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Let me start by saying I know stalls are normal. I know it won't drop off over night. I know this is a process, and I must trust it. But I can't help thinking that I might be doing something wrong here?? I am 7-8 weeks post op, and since my three week stall 😞 I will lose half a pound, then stay that weight for a week or longer, then loose half a pound, then stay that weight. This has been happening for over a month, and it is so frustrating! I haven't seen anyone else have something similar to this happen. The only thing on my plan that I haven't completely 100% followed is working out consistently. I walk as much as I can, daily, but haven't gotten to really do weights or anything because I have no idea what I am doing in the gym (meeting with a free consultation to get a better grip on what they have and what is what at the gym tonight) Could not weight lifting really cause this though?

Hi gang. I'm one month post op and thought I'd update on how I'm doing and maybe post a few questions for the hive mind. So, my surgery was September 11. My height is 5'9". My high weight was on day 1 of my pre-op diet. (270), BMI 40. I just food funeraled my brains out. I was 255 on day of surgery. And today I am 229.9. Total lost is 40.1. Current BMI 33.8 I am still on a liquid diet. My surgeon is extremely conservative with diet advancement. So I have 2 protein shakes a day, cream soups with the solids strained out, and water or crystal light. I will remain on this diet until the beginning of November. I take a leisurely 1- 1.5 mile walk about 4-5 times a week. I will be returning to work on Friday. I work 7p-7a as an RN in and ICU, so I am a bit nervous to return. Next week, I will return to the gym once I see if all restriction is lifted and plan to work out 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes to 1 hour combining cardio and weight training. My energy level has gotten gradually better as time goes on. It was brutal the first 2 weeks, hard the third, and this week has been quite a bit better in terms of ability to get things done. I have not had any constipation yet. Nor have I had any other major complications. I take omeprazole, vitamins, and asthma medication. I only had nausea in the hospital and once at home on the 2nd day back. I sip ALL. DAY. LONG. I do burp quite a bit, but not with any discomfort. More of an annoyance that I hope will eventually settle down. The liquid diet only has been the hardest part. When all is said and done, I will have done 9 weeks of no solid food whatsoever, and it has been a real challenge. I have three children at home and I am still preparing meals for my family because my husband has had a huge work project going on and works late a lot and he is also in grad school. I do the majority of the food shopping, preparing and cleaning up and so I am constantly faced with solid food and a desire to taste something, anything! other than a protein shake or those disgusting soups. I actually gag at the thought of those soups. I try to remember that each day that passes is one day closer to resuming eating solid foods again and that I am incredibly lucky to have lost so much weight so rapidly when I started out at a BMI of 40. I'm sure it's in large part due to my conservative diet. I did have one stall in week 3. It lasted 6 days. I dropped one pound and then stayed there another 3 days. That was a downer. Even though I knew it was normal and to be expected and I'd had good weight loss, it is very hard to be so strict and stringent and be consuming only 450 calories a day and stay the same weight for 9 days. It just seems unfair and takes a lot of mental and emotional willpower to just soldier on. Stalls are not cool. Even if they are part of this whole journey. I could do without them, thank you very much. So, here are some questions I have for all you wiser, more seasoned sleevers.... 1) GERD is a fear of mine. I have not had any symptoms of GERD so far. Anyone out there have no GERD symptoms immediately post-op but then develop them down the road? Just want to know if i am in the clear or still need to be on the lookout? 2) Once you advanced your diet and introduced solids, what are your go to rules -- like I always drink at least blank ounces of water between meals. Or I never go more than blank hours without eating. Or whatever. What are your go to habits that work best for you? 3) What are things you wish you wouldn't have done, if anything? 4) What advice would you give to someone at this point of the sleeve journey? Thanks in advance!

So glad others are having this issue too. I just started real food . I put it off because I was so afraid of over eating. Was I surprised to find I couldn't over eat. I finally am starting to trust my surgery and listen to what my stomach is telling me. I am one month today and tried a chewing food for the first time. I thought well I will mix tuna, mayo and cottage cheese. I got three bites down and had to stop. So glad I did this because I really can't trust myself to limit what I eat, I needed this surgery. I haven't had a weight loss stall yet and have lost 2 lbs a week for the last two weeks. I was feeling sad about it but realize I am still going down. So happy I finally did it.

You are not alone!!! It sounds like you and I are in about the same situation. I was banded on 8/28/09 and lost the first week after surgery during the liquid phase. I started back on soft foods and since then nothing. Not one pound!!! I to am frustrated about the weight lose stalling out, but everyone keeps telling me that it is normal. It has now been just over three weeks from my surgery and I weighed myself this morning. DOWN TWO POUNDS!! I know it's not a lot but at this point; I'll take it. Keep moving forward, don't give up now! You have taken the first step in the process, now it's time to move forward and discover the new person inside you. That is what I keep focusing on. I know where I've come from, I know what I am now, what I don't know is what I will become. I can already see changes, and I like them.

almost everyone has their first stall within 4-6 weeks after surgery. We call it "the three week stall", even though it's not always on the third week post-op. But do a search for it - you'll find thousands of threads on it. It happens to almost everybody.

OMG, just coming out of my stall........ I hope. Ten weeks post op, eight of those weeks stalling, what a long time. Saying that, I may not have been successful on the scales, ie STUCK, but the inches have been falling off. Gone down from a 30 to a 24!!!!!!! How's that...... This week I weighed myself, and YES.... I lost almost three kilos in a week. I'm feeling very pleased at this moment in time. I'm hoping that this is the end of my stall. I can't begin to tell you how low I was feeling, I was doing everything by the book, not cheating, but I know others were doubting me, but my bariatric specialist nurse said, yes, it was working as the inches were falling away. She was right, but I couldn't see it, then I turned a corner. Hurray, long may it last.

I agree, this does get to me, HOWEVER... Sometimes I feel like the search funtion isn't that great. I remember when I was a noob trying to read about the dreaded week three stall and I did find SOME posts, but not a lot. I'm certain there was more on this site about that topic but I was having a hard time uncovering it so I try to be understanding and my week three stall was extreme, it last three weeks for a total of nearly 4 weeks with incredibly minimal weight loss, I can see why that would disturb people as it did me. What I REALLY get sick of are "omg I ate a whole can of soup" (why did you sit down with a whole can of soup?) and posts about hair loss I don't know why those particular posts grate on my nerves so much but they do.

None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. We all experience stalls and slow downs. Almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. Just follow your program. Focus on getting in all of your fluids and Protein, and stay off the scale. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I didn't speed it up - it was fairly slow-going all the way. The thing is, after the first six months or so, it's pretty much slow-going for everyone, so after that point, we were all pretty much in the same boat. I just stuck to the plan, that's all. It came off slowly but surely. I almost never went off my plan - I suspect I was more compliant than a lot of others in my group, so I had great success with it (losing 100% of my excess weight). And yes - I did have two or three major stalls along the way (some people have more than that). My first one lasted two weeks (it was weeks 2 & 3 post-surgery. My weight loss started up again week 4 post-surgery - I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days, then the "slowly but surely" thing started up again). I don't remember how long the other stalls lasted - maybe 2-4 weeks? I remember thinking during those times that this was it, I wasn't going to lose anymore, but then....it would start up again. I did work out (still do), but I'm not a gym rat. I mostly went to water aerobics a couple times a week and yoga a couple times a week. A lot of it was weighing & measuring my food, tracking, weighing myself several times a week, and not going off plan. I was determined to lose as much as humanly possible!!

My "three week stall" started at two weeks and lasted almost 5 weeks even though I was exercising, getting protein, water, etc. And then I lost 15 lbs very quickly and the scale is still moving, just not quite as fast. Just give it time, it WILL happen if you follow the guidelines.

First let me say to all the fellow georgians who have been reaching out, I'M VERY SORRY TO HAVE KEPT YOU WAITING THIS LONG, And to all others who have reached out.A quick recap, i had surgery on Feb 19th,2010, and i have stayed away from the boards because i had a three week stall post op.I started getting extreme anxiety with shortness of breath everytime i got on the scale and it hadn't moved.I did however lose alot of inches around my waist (at least 6-7 inches) at that time which was keeping me sane.I started working out and i saw results but the only people commenting where my mom and dad saying i look like i lost weight.My hairdresser almost three weeks after surgery asked me again if i had had the surgery yet.Bummer!Flash forward,i have definetly lost weight and can see some real results.Although i've only lost 33 pounds or so, i have estimated my weight loss to be around 10lbs per month + INCHES,which is slow compared to most, but i eat what i want and workouT.People are commenting and saying i have lost alot of weight now.Prior to surgery,i started looking into Plastics, but at this rate, i wont need it.So my advice is that even if you are a slow loser, the fact that you had surgery is a motivation and it has really helped me to stay focused on the long term.There is no way i would have been this successful for this long without setbacks had it not been for the surgery.Even on my bad days or when i'm invited to an all u can eat buffet, the sleeve is still working for me.My hopes are that i will continue losing 10lbs per month till i reach goal.By the way,i dont do any meal replacements with shakes for all wondering which may also be causing slower weight loss.:cursing:

Look up the "three week stall" Many get it. Mine lasted for over 3 weeks at started about 2 1/2 weeks out. Just do what your doing, and your body will start to let go again.

I like it, I especially find it helpful to recenter myself when I stray a little bit or I am struggling emotionally or physically, like for the past... three weeks? Almost a month, I have been stalled (I'm 64 pounds down, 6 months out) and being on here commiserating helps somehow. I stepped on the scale this morning and it finally moved. fantastic. I partially attribute it to being on here helping others get back to basics here and therefor reminding myself of what I need to do, and committing to better follow through.

Congratulations! Yes, almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. Just follow your program. Focus on getting in all of your Protein and fluids, take your Vitamins and supplements as directed, and exercise when cleared. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall Congratulations! Yes, almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. Just follow your program. Focus on getting in all of your protein and fluids, take your vitamins and supplements as directed, and exercise when cleared. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

Congrats!!! I am 5 pounds away...I am doing the Easter challenge and my goal will be hit onederland. I've been in a stall for over three weeks and NOTHING is breaking it????

people seem to have biggest drops the first month or two (other than during the infamous "three week stall".

Guys, guys, guys .... Search here and google for "three week stall." It's common. Happens to almost everyone. And no, don't change anything. Just do what you're supposed to be doing now.

it's the infamous three-week stall. You just got it a little early. Almost everyone experiences that - if you do a search for it on this site, you'll find over 17,000 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding...). Mine was weeks 2 and 3. During week 4, it broke and I dropped something like 6-8 lbs in about two days. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days if you need to. It WILL break - they always do - and then you'll be on your way again.

Finally broke 200 as of this morning, havent seen this weight since my first semester of college! I was hoping to be at goal by 6 months but that is not happening unless I can get 14 lbs off in the next three weeks. I had a stall for about 3 weeks or so and then just lost about 10 lbs in the past 2 weeks. Pretty sure I can't sustain that rate of loss through the 23rd though! Anyway, I feel great, and for those of you doubting your decision to have this surgery, give it time and it will work for you!!!! I owe a lot of the inspiration to this site so thanks to everyone for being so positive and for posting progress pics!

Sorry not to answer you sooner @Sajijoma - I've been swamped with work lately, and a family event too. So today I knew I had a lunch meeting, so I previewed the menu and called to ask how much meat was on the steak salad (3oz) so I started logging with that, and then added foods to get to my targets. - Breakfast I had 1/3 of an ounce of "Just Strawberries" (crunchy dried ones with no junk added, and 1/3 ounce is quite a bit really) and a "peppermint mocha" version of my Protein drink; 1 scoop Isopure low carb chocolate flavor made hot with a cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk and two shots of espresso and peppermint extract . - Morning snack was 4 ounces lean Board's Head sliced deli chicken and 3/4 of an ounce of home-roasted cashews I make (less fat/salt/sugar) and half an ounce of aged Gouda. - Lunch at the restaurant was lettuce, a few grape tomatoes, a few toasted pecans and the rare steak - and light on the dressing! - Afternoon snack is 3 ounces non-fat Fage yogurt mixed with another scoop of isopure Protein powder (Combat is good too!), 1/3 ounce dried Just Peaches, and a Mediterranean chicken breast skewer from costco. Also 2 tablespoons cream in my iced coffee with some stevia - yum! - dinner will be 4 ounces scrambled egg-whites , one slice of bacon, 3 more ounces of nonfat Fage yogurt topped with a bit of SF Torani vanilla syrup and 2 ounces of frozen blueberries. - My evening snack (which I finally realized helps me avoid late night foraging!) is half a chocolate chunk Quest bar with half a tablespoon of Justin's Peanut Butter on it. This is fairly typical, though I don't usually have that much fruit. a couple times a week I get my carbs from mug cakes or other things like Halo Top ice cream, maybe skim milk in a small Cappuccino, or Combat protein powder has 5 carbs to a scoop, but 25 grams of protein! My Isopure I get at the Vitamin Shoppe has no carbs or fat, but also 25 grams of protein. It's a LOT of food, and not right for everyone, but after a terminally long stall I finally accepted that it could be my body was needing me to eat more and be really stable in my intakes so it could stabilize enough to begin losing again. I lift weights at the gym four days a week (two upper body days, two lower body) for about 25 minutes including stretching, and do some form of cardio on three of those days for about 20 minutes -- HIIT on the treadmill usually or by swimming laps the same way. Some days I use the torture machine (i.e. stairclimber!) but only rarely. I've consistently lost 2 pounds per week, this week 2.5 (yay!) and I can finally say I'm never hungry or deprived feeling. I have bread or a treat if I want to factor it in, and if it's REALLY good, but decided there's no point in eating mediocre stuff. Hope this is helpful. I aim for 60 ounces of Water each day too. Kate Wow - sorry for such a long answer just now!

I was in a stall after three weeks and I was in a one month stall right after Christmas. I was only three months post op then. Thank goodness for my monthly support group. Everyone there told me it was normal and they were right. You will lose the weight.

None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. We all experience fluctuations and periodic stall. It is a normal, natural, and necessary part of the process of losing weight. We all stall and almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. Follow your program. Focus on getting in ALL of your Protein and AT LEAST 64 oz of Fluid. It also sounds like you need more calories. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I am not sure when I experienced my first stall because I only weighed at doctors appointments early out. But, just about everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. Stalls are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the process of losing weight. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I'm Tammy (or Flutterby - the original name for a butterfly... ) I'm 45 yrs old, 5'8" tall. I weigh 295 lbs. My BMI is at 44.8. My first goal is 170 lbs. Ultimate goal is 137 lbs. I've struggled with my weight since my second child was born about 23 years ago. I tend to gain weight all over. Well, except my bust area (strange). However, in the last several years I have gained more in my belly. I look like I'm about eight months pregnant... Uggghh! Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved being pregnant and I adore being a mother, but I’m not having any more children and I’m ready to be able to lose all MY baby fat. The baby fat may have stayed with me, but I added a whole person’s weight to it. I need to lose half of my weight – a whole person’s worth. Only those who have been here understand how much that realization can hurt and disgust me. I have tried to lose weight by diet, exercise, supplements and programs just like so many others here. From Slim Fast, Cabbage Soup Diet, Herbal Life, fasting up to two weeks at a time,, Atkins, Low Calorie, Juicing Diets, Wheat Belly Diet, Gluten Free Diet, Gaps Diet, Hallelujah Diet, Mediterranean diet, Paleo Diet, HydroxiCut, Green Tea, many herbal supplements, OTC aids, a short span on prescription diet meds and thyroid medication and using vinegar as a diet aid. As I think about it, losing weight been a driving desire/force in my life since I turned 23. The endless weight loss/exercise and health-related books and internet ideas and “snake oil” type cures, well I’ve researched and attempted many of those as well. I've tried exercise alone, or in combination with diet plans. I've used 10 to 12 different exercise videos both aerobic and weight lifting combined with aerobics, walking, swimming, biking, stationary machines, free weights, machines like elliptical, treadmill, stationary bikes, etc. My results were sporadic and frustrating. I could stay with a weight loss or "get healthy" plan for months, sometimes even three years at a time but when I failed to lose weight at all or stalled with 10 or 15 pounds loss with hard work and high cost to sustain, I would slowly go back to eating my "normal diet". “Going back to my old ways” basically meant 70% healthy choices and still incorporating something new I learned, but I would stop resisting the dessert, the chips and dip, the popcorn with butter. I think the "extras" and "snacks" are one of my biggest weaknesses. I’ve also noticed in the last few months that I really do eat big portions especially when alone. I keep cooking for a big family and it’s only me and my teenage daughter at home to eat right now. No matter what, my weight has continued to climb the last 23 years. I get so sick of my failure to be able to control it or change it. Several times I have resigned myself to being fat. But as I got bigger and older, other things started happening to my health and I realized how much it affected my family and my ability to actually live life like I longed to. I kept thinking there had to be a "key" or a certain combination of things that would magically get my health back under control and I'd start losing weight. I had a sleep study done and found out I had severe obstructive sleep apnea. I was full of hope that using a CPAP would solve my problems because obviously I wasn't sleeping well with meant I wasn't getting proper rest. This in turn, I thought, surely meant it affected my metabolism and maybe perpetuated the problems with my weight. I considered that since I started gaining excess weight when my first marriage got emotionally and mentally and sexually abusive I might have been trying to be less desirable to protect myself from my husband at the time. I just wanted to be safe. I could write out that long story here, but suffice to say I got out of the marriage finally, after 16 years. What is frustrating is that even the strength and self esteem and “new lease on life” I gained by getting out of that marriage didn’t translate into the weight loss I should have or wanted to have and continued to try to have. So, was my weight gain or inability to lose it initially due to the stress of the bad marriage that involved sexual abuses? Maybe, maybe not. More likely it was also genetics and environmental (how I was raised nutritionally). Both my parents are obese and have struggled most of their adult lives trying to lose weight and now dealing with health problems related to being overweight. However I got here, I’m here. And I am so thankful and grateful that things have worked out for me to have this surgery. It’s such an answer to prayer and a dream come true. Honestly, I want this personally, but doing it for my family is a super-close second! One thing I am appreciative of is that I’ve probably learned enough about nutrition, vitamins, food, feeding a body, metabolism, weight gain concepts, healthy living and very interesting discoveries about foods like kefir, kombucha, barley green, apple cider vinegar, good water, food supplements, and the benefits of grass fed beef, range fed chickens & their eggs, and home grown vegetables to write my own book. However, since I’m having weight loss surgery – I doubt it would be deemed worthy of contributing to my health. It’s sad, but true. True because all these things didn’t “work” to help me lose weight. However, I do believe with all my heart that all I have learned will continue to be super valuable to feed my body right after I’m sleeved! My mantra has been, “If I don’t put myself first for once and lose the weight and get healthy, how can I be what my family needs me to be?” How can I truly give and serve and support and enjoy in my marriage and our children’s lives unless I first take care of me? Initially weight loss surgery can seem selfish and irresponsible. Only initially! In all truth, it is smart and right for me because it is what lines up with my vision of my future.

Yes, there is a scientific reason almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks post-op. Remember that pre-op diet to shrink your liver? About three weeks post-op is when your body decides to replenish the glucose in your liver. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall