Slowing Down 😶‍🌫️

[Bypass2Freedom 1,009]

I know that things slow down, and I am not necessarily feeing low about this, but I just wanted to see what others experiences were with when their weight loss started to slow down & then stop.

I am 7 months post-op tomorrow, and I am still losing, but it is definitely at a slower rate than the first 3-4 months (which is of course to be expected).

My surgeon said you can keep losing weight anywhere up until 16-18 months post-op: does this resonate with anyone?

Edited December 13, 2024 by Bypass2Freedom

[BigSue 1,428]

You can keep losing weight any time as long as you're in a calorie deficit. It's easiest to lose weight early on because (1) your restriction is strongest, so eating at a deficit is practically automatic, and (2) you have the most excess weight, and the more excess weight you have, the easier it is to lose.

As you lose weight and become smaller, the calories you burn just by existing (breathing, circulating blood, digesting food, moving around) get lower. If you weigh 200 pounds and eat 1200 calories per day, you'll lose weight a lot faster than if you weigh 150 pounds and eat 1200 calories per day. You can still lose weight, but you may have to be a lot more conscientious about your food intake instead of just relying on your surgery to prevent you from overeating.

[NickelChip 1,358]

Oh, yes. I'm just a bit ahead of you surgery-wise at nearly 10 months post-op, and I've noticed a few things as time has gone on. First, the number of pounds I'm losing in a month has slowed. Early on, I was losing 10+ lbs in a month. Two months ago, I lost 6lbs in a month. Now, I'm losing more like 2lbs in a month. Second, there's more noticeable daily fluctuation now. (I like to weigh myself every morning right when I get up, just to have a record.) In the past, I would bounce up or down a few ounces over a few days and then continue my downward progress. Now, I see half a pound or more difference, and I might bounce around for a week or two before reaching a new low weight.

I'm currently about 12 lbs away from a "normal" BMI, so that has a big impact on how quickly weight changes. My smart scale also tells me I have higher than average muscle and bone (taken with a grain of salt since I know they're not completely accurate). One thing I notice now is that some of what I see on my body as "areas for improvement" are no longer simply "would look better if less fat." Now it's more like "would look better if more toned."

As for staying on plan with nutrition, I'm not going to lie. This time of year is a challenge. There are sweets everywhere, and sadly, I can eat them with far too few side effects. I'm not going crazy like I would have pre-surgery, but I would say it's pretty easy to not be in much of a calorie deficit, either. Plus more eating out at restaurants, more holiday parties, etc. Nutrition is something I will tackle again in January.

[NeonRaven8919 584]

13 minutes ago, NickelChip said:

Oh, yes. I'm just a bit ahead of you surgery-wise at nearly 10 months post-op, and I've noticed a few things as time has gone on. First, the number of pounds I'm losing in a month has slowed. Early on, I was losing 10+ lbs in a month. Two months ago, I lost 6lbs in a month. Now, I'm losing more like 2lbs in a month. Second, there's more noticeable daily fluctuation now. (I like to weigh myself every morning right when I get up, just to have a record.) In the past, I would bounce up or down a few ounces over a few days and then continue my downward progress. Now, I see half a pound or more difference, and I might bounce around for a week or two before reaching a new low weight.

I'm currently about 12 lbs away from a "normal" BMI, so that has a big impact on how quickly weight changes. My smart scale also tells me I have higher than average muscle and bone (taken with a grain of salt since I know they're not completely accurate). One thing I notice now is that some of what I see on my body as "areas for improvement" are no longer simply "would look better if less fat." Now it's more like "would look better if more toned."

As for staying on plan with nutrition, I'm not going to lie. This time of year is a challenge. There are sweets everywhere, and sadly, I can eat them with far too few side effects. I'm not going crazy like I would have pre-surgery, but I would say it's pretty easy to not be in much of a calorie deficit, either. Plus more eating out at restaurants, more holiday parties, etc. Nutrition is something I will tackle again in January.

Thanks for this! I'm only 2 months post op and I'm struggling with holiday Snacks and sweets. It's helpful to know I'm not alone in this struggle and it's sometimes not easier even a few more months out. I think i've been a slow loser after the first two weeks, but knowing it will keep going even if it's slowly is easier to deal with. I'm currently at 209 lbs (94.8kg) and I just wanted to get under 200lbs by the new year, but I don't think that's going to happen yet. But by the end of January, I hope so.

[NickelChip 1,358]

4 hours ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

Thanks for this! I'm only 2 months post op and I'm struggling with holiday Snacks and sweets. It's helpful to know I'm not alone in this struggle and it's sometimes not easier even a few more months out. I think i've been a slow loser after the first two weeks, but knowing it will keep going even if it's slowly is easier to deal with. I'm currently at 209 lbs (94.8kg) and I just wanted to get under 200lbs by the new year, but I don't think that's going to happen yet. But by the end of January, I hope so.

One thing I've learned through experience is that it's hard to predict what will happen next. My weight loss slowed significantly in July but then I dropped a lot in August and September, but slowed again in October and even more in November. A lot of it not really because of any major changes in my behavior, either. There's a lot going on that you can't really see throughout this whole process. I notice, for example, that my body shape changes when my weight is steady.

I do try to be honest with myself. Sometimes, I know for certain I have been doing everything correctly and am not losing. That's fine. Sometimes, I lose weight and I know I did so despite making some poor choices. I try to be aware of that because it will not be as easy as time goes on (it already isn't for me!). I know that if I have things in the house, I will be tempted by them, but I rarely would leave the house to go buy something I didn't already have just because it sounded good. If I buy Cookies, I may end up eating four of them instead of the two I said I would eat. If I don't buy them, I will eat zero. So, after the holidays, not buying or making the stuff is my main strategy.

For me, it's all about figuring out how I want to live. I want to be healthy, but I don't want to be miserable. I'm working on being more intentional with what I eat and how I exercise. My goal now that my appetite and capacity have kind of settled into a fairly predictable pattern, is to strengthen my routines around food prepping and setting regular meal times. If I can stick to that most of the time, have a solid list of things I make on a regular basis and keep in the house ready to go in an instant, and things I do NOT keep anywhere near me, I won't feel like I need to worry about the occasional indulgences. Because skipping all holiday Snacks or treats, or never ordering a dessert or a special cocktail, isn't a way I want to live! But I also don't want to lose track and let myself indulge all year because I forgot to set limits.

[eJean 7]

I’m right there with you. I’m 1 month post-op and I’ve only lost 16.5lbs. 14 were in the first 11 days. I’ve only lost 2.5 lbs in the last two weeks. I’ve been on soft foods and trying to count the calories along with measuring, as I only am able to eat about 1/4 cup of food per meal. I don’t know what’s causing the slow. I barely get 600 calories. I’ve been moving quite a bit since we’re trying to move into our new home. I’m still under the target weight loss the doc gave me. Just discouraged.

[NickelChip 1,358]

51 minutes ago, eJean said:

I’m right there with you. I’m 1 month post-op and I’ve only lost 16.5lbs. 14 were in the first 11 days. I’ve only lost 2.5 lbs in the last two weeks. I’ve been on soft foods and trying to count the calories along with measuring, as I only am able to eat about 1/4 cup of food per meal. I don’t know what’s causing the slow. I barely get 600 calories. I’ve been moving quite a bit since we’re trying to move into our new home. I’m still under the target weight loss the doc gave me. Just discouraged.

This sounds like the three week stall. Totally normal! Your body burns glycogen for energy, and during extreme calorie restriction, you burn a lot of it. Glycogen is stored in the body along with Water, so each gram of glycogen you burn for fuel also releases 3 grams of water, which you flush out. This is why you lose weight so quickly the first few weeks, not because you are burning all of that weight just from fat stores. After the first few weeks, you start to be able to eat some solid foods along with your Protein Shakes. This gives your body a chance to replenish the glycogen you burned, which is vital for survival. But it means that for every gram of glycogen you store, you also store about 3 grams of water. Your body is continuing to burn fat during this time, but you won't see it on the scale because it kind of zeroes out with the whole glycogen/water storage thing going on. After a week or two, your body will be back to normal in terms of glycogen reserves and you should start to see your weight decrease again at a moderate pace. I really wish doctors would explain this to patients before surgery because it's just basic science, and people totally freak out when they are eating nothing and not seeing the number on the scale go down. I think doctors forget that their patients have failed at about a million attempts at weight loss prior to surgery and we are naturally prone to believing we are failing again. But you're not!

Also, counting calories at this stage is pointless. You're in a massive calorie deficit. It's impossible not to be unless you are doing something terribly wrong against every bit of medical advice. Focus on Protein and water but don't stress over calories until you get to a point many motnhs from surgery where there may be a legitimate possibility that you are overeating.

[Fars 34]

13 hours ago, Bypass2Freedom said:

I know that things slow down, and I am not necessarily feeing low about this, but I just wanted to see what others experiences were with when their weight loss started to slow down & then stop.

I am 7 months post-op tomorrow, and I am still losing, but it is definitely at a slower rate than the first 3-4 months (which is of course to be expected).

My surgeon said you can keep losing weight anywhere up until 16-18 months post-op: does this resonate with anyone?

6 months out and losing 3-4 lb / month

also starting to feel hungrier

[Arabesque 7,593]

Yes, it could be the beginning of a stall but remember all the weight loss rates you read about and weekly/monthly weight loss goal you may be given are all based on averages @eJean. For everyone who meets those averages there’s someone who exceeds it and someone who doesn’t meet it and that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with having lost 16.5lbs in your first month. Don’t ‘only’ it. You’ve lost more than a stone in a month. Amazing!

I remember my weight loss slowed so much around months 5 & 6 I was losing grams/ounces a week @Bypass2Freedom. I never thought I would hit my goal - it was hellish frustrating to be so close yet so far in my mind. Yet I did and then continued to lose 11kgs more for another 11 months at various rates. So don’t give up. Do remember though that if you reduce your calorie intake to reduce your weight more you will have to continue to eat less than you are now to maintain the lower weight. You never know the weight you will stabilise at and you can maintain. You can stay your oath or make some adjustments and see what happens. Oh, and don’t forget you can still experience stalks along the way nit just at the beginning.

PS Check out a basal metabolic rate calculator. They’re not perfect much like a BMI calculator but might give you an idea of whether you are eating less than you need to maintain your current weight & the activity you are doing. If you are consuming less than they say you need you should keep losing.

[ShoppGirl 5,072]

So I went to Publix yesterday and they had some baked goods on sale BOGO because of the holidays which is hard to pass up. They had some muffins that I really like but of course I do not need any, never mind 8. I asked the lady do they freeze well and she told me that they come in frozen so she isn’t sure if I should freshen then again. So I asked if I could have some that were still frozen from the back and she got them. By the time I got home they felt more like refrigerated but I guess that’s okay. I put them into a freezer bag and saved one to eat right away. Something like that may be an option for temptation. I know for me it’s easier to resist if i know I can’t have it right now because i need to defrost it anyways. I will have some fruit or something instead.

[ShoppGirl 5,072]

Ooh and just be sure not to do what I did after my sleeve. I got all the way down to 18 pounds from my goal and I felt like such a failure that I let it derail me. Hopefully you will keep losing and don’t stop trying BUT, also have in the back of your mind that you have already done incredible and are far more healthy than you were even if you don’t reach this arbitrary number. I have a girl in my in person bariatric support group who did the same thing over TWO POUNDS. Our brains are very powerful and it’s great to strive for a goal but also be flexible and not crazy like I was and think it was a total waste and throw it all away. After I gained it all back plus some I would have done anything to be 168 or 178 again. Granted the sleeve was not appropriate for me and I probably wouldn’t have maintained at the 178 I bounced back to for long anyways, but I’m just saying that I gave up far too easily. Just a word of caution from someone who made that mistake.

Edited December 15, 2024 by ShoppGirl

[Spinoza 1,520]

Things absolutely do slow down, for the reasons the others have said. I lost almost 10 stones with my sleeve, half my starting weight. 9 stones of that was in the first year post op (with many stalls towards the end that made me think I was done) and 1 stone was in the subsequent 9 or 10 months. In the last few months I was honestly losing half a pound a month or less. It's fascinating looking back.

The concept I am most happy to have learned on this board is that of a new set point. Once I knew that our bodies can decide early after surgery what weight it now wants to maintain, I felt less like the driver and more like a passenger who could sit back and just enjoy the ride. No actually - not quite sit back - follow the rules strictly to enable the smooth journey to my new set point.

Mine ended up a bit lower than my 'goal' (plucked out of thin air) weight. Lots of people's seem to end up much higher. All of this is fine if we can make our peace with it.

I get the feeling you have much more to squeeze out of your procedure @Bypass2Freedom. I do understand the frustration when you're following the rules to the letter but not losing. It's steps and stairs always - never a linear loss (well not for me). You're doing this.

Edited December 15, 2024 by Spinoza
typo

[lily06 54]

On 12/13/2024 at 09:08, Bypass2Freedom said:

I know that things slow down, and I am not necessarily feeing low about this, but I just wanted to see what others experiences were with when their weight loss started to slow down & then stop.

I am 7 months post-op tomorrow, and I am still losing, but it is definitely at a slower rate than the first 3-4 months (which is of course to be expected).

My surgeon said you can keep losing weight anywhere up until 16-18 months post-op: does this resonate with anyone?

I just had a check up with my surgeon and he told me the weight loss slows down at the 6 month mark, then at 12 months and then usually stalls around 18 months post op.

I’m 8 months post up and I have definitely noticed the weight loss has slowed to 3kg (6lbs) a month. But i also noticed it’s motivated me in my choices: I’m so much more mindful in the sense that i catch myself choosing entirely willingly to eat more Protein for example or to just say no to that Christmas chocolate someone’s offering - and knowing my weight loss is slower means I am even more conscious of the impact of « bad decisions » so it’s actually kind of a good thing.
Almost like preparing for the future I guess

But anyways yes it’s normal to see the loss slow down but put a positive spin on it

My surgeon actually told me there’s and « anorexiogenic » side to WLS that can be dangerous - kinda like being addicted to seeing that number go down. So he prônes putting the scale away and weighing in once a month from 6 months post op onwards to make sure we don’t mess with our mental health

[ms.sss 15,816]

On 12/13/2024 at 7:44 AM, BigSue said:

You can keep losing weight any time as long as you're in a calorie deficit.

this is pretty much it.

i lost weight at a consistent rate until i made efforts to stop (i lost roughly 10 lbs a month from months 2-7...and while months 1&2 had larger drops, they were not indicative of my average rate of loss).

i lost another 10-15 lbs after that over about 4-5 months trying to figure out how much exactly i needed to eat to keep me at a constant weight without gaining nor losing (which honestly is harder than losing weight man)

i finally sorta stabilized at 115-120 for the next 4 years.

basically i stopped losing weight when i started eating enough calories to sustain me and my lifestyle choices.

now here's kicker: i am now 6 years post op and recently lost about 10 lbs in 2-ish months, again because i was/am eating less than i am expending. so i guess i'm saying it doesn't matter how far out you are, you can still lose weight if you are at a caloric deficit for YOU and YOUR lifestyle.

...and the only (easy) way you can really determine if you are in fact in a caloric deficit is if you track your intake and compare to your weight/body composition (which you'll have to track too) over time.

but i get it, this is not for everyone...just offering a strategy that has worked for ME all these years.

[Bypass2Freedom 1,009]

On 12/13/2024 at 9:11 PM, Fars said:

6 months out and losing 3-4 lb / month

also starting to feel hungrier

This! I am also feeling a little bit of hunger here at there - my stomach is still not rumbling at all, but I feel a slight pang of "hmm I need to eat" and then it seems to disappear 😂

I have lost a total of 1lbs since Friday last week, so I will take that as a win haha! So desperate to get into that 12 stone bracket!