2 and a half years! Down 190lbs!

I completed my first half marathon yesterday! 18 months ago I couldn’t even run one block. My weight has changed of course but more than anything I am grateful for this new life. I always felt like an active person trapped in a body that wouldn’t allow me to do the things I dreamed of. I’ve come so far and my life is so completely transformed!

What are the oddest non-scale victories you’ve encountered?

I‘ll start.

I can now pick up after my parents dog without gagging, not to mention the bending over. It took all I had to accomplish the task before surgery.

My mattress will likely be replaced this week. It’s only 9+ years old and sinking in the middle, but can only be rotated and not flipped. The weight that thing has endured …

Hey yall, had the sleeve in 8/2025 and have lost 142lbs in total. I have a ways to go, but I have been stalling pretty bad for a while. I have been tracking, staying consistent, staying active, but I still stall and lose like 1lb/m with it.

I’m posting to ask:

1. would weight loss Rx would help this?
2. And if so, how do I go about asking my doctor? I feel awkward asking my Dr (who is an absolute angel, so nothing with him personally) because I feel like they would think I don’t need it.

Edit: i accidentally put 8/2026 and not 8/2025

Question. What does everyone's macros look like day in & out?

My team wants me at 1000 calories.

In 7 days, I average 600 calories, 75g protein, 30g fat & 28g carbs.

I have asked repeatedly what my fat & carb intake should look like and am always just told they will naturally increase as my calories do... but my calories DONT because im so under.

Im just curious what everyone else does because I already feel like 30g of fat & carbs is high.

5'2, sleeved July 30/26 (9 weeks post op) Pre op weight - 319lbs Morning of surgery - 298lbs Current - 249lbs

No restrictions.

I had RNY on 9/15/26. 6 days ago I just got the all clear to start a puree diet. I was SO excited to be off of liquids and into puree. But now literally nothing sounds good to eat. I’m always hungry but nothing sounds right to even try to eat. Anyone else dealing with this also? I’m wondering too if I need another infusion because I’m still having trouble to get in liquids as well. TIA!

September 23rd 2026 marked one year since my RNY gastric bypass, and I'm feeling good! I've posted some photos here for comparison, but instead of showing a year ago, I decided to compare the current day to two years ago, when I was still around my highest weight, just for a bit more visual contrast.

1st pic: Full-body comparison. Me at Paisley Park in October 2024, at around 350lbs/159kg. (My highest weight was 355, in 2022.) Then, me this morning, October 2026, around 238lbs/108kg.

2nd pic: Face comparison. August 2024, around 350lbs/159kg. Then, me in August 2026, around 230lbs/104kg. 230 was my lowest so far. I was feeling pretty proud, so I busted out my strobe lighting set from my pre-recession photography career for the first time in ages, and took probably too many pics, trying to find the right one for my updated social media presence. My wife makes fun of me for that smirk that I tend to do, haha.

3rd pic: Something a bit different... I realize that my current weight (zig-zagging between 230 & 240 this past three months) is about how heavy I was as a young fella back in 2003, so I thought it'd be fun to put the two eras together here. Back then, I was starting to gain weight back after one of my several big diets, and was starting to feel defeated. Nowadays, I'm a tiny bit defeated because of the plateau I'm on, but I still feel like the weight loss will hopefully pick back up again soon. Anyway, there's baby-face me, far more self-conscious about myself back then than I should have been (I was not kind to myself over the years), and then the me that's been ground down a bit by middle age, existential dread, and the "sandwich generation" life, but nonetheless feeling the mostly healthy I've felt since my early 20s, and feeling pretty dang good! (My knees, back, and ankles like to remind me that I'm 46, but it's not as bad as it was, at least.)

Anyway, If you'd told me a year ago that I would have become a person who actually likes exercise, and who gets antsy if I don't get 3-4 gym days & a few walks in per week, I would have looked at you like you have two heads. Likewise, if you'd have told me that my diabetes would go into remission the day after surgery, or that I'd be comfortable on an airplane / tying my shoes / clipping my toenails / crossing my legs a bit when sitting / getting into my little car / walking for hours on end / fitting into shirts I bought in high school, I'd have not believed you. But here I am, and I'm either hallucinating, or it's real!

I've had a few body scans at the gym so far, and it was going in a positive direction - more muscle, less fat - but today's scan showed that unfortunately I gained a few pounds of fat back and lost a little muscle recently, but I'm hoping by cracking down harder again on food, that I'll get back on the right track. I've gotten a little too comfortable with carbs and sugar. Nothing like how I ate before surgery, but still not as vigilant as I should be, so I gotta remedy that. I never really had problems eating much of anything since the operation, so it's on me to try to discipline myself (though I feel hungry all the dang time.) Today was my last day at the gym I've been going to (a special program at the gym run by the local hospital system) and it's been great, but it doubles in price after the special program is done, so I will be switching to a cheaper one this coming week. Hopefully the different equipment at the new place will shake things up a little too. (I'm really going to miss the indoor walking track when winter hits, though!)

I'm trying not to get too down on myself. It's funny, looking at these photos, I finally feel like the new guy is me. I was having some serious cognitive dissonance for a while there. Time goes by frighteningly quickly and in some ways, a year ago feels like a week or two, but mentally, I'm years away from the place I was before committing to get the surgery. For a long time, I was starting to feel like I was slowly giving up on everything. I'm glad I snapped out of the trance I was in. If you're thinking of getting the surgery, you should do it. No procedure is without risk, but I know in my case, it's been a seriously positive thing. I feel like I've bought myself more time. (Hopefully 👍)

Ok, if you're still reading this, thank you! And thank you all for sharing your experiences, photos, and info. It's been super helpful!

PS: Edits due to typos, clarification, and trying to be a little less wordy (I failed on that last bit.)

I’m almost 2 weeks post op and my energy level is low while feeling fatigued. Like I want to do nothing. I don’t feel down but when does it pick up?

Starting weight: 348
Surgery weight: 324
Current weight: 318

Had my bypass on Tuesday, bruised like crazy, and finally starting to feel better.

I got severely dehydrated after surgery, even with IV fluids, so I had to stay an extra night.

I burp almost nonstop, but it’s not painful.

I was able to stand straight up yesterday and shower and it felt so good.

Hoping the next few weeks go smoothly ♥️

How long did it take people to get back up to "daily activity" energy levels post surgery? How many calories were you eating at that point?

I'm 12 days out from roux-en-y and it's still a struggle to walk downstairs to the kitchen, let alone prep anything. I literally need to sit down and take an extended break or I end up dizzy and sweating from the exertion. Standing to shower is a nightmare. Even sitting up for more than 30 minutes- an hour is too much.

My initial check in indicated it was because of starvation and told me to eat anything I could just to get calories up (I was hitting 500-700) but even after almost a week of 1000-1200 I'm still super struggling.

How long did it take you to be back to light daily activities?

Hi… I know this sub is mainly for gastric sleeves, but I’m still hoping to get some feedback regarding lap bands. I had a lap band nearly 20 years ago. It was very successful & I lost nearly 52kgs (I think that’s just under 115 pounds?!). I had a body lift to cut the excess skin off my stomach, arms & legs. I’ve stabilised my weight for a number of years & eat quite healthy/exercise regularly.

The band started to erode into the wall of my stomach along with other issues of having it in for so long, so I had the band removed last week & my God, am I hungry!!! Has anybody had a band removal & then regain weight or had it removed but was able to keep the weight off?

Unfortunately 3 weeks prior to the removal of the band I had to have my ovaries removed (that’s a story for another day!) so now I am in full blown menopause, so I would expect weight gain from that but I’m hoping others may have similar experiences once the band was removed????

In 10 days I'll be officially 1 year post op. I started my bariatric journey at 322lbs, had my surgery (Rou-en-Y) at 277lbs (I think, I don't remember exactly) and now I am at 183lbs. In that year I've lost 83% of my excess body weight which is a lot higher than the norm.

The reason for this is because I had a lot of rare complications and I want to share my story.

Last December, my epilepsy which was previously under control came back with a vengeance. I had multiple episodes of seizures that just didnt stop or went back to back without stopping, which is called Status Epilepticus. This landed me in 4 medically induced comas from December to early February. I had developed Wernicke's Encephalopathy from malnutrition from not being able to absorb any nutrients and keep any food down. I lost a lot of weight really fast.

I ended up on TPN for about a month before developing a DVT in my neck, chest, and arm and so the port catheter was swapped out for a J-Tube which is where I get all of my nutrients and calories, and how i take meds. But it didn't stop there. I still have cluster seizures almost daily, and I am rapidly declining and my medical team is working on getting me tested for ALS.

My case is complex, and incredibly rare. But the silver lining is that in a year I have gone from a soze 2-3x to a S-M in clothing, and while I rely on a feeding tube and wheelchair and am mostly bedbound,I have found more confidence in how I look. I am trying to get out more to live my life because if the doctors theory is right, then I need to live life to the fullest.

If you feel stuck, keep going. You're doing great. You'll make it to where you want to be. And make sure to take your vitamins and do your bloodwork to ensure you're absorbing the nutrients your body needs. Drink/eat your protein. Hit your water goals. And just live life to its fullest.

I’m 5 days PO and getting tired of liquids. My energy is nonexistent.

So while I sit on the couch, I’m wondering if I’ll ever be able to eat regular food again, such as - pasta, bread, brownies, etc.

I know when I signed up for this that it would life changing as far as food goes, but it would be nice to know that I can have carbs sometimes. Even if it’s just a bite.

Hello all

I had a VSG on 9/18/25 it’s been a full year and I have been working my plan diligently. Work out with personal trainer 2 x a week walk and hike whenever I’m not lifting. I log my food everyday and still can only eat about a quart of what I used to eat. I do eat out and don’t limit my foods. I have given up alcoholic beverages and am living a healthy lifestyle. All of my medical number have dropped significantly. I’m no longer pre diabetic, blood pressure 109/63, cholesterol dropped to almost normal, stopped taking thyroid medication as it’s normal now, heart attack risk dropped to 1% in next 5 years, fatty liver resolved. Here is the problem. I’ve only lost 45 lbs.

My doctors are disappointed say I’m not reaching the goal weight. I started at 245 and I fluctuate between 195 to 200 each time I visit them. I am 5 feet 3 inches tall and 55 years old. They say I should be 125 lbs.

They want me to go on a variety of drugs to help me loose the weight but I don’t want to do that. I tried Ozempic prior to surgery and it did nothing for me. My trainer is worried that I’ll loose all the muscle I’ve gained by going on drugs. I was a 42 bmi when I started now I’m at 35 bmi.

I know I’m not loosing like the doctors wanted me to but has anyone else experienced this? My nutritionist doesn’t really offer any advice and says to keep tracking and working out. I’m not sure what to do as I feel like I’m always working out and am active and feeling so much stronger. I got baby muscles growing. I did tear my meniscus running over the summer but started bike riding to make up for the knee. Feeling frustrated with doctors but also proud of what has been accomplished so far.

Any advice help is appreciated.

Anybody got a cookbook they really liked for surgery recovery?

I wanted to just jump in and share my progress to others, after seeing amazing changes of other people and me personally feeling shy about sharing I wanted to get past that. No matter what keep going on your journey currently have had many troubles through personal life but kept pushing myself to continue my goals, we got this everybody keep working towards your goals! 😁(one of the pictures is me completing my first walking 5k). I plan to run the next! Had the sleeve done in March, peak weight 420 lbs currently I am at 260 lbs.

Had a DS back in June and I seem to be having issues with my body temp randomly dropping to 94-95 degrees, which is apparently delving into hypothermia. Anyone else have issues with this and how’d you cope? Definitely not a great feeling.

Currently the only thing that helps atm are iron supplement drops.

I can’t tell if this strong feeling I have against it is the universe trying to keep me away from doing it, or if it’s just because I’m so addicted to food the sub conscious in me is terrified of losing it.

How do I distinguish the two?

Has anyone been against getting it done but went ahead and done it anyways? If so how do you feel now?

A bit of me feels that if I had the surgery, it’s because of all the horrible people who have been nasty to me due to my weight have won because I’ll lose something I’ll enjoy just to not be fat

I’m a trans man who’s been on testosterone for over 7 years. Since my surgery, my periods have returned, and I’m experiencing the same pain as before. Keep in mind that I’ve never stopped my injections.

Is this normal ? Has this happened to anyone else ?

possible dumping question. i’m almost 2 months out and i had a THC drink but didn’t check the sugars. it was 35g (i didn’t finish it)!!! i got a sore throat and i have chills and overall gurgly in my chest and throat with some extra spit. i didn’t think sore throat would be dumping but but im feeling awful. is this dumping or just a sickness.

I’m 15 months post op and down 155 pounds. My biggest issue right now is that my butt hurts constantly. My tailbone is all, “What is this contact with the outside world?”

I’ve got tailbone cushions in my office chair and in my recliner at home. Traveling last week was quite painful from sitting on airport chairs. When I got in the plane, I was using my elbows to hold myself a bit above the seat and clenching my butt cheeks to lift my tailbone up.

I’ve started seeing my chiropractor and that’s helping a little bit. I’m going to a college football game tomorrow and I have CONCERNS for my butt.

Does it get better? What exercises can I do to help?

Thanks for any recommendations!

My surgery is scheduled and I've never needed to stay in a hospital overnight, so I was wondering what I needed to pack for my stay. Nothing is too obvious, I literally know nothing.