8 months out, 80% EWL, first major stall

Jeremy M.
on 4/11/11 11:24 pm - Fishers, IN
Today is my 8-month surgiversary, and for the most part I'm happy with my DS.  I started at 300 on surgery day (from an all time high of 327), and weighed in at 194 this morning.  I'm in Large shirts instead of 4XL, and 34-36 pants instead of 50's.  I'd still like to lose the last 25 to get to a "normal" BMI, but I'm starting to see that my body frame may not support that weight.  I certainly still have some weight to lose in he belly and thighs, so it's not impossible, but there's no way I'll ever get into the 150s (nor would I want to). 

This month has been a fairly slow weight loss month.  While I technically lost 5 pounds this month, my weight last month was 199 for a couple of days but had been in the 196-197 range for the days before and immediately after my monthly check in.  I seem to be hanging around 196 most days, give or take a pound or two, and haven't seen significant movement in a while.  That being said, there are things I'm doing that are not helping me lose weight.  I've let the evil carb monster back in, and this month has been especially bad in that area.  I still have yet to start exercising regularly, which also isn't helping things.  I am getting all my protein, fluids, and vitamins in, though.  I'm just having to learn at this point that just because I have room in my stomach, I don't necessarily have to fill it with food, and especially not with stupid carbs. 

So today begins my new commitment to going low-ish carb.  No more ice cream, chocolate, Reese's cups, jelly beans, or Peeps.  Yes, I love them and most of the time I have no side effects.  But I think they're probably slowing my weight loss significantly and I need to cut them out.  Plus, I've read way too many tales of people letting carbs back in and then not being able to get rid of them again.  I just hope I'm not past that point.

For those pre-ops out there curious about what a month-by-month weight loss might look like, see my numbers below.  Note that I am a man, and so naturally have an easier time losing weight.  I also didn't do a ton of dieting before surgery, and so my metabolism is not totally messed up.  Still, I wanted to give perspective.  And yes vets, I know that many of you would be happy for a 5 pound loss in a month and I should just quit my whining.  I'm just used to the double-digit losses and the fact that I've seen maybe 1lb loss in the last 3 weeks is starting to frustrate me.

  Weight Total Loss %EWL
12-Aug 300    
12-Sep 270 30 22.90%
12-Oct 253 47 35.88%
12-Nov 240 60 45.80%
12-Dec 225 75 57.25%
12-Jan 218 82 62.60%
12-Feb 206 94 71.76%
12-Mar 199 101 77.10%
12-Apr 194 106 80.92%
Jeremy

HW 327 / SW 300 / CW 198 / GW 169
    
Dawn S.
on 4/11/11 11:42 pm - VA
 Congratz Your doing such a great job
    Dawn:  Relized something had to change:     60.5 inches;   Heaviest: 301 Surgery: 241
AlternaTickers - Cool, free Web tickers [UR

shannn
on 4/12/11 12:14 am - Knoxville , TN
I've seen the same kind of results. While my percentages say that I have 99% EWL; that's based on my doctor's goal which is still 15 pounds above normal BMI. Reaching that (149) is my goal so I really have 17 pounds left to lose. I'm trying not to stress over it, but it's definitely hard not to get upset when the numbers don't change or go up. I've actually gained a little this week but it's early in my 9th month so hopefully I'll go down again before I reach my next month point (May 6).

Like you, I've let carbs back in (mostly in the form of sugar because I'm still afraid of starchy carbs). I don't exercise regularly. I know if I did those things it would probably help. I'm at a strange place though because honestly while part of me really wants to see a normal BMI, I'm happy at this place too. I have reasons to want plastic surgery, but I'm an average size now. It's strange to want to lose weight but not desperately or even badly enough to do something about it. *shrug*

Here's my data:
Monthly Progress
# Weight Loss Total Loss BMI %EWL Total %EWL
0 286.0 lbs 0 lbs 0 lbs 47.6 0 0.0%
1 264.0 lbs -22.0 lbs -22.0 lbs 43.9 -18.2% -18.2%
2 249.0 lbs -15.0 lbs -37.0 lbs 41.4 -12.4% -30.6%
3 234.5 lbs -14.5 lbs -51.5 lbs 39.0 -12.0% -42.6%
4 222.0 lbs -12.5 lbs -64.0 lbs 36.9 -10.3% -52.9%
5 211.0 lbs -11.0 lbs -75.0 lbs 35.1 -9.1% -62.0%
6 199.0 lbs -12.0 lbs -87.0 lbs 33.1 -9.9% -71.9%
7 186.0 lbs -13.0 lbs -100.0 lbs 30.9 -10.7% -82.6%
8 177.0 lbs -9.0 lbs -109.0 lbs 29.5 -7.4% -90.1%
9 166.0 lbs -11.0 lbs -120.0 lbs 27.6 -9.1% -99.2%

~shannon
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~E. Roosevelt


(Ticker includes 11 pounds lost in pre-op diet.) 

Jeremy M.
on 4/12/11 12:19 am - Fishers, IN
Yeah, I left out the part about being mostly happy from a size perspective.  I have days where I don't like what I see in the mirror, but I think that's because I'm so much closer to being "skinny" and I can pick the flaws out more easily.  If I could maintain this weight and not regain, I think I'd still be happy with the loss.  I just know I've still got a lot of "window" left and hope that my body will let me lose another 20-30lbs.  It won't change my clothes sizes (my shoulders are too broad to wear a Medium), but it would still be nice to be a fair distance away from 200 so that if I regain 10 I don't have to worry about going back over that mark.
Jeremy

HW 327 / SW 300 / CW 198 / GW 169
    
Larissa P.
on 4/12/11 12:27 am - Denton, TX
Congrats Jeremy, you are doing awesome and remember those last 20 pounds are always a *****
Duodenal Switch hybrid due to complications.
 
Click! > DS Documents ~ VitaLady.com ~ DSFacts.com ~ OH DS FB
(deactivated member)
on 4/12/11 1:34 am - Lafayette, IN
 you are doing fantastic. you still have plenty of "window" to lose the rest. unfortunately, the closer you get to goal, the harder it is to lose. it is also not uncommon for someone to realize that a "normal" BMI is just too small for them. personally, i think the person who created the BMI chart should be shot. our journeys should be more about our health than some stupid number (it took me a long time to come to this conclusion). you know how to get where you want to be and i am sure you will get there.
MarciRenee
on 4/12/11 5:04 am - IA
I think that you have done amazingly well!!  You are getting close to your goal weight at 8 months out - that is totally awesome!  You look and feel amazing - also totally great.  You fit into clothes from a "regular" store - that has got be an awesome feeling!

With that being said - I really think you need to start adjusting your focus.  I think it is possible that the goal weight you have set up in your mind is far to skinny for your frame.  If your shoulders are so broad that you won't fit into a medium shirt - then losing another 20-30 pounds is not going to look right on you, since you are already in a large shirt.  Can you imagine how you are going to swim in that shirt in 20-30 pounds?

A normal bmi is not a reality for everyone, nor should it be.  The BMI scale is entirely too narrow, in my mind.  Not everyone is going to get there - and that is just totally fine.  People's weight sits along a bell curve - some thinner and some heavier, and a lot of peeps in the middle - due to any number of factors and that is NORMAL.  Your body is ultimately the deciding factor in how much you will weigh...short of unhealthy behaviors of severely restricting your calories or over-exercising.  I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, saying give up and carb ***** from here on out either!!  I'm just saying keep doing what you do and give your body a chance to do what it's going to do and please stop stressing.  You are NOT going to see double digit losses each month for your whole weight loss, I am sorry to tell you.  And since you are losing, you are not in a stall, either.  I would guess that you are losing more inches than you are weight right now, and that is a GOOD thing!  You are only 8 months out and still losing, you don't have any idea, at this point where you will end up.  Just give your body the time and nutrition that it needs and let it do what it's gonna do :)

What pains me is that you seem so focused on getting to your goal that it appears you've lost sight of how far you've come and how much healthier you are NOW.  I just don't want you to become obsessed with getting to goal or a normal BMI and being totally unhappy/unsatisfied with your success.
Marci       
Jeremy M.
on 4/12/11 5:13 am - Fishers, IN
Believe me, I do see how far I have come and am very pleased with the results.  When I started the journey, I figured if I reached 225 that would be a success.  From a clothing perspective I am very happy, and I know my sizes won't change much if at all from here on out.  I also know how phenomenally well I'm doing.  My DW had the DS 3 months before me and has lost about 10-15 lbs more than I have, but because of her high starting BMI still has a lot of weight to go if we were hoping for a "normal" BMI.  I've seen my dad who's a couple inches shorter than me at 160, and he looks too skinny.  I've accepted that I likely won't get and stay there.  Today was just a frustrated day because I know I'm not using my tool the best way I could, and I wonder where I'd be if I hadn't become such a carb monster.  By no means will I think myself a failure if I don't reach that magic number of 169 on the scale.  I honestly see about another 10 lbs in my gut that need to go, but beyond that I'm not sure where the weight would come from.  I have noticed inches coming off as well (fitting into 34s instead of 36s), so I know it's not all about the weight.  Like I said, I'm just having a frustrated day.  Most days I am very happy with where I am, this just happened to be a day where the scale didn't move (again).
Jeremy

HW 327 / SW 300 / CW 198 / GW 169
    
Diane Davis
on 4/12/11 3:58 pm
Congrats Jeremy, I think you're doing awesome!  I've really enjoyed watching your progress and feel it's been tremendous!

is your wife on here?  If she is, what does she go by?
 My  is Jewels.  Love her very much!            
Jeremy M.
on 4/12/11 9:54 pm - Fishers, IN
Yes, she's on here as well, though she doesn't check the boards as much anymore.  Her screenname is mlmarks, I believe.
Jeremy

HW 327 / SW 300 / CW 198 / GW 169
    
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