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I weighed Bout the same as you pre op and had my surgery 3/22. First week i lost 15 lbs second week I gained three back. You are not doing anything wrong. Our bodies are getting used to the new program and holding on to everything. I finally lost those three pounds yesterday but only because I walked 5 miles in two days and spent two hours rigorously cleaning. For a lot of ppl exercise will get them losing faster or out of a stall like me. Good luck and don't get discouraged! HW 283. SW265. SD 3/22/13! CW 249

I am almost three months out from surgery and have only lost 52 lbs including the 18 lbs lost in pre-op phase. I've been in a stall for a week but I continue to walk 4 miles a day seven days a week. I feel like I am losing inches but the scale doesn't lie. Breakfast is 2 scrambled eggs and 1/2C fruit. lunch is 4oz of lean Protein. dinner is 4oz lean protein and 1/2C cooked vegetables. The hardest part is getting in 64 oz of Water and I have to force myself to reach that amount each day. My plan doesn't allow yogurt until six months out. I do drink two mugs of caffeinated coffee in the morning which I'm not supposed to be doing. One cup of caffeinated coffee is allowed at six months. I do have a container of sugar free Jello in the evening and during the day I have one or two low fat cheese sticks. Hopefully soon the weight loss will resume. I'm getting a bit discouraged with my progress. The surgeon predicted I'd lose 17 more lbs but I'd like another 30 lbs more than that. At this rate it will be a year before I can reach my goal. One good point is that I've been taken off blood pressure medication, have had my statin Rx dose reduced by half and had my CPAP pressure settings lowered.

I've stuck to only getting weighed at my bariatric follow ups and PCP visits. So, I really only see my weight every 3-4 weeks. It's sometimes more if I'm sick. I'm actually anxious now about my current weight because I want to know if I've dropped below 200. However, I'm going to hold off until my three month follow up on Thursday. When you don't weigh yourself as often, then you aren't even aware of the stalls. It's not like you can do much about them anyway. Just keep following your plan and it will happen.

Thank you! I think I'm mostly panicked because I've been stalled for three weeks, rather than just in week three 😓

I am Begining week 4 and have noticed my weightless has slowed down quite a bit.,. Any tips to get it started again? Please and thank you!

I had my first stall at three weeks and was quite discouraged. However, I could tell that my body was changing, so we took some measurments. I'd lost a total of 12 inches from my waist, hips, chest and arms. I highly recommend taking your measurements and tracking them along with your weight loss. It was a huge motivation for me to see that even though the scale was not moving as quickly as I wanted I was still losing. I still have periodic stalls, but if I up my Protein and Water, I start to lose again.

I lost a lot of weight quickly but this week I am gaining. I am not eating a lot but the scale is moving up. I remember seeing a lot of people around week three hit a stall, but not a gain necessarily. I am wondering if this is because I am eating soups and I have sodium retention. How was your third week? Were you able to get it moving again, if so any tips?

Ladies feel your pain I lost really good first two weeks then stalled and even gained third week. Finally I have broken through. I begin to eat every three hours. Taking my surgoens advice I uped my calories a bit from 600-700 to 1000. This would help get me out of starvation mode. I don't know if will help you all but it did me. I know your frustration hope you see less of you soon

Does anyone know what taking BCP's does to weight loss? I started taking a continual double dose of my BCP'S so that I'm not constantly having my TOM, and have only lost two lbs in the three weeks since then. My weight loss stopped the day that I started the double dose. Coincidence?? It is totally possible that the stall is just a long third week stall, but I'm about six weeks past surgery and have basically been in a stall for three. And I'm eating my Protein, getting my Water, getting exercise, and having about 600-700 calories daily. Ideas anyone?

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.

so, I have heard of it, the three week stall, but I don't like it very much. I think part of my problem is that I am not taking in enough fluids or just throwing them up. I just took some mirilax because I havent had a bowel movement in a week. Yes, I said a week. I have RA and am on pain medication and that doesn't help at all. so when does this stage pass. I am so discouraged!

stalls are a normal part of weight loss. Most of us have our first one around the three week point (but it can happen at any time within the first six weeks or so). This is only your first among probably many. When you hit them, stay off the scale for a few days and make sure you're following your plan to a "T". If you do, the stall will eventually break and you'll be on your way again. Stalls typically last 1-3 weeks.

So for a quick catch up on things from previous forum entries, I have my first post about me, my return home, the drain removal, and a quick update. This is all the stuff I posted about at the time and didn't remember until I read them again. Comments made on those post from today are in purple. From Sept 16, 2010: Starting to Freak Out My name is Desiree and I set my surgery date for October 4th yesterday. I've been on a journey of working to lose weight for a couple of years now. It all began a few years ago when I destroyed the cartridge in my knee and had to have surgery that put me on crutches for 6 weeks and I couldn't put any kind of weight on my leg. I decided to seriously work to lose weight then and was at my heaviest which was 342. I recovered from surgery and starting working with a personal trainer and following a strict diet. I lost several inches in 3 months, but not enough to count on the scale. While working with my trainer I once again tore up the same knee, only a different injury. This time it the cartilage on my femur and had a hole 1-2 inches in diameter torn into it. This equaled another surgery and this time 8 weeks on crutches with no weight allowed. I had considered the bypass and band off and on for several years but was always uncomfortable with rerouting nature's plumbing and having something plastic that required upkeep in my body. That all changed after learning about my stupid knee injury. While waiting for my 2nd knee surgery I went to a seminar for surgery. I found out all the requirements for my insurance company and started working on them. I found success with a non surgical doctor in the same office and put off the surgery part. Due to recovery time I had a stall in my dr visits and had to start over three months later. I had gained back most of my weight while recovering but over the next several months of starting back up I had dropped 30 lbs. I was happy and all was going well until the pain in my knee came back and I couldn't work out. I was told I have stress fractures in my knee caused by my weight and the thinner cartridge in my knee. The doctor said I need to lose weight more quickly so he recommended surgery. I consulted with my weight loss doctor and next thing I know I'm waiting on insurance approval. It was fairly easy because I'd already had the dietician visits and the psych evaluation. My surgery date is less than three weeks away and on Monday I start a two week diet of no fat, low fat, no meat. I'm starting to freak out and trying to find answers to all of these questions that are suddenly popping in my head and I do not like what I have found online so far. Then I found this site. I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with everyone and putting to rest some of my fears. I was scared for nothing! From October 6, 2010: Just Got Home Just got home today from my surgery. I was sleeved on Monday and other than the 4 hour delay it went great. I went in so hungry and still have yet to get hungry. The gas pains have not been bad but the soreness is bad. How long should I expect to be sore? Did anyone else pull their pain ball thing out at home? Did it hurt? And one last question, did anyone else have problems eating cold stuff like the popsicles? FYI Cold stuff doesn't bother me as much now but something warm makes me check to see if I spilled it on myself every single time. My original Drain Removal post was like everyone else's, me asking if it was going to hurt because I was freaked out by it. From October 14, 2010: Reply to my original post after having the drain removed. It didn't hurt at all. It felt like a suction cup being removed by my stomach and a little weird feeling when it made its way out but no pain!! Other than that the visit was fast and easy and he was pleased with how I am doing. Thank you again for all the help From February 22, 2011: Long Overdue Update This is long over due, but I think it's about time. I'm now almost 5 months post op and I've lost 62 lbs. I think I've hit my first plateau but I think that's because of the working out. I've been doing great and still amazing myself with foods I now like. I'm down 5 sizes which is such a great feeling, I can wear my prom dresses from high school again. I am struggling with hair loss, and I always get in my protein and take my vitamins, but I was told it's expected. My husband and I are planning our first vacation ever and after 6 years I think it's time. Little nervous about wearing a swim suit on the beach and flying on a plane, I've avoided that from fear of not fitting in the seat. I'll get some pictures and measurements posted soon. This was my last update and I never posted my measurements lol.

What they said. None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. We all stall periodically and most of us experience our first stall about three weeks after surgery. What are you doing wrong? I don't know. Are you: Following your program? Tracking your food? Getting in all of your Protein and at least 64 oz. of Fluid? Taking your Vitamins and supplements as directed? Exercising moderately? Weighing infrequently? If you are doing all of these things then you should be fine. If not, why not? Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

Lot's of people have a stall at the 3 week point, so I think that is what is going on in your case, so just stick with the plan and you will be fine. Your NUT has probably given you three numbers to focus on. 1) Ounces of Fluid per day 2) Grams of Protein per day 3) Total calories per day As long as you are sticking by those numbers, it doesn't really matter how the calories are distributed. I would encourage you to always reach your protein goal. I think you should probably aim for 80 grams of protein instead of 60. Are you drinking Protein Shakes? There are also tons of threads on here about alternatives to protein shakes if you aren't drinking them. As far as other calories are concerned, they can come from protein, fat, or carbs. If you have a certain level of protein intake, and if you want to keep your calories the same then if you cut carbs then you must increase fat. There is nothing to be concerned about here. Remember that my fitness pal is a general website, not one geared specifically to people who have had weight loss surgery. I'm glad that you've made the decision to cut back on your carbs. As long as you are meeting your three targets (fluids, protein, and total calories) then don't worry about your fat consumption. To answer your specific question,I try to get 800 - 1000 calories per day. If I consume 125 grams of protein in a day, that's 500 calories. The other 500 have to come from the remaining groups. In my case I generally consume 20 - 30 grams of carbs per day, so the rest will come from fat. 30 grams of carbs is 120 calories, which means that I will consume 380 calories of fat, or 42 grams of fat per day.

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.

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.

Hi Dina and welcome. You came to the right place. I'm three weeks post op and was in a stall too. I realized I wasn't putting in enough walking so I have added an extra mile to my walk and I walk to the beat of my iPod and I have finally started losing again! Hooray!! I saw my doc yesterday and he told me to do the same. Our body is in shock and still trying to figure out what just happened. Stalls are normal. Just keep plugging away!! you're bound to lose!! Best of luck!

Well I have some restriction. Not a whole lot, but it is a start. I want to wait until I'm completely stalled before I schedule another fill. It seems like the only time I manage to lose weight is the week I'm on liquids after a fill. Although I must admit, that I only stayed on liquids for about three days. I had my measuring day at Curves a few days ago. I'd lost 20 lbs. since I joined and they were all asking me what was my secret. So I pulled up my shirt and showed 'em my scars. Then I erased my name off the "Brag Board" 'cuz I'd really rather people didn't keep bringing it up. It makes me feel very awkward. I've never been good at accepting compliments & praise. I'm really very self-deprecating. Most of the time. Here are my stats from the Curves measuring day: Bust 49 in. -3 in. Waist 47in. -4 in. Abdomen 52 in. -3 in. Hips 50 in. -3 in. Thighs 28 in. -2 in. Arms 16.5 in. -2 in. Body fat 42.6% -1.9% (for stats from my 1st. Curves measuring day, see entry #24)

Well I have some restriction. Not a whole lot, but it is a start. I want to wait until I'm completely stalled before I schedule another fill. It seems like the only time I manage to lose weight is the week I'm on liquids after a fill. Although I must admit, that I only stayed on liquids for about three days. I had my measuring day at Curves a few days ago. I'd lost 20 lbs. since I joined and they were all asking me what was my secret. So I pulled up my shirt and showed 'em my scars. Then I erased my name off the "Brag Board" 'cuz I'd really rather people didn't keep bringing it up. It makes me feel very awkward. I've never been good at accepting compliments & praise. I'm really very self-deprecating. Most of the time. Here are my stats from the Curves measuring day: Bust 49 in. -3 in. Waist 47in. -4 in. Abdomen 52 in. -3 in. Hips 50 in. -3 in. Thighs 28 in. -2 in. Arms 16.5 in. -2 in. Body fat 42.6% -1.9% (for stats from my 1st. Curves measuring day, see entry #24)

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.

Yes, it is normal. None of us lose at a constant or steady rates. Stalls are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the process. You will experience stalls and most people experience their first stall at about three weeks after surgery. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

Stalls are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the weight loss process. None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. We all experience stalls and most of us experience our first stall about three weeks after surgery. Are you following your program? Are you tracking your food? Are you getting in ALL of your Protein and Fluid every day? Are you taking your Vitamins and supplements as directed? Are you exercising? Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I'm a daily weigher.. but I don't worry about my daily or even weekly fluctuations... while I was on my 15 week preoperative VLCD I gained all the time.. on 800 calories a day. It's completely NORMAL.. I also stalled for nearly three weeks... also completely NORMAL. For a lot of people when you lose weight really fast while in ketosis, your body regains a bit because it may be re-establishing its glycogen stores. Nothing wrong with weighing in daily, but don't get bothered by fluctuations. Evaluate your weight loss on a MONTHLY basis... and even then remember that some months will be better than others.

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.