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P.S. Just wanted to add that when I weighed 146 lbs (at the high end of the BMI range for my height), I had a DEXA scan to see how much more weight I should aim on losing. Turns out my body fat was 21%, which is lean for a female. The technician, as well as my PCP, said it was time for me to stop losing. I was shocked. I figured I could lose at least another 10 lbs. Nope. Again, bone and muscle... (normal body fat range for older women (i.e., me!) is 23-33%. So yea - I was pretty low, even though my weight was at the high end of my BMI range)

I would consider another PCP as well. This one is obviously not knowledgeable about WLS. People who've lost large amounts of weight often have heavier bones and muscles than those folks who've never been obese. You needed that extra infrastructure to hold up all that weight. You do lose some of it as you lose weight (along with the fat), but you're going to have more of it than someone who's always been normal weight (excess skin is also extra weight (maybe five lbs or so), but you've had that removed). The PA at my bariatric clinic said you'll probably look about 10 lbs lighter than what the scale says, because of the extra bone and muscle weight you have. plus as others have said, why in the h*ll is this PCP complaining about you having a 28 or 29 BMI, when you've lost a ton of weight? They should be overjoyed. They must not be aware of your past medical records (??)

I agree with others. First, you'll likely lose pretty quickly the first month or two, and after that, it slows down quite a bit - but you'll continue to lose as long as you follow your program secondly, weight fluctuates every day - water retention, a full bowel, or even hormone levels can affect it. If it starts messing with your mind, just weigh once a week so you're looking more at long-term trends rather than daily fluctuations.

Keep in mind that 'weight loss' does not equal fat loss. I would be skeptical that you lost 7 pounds of fat in a week, but some fat, some fluid, and possibly some muscle? Sure. We wrongly think there are only 2 types of "stuff" in our bodies, the good stuff that never goes away and the bad stuff (fat), that we want to go away. It's a lot more complicated than that, and scales are just not a great way to really know what's going on inside your body. Unfortunately, scales are the tool most of us have, so we have to make due. I guess my point is don't overthink what the scale is telling you in either direction. As soon as you hit a stall, you're going to start questioning if you're doing things "right", but you may be having the same issue with a scale not really telling you what you need to know regarding fat loss. If that happens, it's better to just stick to your program and remember that you're using a tool that's pretty lousy at measuring fat loss.

You’ve lost 62 pounds in 6 months and you’re dissatisfied with that? I think that looking at other bariatric patients can skew our perspectives on weight loss. If you are expecting the same rate of weight loss as the patients on My 600 Pound Life, for example, that is not realistic because you don’t have nearly as much weight to lose. Your expectations for weight loss may not be realistic. At your height of 5’6”, your goal weight of 140 pounds puts you at a BMI of 22.6. The average gastric bypass patient loses 50-70% of excess weight, which means that the average gastric bypass patient doesn’t quite get to a BMI below 25 (which would be 155 pounds for a 5’6” person). With a starting weight of 270 pounds, your excess weight was 115 pounds. If you lose 70% of that, it’s 81 pounds of weight loss and a final weight of 189 pounds. A loss of 62 pounds in 6 months puts you on track to achieve that in a year (but remember that there are a lot of factors that can affect rate of weight loss, and you may lose faster or slower than others). Keep in mind that this is an average and not indicative of any individual patient. It is certainly possible to lose more than that. Some gastric bypass patients do lose all their excess weight and end up with a BMI below 25. You might be able to get to 140 pounds, but it is probably going to take a lot of work. The surgery is just a tool, not magic. If you were expecting to shed all your excess weight in 6 months without trying, then maybe you did waste your time and money, but if you are willing to put in the effort and use the WLS to your advantage, then you can achieve more weight loss than you ever have before.

Alcohol hits people very differently post-op, interestingly enough obviously not only depending on the kind of surgery a patient had. I understand bypass being a problem but tbh not really why a sleeve should propose problems, aside from being drunk on less alcohol because weight already has gone down significantly, that is. I can remember that we were advised to be cautious with alcohol because it hits differently (or can hit differently) than before. The dietitian told us to "try it at home first". Tbh, I can't remember the recommended time span that should be between surgery date and first alcoholic drink (I clearly remember though that the time span was four weeks for "real" coffee because I'm an addict. First coffee after four weeks of that chicory imitation stuff asted so damn good, rofl) - it might have been 12 weeks because alcohol is one of the bigger irritants to the stomach lining but I'm not really sure. I didn't pay much attention to this part of education because I was never much of a wine, beer or liquor consumer. Anyway, alcohol hits me like a hammer and is basically always involved when it comes to the rare occasions of late dumping and heartburn so I'm not too fond of this particular liquid drug. When I drink alcohol I always pair it with hearty food, not with sugary foods.

Yessss! I’m glad you mentioned this. I’m feeling this now like my weight went to my stomach which is making me feel fat still. Not sure if its normal but now i feel like i need surgery on my stomach. I had my surg in March 2022.

NO ! You haven't wasted anything ! You have GAINED experience, you have gained the knowledge that IF you eat certain foods, you won't lose weight. One of the biggest issues for many people, myself included isn't losing the weight... if I really set my mind to it.... it is keeping it off. I am a dozen years post surgery. Look at where I started and where I am now. About 4 years ago I decided to take some gained weight off.... again... and to stop every so often and maintain THAT weight for a while. BLEW MY OWN MIND !!! I could eat more, or eat treats and maintain my weight each time. Two years ago I got down to about 172 - 173 and decided to stay there and only panic if I got to 177. I kept a 40 pound weight loss for 2 years. AFTER losing 120 pounds 12 to 10 years ago. A while back... a few months I decided that I would just try to get back from an average of 175 to maybe that 172. Took my time, made some small changes. Gained 2 pounds during the 8 days of Chanukkah with some latkes and jelly donuts. And family dinners. Not a problem. Went back to what I was doing before our holiday and lost the two pounds ... (again) and didn't beat myself up over it. As soon as I stopped eating the holiday foods, the two pounds came off and another couple pounds after that... For me, it is all about getting into the right head space and weighing daily, watching what I eat, and balance. Friends dropped off dinner for my adult daughter and I tonight.... line caught, home made fresh FRIED fish. And french fries. (REALLY ?!) The fish was delicious. I ate 4 fries. And a piece of fish. I have fish for lunch tomorrow, and dinner..... and my daughter has fish and fries for days... I am the same weight now as I was in college... in 1977. From my heaviest weight I am almost half of myself. NEVER ever say that you cannot. Take a break from being so hard on yourself. Take a week and maintain where you are now. Then go back to where you need to be. You can do this.

I have been crazy busy, but I love it here and wanted to update you guys on what's new with me. And hopefully some of you will give updates on yourselves here, too So I am getting used to the work outs I've been doing (and by that I mean I don't need 2-3 days between working out now. I can do 6 days and take 1 rest day). I do cardio twice per week for an hour and a half each time, I do strength and core training twice per week for an hour and 15 minutes each time, and I do weight training twice per week for an hour each time (that's my least favorite lol) On my rest day, I literally do nothing. I work and do college from home, so I either lay in bed or on my love seat and get stuff done. I'm a complete veg head lol I made my rest day on Mondays because...well...Monday lol I drink three 16oz bottles of propel electrolyte water everyday (my favorite) and one 20oz bottle of gatorade zero each day. I also drink 2-4 cups of tea (sweetened with monkfruit sweetener, or not sweetened at all, depending on the tea). Specifically, I drink green tea in the morning, black tea in the afternoon, white tea in the evening, and if I'm in the mood, I drink either oolong tea or yerba mate tea at night. Helps suppress appetite, burn fat, and the green and black teas give a little caffeine boost (not a lot, but juuuuust enough). I usually make a protein shake in the morning for breakfast (never been a big breakfast eater). I have several different protein powders to choose from, and I typically add my greens powder to it, turmeric powder, moringa powder, matcha powder, mct oil, black seed oil, collagen powder, soluble fiber, avocado, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, gut health powder (digestive enzymes with pre and probiotics), and vitamin c powder. If needed, I add some monk fruit sweetener for a little extra sweetness, and it's really yummy and filling. For lunch I typically have some kind of salad (I have a few different ones that I like) and I add a protein to it, and then dinner is always some kind of protein and veggie. On weight training days, I have a P3 protein pack for a snack, but I don't usually have a snack on other days. On cardio and strengthening days I tend to have about 1200 calories and 20 carbs. On weight training days I have around 1300 calories and 25ish carbs. On my rest day I have between 900 - 1000 calories and 15 or so carbs. I also found a new salt to use (I rarely use salt, but this is much healthier for when I do) called Kala Namak Himalayan salt (it's black). Black salt has antioxidant properties and has surprisingly low sodium levels. It also contains important minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, which are essential to healthy bodies. Black salt stimulates bile production in the liver, and helps control heartburn and bloating. Its sulfurous, salty, mineral taste works great in cooking or as a finishing salt. I'm firmly in a size 20 clothing now, and my ring size is an 8 (but it's starting to get loose, so I'm looking at 7 1/2 now). I'm also in a stall again, but I honestly don't even care. I'm getting so healthy and strong and I can see a difference, so the scale will move when it moves, and until then, I'm just gonna focus on what I'm doing. I'm working full time and I'm in college full time (I'm finishing up my bachelor's degree - I have 8 more classes now) so between that and my more fit lifestyle, I'm always busy with something lol I really love it, though. I finished my Associate's degree in October and decided that I was going to finish the rest of my dream and get the bachelor's degree. I already have my dream job, but it's for ME, you know? I'll be the first one in my family to have a degree, and I want that. It means a lot to me to have it, and I graduated with a 4.0 with my associate's degree, and I still have a 4.0 so far now. I'm going to do my best to keep it, too. I'm noticing I have zero boobs to speak of now LOL I wasn't really expecting that at all, but it's fine. That's what padded bras are for until I get em done later on lol I'm more than ready for my hair to stop falling out and to start growing back. I'll be 8 months post op on the 3rd. How much longer will this go on before it finally calms down? That's really my biggest gripe right now. I'm just ready to not lose so much hair. I knew it was coming, so I never freaked out, but it's getting on my nerves now lol That's really it. All in all, things are going pretty well. How is everyone else doing?

That is a pretty strong drink. Don’t know what your daily calorie intake is but 248 is a lot of calories to waste on a single glass of alcohol which provides no nutritional benefit which should be your focus. 248 calories would have been 3/4 of my daily intake then. The carbs would also be a significant percentage of your limit too I would guess. And alcohol dehydrates you & slows your metabolism. In saying that I had a gin & tonic at around 2 months at my cousin’s 40th. I nursed that drink for more than 4 hours. Didn’t really enjoy it either & I didn’t have another drink for months. I don’t drink much at all since my surgery. An odd glass of champagne or a G&T maybe once a month or less often. My friends don’t pressure me to drink even though they drink. I realised I don’t need to drink to socialise & enjoy being with my friends. My question is what sort of friends are they to try to force you to drink when medically you’re advised not to? Are they trying to sabotage your weight loss? Ultimately though it is your decision. If you want to have a drink maybe look for a lower calorie drink with fewer carbs & less alcohol.

I would be finding another doctor. If he didnt even review your record what else did he not see? Honestly, there are many things that you could do to get your BP down including just cutting down on salt a little and it could be that your BP was just high that particular day. Mine is always higher at the dr office. Did he have any ideas on other kinds of birth control for you if you stopped the pills? If you are a size 6-8 you do not need to lose more weight!

yep. i'm over 4 yrs out (and been my current weight more or less the last 3.5 years!) and i still, on occasion, ask my fam "do i look fat in this?" ...then they roll their eyes and say no, but still some part of me thinks they are lying. (...of course there ARE days when i look in the mirror pat myself on the back and do a mental mic drop, lol. i guess it all depends on the day)

Does he have your records. He must not have reviewed them too closely if he didn’t know that you had a major surgery and that your weight is way down. Honestly I wouldn’t care much about his opinion of my weight but I may take that as a hint that he isn’t paying enough attention to your history.

I would have told him how much I used to weigh! Impress him. Tell him your BMI used to be morbidly obese. So you will take a few points over normal any day! When I go to the doctor if mine is 1 point higher then it should be, I get sent home with a paper about weight loss & I healthy diet🙄

Good Morning: I just wanted to get some feedback in case anyone else has experienced this (I'm quite sure some have). My last bariatric follow-up was fine. He told me my numbers were good and to keep it up. This week, I had a visit with my new primary care doctor. My previous PCP retired after 15 years (which I was very sad about-her retirement was unexpected). I was with her before & after my RNY, and she was very knowledgeable about everything related to the surgery. When I went to the new PCP this week, after he reviewed my numbers (BP was a little high-I was told to stop taking my birth control because it can cause high blood pressure for woman over 35), he looked at my weight and advised me to lose more weight, which could help with my BP. I wanted to go on the defensive but did not. My BMI stays around 28-29, and that is after having skin removal on my entire body. I wear size 6-8 jeans and small to medium in pants. I honestly don't know where the additional weight could be lost lol. My question is: how does everyone else handle this with a medical provider when it's encountered? I wanted to tell him that I used to weigh 311 pounds, so my weight now is considerably better.

I'm trying to look at it like this: I may be stalled, but on the other hand I made it through all the holidays without gaining, I'm actually a couple of pounds down from before Thanksgiving. Now when in my life have I ever done that? Here's to a great New Year for all of us! We have taken such a giant step towards our health goals this year. Think of where we all were last year at this time! Best to all of you ❤.

Sixty two pounds in six months is a job well done. I've lost nearly 47 pounds in four months and three weeks, so almost four months. I'd be very happy with 62 pounds in six months, although most likely I will lose less than that. I ate a little bit of cookies and candy during Christmas. It didn't make me gain weight. The key is to stop in January, and make sure the sweets are just a seasonal treat and not an everyday occurrence. Start the new year with a new exercise routine and stop being disappointed in yourself. You're doing great.

So many of you are getting your surgery next week... I am sending positive vibes to you all!!! Mine is Jan 16th. I just had my required class of final details. Next week is preop appt and start of Liquid diet. I also had to change primary physician and therapist... since they left the clinics I was using. So much changing and going on. I just put in my grocery order to pick up Saturday for my liquids and post op liquids. It's becoming more real... I am scared, nervous and excited all at the same time. Scared because of all the horror stories I have read and surgery is scary to begin with. Nervous because I want everything to go well and work for me. I have been struggling with my weight since I hit puberty. And Excited since I am still working on ME and this is what I am doing it for. Also wishing everyone who is after the first week positive vibes as well!!! oh how do we join the Whatsapp group???

I can see how frustrating that is, but then again you've already lost almost 80 pounds which is a LOT. So, your body is probably adjusting to that massive weight loss before you can start losing again. I spent the last week of October, all of November and the first week of December in a stall, pretty much. I only lost 6 kilos (13 pounds) in those three months, most of it in December. I'm thinking January is going to be your month. It will be great starting the new year with renewed weight loss!

You will "slip" again. And again. And again. And again. And again. Get used to it. Only if you don't learn how to handle the food world (including situations like the ones you described). Then there might be a not-so-low possibility that you're one of the people who're gung-ho during their first post-op year, then "something" happens, the weight first stalls despite "still wanting to lose these 25 lbs" and finally the weight gain starts, maybe gaining until they reach their starting weight again. That "something" seems to be some kind of burn-out after having gone full throttle for some months. Other people say that "life happened" (however, I think burning out and "life happening" are related closely).

So you started at 253 and you are now 220? Seems like a difference of 33lbs. 33lbs is more than 2 stone. What is not to like about that loss. Weight loss is slower second time around. Stay off the scales for a little bit. Do something different. Take up a new hobby and distract yourself.

oof my hair is falling out, too ive lost a ton of weight post-op, and ive been stalled the past week or so because my period has finally come back (yay? o.O), and ive caught a cold (double yay xD). im not struggling super hard eating anything in particular, but sometimes nothing sounds good or goes down easily. i struggled early on with various complications and strictures, but i haven't needed an endoscopy to widen my stomach pouch connection since the end of november! i think im finally out of the woods! i try sooo hard to hit my daily protein goals but it's difficult. my dietitian has me aiming for 80 g of protein daily and i am regularly hitting somewhere between 60-80 g of protein which ends up being around 700-900 calories. ive definitely become more of a savory over sweet person post-op - i completely forgot about sweets this christmas! xD so far ive lost about 120 lbs (85 lbs post-op) and 48 inches overall. i got new workout clothes for christmas because nothing fits anymore! xD ive gone from 5x to 2x clothes, and a tight size 28 pants to a loose 18-20! im trying so hard - this cold really has me frustrated because i want to work out and keep up my progress, but i have to stay home for now and not get sicker or get anyone else sick.

Our hair can be such a strong representation of how we see ourselves soo losing it like this can be stressful & difficult to accept. I cut mine to just above my shoulders. My hair looked thicker, bouncier (didn’t have all the weight of my long hair pulling my remaining hair down) & the shorter strands didn’t look so scary in the bottom of the shower or in my brush. Plus it takes less time for your new growth to catch up to the shorter length. You can always grow it again to a longer length if you want. Try not to let it stress you more - you don’t need the extra worry to add to the loss. It will slow back to its usually shedding rate in about 3 months.

Hi- I had a bypass in 2016 and just had a sleeve December 7th. I am 22 days post op and my scale hasn’t moved since day 14. Is this normal? Pre op weight - 253 Surgery weight - 237 Current - 220

Only lost 62lb in six months? Nothing only about that, I would say it was pretty significant. Hair loss is common after any surgery, and for the majority of the people, the issue resolves itself in time. Sweets well tis the season and all that, what matters there is ensuring that you get back on track. You've lost 62lb how can that be a waste of time and money. Surely your health has improved? Surely you are walking lighter and breathing easier? While the end goal maybe a much healthier weight, sometimes its useful to focus on non scale goals. Improved health and fitness...lower blood pressure and cholesterol, able to walk faster or jog, fitting into smaller clothing sizes, able to play with children/grandchildren easily etc etc Well done, keep up the great work!