I read on here a LOT that if someone has a higher BMI to start, that he or she will almost automatically lose more quickly than someone with a lower BMI. This has actually made me feel a little bit worse about my relatively low rate of loss because I started (and am still at) a higher BMI. Anyhow, I am wondering if anyone who has made this observation can point to any scientific studies showing that this is the case?

I asked my RD about it, and she said with her patients, the ONLY time she has sometimes seen this theory hold true is in a bigger guy who has lots of muscle mass (in addition to fat). She said it's not even always true in this type of patient.

I'm not being critical of anyone who has made this statement about high BMIers automatically losing more quickly, but usually it seems like those who are referencing it have lower BMIs and are talking about their own weight loss being slower than they would like. Obviously my heart goes out to anyone, high or low BMI, who is losing more slowly than we would like or more slowly than others seem to be.

On a completely different topic, another thing that I've wondered about with people who lose really quickly--sometimes it seems like that happens at times in people who didn't have a really healthy diet before surgery--like those who drank a 1,000 or more calories/day in sugar soda alone or ate lots of processed stuff. Obviously no one here, including me, had a perfect diet before surgery, or we wouldn't have needed surgery--but I think some of us just tend to gain more easily (especially if hypothyroid) even on a fairly healthful diet, and that's part of how we ended up being overweight or obese. So those who had a super-unhealthy diets who cut out sugar, processed carbs, increase Water and Protein dramatically due to surgery--they may see a more dramatic fast weight loss, especially right after surgery. They are shocking their bodies more than someone who comes from a baseline that is somewhat closer to a healthy eating plan, if that makes sense. No science behind this btw--just anecdotal in having read a lot of posts and blogs.

I would love to hear from low BMIers who have had fairly rapid weight loss and high BMIers who feel their weight loss has been slower than average. My surgery was on Feb 5, so about 7 weeks out. I have lost about 20 lbs post op and 18-20 lbs in a 6-month medically supervised diet before that. Though my loss is slower than others, I am going in the right direction! And 7 weeks vs 6 months to lose 20 lbs is a vast improvement. Even if I go at my own pace, I know that I am headed in the right direction and my goals are attainable.

Again, I want to emphasize that I'm not trying to start a low vs high BMI war here or something--I think we all have the same types of struggles and successes. I want everyone to succeed and be happy! The goal here is to increase a sharing of information so that if there are some myths floating about we can understand others' situations better and not necessarily make assumptions/generlizations. Or maybe the assumptions are true and I'm the exception. Would love to hear others' perspectives and observations on this topic. Thanks!

Maybe someone with a lot of adipose tissue naturally has more muscle as well due to carrying around all that weight. I'm just brainstorming here. I know you asked for factual data haha!

I agree that oir bodies just do what it wants! There's no definite answer. That's why every nutritionist/doctor has a different theory on weight loss. No two bodies are the same.

I have a high BMI (50) to start and had an unhealthy diet pretty much right up until surgery (well, until 3 day clears). I am in week three and feel like I'm losing slowly - so I don't think your part about diet pre sleeve holds true, at least not for me.

I lost 8 lbs pre-surgery. Bye Water weight!

I lost 12 in week one

I lost 3.5 in week two

I have a GAIN in week three (so far - and was up much of week two before finally ending down).

Given how heavy I am and how many calories I'd need to eat to simply maintain my weight compared to how many calories I eat now (550-700 per my NUT) it just seems crazy that it's not coming off faster. I wish I was one of those people who felt as though it just 'melted off'. I am hoping this week is the week 3 lull you hear about or that I'm about to get my period (I should anyway unless surgery and recovery threw things off which is possible).

It's not a myth:

a 200 pound person and a 400 pound person need different amount of calories just to keep their systems working. So if both are sleeved and eat the same amount, theoretically the larger person should lose more weight. Hense we say they lose more quickly; they just have more weight to lose.

It's not a myth:

a 200 pound person and a 400 pound person need different amount of calories just to keep their systems working. So if both are sleeved and eat the same amount' date=' theoretically the larger person should lose more weight. Hense we say they lose more quickly; they just have more weight to lose.[/quote']

For your statement above to apply in terms of BMI, the people in your hypothetical situation would also need to be the same height and gender, but yes, I agree that in theory you are correct.

I wonder if part of the problem with our thinking about weight loss is in equating it to pounds (kg, stone, pick your favorite). Wouldn't it really be a more accurate assessment for comparative purposes to look at it as percentage of excess weight lost? For example, who has had a more significant loss - someone with 50 lbs to lose who has lost 10 lbs (20%) or someone with 100 lbs to lose who has lost 15 lbs (15%)?

Also, as the weight loss starts to drop, would it be useful to think in terms of a sliding scale to avoid the disappointment of starting to see smaller drops? Example: someone with 100 lbs to lose initially is seeing on average 10-15 lb drops on the scale every month. They get down to 50 lbs left to lose, but their loss has dropped and now they're only seeing 5-7.5 lb drops. They're still losing 10-15% of the weight left to lose each month, is just that the amount left to lose has been cut in half.

I wonder if we assessed low BMI vs high BMI weight loss on those terms if they are actually much closer to equal than popular theory seems to suggest?

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For your statement above to apply in terms of BMI, the people in your hypothetical situation would also need to be the same height and gender, but yes, I agree that in theory you are correct.

I wonder if part of the problem with our thinking about weight loss is in equating it to pounds (kg, stone, pick your favorite). Wouldn't it really be a more accurate assessment for comparative purposes to look at it as percentage of excess weight lost? For example, who has had a more significant loss - someone with 50 lbs to lose who has lost 10 lbs (20%) or someone with 100 lbs to lose who has lost 15 lbs (15%)?

Also, as the weight loss starts to drop, would it be useful to think in terms of a sliding scale to avoid the disappointment of starting to see smaller drops? Example: someone with 100 lbs to lose initially is seeing on average 10-15 lb drops on the scale every month. They get down to 50 lbs left to lose, but their loss has dropped and now they're only seeing 5-7.5 lb drops. They're still losing 10-15% of the weight left to lose each month, is just that the amount left to lose has been cut in half.

I wonder if we assessed low BMI vs high BMI weight loss on those terms if they are actually much closer to equal than popular theory seems to suggest?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using VST

Someone is a brainiac....

Someone is a brainiac....

I confess, I'm a geek. Shhhh, don't tell anyone!

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I have a high BMI (50) to start and had an unhealthy diet pretty much right up until surgery (well, until 3 day clears). I am in week three and feel like I'm losing slowly - so I don't think your part about diet pre sleeve holds true, at least not for me.

I lost 8 lbs pre-surgery. Bye Water weight!

I lost 12 in week one

I lost 3.5 in week two

I have a GAIN in week three (so far - and was up much of week two before finally ending down).

Given how heavy I am and how many calories I'd need to eat to simply maintain my weight compared to how many calories I eat now (550-700 per my NUT) it just seems crazy that it's not coming off faster. I wish I was one of those people who felt as though it just 'melted off'. I am hoping this week is the week 3 lull you hear about or that I'm about to get my period (I should anyway unless surgery and recovery threw things off which is possible).

15 pounds in 2 weeks is a LOT! Did you expect it to come off a lot faster than that? As far as the gain, I'm sure that it's just your body getting adjusted. It will come back down with Protein, water and walking! Congrats on your loss so far--that is awesome!!

It's not a myth:

a 200 pound person and a 400 pound person need different amount of calories just to keep their systems working. So if both are sleeved and eat the same amount, theoretically the larger person should lose more weight. Hense we say they lose more quickly; they just have more weight to lose.

Do they? What if their BMRs are the same?

It's not a myth. It's the rule. But for every rule, there are exceptions. There are benefits to slow and steady weight loss. Your body has time to adjust and your lose skin can firm up better.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/406097-why-do-overweight-people-lose-weight-faster/

Amanda Rae

Oops - double post!

The PA at the bariatric center of excellence I go to put it this way - it takes more energy just to carry around the extra weight. I started at a BMI of about 68, and it took a LOT more effort for me to climb a flight of stairs then than it does now, and I'm still at a BMI of 54. Even just the walking a person with a high BMI does just to get around burns more calories than it would if they weighed a lot less. So I do believe there is a relativity about it. I agree it's better to look at it as a percentage.

The PA at the bariatric center of excellence I go to put it this way - it takes more energy just to carry around the extra weight. I started at a BMI of about 68' date=' and it took a LOT more effort for me to climb a flight of stairs then than it does now, and I'm still at a BMI of 54. Even just the walking a person with a high BMI does just to get around burns more calories than it would if they weighed a lot less. So I do believe there is a relativity about it. I agree it's better to look at it as a percentage.[/quote']

Just like when the elliptical measured my calories burned. The heavier I was, the bigger the burn.

Amanda Rae

I had a BMI of 44 on my first visit to my surgeon (weight 267) for my consultation. I was never a soda/candy/sugar person/fast food. My issue was always food in general, esp carbs. I am three months out and down 43 pounds (no pre op diet). I feel I am a slow loser, and will continue to be so. Actually I have always been a slow loser even on other diets pre sleeve. These past three months I made the decision to stay away from most carbs. I believe if I did not I would not have lost what I did.. I think the weight loss is just based on the person itself and intake..

I have a high BMI (50) to start and had an unhealthy diet pretty much right up until surgery (well' date=' until 3 day clears). I am in week three and feel like I'm losing slowly - so I don't think your part about diet pre sleeve holds true, at least not for me.

I lost 8 lbs pre-surgery. Bye Water weight!

I lost 12 in week one

I lost 3.5 in week two

I have a GAIN in week three (so far - and was up much of week two before finally ending down).

Given how heavy I am and how many calories I'd need to eat to simply maintain my weight compared to how many calories I eat now (550-700 per my NUT) it just seems crazy that it's not coming off faster. I wish I was one of those people who felt as though it just 'melted off'. I am hoping this week is the week 3 lull you hear about or that I'm about to get my period (I should anyway unless surgery and recovery threw things off which is possible).[/quote']

Thank you! This means there is hope for me...

I started with a bmi of 34 I guess this might be considered low . Got sleeved Jan 5 th starting weight 201 I am 5'3 I am now 162 . I think I'm a slow loser but not really worried about it . I'm fine with this weight loss so far . Don't worry slow or fast u will lose . Good luck to u . And I hope this helped