Calling all slowish losers--please post your losses so far!

[TES 858]

I think one of the reasons that people who are actually losing weight fairly quickly (e.g., 5 lbs a week) think it's slow is that people who lose abnormally quickly--like 80-100 lbs in 3 months--tend to be more vocal and post about their successes more than the slow-ish losers. So it gives us a skewed perception of what "normal" is.

I thought it would be helpful for some of us slow-ish losers to post how much we have lost and during what time frame. Since it's my thread (lol), I'm going to say that a "slow-ish" loss is no more than 0.5 lbs to 3 pounds per week (maybe a little more in the first month). Even 3 lbs/week is above average for nonsurgical patients, but I think that it might be average to slow-ish in the VSG world.

Maybe we can help inspire each other and offer support!

Please post:

* number of weeks out from surgery

* amount you have lost so far--post surgery only--do not include pre-op losses, or if you do, break them out

* if you want to include starting and current weight or low or high BMI, you can (not required)

* whether you exercise and average amount of calories/eating plan

I'll start:

* 11 weeks out from surgery

* have lost apx 30 lbs from 2/5/13 surgery date--that puts me at about 2.5 lbs per week on average

* lost about 20 pounds pre-op in a 6-month diet/exercise plan (big difference in rate pre- and post-op!)

* higher BMI (above 50)

* exercise--walking, Water aerobics, swimming, bike, will be starting strength training this week

* 600-800 calories/day, relatively low carb ("good" carbs only, from veggies and occasional berries)

* always get in my water and protein! take supplements

[Holly5.3 423]

Good morning. I, too, was obsessed with "how much did I lose compared to X?" "How much should I be losing per week/month/year...?" Now, at 6+ months post-op I've given up the numbers game. It gets discouraging when it shouldn't be. Everyone starts at a different BMI and pre-op diet weight. Not everyone can eat the same foods post-op, so to compare ourselves is kind of comparing apples to oranges. Right after surgery, my monthly average was 12 pounds (Oct-Nov-Dec-Jan). Since January, my monthly average is about 7 pounds, which is cool - I'm not 278 pounds any more, the weight loss should slow down with a lower BMI! Now, I'm happy if I've lost 5 pounds in a month. I don't "exercise", but I am 200% more active than I was a year ago. I just bought a Mommy bike on Sunday and will ride around for leisure. I was never a "gym rat" before, so I don't see joining a gym as something that I would continue with as a life-style. Dancing, walking, gardening, bicycling....all activities I was too heavy to enjoy before. Now my life has fitness built right in - that's a lifestyle change I can maintain!

[ashleywi 19]

I am almost 20 weeks out I think (early for math) and have lost about 2.3 per week on average for a total of 46 pounds since day of surgery. I lost about 10 on the pre surgery liver diet. I was 208 on day of surgery with a BMI of 37. I'm 162 today. I've been pretty terrible about getting on my Water all along. Was never a big drinker before so even getting in 40 ounces feels like a ton to me. I'm sure that has impacted my loss. I do okay with Protein most days, but probably take in more carbs than I realize through snacking. This week I am trying to be diligent about water, protein and tracking. I had gotten away from tracking. Hoping that will get me back on track and losing again so I can lose this last 25 pounds.

[cbd 78]

Surgery date was 1/10/13 so I am 14.5 weeks out. I was 231 pre op and am 186 now...so a 45 # post op wt loss. Pre op BMI was37.28 and is now 30.02. I do not exercise regularly, the weather is starting to break so I have just started to walk. I am good about getting my fluids in but only get an average of 40 to 53 of my Protein in daily.I average 600-800 calories a day. I have averaged around a 3# a week wt loss. I am happy with this...my goal is to keep my weight off after hitting goal not necessarily loss it the fastest.

[HoosierGirl 780]

* number of weeks out from surgery: 11 weeks

* amount you have lost so far--post surgery only--do not include pre-op losses, or if you do, break them out: 24.2 lbs lost post-surgery (2.2lbs per week average)

* if you want to include starting and current weight or low or high BMI, you can (not required): current weight 199.3, highest weight 237.6, surgery day weight 223.5

* whether you exercise and average amount of calories/eating plan: calories 600-850 per day, exercising 30 min per day at mid/high intensity 5-6 days per week

If this is slow weight loss, I will sure take it!!! I could have NEVER done this on my own. Haven't been hungry and am very satisfied by the small amounts of food. Trying really hard not to compare myself to others. I am following the diet (getting all Protein and Water in daily), getting exercise, and enjoying every day. Figure this is my new reality and I need to embrace it and enjoy the journey.

[HikeEveryMountain 112]

Great thread!

[ISleevedIt 379]

Pre-surgery weight loss from 8/6/2012 - 02/21/2013: 25 lbs (10 lbs from pre-op diet)

8 weeks since surgery : 25 lbs (averaging 3.1 lbs per week)

Starting BMI: 40.42 Current BMI: 31.27

Exercise: walking (weekdays: 10k - 15k steps) (weekend: 12k - 25k steps) occasionally a day of rest

Food: 700-1000 calories per day (60-80 grams of protein); 8-12 cups of Water

I am perfectly happy with my rate of weight loss! Less saggy skin...notice, I said "less" because I still have them....my "bat wings" are coming out....lol

[Bridget312001 70]

2 weeks post surgery and have lost 6lbs sigh.. :-/ Spoke to my nutritionist yesterday and she said it was to be expected considering my weight.

I lost about 14 pounds in two weeks just before surgery on the doctor prescribed low carb (40g day) diet to shrink my liver.

My BMI was just over 40 when I started the pre-op diet.

Cant start exercising until I am 4 weeks post op. I have a desk job, so getting out during the day to walk is near impossible if I have a heavy work load.

Keeping on track with 1/4-1/2 C high Protein foods X 5 a day per my nutritionist (including protein drinks). Never been a Water drinker, but am drinking about 40oz a day on average.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I really don't have any stats to add because I don't think I was a slow loser, but you touched on something....most people here do think they are a slow loser, and half of them are wrong. I don't think the fast losers are more vocal necessarily....look at all the "why am I a slow loser" threads. It's just that it only takes 1 thread about someone losing 100 pounds in 3 months to wipe out 50 threads about losing 2 pounds a week.

It's just like people's opinions about why we really don't need WLS in the first place. They heard on the news about 1 guy who lost 200 lbs through diet and exercise and they think we all can do it. They don't realize or acknowledge that 1 guy was 1 in 10,000. It's the same here with the fast weight loss threads. 99% of the time the really fast weight loss people were like me...VERY obese so we had more to lose. The more you have the faster it's going to come off.

My long winded point is 90% of the people on this site are losing at a healthy sustainable pace and should be happy with that, not feel like they are failing because the pace is slower than someone else.

[Takingcontrol 467]

17 weeks post surgery, avg 2.6 lbs/week. Avg calorie intake 500-700/day

[Takingcontrol 467]

17 weeks post surgery, avg 2.6 lbs/week. Avg calorie intake 500-700/day

& thanks for starting this thread TES, until I actually sit & calculated it I was frustrated....but I don't think 2.6 lbs/wk is bad! I will take it! Thanks for changing my mind set!!

[Holly5.3 423]

Remember, "slow and steady wins the race" every time! The turtle is consistant, whereas the hare peters out faster. I've lost weight "fast" in the past, and regained it even faster. WLS puts an end to that yo-yo, roller-coaster ride. Stop reading numbers and tap in to how you feel....Feeling is real, numbers are just symbols.

[SMO 193]

I am 11 weeks out. My highest weight was 257. I lost 16 pounds in 8 months while awaiting approval. My surgery weight was 241. Today, I am 214. That is about 2.5 pounds per week. Of course, I did not lose it like that. I lost 18 pounds in 15 days and then stalled for two weeks. Then I would lose for a couple of days and stall for a few days. That being said, I am on track and content that the scale keeps heading down. I have not been exercising as much as I should and I bet if I did, I would be losing faster, but I am thrilled to be losing.

[KDT8402 25]

I really like this trend. I still have the tendency to compare myself to those that loose 100 pounds in 6 months. Reading all of their post put me in the mind set that I'm a slow loser. I was cleared to eat "real'" food 4 weeks out. I eat between 700-900 calories a day. I am not hungry, well not always. Just now getting energy and working out. I'm happy with my results.

*8 weeks post op.

*starting weight 265

*surgery weight 250

*current weight 232

[Andi 78]

• Just over 3 weeks post op
  
• I was not weighed on my surgery date, but from my home scale the day before.. I'm down .2lbs (my weight loss in the ticker tape was all pre-surgery)
  
• I take in about 800 calories a day. 80-100g of Protein, over 80oz of Water. "Soft protein" stage for now
  
• I walk almost every day (I took today off to see if I could break up the stall a bit). Usually for an hour/3 miles
  
• I take Bariatric Fusion as my vitamin/supplement, 4 of them per day. I also take an anti-gallstone medication & prilosec