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Dear Barbara,
I have a question for you. Have you heard of a patient that has gotten
too thin? Were they able to put any of the weight back on?
Thanks, Jaime
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Hi Jaime,
About every 2 or 3 months I will get an email like this. So I think
it is time that I included an article.
It is very rare for someone to get too thin
because of weight loss surgery, and then not be able to regain weight
so they are at a normal weight. This might happen initially, but
after many months, they have regained to a normal weight. Most of us
experience rebound weight of 5 to 10 pounds, or more.
There may be
some people reading this who are thinking, “What’s the problem? I
should be so lucky.” But just as there is concern over too much
weight, there is also concern about too little weight.
So what is too little weight? For that we have to
turn to the BMI charts. While we all know that a BMI over 40
classified us as morbidly obese, and qualified us for surgery; a BMI
under 18.5 classifies you as underweight. This is a concern because it
could indicate that you are prone to osteoporosis. It could also
indicate that you are having trouble absorbing not only calories, but
nutrients as well.
Sometimes we think we are losing too much weight
and are too thin because we have family and friends who are accustomed
to seeing us heavy, not able to adjust to the new you. You may also
feel very vulnerable without you fat to act as a buffer against the
world. Let your BMI be your guide.
If you are underweight, your doctor will probably
first determine what you are eating and recommend an increase in
calories. Just like when you were trying to lose weight, you will
probably have to track your food intake to determine how many calories
sustain you, and from that, how many calories will cause you to gain
weight.
I wouldn’t try to regain without talking with
your doctor. He or she or their nutritionist will guide you.
By the way, in reference to this title, I have a
very dear friend who was very thin her whole life. She would be
teased and called “Skinny Minnie” when she was a child. It was as
hurtful to her as when people would call us “fatty.” So don’t assume
that people who are thin are not sensitive about their weight.
To calculate your BMI, go to
http://www.obesityaction.org/measuringobesity/calculatebmi.php
I would
love to hear from people who are more than 2 years post-op and have a
problem being underweight. Please email me at
Barbara@WLScenter.com. |
