Anyone loosing too much weight?

Cody Mack
on 7/21/12 9:11 pm - LA

Hey everyone!

My name is Cody and I had my sleeve done August 31st of 2011. Im 22. When I was sleeved, I was 350 lbs, now Im 180lbs. To me, I am blown away at the progress. I never would have imagined me being this size. Im not complaining, just a little concerned. I dont want to become surgically anerexic... My muscle mass has dropped AND my fat % has dropped.

Am I worried over nothing? Has anyone thought they have lost too much weight?

Thanks!

Cody

Cody Mack
on 7/21/12 9:20 pm - LA

Before (350):
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

After(180):
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Putting these here just so yall can see my progress!!!

curiouskat
on 7/21/12 10:22 pm, edited 7/21/12 10:22 pm

VSG on 02/03/12 with

How tall are you? 180 lbs sounds pretty good to me unless you are over 6'2". If you are worried about muscle mass, you can always increase that with some good weight lifting. Men seem to lose fast and hard with the sleeve. It usually evens out. One guy I know was sleeved 3 years ago. He went from about 350 to 175. He looked fine to me but he felt that he was personally too thin. Now he weighs 215 lbs. He is happy with that weight but said he wouldn't mind getting back down to 200 lbs. He said he meant to gain up to about 195-200 and accidentally too it too far. He said the main reason is because he had to take off from exercising for a while. So now he's back on the exercise wagon to get back down to 200 lbs. He said his restriction is still pretty darn good at 3 years out. You CAN gain a bit of weight back if you want.

A personal story. My cousin's wife has gotten way too skinny since she got sleeved. She is about a year and a half post op I think. She weighs about 110 and she is 5'8". She IS trying to gain some weight back at this point. It is mentally hard for her to eat higher calories foods again but she knows she needs to. She said once she gets to about 125-130 she will be happy and try to maintain there.

By the way you look great! I am sure the young 20 something ladies are checking you out :-)

Living life in maintenance below goal since 10/2012!

moonglo82
on 7/21/12 10:26 pm

VSG on 03/29/12 with

First of all, congrats on your progress. You're doing great!

I've never heard of anyone becoming "surgically anorexic." If you think you're developing a problem with an eating disorder, please get it checked out. Many of us had a form of an eating disorder before surgery (compulsive overeating), and it can easily transfer over to another eating disorder or another addiction if we're not careful.

If you mean that you're worried about not being able to stop the loss, then I ask how much more are you planning to lose? There are ways to slow down the loss and move into maintenance when the time is right. I don't know anything about that process because I'm not there yet, but it can be done.

Muscle mass will drop some during significant weight loss. You simply don't need as much muscle to carry around 180 pounds as you did to carry 350 pounds, so there's nothing wrong with losing a little bit of that muscle, as long as the majority of what is going away is fat. That's pretty much normal.

Congrats again. You look great!

Highest weight: 277 Starting Weight: 250 Surgery Weight: 241 Current Weight: 130

Goal Reached in 10.5 months :)

Pobearsam7
on 7/21/12 10:53 pm

Wow Congrads!!!!! You look great

Kelly

carebear32958
on 7/22/12 12:32 am

VSG on 08/16/12 with

I'm not making light of your situation but looking back did you ever in your life prior to the surgery think that you would ever think you could "lose too much weight?" LOL, you look amazing, and like most of the others have said, it depends on other factors, body build, height, lifestyle. I know most of my friends that have had the surgery have gotten very thin about a yr post op and now they are slowly gaining it back to get back to a normal weight and maintain. Definitely speak with your doctor & Nutritionist. You also might look into talking to a personal trainer. He/she may be able to help you with getting back some of your muscle mass with out adding too much weight. :) Good luck you are doing fabulous!

Cody Mack
on 7/22/12 1:36 am - LA

Wow, thanks everyone for the feedback (and complements :-] ). I'm as close to 6 foot tall without actually being 6 foot tall.

Surgically Anorexic is a term I coined, ha ha. I'm worried that all I will become is skin and bones. I eat everything and anything just to try and level my weight loss, but there seems to be no end. Like I said, I'm proud of the progress Ive made this far. I just dont want to look sick because I'm too then. Not there yet, just my anxiety.

And my self confidence was high when I was large, but now its through the roof. As far as talking to the young ladies, this surgery has actually given me the courage to come out. I felt 'why stop at how people see me?' So, this surgery has changed another dimension of my life, and has made me feel better in multiple ways.

This is almost like a good dream, and I dont want to wake up! Lol. Again, thanks for the feedback and complements.

This leads me into the question, has anyone or does anyone know of anyone that has had maintenance done to their sleeve to make it normal size again, or is it just one of those things that happen naturally?

ALAN J.
on 7/22/12 3:04 am

VSG on 12/13/11 with

Your doing great Cody, good job!

Highest WGT-295, Surgery WGT-295, Goal WGT-215 - 80LB LOST in 8 months!

SuzanneR
on 7/22/12 5:14 am - Randolph, NJ

VSG on 12/29/11 with

You'll do just fine. When you're at the weight you want to maintain at you can see a nutritionist for advice on what/how to eat to maintain.
Congratulations on coming out, it's a process and takes courage. I wish you much continued success.

katier825
on 7/22/12 6:10 am

VSG on 11/16/10 with

You look great! Sounds like you need to increase your calories/carbs/healthy fats to maintain your weight. Add 100-200 calories/week for a week and see how it goes. If you still lose, add a little more each week. Increasing the carbs a little at a time will help too.

J.Lo 74
on 7/22/12 6:32 am

I think you look fantastic. If you're worried about losing too much weight try to increase your calories by a small amount. Continue to increase until your weight stabilizes.

My family is begging me to gain weight. I'm 5'9 and 152 right now. My dream is 145 though.

Heidi P.
on 7/22/12 6:29 am, edited 7/22/12 6:30 am - St Paul, MN

VSG on 06/27/12 with

You look like a million bucks, love! And congrats on coming out! That is one of the most amazing NSVs that you will ever have. Keep rockin' your sleeve and enjoy your 20s out and proud

Edited to add - MMMM Chipotle. So jealous right now!!

HW (May 20, 2012) 310 SW (June 27, 2012) 302 GW 175
M1=29lbs M2=29lbs M3=5lbs M4=4lbs M5=11lbs M6=10lbs
LEAKY SLEEVE DISCOVERED - July 25, 2012.

sunnymicki
on 7/22/12 6:55 am, edited 7/22/12 6:56 am

VSG on 09/26/11 with

How many calories/day are you actually eating? LIke a PP said, you just need to increase your calories each wee****il your weight stabilizes. There are calorie dense foods that make it easy to up calories without a huge amount of volume. Like a handful of almonds or 2 Tbs of peanut butter. A dietician would have more ideas for you.

When you get your weight stabilized, maybe a little weight training would help fill out your frame so you didn't feel too skinny? I'd go that route before trying to simply gain fat back. Once you are as muscular as you want, you can evaluate if you need more fat to fill you out.

BTW - you look awesome! Amazing transformation :)

5'9" All weight lost post-op. Goal weight determined by body composition testing.

judyk62
on 7/22/12 8:37 am - Santa Rosa, CA

VSG on 11/28/11 with

Hi Cody - I will echo what others have said - you look absolulety awesome! But if you are eating more and more and continuing to lose when you don't want to, I would highly recommend seeing your surgeon again and/or nuttriionist. Assuming you have good health professionals, they will be ale to help get you on track to mainttain, rather than lose. I don't have the link because I'm not there yet, but there is a maintenace board on here, and I'll bet a lot of those folks could provide some insight. Good luck - you do look great!

HW: 284: SW: 274: CW: 154.8 Goal: 159

acbbrown
on 7/22/12 9:07 am - Lancaster, CA

VSG on 06/10/11 with

Just keep munching on a chipotle burrito bowl and you should be able to maintain just fine :) Throw a little cheese/sour cream on it if you dont.

You can add little healthy snacks to increase your cals a little without having to worry about over doing it - some nuts, PB, even an extra protein shake or bar.

You look great!

www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status

11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift.

HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 202 85 lbs lost pre-op / 133 since surgery (lowest weight post op: 188)

~~~~Alison~~~~~

RyanJS
on 7/22/12 10:54 am - CA

VSG on 02/21/12 with

Congrats on your success... I'm in the same boat as you buddy. I started at about 330lb's and an hovering around the high 150's and low 160's right now. I was sleeved 5 months ago. I am fine where I am at however have not been able to find my maintenance plan yet so I keep losing. I have no doubt I'll get there but I hope it comes sooner than later. I dont want to get to the 140's. I have started adding in additional healthy snacks to my diet. Good luck and I wouldn't worry too much about it. You will figure this out I'm sure.

Heaviest Weight: 330 Goal Weight: 175 Current Weight: 130
"Hit Goal in 3 1/2 Months!!!"
"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'M POSSIBLE!!!"
"No one said it was going to be easy, but it will definitely be worth it"

sunnymicki
on 7/22/12 2:07 pm

VSG on 09/26/11 with

Another thought - One way to find out how many calorie you need to eat to maintain your weight is to have your resting metabolism tested. I did this back in March as a tool for the weight loss phase. I'll probably repeat the testing when I am done losing.

This is were I went to have it done. Just found the gym with a google search:
www.baselinefitness.com

5'9" All weight lost post-op. Goal weight determined by body composition testing.

rhearob
on 7/22/12 3:11 pm - TN

VSG on 11/02/11 with

You've done amazing and you look amazing.

The transition to maintenance is hard on all of us. You have to find your balance point and manage it every day. You also have to learn when to let go and just say - I feel good, I look good, and enjoy your life now that you have it back.

I also started near 350, and am maintaining around 190-195 right now. I am trying to find that balance - and finding it hard to eat the calories without eating a bunch of junk. I became really good at optimizing my protein with lean fat free sources. Now I ma trying to learn to eat again with less lean sources - adding steak and nuts and all of that back. Its another learning process just like the losing phase was.

I wouldn't worry about being anorexic, now you just have to learn to manage with a wider variety of foods available to you. Its both exciting and a little scary.

_____________________________________________________________________
160 lbs lost. Surgeons Goal Reached in 33 weeks. My Goal in 37 Weeks.

VSG: 11/2/2011; LBL+Thigh Lift+BL: 10/3/2012; Brach+Mastopexy: Planned for 2013

frisco
on 7/22/12 4:53 pm

VSG on 09/30/09 with

Your gonna be fine..... perfect actually......

I know at 22 it's hard to look ahead very far.....

Your young !!!! Eat under your sleeve capacity (preserve your restriction)......But, eat richer foods..... and oh yes..... up the carbs.....

You will find your balance point.......

But more importantly you are in perfect position for.... 5-10-20-50 years out !!!!!

If you were struggling to lose now..... it would be much harder as you get older.....

Your in the Catbird Seat now !!!!

Grteat Work !!!!

frisco

SW 338lbs. GW 175lbs. Goal in 11 months. CW 148lbs. WL 190lbs.

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http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/VSGM/discussion/

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Anyone loosing too much weight?