Do lightweights lose less weight or lose slower?

Sorry if that's a dumb question but I have no idea I'm so new to this. How long does it take to reach goal, realistically? I'm eager to get to my goal after my surgery so I can start IVF treatments(if the clinic will allow me)  

There is a estimator somewhere on this site that seems to be pretty accurate from most who have used it.  Lightweights don't lose the number of pounds that our heavier friends do but we don't have that much to lose.  Our % of excess weight loss is about the same.  So they may have 200 to lose and lose 30 pounds the first month where we have 100 and lose 15.  We have lost the same % of excess weight.

It isn't a sprint, it is the rest of your life.  Don't worry about how fast or slow you will lose but that you will stay on course, follow the program and set a new pattern for the rest of your life. 

There are no dumb questions, that's what I always say! :)  Unfortunately there is no clear answer either.  Generally if you have less to lose, it comes off slower.  You probably won't be one to drop 20-30 lbs in a month.  I feel like I am a very slow loser and I have a lot of stalls (I go 2-3 weeks at a time without losing anything).

I am very eager to get to goal and 100% focused on the plan.  I will not quit until I reach my goal.  Then I'll never stop being on maintenance.  I have been overweight my entire life and I am never going back!

You can see my month to month progress in my signature line. :)

That's a good question, and one I'd like to know the answer to too! I also can't figure out if I can expect it to take more or less time to get to goal having lost a good bit pre-op. It would make sense to be quicker overall since I have a "jump start," but I'm sure I'll lose more slowly post-op at 230 lbs than I would have at 300+.

I found the estimator!!  If you go to the top of the page and click on More, resources,  then post op planner.  I was always ahead of what it said which gave me a lot of comfort.

Price you are great! I just found the calculator, and just printed out a copy for myself. Your suggestion and advice

to all that you reply to are kind, mindful and very good! kudos to you.

Thanks!

It took me 18 months to drop 77 pounds.   Most of it came off in the first six months, then many months of a pound or two a month lost.

You have to stay with the plan and lightweights definitely are more like to lose more slowly.

White Dove,

Thank you for your post. I want to lose all my weight yesterday. Going slow though. I have never been known for my patience. Bless you and great work for you.

Robin

It's not POUNDS, it's PERCENTAGES!

By Carolyn M.

Two people, both 6 months post-op. One has lost only 63 pounds and feels bad about her "slow" weight loss. The other has lost 96 pounds and thinks she's doing great.

They are both wrong.

Person A had only 105 excess pounds, so she has already lost 60% of her excess weight. She is actually ahead of the game at 6 months out and is on track to lose it ALL.

Person B had 265 excess pounds. At 6 months out she has only lost 36% of her excess weight. At this rate, she will end up retaining 28% of her excess weight, enough to keep her in the obese category.

What this means is that the percent excess weight loss is a much more critical number than that absolute number of pounds lost.

Percent of excess weight lost: pounds lost divided by total excess pounds.

Use a BMI of 30 as a goal weight.

Please note: These are averages. A patient’s individual weight loss will be different.