Rogofulm

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the pounds will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

Crystal Light Ice Tea! I find full strength is too sweet, so I Water it down by making a 2-quart packet in a 3-quart jug and keep keep one jug at work and one at home. Then I bought 24-oz Tervis tumblers (plus handles) for home and work, and drink at least three tumblers of the tea every day – one between Breakfast and lunch, one between lunch and dinner, and one in the evening. Very refreshing, and that alone is 72 ounces of Fluid. Any other fluids like coffee, hot tea, or cocoa are gravy. And if I count my Protein shakes as fluids, I get about 120 ounces of fluids per day. Been doing this for over 18 months, and I never get tired of it!

I find this odd, too. At 6 weeks we went on a Maine vacation and I ate lobster every single day! I also was eating beef Jerky and almonds as car Snacks, instead of wheat thins. It's surprising how different the bariatric programs can be. But you need to stick with your doctor's rules.

My favorite is "Bariatric Gugu" but I've already passed through that. ROTFL!! Gugu is funny!!! Of course I meant Guru.

Planning, planning, planning.... is the key. Know in advance what you're going to do in every scenario. Pack enough Protein drinks in your checked luggage to carry you through. Drink one before going into every social event so you won't arrive hungry. Brink your own drinks, too. I used to bring a cooler with a jug of Crystal Light to parties. If you have a healthy snack food you like, bring that along too. Here's the thing... it's okay to actively manage your food/drink intake at parties. Remember – your program is your priority. Proceed with confidence!!! Travel tip: If you bring pre-packaged Protein shakes in your airplane carry-on, tell TSA that they are a "medical necessity". Then be prepared to open each one so they can pass a test strip over the open container to make sure it's safe.

Congratulations, you're doing great!!! Restaurant eating is easy! Skip the pre-dinner bread and cocktails, order a nice cut of meat (don't worry about the sauce), trade-in the starch for a second veggie, skip dessert, and take the leftovers home for tomorrow's lunch. That's still more than you can eat in one meal, right? And by the way, a burger with cooked mushrooms and onions (and blue cheese if you like) is even more amazing without the bun! Enjoy the ride!!!

Below is a "typical" day's menu: As for carbs, mostly I get them from my shakes, Greek yogurt, and the very limited veggies I'm able to fit in after my Protein. Other doctors and nutritionists give you carb targets, but my doctor just says to limit them as much as possible. If you're not logging your food yet, I'd suggest using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/. It helps you keep track of your protein and fluids, but also can help you figure out if anything is going off track and affecting your weight loss. Okay, here's an example of my day: I keep a 3-quart jug and a 24-oz Tervis tumbler (with a handle) both at home and at work. I fill the jug with Water and a 2-quart packet of Crystal Light ice tea, because full strength is too sweet. I count my morning Protein shake as a meal, not a Fluid. (30 grams of protein) 30-60 minutes later, I have a cup or two of coffee. (Count it as a fluid if you like.) After that, I drink a 24-oz. tumbler of sugar-free iced tea throughout the morning. (Lots of frequent sips) Then I walk for 35+ minutes. Then it's lunchtime - tuna salad or chicken salad, or leftover protein from dinner. (16-22 grams of protein) and maybe a bite of veggies if there's room. About 45 minutes after lunch, I'll fill another 24-oz tumbler of iced tea and sip that throughout the afternoon, finishing by 30 minutes before my afternoon snack. At around 4:00 or 4:30, my afternoon snack is usually a Greek yogurt (12 grams of protein) or some leftovers. (This is also a good time to get in some veggies or a V-8 if you're getting enough protein at other times.) Maybe a cup of hot tea in the later afternoon. (Count it as a fluid you like.) Then dinner – again, getting 20-25 grams of protein from lean steak, fish, chicken, or pork, and maybe a bite or two of veggies. Finally, another 24-oz cup of iced tea or water 30-45 minutes after dinner that I sip throughout the evening. If I'm hungry later, sugar-free Jello or sugar-free popsicles are good. And if I'm short on protein or still hungry, another yogurt or protein shake. (I'm not worried about the calories because this menu only provides 700-900 per day.) So that's 70+ grams of protein and 72-120 ounces of fluid, with some exercise as well. If you have a regular enough schedule, you can follow it every day. If not, maybe a modified version will work. The big trick is in pre-planning your meals and your fluids, especially if you're going to be away from home or work. In those cases, I always make sure there will be something I can eat, or I bring along a Protein shake or some kind of meat to carry me through. I've also gotten pretty good at restaurant eating. I avoid the bread and salad, order chicken, steak, lamb, fish, or pork, trade-in the starch for a second veggie, skip the dessert.... and end up taking half of the meat, and almost all of the veggies home. Hope that helps! Rog

I went to a wedding in NOLA recently, so I know exactly what you'll be facing. Here's what I did, and it worked.... Don't drink alcohol, just like @@JamieLogical said. Not only is it unwise this close to surgery, but it's empty calories that can encourage you to make other bad choices. Don't eat carbs. This is your new lifestyle! And here's a little secret.... New Orleans food tastes even better when the flavor isn't diluted by rice or Pasta. I order gumbo, red Beans, shrimp creole, and my favorite, crawfish etoufee without the rice, and it's fantastic!!! Try the etoufee at "The Gumbo Shop" in the Quarter. At the wedding, there will probably be a buffet. Just put Protein (meat and beans) on your plate and nothing else. If you're still hungry, go back for some green vegetables. By then you'll be stuffed. Don't eat the cake or dessert. Sorry. Just don't. The sooner we break our addiction to sugar, the easier the rest of the journey will be. Have blast, and feel proud about making good choices. That's much better than the guilt you will feel if you make poor decisions. And if anyone tries to pressure you to eat or drink something you shouldn't.... Just thank them for their concern, but you're eating more healthfully now. And dance like the slender person you'll soon be! Good luck! You can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's an interesting phenomenon. In the past, whenever I've lost a significant amount of weight, I've felt judgmental and even superior about other's weight problems. Why can't they get that under control like I did? And then, of course, my weight would come back on and my holier than thou attitude would have to stop. Now that my weight is down as a result of weight loss surgery (and a lot of hard work), I still notice other people's weight; but this time I'm less judgmental. Maybe I'm older, wiser, and a little more mature. Or maybe I realize that without the surgery, I'd probably be just like them. So what I feel now is... empathy. Sometimes I want to share my WLS experience with them, but unless they're already a friend, I don't dare bring it up because that would be presumptuous. But when my severely overweight friends tell me how great I look now, and how they wish they could lose weight too, it's a perfect opening. Then I offer to take them to lunch or dinner and share the good, the bad, and the ugly about bariatric surgery – but no pressure! Four people have taken me up on it, and two have gone through with the surgery. And I'm so proud of how well they're doing. I guess my point is that when we have success with this process, we are in a fantastic position to help others. And that sure beats feeling superior and/or judgmental!

Stick with your program and the stall will break. Then you'll start losing like a champ again. Just keep making the right choices, every single time.....

Hey @@WLSResources/ClothingExch! Just saw your tag line. I'm only 13 away from joining you in "Masterland". I've been a "Bariatric Evangelist" for a long time now, both here and in real life, but I'll sure be glad to not have a title that sounds like a Ted Cruz fan. (No offense intended to those of you who are.) Okay, down to 12 now...

That's great – times 2!!! Always happy to hear about people being supported. We read so many stories here that go the other way. This can be a hard road, but if you stay positive and make good choices, you can enjoy the ride!

Yeah, I overshot (briefly). My original goal was 154, which is one pound into my "normal" BMI range. Then I ran a calculator that said my "ideal weight" is 148. Okay, I thought, that sounds pretty good, so I targeted that weight. Besides, if I work to stay below 150, maybe I can keep from ever getting back over 154. Because after working so hard to get slim, I'm darned if I want to be "overweight" again. And then a doctor gave me a calculation that put my "ideal weight" at 142. Sheesh! Now, THAT sounded a little low, so I decided to make my goal weight 145, which is halfway between those two "ideal" weights. But I overshot 145, and got down to 142. And I was right, it IS too low. (Just ask my wife!) So I worked it back up to 145 and stayed there for a long time. But a little over a year out from surgery, my weight crept up to around 148, so I muscled it back down to 145, which lasted for a month or two. And then, at 18 months out -- also known as, "The end of the honeymoon period!", it crept up again; this time touching the 150 mark. ACK! So now I'm trying to get it back down to 145. I hope to eventually convince my body that that's where its set point should be. 147 this morning, but I don't know if that will hold. It's a daily challenge. And it definitely gets harder to fight the hunger. Um... Did that answer your question?

I've stayed away from salads for a couple of reasons: 1) I used to eat a huge healthy salad every day -- while I was gaining weight before surgery, and 2) I worry that it will be "filler" that prevents me from having room for my Protein. Remember, food should be eaten in order with protein first. Usually by the time I'm done with my protein, there's very little (if any) room left. I've stayed away from salads for a couple of reasons: 1) I used to eat a huge healthy salad every day -- while I was gaining weight before surgery, and 2) I worry that it will be "filler" that prevents me from having room for my protein. Remember, food should be eaten in order with protein first. Usually by the time I'm done with my protein, there's very little (if any) room left. I've stayed away from salads for a couple of reasons: 1) I used to eat a huge healthy salad every day -- while I was gaining weight before surgery, and 2) I worry that it will be "filler" that prevents me from having room for my protein. Remember, food should be eaten in order with protein first. Usually by the time I'm done with my protein, there's very little (if any) room left.

When nuts are available, I have trouble resisting them. Even worse, I keep going back for more until they're done. And THAT'S dangerous! During the first 18 months it didn't seem to matter, but in maintenance, it may cause some weight gain which then needs to be handled. Almonds are more filling, and easier for portion-control than peanuts. Bottom line: nuts are okay if you can keep them in moderation, but that can be difficult.

Congratulations! Keep up the good work!!!

Thought I was gonna die from constipation during the first two weeks. As others have said, drink lots of fluids and take Miralax. It should start helping in a day or two. Good luck!

It gets better. In the meantime, have some more Protein shakes. I found warm chicken broth to be soothing and filling for a while too. Then I graduated to cream Soups with the chunks strained out. Follow your doctor's guidelines for that. But rest assured, the constant hunger should get better soon. Good luck!

Glad to hear it helped. Yeah, we all freaked out around that time. Hang in there and you'll be fine!

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the pounds will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

Okay, here's my starter list.... Miss: ice cream Don't miss: 1/2 gallon of ice cream Miss: Brazilian allthemeatyoucanstuffintoyourface restaurants Don't miss: fat-overs (like hang-overs from eating too much fatty food) Miss: Cookies Don't miss: a whole sleeve of cookies Miss: spicy BBQ potato chips Don't miss: the whole bag Miss: the first sip of Coke Zero Don't miss: Coke Zero, I love my Crystal Light iced tea Miss: Wheat thins on car trips Don't miss: Wheat thins 'cause beef Jerky on car trips is even better! Miss: after lunch snooze in my car Don't Miss: the apnea that caused them Miss: that last pig out before starting a new diet Don't miss: starting a new diet every Monday (or every day) of my life Truth be told, I don't really miss any of that stuff. This new life is waaaaaaay better!!!

I share my WLS experience with anyone who asks. And for my friends who are extremely overweight, I offer to take them to lunch or dinner to give them the good, the bad, and the ugly about the process. That way they get to see that I'm not starving myself, and that I can still eat in a restaurant just by making good choices and substitutions. It's not a hard sell, I just explain everything and answer any questions they may have. Then I leave the ball in their court and never mention it again unless they ask. I've had the full conversation with three people so far, and two of them have gone on to have the surgery. I've made the offer to several others but they haven't taken me up on it. That's okay. I only offer once. If/when they're ready, they'll ask...

Learn to love that person, and believe in them and what they can be!!!

Your mirror's not broken, your old habits are. Congratulations!!! Trust that the person you see in the mirror is the new you. Don't forget about the old person with the bad eating habits, but don't keep looking back over your shoulder either. That person doesn't exist anymore. Enjoy your reflection and use it as incentive to keep making good choices. Believe it, embrace it, and love it!!!

Hey @@Olarance75 – Congrats on muscling the weight back down! I figure that's going to be the story for the rest of our lives. But you caught it and did something about it before it got completely out of control, and that's really admirable! Do you feel that your restriction has returned to help you for a while?