BigSue

If you're not familiar with the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collective, you should definitely check it out. They have an extensive database of bariatric surgery patients, and there's a calculator that shows average outcomes based on the data.
https://mbsc.arbormetrix.com/Registry/public/calculator/uiCalculator/7?menuId=1013
My info:
1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT - female, 39 (at time of surgery), 5'3"
2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 64 pounds
3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 277 pounds
4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 256 pounds
5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 225 pounds
6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 181 pounds
7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - 144 pounds

What a fantastic NSV! Truly life-changing. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy learning to drive your new car.

Not weird but awesome NSV here.
I've always delayed getting a driving license until I lose weight. For some reason I convinced myself that I was too big (149 Kg before WLS) to be driving a car and that I won't be able to fit in the tiny cars used at the driving schools here in Malaysia. I saw a lot of people who were bigger than me driving around but I just couldn't get my head around it. My wife was the designated driver for quite sometime.
After losing a considerable amount of weight, I finally got the confidence to do it. I started my driving lessons in July and finally got my driving license last month. I even bought a new car that I've always liked for my 41st birthday. Life keeps getting better and better after WLS.

SomeBigGuy is absolutely correct. I remember sitting in Weight Watchers meetings before I had surgery, rolling my eyes (at least to myself) at these barely overweight women moan and complain about how hard it was to lose 10 lbs. And here I was, 200+ lbs overweight. But now I totally get it!! The closer you are to normal weight, the harder it gets to lose even 10 lbs - when pre-surgery I probably could have dropped that in a week or two! But it all comes down to percentages - and how close your normal calorie intake is to your normal calorie expenditure (which at normal weight, is pretty much even). You still have a ways to go, but those percentages have changed - so you'll lose the weight as long as you stick to your plan, but it's going to take longer to lose the same number of pounds that you could have lost when you weighed 300+ lbs. But keep at it - it WILL come off!!

As you lose more weight, its important to track the percentage of weight loss rather than only the number on the scale itself. We all have a base weight with all of our bones and internal organs that won't change (if we're healthy) and the muscle and excess fat on top of that are the variable amounts.
For example, using big/round numbers for easy math, not for actual healthy goals - If SW is 300lbs and GW is 100lbs, then the total excess weight one would need to lose is 200lbs.
If that person goes from 300lbs to 200lbs (100 lbs total loss), that is 50% of excess weight lost.
If the person is now at 150lb and still trying to go to 100lb (50lb excess remaining), then a 50% loss would only be 25lbs.
While its not the exact same amount of effort, you can use this to frame it in your mind that roughly the amount of effort to lose that first (300 - 100) matches the effort needed for the 25lb loss from a 150lb current weight.
Again, these aren't precise or necessarily healthy weight numbers I gave, I was just trying to paint the picture to help reframe things to prevent being unnecessarily negative to yourself. You are still doing great!
Also, don't forget that muscle weighs more than fat (I think it is roughly 1.5x heavier than fat for a given amount). As you build more muscle from exercise, you will gain weight, but it will be healthy weight. That's why it is important to also focus on more non scale victories later in the process, since the number on the scale isn't everything as you approach the finish line!

I used to set a timer and wait a minute between bites, and also chew each bite for at least 30 seconds. Eventually chewing everything really well becomes second nature (and you'll regret it if you don't). I also bought some tiny forks and spoons (search for cocktail forks/spoons) to help take small bites, but I'm over 3 years out now and use regular utensils. I take larger bites now but wait longer between bites (usually 3 minutes).
Some people believe that you should eat mindfully and focus on your meal, not work or watch TV or anything while you're eating, but I personally take the opposite approach. If I'm not doing anything else while eating, I eat too fast, so I like to multitask during meals. I usually eat lunch at my desk while working and it takes me about 45 minutes to finish a salad.

I used to set a timer and wait a minute between bites, and also chew each bite for at least 30 seconds. Eventually chewing everything really well becomes second nature (and you'll regret it if you don't). I also bought some tiny forks and spoons (search for cocktail forks/spoons) to help take small bites, but I'm over 3 years out now and use regular utensils. I take larger bites now but wait longer between bites (usually 3 minutes).
Some people believe that you should eat mindfully and focus on your meal, not work or watch TV or anything while you're eating, but I personally take the opposite approach. If I'm not doing anything else while eating, I eat too fast, so I like to multitask during meals. I usually eat lunch at my desk while working and it takes me about 45 minutes to finish a salad.

I used to set a timer and wait a minute between bites, and also chew each bite for at least 30 seconds. Eventually chewing everything really well becomes second nature (and you'll regret it if you don't). I also bought some tiny forks and spoons (search for cocktail forks/spoons) to help take small bites, but I'm over 3 years out now and use regular utensils. I take larger bites now but wait longer between bites (usually 3 minutes).
Some people believe that you should eat mindfully and focus on your meal, not work or watch TV or anything while you're eating, but I personally take the opposite approach. If I'm not doing anything else while eating, I eat too fast, so I like to multitask during meals. I usually eat lunch at my desk while working and it takes me about 45 minutes to finish a salad.

Drinking a hot beverage (tea or coffee) helps. Warms you up from the inside!

If you're not familiar with the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collective, you should definitely check it out. They have an extensive database of bariatric surgery patients, and there's a calculator that shows average outcomes based on the data.
https://mbsc.arbormetrix.com/Registry/public/calculator/uiCalculator/7?menuId=1013
My info:
1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT - female, 39 (at time of surgery), 5'3"
2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 64 pounds
3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 277 pounds
4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 256 pounds
5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 225 pounds
6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 181 pounds
7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - 144 pounds

5'3" woman here and I'm maintaining on 1200 calories per day, and that's with at least 90 minutes of cardio per day. I can relate to the feeling of shock about having to stick to such a low calorie count forever because I wanted to cry when my surgeon estimated that my maintenance calories would be around 1200-1400, maybe 1500 if I worked out a lot. Being short is a real drag.
So as I see it, you have a few options (which you can mix and match to find a balance that works for you):
Adopt and maintain eating habits that keep your calories low. I have found some go-to low-calorie foods that allow me to keep a low calorie intake without making me feel too deprived because I enjoy what I'm eating. 3 years out from surgery, my restriction isn't what it was immediately post-op, but it still helps, especially when I'm filling up on salads and other low-calorie veggies. Increase your exercise. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a whole lot because diet contributes far more to weight management than exercise, but for me, increasing my exercise from 60 minutes/day to 90 minutes/day allows me to maintain about 5 pounds lower with the same number of calories. Accept a higher maintenance weight. A lot of people get way too focused on a number on the scale as their goal/maintenance weight. The number on the scale, or your BMI, doesn't tell the whole story. You list your goal weight as 140 pounds, but if you are satisfied with your health, quality of life, and appearance at 150 pounds, maybe that should be your goal weight, and you can maintain that with slightly higher calories than 140.

I'm 2.5 years post-op from gastric bypass. I think weight loss surgery can help make major changes to your relationship with food and eating, but it takes a lot of time and work to undo the habits and mindset you've developed throughout your life up to this point.
I had read that a lot of people experience changes in their tastes after surgery, and I hoped that would be the case for me but was not optimistic. I mentioned this hope to the psychiatrist during my psych eval for the surgery, and he kind of laughed at this idea and told me not to count on it. I've always been a picky eater with a long list of vegetables and cuisines that I wouldn't eat. Some people say that after surgery, food tastes different (e.g., anything sweet tastes too sweet), but that was not my experience, so I figured I wasn't one of the lucky ones whose tastes would change.
Well, fast-forward to now and my tastes have changed... sort of. It's hard to explain because foods taste the same now as they did before surgery, but my likes and dislikes have changed a lot. I used to hate seafood and now I love it. I eat all kinds of vegetables that I used to hate. I'm not sure if my tastes have changed or I just have more of an open mind, or maybe having to go through the pre-op liquid diet and post-op stages made me appreciate real food more when I reintroduced it. Either way, I'm eating healthy foods every day and loving them.
Before surgery, I loved watching cooking shows like Top Chef and Great British Baking Show. For the first several months after surgery, I couldn't bear to watch cooking shows. I hated even seeing food commercials on TV. It just made me sad and angry to see foods that I could no longer eat. But eventually, I got to a point where I could see food and cooking without the emotional attachment. I can watch Great British Baking Show and appreciate the cakes and Cookies they make without being sad that I can't eat them.
Once I got to the point of reintroducing solid food, I put a lot of effort into recreating "bariatric-friendly" versions of foods I used to eat -- especially pizza. Pizza was my kryptonite, and before surgery, I could not get enough pizza. I could have eaten pizza every day and never gotten tired of it. After surgery, I tried chicken crust pizza, and making pizza with low-carb tortilla for the crust, topped with sugar-free marinara, low fat mozzarella, and turkey pepperoni. But I also started trying healthy recipes that I found on Pinterest, and eventually, I stopped craving pizza. I haven't had anything resembling pizza (even a healthy version) in well over a year and I don't care. If you put two plates in front of me, one with a slice of pizza and one with grilled salmon and roasted vegetables, I would go straight for the salmon and not even be tempted by the pizza. This is just wild to me because three years ago, I wouldn't have eaten salmon if it were the only food available, and I never could have passed up a slice of pizza.
Sometimes I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience because before surgery, I couldn't imagine being the health nut with a refrigerator full of fresh produce and no junk food in the house, eating grilled fish and cauliflower rice and salad with fat-free dressing, but here I am. I am constantly finding new, healthy, delicious recipes. Every single day, I eat healthy food and think, "Holy crap, this is delicious!" I honestly enjoy food more now than I did when I was eating whatever I wanted with wild abandon. It took me a long time to get here, and I can't promise that you or anyone else will have the same experiences after weight loss surgery, but my relationship with food has changed more than I could have imagined.

5'3" woman here and I'm maintaining on 1200 calories per day, and that's with at least 90 minutes of cardio per day. I can relate to the feeling of shock about having to stick to such a low calorie count forever because I wanted to cry when my surgeon estimated that my maintenance calories would be around 1200-1400, maybe 1500 if I worked out a lot. Being short is a real drag.
So as I see it, you have a few options (which you can mix and match to find a balance that works for you):
Adopt and maintain eating habits that keep your calories low. I have found some go-to low-calorie foods that allow me to keep a low calorie intake without making me feel too deprived because I enjoy what I'm eating. 3 years out from surgery, my restriction isn't what it was immediately post-op, but it still helps, especially when I'm filling up on salads and other low-calorie veggies. Increase your exercise. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a whole lot because diet contributes far more to weight management than exercise, but for me, increasing my exercise from 60 minutes/day to 90 minutes/day allows me to maintain about 5 pounds lower with the same number of calories. Accept a higher maintenance weight. A lot of people get way too focused on a number on the scale as their goal/maintenance weight. The number on the scale, or your BMI, doesn't tell the whole story. You list your goal weight as 140 pounds, but if you are satisfied with your health, quality of life, and appearance at 150 pounds, maybe that should be your goal weight, and you can maintain that with slightly higher calories than 140.

5'3" woman here and I'm maintaining on 1200 calories per day, and that's with at least 90 minutes of cardio per day. I can relate to the feeling of shock about having to stick to such a low calorie count forever because I wanted to cry when my surgeon estimated that my maintenance calories would be around 1200-1400, maybe 1500 if I worked out a lot. Being short is a real drag.
So as I see it, you have a few options (which you can mix and match to find a balance that works for you):
Adopt and maintain eating habits that keep your calories low. I have found some go-to low-calorie foods that allow me to keep a low calorie intake without making me feel too deprived because I enjoy what I'm eating. 3 years out from surgery, my restriction isn't what it was immediately post-op, but it still helps, especially when I'm filling up on salads and other low-calorie veggies. Increase your exercise. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a whole lot because diet contributes far more to weight management than exercise, but for me, increasing my exercise from 60 minutes/day to 90 minutes/day allows me to maintain about 5 pounds lower with the same number of calories. Accept a higher maintenance weight. A lot of people get way too focused on a number on the scale as their goal/maintenance weight. The number on the scale, or your BMI, doesn't tell the whole story. You list your goal weight as 140 pounds, but if you are satisfied with your health, quality of life, and appearance at 150 pounds, maybe that should be your goal weight, and you can maintain that with slightly higher calories than 140.

5'3" woman here and I'm maintaining on 1200 calories per day, and that's with at least 90 minutes of cardio per day. I can relate to the feeling of shock about having to stick to such a low calorie count forever because I wanted to cry when my surgeon estimated that my maintenance calories would be around 1200-1400, maybe 1500 if I worked out a lot. Being short is a real drag.
So as I see it, you have a few options (which you can mix and match to find a balance that works for you):
Adopt and maintain eating habits that keep your calories low. I have found some go-to low-calorie foods that allow me to keep a low calorie intake without making me feel too deprived because I enjoy what I'm eating. 3 years out from surgery, my restriction isn't what it was immediately post-op, but it still helps, especially when I'm filling up on salads and other low-calorie veggies. Increase your exercise. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a whole lot because diet contributes far more to weight management than exercise, but for me, increasing my exercise from 60 minutes/day to 90 minutes/day allows me to maintain about 5 pounds lower with the same number of calories. Accept a higher maintenance weight. A lot of people get way too focused on a number on the scale as their goal/maintenance weight. The number on the scale, or your BMI, doesn't tell the whole story. You list your goal weight as 140 pounds, but if you are satisfied with your health, quality of life, and appearance at 150 pounds, maybe that should be your goal weight, and you can maintain that with slightly higher calories than 140.

5'3" woman here and I'm maintaining on 1200 calories per day, and that's with at least 90 minutes of cardio per day. I can relate to the feeling of shock about having to stick to such a low calorie count forever because I wanted to cry when my surgeon estimated that my maintenance calories would be around 1200-1400, maybe 1500 if I worked out a lot. Being short is a real drag.
So as I see it, you have a few options (which you can mix and match to find a balance that works for you):
Adopt and maintain eating habits that keep your calories low. I have found some go-to low-calorie foods that allow me to keep a low calorie intake without making me feel too deprived because I enjoy what I'm eating. 3 years out from surgery, my restriction isn't what it was immediately post-op, but it still helps, especially when I'm filling up on salads and other low-calorie veggies. Increase your exercise. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a whole lot because diet contributes far more to weight management than exercise, but for me, increasing my exercise from 60 minutes/day to 90 minutes/day allows me to maintain about 5 pounds lower with the same number of calories. Accept a higher maintenance weight. A lot of people get way too focused on a number on the scale as their goal/maintenance weight. The number on the scale, or your BMI, doesn't tell the whole story. You list your goal weight as 140 pounds, but if you are satisfied with your health, quality of life, and appearance at 150 pounds, maybe that should be your goal weight, and you can maintain that with slightly higher calories than 140.

5'3" woman here and I'm maintaining on 1200 calories per day, and that's with at least 90 minutes of cardio per day. I can relate to the feeling of shock about having to stick to such a low calorie count forever because I wanted to cry when my surgeon estimated that my maintenance calories would be around 1200-1400, maybe 1500 if I worked out a lot. Being short is a real drag.
So as I see it, you have a few options (which you can mix and match to find a balance that works for you):
Adopt and maintain eating habits that keep your calories low. I have found some go-to low-calorie foods that allow me to keep a low calorie intake without making me feel too deprived because I enjoy what I'm eating. 3 years out from surgery, my restriction isn't what it was immediately post-op, but it still helps, especially when I'm filling up on salads and other low-calorie veggies. Increase your exercise. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a whole lot because diet contributes far more to weight management than exercise, but for me, increasing my exercise from 60 minutes/day to 90 minutes/day allows me to maintain about 5 pounds lower with the same number of calories. Accept a higher maintenance weight. A lot of people get way too focused on a number on the scale as their goal/maintenance weight. The number on the scale, or your BMI, doesn't tell the whole story. You list your goal weight as 140 pounds, but if you are satisfied with your health, quality of life, and appearance at 150 pounds, maybe that should be your goal weight, and you can maintain that with slightly higher calories than 140.

5'3" woman here and I'm maintaining on 1200 calories per day, and that's with at least 90 minutes of cardio per day. I can relate to the feeling of shock about having to stick to such a low calorie count forever because I wanted to cry when my surgeon estimated that my maintenance calories would be around 1200-1400, maybe 1500 if I worked out a lot. Being short is a real drag.
So as I see it, you have a few options (which you can mix and match to find a balance that works for you):
Adopt and maintain eating habits that keep your calories low. I have found some go-to low-calorie foods that allow me to keep a low calorie intake without making me feel too deprived because I enjoy what I'm eating. 3 years out from surgery, my restriction isn't what it was immediately post-op, but it still helps, especially when I'm filling up on salads and other low-calorie veggies. Increase your exercise. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a whole lot because diet contributes far more to weight management than exercise, but for me, increasing my exercise from 60 minutes/day to 90 minutes/day allows me to maintain about 5 pounds lower with the same number of calories. Accept a higher maintenance weight. A lot of people get way too focused on a number on the scale as their goal/maintenance weight. The number on the scale, or your BMI, doesn't tell the whole story. You list your goal weight as 140 pounds, but if you are satisfied with your health, quality of life, and appearance at 150 pounds, maybe that should be your goal weight, and you can maintain that with slightly higher calories than 140.

I used to get that stuck-on-the-way-down experience fairly often when I first reintroduced meat after surgery, but I have learned to chew my food really well to the point that it has become automatic and I rarely have that problem anymore. But last week, I went to a restaurant and got some really delicious snapper, and it was so good that I ate too much, too fast and regretted it. Fortunately, the feeling passed after about an hour, but it was not a pleasant hour and like your ham experience, it was a good reminder that I still have to eat slowly and chew well.

I used to get that stuck-on-the-way-down experience fairly often when I first reintroduced meat after surgery, but I have learned to chew my food really well to the point that it has become automatic and I rarely have that problem anymore. But last week, I went to a restaurant and got some really delicious snapper, and it was so good that I ate too much, too fast and regretted it. Fortunately, the feeling passed after about an hour, but it was not a pleasant hour and like your ham experience, it was a good reminder that I still have to eat slowly and chew well.

I recently went clothes shopping at an actual mall for the first time in years, and I felt lost, disoriented, and completely out of place, like an alien trying to pass for human. Since I started losing weight, I've mainly been buying clothes from Amazon, Old Navy, and Walmart because I had no idea what to buy and don't want to spend too much on clothes, but I've been maintaining for a couple of years and feel like it's time to upgrade my wardrobe a bit.
For one thing, now that I am not plus-sized, the options are overwhelming. I used to be limited to Lane Bryant and Torrid, but now I can shop almost anywhere and have no idea where to start. I felt like an imposter, shopping in stores that, 3 years ago, didn't have anything in my size. What 40-something professional lady has never shopped at Ann Taylor? (Answer: one who had to lose 100+ pounds to fit into any of their clothes.)
I've heard of "vanity sizing" and now I've experienced it. In Amazon/Old Navy/Walmart clothes, large or 10-12 usually fits, but in more upscale stores, medium or 8 is on the roomy side. I found a shirt I liked in Eddie Bauer and medium was too big. I was afraid they would laugh in my face when I asked for a small (like, "LOL, can you believe this fat lady thinks she needs a small?!"). They didn't have any smalls left except the one the mannequin was wearing, so I bought that one. I can't believe I wear the same size as the mannequin! At Loft, I was looking in the large section of the clearance rack, and the salesperson looked at me like I was crazy and pointed me toward the small/medium section -- even offered to look for an XS in a sweater I was eying.

I recently went clothes shopping at an actual mall for the first time in years, and I felt lost, disoriented, and completely out of place, like an alien trying to pass for human. Since I started losing weight, I've mainly been buying clothes from Amazon, Old Navy, and Walmart because I had no idea what to buy and don't want to spend too much on clothes, but I've been maintaining for a couple of years and feel like it's time to upgrade my wardrobe a bit.
For one thing, now that I am not plus-sized, the options are overwhelming. I used to be limited to Lane Bryant and Torrid, but now I can shop almost anywhere and have no idea where to start. I felt like an imposter, shopping in stores that, 3 years ago, didn't have anything in my size. What 40-something professional lady has never shopped at Ann Taylor? (Answer: one who had to lose 100+ pounds to fit into any of their clothes.)
I've heard of "vanity sizing" and now I've experienced it. In Amazon/Old Navy/Walmart clothes, large or 10-12 usually fits, but in more upscale stores, medium or 8 is on the roomy side. I found a shirt I liked in Eddie Bauer and medium was too big. I was afraid they would laugh in my face when I asked for a small (like, "LOL, can you believe this fat lady thinks she needs a small?!"). They didn't have any smalls left except the one the mannequin was wearing, so I bought that one. I can't believe I wear the same size as the mannequin! At Loft, I was looking in the large section of the clearance rack, and the salesperson looked at me like I was crazy and pointed me toward the small/medium section -- even offered to look for an XS in a sweater I was eying.

First of all, there is no such thing as a "window of opportunity." There is no clock or deadline on weight loss surgery. The surgery is permanent. The surgery itself doesn't cause weight loss -- the surgery is a tool that helps you to eat less so you can lose weight. For most people, yes, the effect of the restriction wears off over time, so the first year or so is often called the "honeymoon period" because that's when it's easiest to lose weight due to low appetite and high restriction. But that doesn't mean that you can't lose any more weight after X months post-surgery. You have to build and maintain good habits during that honeymoon period so you can sustain the weight loss. It is a lifelong journey and if you get back into eating too much, you could regain the weight.
Second, yes, weight loss normally slows down as you approach your maintenance weight. It's easy to lose 10 pounds when you have 100 pounds to lose, but much more difficult to lose the last 10 pounds (when you only have 10 extra pounds). This is partly because having excess weight results in burning more calories -- if you're carrying an extra 100 pounds, it just takes more energy (and thus burns more calories) to do anything. If you maintain a constant calorie intake -- say, 1800 calories per day -- you will lose weight quickly at 300 pounds but more slowly at 250 pounds, and eventually you'll get to an equilibrium (say, 200 pounds) where you are burning the same number of calories as you're eating, so your weight will stabilize. If you want to lose more weight after you reach that equilibrium, you'll either have to lower your calorie intake or increase your calorie burn by exercising more.
Finally, my personal opinion is that people should not get hung up on a specific number on the scale. The non-scale measures of success are so much more important. If you are satisfied with your health and appearance at 222 pounds, there is no reason to worry that you are 2 pounds over the range that your surgeon estimated (which is almost certainly based on statistical outcomes, not a personalized assessment of you, specifically).

First of all, there is no such thing as a "window of opportunity." There is no clock or deadline on weight loss surgery. The surgery is permanent. The surgery itself doesn't cause weight loss -- the surgery is a tool that helps you to eat less so you can lose weight. For most people, yes, the effect of the restriction wears off over time, so the first year or so is often called the "honeymoon period" because that's when it's easiest to lose weight due to low appetite and high restriction. But that doesn't mean that you can't lose any more weight after X months post-surgery. You have to build and maintain good habits during that honeymoon period so you can sustain the weight loss. It is a lifelong journey and if you get back into eating too much, you could regain the weight.
Second, yes, weight loss normally slows down as you approach your maintenance weight. It's easy to lose 10 pounds when you have 100 pounds to lose, but much more difficult to lose the last 10 pounds (when you only have 10 extra pounds). This is partly because having excess weight results in burning more calories -- if you're carrying an extra 100 pounds, it just takes more energy (and thus burns more calories) to do anything. If you maintain a constant calorie intake -- say, 1800 calories per day -- you will lose weight quickly at 300 pounds but more slowly at 250 pounds, and eventually you'll get to an equilibrium (say, 200 pounds) where you are burning the same number of calories as you're eating, so your weight will stabilize. If you want to lose more weight after you reach that equilibrium, you'll either have to lower your calorie intake or increase your calorie burn by exercising more.
Finally, my personal opinion is that people should not get hung up on a specific number on the scale. The non-scale measures of success are so much more important. If you are satisfied with your health and appearance at 222 pounds, there is no reason to worry that you are 2 pounds over the range that your surgeon estimated (which is almost certainly based on statistical outcomes, not a personalized assessment of you, specifically).

First of all, there is no such thing as a "window of opportunity." There is no clock or deadline on weight loss surgery. The surgery is permanent. The surgery itself doesn't cause weight loss -- the surgery is a tool that helps you to eat less so you can lose weight. For most people, yes, the effect of the restriction wears off over time, so the first year or so is often called the "honeymoon period" because that's when it's easiest to lose weight due to low appetite and high restriction. But that doesn't mean that you can't lose any more weight after X months post-surgery. You have to build and maintain good habits during that honeymoon period so you can sustain the weight loss. It is a lifelong journey and if you get back into eating too much, you could regain the weight.
Second, yes, weight loss normally slows down as you approach your maintenance weight. It's easy to lose 10 pounds when you have 100 pounds to lose, but much more difficult to lose the last 10 pounds (when you only have 10 extra pounds). This is partly because having excess weight results in burning more calories -- if you're carrying an extra 100 pounds, it just takes more energy (and thus burns more calories) to do anything. If you maintain a constant calorie intake -- say, 1800 calories per day -- you will lose weight quickly at 300 pounds but more slowly at 250 pounds, and eventually you'll get to an equilibrium (say, 200 pounds) where you are burning the same number of calories as you're eating, so your weight will stabilize. If you want to lose more weight after you reach that equilibrium, you'll either have to lower your calorie intake or increase your calorie burn by exercising more.
Finally, my personal opinion is that people should not get hung up on a specific number on the scale. The non-scale measures of success are so much more important. If you are satisfied with your health and appearance at 222 pounds, there is no reason to worry that you are 2 pounds over the range that your surgeon estimated (which is almost certainly based on statistical outcomes, not a personalized assessment of you, specifically).