Anyone start this journey around 250?

I'm just curious about something that my Dr. said. She told me that because I had a lower BMI, I am loosing slower than those with higher BMI's and that weighed more initially. She said that my 46 lbs were great even though people who had surgery the same day or after me have lost 55-65 lbs by now. Just wondering if you were closer to 250, did you loose slower?

Took me 11 months to reach goal . Look at losses as % of surgical weight and you are loosing at the same % as someone with higher start rate

I was about 250'ish when I had my surgery and, yes, I did seem to lose slower than many other folks; however, I'm not sure this is necessarily a bad thing as I also do not have the skin issues that so many others must work with.  Not sure that losing slower had anything to do with less skin, but in my  mind, I do question if it might have been a factor possibly. 

Your doctor is correct, and I think everyone should understand why, because it will affect everyone eventually no matter WHAT weight they STARTED at.

Although individual metabolism plays a large part in how efficient each body is at utilizing the food we eat, and therefore controlling how quickly we lose AND gain weight, in general, it takes 3500 EXTRA calories to gain a pound of actual fat and a 3500 calorie deficit (burning 3500 more calories than you eat) to lose a pound of fat.  It also takes more calories just to keep a heavier body breathing, moving, etc. (which is why a large man needs a LOT more calories than a petite woman does).  It takes roughly 12 calories per pound per day just for basic body functioning. So if you look at some sample numbers (this ignores natural stalls following WLS, BTW):

If someone is 400 pounds, they need roughly 4800 calories per day just to maintain their 400 pounds.  If someone at this weight only takes in 500 calories per day after WLS, they have a 4300 calorie deficit, which means that they will have a 30,100 calorie deficit per week (4300*7), which translates into a 8.6 pound weight loss per week (30100 divided by 3500).

If someone is 250 pounds, however, they need roughly 3000 calories per day to maintain their weight.  That 2500 deficit translates into a 17,500 calorie deficit per week which is only a 5 pound loss per week.

So someone who is a heavyweight will initially lose  at a significantl faster rate than someone who is a lightweight.

As you drop weight, therefore, your weight loss naturally slows down because -- even if you continued eating only 500 calories per day (which no one DOES) -- it takes fewer calories to maintain your body so your calorie deficit is smaller and your weight loss will be slower.  SO by the time you are, say 175 pounds and now eating 1000 calories per day, your weekly calorie deficit is only 7700 caloires [  ( (175*12) -1000) * 7)  = 7700] and the weekly loss would only be 2.2 pounds.  When you then add in the decrease in malabsopption, that is why the weigth loss slows as you get farther out from surgery and get smaller.

Lora

I don't think I'd call 46lbs in just over 2 months "slow" weight loss. LOL I started out at 255 myself. To me the fact that I was losing more than a 1lb a week was awesome! Yes, people who weigh more typically lose faster comparatively, but your doing great. Try not to compare yourself to what others do.

Lora, that is a great reply. Thanks

I started the pre op diet at 248. I am 6wks post op tomorrow, and to date I have lost 37lbs. When I look at other people's weight loss, I really have to stop myself from comparing me to them. We are all different and if we are reductive in our thoughts ("I've ONLY lost XYZ pounds" vs "I've lost xyz pounds and I'm thrilled!") then we are being self destructive. I learned that from LORA - hee hee. But are you MEASURING yourself in addition to weighing? That's what's keeping me optimistic and happy right now - seeing the measurements go down is PROOF that this IS working. Also, pick ONE ARTICLE of clothing, and watch it get looser and looser.

I have tried VERY hard to take the word ONLY out of my vocabulary, because we are all different. But ANY weightloss is a success.

I started at 255.2 and I am 214 today; eight weeks out. It has slowed down the last week or so though, and I have had a few week long episodes with no loss. I feel I'll be happy losing 2-3 lbs a week at this point and keeping it off. I've never been able to do that before.

I was 258 at the begining of a 2 week pre-op diet. The first 6 weeks I lost what I consider quite a few lbs. Since then it has been coming off much slower. I am 18 weeks out tomorrow and have lost 55lbs or on average 3lbs per week. I am now 203. I can't complain.

I did.  Weighed 260 at consult, 239.8 (240) day of surgery and lost fairly quickly.  I'll see if I can find my monthly weight loss and let you know.  46 lbs for a "lightweight" is pretty good though, try NOT to compare yourself to someone that has more weight to lose.

Edit:  I just checked my profile, at 2 months post-op I had lost 40 lbs.  FYI, I reached my goal weight in 9 months.