Question:
9 1/2 months post op.. weight loss at a virtual stand still. Is this normal?

Hi! I'm 9 1/2 months post op, -117 pounds, which I'm very excited about. However, I would still like to lose about 20-25 more pounds. I've only lost 5 pounds in the past 2 months and I seem to bounce back and forth from 160 to 163 pounds. I'm not getting anywhere. If anyone has any suggestions on how to get this weight loss kick started again, I'd appreciate it. Or, am I done at this point? I'm 5'2", started at 277 now down to 160 (or up to 163, depending on the day!) Thanks in advance for any help! It's getting frustrating..    — Deena C. (posted on December 7, 2003)

December 7, 2003
Hey there i wish i had the answer for you i am 16 months postop and i have been at a stand still for 6 months!!! since month 10 i have been at 156 bouncing back and forth also between 152 and 156 i am also 5'2" and start weight was 262 so our stats are very similiar hopefully someone has some good advice or tips i am very frustrated about it myself....good luck open rny w/gallbladder removal/proximal/8/14/02 262/156/130
   — nice n sweet B.

December 7, 2003
i am ten months out and have only lost about five pounds in the last couple of months but I really don't care. I am five pounds below my doctors goal. I have heard if you get back to the basics, liquids, purreed and soft, then regular for two or three days at a time it will jump start the loss again as well as upping your exercise, protein and water. Those last few pounds are really stuborn and that is when we have to "work it" Good luck to you!!!!!!
   — Delores S.

December 7, 2003
My personal trainer who has had wls surgery as well, says that dedication to exercise, cardio and weight training, will allow you to continue to lose continuously, rather than just in spirts. I am almost 9 months out and I am still losing consistently every month-- about ten pounds a month. After reading your profile, it seems that consistent exercise is missing in your routine. I don't know if u work, but I workout on my lunch hour. I suggest creating time for yourself to ensure you meet your weightloss goal. open rny 3/12/03 316/204/165 -112lbs
   — keishax

December 7, 2003
I have to agree with the previous poster. I KNOW that the things that keep my weight moving are a good bit of cardio/wt training and my 4 protein shakes a day (I'm a proximal but I do more shakes since I lift weights 3-4 days a week). Once you incorporate vigorous exercise into your routine and make it a PRIORITY, you will become addicted to it. I never thought that I would have said that a year ago when I was 360lbs. Good luck to you. Connie 360/211/165
   — cfpowers

December 7, 2003
I have to agree with the previous poster. I KNOW that the things that keep my weight moving are a good bit of cardio/wt training and my 4 protein shakes a day (I'm a proximal but I do more shakes since I lift weights 3-4 days a week). Once you incorporate vigorous exercise into your routine and make it a PRIORITY, you will become addicted to it. I never thought that I would have said that a year ago when I was 360lbs. Good luck to you. Connie Lap RNY 2/12/03 360/211/165
   — cfpowers

December 7, 2003
I am also 9 1/2 months out am pretty much at goal according to the charts. I am losing like you have been for the last month or 2----1 or 2 pounds a month. I am ok if this is it, but i would like to lose a few mow o I have a little "cushion" to deal with my occasional indecretions. It is frustrating to do the right thing and see such limited progress, but I think it just slows down as we get closer to an appropriate weight.
   — Fixnmyself

December 7, 2003
I stood still from Sept until 2 wks ago when I suddenly lost 8lbs in 3 days. I am at 9 mos now. I did lose a whole clothing size on the bottom half of my body during that time. I am now down 93lbs. I tried everything to get my weight to budge - extra excersize, lowering food intake, raising protein intake - no one thing specifically worked. Best of luck -
   — M B.

December 8, 2003
I agree with others about getting some regular, intense exercise, however, the reality is that you are pretty close to goal and that last little bit will most likely come off a lot slower. I am 8 months out, 5'3 and started at 235 lbs. I currently weigh 143. Last month I only lost 3 lbs, and two of that was right at the beginnin gof the month. If you read my profile you will see that I exercise like a mad woman, yet my loss has slowed to a trickle!
   — Barbara C.

December 8, 2003
I am doing something really hard to try to restart my weight loss. Nothing. That's right. Nothing. I just happened to come down with bronchitis a couple of weeks ago, so I stopped exercising and weight training. I have not gained anything, but now that I am almost done coughing and hacking, I am looking forward to getting back into exercising again. I have not lost anything since last May, and it was suggested that I stop exercising and restart, hoping to kickstart my metabolism again. I hope this works. I have been doing all the "right things". I also plan to increase to 3 shakes a day and see if that helps. I would like to lose another 40 lbs, or even 60. I doubt if you are done, but the "honeymoon" is over! It's pure work and comittment on our parts from now on! Good luck!
   — koogy

December 8, 2003
Your not done losing, its just that from here on out, it will be work on your end to continue the scale downward. Bottom line-its a calories game. To keep the scale going down, you must lower the # of calories you take in or do something to burn the ones you are taking in (heart pumping cardio only!). May I also suggest that you eat several small and frequent meals a day. Your body needs fuel to burn and the more you put in it (good quality protein foods), the more it has to burn and the more efficiently it will burn, especially if you combine it with daily exercise. Don't give up, you can do this...
   — Cindy R.

December 8, 2003
Regarding the exercise: you really need to do both aerobic and muscle building exercise. While it's true that cardio burns more calories "in the moment" (as a direct result of the exercise), weight training builds muscle. Muscle burns more fat in a resting state, so building up your muscle boosts your metabolism, allowing you to continually burn fat, not just in the moment of exercising. Another thing to be careful of with strenuous aerobic exercise is that it will encourage your body to use lean body tissue for fuel. Cardio exercise uses sugars in the blood for it's fuel source. Once you've burned that up, it will go for the next easiest-to-burn source, which is muscle and organ tissue. So an all-cardio workout will help you lose weight, but some of that weight will be lean body tissue, the kind that burns fat when you're at rest. (This is according to an exercise physiologist who spoke at my last support group meeting.) A mix of exercise is the healthiest way to get rid of fat.
   — Vespa R.

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