(This was my response to a low bmi soon to be sleever worried that she would be a slow loser. I got to thinking about it and realized its pretty common so I thought I would post as a topic for others who worry about it.)

Don't let the idea of being a "slow loser" worry you. I worried about this a lot before surgery and I compared myself to others alot for the first few months after surgery, but it really doesn't matter at all. I'm about to tell you why.

I am 5'2 and started with my bmi just barely under 40. I think it was 39.6 or something. I hit 5 months out a few days ago and have lost 55lbs. That may not be as big of a number as some the sleevers that start out at 300 or 400 lbs and drop 55lbs in 2 months, but I am averaging 2.7 lbs lost a week and while its not the fastest I don't think thats too bad. I also have no excess skin yet (fingers crossed). I am now in the overweight bmi category when just 5 short months ago I was a hair away from the morbidly obese category. And I have to admit I have not started to exercise at all yet (bad me I know but I am starting soon).

Some people lose slower and some faster but I promise it will all FEEL fast. It feels fast when I've gone from a size 18 jean and an XL shirt to a size 11 jrs jean and honestly (could probably wear a 9 now but haven't been shopping in weeks) and a M shirt. It will feel fast when you are clearing your closet out and everything hangs on you like a sack. It will feel fast when your smallest sizes from yo yo dieting get too big and you realize you have nothing to wear. It will feel fast when you realize you aren't starting fires between your thighs when you walk. It will feel fast when you buy a bunch of Victorias Secret cheekie panties and your tush looks amazing. It will feel fast when you climb a couple flight of stairs and you aren't the slightest bit winded. It will feel fast when you don't mind seeing someone you haven't seen in a while because you aren't ashamed of your weight anymore.

I may be technically considered a "slow loser" by some standards but the sleeve has allowed me to lose slowly but surely through a week long cruise, the fair, a 10 wk pregnancy and miscarriage, Thanksgiving, a vacation to Florida, 2 weeks of Christmas and New Years with my house loaded with company and fatty food. Any one of those things would've knocked me off any diet. Before the sleeve and I would've gained back all the weight I lost +10.

So being a "slow loser" is pretty awesome if you ask me. And probably if we went by percentage of weight lost I bet most of us sleevers would be in the same loss range. Its just going by lbs that throws everything off. I love this sleeve!

This has helped me a bit. Still reading about people losing 80 pounds in 10 months.. I thought' date=' I wish! I hope!

Tomorrow I will be 2 weeks out... the first week was good -7.2 I was happy with that, tomorrow will be week 2 but I'm only down -2.8 in 6 days... 0.2 after going to the mall and walking for 3.5 hours and having more fluids than I have had out of any day, and 94 grams of Protein...I was hoping for a little more than -0.2. It's sad that I look at the scale and pray to god that it is lower before I get on it.

I don't want to be victim to the scale but it's so damn hard not to. I feel like it will keep me on track if i see the numbers going up (especially later on if i fall victim to my old eating habits), but the days it doesn't go down, it doesn't make me feel any better. Last week when it was going down consistently, I was okay with not looking at the scale every day and skipped a few days of looking. I find I'm wanting and needing to see the scale when it's not moving just to "see" if it did move since the previous day... I know I need to relax a little! I just wasn't expecting to go form -7.2 to -2.8 at week 2... (Surgery day I was 239.8... currently 231 today - I'm 5'6") I had wishful thinking of being 199 on my Birthday (March 18) but I think that goal is set too high after seeing the -2.8 this week.

One other question is that I've noticed people saying they're working out like 2 weeks post op. I was running 5k prior to surgery, but was told no running for 4-6 weeks, no lifting weight for 6 weeks (they were very strict about this one). All I've been told is walking... think I should do a little more? light jog? to try to speed up the weight loss a bit?[/quote']

Your body is making a lot of adjustments the first month so try to keep your chin up. I promise the weight will fall off of you. I think in the first month I only lost the first 2 weeks then at week 3 stopped losing for 2 weeks so I was nervous too but today at 5 1/2 months out I have lost 60 lbs and 75% of my excess weight. By no means a "fast loser" technically speaking but I feel like a champion

Sometimes in the beginning I would go read old "I'm in a stall posts" (they have to be really old posts). That person was scared and discouraged and thought they were done losing. But then you look at their ticker and their current weight is at, near, or below goal and you see how a bad week or month doesn't mean its all over.

About weighing everyday...I do it too so I can't help ya there ha ha. I know I shouldn't but I still can't help myself. I think it helps us stay focused and on track as long as if its not the number you want to see you don't let it effect your whole day. I read that someone said they had never had a stall and it was because she only weighed once a month lol.

As far as exercise I would go with what your doctor told you. My doc said no lifting anything over 20 lbs for 6-8 weeks. Walking was the only exercise that was cleared. I have been so bad about exercising. I wish I was like you and jumping to get to it lol.

Your body is making a lot of adjustments the first month so try to keep your chin up. I promise the weight will fall off of you. I think in the first month I only lost the first 2 weeks then at week 3 stopped losing for 2 weeks so I was nervous too but today at 5 1/2 months out I have lost 60 lbs and 75% of my excess weight. By no means a "fast loser" technically speaking but I feel like a champion

Sometimes in the beginning I would go read old "I'm in a stall posts" (they have to be really old posts). That person was scared and discouraged and thought they were done losing. But then you look at their ticker and their current weight is at, near, or below goal and you see how a bad week or month doesn't mean its all over.

About weighing everyday...I do it too so I can't help ya there ha ha. I know I shouldn't but I still can't help myself. I think it helps us stay focused and on track as long as if its not the number you want to see you don't let it effect your whole day. I read that someone said they had never had a stall and it was because she only weighed once a month lol.

As far as exercise I would go with what your doctor told you. My doc said no lifting anything over 20 lbs for 6-8 weeks. Walking was the only exercise that was cleared. I have been so bad about exercising. I wish I was like you and jumping to get to it lol.

Thank you! That did help! You are absolutely right, my body just went through hell and maybe it's just doing it's adjustments a little earlier than I expected it to. I also didn't know if my -21.6 on my 18 days of liquid would have anything to do with it... but I hadn't seen many posts that showed 20+ pounds lost on pre-op slowed progress early on... i think i was just trying to come up with reasons to make myself feel better.

It's just soo hard not to compare yourself with others.. I thought about it prior to surgery and told myself that wouldn't bother me, and believe myself, however, once you're actually in that situation... totally different!

Thanks for the support!

I appreciate it!

My loss has really sucked. Only 23 lbs in almost 2 months, but I refuse to let it get me down. Of course, I'd be lying if I didn't say, I wish it would go faster.., but shoot, I feel great! Definitely, way better than before surgery. I was so depressed and spent every waking moment thinking about how missable I was because of my weight.

I don't miss food and I'm rarely hungry so it can only get better... I hope :-)

Thank you! That did help! You are absolutely right' date=' my body just went through hell and maybe it's just doing it's adjustments a little earlier than I expected it to. I also didn't know if my -21.6 on my 18 days of liquid would have anything to do with it... but I hadn't seen many posts that showed 20+ pounds lost on pre-op slowed progress early on... i think i was just trying to come up with reasons to make myself feel better.

It's just soo hard not to compare yourself with others.. I thought about it prior to surgery and told myself that wouldn't bother me, and believe myself, however, once you're actually in that situation... totally different!

Thanks for the support!

I appreciate it![/quote']

One thing that threw me off in the beginning when I was comparing numbers with others was that many people on here include what they lost in their pre-op diet in their ticker/1st month weight loss numbers. There are a some that specify pre & post op numbers but I don't think most do. I felt much better when I found that out in the beginning. That puts you right on track!!

My loss has really sucked. Only 23 lbs in almost 2 months' date=' but I refuse to let it get me down. Of course, I'd be lying if I didn't say, I wish it would go faster.., but shoot, I feel great! Definitely, way better than before surgery. I was so depressed and spent every waking moment thinking about how missable I was because of my weight.

I don't miss food and I'm rarely hungry so it can only get better... I hope :-)

[/quote']

I LOVE your attitude! You are concentrating on all the positives instead of getting stuck on the numbers

Don't do any exercise that your surgeon hasn't approved. You sure don't want to end up back in the hospital. I am 5 weeks out from the surgery and have only been approved recently for the exercise bike & of course, from the beginning, walking. I am hoping to be cleared for the gym when I go back to the surgeon on 2/14. Just be sure to follow your surgeon's instructions; he has a reason why he gives them to you.

One thing that threw me off in the beginning when I was comparing numbers with others was that many people on here include what they lost in their pre-op diet in their ticker/1st month weight loss numbers. There are a some that specify pre & post op numbers but I don't think most do. I felt much better when I found that out in the beginning. That puts you right on track!!

Actually that's something I didn't really think about, and I that is a very good point! Thanks!

Not sleeved yet, but love reading this thread. I think it's going to be hard to get over the instant gratification factor. Have WLS = lose weight quickly! I actually want to lose a bit on the slower side as

• I'm only telling a few people and don't really want to deal with the response to a super quick loss
  
• I travel frequently and while I'll follow the rules, this still needs to fit into a realistic life
  
• Easier on wardrobe expenses! I still need to look professional
  
• hopefully better potential for skin to bounce back
  

I just don't want to be as slow as the band, where it took 3 years to lose 50 lbs, that's too slow! But, one medical site actually said that on average, weight loss is about 8 - 10 lbs a month.

Not sleeved yet' date=' but love reading this thread. I think it's going to be hard to get over the instant gratification factor. Have WLS = lose weight quickly! I actually want to lose a bit on the slower side as

[*']I'm only telling a few people and don't really want to deal with the response to a super quick loss

[*]I travel frequently and while I'll follow the rules, this still needs to fit into a realistic life

[*]Easier on wardrobe expenses! I still need to look professional

[*]hopefully better potential for skin to bounce back

I just don't want to be as slow as the band, where it took 3 years to lose 50 lbs, that's too slow! But, one medical site actually said that on average, weight loss is about 8 - 10 lbs a month.

Yes...3 years to lose 50 lbs would give you merit to be a little sad, but its better than gaining 50 lbs in 3 years ha ha. Is that typical of the band? If so I am EXTRA glad I got the sleeve! By the way I LOVE your username...I live in So Cal but am from Tennessee so I am a fellow myself a so cal dixie gal too

Thank you for taking time to post this. I try hard to be upbeat and go with the flow. I lost 9 pounds pre-surgery and have lost 26 more pounds since surgery which was 12/26/12. That's about 6.5 pounds a week average. I have been stuck for a week or so at 222 which I understand can happen but still don't like it! I don't really mind losing slow as long as I'm losing At the super bowl party yesterday there was SO MUCH food. I was able to have a bite of this and a bit of that and was perfectly fine. The old me would have grazed all day and eaten until I was way beyond uncomfortable. I love the sleeve. It has forced me to eat small portions so I choose what I eat carefully.

I struggle to get all my Protein in but I try. I also have a tough time getting calories in. I'm currently managing about 500 or less a day. I know that's not good and it's probably keeping my weight loss slow. I have a really busy job and eating is not at the top of the list anywhere. Before surgery I would grab an unhealthy snack to keep me going throughout the day then hit the fast food on the way home. I think I need to evaluate what the heck I'm going and plan ahead. What do you do to get your calories in each day?

I also need to get back to making excercise a priority - it's not right now I walk a bunch during the day but it's certainly not the power walking kind of excercise I need to do. At the end of the day - it's up to me.

For some the band worked really well, for others like me, not so much! The first 20 was in the first 6 - 8 months then it took another several years to lose another 30. I never had good restriction with the band - unless it was too tight then it was horrible.

Grew up in New Orleans area, plus have lived in Phoenix, then Atlanta and now Orange County. I get double Dixie!

(This was my response to a low bmi soon to be sleever worried that she would be a slow loser. I got to thinking about it and realized its pretty common so I thought I would post as a topic for others who worry about it.)

Don't let the idea of being a "slow loser" worry you. I worried about this a lot before surgery and I compared myself to others alot for the first few months after surgery, but it really doesn't matter at all. I'm about to tell you why.

I am 5'2 and started with my bmi just barely under 40. I think it was 39.6 or something. I hit 5 months out a few days ago and have lost 55lbs. That may not be as big of a number as some the sleevers that start out at 300 or 400 lbs and drop 55lbs in 2 months, but I am averaging 2.7 lbs lost a week and while its not the fastest I don't think thats too bad. I also have no excess skin yet (fingers crossed). I am now in the overweight bmi category when just 5 short months ago I was a hair away from the morbidly obese category. And I have to admit I have not started to exercise at all yet (bad me I know but I am starting soon).

Some people lose slower and some faster but I promise it will all FEEL fast. It feels fast when I've gone from a size 18 jean and an XL shirt to a size 11 jrs jean and honestly (could probably wear a 9 now but haven't been shopping in weeks) and a M shirt. It will feel fast when you are clearing your closet out and everything hangs on you like a sack. It will feel fast when your smallest sizes from yo yo dieting get too big and you realize you have nothing to wear. It will feel fast when you realize you aren't starting fires between your thighs when you walk. It will feel fast when you buy a bunch of Victorias Secret cheekie panties and your tush looks amazing. It will feel fast when you climb a couple flight of stairs and you aren't the slightest bit winded. It will feel fast when you don't mind seeing someone you haven't seen in a while because you aren't ashamed of your weight anymore.

I may be technically considered a "slow loser" by some standards but the sleeve has allowed me to lose slowly but surely through a week long cruise, the fair, a 10 wk pregnancy and miscarriage, Thanksgiving, a vacation to Florida, 2 weeks of Christmas and New Years with my house loaded with company and fatty food. Any one of those things would've knocked me off any diet. Before the sleeve and I would've gained back all the weight I lost +10.

So being a "slow loser" is pretty awesome if you ask me. And probably if we went by percentage of weight lost I bet most of us sleevers would be in the same loss range. Its just going by lbs that throws everything off. I love this sleeve!

Thanks for posting this, I needed that.

I have wondered about what rate I may loose since my bmi is just almost 37. I do know the larger you are you tend to loose quicker. As long as it's steady I will be happy. Being able to throw away bp meds and diabetic meds it is worth however long it takes.

Thank you so much for posting this. I too feel like a "slow" loser. I am 5 1/2 weeks out and I have only lost 17 pounds since surgery and have already gone through a two week stall (I am past it thankfully). When I think about how much other people who had their surgery in early June have lost I feel frustrated. It also drives me nuts that I am eating all the right foods and exercising 4-6 days per week (hard exercise) and see little results since two weeks from surgery. Then I reads posts like these and it grounds me. I know that in 18months or so, when I am at or near goal, it will feel FAST! And I know that I would have never lost what I have lost so far on my own. I am still grateful and still excited!!!!