No, it's not what you think. I'm not talking about chopping bits off until you reach your target weight. I'm not even talking about liposuction.
It's just that, well, most hospital food isn't very good to start with. That gets you a headstart. And then, well, being on heavy painkillers depresses my appetite. And being in pain drains my energy and leaves me tired all the time, which also depresses my appetite.
The upshot: I've dropped about 10lb since the surgery. I'm not complaining; it's weight I could afford to lose, but wasn't getting enough exercise to drop actively. With luck, I'll gain sufficient mobility out of all this that I can start replacing it with muscle again.