Share your "slow loss" success!

[cervantes95 16]

70lb in 9 months for me' date=' currently been as same weight for 3 weeks. Cheri you have been my inspiration on these boards as you post regularly and your story really does motivate and inspire me. I want to lose 100lb and I thought it would take me 12 months but looks more like 15 now. But hey if it take 18 or more so be it.[/quote']

I also in the same boat i am 10 month out. I am down 73 mine also was 100 but that is ok. I am glad i am not the only one because i was really feeling bad about my self and progress. Well hope every things better for you. My surgery was on 3-9-12 i was at 262 know at 188

[cervantes95 16]

Lately I've seen a TON of posts about lucky sleevers that drop 100 pounds in six months.

Congrats to them and to their loss. And I would never' date=' ever begrudge anyone the right to crow about a fantastic success. It's part of why we're all here, to share the ups and downs of this surgery!

But frequently, these posts are followed by folks that feel frustrated because they aren't losing at the same pace. All too often, we forget that everyone loses at a different pace. It's easy to lose sight of the real goal (long term maintenance) in the face of the scale goals we set for ourselves. And it's also easy to forget that this isn't a race and that there's no special prize waiting at the end for reaching goal more quickly.

I would like to contribute my loss pattern so that people can see that there is more than one way to achieve a goal. Being successful is about reaching your personal goals, overcoming your personal food demons and maintaining your weight loss for life. It's not about hitting goal in nine months.

I encourage everyone else with a slow loss story to contribute their successes here as well. It's hard to research this surgery and find only the stories about extremes - people completely thrilled with surgery or people that regret every minute of life post op. The same goes for loss. When people search out stories on this, it's too easy to only find rapid loss or stall posts but nothing showing the more realistic and moderate journey many of us take. The sleeve is a permanent tool that does not have a special window of easy weight loss. There is no reason to feel discouraged when you haven't reached goal at one year out, or even two. There is nothing preventing you (short of your own body's natural stopping point) from achieving or re-achieving goal at any point post op.

I lost 60 pounds in the first five months after my surgery.

And I slowly lost 32 pounds over the next seven months.

It took me another five months to shed the final 15 pounds to my goal.

I lost 107 pounds over the course of 17 months. I stalled twice for nine weeks each time. I had months where I only lost one pound. I regularly experienced a gain of three pounds around my cycle, and often only lost weight in the last week to ten days of the month, after sitting at the same weight for nearly three weeks.

I am a success, and at 2.5 years out (and currently pregnant) I still have good, healthy eating habits and maintained my weight loss quite easily. Even 30 weeks pregnant, I am still wearing a size 6/small (in maternity clothes, of course) regardless of how I feel about my expanding body!

I learned what was important on this journey and am in better health today (not just physically, but mentally and emotionally), than I have ever experienced as an adult.

Good luck to those currently on their journey, and I encourage everyone to share their stories here so that newly sleeved folks can see that slow vs. fast loss doesn't really matter in the end.

~Cheri

[/quote']

I am so happy you posted this it makes me feel better. And makes me think i will lose more weight. I was thinking i was doing something wrong. Well i am glad i can hear from some one who went through the same as me.

[melissa130 135]

I think so many people forget that when a person has 200 or more pounds to lose - the first 100 will fly off in about 6 months. And for people that have 100 to lose-- the first 50 will come off pretty fast. I started off at 284. Surgery day weight I was 264. That 20 pounds came off quick due to liquid pre-op diet.. Today is a few days shy of three weeks post-op and I weigh 240.5. And i am really aggressive about moving. 10 days after surgery I walked 1 mile. And was very proud of that. Today I went for 3 miles. Slowly - but I did it.

[aliandrews 98]

Lately I've seen a TON of posts about lucky sleevers that drop 100 pounds in six months.

Congrats to them and to their loss. And I would never, ever begrudge anyone the right to crow about a fantastic success. It's part of why we're all here, to share the ups and downs of this surgery!

But frequently, these posts are followed by folks that feel frustrated because they aren't losing at the same pace. All too often, we forget that everyone loses at a different pace. It's easy to lose sight of the real goal (long term maintenance) in the face of the scale goals we set for ourselves. And it's also easy to forget that this isn't a race and that there's no special prize waiting at the end for reaching goal more quickly.

I would like to contribute my loss pattern so that people can see that there is more than one way to achieve a goal. Being successful is about reaching your personal goals, overcoming your personal food demons and maintaining your weight loss for life. It's not about hitting goal in nine months.

I encourage everyone else with a slow loss story to contribute their successes here as well. It's hard to research this surgery and find only the stories about extremes - people completely thrilled with surgery or people that regret every minute of life post op. The same goes for loss. When people search out stories on this, it's too easy to only find rapid loss or stall posts but nothing showing the more realistic and moderate journey many of us take. The sleeve is a permanent tool that does not have a special window of easy weight loss. There is no reason to feel discouraged when you haven't reached goal at one year out, or even two. There is nothing preventing you (short of your own body's natural stopping point) from achieving or re-achieving goal at any point post op.

I lost 60 pounds in the first five months after my surgery.

And I slowly lost 32 pounds over the next seven months.

It took me another five months to shed the final 15 pounds to my goal.

I lost 107 pounds over the course of 17 months. I stalled twice for nine weeks each time. I had months where I only lost one pound. I regularly experienced a gain of three pounds around my cycle, and often only lost weight in the last week to ten days of the month, after sitting at the same weight for nearly three weeks.

I am a success, and at 2.5 years out (and currently pregnant) I still have good, healthy eating habits and maintained my weight loss quite easily. Even 30 weeks pregnant, I am still wearing a size 6/small (in maternity clothes, of course) regardless of how I feel about my expanding body!

I learned what was important on this journey and am in better health today (not just physically, but mentally and emotionally), than I have ever experienced as an adult.

Good luck to those currently on their journey, and I encourage everyone to share their stories here so that newly sleeved folks can see that slow vs. fast loss doesn't really matter in the end.

~Cheri

I love this post. THis makes me want to keep going to goal. I have lost 105 lbs and get discouraged that I may not lose anymore. It has been over a year for me. I know I am being silly. This post is really helpful.

[chavezday 3]

Thank you do much for that. I had surgery on March 7 2012. I was so worried that I had only lost 84 lbs so far. I am always hungry but when I eat I don't eat much. I even joined weight watchers because I wanted to make sure I was eating the right foods. I know it's not a competition but I just was terrified of not getting to goal. I started at 291 and am at 207 today.

[Lynnette 2]

thank you for this post. I am losing very slowly and I dont want to get down on myself.

[nviveros 3]

Did any of you feel like you could eat a normal portion and at what point in ur journey? I'm going into my 5th month and feel like I can pack in food like before? It's so depressing?

PS- 237

Dos- oct 8 - 225

CW 185

[chavezday 3]

Did any of you feel like you could eat a normal portion and at what point in ur journey? I'm going into my 5th month and feel like I can pack in food like before? It's so depressing?

PS- 237

Dos- oct 8 - 225

CW 185

Sometimes I can eat an abnormal portion. But it depends what the food is. I use to be able to eat 6 to 9 tacos but can only eat 2 now. I can however eat a sausage biscuit from McDonalds so I stay away from them.

[aliandrews 98]

I am a year out and can certainly eat more food. I try to eat the right things so I don't fall back into the habit.

[bascott73 8]

I was sleeved on 11/12/12 and am currently 13 weeks post-op. I have lost 38 lbs. but have not lost any since the end of December. I am currently in week 7 of a stall that started when I went back to work. Very frustrating, but people keep telling me they can tell I've lost weight and am looking good. It's good to see there are plently of people out there like me. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to be the exception to the surgery working. Then I realize that I am ONLY 13 weeks out and I have a long ways to go yet. Patience is not exactly my strong suit

[ArtSong 291]

20 weeks out and only down 35lbs still busting my azz more then most ppl I read about. Working out burning 1000/2000k cals a day 5 days a week. I get all my Water and the other stuff in just fine. I'm one the slowest

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[LDallas 108]

Thank you for this thread!! Sometimes I have to avoid the boards, I feel very defeated when I read huge numbers, especially from people who were sleeved around the same time as me. I KNOW we're all different but it's disheartening nonetheless!

My surg was 10/25... Sw 300....CW 245 . I can't hold much food, and everything tastes weird, except crap, of course!! Ice-cream and cookies...no problem. I have to watch grazing, and tasting food before serving it because then i'm too full to eat. I still drink 1-2 prot shakes per day. hair is starting to shed, so i'm determined to get in all my Vitamins, etc. I've done ok, but far from perfect. My age is 50/F, not exercising other than little walking because I have a lot of back problems (still).

[novam vitam 117]

Everyone loves your posts! You are eloquent, inspiring, honest and diplomatic. Are you a writer in the real world?

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

20 weeks out and only down 35lbs still busting my azz more then most ppl I read about. Working out burning 1000/2000k cals a day 5 days a week. I get all my Water and the other stuff in just fine. I'm one the slowest

Sent from my iPhone using VST

I am with you I am 19 weeks out. Down 40lbs. I go to the gym 4 to 5 days a week. Know that you are not alone.

[Ljp 157]

Did any of you feel like you could eat a normal portion and at what point in ur journey? I'm going into my 5th month and feel like I can pack in food like before? It's so depressing?

PS- 237

Dos- oct 8 - 225

CW 185

There are days I feel like I can eat more then other days I can't. So maybe we all go thru stuff like that. I will be 7 months on the 16th.