Is it true (or common)?

[BlessedMomma91 21]

I heard that the weight lost from surgery day to the 12 week mark is most commonly half of what the patient will lose total by their 1 year mark? For example, if I've lost 30 pounds by my 12 week weigh-in, I will only lose another 30 by my 1 year surgery anniversary. For a total of 60 pounds lost in the first year post-op. How true is this for you guys? Are most of you done losing around the 1 year mark?

I know everyone is different and each situation is unique. I'm just wondering out of curiosity.

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[lauvhan 5]

I think I lost 30 by week 12 and I've currently lost 80. Hasn't even been a year yet it's been 8 months.

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[catwoman7 10,883]

I've heard that as a rule of thumb, but it's not true for everyone. I'd lost 40 lbs at 12 weeks, and 129 lbs at the year mark (so in other words, an addition 89 lbs).

and no, I wasn't done losing at the year mark, but my weight loss was pretty slow after that mark. I didn't quit losing until I was 20 months out.

Edited January 17, 2023 by catwoman7

[Arabesque 6,502]

I highly recommend this video (which another very kind member shared a little while ago) which may help with your question.

The thing about weight loss is there is a lot of averages & the stats you mentioned are an example. There are averages for how much weight you’ll lose, how long it will take, how fast or slow you’ll lose, etc. They’re averages because there are so many factors which influence those stats: age, gender, starting weight, weight loss before surgery, weight loss & gain history, health issues, medications, your new set point, how closely you follow your plan, the lifestyle changes you implement (food choices, activity, …) & so on. As with all averages some will exceed them others won’t reach them. What averages give you are an idea of what might happen. Not a rule but a guideline of what might happen.

I’m one of those who exceeded the average. At 12 weeks from surgery I’d lost about 15kg. I’d lost 31kg (including the 5kg pre surgery so about the double amount & got me to my goal) at 6 months. At 12 months I’d lost a total of about 41kgs (not intentionally but it was where my body wanted to be - my new set point). I bounced around there for another couple of months before settling about another kilo lighter (total 42.5kg lost). This was my experience.

[NovaLuna 710]

I lost 53 pounds in the first 12 weeks and an additional 68 pounds for a total of 121 pounds the first year (not counting the weight I lost before my surgery). The second year I lost another 26 pounds. Then this year I gained back some weight and am up about 13 pounds from my lowest weight (but this is common to gain back in your third year).

[Sleeve_Me_Alone 654]

At 12 weeks I had lost 36lbs from surgery, 56 from highest. At 1 year I was down 80lbs from surgery, 100lbs from highest. I reached goal (114lbs lost) at 14 months.

I think this is HIGHLY variable depending on start weight, how much total weight you want to lose, metabolism, etc etc etc. It might be a helpful anecdote, but probably not something to take as fact.

[pintsizedmallrat 470]

Not really. 12 weeks after my surgery I had lost 73 pounds; I have lost a total of 123. So, in my case I had lost well over half what I've lost toal.

[Spinoza 1,194]

Not at all true for me - 33lbs in the first 12 weeks but 104 in total (I'm exactly 14 months out). Everyone is so different - totally to be expected.

[Smanky 743]

I was a slow loser, so absolutely not true for me. These things are just guides, they're not absolutes.