I remember writing about this a long time ago, and I found the graphic I made to illustrate it, so I thought I would go ahead and write a post about it.

First off, if you're pre-op, I would suggest you take photos. Find a nice plain background, and get someone to snap four pictures of you. If you feel able, I suggest that you do it naked, because you want to be able to see the difference in your SIZE and clothing is good at hiding details. If you can't bring yourself to do the naked, try to at least get one in bra and panties (or just boxers or briefs if you're a man). The more clothing you wear, the less clear your changes will be. Against the plain background, do front, back, right side, left side. Also, measure yourself. When I measured, I measured my neck, upper arm girth, waist, hips, breasts, upper thighs, calves and recorded them with my weight.

Now sometimes as you lose weight, you'll hit a "stall" .... a period of time where the stoopid scale won't move. BUT something you can do while the scale is being stubborn, is take photos. I took photos every month for the first year. And I took measurements and sometimes the measurements changed MORE on the months when the weight loss seemed LESS.

I began to wonder, how can you change your dimensions when you aren't changing your weight? Especially if you're like me and don't exercise (at all).

My theory is what I call the Swiss Cheese Theory: 

Prior to losing weight, our fat might be like a good solid block of Monterey Jack cheese. When we lose weight some of the fat cells have to sacrifice all that stored energy because the food intake isn't enough to balance out the calories needed. But the body doesn't just choose the "edges" of a block of fat to empty out the fat cells. It chooses a random selection of fat cells throughout the fatty tissue. Then your body gets to a point where it wants to deal with this new reality. Since your fat tissue now suddenly resembles Swiss Cheese, your body says, "Well, I guess we're not going to be able to store anything any time soon, so let's consolidate" and so your tissue sort of collapses in on itself, filling in the gaps or holes until your fat tissue no longer looks like swiss cheese. The amount of fat tissue is the same, but it takes up less space.

You know, I really love your posts.  I've always wondered about this.  We can all constantly learn new things, no matter how far out we are.  I will miss you when you go back to your "real" students!

I won't go "total poofage" when school starts, though I am hoping to do a little better on my exercising plan (I'm at day 9 of exercise today of the 20 I hoped to acheive this month)

I tend to leave my work at work though, and come home and relax on the 'net.

 Good analogy! 

I've been in a bit of a stall for a couple weeks. But I took my measurements a couple days ago and have lost 8 inches total. My biggest drop yet. And I'm almost in a size 10. Maybe 10 more pounds. Super excited! 

Thanks. Not everyone sees the inches change, but if you're one of the ones who does, it's encouraging

Maybe I'm an oddball, but I never experienced the "not losing weight nut losing inches" phenomenon.  When I was in my 9-week stall (the only time I measured myself), nothing changed... Not my weight, not my measurements.  I like your Swiss cheese theory, though.

I did not take my measurement pre-op (I was afraid it would be too depressing) or any nude or underwear-only photos and I wish I had.  (I did take photos before my various plastic surgeries, though.)


Lora

I did take measurements after I was down 18 pounds pre-op

Never took pictures or measurements at my largest which was somewhere around 350 to 400 lbs.

The way that the pictures helped me can be explained by this picture I found on the internet: 



In the "before" on the right, notice that the arms don't hang straight down towards the ground but have an angle because of the large buttocks/hips. When you lose weight, this angle away from straight up and down becomes lesss and less. Also, look at the thighs, they make a steep V pattern in the before instead of a slender U pattern in the after from hip to knee.

 

Looking from the side  there are other differences:

There's the "butt shelf" which I had (not everyone has that), the V thighs instead of U, even the bulge of teh calf. Some also have a "camel hump" at their neck area (I was lucky and didn't) that disappears. There's a lot of differences over time, and if you photo-journal it, you'll have the ability to see the changes. I looked at those pictures often (though I got camera shy at goal and refused to take pictures then?)

Ok....how about those of us that have TSV (total scale victory)  The scale keeps going down but the inches are staying the same. I keep thinking at some point my size will get smaller but alas NO>  I'm 153.5lbs today and yet I am still a size 13/14.  Back in high school I weighed 165-170 and wore a size 14.  I just bought some compression tops from Target for working out at the gym. Size 2XL.  And they are tight (supposed to be since they are compression)   When I get finished I'm going to be the only size 100lb person still the world  still wearing a size 10.

Oh but you are still VERY early in the process! Seriously, I didn't seem to make much of a change over the time you've been doing this. Strangely enough, people noticed the changes a LOT more when I dropped from 165 to 155 than when I dropped from 350 to 250. 100 pounds made a lot LESS of an impact than did 10 poiunds later.

I'm also finding it interesting that I was in a size 18  or XL when I last weighed what I weigh now, and now I wear a size 10 or 12 and a M or L

Ok...that gives me hope. The kids in my class (I teach 2nd grade) still think I'm fat.  The "average" American woman is 5'4" and weighs 164lbs.  I'm am 5'1" and 153.5.  I keep thinking "when am I going to feel average"?   At my last check in with the WLS doc's office  my doc said I have lost 70% of my excess weight.  That office considers you a success if you have lost 50% of your excess weight and keep it off.  I hope to hit 100% and keep off 80-100%.  I will keep working at it. 

You'll get there. I'm sure of it. There's a LOT of redistribution over time as your body adjusts to the new reality.

 Love the analogy!

Love the cheese story and love your post!!!! Thanks so much!

Thanks. :)

(PS I don't know what the deal is about the smiley in the tub, just thought I'd use a smiley I didn't use before)

I hope this is true lol.. I've been at a stall for weeks and my dad keeps saying I'm gunna be skinnier then him soon.. but truth is the scale has not moved in I think a month.. I told him that too..then I started thinkin maybe I'm loosing inches, then now I see your post.. lol.

Just do what is right, the pounds will disappear, and the inches will disappear

Keep track of everything though, and if three full months went by this early out without any losses, you might bring your food log with you and see the surgeon, show him the log, and see what he says.

There are some folks (and this is super super rare) who have issues with their endocrine system or adrenal system or whatnot that have problems losing weight. When those issues are addressed, the weight loss math will start to add up properly.

I didn't lose anythin for 35 days in the early months of my weight loss journey.... it happens, you hate it, but once you're out of it, you feel a breath of relief. don't stress about it though, or your body will hold on to the fat longer in response to the stress.

 I, too, enjoy your enlightening posts!!!! I haven't taken the photos you've suggested and regret it very much. (I knew better but guess I didn't want to face reality) Thanks for caring!