The Honeymoon is O.V.E.R.

[MizzouFan1 88]

The honeymoon phase is officially over. I am post op 7 months and down 92lbs. The last 50 lbs. are coming off painfully slow. Maybe 3-4lbs a MONTH. So, I am regrouping and analyzing. I noticed my calorie intake is much more than I originally thought. What is the typically calorie intake this far out? Is it still 800-900 a day?

Thanks!

Edited March 19, 2015 by Sarahmizzou

[bikrchk 1,313]

I worked up to 1000 calories per day with 80+g of Protein by about the 6 week mark and kept it between 1000-1200 for the duration of my loss phase, (95ish pounds by about month 10). I exercised regularly, but not a gym rat. 5x per week about 1 hr on a stationary bike at home.

[Babbs 14,680]

Right there with ya Lost 2 last month, and 4 so far this month, but the scale this morning has me up a pound so that's my tell tale sign I will probably not lose the rest of the month because that's how I stall. Something I did was up my calories to 1000 to try to break the slow weight loss and stalls. Well, it seemed to work, because at least the scale moved for a couple weeks straight until now. shake things up and increase your calories a little and see if that helps? Oh, and I also do a lot of cardio and weight training. Increase your cardio a little, too?

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

@@Babbs has the right idea. Don't let yourself get in too much of a routine for too long, change your workouts, raise or lower your calorie intake. I don't know if this has been scientifically proven, but it seems like whatever you do over a long period of time, your body adjusts, so you just have to keep trying new routines.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I stayed at 800-900 a day all during weight loss, which was about 14 months. I do not lose if I eat more than that. I maintain at around 1100 calories with an occasional splurge day.

[barbclay 15]

By gl

[MizzouFan1 88]

Thanks folks! I have started walking about 2 miles a day and adding outdoor activity on the weekends. We'll see if that helps. I won't hold my breath. I am thinking about joining a Zumba class. We'll see what happens.

[mi75 1,235]

right there too. 9 months out now, scale has barely moved since 7 months post op. at about 1000 cals daily. haven't been exercising as much as i want to. trying to increase that. coming here every day to check in. good acccountability

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

My typical cals / Protein thus far:

Month 1 - 500 cals (60 grams protein)

Months 2-4 - 800 cals (70-75 grams protein)

Months 5-6 - 1,000 cals (80-85 grams protein)

Month 7-8 - 1,200 cals (90-100 grams protein)

I'm 7 months and 1 week post-op. In all (pre- and post-op) I've lost 80 pounds (5 pounds 'til goal) and am still losing. I lost 6.2 pounds during Month 7, eating 1,200 calories.

Good luck to you.

Edited March 24, 2015 by VSGAnn2014

[virtualpisces 26]

@, thank you for your post! It reminded me WHY I joined this site in the first place. We all have so much in common and it's GREAT for accountability. I haven't been on the site in too long, but I came back because I realized I hadn't lost but 2 lbs in almost three months. After I had a WTF moment, my exact thoughts were honeymoon is officially over! I know stalls are common and I had week long ones around my 5 month mark, but 3 months and 2 lbs was upsetting me! I'm very proud of the 107 lbs I've lost, but I still have a long way to go (63 more!) and I want my honeymoon back, damn it! I'm going to take a look at my calorie consumption as others have suggested. Good luck!

[MoMo12onTheGo 66]

My surgeon told me the sweet spot is month 1-6 so to do as much as humanly possible to lose the bulk of the excess weight during that window. He said after that you are just like everyone else working out and changing your lifestyle and losing weight fairly slow & steady.

[Debbie Jean 406]

My typical cals / Protein thus far:

Month 1 - 500 cals (60 grams protein)

Months 2-4 - 800 cals (70-75 grams protein)

Months 5-6 - 1,000 cals (80-85 grams protein)

Month 7-8 - 1,200 cals (90-100 grams protein)

I'm 7 months and 1 week post-op. In all (pre- and post-op) I've lost 80 pounds (5 pounds 'til goal) and am still losing. I lost 6.2 pounds during Month 7, eating 1,200 calories.

Good luck to you.

You and I are about the same age, Ann. So far at month 3 my pattern is like yours. I'm glad to hear that you continue to lose while increasing calories/protein and are so close to goal.

Are you doing any exercise in addition?

[raychel74 22]

I'm right there too. I've been at the same weight for the last 4 months. I have changed up my diet and am now training for a triathlon. If this doesn't kick start something, at least I'll be in great shape. I am 30-40lb from my goal and it has been tough but if I'm being honest, I didn't have to work for the last 70lbs so I guess this is my pay back ????????????????????

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

My typical cals / Protein thus far:

Month 1 - 500 cals (60 grams protein)

Months 2-4 - 800 cals (70-75 grams protein)

Months 5-6 - 1,000 cals (80-85 grams protein)

Month 7-8 - 1,200 cals (90-100 grams protein)

I'm 7 months and 1 week post-op. In all (pre- and post-op) I've lost 80 pounds (5 pounds 'til goal) and am still losing. I lost 6.2 pounds during Month 7, eating 1,200 calories.

Good luck to you.

You and I are about the same age, Ann. So far at month 3 my pattern is like yours. I'm glad to hear that you continue to lose while increasing calories/protein and are so close to goal.

Are you doing any exercise in addition?

Hi, @@Debbie Jean ...

I hit goal about a week ago.

Most of my exercise has been walking. About Month 5 I finally reached 10,000 steps. I was in TERRIBLE shape pre-op, and it took me a while to get there. I also did a seated elliptical (NuStep machine) a bit. I'm finally in the gym doing early strength (weight) training.

I hit 10,000 steps today. Every day I do that, I feel great.

From here on out for me it's about getting stronger and building more muscle. And, of course, eating the right amount of nutritious food.

What a fun trip.

[hollyr 49]

Hi Everyone,

I am 2.5 years out and still losing weight. I had major complications the first 6 months so my journey was not typical.

I started off at 275 in November 2012. By April 2014 I was around 160-164. I stayed at that until August 2014. I had convinced myself that the excess weight was skin. ???? well I had a full body scan like they do for bone density and it shows how much of your weight is Water, fat etc. I was in for a reality check. That was fat in my belly not just skin. So I did a 6 weeks of dropping my calls to 500/day and lost 12lbs. From there my metabolism and psyche kicked back in. I've been a gym rat from 6 months post op. But I changed it up and started boxing and kickboxing. I'm addicted.

So fast forward to today. I go btw 132-135lbs and I feel so great. Those last pounds are finally off. And tomorrow I start consulting plastic surgeons. I had a follow up bone scan and now what's left on my belly IS mostly skin. The fat amount is super small. I don't want to lose any more bc I know I'll drop a few pounds when the skin is removed.

I have met every goal. I set them in 5lb increments when I started losing again because I really didn't know how low I wanted to get. But you can reach your goals no matter how far out you are from surgery. It took years to get overweight and may take that to lose it.

Good luck.

Holly