Is this it? Is my body done?

[maintenanceman 287]

So, I'm at my 6 mo surgiversary. I have lost 60 pounds (down from 36 to 26 BMI), 72% EWL.

I'm proud of my weight loss. I look a million times better, my diabetes and sleep apnea have resolved, I have lots more energy, and I have increased confidence to pursue my goals. My projected 12 mo weight per the online calculators is 173, and I'm currently at 167, so I'm certainly doing well.

And... I would like to lose more weight, another 10-20 pounds, which would get me down to "healthy" BMI and closer to my ideal body weight.

But... my weight loss has almost completely stalled. In the past month, I lost 2.6 pounds, and I haven't lost anything in the past 3 weeks. At this rate, losing another 10-20 pounds would be a loooooong haul.

My daily calories have crept up to 1200 to 1400. If I go below 1200, I'm just too hungry. I will admit I could be more physically active.

How should I think about all of this? Most friends and family are encouraging me to stop and be comfortable where I am... not to lose "too much." Should I just get comfortable with where I am and focus on maintenance? Or should I keep pushing against the odds?

Edited September 2, 2022 by losinglosinglosing

[kcuster83 1,505]

What is the online calculator you are talking about, I am curious?

I don't have any tips, other than I do know the closer you get to an ideal body weight the harder it is to loose.

Just keep tracking and I am sure it will come off, it is just going to be slower. Or like you mentioned, maybe increase exercise?

[maintenanceman 287]

Just now, kcuster83 said:

What is the online calculator you are talking about, I am curious?

This is the "gold standard" calculator, based on almost 800,000 surgical outcomes.

https://riskcalculator.facs.org/bariatric/

[Sunnyer 131]

I wouldn't stress about the 10-20 pounds, or the "ideal" weight, personally. You are at 26 BMI, and "healthy" BMI is at 24.9, which means you're awfully close. You definitely don't need to lose 20 pounds to be at a healthy weight anyway. According to your own signature, you need 8 pounds at the most. And BMI really isn't an exact science.

You mention that your diabetes and sleep apnea have resolved, so you're already reaping health benefits from your weight loss. And that's the most important part.

In order to be truly healthy, more exercise is most likely what you need, and then to maintain your weight and make sure you get adequate nutrition. If you do more exercise, especially weight bearing exercise, you will add muscle which will help you maintain the weight loss and maybe eventually lose a few more pounds, however slowly.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Sunnyer

[catwoman7 11,285]

one can always lose more weight by cutting calories, but you have to decide if you're willing to do that. Given that those of us who've lost a lot of weight have heavier bones and muscles than "normies" (because you needed extra infrastructure to hold that excess weight up. Granted, you lose some of it when you lose weight, but not all of it...) - plus you may have some excess skin to boot, you probably look 10 lbs less than you weigh.

even if your body isn't quite done losing, I can tell you from personal experience that those last 20 lbs are a BEAR to lose. I was losing something like 2 lbs a month the last couple of months, despite a momentous effort. The closer you are to a normal BMI, the more you're eating at equilibrium (your calories in and calories out are about the same). It's a challenge to eat less than that.

SO...either your body is done losing and it'll be a struggle to lose more - or your body is NOT done losing and you're just at the point where it's really tough and slow going to get those last few lbs off.

Edited September 2, 2022 by catwoman7

[maintenanceman 287]

OK, I’m going to kick it up a notch. Just joined!

[SpartanMaker 1,465]

2 hours ago, losinglosinglosing said:

This is the "gold standard" calculator, based on almost 800,000 surgical outcomes.

https://riskcalculator.facs.org/bariatric/

The problem with calculators like this is they are averages. I'm leery of any supposed calculator that does not use your % body fat to tell you what you "should" weigh.

It's a lot smarter to determine if you are "done" based on how you feel, and whether or not you have reached a healthy % of body fat for your age:

[Arabesque 7,623]

Losing so slowly this close to your goal isn’t uncommon. It took me weeks to lose the last kg - so close yet so far. So you may lose more weight just incredibly slowly. But there’s nothing wrong if you don’t.

Don’t rely on BMI for what your weight ‘should’ be. It should only be considered as a guide. It doesn’t take into account factors like age, muscle mass, skeletal frame,general health, etc.

To lose additional weight, you will have to reduce your calories & you said you struggle with hunger if you do eat less than you are now. But not onot will you have to reduce your caloric intake to lose more weight you will also need to continue to eat less to maintain at the lower weight. Yes, increasing your activity can help though exercise accounts for about 10% of the weight you have to lose. So if you want to lose about 20lbs that’s 2lbs.

If this is the weight your body is happiest at, your new set point, to go lower will take constant effort to be able to maintain the lower weight. It was one of the factors behind why we struggled to lose in the past & would always quite easily regain as our set point was at that higher weight.

You’ve done so well regardless of whether you lose more weight. You said you feel much better, are healthier, have more energy, are more confident. Embrace those wins, not the number on the scale.

[maintenanceman 287]

This is all super helpful. Thank you all! I was just having a moment needed support from my fellow travelers on the journey. I appreciate the thoughtful feedback. ❤️

[maintenanceman 287]

Update: I started losing again. Down 3 pounds since this message. I should know by now, but stalls happen and do end.

[LaTiaV 111]

2 hours ago, losinglosinglosing said:

Update: I started losing again. Down 3 pounds since this message. I should know by now, but stalls happen and do end.

Great !

For the last 4 weeks I was stuck at 171-170. This week, the scale started moving again, I am 167. I know I must not complain but it is disappointing. I went to a GYM for the summer since it is too hot to walk outside here, but I cancelled it now that the mornings and late evenings are getting cooler, I am walking the same amount of time but instead of going to the GYM I am walking by the park at 6 AM in the morning before I start working, maybe the stall was going to break anyway, maybe it was the change on the walking hours but this week I have lost 3 pound so far.🤷‍♂️

[maintenanceman 287]

You're doing great! You're a month ahead of me and have lost 20 lbs more than I have. I wonder if a goal weight of 130 is too low? At your height, 140-150 seems like the sweet spot, especially as a weight loss surgery patient.

[LaTiaV 111]

14 hours ago, losinglosinglosing said:

You're doing great! You're a month ahead of me and have lost 20 lbs more than I have. I wonder if a goal weight of 130 is too low? At your height, 140-150 seems like the sweet spot, especially as a weight loss surgery patient.

Thanks. Yes you may be right, I started with a goal of 155 but I got greedy. My doctor said I could make it to 160 in one year.

23 years ago I was 124 and felt great but consensus was that I looked too skinny. I let that go to my head and went up to 134. I felt good and people stopped commenting on how thin I was, I have a way to hide weight. Then I got married and started a process to get pregnant ( it did not work) but I gained 60-80 pounds in 2 years, it all went down hill from there and I could not handle it for almost 20 years just kept going higher and higher, I did diet and lost 20 then gained 30, the cycle repeated so many times that I am giving myself room for re-gain. Maybe I should talk about this with the shrink.

[maintenanceman 287]

Circling back to this question I asked in September. I did, in fact, lose that additional 20 lbs. I wanted to, and I got to a "healthy" BMI. 96% EWL.

I'm putting this here so that others who wonder "is my body done" might see that a stall doesn't mean an end to weight loss!

Edited December 26, 2022 by losinglosinglosing

[Blessd1 68]

12 hours ago, losinglosinglosing said:

Circling back to this question I asked in September. I did, in fact, lose that additional 20 lbs. I wanted to, and I got to a "healthy" BMI. 96% EWL.

I'm putting this here so that others who wonder "is my body done" might see that a stall doesn't mean an end to weight loss!

Congratulations! 🎊 This is inspiring to me and others out there who are just at the beginning of this journey. It's hard not to be skeptical that I will succeed after decades of yo-yo dieting, but now I see it really is possible. Kudos!