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I didn't have what I would consider a 'stall'. Perhaps I was just lucky as I know so many experience them at week three. I haven't kept any notes on how much I lost on each week but it was a good steady loss. If you are losing at all, even if its half a pound a week, its not a stall. Congrats on the surgery !

I had surgery on Dec 11. and I know I've heard of a stall @ three weeks. But what I'm nto sure of, is it when the three week begins or after the three weeks When exactly is this stall? The reason I'm asking is because last week I haven't lost but like 1-2 pounds. and so that would have been my third week (I think) and I've been kidna worried and depressed about it. Part of the problem is I am weighing on diff scares. Gym scale, doctors scale, my scale and they all vary. ( I will be stopping that pronto) But when is this stall exactly? Have you guys who have had surgery experienced this "stall"

This is something with a two part answer. The first is that, on average, we will be slowing down continually as we lose, simply because it takes fewer calories to move ourselves around all day at 300 lb as it did at 400 lb, and even fewer at 200 lb, etc. We will likely see stair steps, and some weeks or months will be lower or higher than others, but the overall trend is declining. The second part is that we will usually experience a big drop the first couple of weeks or so (and then typically get the dreaded "three week stall") and the proceed lower at a somewhat reduced rate. This is because our initial loss it mostly water weight associated with burning off our short term energy reserves of glycogen (basically stored carbohydrate) which gives us the "easy ten" lb that we typically lose when we start seriously dieting. After the glycogen is used up, we start to draw from our fat reserves, though there is often a pause or stall as the body changes gears.

Hello everyone! I was sleeved on August 1, 2014, as of today I am down 40 pounds. I am so beyond happy with this weight loss but I have been at 40 pounds for about three weeks I know in my head I need to start exercising and getting more protein in. Please let me know what exercising you have noticed work the best and what your food diet is. I feel my doctor just says good job and sends me on my way. I have another doc appointment next week and my stall started right when I saw him last time. I almost feel like canceling my appointment cause I haven't lost anything since I saw him last! Help please! Any info how to get past this stall would be great!

Hi everyone, I wanted to report back the scale is moving again. I started trying to get at least 1000 calories and eatting every three hours. I make sure I get my Protein but be sure it is not just protein. I am on to regular foods so I am trying to work the fruit and veggie back in. I am also drinking my 64 oz of Fluid. I was in a stall for a solid two weeks at 260/261 and today I wake at 258.6. I don't know what part of that made the stall end or if it just did so in spite of what I did but YAY the scale moved! I just want to share hope it works for you guys!

I use the term 'three week stall' because that tends to be when that first stall happens but for some it does so earlier or later.. as long as you follow your program it will drop pretty dramatically when it ends.

Linda, definitely bump up the Protein and fluids. My saving grace with Protein shakes was the Syntrax nectar line. Light, fruity, only 8 ounces, no carbs and 30+ grams of protein. Most of the flavors are pretty darn tasty. Carry a bottle with you everywhere. I carry a "sport bottle" version of a Water bottle - 24 ounces and has a flip or screw top. I should invest in Crystal Light and/or Lipton as the little packets that mix into these bottles (I refill about 3/4 of the way with tap rather than clogging land fills) are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Plain water just doesn't do it for me. I'm able to get at least four of these in a day easy - about 100 oz! And finally, eat more!!! I know how very counter intuitive this is to us but really, you are definitely NOT going to overeat at this stage and probably not for a very, very long time, if ever! That said, I've also read here that some docs say not to worry too much about calorie intake so early in the game - it will come - as long as the protein and hydration is up to snuff. A huge help to me to a. make sure I'm eating enough (am!) and b. make sure I'm getting enough protein, keeping the carbs low, etc. is www.myfitnesspal.com. I think Tiffany recommended that site and it is a huge help to me, more than I thought it would be. I didn't start using it until I got to mushies, however. And finally, another common thread seems to be that a stall after two to three weeks post op is also very common. I was there, it lasted for a week and it sucked. There wasn't much I could do but wait. I added a bit more bike riding, however but I don't know if that is what broke the stall or if it was just par for the course. Haven't stalled since but have had some slow downs (pms?) Good luck, cut yourself some slack, you're going to be just fine!! Carol

Hi. I'm new to this site but had my VSG 8/14/14. With the liquids, you are doing the right thing with trying different temperatures. You may want to take smaller sips. At one point my sips were just getting the tip of my tongue wet. What really helped me was walking while I drank my Water. I don't mean a stroll. I was moving my legs! The moving helped the water pass without feeling like someone kicked me in my chest. May I suggest that you put the scale away. You are three days out from surgery. Standing on the scale every day will do nothing but drive you batty. I still don't have a scale in my house because I am compulsive. I would weigh several times a day if it was right there in my home. In the beginning I just waited until my surgeon visits to find my weight. I was never disappointed. I didn't have that dreaded 3 week stall everyone gripes about. I weighed in the doctor's office during the week 1 visit and weighed again during the week 3 visit. Guess what....the weight was down. No stall. After a few weeks, I picked Monday as my official weigh in and just plot my weight once a week on a graph. Some people plot their weight once a month. This way I don't get caught up in the day to day fluctuations your body will make. Before surgery I wrote a list of NSVs I wanted to achieve. This way I could Celebrate something in the event the scale doesn't move from one week to another. Who cares that I didn't lose 1 pound this week because I was able to button a pair of pants that I haven't worn in yearssssss!!!! Just find other ways to celebrate.

Don't forget to track how much and what you are eating. I like using My Fitness Pal. It really helped me in the beginning because it made me more aware of what nutrients I was getting in. My focus has always been to try to hit at least 80 grams of Protein. And, I had a three week stall that started week 3. They happen. I know it can be discouraging to NOT see the weight come off, but it will. I also learned early on to not weigh myself daily. Our bodies will fluctuate in weight day to day, even morning compared to night. Why? The food and fluids we eat/drink that is still in the system will increase our weight temporarily (and don't forget the other bodily functions). Pick a day and time to weigh yourself once a week. I swear it will help keep your sanity intact.

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

I once was told that when you are trying to adopt a new habit (or break an old one!) to be aware of the dreaded 3's. That is, you will have self doubt and discouragement at day 3, week 3, month 3, and then year 3. I have found that this is so true. Unfortunately for you, the DWTS (dreaded week three stall) exactly coincides with the Dreaded 3's-wait it out...week 4 is coming!

It depends on how long you've actually stalled. I've had TONS of stalls on my journey. My first one was at three months out and lasted 23 days. My body just had to adjust itself. It wasn't anything that I did wrong, it just had to 'catch up' so to speak. My last stall was in mid January and last 27 days up until mid February. I've lost 7 pounds in the five weeks since my weight loss picked back up. Like I said, stalls happen. Sometimes we just have to adjust what we eat slightly such as watching our sodium intake, our carbs, our fat intake, our calories, our sugar, etc. Sometimes it's nothing we're doing wrong. Think about your diet and if you feel something needs to change slightly then try it. Or, try and ride it out. It'll pass. Maybe call your nutritionist for advice (it's helped me a few times).

Hi guys. It's my first post here. I had my surgery on 13/3/2017 .I'm almost two and half weeks post open and I've lost abt 14 pounds till now. Now on my journey of wt stall since last three days but am mentally prepared for the stall as I've read here that it's quite normal. I bought Isopure Dutch chocolate protein shake. Now the problem is.... Can't take it down my throat. It tastes damn sweet. Any tips to make it a bit less sweet? I even tried reducing its quantity in water or milk but still the same result. Need help

Hello, my name is Annie, but I love the Beatles so I named myself Abbey I am 25 years old and I had weight loss surgery on 8/23/2010. My highest weight was 330 lbs and by that point I became really scared of reaching the 400lbs. I have always been overweight but I usually remained just 50lbs above my ideal weight (which for my hight it should range from 140 to 150). I began dieting one year before my surgery in hopes that I could lose the weight on my own, and I did lose about 20lbs. After a year of not being able to lose more I decided to have the vsg. My starting weight was 311lbs, on the day of my surgery I was 295 and currently I am 224. I used to be a size 28 and I am now size 18. I am currently at a stall and for the last three weeks I have not lost a pound. I am a big meat eater so my diet consists mostly of chicken or beef, I try to stick to the no carb diet. Usually I was eating three meals a day, but at the start of this month I began to snack still sticking to the no carbs. I believe that my snaking is the reason for me not losing this month. I exercise for about 2 hrs two or three days a week, I do cardio for 45 mins and the rest is weight lifting. I had my surgery in Laredo, TX at a hospital name LMC and it ran for about 8,500. I hope this is enough information but if you have any questiosn go ahead and ask I'd love to help. I also hope to have some of my questions answered I think it is an awsome idea that we have a forum to share info

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.

When I was three weeks out I did not want food at all. Nothing sounded good. But follow your docs plan. They have a method to their madness. As far as loss stalling or slowing, your body just went through A LOT!! It might need a little time to adjust. It will come off.

No! It's totally normal. Almost all of us have been through the first stall at two or three weeks. It WILL break. Just hang on. The body is rebalancing. Depression is common at this stage as well.

Well, there are two kinds of stalls: 1. Stalls that happen because your body's responding with WTF? I'm standing pat until I can get this straight! 2. People eating not enough protein, eating too many calories, not moving their asses through exercise, not drinking enough water, not taking their vitamins correctly, and generally just being uncompliant with their surgeons' instructions. My doctor told me that over the next year I should expect to lose an average of 1-2 pounds a week. So at 1.5 pounds/week, I can expect to lose (pow!) 78 pounds. However, you're a guy so you'll lose much faster than me (I'm a 68 year old woman). It sounds like most of your anxiety is caused by this event in your life that's happening three months out. That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself. Any chance you could dial back that pressure?

Many people don't show an initial loss on the scale because of IV fluids and swelling post-op. Have you talked to your NUT? Did your surgeon or NUT express any concern when you had your post-op follow-up? If not, I you are probably doing fine. Almost everyone hits a stall about three weeks post op. Just follow your program. Focus on getting in all of your Protein and fluids, take your Vitamins and supplements as directed, and exercise. Even though you are getting 70 grams of protein, your calories are very low. You should do better once you are able to get in more calories. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I hit my first stall during weeks 2 and 3 post-op. Then I dropped six pounds during week four. It's not uncommon at all (in fact, do a search for "three-week stall"). your body's going to do what it's going to do. Some people lose weight fast, others lose it slow and steady. So many things can affect it (I'm definitely a slow loser, but I've lost 153 lbs in total). Just stick to the plan and you will definitely lose!!!

Almost all have hit the stall at two or three weeks out. You body is just catching up. Take your measurements during this time and I bet you are loosing inches. Keep positive the weight will start coming off again. Put the scales away.

I'm so sorry you're not losing right now~~ but don't get discouraged! You're in what's called a "stall"~ a temporary period of time when the body stops losing so it can "catch up" to its weight loss. My surgeon's PA assures me it's only temporary and after the body adjusts it starts losing again. I was stalled for three weeks in my third month and am now losing again. I'm 4 month out as of tomorrow and I lost 4 pounds last week. So take a deeeep breath, and relax. You don't have to do anything different from what you're already doing~ and it will pass on its own. Talk to your surgeon or their staff about it, and they will reassure you that it's NORMAL~ and virtually everybody goes through it at some point in their weight loss journey! Best of luck to you

I'm entering my 7th week post op and I am stuck at 264 pounds. I realize I have lost a lot of weight but on the other hand, I don't understand why I haven't lost any this week. I am averaging 665 calories a day. I am getting about 70 gms of Protein and I an hitting the 64 ounces of Water. I am working out three to four times a week and burn an average of 400 calories each time. How can I not lose weight? It makes no sense to me. I am aware of stalls and I did have one a few weeks ago but it didn't last more than a few days. It's hard to keep motivated when the scale doesn't move.

The following extract brought it home to me totally - I can so relate to all the efforts it takes. I wish many fellow bariatric patients would read it - especially those at the beginning of the journey or trying to decide about surgery. Because let's face it: apart from a few lucky ones who can stay at their target weight without much of an effort, this is what we are all facing after loosing so much weight: Extract: "...Janice Bridge, a registry member who has successfully maintained a 135-pound weight loss for about five years, is a perfect example. “It’s one of the hardest things there is,” she says. “It’s something that has to be focused on every minute. I’m not always thinking about food, but I am always aware of food.” Bridge, who is 66 and lives in Davis, Calif., was overweight as a child and remembers going on her first diet of 1,400 calories a day at 14. At the time, her slow pace of weight loss prompted her doctor to accuse her of cheating. Friends told her she must not be paying attention to what she was eating. “No one would believe me that I was doing everything I was told,” she says. “You can imagine how tremendously depressing it was and what a feeling of rebellion and anger was building up.” After peaking at 330 pounds in 2004, she tried again to lose weight. She managed to drop 30 pounds, but then her weight loss stalled. In 2006, at age 60, she joined a medically supervised weight-loss program with her husband, Adam, who weighed 310 pounds. After nine months on an 800-calorie diet, she slimmed down to 165 pounds. Adam lost about 110 pounds and now weighs about 200. During the first years after her weight loss, Bridge tried to test the limits of how much she could eat. She used exercise to justify eating more. The death of her mother in 2009 consumed her attention; she lost focus and slowly regained 30 pounds. She has decided to try to maintain this higher weight of 195, which is still 135 pounds fewer than her heaviest weight. “It doesn’t take a lot of variance from my current maintenance for me to pop on another two or three pounds,” she says. “It’s been a real struggle to stay at this weight, but it’s worth it, it’s good for me, it makes me feel better. But my body would put on weight almost instantaneously if I ever let up.” So she never lets up. Since October 2006 she has weighed herself every morning and recorded the result in a weight diary. She even carries a scale with her when she travels. In the past six years, she made only one exception to this routine: a two-week, no-weigh vacation in Hawaii. She also weighs everything in the kitchen. She knows that lettuce is about 5 calories a cup, while flour is about 400. If she goes out to dinner, she conducts a Web search first to look at the menu and calculate calories to help her decide what to order. She avoids anything with sugar or white flour, which she calls her “gateway drugs” for cravings and overeating. She has also found that drinking copious amounts of Water seems to help; she carries a 20-ounce water bottle and fills it five times a day. She writes down everything she eats. At night, she transfers all the information to an electronic record. Adam also keeps track but prefers to keep his record with pencil and paper. “That transfer process is really important; it’s my accountability,” she says. “It comes up with the total number of calories I’ve eaten today and the amount of Protein. I do a little bit of self-analysis every night.” Bridge and her husband each sought the help of therapists, and in her sessions, Janice learned that she had a tendency to eat when she was bored or stressed. “We are very much aware of how our culture taught us to use food for all kinds of reasons that aren’t related to its nutritive value,” Bridge says. Bridge supports her careful diet with an equally rigorous regimen of physical activity. She exercises from 100 to 120 minutes a day, six or seven days a week, often by riding her bicycle to the gym, where she takes a water-aerobics class. She also works out on an elliptical trainer at home and uses a recumbent bike to “walk” the dog, who loves to run alongside the low, three-wheeled machine. She enjoys gardening as a hobby but allows herself to count it as exercise on only those occasions when she needs to “garden vigorously.” Adam is also a committed exerciser, riding his bike at least two hours a day, five days a week. Janice Bridge has used years of her exercise and diet data to calculate her own personal fuel efficiency. She knows that her body burns about three calories a minute during gardening, about four calories a minute on the recumbent bike and during water aerobics and about five a minute when she zips around town on her regular bike. “Practically anyone will tell you someone biking is going to burn 11 calories a minute,” she says. “That’s not my body. I know it because of the statistics I’ve kept.” Based on metabolism data she collected from the weight-loss clinic and her own calculations, she has discovered that to keep her current weight of 195 pounds, she can eat 2,000 calories a day as long as she burns 500 calories in exercise. She avoids junk food, bread and Pasta and many dairy products and tries to make sure nearly a third of her calories come from protein. The Bridges will occasionally share a dessert, or eat an individual portion of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, so they know exactly how many calories they are ingesting. Because she knows errors can creep in, either because a rainy day cuts exercise short or a mismeasured snack portion adds hidden calories, she allows herself only 1,800 daily calories of food. (The average estimate for a similarly active woman of her age and size is about 2,300 calories.) Just talking to Bridge about the effort required to maintain her weight is exhausting. I find her story inspiring, but it also makes me wonder whether I have what it takes to be thin. I have tried on several occasions (and as recently as a couple weeks ago) to keep a daily diary of my eating and exercise habits, but it’s easy to let it slide. I can’t quite imagine how I would ever make time to weigh and measure food when some days it’s all I can do to get dinner on the table between finishing my work and carting my daughter to dance class or volleyball practice. And while I enjoy exercising for 30- or 40-minute stretches, I also learned from six months of marathon training that devoting one to two hours a day to exercise takes an impossible toll on my family life..." Extract ends.

yes. Do a search on this site for the three week stall. There are over 17,000 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding...). Happens to almost all of us... Just stick to your program, stay off the scale if you have to, and trust the process. Your weight loss WILL start up again...