Weight stabilizing so quick?

[newbegining2024 71]

I got my revision to gastric bypass back in Jan 2024 and loss total of 78 lbs from 273lbs, now 195lbs. However on surgery date I was 250lbs. So 55lbs weight loss after surgery. I consider 55 lbs weight loss to be slow weight loss after 10 months. And to mention I’ve been going to the gym for the pass 6 months and average 3 hours weekly work out time. Not just regular gym work out… I joined orange theory and also workout classes in hot sauna room. A lot of HIIT workouts.

The past 3-4 months I’ve been struggling to loss more. I would loss 3 lbs and plateau for a month and then gain back 3-4 lbs within a few days… it’s been this cycle for a while now.

I have to admit that I am eating more compare to right after the surgery, but still not the amount that I am binging and eating too much. I would say 5-8 oz depends how hungry I am. On days I go to the gym, I am more hungry. I still control fat and sugar intake. I eat Protein more than carb. I don’t drink with my meals.

My nutritionist said maybe my body is trying to stabilize my weight loss, and I might lose weight at a more slow rate now. If this continue then I will have to speak with him again.

I know my weight loss is very slow, but I feel that my size is going down tho. I am now size 12 M/L from 22 XXL, sometime I even fit in size small… which is funny to me, because I took my family’s old clothing when they were size M they weight 160lbs, but I am 195lbs.

I do have some excess skin and it’s getting bothersome. Clothes just don’t fit properly and I feel trap in this body…I still don’t feel like myself even after losing almost 80lbs. My size might not seem big, but my weight is still high. I want to reach my goal weight of 100lbs weight loss at 175lbs.

At the moment I have plastic surgeries in the back of my mind and I can’t wait to reach my goal and get it done, but I am afraid I don’t reach my goal… the past 3-4 months I am just maintaining the same weight.

Sorry I am rambling, but I want to hear how long it takes for all of you to get to your weight stabilizing stage? How do you know for sure you reached your lowest weight?

Edited 6 hours ago by newbegining2024

[BigSue 1,360]

How many calories are you eating? "5-8 oz" is not a meaningful measure of the number of calories you're eating. 5-8 ounces of Peanut Butter is a lot more calories than 5-8 ounces of cauliflower. If your weight is stable over a long period of time, you're eating a maintenance level of calories. The smaller you are, the fewer calories you burn just to operate and move your body, so if you're eating the same number of calories at 195 pounds as you were eating at 273 pounds, you're not going to lose weight as quickly, and maybe not at all. If you want to keep losing weight, you will have to reduce your calorie intake.

Calorie intake is much more important for weight loss than exercise. Exercise is certainly beneficial, but as you have noticed, it makes you hungrier, and it's very easy to eat more extra calories than what you burn from exercise -- especially if you're not monitoring your calorie intake.

Also, don't get too hung up on the number on the scale. There's no magic in reaching your goal weight. You might need to reevaluate your expectations. It's quite possible that your goal weight will be too low for your body, especially if you are building muscle. And don't be in such a rush to get plastic surgery, either. Your body will redistribute itself over time, so some parts of your body that you don't like now may improve on their own without plastic surgery. You may still want to get plastic surgery eventually, but there's a reason most surgeons want you to have a stable weight for a while before you get it.

[newbegining2024 71]

On 11/15/2024 at 21:37, BigSue said:

How many calories are you eating? "5-8 oz" is not a meaningful measure of the number of calories you're eating. 5-8 ounces of Peanut Butter is a lot more calories than 5-8 ounces of cauliflower. If your weight is stable over a long period of time, you're eating a maintenance level of calories. The smaller you are, the fewer calories you burn just to operate and move your body, so if you're eating the same number of calories at 195 pounds as you were eating at 273 pounds, you're not going to lose weight as quickly, and maybe not at all. If you want to keep losing weight, you will have to reduce your calorie intake.

Calorie intake is much more important for weight loss than exercise. Exercise is certainly beneficial, but as you have noticed, it makes you hungrier, and it's very easy to eat more extra calories than what you burn from exercise -- especially if you're not monitoring your calorie intake.

Also, don't get too hung up on the number on the scale. There's no magic in reaching your goal weight. You might need to reevaluate your expectations. It's quite possible that your goal weight will be too low for your body, especially if you are building muscle. And don't be in such a rush to get plastic surgery, either. Your body will redistribute itself over time, so some parts of your body that you don't like now may improve on their own without plastic surgery. You may still want to get plastic surgery eventually, but there's a reason most surgeons want you to have a stable weight for a while before you get it.

Hi Sue, I’m eating about 1000-1200 calories a day on the days I am working out. I add a Protein Drink as my snack for the days I work out. If I am not working out, I eat around 900-1000 calories. I’m still following 3oz Protein, 1oz veggie and 1oz carb rule. When I am more hungry I add more protein instead of 3oz protein I eat 5oz protein.

You might be right about working out, it might not be the key to losing weight. That’s why my size is shrinking but not my weight. It definitely helps burn the fat though. I think this is also why I have so much excess skin. I have excess skin on my arms, tummy, thigh, back… basically everywhere, I know it will not bounce back just because how much hang I have. Even the weight didn’t change much, the excess skin is getting more wrinkly day by day.

[Arabesque 7,219]

@BigSue is right on the mark. I will also add that not everyone reaches their goal. And that’s okay. The win is you’ve lost weight and are healthier than you were. Remember that your goal weight is an arbitrary number you chose not the weight your body settles at & is happiest at as your new set point the surgery has gifted you.

The point people’s weight stabilises at is different person to person. You do tend to lose the most in the first 6-12 months but people can lose for another year. Not everyone but some do. It took about 17months for my weight to finally stabilise. Though I reached goal at 6 months I kept losing for another 11months & at a very slow rate. (Took 6 months to lose 31kg then 11 months to lose the final 11kg.) Your rate of loss will get slower and slower as you near your final stabilised weight. It could be ounces a week or even a month near the end. So you may not have finished losing yet.

But do check your calorie intake. If you’re maintaining at the calories you’re consuming now you’ll have to eat less to lose more. And you will have to eat fewer calories than you are now if you want to maintain at a lower weight than you are now.

Another consideration is you’ve likely built up a lot of muscle with the activity you do. Muscle does way a little more than fat and it will change your physical shape somewhat too which may explain some of the clothing size discrepancies you’re noticed.

There are lots of averages and generalisations around weight loss (how fast, how much, when things will happen, how many calories you need, how much activity, etc.). We’re too different for the sane hard and fast rules to apply to everyone, You just have to find what works and is right for you, your lifestyle and your body.

PS: Another average, but exercise only accounts for about 10% of the weight you are to lose. Better to look at exercise for the benefits it brings to your cardiac health, muscle strength, flexibility, bone density, etc. & not so much for weight loss.

Edited 3 hours ago by Arabesque

[newbegining2024 71]

I read my post and it made me seem so negative. I’m definitely not trying to do that. This journey was the best decision I made.

I was scrolling on my phone and I couldn’t find many pictures of the old me… I only took 1 before picture the day before I had the surgery. I was also hiding behind someone or only took upper body pictures . Then I look at recently, I have so much more pictures, taking selfies, and even full body pictures. I’m much more confident about myself. I want to share my happiness, so I’m sharing my before and after pictures.

First 3 before and the rest after.