Old timers...need guidance

luvbskts
on 10/14/16 11:10 am

My surgery was done almost 3 years ago.  I still haven't made it to my goal but I'm down 150lbs.  I can live with that :)  I've also been doing a good job maintaining.  Now for the silly question...I find myself being envious of the newbies talking about dropping 50lbs in month.  I no longer have that rapid weight loss.  It's no longer the sleeve doing this...it's all me.  Is this normal or am I messed up in the head? lol

Gwen M.
on 10/14/16 11:19 am, edited 10/14/16 4:52 am
VSG on 03/13/14

I don't think I've ever felt that way, but that doesn't mean you're messed up in the head.  I recently started eating the way I was supposed to again and lost 20 pounds fairly quickly.  I never lost 50 pounds in a month, though, I averaged around 10, which worked for me!  (And since I'm still working on losing weight, it's nice to know that being vigilant will still reward me with ~8 pounds a month.)

The people I'm really envious of are those who are 5+ years out, have reached their goal, gotten plastic surgery, and living the life of maintenance.  

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

TimeToHealRich2016
on 10/14/16 11:20 am - CA
VSG on 07/11/16

I guess I'm a newbie but still have a thought that I too will be envious of stories that show big monthly weight losses.  So you aren't abnormal in being envious.  But I also must be honest with you that I ENVY YOU having done this three years ago...that was far better than for those of us "newbies" who just took control this year.  Yes, I had a great first month and now it is tapering down on following months so everyone responds differently. Look on the bright side that you have had 3 great years while others have been struggling.  Rich in SoCal

HW: 447 SW: 415 GW: 240 CW: 339 Total WL = 110

WL: Pre-op: -32 M1: -27 M2: -19 M3: -14 M4: -9 M5 & M6: -9 in progress

LeapSecond
on 10/14/16 11:45 am - AR

I don't see many losing 50# at a time. Long term success is getting back to basics.  Your tool is still in place.  

HW=362(6/14) SW=314(9/14) GW=195 CW=270 (1-26-2020)

Sai F.
on 10/14/16 12:49 pm
VSG on 09/02/16

Nah, you're not messed up. :) I'm only 6 wks post-op gastric sleeve, but am an old timer with my lap band (7 yrs) which was pretty successful as it brought me to onederland. One of the reasons I usually don't talk weight in my updates on forums is because I can't allow myself to think of it as a "race", I have always lost 1-3 lbs a week on average. Not the slowest and definitely not the fastest. I see others who have lost so much faster than myself through the years, and  although I'm happy for them, sometimes it does make us second guess ourselves, our program, our doctors, our procedures... etc. In the end, you've lost a whopping 150 lbs, and keeping it off, that is amazing in itself. You have the tools, you know the rules, so when you're ready, you can try to bring your weight lower if need be. ^^

Banded June 2009- Allergan 10mL AP-S

Revised to Sleeve in September 2016

Grim_Traveller
on 10/14/16 2:16 pm
RNY on 08/21/12

I haven't seen anyone lose 50 pounds in a month. I can count on one hand the number of people who lost 30 in one month.

I've lost close to 300 pounds. The most I lost in one month was 24 pounds. That was more than good enough for me.

Work the plan. Weigh your food and log every bite, and you can get to your goal.

6'3" tall, male.

Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.

M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.

califsleevin
on 10/14/16 2:28 pm - CA

There are two advantages that the newbies have that you don't. One is that they are starting at a higher weight, and all that extra weight takes calories to move around, so their caloric deficit tend to be at the maximum that first month. Those guys who are posting the incredible numbers are invariably very heavy - 4-500lb or more and frequently guys (testicles burn more calories than ovaries, or at least the metabolic result of such does...) But usually the percent of excess weight lost that first month is lower. That 500lb guy losing 50lb has lost about 15% of his excess weight that first month. He still has a long way to go; how much excess weight did you lose that first month (percentage, not pounds)? I lost 32lb the first month which isn't as impressive, but then that represented 32% of my excess weight - not bad at all, and better than most. Be glad that you don't have this "advantage" working for you!

The other factor that adds to that great first month number is the physiology of weight loss - when we go into a big caloric deficit, whether surgically induced or not, our bodies first burn up its quick energy stores of glycogen, which is basically stored carbohydrates. Being primarily carbs, they burn very quickly, at around 2000 calories per pound. Once that has burned off (and we go through that third week stall...) and our body gets the idea that you are serious about this caloric deficit thing, it starts drawing on your fat stores (finally!) which burn more slowly (around that typical 3500 calories per pound number.)

This second factor you can still attain by going into a significant caloric deficit (that's the hard part) but you do have to stick with it thru that third week stall to get the long term effect.

1st support group/seminar - 8/03 (has it been that long?)  

Wife's DS - 5/05 w Dr. Robert Rabkin   VSG on 5/9/11 by Dr. John Rabkin

 

missc_26
on 10/14/16 4:55 pm
VSG on 10/03/16

This is a great post and hopefully will help shift the perception that it's all about speed vs consistent weight loss. Using the percentage is a great tool to track things.

The race is long and it's only with yourself. Staying on track and remembering to continue to celebrate our achievements along the way is the best way to keep moving forward.

happyteacher
on 10/14/16 5:56 pm

We won't lose as much, because we are no longer carrying around that extra 150 pounds... hence our calorie deficit simply will not be as significant. I have lost about 30 pounds since this time last year. Granted, the loss is a result of difficulty eating, gallbladder surgery, hiatel hernia...  but still a loss due to not eating as much. I do think that if I am 100% on plan with those calories down lower similar to my weight loss phase, I do lose. I also still lose in that same stair step pattern. This means I go a couple weeks with nothing, than several pounds over night. My averages for the monthly loss was slower, but given I was not "trying" to lose weight (but not fighting the loss either) that makes sense. 

I think the part that is different is that we no longer have the shiny new sleeve and the major changes that came with it. We are fully adjusted and this is just our normal now. Due to this, it now feels more like dieting and work than it did early out. 

Surgeon: Chengelis  Surgery on 12/19/2011  A little less carb eating compared to my weight loss phase loose sleever here!

1Mo: -21  2Mo: -16  3Mo: -12  4MO - 13  5MO: -11 6MO: -10 7MO: -10.3 8MO: -6  Goal in 8 months 4 days!!   6' 2''  EWL 103%  Starting size 28 or 4x (tight) now size 12 or large, shoe size 12 w to 10.5   150+ pounds lost  

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AK_Gipson
on 10/15/16 1:51 pm
VSG on 04/14/14

Exactly! It's work now. The honeymoon is over.... But it isn't as scary, because I know I have the tool to help me for the rest of my life :) 

           HW:292 / SW:258 / CW 173.9

      
  

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