Question:
Need a realistic idea of how much I can lose after one year!
Ok, I know these "how much can I expect to lose" questions are a bit of a pain, and that everyone is different. But here's my question anyway! I'm 5'9", started at 359 and my 12th month post WLS begins tomorrow. I've lost 150 pounds, 101 in the first six months. My doctor gave me no idea of what I can expect to lose this far out. It's kind of depressing when other Sept 2002 patients are wearing size 8s and hitting goal and I'm still trying to get under 200! But enough of the pity party. Weight loss is going slow and I can eat much more, but it's still going. Since I lost 100 in the first six months, and should do over 50 in the next six, is it realistic to think that I might lose 25 in my next six months? Or in the next year? I know some doctors have related an approximate formula to their patients - something like your weight loss in the second and third month generally equals your loss in the first month, and the 4th, 5th and 6th month generally equals your 2nd and 3rd total. Any hints like that for the second year? Anyone who started around my weight care to share their stats? It would be much appreciated! I don't want to set up unrealistic expectations for myself but wouuld REALLY like to get to at least 170! Sometimes it feels like I'll never make that, that I'm coming to the end already. — sandsonik (posted on August 19, 2003)
August 19, 2003
IM HAVING SOME SIMILAR FEELINGS ASWELL. i AM A LITTLE OVER 8 MONTHS POST
OP AND MY WEIGHT LOSS SEEMS TO HAVE COME TO A STOP, I CAN EAT JUST ABOUT
ANYTHING I WANT AND I THINK THAT HAS ALOT TO DO WITH IT, WERE AS UP UNTIL
NOW I WAS LIMITED TO WHAT I ATE BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL ILL OR THROW
UP OR WHATEVER. NOW I CAN DRINK PEPSI, EAT SUGAR ALMOST NO PROBLEM. I AM
LOOKING TO LOSE ATLEAST ANOTHER 20 POUNDS AND NOW I REALIZE WHAT PEOPLE
MEANT WHEN THEY SAID THIS SURGERY IS A TOOL AND YOU "WILL" HAVE
TO WORK WITH IT. I HAVNT EXERCISED OR DID ANY "DIETING" AND I
BELIEVE I WILL HAVE TO START NOW IF I WANT TO GET THIS LAST 20 POUNDS OFF.
— Karen W.
August 19, 2003
I also am 5'9 and personally I think a goal of 170 is way too skinny, but
that's my opinion. I had my 6 month follow-up last friday and the surgeon
and I finally discussed a goal weight. I had set a goal of anywhere under
250 as I knew that was achieveable as I had made it to there before. He
said that was too high because I was too close already. I'm at 292.
However, he said that 200 would be a very realistic weight for me, which is
what I had been thinking. He said I could make it into the 180's but it
would take a lot of effort on my part. My highest was 442 on January 16th,
2003 - 2 weeks before surgery.
<p>What is so magical about 170? Why not shoot for 200 and then very
slowly over the next 2-3 years work on the last 30 lbs. You can continue
to lose past the 18 months it just takes lots of dedication. The best way
to get off as much as you can is to cut out the carbs and push your body
back into ketosis. Push 99% protein and increase the water. I'm not far
enough out to know where I will be at by 1 year but anywhere is better than
442 lbs. I know I need to be getting in concsisten and more exercise but
if I don't do it then I've made my choice to lose slower. It truly is in
our hands. You have to decide how important that 170 lbs is to you and
what you are willing to do to get there. Personally I want something
realistic that I can live with for the rest of my life. I do not ever see
170 in my life, but that's me.
— zoedogcbr
August 19, 2003
Check out the sights weigh loss calculator:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/postopplanner.phtml
<p>
I have found it to be a pretty good guage for my weight loss. I am always a
smidge ahead of it but it is very encouraging.
— Carol S.
August 19, 2003
Sandra,
I can relate! :) I am also 5'9" - us tall gals need to stick together
:)- and I am 18 months post op. My whole life I've had a "dream
weight" of being 150 lbs. I don't know why, that's just what I always
thought was the right weight for my height. Maybe it's those darn
height/weight charts! Anyway, I got down to 160 lbs. I had a tummy tuck and
because of not eating much post op, I got down to 158 lbs. Then, once my
appetite can back, I shot back up to 165 lbs. Then, I went on vacation, ate
a TON of carbs, sugar and fast food/junk food, and hit 170 lbs. At that
point, I freaked out because I really didn't think I could gain that
easily, but it was my own fault, of course. My size 10 pants were tight and
I got scared, frankly. I made a decision to get it together and get as much
more weight off as possible. That was two weeks ago. I jumped back on the
protein train, and started working out three times a week an hour at a time
(Tae-Bo advanced workout tape). This morning, I was down to 165 lbs. Not as
much as I expected, since I've cut out ALL "bad" carbs and sugar,
but the weight comes off MUCH slower now that I'm so far post op. After
your window starts closing, you really have to work at the weight loss a
lot harder than the first year as a new post op. Disappointing, but true.
So, I am plugging away with the protein - getting sick of meat and cheese!
- exercising, and drinking my water. I don't think I'll get down to 150
lbs. because I have a med/lg. frame, but my mini goal is 155. I hope I can
lose 10 more lbs. and be satisfied with that. BUT, once I do, I can't just
stop eating the protein and stop exercising, I'm trying to think of this as
a way of life, not a diet, so I don't get back to the bad habits. I'm a
food addict and always will be, so those "bad" foods will be an
occassional treat, not an everyday thing like they were before. My new
friend is Splenda and it's fabulous!
Sorry such a long post. Feel free to email me direct if you want to be
weigh-in buddies. We can inspire eachother to lose as much as we can!! :0)
Hugs!
michelle
— michelle T.
August 20, 2003
Sandra, My answer is a little bit different than the others posted here.
Perhaps because I started out as a so-called "lightweight" my
goal might be different than yours. But I am also 5'9" tall, and I
had my surgery nine months ago. I have a small body frame, however, so
weighing 170 would be too much for me. I currently weigh 156 and plan to
weigh 145. I would love to weigh 140, but don't have great expectations to
meet that goal. I think you have to consider not only your starting out
weight, but also your body frame. People always assumed I was big-boned
because I was so heavy, but that was far from the truth. Even if you
started out weighing 359, if your body frame is small you can expect to
lose lower than 170. Your doctor should be a good judge of where he thinks
you can get to, so I doubt if 170 is unrealistic. You have done so well to
date, and it might take a while, but I think you can get there! God Bless,
Gerry
— Gerry Y.
August 20, 2003
Sandra!!!
Hi!!
I started out at 409 lbs on 3/18/02. I am 5'11 and I have lost 201 lbs. My
goal is 185lbs. My weight loss has been sooooo slow nowadays. I think your
goal of 170 is achievable. it does take hard work after the first year. YOu
will no doubt have to damn near eliminate all carbs ( except for the good
ones) exercise and drink lots of water. for a while except for the past
week I donot eat any bad carbs sunday through thursday, no beef and no
pork. boy oy boy i am so tired of tht but the good news is i have
consistently lossed at least 4 lbs each month and I have lost each month
since my surgery. We can do anything we put our minds to but it takes hard
work and discipline. go for it and god bless
— tameaka S.
August 20, 2003
Thanks all of you for responding! Quick answers to your comments:
Gerry, 170 might end up being too high for me too. It's true what you say
about believing we're big boned when we're really not. I threw out the 170
figure for a couple of reasons. One, I remember that in 9th grade, I
joined WW for the first time and lost about 32 pounds, but could never
quite make it to 170! AMOS lists my ideal weight as 156. I figure there
is some weight I'm not going to be able to take off without the help of
plastic surgery. 170 might not be an ideal figure, and I'm only guessing
how I'll look at 170, but I think it's a figure I could probably accept if
I couldn't get any lower...Also, from looking at all the pictures and
profiles here, I can see that people who've been obese all their life often
end up at a higher weight than they LOOK like they weight. I've been told
it's because our bones have increased in density in order to carry our
weight for so many years.
tameaka and michelle: I can tell already that I'm going to have to work
much harder if I'm going to continue to lose weight. And to be completely
honest, I haven't worked as hard as I could at it. My exercise habits are
not good; I should say it's not a habit at all anymore. I definitely have
to change that. Thank you both for all the encouragement! Michelle, if I
could wear a size 10, I don't think I'd really CARE what I weigh, LOL.
Carol, I haven't found the weight loss calculator to be too accurate for me
so far - and I really hope that continues, because it tends to predict next
to no weight loss for the last six months or so! I lost less weight than
it predicts for the earlier months, but the calculator has the weight loss
dropping off much sooner than it has for me. According to AMOS, I'm on
track to lose about 84% of my total excess weight, I think. I'd like to do
better than that.
Chris, 170 isn't a magic number but I have to say that when I was 5'8"
and 170 back in Jr High, I was still considered fat. Actually, I think the
size I end up wearing will probably end up meaning more to me than the
number of pounds I weigh. Just threw 170 out there because I really want
to be less than 200. I'm 208 now and in size 16s (mostly tight) and 18s.
Ending at 200 might make me a solid 16, but I hope to do a bit better than
that. Wow, you've lost 150 pounds in 6 months! I have no doubt you'll
make it to 200 pounds and probably a bit beyond!
Karen, I actually miss the restriction I used to feel too. I still can't
eat anywhere what I used to be able to eat - thank God - but I can eat a
heck of a lot more than I could at three months out!
You've all given me good advice. I know that when I'm strong and stick to
my protein and water, I lose better and feel better. But darned if that
fat girl isn't still lurking inside me, and she's starting to get more
vocal about wanting to eat junk! ;-)
— sandsonik
August 20, 2003
Thought I would respond to this. I am 13 months post op, lost 155 pounds so
far. Started at 347 and currently weigh in at 192. I am also 5'9" and
wanted to hit a target weight of around 170, not because of the charts, but
because this is where I used to feel really good before I gained all my
weight. I too have been a bit frustrated (ok, very frustrated) by the rate
at which I have been losing weight lately. But, if you figure that I
probably have 10 pounds of skin hangin just around my waist that needs to
come off, that brings me down to around 182. That is only 12 pounds from
goal. I don't think there really is such a thing as "the window
closing" and never being able to lose more. I just think as you get
closer and closer to your goal weight, it comes off in it's own good time.
I have some months where I only lose 1 or 2 pounds. Then I get on the scale
one day and 3 pounds suddenly has just evaporated into the ether somewhere.
I can't find any pattern to it, so I just keep doing what I know I need to
be doing, and try to shuffle my diet a bit to get things going again. But
anyway, just so you know, others of us are in the same boat. I hate to say
it, but I really feel like I am dieting again, only this time it is MUCH
easier than it EVER has been before. I am really glad I have my tool :)
Grego
— Greg P.
August 20, 2003
I don't know what everyone else said... but frankly, no one can give you a
'realistic idea' because its all up to you. If you keep your eating under
control and exercise a lot, you'll lose more. If you don't do those
things, you'll lose less.<br><br>Why do you need to know? If
you get some kind of number and don't make it -- you'll be disappointed.
If you get some kind of number and could actually lose faster, you might
not work that hard. I'm almost 14 months post op -- I've lost about 172
(from 372) -- just at 200 and really working hard to get under 200. I
never thought I'd be here, but now I am so I can look beyond. for me, 170
or 160 would be good and its not that far away. Good luck, don't compare
yourself... just do your plan and keep at it... *grin*
— Lisa C.
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