Hi!

So, I had the sleeve procedure on November 5, 2014. I am happy to say that I am just 10 pounds short of my goal of 215 (which was my weight after Coast Guard boot camp 29 years ago). I started at 306 and was 299 on the day of surgery. I am thrilled with how things have gone so far. I followed my doctor's instructions 100% and all has gone pretty well. The only thing I am having an issue with is the re-shaping of my body.

When I was at my best weight as an adult (I call it Coast Guard weight right after High school) I wore 36/34 jeans. I was lighter than I am right now by 10 pounds. At one point during my Coast Guard career, I lost all the way down to 185 but still maintained a 36 waist in jeans. Today, I can't wear 36 waist because they are too big. I now have to wear 34/34 jeans. My waist is down to a size that I have not seen since I was 12 or 13 years old. I have also noticed that my xyphoid process sticks out further than ever from my rib cage and my back still holds some weight behind the shoulder blades. Have others experienced similar body re-shaping after having the sleeve procedure?

By the way, I thought I would drop down to 36/34 in jeans so I went out and bought a few pair which no longer fit. Should I hold off on buying anymore clothes until I stop dropping?

Thanks,

Joe

Part of it may be age. As we age out body reshapes itself a bit. As to whether to hold off buying clothes, I would say YES. Wait until you are at maintenance.

Could be age related "shift", could be the fact that you're just in different shape from working out now or form working out then. Could also have something to do with vanity sizing. I know if you pick up a 10 year old garment in a size 8 it fits like today's 6 in women's clothes. One thing I did notice was that things kinda continued to shift for a good 5 months after I hit goal. The scale wasn't moving much, but clothing fit different and my face got a bit thinner. Hoping I'm done with all that now!

Are you working out like you did in the Coast Guard (and thanks, by the way, for your service!)? As the previous writer said, it is probably the age-thing. My body, as I am losing and getting back into old clothes from years ago, is definitely not the same shape! But I am not doing quite the same things as I did then (National Park Service Ranger, minimum 6 miles/day hiking)! So I guess I shouldn't be surprised, huh? Things shift, and at least the excess weight is "shifting" elsewhere, hopefully never to be seen OR heard from again.....

I have heard that clothing manufacturers/designers have changed sizes to make people feel better about themselves, probably because happy people buy more. When I lost my weight with the lap-band I was 145lbs and in a size 4, and they were getting loose. I NEVER wore a size that small, even in high school and I weighed 107 when I graduated. After college I was 117 and in a size 6. Don't know if this real, but it sounds good to me! What's your opinion?

Are you working out? If not, you may be smaller due to loss of muscle. My husband has lost a lot of muscle and he is also smaller than he was at the same weight 15 years ago.