I am 3 months post-op and am tired of focusing on how much I have not lost. I’ve been eating 80-100 g of Protein, drinking at least 70 ounces Water, staying under 1000 calories and am active. I started at very high weight and expected to lose more than 45 lbs my first 3 months, but I am tired of focusing on what I have not lost instead of what I have gained. I am so grateful for my sleeve and my chance to live a healthier life. This is my ode to losing weight more slowly than expected and the benefits:

• More time to develop healthy eating habits before maintenance
• Skin has more time to catch up (more time to lotion!)
• Shifting focus to NSVs like sitting in booths and chairs with arms
• Less chance of gallstones
• Opportunity to practice loving kindness towards myself and being grateful for any positive change
• Chance to manage expectations – if it wasn’t for WLS, I’d be thrilled with my loss, so why not be thrilled now?
• Practice focusing on my own wins and not comparing self to others
• Not having to explain to others since loss isn’t dramatic (yet)
• Chance to trust the process and not focus on the end (self-care, water/protein/low-carb/active)
• Redefine success as how I feel, not numbers on scale
• Understanding this is not a diet, this is my lifestyle now, so what is the rush?

Have you had a benefit to a stall or slower than expected losing?

EXCELLENT post!!

This is great!

Thanks @@NoMoBand and @@Soapandcandlequeen! I am hoping others may add to this list as I am working hard to focus on the positives and can always use more ideas. Best of luck to you!

I'm also a slow loser. I only lost 50 lbs in 3 months. It concerned me until I read your list. It encouraged me to believe that even though I'm losing my weight slower than others, the point is I'm losing the weight. So actually I'm winning. We are all winning here.

Lol! @leag78....ONLY 50 pounds in 3 months?? I've got news for you....that's not slow.

I'd lost a little over 50 pounds at 6 months. And I've lost 28 pounds since (5 months later) THAT'S slow.

It depends on where you started from @@Babbs, because my sw 342, 4/8/15. You probably started a lot lower which explains your slower weight loss...lol

Edited July 16, 201511 yr by leag78

I'm a slow looser!! Thanks for the post.

You are correct in the sense that the lower starting BMI, the slower the weight loss. But even with your starting weight, 50 pounds in 3 months is not slow. It averages out to 16 pounds a month.

I'm just curious, how much were you expecting to lose in 3 months? What was the average your surgeon expected? @@leag78

At least 65 lbs in 3 months. They have high expectations.

While I won't say I'm a slow loser, the weight loss after three months has certainly slowed and this list is a nice reminder to keep myself on track. @@leag78 I was sleeved on 4/6! I don't see a lot of April sleevers. My SW was 311, though I was 325 before my two-week pre op diet. We're both out of the 300s woohoo.

I am 3 months post-op and am tired of focusing on how much I have not lost. I’ve been eating 80-100 g of Protein, drinking at least 70 ounces Water, staying under 1000 calories and am active. I started at very high weight and expected to lose more than 45 lbs my first 3 months, but I am tired of focusing on what I have not lost instead of what I have gained. I am so grateful for my sleeve and my chance to live a healthier life. This is my ode to losing weight more slowly than expected and the benefits:

• More time to develop healthy eating habits before maintenance
• Skin has more time to catch up (more time to lotion!)
• Shifting focus to NSVs like sitting in booths and chairs with arms
• Less chance of gallstones
• Opportunity to practice loving kindness towards myself and being grateful for any positive change
• Chance to manage expectations – if it wasn’t for WLS, I’d be thrilled with my loss, so why not be thrilled now?
• Practice focusing on my own wins and not comparing self to others
• Not having to explain to others since loss isn’t dramatic (yet)
• Chance to trust the process and not focus on the end (self-care, water/protein/low-carb/active)
• Redefine success as how I feel, not numbers on scale
• Understanding this is not a diet, this is my lifestyle now, so what is the rush?

Have you had a benefit to a stall or slower than expected losing?

When it came to explaining rapid weight loss I feigned illness (after all, obesity IS a disease, right?) I mostly told folks that I went to the crossroads at midnight and made a deal. LOL THAT usually stops questions.

You bring up such important points because everybody's experience is different and it's so tempting to compare ourselves and while sharing notes and experiences can be helpful it can also cause turmoil if we think we're not making progress.

Anywho, Rome wasn't built in a day! Good things take time!

Edited July 17, 201511 yr by tomi71

@@rp1980 @leag78 congrats on your loss and hard work thus far! As a fellow April sleever, I cannot believe it has been three months since our surgery. I still have at least a couple months until I get out of the 300s but you and others on this site are inspiration. As my post indicated, I am trying not to focus on the scale but it is hard not to so I have posted my list where I can see it to remind me of the benefits of losing slower than expected.

@@butterfly23 when were you sleeved in April? I can't believe it's been three months, either! You should be very proud of your 45-lb weight loss! I love the list. And I agree, we're in this for the long haul. At the end of the day, what does it matter if it takes is one year or two years to reach goal? I'm just happy that I'm losing!

@@butterfly23

I am also a slow loser. I love bullet point six, which I have found myself thinking as well. If I hadn't had WLS wouldn't I be thrilled with losing 4-6 pounds a month ( which is what I have averaged the last 3 months)? I am losing! I sometimes have a little concern over not losing as much early post WLS as it is supposed to get harder after 6 months, but maybe for us slower losers it will just continue to be slow and steady?

I'm an April sleeved. Mine was on April 15th. I'm 48 pounds down and happy about it. The loss is slowing down so I'm working out more now. I started at 243. I'm okay with 195 for now and excited about the next three months. I finally fit in my wedding rings yesterday and could wear them all day for the first time in two years! Very happy with that!