Search the Community

I was curious what causes the 3-week stall, and this is what I found out in doing a little digging. When we experience calorie deprivation, whether a diet or after surgery or just not having the usual amount to eat for a bit, our bodies first turn to our store of glycogen to keep things running. Glycogen is a form of stored sugar, and for each gram of glycogen in the body, it's bound to 3 grams of water. So, if you burn a gram of glycogen for energy, you lose 3 additional grams of water as a bonus. Your body will always burn glycogen before it burns fat because that's how we've evolved to handle brief food shortages. Which means most of the weight you lose right after surgery is not actually fat, but water (and that's fine!). But after a few weeks, your body is low on glycogen and you still haven't hunted down a wooly mammoth to eat, so now it starts burning fat to keep running. At the same time, it does what it can to replenish those glycogen stores with whatever calories you have coming in, because it's a little worried you won't survive the next famine. Glycogen makes me think of the $100 cash my mom always kept stashed in her sock drawer for an emergency. If she used any of it, as soon as she got more cash, she replenished that first before putting anything in her wallet. Remember, each gram of glycogen comes with 3 grams of water. So you might burn 4 grams of fat, but also replenish 1 gram of glycogen (along with the 3 grams of water that tag along for the ride), and the scale shows you the same weight. Now you feel like nothing has happened and start to panic. But you still lost fat, which is the goal. And once your body does what it needs to do to replenish that glycogen, it'll start showing on the scale again. I really wish doctors would explain this process to patients before surgery! Some mention plateaus in general, but they rarely explain what causes them, and the 3 week stall is the type of thing they really should explain in detail so we know what's going on because it's basically a given.

I had surgery on 11/9. I’ve lost 20lbs since surgery 247 down to 227. I have stalled the last few days with no budge on the scale. Should I be worried? It seems pretty early for a plateau?? I’m tracking and getting between 300 and 500 calories a day. Is my weight loss over? I just can’t believe my weight is stalling already. I guess I just need some encouragement.

I told myself I could do it on my own too. I lost those same 45+ pounds over and over and over again through the years along with attaining a sluggish metabolism through low calorie dieting. Your body will constantly fight to get back to that higher abnormal weight setpoint we made for ourselves. It's exhausting. Regaining the weight always involved a few more pounds and eventually co morbidities. You might not have any now, but you will. Not trying to be negative but realistic. Also, as I got older, maintaining all the added exercise to try to keep it off became unattainable. WLS is way more than just food restriction. The surgery resets that setpoint, so you are no longer working against your own bodies stubbornness to stay at a higher bodyfat %. Don't pass on doing it based on fear. I would be more scared not to do it, knowing what I know now. GL.

Since you've been doing your homework, you probably already know that your chance for any complication is just under 6% and your chance for a serious complication is about 2.5% with the RNY. On the flip side, you have about a 74% chance of curing your sleep apnea and a decent likelihood of reaching a BMI in the healthy range. I am scheduled for surgery next month, so I can't tell you about my experience with it yet. What I can tell you is why I am choosing it after almost 7 years in my hospital's non-surgical weight loss program. I am 5'6 and 49 years old, with 2 teen/tween daughters. At the start of 2017, I was 249 pounds and on blood pressure meds, no other co-morbidities. My primary care doctor referred to me to the weight management center. They said aim for 1500 calories per day, 30 minutes of exercise 5 days per week, and check in with them every month. I was motivated and started tracking my food and exercise. I went in for nutrition, psych, and medical meetings as directed. The weight came off. I was thrilled! I got down to 202 in 6 months. I was so close to being under 200, and I was certain I could easily get to at least under a BMI of 30 to no longer be "obese." Piece of cake! Or rather, some suitably healthy cake alternative. Like apples, maybe? And then I stalled for months. I never hit that magical 199 on the scale. I kept doing everything the same and my weight didn't budge. I ate a little less. I exercised a little more. I gained 5 lbs. I gained a few more. I became discouraged. Life happened. I would lose 10 lbs, gain 8, lose 5, gain 15... I tried various meds but couldn't afford them longterm. I lost health insurance for a year and couldn't afford to go to my regular check-ins, which I know were partially responsible for keeping me at least a little motivated even when the scale didn't cooperate. I got health insurance again, and went for my physical. My blood pressure had worsened and now I was prediabetic. My doctor urged me to go back to weight management. I had to wait 3 months for an appointment, and despite wanting to lose some weight in the interim (so the doctor there wouldn't be disappointed in me), I weighed in at 251, which tipped me over to 40 BMI. That was the most I ever weighed. When the doctor recommended I consider weight loss surgery, I knew that was the answer for me. One thing I learned in all this is people can lose weight, even a lot of it. The likelihood of keeping it off longterm without meds or surgery is around 10%. Between a 2.5% risk of a serious complication or a 90% chance of being obese and on blood pressure meds the rest of my life, and risking diabetes, I prefer to take my chances with the surgery. It's not the losing weight that worries me, but the keeping it off that I don't think will happen without it.

Lily2024 first, congrats on making a positive life changing decision. My advice to you is if you go into your RNY with the strongest foundation possible then that is the best case as you have weeks of lower calories and activity. That said, there can be arguments made to which is better: weights vs cardio? I think a balanced approach between the 2 is always prudent. At the end of the day, the best workout plan is the one you stick to! So most importantly stick with what you enjoy so you are motivated to stay committed to the plan and pick back up when your recovery plan allows. Hope that makes sense. Generally I work out 5-6 days a week which involves mix of weights and cardio. Training for the Ironman, I spent most time focusing on the 3 disciplines: swim, bike and run. In hindsight, I wish I would have made strength training more of.a priority in that process to help with foundational strength and recovery. But I chalk that up to lessons learned! Learn2cook: thank you and yes I have plenty of pictures of my progress. Journaling is an area of which I need to improve but I have started jotting down some notes.  As for other goals, yes! My current goal is to get back to normal or whatever my new normal is. It’s funny how life hands you tests along the way. On 10./29, I suffered from an Ischemic stroke where clots hit 2 parts of my brain. Turns out I have a hole in my heart that’s a birth defect. I have my issues but it could’ve been much worse. A blessing was going into the stroke being in such good health. Had I still been obese, I may not be here today. So now I need to channel my Ironman attitude into putting in the work towards my recovery. So my fitness journey isn’t over but surely has taken a Detour. But attitude and effort are the only things I can control so I will do what it takes. Good luck in your journey!

Well, when you were gaining weight you simply ate more calories than your body needed. 9 servings might have been too much and maybe 7 servings might have been sufficient enough. What all of these recommendations never seem to consider (or at the very least they're not considering it sufficiently enough) are the individual caloric needs of people. The (traditional) diets of the leanest populations in world contain lots of carbohydrates. I wish we would stop villainizing "carbs", therefore throwing some many-ingredient-concoction I wouldn't even consider "bread" any longer together with rice, fruit, oats etc. (no, when you're eating a banana you might not "have as well a candy bar").

I am hanging out in the 180s. Down from 280s. I don’t do anything. I never watch calories anymore. I eat whatever I want. I just get full after a few bites. Still no issues. I have never had the constipation, foamies, or nausea that some people seem to get. I drink a ton of water. I have gotten really used to eating the same thing for days at a time. I went to Outback Steakhouse on Monday for dinner. On Tuesday dinner I had leftover Outback Steakhouse. On Wednesday for dinner I had leftover Outback Steakhouse. lol I do find that I am hungry in the middle of the night. I wake up and get a little snack sometimes in the middle of the night that I never used to do before. It seems like my body wants something every 6 hours. It just doesn’t want much. I still struggle to eat enough protein. Carbs are just so delicious. I have zero regrets.

Hi November 21 guys!!!! Exactly 2 years to the day since my sleeve so I need to post something to mark the date. I've lost exactly half my body weight since my surgery. I can't believe that - way beyond what I ever expected and I know it's just the luck of the draw but I feel so blessed to be in this position. The figures tickle me, LOL. My maintenance calorie intake has settled around 1500. I don't think I'll ever be able to exceed that without regaining. That's fine - a small price to pay. I still track absolutely everything I eat and I think I always will. I can chug about 7 or 8 swallows of a drink (strangely this is the thing that bothered me most NOT to be able to do over the last 2 years). I am running 2 or 3 times a week. Short distances but my aim when I started this process was to get back to that so - win. Please could you share your experiences of the last 2 years? Good or bad.

My surgery date is December 20th as well! My Preop Appointment is November 27th. I start my 2 week liver shrink diet on 12/6. Two weeks of one protein shake for breakfast, one for lunch and a high protein low calorie dinner consisting of 6 oz or less of a nonfried meat and unlimited nonstarchy veggies. Unlimited clear fluids, aiming for at least of 64 ounces per day. Let's do this y'all!

And you would have. I realized this past week while going thru years of stuff that I'm finally cleaning out, how long I actually struggled with dieting and weight loss. I found journals and food diaries and counting calorie lists, diet books and recipes etc. It made me sad. I could have avoided a lot of that if I had decided to get the surgery sooner. But I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and am happy with where I am now, I can honestly say, and I've said it before...my only regret is not getting the WLS sooner.

I never have counted calories at all— I think protein/fluid goals and staying with healthy choices/watching portion sizes are more what my drs want me doing. Im at 8 months with sleeve, and pretty much moving to maintenance and some days i can eat more than others— so best advise already given here is talk to your team.

I am 26 months post op, and I am very small and female (4'11", currently weigh 102)...I eat 1100 calories on weekdays and 1300 calories on weekends, sometimes a bit more if I'm especially active.

I was allowed carbs on my diet plan but my office goes by calories instead of size of meal. I think at 4 weeks it was around 400 to 600 calories but by 8 weeks they wanted us to be around 800. I would see how many calories you are actually taking in and just keep following your plan. Every time I hit a stall I gain 3 pounds and my last stall I actually gained 5 lbs. My stalls are usually 3 weeks long but once it was 2 months. When I think I'm in a stall then I only weigh myself once a week at most because stalls can be rough mentally. The mental part of this weight loss was the hardest part for me. Good luck and take care!

Obviously, I'm not a medical professional so take anything I say with a grain of salt. Tbh, during this weight loss phase, I would try to stay focused on losing weight. Continue to monitor your eating challenges, but there will be time to sort that out after you've lost the weight. As long as you're getting sufficient nutrition and calories, you'll be fine for now. Do your best to meet the protein goal, but if you fall short, it's not the end of the world. Listen to your body, and feed it what it can handle. I'm 19 mo post-op, and even now, solid foods can be a challenge. I generally still eat a soft(ish) diet. It works for me. Obviously, if you are continually getting sick, feel bad, and/or are unable to eat enough to meet your needs, that's an urgent problem. But if you can handle it, give it time and stay focused.

That does seem low calorie-wise. Is this in keeping with your team's plan OP? I agree with the others - focus on macros now - you should be hitting those goals every day (or as close to that as possible). I wish you all the luck in the months ahead. S

What are these 'calories' of which you speak? I never counted calories, my plan was much simpler. Simple plan for a simple man. More seriously, I can't see how 400 calories for 3 months is anywhere near healthy. You need to do better. Good luck, Tek

Are you meeting your protein goals at 400 calories a day?? Some programs will give you calorie goals, but others tend to focus on macros. Which does your doctor/dietician use? I know at 400 calories I'd be waaay below my protein goals, and those protein goals are very important to maintain your muscle mass as you lose weight. By 3 months out you should be able to hit them most days, or at least get close.

I am 3 months PO, and I am around 600-800 calories a day. My dietician claims by 6 months I should be around 1000/day. I do have some days where I am below 300/400 calories. I avg 80+ g protein a day. I still need to drink a protein shake every day.

400 does seem a bit low to me as well. How much protein are you getting in? Though i know it can be difficult to get in your exact targets, I find that may not be enough to keep up with energy levels and overall nutrition. I'm on avg about 900-1000 calories a day and I'm 7 months out. Typically avg bet 80-90g protein. Some days are a struggle and others are easier. Sometimes I still need a protein shake because I can't eat enough solids.

400 does seem pretty low for three months out & that’s coming from a low calorie eater while losing (I was about 900 at 6months & took almost 3 years to get to where I am now at about 1500/1600). Though you can only eat what you physically can eat (quantity & quality). Best advice is to speak with your dietician to see what they recommend you should be consuming - we have different needs. Then work at slowly getting to their recommendations. They may be able to suggest some things you can add to your eating plan to boost your calories & nutrition (which is equally an issue to watch).

How many calories are you eating wondering if I am eating too little.I am eating on average 400 a day. I am 3 months out from gastric bypass.

I'm scheduled for RNY January 3rd. My concern right now is that I'm able to work out pretty good every day, and getting stronger, more lung capacity for swimming. I'm worried that the 2 week liquid diet and the following months of low calorie will really interfere with this progress. Any advice on how to manage it in a practical manner? I was thinking possibly higher weights, lesser cardio? Right now I'm walking with handweights and swimming laps for an hour.

Surgery day is 3 sleeps away. I'm so ready for this-- but still a bundle of nerves. I've lost 25 lbs over the past month, with 2 weeks liquid diet and before that; a calorie & carb restrictive program. I'll 2 do days days clear liquids before the procedure to continue to try and get my HUGE fatty liver down a few sizes to make my doctor's job easier and my time on the table & recovery not as hard. I'm doing this for my health. My wife took a lot of convincing that surgery was the right path for me; but she's finally onboard. Congrats to all my Nov. 23 surgery buddies. See you recovering, happy and well on the other side!

I wouldn't double my workout. That's a pretty substantial change. Just make changes (if they're even warranted, which they might not be. I like the advice above that if you're eating to plan, you're good. If you're not, then get back to eating to plan) - anyway, if you're going to make changes, esp if they're warranted, then make ones you can live with long term. Yes - I could get back to my lowest weight - 138 lbs. But that would mean substantially cutting my current calorie level and/or really beefing up my fitness routine. Am I willing to do that, possibly permanently? I wrestled with this for a long time and finally decided no, it's too much of a struggle for me. My body seems to want to be where it's currently at. And I'm OK where I am. But it took me awhile to get to that point mentally. nevertheless, if you're eating according to plan, you may not be done losing. Those last 20 lbs are so are notoriously tough to get off. Remember I said I had months near the end where I was only losing 1-2 lbs a month, despite working pretty hard at it.

It’s definitely frustrating for sure. I’ll take your advice as well and drop 100 calories. And double my workout