Checking in 7 years post RNY FINALLY almost to goal

Hard to believe. 7 years on Feb. 7. And had a revision due to ruptured ulcers in 2018, so glad I'm still here. I'd regained at 6 years post-RNY I was up 50#. But, well, to be honest the tool still works if I do what I'm supposed to do. I got all the extra weight back off AND lost an additional 10 #...closer to my goal and I think this is going to be the year it happens. I never post pics but I guess I'll do one now just because it feels so completely amazing to finally look like a normal person. I'm 64 years old, 5'5". 140# (highest was 273). I deadlift 185, bench 65, run. Pic was taken a few days ago in Florida but I'm back home in Alaska now. Life's good

Congratulations. You look great.

Word of caution: be careful not to lose too much. At our age we need some fat. Not a lot, but enough to carry us through tough days like food poisoning.

You already look like someone with a very low body fat%. I would suggest you find place near you that do body DEXA scan to determine your total body fat %.

Al lost a year ago I lost down to 136 lbs, at 5' 3.5" you would think I still could lose more without going into underweight area. But I could feel and see my bones and mu muscles right under my skin, all blood veins clearly visible. DEXA scan confirmed that my body fat got down to 9% total body weight. As a woman I should be above 15% for a healthy lean body. Normal for women is 24-30%. I know my healthy weight, with app 20-21% body fat is around 150lbs. I got used my thin me, so it's hard for me to deal with 150lbs. But now I try to make sure my weight doesn't drop below 140. It is hard to make myself eat more food, but I know I need that.

HALA - as always. you bring up some very interesting points. My PA brought up the subject of a DEXA scan, a few months ago. I am procrastinating, of course, because that's how I roll...

I usually look bigger, than I am, because of my pear shape/loose skin/etc, but, the hot minute, when I weighed 10 pounds LESS, than I do now, even I thought I looked like a corpse

At my lowest weight, I looked great in clothes. Fair size woman. I do have large frame, plus muscles, so I don't look pitiful even with a low body fat %.

When I had my initial DEXA scan when I was 151 lbs, the guy who runs the DEXA was really surprised when it showed I had 20-21% body fat. In his role as an academic professor of physical science, he assured me that I would have to really work hard to get lower body fat %. I just laughed and told him that if I just stop eating as much, I would drop that. 2.5 years later, I went back, and took my guy with me, to see where he needs to trim. I was 135lbs at that time. I was too thin, but it didn't show in my clothes. When my DEXA was done, it showed 9% total body fat. The professor decided to weigh me again, and run the test one more time. Yeap. Same results. He told me he never seen anyone like that. I just laughed and told him, many post op WLS people who are at goal or below would have that numbers. I bet you would be close...

I know that theoretically, women need more basic fat. 14 or 15%. It's call "essential body fat". Studies show that for women who drop to below 16% body fat, they stop menstruating. That is observed with serious athletes, body builders, or even women in arm forces.

That also explains why I went from normal period to instant menopause when my GB failed and I dropped my last 15 lbs close to 8 months out. I am sure my body fat % dropped below 15%. And that also explains why I had to start bioidentical hormones, because my body stopped making them. Fat call in woman abdomen are design to make estrogen. But if you don't have fat there - you dont make any. Or progesterone or testosterone. In my situation, I have to supplement all of them, and cortisone on top of everything else.

But the more I read and research about that, I see that this may apply to younger women. Older women, the thin type, would have lower body fat %.

I try to keep my weight above 140. Ideally around 145. I should be trying to keep it around 150, but I got so used me being thinner, than when I got to 150, I felt fat. Ugh.

My worry is that in case of a serious illness, even things like really bad flu, or pneumonia, or even bad food poisoning, I have no reserves. Abd that is scary.

That's probably why older people with weaker immune system can live longer when they are slightly overweight, in 25-26 range BMI, as compared with more skinny people.

You look fantastic and way younger than your age.