I had my one year follow-up and my surgeon upon hearing that weight loss has stalled and slowed said that I might be done losing weight, but for maybe another few pounds or so, He is happy with me. He doesn't want me eating too little trying to force weight loss because this may be where my body is happy. I suppose I could live being a bit overweight according to the charts. I'm not sure. I know what he means about not starving myself and trying to force the issue. That could backfire in some some yo-yo stuff that I'd rather not experience.

Today I am starting a strict Vitamin and Protein regimen. I already started with the Vitamins last week. Labs were normal, but my cholesterol is still way up there. I have been hit or miss on both protein and vitamins. Turns out that my levels were fine. D was a little low, but still.

I think I will relax, but stay with what I'm supposed to be doing, i.e. getting that protein in.

Great attitude. Sometimes going back to those basics can break a stall. Good luck.

Yes, you have the right attitude. Try not to be too discouraged. I shed that last 15 pounds over five months to get me to goal. Granted, it was more than my body wanted, but I was paying very close attention so I avoided a big bounce. I only bounced a couple pounds (2-4) and really am just as happy at that weight as I might have been at my exact goal.

And there's always plastics.

You've done a truly great job, and deserve to be proud. Congrats,

~Cheri

Yes, you have the right attitude. Try not to be too discouraged. I shed that last 15 pounds over five months to get me to goal. Granted, it was more than my body wanted, but I was paying very close attention so I avoided a big bounce. I only bounced a couple pounds (2-4) and really am just as happy at that weight as I might have been at my exact goal.

And there's always plastics.

You've done a truly great job, and deserve to be proud. Congrats,

~Cheri

Thanks Cheri!! I have an appointment with my PCP and I will get a referral to see if I can get the panni covered. I do know that things tone up some, but I don't think that's going anywhere.

Oh, I know. It's a sad fact that far more of that loose skin is here to stay than we want. Let us know if you manage to get partial coverage. I wonder if you can get it covered and want more work - if they'll just let you pay the difference. Say, if you wanted a full tummy tuck instead of just the panni. Let us know! I know that I'll self-pay anyway, but it's always nice to hear how people have things done.

No way am I trusting a Tricare doctor that doesn't regularly do plastics to slice and dice me in a far more risky surgery than the sleeve.

~Cheri

Part of success is having a great attitude. I kept losing after a year, so don't be discourage. I kept losing until I was about 20 months post op. And from what I have learned through the place I had surgery, sleeve patients can continue to lose for even 2 years.

Hey Catracks,

Goal weight is such a personal thing and a moving target for so many. I agree about not starving yourself and getting Protein first.

My Dr. had a chart that showed people who were in the overweight BMI range and exercised were healthier than those in the normal range who didn't. For those that exercised, the health difference between those in the normal range and the overweight range was minimal.

If you have extra skin that does add some weight and if you were heavy for a number of years, your weight bearing bones are probably thicker too.

For me, the big job is staying at goal weight. Sometimes those old habits really cry out to be satisfied I really hope that it's like when I quit smoking and that as the years go by, it will get easier and easier to say no to unhealthy eating habits.

Lynda

Cat when I was in hospital this lovely nurse (ok actually she was a biot...umm I didn't like her LOL) but she said one lovely thing to me and that was that BMI is a terrible way to rate your health as you get down lower on the scale. She was in the overweight category and honey she didn't seem to have an ounce of fat on her. She is a weight lifter and distance runner with a very low fat ratio. She wasn't overdone at all, but she said she comes in at the lower end of overweight on the BMI chart. She works out with a guy who's obese according to the chart. He is a competitive athlete.

Did you ever follow that link I posted on MFP that had...gad I think it was four measurements of health. BMI, waist to hip ratio, fat percentage and there was one other....anyway it actually suggested my goal might be lower than I think it should be based on BMI alone (which would allow me to go down as low as 95lbs and still be in the normal range).

Hey Catracks,

Goal weight is such a personal thing and a moving target for so many. I agree about not starving yourself and getting Protein first.

My Dr. had a chart that showed people who were in the overweight BMI range and exercised were healthier than those in the normal range who didn't. For those that exercised, the health difference between those in the normal range and the overweight range was minimal.

If you have extra skin that does add some weight and if you were heavy for a number of years, your weight bearing bones are probably thicker too.

For me, the big job is staying at goal weight. Sometimes those old habits really cry out to be satisfied I really hope that it's like when I quit smoking and that as the years go by, it will get easier and easier to say no to unhealthy eating habits.

Lynda

I would have no trouble whatsoever maintaining where I am now. I have been for almost two months now.

You know, I didn't think about my bones thickening somewhat do to weight bearing. I think I still have a small to medium frame though. I also now remember that I have no hips. My daughter on the other hand, has much more curvy hips.

I figure my skin must weigh close to 10 pounds. I should heave my apron on the scale. Too gross!

Cat when I was in hospital this lovely nurse (ok actually she was a biot...umm I didn't like her LOL) but she said one lovely thing to me and that was that BMI is a terrible way to rate your health as you get down lower on the scale. She was in the overweight category and honey she didn't seem to have an ounce of fat on her. She is a weight lifter and distance runner with a very low fat ratio. She wasn't overdone at all, but she said she comes in at the lower end of overweight on the BMI chart. She works out with a guy who's obese according to the chart. He is a competitive athlete.

Did you ever follow that link I posted on MFP that had...gad I think it was four measurements of health. BMI, waist to hip ratio, fat percentage and there was one other....anyway it actually suggested my goal might be lower than I think it should be based on BMI alone (which would allow me to go down as low as 95lbs and still be in the normal range).

I didn't get that link. I could look it up though. I fear that the waist to hip ratio will not give me the answer I want. I have no hips.

I didn't get that link. I could look it up though. I fear that the waist to hip ratio will not give me the answer I want. I have no hips.

Actually that's not a bad thing. It's a ratio about where you carry your weight. A larger ration between hip and waist means higher risks for certain comorbidiites and long term health issues. If however you need some hips let me fly down again and have some of mine implanted in you!

This is the link, though it may bring up my personal info. (It does on my computer). If it does just go down to the calculators section and enter your own data on them all and then it will save it for you and give you a better assessment of your personal health. I found them to be real eye openers!

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/personalized/

Do each assessment and read carefully. They're interesting, especially the one that tells you about how to set a goal and that maybe your goal is off because it's not taking into account a healthy fat percentage.

And I do think you need to consider that excess skin hun. That's weight that is going to be harder to drop off and your goal should be set accordingly.

I started my journey on Nov 23, 2010 at 492lbs. On the day of surgery Jan 10, 2011 I weighed 456lbs. One year post op (Jan. 10, 2012) I was 200. Today 2 years post op. I set here at 190. I had gotten to a low weight of 177 around September 2012. I was still 4lbs away from "ïdeal" weight putting me under a BMI of 25, but my body fat was under 9% and I felt like crap. For once in my life I made a conscientious decision to be heavier. That concept is still surreal to me even as I type this. I found that I felt the best and looked the best in a range between 185 and 195. I am using a target of 190 as my new life goal. It took a long time for me to get comfortable with the reality that I was still over 25 BMI and would likely always be. Now is where I get to make myself feel better and preface that this is all weight before any removal of loose skin so in all reality my "real" body does weight less. My best guess based on others I have seen that have had removal is that I have at least 25lbs of skin that could go. Will I ever be able to get the skin removed so that I can actually see what my "real"body looks like? Who knows, I doubt it. And yes there is a bunch of extra skin. I like to make jokes about it, after-all who doesn't want a butt that looks like a Shar-Pei? The reality though is that it sucks. I have bags and folds that are a constant reminder of the size this container used to be. I can dress it well but in my birthday suit it is not a pleasant sight. Uhhhhggggg! Is the extra skin burdensome enough to regret the decision to have surgery, nope, never. The surgery is still the best decision I have ever made.

Wow Paul, pretty impressive life changes!!!! Thank you for sharing your perspective with us.

Iggy - it didn't bring up your personal stats. There are scales out there that do measure body fat. I've seen them before. I don't remember how they work. I think it sends a small electrical pulse and it measures resistance in the tissue. I don't know how accurate they are.

I will use the link you gave me. I wish I had a measuring tape at work, but I will improvise.

Paul!!! Everyone must be SO proud of you. I am and I don't even know you!

Shar-Pei! LMAO!!! Paul, you look awesome in clothes and I bet you feel wonderful! I notice the skin most when I am swimming. Jumping up and down causes me to go one way and my skin to go the other. It's weird :-)

You're right. I think I will base my weight less 5 pounds of extra skin to be conservative. The weight is still very slowly coming off. Every month it fluctuates up and down, but there is always a slight downward trend.

Okay, based on the link and measuring with ribbon my stats are:

Body fat % = 26.77 (acceptable)

BMI = 27.58 (overweight)

Waist to hip ratio = .85 (moderate risk)

BMR = 1355.9 (Boy, with that kind of calorie deficit you'd think I'd lose more. I only eat under 800 - other factors at play right?)

I'm going to do this again tonight with a measuring tape in me birthday suit. I just couldn't wait.

Okay' date=' based on the link and measuring with ribbon my stats are:

Body fat % = 26.77 (acceptable)

BMI = 27.58 (overweight)

Waist to hip ratio = .85 (moderate risk)

BMR = 1355.9 (Boy, with that kind of calorie deficit you'd think I'd lose more. I only eat under 800 - other factors at play right?)

I'm going to do this again tonight with a measuring tape in me birthday suit. I just couldn't wait.[/quote']

They're kind of fun aren't they The assessment on the calories and body fat% were very valid for me. My goal might change due to them when I get closer to goal. I know the goal of going under 100 is not going to happen now given that I'd have an unhealthy amount of fat on me at that point.

There is a general rule of thumb that for every 100 lbs you lose, you can lose an additional 8 to 10 of excess skin. I don't remember what your total was (I'm on the ipad so your profile does not show) but keep that in mind as you think about goals. If it was 150lbs that would be 12 to 15lbs excess skin which is enough to pop you out of one BMI level up to the next...