Slow loss

Ok I know its a terrible idea to compare my weightloss to anybody else's but human nature being what it is of course I do it anyway lol.

So where I'm at is slightly over one month post op (my surgery date was 1-15) and only down 13 pounds.  I was told that I might not loose as quickly since I started at only 202 pounds and had a surgery weight of 182.  However I am under five foot tall so for me that's still in the morbidly obese range.  Is there anyone else who has been in this position or am I just doing something wrong.  I eat low carb, get my protein, and keep my calories down.  If there is something else I can do I am open to suggestions

Ok, I am terrible with math but I will give this a try.  If you started at 182 and your goal weight is 115 that means your excess weight is 67 lbs.  If you have have already lost 13 lbs then that is about 20% of your excess weight lost at just a month out.  To put that in perspective, if you have 200 lbs to lose then you have to lose 40 lbs in a  month  to lose 20% of your excess weight or if you are 100 lbs overweight then you need to lose 20 lbs to lose 20% of your excess weight.  (I am better with round numbers, lol)

In other words, you are doing great.  You need to look at total percentage of your excess weight lost, not the actual numbers, since you are a lightweight.  Check out the lightweight forum and you'll get some good information and support there.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/wls_lightweights/

What she said.  ^^^

That is part of the reason that comparison is deadly.  Someone who only needs to lose 70 pounds is going to lose at a MUCH different rate than someone who needs to lose 170 pounds (and that person will lose more slowly than someone who needs to lose 270 pounds!) Since you have much less to lose than most, you are not going to lose as fast as most.  Do check out the "lightweight" forum.

Lora

I think most people have been in that position.  As someone else pointed out, you've lost about 20% of your excess weight.  I guess some people don't lose so much so quickly, but most people are still morbidly obese just a month after surgery.  I think what you're doing wrong is having unrealistic expectations.  Did you surgeon talk to you about what to expect?  It takes most people at least a year to reach their goal weight, and many it takes 18 months or two years. 

It sounds like you are sticking with the plan and everyone loses at their own pace. My yoga teacher said something very interesting in one of my earliest classes. If you are watching a person next to you as inspiration, that is wonderful, but if you are looking and seeing your shortcomings, put your eyes on your own mat.

That has resonated with me in SO many ways.

I have been very happy with my loss rate...but someone posted yesterday that they had lost a LOT more than me in a similar time period. I wasn't bummed for me...I was just wowed and thrilled for them!

When I run...I am NOT the fastest person out there, but I HAVE cut more than 5 minutes off my mile and that is something I celebrate in a big way!

My advice (and I'll point out, I am a relative newbie) is to keep on with your plan and just look at your own mat if you feel depressed or drawn down by looking at someone else's. :)

When I went in for my 1 month check, I was afraid I'd be in trouble for not having lost enough weight (18 lbs).  The dietician told me the surgeon wouldn't be upset if I hadn't lost anything.  They pump us so full of fluid during surgery and post-op that it takes a while to get the excess fluids out of our tissues.

As the others have said, we all lose at our own weight.  Everyone's body is different.  If you stick to your plan and exercise, the weight will come off.

At the top of the screen click on MORE than under Resources pick Post Op Planner.  Put in your weight, height and percentage of excess weight that you expect to lose.  It will give you a chart of how much loss to expect each month. 

It is fairly accurate for most of us and gives you an idea of what to expect each month and when you should reach your goal weight.

It is okay!!!!  That weight loss is great.  I think I lost only 11 or 12 pounds my first month.  I have shared this before, my husband lost more than me that first month and all he did was give up sugar.  Seriously.  I am 5'4" and started at 250 so I was on the lower end in terms of how much I had to lose as well.  I just kept doing what I was supposed to.  I also kept off the scale as it would make me crazy.  in the beginning i only weighed at my doctor appts and that really helped me.  Ten months after surgery I had lost 100 and was a really healthy weight for my body.  My favorite blogger, Glennon Melton, says "Just because it is hard doesn't mean you are doing it wrong, sometimes it is just hard."

I am a 'slow' loser also - my BMI was 37 at surgery and I weighed 215 pounds.  I lost 12 pounds the first week.  In the 3.5 months since then I have lost 18 more pounds.  It is frustrating and discouraging to hear the quick weight loss of others. Though we lower BMI'ers know we will lose more slowly than larger people, it's hard not to compare. The percentage is a good way to look at it. I have to keep telling myself that if I hadn't had surgery I would certainly have gained a lot of weight, especially over the holidays.  Every pound I go down, regardless of how long it takes to lose it, is a step in the right direction.