Weight loss beyond the top “normal” BMI

[Crick 144]

This is for those who have lost more than the weight required to hit the top of the “normal” BMI (I know - BMI is awful - but it’s a measurement that everyone is aware of). I hit the top of my normal BMI by 6 months post-op and have lost more since then (which I wanted to). I did not have any stalls until I got down a few lbs below the top normal BMI. I had selected 145 as my original goal because that was the lowest weight I ever achieved as an adult (through weight watchers) but have since adjusted to 135 (and quite frankly, feel like with my belly I could even adjust lower, although I think plastic surgery will be needed to really get things where I want). However, it’s been discouraging as I’ve definitely been dealing with 2-3 week stalls now - then lose for a week or two then repeat. I had a stall since the beginning of the month and then yesterday when I did my weigh-in I was down almost 4 lbs! Now, 3.75 lbs seems like a LOT to lose in a week at this point - not time wise as I am only 8.5 months out but given where my weight is - haven’t lost that much in a week in a while (and while I normally only weigh weekly I did check it again this morning to ensure that it was a real loss and it was).

For those who have gotten below the top normal BMI, how was the weight loss once you got past that top normal BMI? Was kind of expecting only to lose a couple of lbs a month from here on out but seems like that may be a low guess? Just trying to get an idea mostly from a mental perspective - as I said, the stalls have been discouraging, although I know I was fortunate not to have a single one until I got below the normal BMI. I had a couple of weeks in the 3-5 month range where I only lost .5-.75 lbs but none where the scale didn’t budge like it has a few times lately.

[Arabesque 6,445]

I picked my goal based on the lowest weight I’d ever reached before too - my bounce weight range. 60kgs & BMI of about 23. Reached that at 6 months & then lost another 11/12kgs over about another 11 months. The weight loss just continued to get slower. No stalls in that time, but the trend was still the same pretty smooth & even trend I experienced in my first 6 month weight loss. Just more up & down when I was starting to stabilise at around 50kgs

I struggled to find that caloric balance to stop losing. Just trying to eat larger portions & then eat more frequently was hard but over that year I eventually got to about a recommended portion size for most foods. I was eating 4 or 5 Snacks a day on top of three meals by the end. Now I eat about 3 snacks & 3 meals & I’ve been maintaining for almost a year at about 49kg (generally fluctuate between 48.5-49.5) & a BMI of just under 19.

I know a lot of people have issues about BMI but I always look at it as a guide. Higher end of healthy range for large frames, lower end for smaller frames. Taking in the needs of our bodies is also important as is how muscular we are. Some people just sit happily at a BMI above the healthy range - their body seem to function better. We also carry our weight in different ways too. You can look at two people with similar height, build & weight but one can look slim & the other bony.

I was always told I had a larger frame. Once the weight was gone it was obvious I don’t. When I was nearing 50kgs, my surgeon & doctor wanted me to get back to about 54kgs but they’re fine now & happy I’m healthy & maintaining. As one said: you’re actually really quite tiny aren’t you. It’s still can be a freaky I’m the size I was at about 12.

[Lynnlovesthebeach 625]

I was attending WW when I made the decision to have WLS so I know my "goal range" for them was 94-124 lbs. I think that was based on a height of 5' because I used to round up from 4'11 1/2". I set my goal at 123 because then 125 would be my top limit to never go over! My surgeon never really gave me a "goal" but said he thought I could get to 130. The chart where they plot my weight always had 117 lbs as my "ideal" weight but he always said not to worry if I didn't meet that. Well, I met his 130 goal at 9 mon and I told him I didn't want to stay in the "overweight" category so I was going to try for 123 for a normal BMI. He was ok with that. I continued with WW throughout this because I liked the emotional support and I wanted the lifetime membrship for continued support in case I had regain. On my one year anniversary I weighed 122 lbs. I never really had any stalls that year. The next year I continued to lose gradually, (while trying to maintain) up a pound, down a couple until I reached 111-112 on my second anniversary. For this past year I have weighed around 108 lbs. I weigh every day so its sometimes up a pound. Now as I approach my 3rd anniversary, I have lost some more weight recently and have been as low as 103 lbs, without changing anything. I'm right in the middle of my BMI range at 21. I'm "medium" frame according to wrist size and wear a size 2 or XS. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd have 33 in hips!

[catwoman7 10,845]

I got there (at one point - I'm now 6+ years out - gained 20 lbs after hitting my lowest, which is very common...)

it's super tough to lose weight when you're at or close to a normal BMI. I remember vividly going to Weight Watchers meetings before I had surgery. I used to roll my eyes at these women who were only slightly overweight who'd moan and complain about how tough it was to lose 10 lbs. Yea - I'd think - try losing 100+. But now I TOTALLY get it. You might be able to do it - but it'll take a lot of work. I'm now 4 lbs overweight, thanks to the pandemic, and it's hard as heck trying to lose it again.

[Crick 144]

19 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

I got there (at one point - I'm now 6+ years out - gained 20 lbs after hitting my lowest, which is very common...)

it's super tough to lose weight when you're at or close to a normal BMI. I remember vividly going to Weight Watchers meetings before I had surgery. I used to roll my eyes at these women who were only slightly overweight who'd moan and complain about how tough it was to lose 10 lbs. Yea - I'd think - try losing 100+. But now I TOTALLY get it. You might be able to do it - but it'll take a lot of work. I'm now 4 lbs overweight, thanks to the pandemic, and it's hard as heck trying to lose it again.

Oh yes I remember those ladies when I did WW back in the day - and I would roll my eyes (mentally) at them. But yes - it’s so much harder to lose weight when you don’t have as much to lose - and it’s much more frustrating to have stalls or only see the scale move .2 or .4.

[catwoman7 10,845]

4 minutes ago, Crick said:

Oh yes I remember those ladies when I did WW back in the day - and I would roll my eyes (mentally) at them. But yes - it’s so much harder to lose weight when you don’t have as much to lose - and it’s much more frustrating to have stalls or only see the scale move .2 or .4.

we get rebates from our health insurance if we do something like approved three activities a year. One choice was having a handful of telehealth appts with a dietitian (note this was not the dietitian I usually see annually at my bariatric clinic - this was just a regular dietitian who works for the insurance company). She suggested I cut 1000 calories a day from my diet to lose the weight I wanted to. I maintain my current weight on about 1700 calories a day. So cut 1000 calories from that? Is she f***ing kidding? So I cut 200-ish calories, knowing it'll take months to lose some microscopic amount of weight. But that's how it goes when you're at or close to a normal BMI. You're pretty much equilibrium as far as calories in/calories out, so there's not much to cut - and that weight loss is going to be S-L-O-W! (note that 700 kcal/day is fine during the first months post-op -- but not when you're as far out as I am..)

[ms.sss 14,634]

Here’s the thing…the smaller u get the less your caloric needs get. If you want to lose more weight, you are going to need to cut your calories. I don’t know what ur cal level is now, but 1500 cals on a 300 lbs frame will lose weight faster and more consistently than the same amount of cals on a 145 lbs frame. (Not counting activity level, of course)

I originally set a goal of 120. I revised that to 127 as I wasn’t liking how i was looking (think: Skelator). I ended up losing a bit more in my attempts to adjust to maintenance calories, and this was due to the fact that I just wasn’t eating enough to sustain 127 lbs.

I got to 127 in 7 months, and stabilized at 115 around 9-10 months post op.

Im still 115 now at 3 yrs out (and actually happy with it as my skeletal look has more or less gone away…thanks carbs, lol), and i average 1800-2000 cals a day, with moderate to slightly high exercise.

Edited to add: im boringly “average” in the sense that i have no medical conditions that would impede weight loss nor do i have an abnormal metabolism given my size or activity levels.

Edited September 26, 2021 by ms.sss

[vikingbeast 985]

3 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

She suggested I cut 1000 calories a day from my diet to lose the weight I wanted to. I maintain my current weight on about 1700 calories a day. So cut 1000 calories from that? Is she f***ing kidding?

We have the same deal where we get rebates for 'health activities'. But I would have reported her for that suggestion. Even if I were still eating 2800 cal a day, cutting 1000 cal a day is TOO DRASTIC and completely unsustainable absent other factors like the 'honeymoon' post-op period.

Edited September 26, 2021 by vikingbeast

[Crick 144]

13 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Here’s the thing…the smaller u get the less your caloric needs get. If you want to lose more weight, you are going to need to cut your calories. I don’t know what ur cal level is now, but 1500 cals on a 300 lbs frame will lose weight faster and more consistently than the same amount of cals on a 145 lbs frame. (Not counting activity level, of course)

I originally set a goal of 120. I revised that to 127 as I wasn’t liking how i was looking (think: Skelator). I ended up losing a bit more in my attempts to adjust to maintenance calories, and this was due to the fact that I just wasn’t eating enough to sustain 127 lbs.

I got to 127 in 7 months, and stabilized at 115 around 9-10 months post op.

Im still 115 now at 3 yrs out (and actually happy with it as my skeletal look has more or less gone away…thanks carbs, lol), and i average 1800-2000 cals a day, with moderate to slightly high exercise.

Edited to add: im boringly “average” in the sense that i have no medical conditions that would impede weight loss nor do i have an abnormal metabolism given my size or activity levels.

I’m at around 1200 cal/day and I am very active - weight training 3-4 times a week and 45-60 min of cardio on the other days (and usually 15-20 min of cardio on the weight training days too). I get in around 200 oz of Water and I don’t drink anything other than water save for the rare occasions I’ll get a small diet lemonade at chic-fil-a. I’m also focusing on Protein first and don’t have many carbs. I’m still losing, but just not as fast (understandably), but having mini-stalls now. Didn’t have those before. I also know that I have a lot of extra skin and I’ll reach a point that I can’t go much lower without plastic surgery (which I will be looking into soon).

[ms.sss 14,634]

13 minutes ago, Crick said:

I’m at around 1200 cal/day and I am very active - weight training 3-4 times a week and 45-60 min of cardio on the other days (and usually 15-20 min of cardio on the weight training days too). I get in around 200 oz of Water and I don’t drink anything other than Water save for the rare occasions I’ll get a small diet lemonade at chic-fil-a. I’m also focusing on Protein first and don’t have many carbs. I’m still losing, but just not as fast (understandably), but having mini-stalls now. Didn’t have those before. I also know that I have a lot of extra skin and I’ll reach a point that I can’t go much lower without plastic surgery (which I will be looking into soon).

Sound right about boringly normal as well. You will lose weight at those levels but much, much slower than compared to before. Hang in there. .2 -.4 lbs lost may seem minute, but a loss is a loss is a loss.

P.S. I know there are many on here that lost several lbs after plastics. I may be a minority, but plastics only shaved off 400g (0.88 lbs) from me. Though at that point i wasn't really concerned about the number on the scale but about the overall look of me....which I was/am totally satisfied with.

Good Luck! ❤️

[Crick 144]

38 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Sound right about boringly normal as well. You will lose weight at those levels but much, much slower than compared to before. Hang in there. .2 -.4 lbs lost may seem minute, but a loss is a loss is a loss.

P.S. I know there are many on here that lost several lbs after plastics. I may be a minority, but plastics only shaved off 400g (0.88 lbs) from me. Though at that point i wasn't really concerned about the number on the scale but about the overall look of me....which I was/am totally satisfied with.

Good Luck! ❤️

I saw your pre-plastics pictures on another thread and believe me, I have a TON of excess skin compared to that. I can lift large amounts up from my stomach. It’s nasty. And yes, the plastics will be about the look - not about the number on the scale, but I am confident I will lose at least 5 lbs from skin. I could be wrong but just given what I can see at this point, it’s pretty significant.

I have done a couple of tests where I know my resting metabolic rate is 1385 - which is what my body would burn if I was in a coma for 24 hours. So I know my caloric deficit is still pretty good given my activity (the last time I had the test was in mid-July - plan on doing it again in early November for a status check - and they also check body fat % as well).