It will be a constant battle because your body is most happy at its set point & will do all it can to keep you at that weight. Only you know if that battle is sustainable.

Don’t forget, if you are going to have skin removal surgery, you will lose another couple of pounds so you may be closer to the lower weight you want to be at than you think anyway.

Maybe the question is why you’ve selected that weight as your goal? An arbitrary number? A number chosen for an emotional reason? Because someone said it was the right number for you? Even science gives you ranges in all things which indicate how healthy you are (body fat, cholesterol, BMI - agree with it or not -, sugar, blood pressure, etc.).

How wonderful you were able to donate your kidney to your daughter. Just think this wouldn’t have been a possibility before your surgery. And it’s fantastic your daughter is doing so well now. Hope your husband continues to be successful with his weight loss too. Congratulations on the weight you have lost.

[Betty1971 386]

How I got to this number is a little silly actually. I weighed 125 when I was 25 years old, in my mind it was the last time I was happy with my body and weight. I am completely aware I am 51 years old now and its silly to compare BUT that mind is an evil thing sometimes.

I am very competitive and I am not a gracious loser and I feel like this is a battle against my will. Anyway, I am just going to keep doing what I am comfortable doing and what I know is sustainable and deal with my demons in my brain!

Thank you everyone,