Hi,

I started at 86kgs and have only lost 12kgs in 5 months.

I'm really freaking out now. People tell me it's because of the lower starting weight, but is that an actual thing?

Would love your insight, please.

Many thanks

Edited August 16, 201411 yr by HMJ

First, it seems to me that you are doing really well, you've lost over 6% of your body weight! That's great!!

I haven't discussed this with my current nutritionist, but in the past with other nutritionists on other programs. There is a basic math to weight loss.

Since I'm in the US we use pounds not kilograms, but I'm sure it could be converted.

The average woman uses 11 calories per pound per day to maintain body weight. Every time you consume less than you burn, you use some stored fat. When you get to 3500 of stored fat burned calories you lose a pound of fat.

Remember though that a calorie is NOT a calorie. You need to get the right mix of proteins, carbs and fats to maintain health first. So most of us are told to get 60-80 grams of protein per day first.

Now all that adds up to, yes, the less you weigh the harder it is to get that 3500 calories lost.

Example:

at 300 pounds x 11 calories = 3300 calories per day to maintain body weight

at 200 pounds x 11 calories = 2200 calories per day to maintain body weight

If both women consume 1200 calories per day, the 300 pound woman will lose a pound of fat in about 1.5 days, the 200 pound woman will lose a pound of fat in about 3.5 days.

Fat is only one component of weight loss, additionally, some people retain water, others lose muscle or bone mass. So the nutrition thing is really important. Then you can burn additional calories with exercise, and build muscle mass that way.

Let me also state that I am NOT a nutritionist, but over my 49 years of dieting (joined weight watchers for the first time when I was 10), I have learned a few things. I just never learned how to apply them to me.

Good luck!

Hello HMJ. I'm sorry to hear that you are losing weight slower than you would like. Are you getting in the required daily amounts of protein and water? Are you exercising? You may need to talk with your surgeon and NUT to see if there is something you can do differently to help light a fire to your weight loss. I wish you the best of luck on your journey.

HMJ,

I feel your pain of not dropping the weight. I'm just about 2 months post op and have only dropped 16 pounds, very frustrating when others in my support group who have had the same surgery as me just 2 weeks before have lost over 70 pounds.

I called the nutritionist and I'm tracking everything I put in my mouth to send to her & see what she has to say. I have been drinking my water, eating protein at every meal and exercising. All my clothes are bigger so my friends have lucked out, I even had to buy new bras. I guess you can say I'm a slave to the scale.

I also made an appointment to see a counselor. The other day I cried all night because of this and I don't know what to do. The nutritionist says in an email "you can do this", it doesn't help, it's actually irritating since she is a stick and weighs just over 100 pounds.

If you figure it out, please let me know and I will do the same.

Connie

You can count me in the slow weight loss. I just hit 51 lbs in 6 days short of five months. I suppose I have had many stalls.

I did stress it, then I took a step back and looked at the whole picture. It could be several factors. Thyroid problem, age and I think you need to get to a point where you don't care about food anymore. It's not an all consuming factor anymore. I don't want to cook, when I do, I want it over quickly. It feels like an obligation to cook and I dread it. LOL

Besides, you cannot compare yourself to others. This is YOUR journey. Your path will differ from others. This whole experience is about learning about yourself and moving beyond where you were. Seeing what you hid from yourself. Enjoy the journey.

Im a slow loser too but you need to look at it different. I look at it like hey Im not gaining weight! Plus I figure in 6 months it will all average out. They may lose faster at first but it will slow down. Plus because we are losing slower our skin has the time to shrink back so we wont have all that saggy skin. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE EVERYTIME! Plus stressing out makes your body hold onto the weight. Dont know why but it does. Relax and enjoy the ride!!