MichiganChic

I wouldn't panic yet. I ate around 800 calories for the second half of the first year. My loss did slow a little at around 6 months, and again around 10 months. Now loss is at a crawl. I've gradually upped my calories to 1200 because it's just getting too hard to eat less. Honestly, if you can tolerate eating 700, then I'd continue to do it. Stalls are a normal part of losing, and the closer you get to goal, the more of them you are going to see, most likely. I know how hard it is to tolerate them - I wanted to lose 10 pounds a month until I lost all my weight, but that didn't happen. There is a reason I was so fat - my body prefers it that way, and it is going to hang on to every last pound as long as it can. Just keep doing what you are doing and what makes sense for you, and the longer times goes on, you will find your way. I really have not found a magic bullet yet when it comes to weight loss, and sometimes there is NO explanation for how or why I lose or stall. I love your pic, and I suggest doing exactly that - Keep Calm You got this.

I have a different point of view. I don't feel like a failure because I had weight loss surgery and succeeded in losing over 100 pounds. I'm also not sure who all those other successful people are you reference, since statistically most people re-gain the weight they lose without WLS. I can't tell you how to feel - they are your feelings and you are entitled to them. Do I wish I had been able to maintain a thin body my whole life? Sure. Can I change my past? Nope. What I CAN do is choose to embrace the gift I was given, and feel good about doing it. Having said all that - I don't think I'd have a surgery that I wasn't totally comfortable with. It's a very personal decision, it impacts your life in every way, and it's not without risk. I considered it for 15 years before I actually did it. It wasn't right for me at the time. Now that it's done and I'm doing so well, I would do it again in a heart beat, but it's not for everyone. I do wish you peace as you decide what's right for you.

I'm with you Jane. At almost 5'4", I'm far from thin, but I have a body that is happy where it is. If I deviate the slightest from pretty minimal intake of around 800 calories, I don't lose. If I eat something salty, I immediately hold on to Water. If I have a day where I eat over 1500 calories (and I rarely do), I gain. Real fat. The whole thing just pisses me off most of the time, lol. I'm starting to come to the realization that maybe this is it for me. I'd like to hit 160, and I think with plastics maybe I'll hit 145 - maybe. One thing is certain, we must carry on. I could easily weigh 300+ pounds again in no time flat, so I'll keep fighting to never go back there. Thanks for your vent - you know what they say about misery

would you say the 60 % weight loss average for 50% of the people is because they only expect 50% to follow their guidance for success or that 100% follow it, but only 60% succeed because their plan is aimed at satisfying the lowest common denominator or "standard" success for the most number of people and not everyone can succeed with the same plan? I use quotes on "standard" because 100% weight loss would not be standard in their eyes. I would argue for the latter. Some people may follow the doctor plan to a T yet still fall outside of 60% weight loss success for a number of biological or environmental reasons. Some people may fall in the 60 % weight loss success and not follow the doctor plan, again, because of biological or environmental reasons. Just like any diet, not all will succeed by following the "standard" plan because we are all different. If you do find yourself on the unfortunate wrong side of the success line, then it just means you need to adjust the plan so it works for you. None of this might make sense, but if am just trying to logically understand where such statistics make sense given the diversity that exists in the sample set when everyone follows the same "standard" plan. Fiddle, I honestly haven't done the medical research to answer your question with any authority. In my opinion, though, I think that statistics tell what the researcher wants them to, in many cases. I also look at them as averages, and "not typical" as the fine print says I think there are just so many variables that contribute to poor success for some, and better success for others, and that's why there is no one answer to losing and maintaining a healthy weight. That's also why physicians need to have some sort of standard to try to meet, and I think it's a lower number because of the many variables outside of their control. So, that's my personal explanation of how the statistics "make sense". Having said that, I totally agree with you that we all have to figure out what works for us within the realm of what's reasonable. And by reasonable, I mean using common sense that includes an appropriate amount of calories and nutrition and exercise. There is no one size fits all, especially as we get to the last few pounds. I think the people who are most successful are able to figure out what that formula is, and they can fit it into a lifestyle that is acceptable for them. As for the "standard" plan, I think it makes sense in the beginning as a launching point and probably needs adjustment for most of us we get further out and closer to goal.

I'm also an RN - and Sleeve of Steel is spot on. To go a step further, even though it is common, it's not normal. Definitely have that checked, and in addition to slow position changes, make sure you are getting in adequate fluids, since a little dehydration can aggravate that. A little extra salt might also help raise your blood pressure. If you are on any sort of diuretic, your doc will probably want to get you off of them.

I think everyone here has hit the nail on the head, and I also think you are very perceptive and have a good handle on your situation. That's a great start. What I see is that you are gaining confidence, and he does not like it. His behavior is not new, and he has not changed, but YOU have, so good for you! He is running out of ways to beat you down, and therefore, his behavior seems to be is escalating. Only you know your true situation, but I would be contacting some of those places for guidance. I don't know if he would ever hit you, but I doubt if he's ever going to be a good man to you. If you decide to leave, I would be making my escape plan in secrecy as quickly as possible, and just try to keep a lid on things. If you know you are leaving, there is no sense in upsetting this apple cart and risking further escalation. Let him think he's put you in your place so that when you make your escape, he doesn't see it coming.

I'm 13 months out, and I still follow pretty much everything except for 2 that I never followed - I eat in front the the TV sometimes, and I don't chew a lot or eat super slow. Oh - and I don't always measure food, but I still do most of the time. Other than that, I'm pretty careful about all my eating habits.

I miss the restriction i had early on, too. I do notice that some days i have more restriction than others. Also, I find that when i cut way back, the restriction is better. I agree it's a good idea to weigh and measure food.

How much more weight do you have to lose, and how many calories are you eating every day? I wouldn't freak out just yet, I would assess my situation a little closer. It could be a lot of different things. You could be eating more without realizing it if you don't track. Since you are exercising, you could be gaining muscle, which would explain a 4 pound gain. You could be retaining a little Water. Your body might be adjusting to the huge loss you've had. Maybe it's a combination of all or some of those things. The good news is that you are paying attention, so you won't let this get away from you. Take a deep breath, be honest with yourself about what's going on, then make a game plan based on your plan prescribed by your doc. I know the feeling of panic when the scale goes the wrong way, but I remind myself it's what we do over the long haul that makes a difference. It's tempting to go back to bad habits, but we all know that never worked for us before, so it's probably not going to now. You can do this!

I've been using the Bosley fibers. I like them better than the Toppik because I think they match better and stick better. They really do work to hide a shiny scalp!

I also had thinning hair before surgery - bad genetics for me, too. I lost a lot beginning around month 4 or 5. It continued to fall out for months. It's mostly slowed down now, and I did get some regrowth, but it's still not back to the way it was before surgery. I still hope that it could get there, but I don't know. I think for the average person, it will. I HATE it, but I'll still take thin body with too thin hair over fat body with thin hair. I never missed a day of getting my Protein in, have been taking Biotin 5000 mcg daily since before surgery, and use all the special shampoos. I've been to the dermatologist, got shots in my head and topical solutions (which I think did help some) but I still had plenty of hair loss. I agree with Bufflehead, if they knew how to avoid/treat this, it would not be a consistent topic of conversation. We can't predict how our bodies will respond to WLS, but it doesn't hurt to plan for the possibilities. I would suggest trying not to stress or focus on it - it is what it is.

Bet you barely recognize yourself! Great story, and congratulations on a wonderful success!

I think that is tremendous growth that you can identify and change a behavior that you feel wasn't in your best interest. Good for you! I can't imagine going to public places and entertaining others. You must have been exhausted all the time! I know what you mean about having the ability to look around and assess the lay of the land. I can do that, too. What I don't do is absorb it and take it on as my own. But I know exactly what you are saying, because I see my mother do that. She really feels what she observes others feeling. I think it makes people like you much more empathetic, but also can be exhausting and counterproductive for you. I do think it's a wonderful human quality and the world is a better place for having people like you in it. The trick is to not let it eat you alive Anyway, I like your attitude, too!

Looks like your doc's stats mirror mine, and some of the national averages I've seen. I'm with you, I also want to lose - and KEEP OFF - 100% of my excess weight. He thinks I can do it, and so do I. But I do think the last 25 pounds are going to take a long, long time. Before surgery he told me I was a candidate for either sleeve or RNY, but would lose more with RNY. I know he meant that statistically. We don't have to be statistics, but in truth, even if we are, we are way better off with 60% of excess weight gone.

In short, to answer your question, I have had some changes in the way I think, but it's mostly about how I thought about food. I used to center every activity and event around it - in many cases, the food WAS the event. Now when I have gatherings, the food gets it's rightful place, not the center of the universe it was. As far as how I think about my place in the world, I am probably more confident that I can blend in more. Others talk about being invisible, but I never felt that way. I always felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb in every situation because I was always the biggest person in the room, and that's what was on my mind. I assume it was on everyone else's too, which may or may not have been true. I have a pretty strong personality, and I can think of a few times I thought like I was treated poorly because of my weight, but mostly I refused to acknowledge it. I refused to accept that anyone would treat me poorly because of my weight, so I would work double time to draw them out until they had no choice but to engage with me. If I could get them to see past the exterior, I was always good to go. However, I do think that while I was very successful at work, I had to work harder and always be on, and was judged a little differently than peers. Sometimes I wonder if I was being treated worse (in all aspects of life) than I realized or recognized because of my refusal to let my weight hinder me in any way. I think they call that denial, lol. So now, I don't waste my time worrying about those things, because they are not barriers for me. Some people like me, some less so. I still work double time to engage those people, because I'm not having that, lol. I gained the confidence to get a great new job, and even though I've lost another 40 pounds since I started there, people never knew me as that morbidly obese person. I love that not one soul there knows or sees me in that light. So, I do think it's inevitable that the way we view the world will change as we do. It's the same as we age, as life events happen to us, and as we grow.

My surgeon's office keeps their own stats - they have to, to be a center of excellence. They also benchmark nationally. On average, they report that gastric sleeve patients lose about 70% of their excess weight by one year, and maintain about 60% or a little less of it over time. That's an average. Some people do worse, some do better. So, it sounds like the presentation was pretty negative, but not that far off from the truth of some reports. People see what they want to see, and it's surprising how uninformed and biased some medical professionals are. I've been around the boards a while now, and I've seen lots of people lose 100%, a few have lost even more, and I've seen a few lose next to nothing and then not stick around here. I don't think the message boards are a totally accurate representation of all sleevers because the ones that come here are motivated. I keep coming here because I don't want to be one of those negative statistics! I've lost 85% of my excess weight at 13 months. At my one year I had hit around 80%. My doc said I exceeded their expectations, and was more in line with gastric bypass stats. He also declared me a "success", but said that I could lose more if I wanted. He's right about that - it's up to us.

You can easily add calories without increasing volume and without adding extra meals. I always chuckle when people ask this question - who'd have thought? Anyway, to answer your question specifically, to add a few calories, skip the low fat anything. Add a few nuts to your diet. Add a little cream to your coffee or Soup. Maybe you could add another healthy snack. Think back to the things you avoided to lose weight. I would just say be careful with this. Your stall may or may not be related to intake. Sometimes our bodies just are not ready to lose. I've been on a two month plateau myself. I would give your dietitian a call. He/she might be able to give you some more recommendations, and also look at intake vs expenditure. I agree, you need to fuel your body.

Excellent suggestion. I started doing 16 hour fast this week, and lost 2 pounds. I've been struggling to get any weight off since November, and the loss has just slowed down. I try to eat the same amount of calories I was eating, about 800-1000/day. It's the only way weight comes off. I do think the limited time helps curb the extra few calories I was putting in my mouth closer to bed, which also helps. But I could see once I hit maintenance, I could do this 5 days a week, and loosen up a little on weekends. Guess I'll see when I get there. Thanks for a great suggestion, and glad to see your success with it!

Great idea for a poll and conversation. I didn't vote because I'm not that far out, but I see the majority said hunger returned, but much less than before surgery. That's really encouraging to me. At 13 months, my hunger is pretty minimal. Some days I don't have any, though I do get head hunger and stress induced "hunger" (aka head hunger). Still learning to manage that, but since real hunger is manageable and capacity is decreased, I usually don't let it get the best of me. So, even if I do have an increase in hunger, I'm hopeful that I might be in that majority who have a much decreased hunger.So far, not has said it's the same or worse, so that's good, too! Also, as much as we all fear it, hunger is not a bad thing, if it's not out of control. It's our body's natural drive for survival. I think about being a really old person, and I WANT to feel some hunger and desire to eat, and even the ability to gain weight. As we age, we need the ability to maintain a good nutritional status.

I can eat more than I want to be able to - probably at least a cup of food, maybe more depending on what it is. At 13 months out, my restriction is not what it was at 2 months, 6 months, or 9. I also know I THINK I can eat more than I really can. While I'm not suggesting you eat in the quantities you mentioned, have you actually done that? (I hate to admit it, but a time or two I just let myself eat what I wanted, and I was surprised that it wasn't as much as I thought I could). There is a cottage cheese test that you can do to help figure out your actual capacity, which might help give you some perspective. Someone on these boards once said to me "just because you, doesn't mean you should". Obvious, right? But it stuck with me, so I don't rely solely on restriction. I also have to weigh and measure my food to keep thing in correct portions. As for getting your restriction back, I don't know the answer to that. In my case, I've found that when I intentionally decrease my intake to small amounts for a few days, the restriction does seem to improve for me. All along it seemed like there were some days I felt more restriction than others for no apparent reason. Also, starting with dense Protein is sort of the only "magic bullet" I've found. It really does help to decrease my intake. I tried the 5:2 a little, and after a fast day, my restriction seemed better. Lately I've been restricting intake to just 8 hours a day, and that really seems to increase restriction for me. So, regardless of my capacity, I still have had to change my habits in order to be successful. If I relied on that, I'd still weigh 305 pounds because we can all snack on calorie dense food all day, never feel full, and pack on the pounds. I'd also suggest discussing this with your team. They may be able to give you some other perspective.

I didn't change careers, but I did get a much better job in my field. I now work in a place where I am treated with respect, and they appreciate me. At my old job, they took me for granted, and thought nothing of treating me poorly compared to peers. And I am not paranoid - others saw it, too. Of course I'll never be able to prove it was weight related, but I think it was. Interestingly, I made up my mind that I needed out of that job, and even though my resume was and is stellar, I figured it would be hard to get a potential employer to see past my weight. I also figured that even if they did, they wouldn't pay me what I was worth. So, I had the surgery, let the old employer pay for it and all my recovery time, started giving no more than 8 hours a day, and focused on me. I lost the weight and gained a lot of confidence. When a headhunter contacted me, I was in a much better physical and mental place where I felt I could go after a bigger/better/great job and negotiate a fitting salary. I've been there about 6 months now, have lost another 40 pounds since I started, and love the job! I feel like the sleeve gave me that.

Congratulations on returning to obsessing, lol. You know what they say - misery loves company Just kidding, it's not miserable, and I'd trade this life for the old one every day. My obsessing is paying off. I'm back down to around 800 calories most days, and the weight is coming off again. I have gotten most carbs out of my diet too, but only because when you eat that few calories, the only way to do it is to avoid carbs. I do feel better. I don't get that weak feeling that you describe either. I used to get that SO bad before surgery! I'm still shocked that I don't have it on 800 calories. I don't plan cheat days, but I do allow myself a little latitude on special occasions. However, for the most part, I still track even when I do that. I need to know how much damage I'm doing

My husband went through all of it with me. He went to the seminar, then was there for the surgery, and took care of me when I got home. Took me to post op appointments, and and support groups. My parents were also present for surgery, and my older teenage/young adult kids were there that evening. My daughter stayed with me through the first night, though, and I really needed her. I am very blessed to have such a great support system!

I didn't have lymphedema, but I did have swelling. I took a mild diuretic, was off of it for a while, but as soon as my calories got up around 800, the swelling returned. I went back to the diuretic, no problems. I am thinking I might be able to get off of it again as I lose more weight, and you might, too. Even if you can't, you can take diuretics.

Kathy, Happy, Happy Birthday! What a wonderful way to Celebrate yourself - to consider where you are and where you were, and how thrilled you are with your life. You are such an inspiration to all of us, showing and reminding us of what it takes to meet the level of success you have! I'm thrilled for you that you are so young, and I know it's true. Blaze that trail, girl!! Have a great day