Kim's Journey: Losing & Regaining Weight after Bariatric Surgery
As I wake every morning, my emotions are high as I step towards the scale. Will it show I lost? Maintained? Or worse, gained? That scale is so powerful, and I hate it. How can something that doesn’t even have a voice dictate my mood? It can ruin my day without even saying a word. One of the biggest misconceptions about bariatric surgery is that you don’t ever have to worry about your weight again. People believe that the surgery cures the problem, but that is far from the truth. I am currently 4 years post op and now more than ever I feel like I worry about my weight. Perhaps it is because I feel like I have a standard to live up to now. The last thing I want is for people to question why I have regained since I invested all this time, money and energy into having gastric sleeve. The truth is, it is a constant struggle. Any weight loss is hard, and doing it through bariatric surgery is no different.
There is a high that you have throughout your first year after surgery. This is when weight loss is its strongest. The scale shows numbers that you haven’t seen in years, and your clothes confirm your success. It is truly a beautiful feeling when you are losing this fast. But for some, that feeling goes away. The further out you get from surgery, the harder it is to lose weight. The advice I give to people who are new to bariatric surgery is to take advantage of that first year. That’s where you have the greatest chance of losing all your weight. It’s natural for it to slow down, and you might see some ups and downs with your weight, but if you see yourself creeping back up, you need to evaluate what could be going on. Regain happens for quite a bit of us, and it is important to be prepared so you know the signs to look for.
I lost a total of 160 pounds and I have regained about 20 back. That’s not terrible, but it’s also not great. Regain after surgery is serious. It sneaks up on you like a cat and takes over before you know it. Don’t let that scare you, but let it be a constant reminder to never stop pushing yourself. If you see yourself regaining, take control and make the changes to get back on track. Most importantly, love yourself at every single stage in this journey. You got this!
“The scale can only tell you what you weigh—NOT who you are” - Steve Maraboli
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I am 3 years out from the sleeve, I was doing great I went from 220 to 150, but in 2018 I lost my job due to my back, I started eating all the time, junk food & sodas. Now I can’t get myself broke from that cycle. I am trying but with no success
I ha my susurgery in 2003 and have lost over 420 pounds. That’s right I was 664 when I had surgery. I have had skin removal twice. My problem is ilack of vitamin an minerals. And I bounce from 270 doesn’t ton220. What.the heck.
I am 4 yr. after gastric bypass and I lost 100 lbs. and now I am having trouble I seem to be gaining not a lot but when ever I feel I am getting closer to my goal the scale starts heading the wrong way. I started walking again but so far it is not helping. I don’t know if I should go back to a all liquid diet for a little bit just to kick start the weight lose again . I just feel lost
Very thankful to have found your article , I hope to find more of your post. I feel very lonely I have no one to confide in that’s been through this.
I’m 2 weeks in & overall lost about 28lbs since my beginning 7 months ago. The biggest loss has been the last 2 weeks of 20lbs!!
Any advice for getting good protein & recipes in I’m struggling
Hi-
I am almost 2 months into my surgery and I’ve lost 34 lbs. however, I feel like it’s coming off very slow and I’m getting discouraged. How long did it take you to lose your weight? Any advice would be appreciated!!
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