Question:
Can you lose too much weight?

Some post ops look much too thin to me. Can we stop at our desired weight, or do we lose until it stops on it's on?    — a_swoose (posted on January 23, 2006)

January 23, 2006
You should check out the section of this site (at the main home page) that addresses the BMI and what it means. There is a range for your satisfatory weight. People with more bone/muscle will be at the hight end of the range (normally man) but you should talk with your physician about what is healthy for you. Remember the others you are seeing could very well be UNDER their desired weight for their body height. Don't take the pictures of others too deeply. You will be totally different. Take a look at 10 people who were the same size and you can see the differences in each body. Good luck. Kristie
   — continuedmoon

January 23, 2006
We lkose so fast that for a year or two we often look to thin. gven time our bodies adjust, we bounce back a little and most look much better. Plus the change in appearance is so quick to the observer its hard.... the drop so profound, it looks scary.
   — bob-haller

January 24, 2006
Suzie, I don't know if that's possible to stop at your desired weight. I was given a goal weight by my surgeon that I met at 9 months post-op, I am now 11 lbs below his goal and 6 below my goal...I have added additional calories the past 2 weeks to my intake and lost 4 more lbs. I do believe my body will stop when it's ready, my BMI is in the healthy range (normal) and I'm probably what would be considered small boned. I do know that the major loss is in the first 6 months and many continue to lose to 12-18 months, after that it becomes harder but is doeable. I don't know if this helped at all, sorry for the rambling. Dana
   — cajungirl

January 24, 2006
you can easily out eat the surgery but I DONT recommend it! I too ended up underweight but no fight gain, your body knows when to quit losing, unless instructed otherwise by your surgeon but I would let your body decidse when to quit losing!
   — bob-haller

January 24, 2006
WHEN are you seeing them? As they slide into goal, while they are stabilizing? 2 yrs out? 5 yrs out? Are they malnourished or just normal post-ops whose skin hasn't caught up with them? Are they grey or pasty? Lack of proper nutrition can make a young person look a lot older, baggy, saggy, bony, just not right. I have not seen anyone who is HEALTHY remain too thin. I have seen many bottom out below goal, then have that bounceback of 10-15 lbs and settle just about where they hoped to be. My personal feeling is never TRY to regain or stop the loss (as long as you are nourished, hydrated, well covered there), because the bounceback is always waiting at the end.
   — vitalady

January 25, 2006
You should keep one major thing in mind: THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETRWEEN GOAL WEIGHT AND IDEAL WEIGHT (OR IDEAL BMI). To be considered successful at WL surgery, most doctors consider a loss of 70% of your EXCESS weight to be acceptable. That is USUALLY where GOAL weight comes from. Some people loose far beyond goal weight, into IDEAL weight territory. Meaning you have a healthy BMI, by the scientific charts. Having a healthy BMI is usually going to make someone pretty darn lean. But, that doesn't mean it's unhealthy. If you CAN loose to ideal weight, you SHOULD, IMHO, and leave that goal weight in the dust. On the other hand- YES- there have been people with strange complications where they can't stop loosing weight without intervention. Normally though, YOU stabilize your weightloss with an adjustment to your diet.
   — LMCLILLY

January 25, 2006
My own experience was that I lost 20-30 lbs below what I had anticipated. It worried me for awhile, as I was still losing rather rapidly. Then, after about 18 mos, it stabilized, then at 3 1/2 years I had the bouceback...regain...whatever one would like to call it. I regained 40 lbs. I had been doing exactly as I had been doing to lose the 184 total pounds that I'd lost. I've lost 10 of that, so I would never EVER recommend TRYING to regain any weight. It HAPPENS all by itself. The body is smart, and will do whatever necessary to stabilize you. Between you and me and the fencepost, I enjoyed being a little "too thin." I suppose my body didn't care for that..and put me back about where it thinks I should be. I'm back to having to REALLY struggle to take off weight, just like before surgery, with one exception...I don't have 150 lbs on me to lose now. I still look like a normal person. Most people have no idea that I struggle with my weight, but I understand there are "normies" out there that do and we'd never know that either. It's become very trite to say that this is just a tool, but what else can we say? I knew this going in, I still know it now. I battle on with the problem, but at least I have the ability to be normal now.
   — Statuesque

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