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Lyndsey, I thank you as well for the update. There is no time frame for grief, as I'm sure you know. But I think you are doing all the right things - cherishing your family, your sister's children, your brother in law, and your own accomplishments. The support you give and you get from your loved ones, that will make all the difference down the line in your individual journey, and in your collective journey. Wishing you and your family all the best moving forward. Rachel

Now that I'm ~20 lbs from goal I'll notice if I weigh myself on Sunday the scale is -2 lbs. I get on the scale Monday it's +2 lbs. Tuesday -.25 lbs. Wednesday -0 lbs. You get the idea. The body fluctuates constantly. Stalls happen to everyone at some point - usually at different points in time. Once you get down to a certain point it gets really hard and you're stalled more often than you are losing. It's good you changed up your routine on your trip. Keep doing that, with your food and exercise, and the scale will keep going down. I promise .

Aha - my mother is an RN! I'm 8 months out and I still take colace every single day. I really should eat more fiber but it's hard to balance when you've got strict caloric goals. As I recall for me, month one I didn't lose all that much. Month 2 I dropped 25 lbs. So never fear, the scale will move when you're all healed up!

6 days post-op, you still probably have a lot of edema and swelling. I'm sure your surgical team will tell you this as well. And are you having regular BM's (TMI I know)? I'd guess not, so that contributes to it as well. I know it's hard to avoid the scale now because we expect drastic change but some folks take a little longer to heal than others. Willing to bet after another week or so you'll notice a big difference on the scale. For now, take care and rest up. Congrats on a successful surgery!

OMG you look fabulous!! Congratulations on your immense success!

Jane already gave some great advice for getting back on track. I'll add that I have a major sugary carb addiction and there have been 2 times post sleeve when I skidded off the track in that regard. I stalled nearly a month at 7 months post-op and finally the scale is moving down again. What works for me to get back in control of the sugar desire is to revisit my 2 week pre-surgery diet for a few days (3 Protein shakes and 1 lean protein + veggie laden meal) because drinking those Protein Shakes every day made me hate sweet tasting things for a long time. Try buying Protein powder that has minimal sugar. To thicken it up I usually add a tablespoon of sugar free fat free pudding mix. For meals steer clear of bread, Pasta or rice and focus on your protein and vegetable. After a few days you will miss the carbs less, and most likely you'll kick the weight loss back into gear. Exercise is important too. Vary up the routine so your body doesn't have time to get used to it. You most certainly have not reached the end. You've accomplished a lot and it is absolutely within your power to keep going. You can do it!!

Wow!! You look incredible! I was sleeved in June as well but I'm 12 lbs from 100 lost. Congratulations on a job well done and keep up the great work!

The further out we get, the harder the new lifestyle is to maintain. That's why the sleeve is a tool, not a cure. That being said, I think you already know it's ultimately all about will power. You've come so far, accomplished so much. I know you don't want to slip back into old habits. Don't beat yourself up over the 2 lbs - keeping weight off can be a lot harder than losing it - but it's definitely time to implement changes in your routine and diet to get back down to your goals. Recipe-wise: I'm a big fan of the recipes on Skinnytaste.com, EmilyBites.com, and The World According to Eggface. I make Protein dense, tasty meals and if I want something extra, I eat salad or cut up veggies. Exercise: Good for you for joining a gym. Build yourself up slowly and mix up the cardio and strength-building routines. Challenge yourself but not to the point of injury. You CAN do this!!

Whether your skin sags [or fails to tighten up] post-weight loss has mostly to do with age, how much weight you lose, how rapidly you lost it, genetics, and whether you do any strength training exercise. About all you can do is try and lose gradually, exercise regularly, and incorporate muscle building into your routine. If you end up having a little excess skin, I know it seems scary but it's not the end of the world. It does get better over time on it's own, and for whatever is left, that's what plastic surgery is for .

It could very well be trapped gas from having laparoscopic surgery. You're only 2 weeks post-op after all. Gas X would probably help. I can also guarantee that carbonated beverages will make you feel worse, not better. Most surgical teams advise against drinking soda at all after surgery. It can cause you a lot of pain and gas, at the very least. The jury is still out on the clinical research side as to whether it "stretches" the sleeve. Your sleeve will stretch out some over time. It's to be expected. You can also expect that in a few more weeks you will feel much better.

I have been stalled over a month, so I feel your frustration completely. For me, it's become especially hard the closer to goal I get. I think all of our bodies go through periods of plateau. The severity and length of said plateaus just depend on the individual. You have lost quite a lot of weight in 6 months, and have a lot to be proud of. Keep mixing up your food and exercise routines and the scale will start moving downward again, you'll see. I agree with the folks above about 65-70% being normal excess weight loss for bariatric patients. I've lost nearly 80% of my excess weight, and I have my sleeve and my determination to thank for that . You will get there with perseverance and patience!

Sorry to hear that. But think of it this way - it's always better when surgeons err on the side of caution, rather than possibly putting you at great risk of complications or even mortality. Don't think of this as the end of the road, it's only a bump. You and your surgical team will do some re-assessment I am sure and they will work with you until you get that liver size down.

Awesome!!

Uhm... you are being looked after by a wound care specialist right now and they haven't admitted you to a hospital for any procedures yet (ie: repair, infection prevention, etc)? And you have gaping open wounds? You need to start advocating for yourself. They either come up with a plan now or you need to find a new doctor quickly. Please keep us updated.

It's fine, though I'd personally go with sugar free.

Wow, wow, wow! Nearly 200 lb loss! What an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations on your success!!

You look just gorgeous. Great work!!

Well, I haven't lost a lb in almost a month, so I'm with you on the frustration. I'm also getting closer to goal, so I knew it would be harder - I just didn't expect it to be 1 step forward, 3 steps back . I haven't lost any inches either, so you're doing better than me! The scale has become evil to me, as has the mirror. I am trying to cut down on my calories more (I eat at maximum 1200 a day at nearly 8 months out - trying to get down to 1000) and really pushing it at the gym. I also work with a trainer, but only 1x a week and the rest of the days I either take a class or do my own cardio/strength building routine. I try to burn at minimum 350 cal a day at the gym, sometimes I can get up to 450! I think you are doing fabulously! I wouldn't worry about a little more fat. Simple carbs are the bigger weight loss enemy, anyway.

In the beginning you'll have some food "intolerances". Use this to your advantage, because more likely than not, it won't last forever [though everyone is different]. For me, in the beginning I had difficulty with steak, other meats were fine, but my real gut buster post-op was bread, Pasta, and rice. 7 and 1/2 months later I can eat pretty much anything, but I try and avoid simple carbs because if I eat them I won't lose any weight. I also have difficulty drinking plain Water, even nowadays. It feels heavy when it hits my stomach. So I drink a lot of crystal light and flavored water.

Wa'alaikum Salaam, Noor! I'm actually not Muslim - my fiance is - but I've seen threads before from members discussing Ramadhan fasting while sleeved. They are around

Congratulations! You look fabulous!!

I'm kind of struggling these days on the food front. For some reason I'm retaining a lot of Water (not in line with my cycle and I'm not overindulging on the salt - labs pending) and the hunger has resurfaced in a big way. What used to satiate me 2 months ago seems rather small these days, but I'm trying my best to stave off the overeating by measuring everything. eggs and soy goods aren't super filling for me like they used to be. Now give me 4oz of steak or lamb chops for lunch and I won't think about food for the rest of the afternoon! Shrimp I find fairly filling as well. Lipstick, I'm really in awe of you and your progress!

The problem I have had with the frozen dinners is A) I just find them nasty usually - if you can stomach them then more power to you - and B ) they skimp on the Protein and often give you a lot of rice or Pasta. I am a big fan of the recipes on The World According to Eggface, Emily Bites, and Skinny Taste. They are my lifesavers! You'll have to decide, based on how far along you are, what you can eat now and what you should leave for later. This week I've already made

My sodium intake has been minimal actually. And my ankles are pretty swollen. I'm doing blood work on Monday and seeing my doctor on tuesday. Thanks for your replies!

Okay... starting to get concerned. I am up nearly 5 lbs this week despite eating no more - and usually less - than 1100 cal a day. I suspect it's nearly all water weight because mathematically fat gain just doesn't make sense. My carb intake is minimal, but I do eat veggies and some fruit. Mostly still getting 80 grams of protein a day, if not more. I've really only been doing cardio at the gym recently, no hardcore muscle building. My period finished maybe a week and a half ago so it's not related to my cycle. I usually gain 1 lb a week before my period. My hunger perception is way up too. Back to feeling like I used to feel pre-op (low blood sugar feeling when hungry). In short, I'm in hell. And, naturally, my GP and surgeon's office were totally empty today so no one will see me until next week. I just keep ballooning and feeling more and more defeated. Anyone else experience this??