Good morning! I've been doing some thinking, wanted to pick the brains of the veterans in here.

I'm still pre-op with no date, probably about two months out. I've lost 10 lbs in the past month by working with my nutritionist. I could probably lose another 10-20 lbs before my surgery, which is awesome! But, wanted to ask, if in your experience, the pre-op weight loss is included in the ~60-70% of anticipated weight loss I can expect to lose with my sleeve? OR is it on top of that? As in, is it worth delaying surgery a little while so I can lose more weight, then my sleeve would bring me down even further than it would have before?

I'm wondering if that anticipated 60-70% loss of excess weight is because that's how far my body will want to go, period (so weight lost beforehand factors in as well and I will lose less on my sleeve).

Any insight you can give would be great

HW: 296

CW: 285

HT: 5'7"

BMI: 46

Forget about that 60-70%. It's a statistic that includes people who don't follow the program and regain and those who are lost to followup after a period of time.

You can lose as much as you're willing to work for. The initial loss is easier than the last, but that doesn't mean there is some door that slams shut on your ability to lose.

I appreciate your thoughts. Still looking for an answer to the question, though!

I don't know. Why not ask your surgeon?

I agree that the statistics are based on averages. I count my loss from my highest weight, not my day of surgery weight. I didn't even weigh day of surgery so don't know what that is anyway.

As @@2goldengirl said, there is no specific answer to the question. The answer depends on you, on how diligently you follow the program, on how you change your lifestyle and behaviors going forward. The sleeve is only a tool. The results depend on how you use the tool. Pre-surgery weight loss is always a good thing because it reduces surgery risks and makes recovery easier.

But as a specific answer I think you can assume that the percentage is from your old "normal" weight before starting your journey, as almost all surgery programs involve some pre-op dieting.

Last thing to keep in mind, the percentages you quote are the amount of "excess" weight loss, not total body weight. Most programs use the MetLife height/weight tables to determine what an "ideal" body weight is, and the amount you are over that is your "excess weight".

I wholeheartedly understand that the sleeve is a tool and that what I put into this is what I will get back from it. I understand there are major behavioral and life changes ahead for me if I am to succeed. I also understand that the numbers my doctor gives me are averages and aren't to be relied on. I've put a lot of thought and research into this decision. I am also very aware that the numbers are from excess weight, not total weight, as I specified in my original post.

Specifically, if I were to put off the sleeve for another 6 months or so in theory and I lost 40 more lbs, I'm curious if the sleeve would kind of halt at the same place as if I had started now, or if I could expect a greater weight loss overall. I'm trying to get the greatest benefit from my new tool as I possibly can, I know it can be a lot more frustrating towards the end.

I can't really determine what my 'normal' is right now, as I've slowly put on another 20 lbs or so in the past year. I'm looking for opinions and any life experience that may be able to shed some light on my question as I ponder

I wholeheartedly understand that the sleeve is a tool and that what I put into this is what I will get back from it. I understand there are major behavioral and life changes ahead for me if I am to succeed. I also understand that the numbers my doctor gives me are averages and aren't to be relied on. I've put a lot of thought and research into this decision. I am also very aware that the numbers are from excess weight, not total weight, as I specified in my original post.

Specifically, if I were to put off the sleeve for another 6 months or so in theory and I lost 40 more lbs, I'm curious if the sleeve would kind of halt at the same place as if I had started now, or if I could expect a greater weight loss overall. I'm trying to get the greatest benefit from my new tool as I possibly can, I know it can be a lot more frustrating towards the end.

I can't really determine what my 'normal' is right now, as I've slowly put on another 20 lbs or so in the past year. I'm looking for opinions and any life experience that may be able to shed some light on my question as I ponder

In my non-expert opinion, I think you may be overthinking this. For me, my surgery was delayed due to financing reasons. Pre-op, my metabolism was so broken that it was a battle to just maintain my weight.

Post-op, it is like night and day. The work I had to do to maintain my weight pre-op actually results in losing weight.

If there isn't a medical or financial reason to put off the surgery, I wouldn't put it off just to lose a little more weight (unless your surgeon deems it too risky to operate at your current weight).

Best of luck in your decision.

Lots of folks here have lost 90 - 100% of their excess weight. IMHO, it doesn't matter how much of it you lose pre-op or post-op.

I know you think you're being clear, but I think there's a big misunderstanding. You seem to think there's a finite limit to how much weight you can lose (and no more) that's defined as a percentage of your current weight. Also, there's not deadline or expiration date on your ability to lose weight.

How much weight you can lose is a function of a lot of things you said you understand and that you can control and (perhaps) a few things you can't control.

Consider that I'm 5'5" tall, lost 19 pounds pre-op (11 pounds on my own 2-month diet and 8 pounds on my surgeon's 2-week diet). My surgery day weight was 216 pounds. I reached my goal (150 pounds) at 8.5 months post-op. In the 9+ months since then I've slowly lost another 15 pounds and now weigh 135 pounds. My BMI is now 22.5. That means I've lost 90 - 100% of my excess weight. And as I said earlier, many people here have done the same.

EDIT:

P.S. The "frustration" you anticipate "toward the end" would be completely self-imposed. The interesting thing is that this trip you're about to start actually never ends. It just goes on and on and on ....

@@Ruth1ess

What you are asking is if you can bio-hack your way to more weight loss. No one can give you an answer to that.

The 60-70% is an average, It is a completely arbitrary number. Doctors use it because that is the average and its is a good number. Losing that amount of weight is life changing for obese people and can end a lot of medical problems.

If you use a calculator like this http://www.obesitycoverage.com/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-bypass/how-much-can-i-expect-to-lose

This is what the calculator estimates I can lose at my starting weight

This is what the calculator estimates I can lose from the weight I am at right now.

I have lost 101 lbs in 6.5 months with the sleeve. The weight lost estimated from my start is 222. The weight lost estimate from where I am right now is 182. The start weights are 101 pounds apart but the end result is only a 40 pound difference.

Is it worth it to wait and have to lose weight taking the chances on being hungry, to possible lose an little extra? It might be to you. The amount of weight you will be able to lose on your own before surgery is unlikely to be that much so the differences will be minor.

I would have never lost 100lbs on my own. I would never lose more than 30-50 on my own and I always gained it back. I am only 6.5 months out and I have lost 101 lbs basically effortlessly. I haven't been hungry, and after the first 6 weeks I have had plenty of energy. I am more active, but I don't run. I walk, I do yoga, and I lift weights. I do things that don't stress my body and I am still losing at a fast pace. The way I am dropping weight right now 10-14lbs a month and it isn't slowing, as I lose more weight and am more active, it is coming off faster. I expect that I will blow right past that first lost estimate from my start of 365 to 222, I will probably be past 222 long before my one year anniversary. I expect to keep losing long after my 1 year anniversary just because I would have to be really dedicated to eating, basically eat all day to get above my resting metabolic rate.

So try that calculator and see if you think the difference is worth waiting for. Just remember it is just an estimate and it is arbitrary.

Thank you so much for the thoughtful responses. Biohack.. nice term! I guess you're kind of right there.

I've been able to lose 60-70 lbs a few times during my lifetime, and maintain it for a few years after. It always creeps back, something always happens, and I always gain back more than what I lost. That's the pattern I want to break with the sleeve.

I can lose the weight on my own, but, it won't stay off and I know that. That's why I'm excited for the sleeve as a long term solution to always be with me on my journey.

I've been using the calculator the same way. I'm just not really sure if our bodies work that way. I guess I will just have to find out for myself through my own experience at this point, since it doesn't really seem to be something that other people have done.

I realize the numbers don't mean much, but, consider it boredom from waiting.. to overanalyze and see if this is really the best way or if I can somehow optimize results along the way.

I think the best way to optimize your results is to do research before surgery.

Find out what shakes you like, Try lots of different shakes. Protein shakes are a great tool, they can save you lots of problems. find some you like.

Understand the nutrition.

Understand the Vitamins

Work though any personal issues you have

Lower your stress levels if you can.

Give up sugary drinks

Give up alcohol

Find a sugar replacement you like (stevia, Xylitol, etc)

Learn to cook healthy low carb meals

The best to optimize your results is to make sure you can follow your program. If you follow your program and you like following it. Meaning you don't feel deprived or punished, you can be more successful.

So far so good

I've identified that I use food as a 'reward' for doing well in other areas of my life, as well as stress eating to feel better. Working on rerouting those triggers with other behavior.

I drink one beer every week or every other week, or not at all, down from 4-5 weekly.

Don't do sugary drinks, never have since living a low carb lifestyle. The occasional diet soda if I feel the craving, but that's rare.

I don't do sugar replacements/sugar alcohols. Splenda is a migraine trigger for me, and sugar alcohols are bad for the gut, so I cut them out completely to get my palette used to natural sweetness instead of overly sweet fixations.

I've found some Vitamins I like and can tolerate.

I've been playing with Protein powders and just bought some unsweetened pea protein, excited to try that.

I'm an overachiever... next!

I think you're going to do great. Overachievers do well with WLS, IMHO.

Preop prep ... hmmm ....

Have you played around yet with eating slower, taking smaller bites, chewing your food a lot more than you may be used to chewing? That behavior change has helped me enormously. I worked on it for 2.5 months pre-op.

What about not drinking with meals? And stopping drinking at least 15 minutes before meals and not drinking for at least 30 minutes after meals.

You might want to cut back on caffeine pre-op. Putting up with surgery recovery post-op while you're also going through caffeine withdrawal is a PITA no one deserves.

What about tracking food using something like My Fitness Pal? I thought I knew tons about macronutrients after a lifetime of dieting. But I'd never used an online app. Very educational.

How much are you walking? Thought about a Fitbit or some phone app that counts your steps and lets you continue to (safely) ratchet up your activity level?

In other words, just pretend like you've already had WLS and (except for the tiny amounts you'll be reduced to eating immediately post-op) do everything pre-op you know you'll be doing post-op.

I wholeheartedly understand that the sleeve is a tool and that what I put into this is what I will get back from it. I understand there are major behavioral and life changes ahead for me if I am to succeed. I also understand that the numbers my doctor gives me are averages and aren't to be relied on. I've put a lot of thought and research into this decision. I am also very aware that the numbers are from excess weight, not total weight, as I specified in my original post.

Specifically, if I were to put off the sleeve for another 6 months or so in theory and I lost 40 more lbs, I'm curious if the sleeve would kind of halt at the same place as if I had started now, or if I could expect a greater weight loss overall. I'm trying to get the greatest benefit from my new tool as I possibly can, I know it can be a lot more frustrating towards the end.

I can't really determine what my 'normal' is right now, as I've slowly put on another 20 lbs or so in the past year. I'm looking for opinions and any life experience that may be able to shed some light on my question as I ponder

I haven't yet read the other replies to your questions.....I probably should have done that before responding.

I was 478 last June 2015.

I was 422 in October 2015 when I had my sleeve.

This morning I was 337.

Could I have delayed my time of having the surgery and lost more on my own before ? Sure could.

Do I wish I had? Heck no.

My only regret is not getting the surgery done sooner.

My goal was to lose weight as quickly and safely as possible. The sleeve supports this goal in a powerful way. Delaying it is pointless.

Those percentages are simply numbers applied to a wide range of folks with a wide range of circumstances. You can blow those numbers away......look around here and you see folks doing it all the time.

Strictly adhere to your plan and you will kill it.

To prepare for pre-op, I tried to focus on one change at a time. Over that period I:

Weaned myself off of carbonation.

Weaned myself off of caffeine.

Increased my Water to at least 64 oz a day.

Exercised 60 minutes a day. (This was gradual.)

Practiced mindful eating. Eating slowly, taking small bites, and chewing thoroughly.

Increased my vegetables and whole, fresh fruits.

Tracked my food and exercise. Pre-op I was using the Weight Watchers app because I was already using it but switched to MyFitnessPal post-op.

Focused on Protein and reading labels.

Sampled different protein supplements.

Collected my post-op supplies.

Took a Multivitamin, D3, and Iron supplement as instructed by my surgeon.

Prepared my will and living will. I had moved since making my previous will so needed an updated on for my new state. It's something to think about.

Read as much as I could.

Started participating on BariatricPal.

Journaled.

Prayed.

Started watching My 600 Pound Life. I had avoided shows like that in the past. It was a big step towards my admitting how obese I had actually become.

In addition to pre-op, I was also going through the process of filing for disability and seeking help through Voc Rehab. Although not specifically related to WLS, all of the evaluations I had to go through for both were really helpful, especially as it relates to being rigorously honest with myself about the shape I was in.

Great ideas and great recommendations, thank you all!

Eating slower is something I've become painfully aware of this past week, especially. I always drink with my meals because it helps me get down food faster -- a full lunch with a Protein + 3 veggies will take me about ten minutes to finish because I eat so fast! I've started moving my Water away from me when I eat and counting the chews (at least 20) to slow me down. That's something that will take me awhile to get used to.

I haven't specifically been told to cut out my caffeine by my doctor and NUT. I have one 8 oz coffee every morning, but I have been alternating it with tea. Is cutting out caffeine something that is advised by most surgeons? I know it can increase cravings, but it's never had that effect on me and I drink it in moderation, so I've never worried about it before. I've always continued it through other diet plans.

Water.. is a continuous battle as well. I never get enough water, but, I've been working on always keeping some in front of me to get used to slow, continuous intake. Sips, as is recommended after surgery.

MyFitnessPal is always a must.. ninjarutabega if you want to follow

Prayer.. also a continuous battle.

A will and living will is a great idea. I haven't pursued these things before.

I've started looking at broths and mixes that look good to me, including instant miso, swanson's, and dissoluble Fiber.

Going back to Netflix to watch anything having to do with weight and dieting.. including re-watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead as well as the All of Me bariatric special.

Exercise... working out a plan. Bought a fitbit yesterday to track and increase my steps, and act as a silent witness as I climb stairs at work. Visiting planet fitness sometime this week to renew my membership and begin a cardio routine.

Trying not to obsess but both enjoying and hating the anticipation

@@Dub Those numbers are killer, congratulations! I'm settling in somewhere between 160 and 175 as a goal weight for myself. it's still kind of a dream to realize this time next year, I could be close to that.