Sin Kim, show me your wisdom

Sin Kim, in June you said this on a thread:

"I was a 40 BMI at surgery and lost 120lbs in 6 months to a 21.6 BMI.  At  9 years I sit at 24.4 and am happy with that.  I never had a stall (because I didn't weigh every week) and had no complications at all ..."

As a lightweight I've got it in my brain that my results won't be as good as someone who is heavier.  I know it is about percentages but what can I do to guarantee that my results will be the very best that they can be. 

I know I'm calling out Sin Kim but I also know that there are other lightweights with excellent results.  How did you do it?  I'd love any guidance!

I'm posting this here because it seems like the lightweight board is very lively.

 

This might be my first shout out where someone's NOT slagging me off - THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I followed the rules absolutely.  My progamme did not include protein shakes or bars but liquids for a week or two (memory is a bit foggy) and then onto softs.  I followed the 30/.60/90 protein rule - 30g in 30 days, 60g in 60 and 90g by 90 days.  

I exercised from day 1 - walked miles of those halls in the hospital and joined a walking/running club about a week after surgery - I walked miles with my stroller (my son was 11 months) and then hiked regularly with him in a backpack.   From about 6 weeks, I was spending at least an hour in the gym running on the treadmill and training with weights (alternate days).

I was a weight loss and exercise demon ...

I went into hospital in size 22/24 pants and was wearing an 18 within 6 weeks and eventually got into a 8 for a day or two and then a 10 for a few years until my 20lb bounceback/regain (whatever you want to call it) to a 24.4 BMI - I now wear a 12 - but bear in mind I am 6ft tall and at my age, I look better with a bit of filling - especially on the face!

I have relaxed a bit on the exercise now, but am still power walking at least an hour a day (I have an 8 month old labradoodle puppy) and do all my own grass mowing/gardening/snow clearing etc.    I hike in the mountains during the summer months.   I am not an athlete, but am very fit and pride myself on my good joints and bone health.   I think I am in pretty good shape for a 51 year old woman - and exercise is 100 per cent about health for me.   

I still eat well - and as I am a type II diabetic, I follow the RNY lifestyle VERY closely - it has enabled me to keep my A1C in great shape with just Metformin and my healthy regime.

As my siggy says, I think it is possible for lightweights to lose well and maintain well - although we all have to be prepared to adapt our expectations to our own bodies/genetic factors etc   Just the fact that you are thinking of this stuff this early, gives you a head start - the mental part of this journey IS a big deal!

I wish you all good luck with your surgery and weight loss journey!

 

I'm not Kim... but I started with a BMI of 38.  I lost  110 pounds in 9 months with no real stalls. I ended up 15 pounds below my goal weight.  My weight loss slowed after about 7 months.  I am three years out and weigh within 5 pounds of my lowest weight.  I did have a few complications ( bowel obstructions).  I think the key to my success is that I still measure my food.  I never feel real hunger (I do sometimes I get head hunger) and I never feel full (or rather I never let myself feel full).  I eat what I measure out and I stop eating.  I stay away from processed or white carbs (sugar, noodles, rice, breads, potatoes, etc.)  I occasionally eat whole grain toast and SF jam for breakfast.  I limit  fruit.  I usually have an apple every night for my evening snack.  My meals are protein first and then veggies.  I have learned to look at food as fuel... not fun and entertainment.  I eat six times a day... small amounts.  I do allow myself an occasional treat.  I can eat up to 12 grams of sugar without dumping so... I allow myself a piece of chocolate now and then, or a few bites of my husband's dessert.  

Getting your head straight where food is concerned is harder than the actual weight loss.  It came as a shock to me just how little a human needs to eat to be healthy.  After years of overeating I had a skewed view of the amount of food that I should be eating.  When you measure it out, 1400 calories a day doesn't look like a substantial amount of food, but if I eat more than that I gain weight.   I was probably eating that much at one meal pre surgery.  I have finally gotten to a place where I am satisfied with a very small amount of  really good food.  I don't waste my pouch space on crappy food anymore.  If I can only eat a small amount I want it to be delicious... Oh...and therapy really does help. LOL

Oops, the lightweight board is NOT very lively.

A lot of the boards are like graveyards these days - you should feel free to post anything in this forum as this is where most of us hang out for the most part.   I'm not sure I've been to the Lightweights Board in 9 years!!!!    There's a lot of varying experience here 

I was a lightweight, too, and a revision to boot so I really expected slow weight loss.  I was surprised to find that I lost pretty fast, even faster then the first time.  My best advice would be to avoid all refined carbs, bread, crackers and all those things until you hit your goal weight.  then you can mess around with that stuff if you want if you think you want to try and find out how good you are at moderation.  I don't bother because I've already failed that test years ago so I avoid all sugar, gluten and refined carbs.

I also followed my surgeon's program to the letter until I reached goal.  I weighed and measured everything and tracked every bite.  I have relaxed those things now because my weight is stable but if I find myself gaining weight again I hope I can go back to it.  One thing I have found is that once you start adding things back into your diet it is hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

I had 130 lbs to lose, lost it in 9 months. I also followed my plan. It was basically lean meats and green leafy veggies initially then I was able to add eggs and other dairy. I did at some point add in protein shakes because I could barely get in 300 calories per day without them.

I didn't exercise much but stay active. I still weigh daily and if I see my weight creeping up I make adjustments. I'm pretty liberal in what I eat with nothing off limits however I always eat my protein first for meals or snacks. That gives me little room to overdo other foods.

I am not finished losing (I hope).  My BMI was 41 on surgery day, probably a little less - they count me as 5'7" but I am really just a hair shy of 5'8"  I have a goal of 155 lbs, which would be a total loss of 115 from surgery date.  I have lost 94 of that (probably one more ...weigh in tomorrow) - and I am not quite 9 months out.  

Along the way I have felt like I was losing slow - I certainly did not evaporate and make it to goal in 6 months, but I feel like I have been successful.

I eat protein forward, avoid sugar more than 7 grams of sugar at a time, eat 5 times a day according to plan, I don't graze and I have recently started the Couch to 5K program.  

I am admittedly not a T-totaler when it comes to the diet - because I don't do well with deprivation.  So if I can eat 2 milk duds here at Halloween -- and it satisfies me, then I am okay and don't feel riddled with guilt and turn around and eat 92.  I will say that I count my calories on MFP and would not eat the duds if I didn't have them in the budget. :-)

Best of luck to you!!!