I attended my one year post-op class yesterday for people who had weight loss surgery in April and May 2014. It was a big class of about 50 people. I was shocked when only two people (myself and one other person) raised their hand when asked who had reached their goal weight. Everyone else in the class fell into the statistical had lost "65% of their excess weight" category. Many had lost a smaller percentage than that. The biggest concern now one year out was experiencing plateaus and weight gain. Everyone in that class had experienced success and had lost weight. Everyone reported being off medications, C-PAP machines and living a healthier and fuller life. Still, you couldn't ignore the disappointment most shared that they may still be 50-150 plus pounds overweight post surgery.

My take away and message I want to share with those newly sleeved - work your sleeve while you can! Those first few months of rapid weight loss are key! It will slow down every month until one day you won't lose anything at all. I think I was able to reach goal easy because I was a low BMi to begin with. Maintenance is going to take work though and there is no slacking off once you get to goal! It takes a lot more work to lose the weight after the first year. Work that sleeve while you can!!!

I'm all about working it as best as possible, but I have to question your "while you can" addition.

It's great for you that you were a low BMI to begin with so with hard work you hit your goal, but you're effectively taking away hope from those people who didn't start this journey at a lower BMI. Add that to the fact that sleeves don't really stretch much, so there's no reason someone can't keep on using their sleeve correctly far after 1 year post op. There are quite a few people right here on this message board who are several years post op and they're still using their sleeves to full effect.

It seems that you're buying into that idea that after 1 year the magic is over. My surgeon explained to me that one of the *many* reasons the one year time is given is that that's when a LOT of surgeons quit monitoring their patients so one year of data is all they have.

So honestly, yay for the idea of making the most of the tool we've been given but I can't agree with what you seem to be saying about some magic one year mark where Cinderella's carriage turns instantly into a pumpkin and I heartily disagree that the first few months of rapid weight loss are the key. Our bodies are all different. We all lose differently just as we all gained differently. This tool and the lessons we learn about eating and exercising are FOREVER if we work them right. Those who gain and stop losing are those who stop working them.

Please, please, please don't misunderstand my post!!!! The journey becomes DIFFERENT as time goes on. My post wasn't meant to discourage anyone at all and I will be the first one to apologize if it offended you or anyone else! I was just given a reality check that what I was told pre-surgery is actually true. As time goes on, the pounds don't rapidly fall off with little effort as they did in the beginning. I think anyone a year or more out from surgery would agree with me, no? It's more about lifestyle choices and effort. The journey becomes more challenging later on. Maintenance is challenging too.

I'm a bander. I hit a plateau and actually started to gain a bit before I got refocused. The first hundred pounds came off quickly, in the first seven months. Then things slowed way down and I got complacent. I added foods and drink that are not weight loss friendly.

I'm happy to say that today, 14 months post op, I am refocused and have started exercising. I WILL get this final fifty pounds off. It is definitely more work now, but without constant hunger like I had pre WLS it can be done.

Thanks for this thread.