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Ayay, This is NOT a diet. This is a lifestyle change. I don't know how far post-op you are, but I'm guessing you're in the 3-5 weeks category. If so, search here for the 3 week stall. Almost everyone goes through that stall and finds that the scale is standing still for a bit. Take your measurements now, so you have something to refer to later, pay attention to how your clothes are fitting as well. Are they looser? If you did take pre-op measurements, are you losing inches? I lost my first pants size during my 3 week stall. I put them on, zipped them up, and they fell to the ground! I'm not following any diet except: 70grams of Protein and 64 oz of Water per day. I don't track calories, carbs, or anything else. I have started adding in more "good" carbs because I've upped my exercise routine, but that's about the only time I worry about carbs. Stalls will happen, but they happen because your body needs the time to adjust to the changes. I shape-shifted in the last few months, losing a good bit of mass in my hips and thighs and developing muscle definition in my arms, tummy and thighs. In that same three months, I lost 10 pounds. Now my weight loss has started up again, but I imagine that I'll go through another shift in a month or so. The best advice I can offer you is this: Don't let the scale run your life. Weigh less often and concentrate on your protein and water goals. The weight will take care of itself. Add in some exercise, even if it's 5 minutes on the treadmill or exercise bike. Once it's part of your routine, you'll miss exercise when you don't do it. Good luck!

I am not familiar enough with Herbalife so don't know for sure, but you need to read labels very carefully. What is the carb to protein ratio? Doesn't Herbalife have a lot of carbs? At three weeks out you should be adding more food sources of protein. What does your NUT say? Are you following your program? Are you getting in all of your protein and fluids every day? Are you taking your Vitamins and supplements as directed? Are you avoiding starches and sugar? Are you exercising? Almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. If you are doing everything you are supposed to then you just may be experiencing your first stall. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

Just wanted to share my story so far. I had my 1 week appointment at the Dr.s today. I had my surgery last Thursday 4/14. It has been an easy recovery for me. I was out of the hospital the next afternoon, Friday. On Saturday, I had promised to dogsit and went to walk dogs three times. I also grocery shopped. Sunday was two more walks and some errands. I have been out every day since. I have been doing doing some walks with my husband and yesterday we did almost three miles. The doctor said everything looked great. I am down 18 pounds, 10 since the surgery and 8 from my five day pre-op liquid diet. My starting weight was 237 and I am 5'7" tall. I can't see or feel any difference in my body yet though. Getting the Protein in is tough. I do not like the shakes but have been able to tolerate the Isopure drinks which is a big help since a 20oz bottle has 40 grams of protein. I usually get my 64 ounces of Water in and am getting about 60 grams of protein. I am averaging around 400-500 calories a day. My eating plan was nothing at all the afternoon/ evening after surgery, then 2 days of Clear liquids followed by 12 days of full liquids. Next is 2 weeks of purée and then 2 weeks of softs. Full diet taken slowly starting 6 weeks after surgery. 7 more days until pureed food which I am looking forward to - only to try and get more protein through food. I'm not hungry and making meals for my family hasn't bothered me. I am dreading the thought of an upcoming stall. I am also fearing losing my hair as it is super thin to begin with. I am off pain meds and have been able to sleep on my side since the second night. My only problems are slight nausea here and there, but not bad enough to have to take the meds they gave me, and diarhea. I was also lucky as my surgeon did not put in drains. My other issue is that i had the top of my hand turn black and blue, but it was not the hand that had the IV. I know others have had more issues after their surgery and I feel bad as I read their posts. I just wanted to share my experiences so far. Please excuse any typos as I am typing this on my phone and it won't let me go back and reread or edit. Good luck to all the upcoming surgeries!

If this is upsetting to you then you have some very unrealistic expectations, You are not guaranteed to see a loss on the scale every day. I would highly recommend that early in the process that you only weigh at doctor's appointments early in the process. At the very least, try not to weigh more than once a week if your mental state is dictated by the numbers on the scale. None of us lose at a constant rate, and in the first few weeks after surgery you are dealing with fluids from your IV, swelling, healing, dehydration, etc, etc. Focus on doing what you are supposed to do: get in all of your Protein and fluids, take your Vitamins and supplements when and as instructed, and exercise when you are cleared (walk as much as you can in the first few weeks). And, stay off the scale. Stalling is a normal, natural, and necessary part of the weight loss process. One day of no change in the scale is not a stall, but you will experience a stall at about week three. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

Why can't you play volley ball? SOme people do not start loosing till they start eating regular foods, others loose a ton. Some people loose it fast others loose it slowly. All seem to stall for a while. The things I always tell people to check...... (and I need to recommitt to!) 1) are you gettingin all your Protein ? 2) are you drinking enough Water / liquids? 3) is your Fiber enough? (I have to take the special K fiber water.....it has 40 % and that always makes it go better for me) 4) are you getting 20-30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week? remember that stalls are normal and physics says eventually you will start to loose.......less in and more energy out means it will come off....just sometimes very slowly! (and we all hate that!) I wish you the best of luck and try to begin your knew life with the positive attitude, that your family is negative.....try to ignore that and go on and live your life!

Okay, I'm actually a little over three months out now. My surgery was 15 July with Dr. Aceves. I was down 45 pounds at my 3 month mark. My starting weight was 242 pounds and I'm 5'1" and change. I started in an uncomfortably tight 18/20 and I'm now wearing loose 16s. The 14s are still uncomfortably tight, but I'll be in them by next month. My shirts were XXL and XL and are now L. No more Xs on my shirts! I've lost a bra size (both band and cup) and I'm finally able to wear my wedding band again. My shoes went up half a size when I went over 220 pounds, and now all of the shoes I bought are too loose and slip off my feet. I stall every month, twice a month. I lose about 15 pounds a month but I lose those pounds in two and a half weeks. I'm a type 2 diabetic and I'm insulin resistant, and my weight loss is "slow" compared to a lot of people sleeved at the same time. It's normal for me to stall for ten days and then drop six pounds in the next four days. Milk is not my friend. After a lot of work to pinpoint what was causing my digestive issues, the answer is MILK. Even lactaid upsets my stomach. My Protein shake, cottage cheese and plain yogurt do the same to a much lesser degree. I was looking for alternative and my doctor suggested goat or sheep milk, saying that they don't have lactose. I'd switch to almond milk or soy milk (if I could tolerate the taste!) but I'm about to move to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and I wanted to go with an alternate I could find once we move. Goats and sheep abound in Tashkent, but soy milk and almond milk do not! The great news is that goat milk isn't too bad once you get used to the aftertaste. At first it felt like I was drinking milk while munching on chevre. Since switching a few days ago, I've been able to drink my Protein shakes with only minor intestinal distress. I've also broken through a two week stall and lost 2 pounds, so things are moving again. I am losing hair. Not too much yet, but there is definitely more hair on my shirts and in the drain catcher. I've been taking Biotin (5000 mcg) since preop and I get all of my Vitamins in - I think the newly increased loss is due to my lower protein intake. While I was unable to drink my shakes I wasn't getting enough protein. I hope that I'll be able to pull through this without too much additional loss. My diabetes is well under control with just diet and exercise. I sleep better and longer than I did before surgery. I'm also more energetic and move a lot more than I used to, without getting sore or tired. Sometimes I don't see much of a change, but then I'll see a picture of me from this summer flip by on our screensaver and realize that I've come a long way already. My face is definitely thinner, and I only have a little more to lose before that dreaded double chin is completely gone. I have no regrets and would have this surgery again in a heartbeat. I wish I lost a little faster, but even at this slow rate, I'll be at goal by spring. ~Cheri

I think it's really very common. From what I have read on here, a lot of us had that stall at the two or three-week point. No worries, your loss will start back up again. Hang in there. You are doing great???? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using the BariatricPal App

OHHHH dear one- the conversations we've had today on this forum about stalls!!! I am in one as well. Mine started at...guess when....three weeks!!! Yes, it's referred to around here as the "three week stall." I found a great explanation for it today from one of our seasoned sleevers. Check it out: (This was a post on another thread by "Tiffykins.") This is why you are in a stall. It's normal and expected. Your body will never go into a stall as long as you have body fat to burn: Weight Loss Stall or Plateau A weight loss stall or plateau is an extended period of time during reducing efforts where is there is no weight loss according to the scale and no loss of inches according to the tape measure. This is why it is so important to take your body measurements before surgery, so you'll have a reference as your weight loss progresses post-op. We suggest you take measurements of your chest, waist and hip, neck, upper arm, thigh and calf. Be aware it is very common for your weight loss to "stall" shortly after surgery. Diana explains the reason for this below. The Inevitable Stall By Diana C. A "stall" a few weeks out is inevitable, and here's why. Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a saber tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored. Breathe, and fuggedaboudit for a few days. What You Can Do About a Stall or Plateau If you are experiencing a post-op weight loss stall or plateau further out there are a few possible causes. First, check that are you really in a stall. If the scale has stopped moving you may be losing inches, so check your measurements. Too Many Carbs? Carbohydrates can start sneaking into your foods without you being aware of how quickly they are adding up. For more information on carbs, see our section onCarbohydrates. If you are struggling with your weight loss you may want to examine your daily carb count. You can try to keep your carbs under 50g a day and see if that makes a difference in your weight loss. Do not eat carbs before bedtime as it triggers insulin and initiates fat storage. There are some great web site resources you can use to keep track of what you are eating.

My numbers are about the same as yours. I'm three weeks post-op today and I'm STALLED also. Hope this ends soon.

I lost 17 pounds my first month. I stalled at week three and didn't lose again until my second month started. I lost 11 pounds my second month, and I lost 10 pounds my third month. I now know that I stall for a total of about ten days per month, thanks to my cycle. I'm a slower loser, but that still averages out to more than three pounds a week. I've never lost 3 pounds a week before. Yes, it's frustrating. Yep, we want to compare ourselves to everyone else. Women that were sleeved the same month as me, with similar stats, are already more than halfway to goal. But you know what? I am losing. I'm losing faster than I've ever lost weight before. And even though I feel like the slowest loser in the world I can reach my goal in less than nine months from my surgery date. That's just four to five more months. Once I put it in perspective, there's nothing to be upset about. It used to take me four months of near starving misery to drop 30 pounds before. In comparison, this is almost effortless. Keep up the good work, you're doing just fine. ~Cheri

Yep - I weighed daily, but only officially recorded it weekly, so a week without loss (or a bit of gain) I chalked up to being a "stall". I only had one week without loss until I started ramping up my calories to slow down the loss leading into goal (and my "three/third week stall was maybe a day - it's a big YMMV thing.) There are too many water weight effects to worry about daily fluctuations.

I was lucky enough to have two doctor's appointments this week - my three month follow up with my local bariatric doctor and my PCP. I lamented to my bariatric doctor about my stall. How I haven't lost anything in the past 18 days. I was kind of whiney about it. She just looked at me like I grew a 2nd head. She said, "You're going great. You've lost a total of 50 pounds. What was your expectation?" I got to thinking about that - really, what number was going to make me happy? If it was 53 pounds would I automatically to over the happy side? What about 63 pounds, is that the magic number? She pointed out all the good things going on - lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, my ability to walk seemingly forever pain-free, my increased energy level, etc. All good stuff, right? So why am I so hard on myself about the number on the scale. She asked how often I'm weighing - I'm back to weighing every day. She told me to stop that, but I weighed again today. The best thing she said about my weight was this - "If you graph your weight loss, the line won't be linear, it's going to be more of stair step." And you know, she's right. I graphed my weight loss to date and it looks like stair steps. This morning I went to my PCP whom I haven't seen since late-October, about 2 weeks before surgery. Her jaw dropped when she saw me. She cannot believe the difference in my appearance. Then we started going over the labs and she was amazed. She actually said "You are glowing! You look happy. Your eyes are clear and bright. The transformation is amazing." Sometimes we get so hard on ourselves because we're not losing a the rate in which we think we should. "I'm a slow loser!" "So-and-so is losing so much faster than me!" We need to STOP! This is marathon, not a sprint. I didn't get to 256 pounds overnight, I'm certainly not going to lose it overnight. Sometimes it's good to step back and look at things from a different angle.

I was having the same dilemma and asked the same question. Do a search for three week stall and you'll find that it's perfectly normal. Your body is readjusting itself and in a little while you'll be losing weight again. Be strong

Yes. It's normal. Do a search for the "three week stall." Sent from my SM-G925V using the BariatricPal App

it'll slow down. I had a big drop the first month, then it's been like 2-3 lbs a week. Plus like many, you may hit the "three week stall" soon where you won't lose anything for a week or two....

I had my surgery on January 13th, prior to the surgery I had lost 13 pounds on my own, after the surgery I lost an additional 35 for a total of 48 pounds. that was over 3 months ago, I have no lost a single point since. I know I have heard of stalls but three months? I am so discouraged right now and having such a hard time dealing with it all. I met with my dr in june when it first started and he said we would talk about it at my next visit which is not until September 9th but by then it will be over 3 1/2 months and no weight loss. I have tried more food, less food, Protein shakes...then no Protein Shakes. I go to the gym 4 - 5 times a week I just don't know what to do

One stall at three weeks for one week. I should call my surgeon but through all of my issues all he's said is "You're doing great! I think you're going to be one of the lucky ones to lose all of your excess weight." and shrug his shoulders otherwise. Let's say I'm not optimistic he'll be helpful.

What? Me? Really? Yes! It’s true—I’m back with a blog update. I’d love to give you some grand reason for my disappearing act, but the truth is just that life has just gone on. Being banded was a huge life altering experience and for many months it affected everything. In a way, it defined me, just as being fat has defined me for the past 20 or so years of my life. Being banded affected my daily routine—what I ate, how I moved, work, the gym, doctors appointments. And then slowly, it affected me less. Life went back to normal. I stopped feeling sore, I went back to the gym, I started being able to wrestle those big dogs I work with again, and I stopped agonizing over every morsel I put in my mouth. My band became a part of who I am and stopped being everything I am about. And as life went on without me having to stop and contemplate my band every other minute, I stopped having new and exciting things to say about it. That’s not to say that everything has gone back to the way it used to be, although my life is not yet as completely altered as many of my pre-band fantasies projected it to be. A lot has happened in my life both related and unrelated to my weight-loss journey. I believe last I left you guys, I was plagued with a big pain from a little kidney stone. Who knew something smaller than a pencil eraser could cause so much trouble? Well, in case you were wondering, the kidney stone did not pass on its own. After my trip to the hospital and the very happy drugs they pumped me with, my pain was gone. I followed up with an urologist anyhow and it was a good thing since he informed me that being pain free did not mean being urolith (big, fancy, medical word for a kidney stone) free. And low and behold, the night after my appointment, I had another bout of excruciating pain. The pain came and went for the rest of the week until my follow-up appointment at which point my doctor and I decided to schedule lithotripsy—a non-invasive surgical procedure used to break up kidney stones using shockwaves that pass through the body wall. Unfortunately the first available appointment for the procedure was not for another 2 1/2 weeks. The pain was sporadic in the mean time, and while I had some hefty pain meds, I was unable to use them at times—ie when at work. So, I used Ibuprofen instead—after all the PA at my docs office said it was okay given my situation as long as I took certain precautions. Well, I don’t think I took enough precautions, or I just took too much Ibuprofen because after a few days my stomach got all funky and I was sick for a good 2-3 days. I stopped the Motrin of course, and got better. Finally I went for my scheduled procedure and they took an x-ray to locate the stone, then hooked me up to an IV and knocked me out. I woke up shortly after and everything went smoothly. Of course the lithotripsy only broke the stone up to smaller pieces and didn’t get rid of it, so for another week and a half I waited for the stone to pass—with even more pain than before, as well as several bouts of nausea. At last, my stone was gone, and with it, the pain. In addition, I felt energetic and just plain good for the first time since it happened. I turned the stone in for analysis and did some extra urine tests and next week I return to my doc for the results as well as a discussion on nutrition to help prevent further stones. I’m a little worried about how that will go and how his nutrition advice will work with my band. Obviously drinking plenty of water is paramount for both my situations, but I have a feeling he’s going to tell me to cut back on my protein which will not bode will with band eating. He says he’s seen many bandsters getting kidney stones 3-4 months after surgery and on the one hand, that probably means he knows our nutrition restrictions, but on the other hand, it probably means the diet change helped in the formation of the stone. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. Despite the passing of my kidney stone, I am—sadly—not yet a paragon of health. I’ve been having some trouble with my shoulder. At first I just suspected a pulled muscle or something, but given my kidney stone-ibuprofen snafu, could not treat it properly with anti-inflammatory meds like Mortrin. I finally sucked it up and got myself to the orthopod who examined me and took an x-ray. He said the x-ray looked pretty good, but he did see a small bone spur which probably caused some bursitis. Normally he would have just had me treat it with NSAIDS (if it was that easy, I wouldn’t have needed him) but instead he gave me a cortisone shot. Sadly, it didn’t work. He also gave me a prescription for physical therapy if it didn’t work. I think I’ll probably have to use it, but I’m going to try my sister’s acupuncturist first (I saw him once before and he actually predicted my kidney stone by feeling my pulse—well not a kidney stone exactly, but he told me the “kidney” part of my pulse was weak—how crazy is that?) Of course, I think I’m starting to sound like an 80 year old, going on and on about my health problems. I’ve been sicker since getting my band than I was before—how did that happen? In other—non-medical—news, in the end of August, I finally moved into my new place. Having my own refrigerator to stock with all my own food has been helpful. I pretty much live off rotisserie chicken. I’ll have a quarter of a store bought chicken, no skin and I’ll pair it with some fruit, or carrot sticks, or tonight, a small baked potato. Yum, yum. My lunches vary, sometimes I’ll have a lean cuisine, or I’ll have a salad from the salad bar down the street. My usual breakfast is either a protein bar, or if I get up early enough, a 100 calorie whole grain English muffin with 1 egg, 1 egg white, and piece of low fat cheese. I do still have snacks. I believe in eating when I’m hungry. I’ll usually go for either a yogurt, or a high protein snack bar—Slim fast makes a yummy caramel nougat one, and South Beach has a chocolate raspberry one I love. Like a bad girl, I have taken to drinking diet soda again, but only 2-3 times a week instead of 5-6 times a day like I used to and of course, plenty of water is still a must. I stalled with my weight-loss for a while, not because I didn’t have restriction, but because I was making bad choices and eating a lot of junk food again. So, I started going to Weight Watchers. The band helps me monitor how much I eat, and WW gives me the tools to help me make better choices. Having to figure out how many points everything is makes you stop and think before eating it. I only have so much room in my new little tummy pouch, and I need to make each bite count. That’s not to say I’ve given up all the good stuff—I still eat the foods I love…pizza, bagels, ice-cream, etc, but not on a regular basis. I really feel like I eat like a “normal” person now. I can eat a slice of pizza, without eating 3. I can have a turkey burger and leave half for the next meal. Anytime I order out, my food lasts a good 3 meals instead of finishing the whole thing and wanting more. It’s amazing how normal that is for me now. My loss is picking up again and I still have hopes of making my goal of losing 75# by my sisters wedding which is October 25. I’ve got to lose another 5 lbs and I’ve got 10 days to do it. Holly, this entry is getting long. I have more to say about how I’m feeling about the changes the last 6 months have made to my mind, body and soul, but I’m working on page three of this thing now, so I’m going to cut it here, and save the rest for another entry. Here’s to not letting another 3 months go by before that happens Tootles.

Yes, you are at the three week mark so a stall is pretty inevitable at this point. Stalls are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the process. If you are going to lose a significant amount of weight, you will experience stalls. Just focus on getting in all of your Protein and fluids, taking your Vitamins and supplements as directed, and exercising. If the numbers on the scale are going to dictate how you feel, then STAY OFF THE SCALE. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

bloom, I was banded the same day as you. I'm still losing, but it has slowed down, to probably a normal level. I'm not drinking any of my meals, unless I'm in a big rush. I'm also getting on my elliptical, but not using the arms and taking it slower than I did pre-band for 40 mins in the morning, and taking a three mile walk in the evening. (hopefully after my doctor's appt next week, I'll be OKed to increase my exercise). I'm watching every carb, to make sure the ones I'm getting are from healthy foods. I also still have restriction from the surgery, so I'm not famished, which is very helpful in not going overboard at meal time. I am sticking to 1/2 c meals, heavy on protein, 3 times per day plus a snack. I'm keeping my snacks healthy. For instance, today, I'm having NF cottage cheese with tomato. Yesterday, I had a peach. I'm also drinking a ton of no-cal liquids (ice water, crystal lite, etc). I anticipate losing my restriction, and maybe having a stall in my weight loss, but after fills, I know I'll kick it back up. I know it's such an uphill battle, bloom, but we're going to make it. From everything I've read, it's not until we get fills, that we really get the advantage from our bands. Hang in there.

Hello. I've been on here a few times and I REALLY enjoy reading everyones stories...so here's mine.... I have been overweight for the majority of my life. Three beautiful children added even more weight which was so hard to lose. I've tried diet after diet...pills ...everything. I would lose a little weight here and there then gain it right back. Recently I began looking into info. on the gastric sleeve. My PCP said I was a good candidate considering my history and my not so good family history. Eventually I started the 3 months of classes that Kaiser requires and completed them. Next was my consult with the surgeon. He put me on the 3week liquid diet and I lost the 10 lbs required.It was tough going through that phase! Finally the surgery date arrived...Nov. 27th 2012. Everything went well. They removed my gallbladder and repaired a hernia that was found. Hospital stay was rough...had horrible spasms in my chest ..but I was released the following day. Recouperating at home was a lot comfortable. The muscle spasms continued for a little over a week or so. Thank God they are gone!! Nausea has now kicked in which I take medication for. I am hoping it subsides soon!! It's been 19days since my surgery. Between the pre op diet and now I've lost 19 lbs. Happy about that even though I was hoping to of lost more...I'm now at the dreaded stall and haven't lost anymore weight in over a week and I'm really frusterated! Staying focused though! Ive come to far and refuse to give up. Hope you enjoyed my story as much as I enjoy all of yours. Add me as a friend if you'd like. I'd love to talk to you ...share encouraging words...advice...anything!!

In April 2012, I was driving to work one sunny morning when my life changed. A 19 year old drunk driver drove into my lane and hit me head-on. I know just how lucky I am not only to be alive, but not to have been injured any worse than I was. I had 3 broken bones and spent 4 weeks in a wheelchair, 2 with a walker and cane, and weeks in physical therapy, but I'm still here! The problem was even after physical therapy, my joints hurt. I thought I just needed to work-out and lose weight. Uh, yeah, I was about 316 pounds, so that should have been enough of a clue! However, working out wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, because I was in pain during and after. I realized that I needed to take off the weight in order to make the exercise work for me. I had considered weight loss surgery before and had even gone to an informational meeting, but didn't follow through. It seemed too extreme! What I needed at this time was the extreme. I had surgery Dec. 19,2012 by Dr. Teresa LaMasters. It was easily the BEST decision I've made to improve my health! I didn't have any problems. My insurance approved the procedure literally in less than 24 hours! I was fortunate that because of the car accident, my deductible was met and I didn't have to pay very much out of pocket for the procedure either. Nothing made me sick after surgery. My tastes changed some in that Protein drinks that I liked before surgery tasted like drinking syrup after and I found that the only one I really like is chocolate unjury. I also discovered Quest Protein Bars and love them! For about the first year, everything was easy. I got down to 209 pounds and stalled some. Some of the stall was due to the fact that I discovered I could eat anything and maintain for the most part as long as I worked out and didn't over do. So I'd gain and lose the same 5 pounds! (This is the point I should have been smacking myself in the head! lol) Things were going so smoothly for me, that my husband decided to have the surgery as well. He's 6'4 and was over 400 pounds. His surgery was June 2014. He's down 125 pounds so far. Now we're to the part of my story that got me here. In October, my sister started to not feel good and went to the hospital. She came home and they thought she had a virus. Two weeks later, she was worse and they admitted her. Three days later, no one had answers and she was transferred to a bigger hospital. In the meantime, I'm working on an important report for the federal government that will help me gain "points" towards re-funding the grant for my program. I was also informed at this time that my employer didn't want to spend the money on a grant writer and that it was now "my job" to write the grant that funds my job and 3 others over the next 5 years. Oh, and did I mention I was supposed to do this in my spare time for no money? We're approaching Thanksgiving and my sister is still in the hospital without a diagnosis, but with dozens of tests run. The week of Thanksgiving, we hear she's going to get to come home! Yea! The next day, they decided they needed to put a stent in and that she can't leave yet. Two days later, they decided she had polycythemia vera. She never got to come home. She passed away on December 1. 12 days before her son's 22 birthday...22 days before her 25th wedding anniversary...during her daughter's first semester of college. It's just so surreal to have my best friend and sister be gone. Our family is fractured. Two days before the funeral, my husband had surgery on an elbow he'd injured. The thought of him with anesthesia terrified me. Then two weeks later, I had surgery. We made it through Christmas and needless to say, food was a comfort through all of this. On Dec. 26, I went for my yearly mammogram and got a call two days later that it was abnormal and I had to have another. From there, I went to a breast cancer specialst and was informed that I had to have a biopsy. (I'm thinking to myself, are you FREAKING kidding me!! Yes, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself!) Good news, NO CANCER! Whew! In the middle of all of this, I finished that stupid grant that turned into a nightmare and things were starting to look up! Then, honest to God, I should be in a country song...I came home last week to find one of our furry, four-legged children dead. ARGH!!!! I've decided that if I've survived all of this, then I can DO ANYTHING!! Yes, I've gained 14 pounds since my lowest weight. However, I'm determined that this will not beat me!! I am so encouraged my the stories I've read here and am anxious to try some of the suggestions people have made. Thanks for giving me some inspiration!

Just about everyone on here has had a stall. There are lots of different things to try, but sometimes we just have to be patient. I struggled with obsessing about my weight loss numbers in the first three months. Then I started to relax a bit. Now at 6 months post op I don't get flustered when my numbers stall. Things to try...more water, more protein, more fat, more calories, switch breakfast and dinner, change from cardio to weights or vice versa. Try one and see what happens. I've found my numbers freeze or crawl for 2 weeks just before my menstrual cycle and then once it starts...whoosh weight comes off quickly Sent from my SM-G920V using BariatricPal mobile app

Good Morning Friends! Today is the beginning of week three and I was happy to have my first cup of yogurt today. I can honestly say that I don't mind the not chewing as much as I mind all the sickly sweet foods. I know you all said that your taste buds changed, but the Carbmaster Yogurt this morning almost gagged me and it was always my yogurt of choice! I weighed this morning in honor of my sleeve-a-versary and was down 2 more pounds...that makes 11 since surgery...stupid me was almost sad because it wasn't more and then I realized that I would have given anything for a 2 lb loss a few months ago! I guess it is all relative! I am going to measure today...assuming this little seamstress can find a tape measure! I think measurements will come in handy when I hit the stalls! Hope you all have a wonderful day! Cheers~ Barb

Hi Everyone, Well, I am still on a stall, but I have decided that if that is what my body needs to do right now then I should help it all I can to feel comfortable enough to start losing again. So I am trying to chill out, and not worry about the scale. (I have put it away for awhile) I figure my body has always been pretty good to me, and when it feels happier it will let go of more weight. I guess it is a case of 'catch up' , and by that I mean my mindset as well as my body. So, to help my mind feel better, I took some more measurements. Whoohoo! Another three inches bite the dust!!!!! Wow in the last year and a bit I have lost over 27 inches all over my body. That is amazing. Ok, with those sorts of changes I can begin to understand why my body needs some adjustment time. Besides, this isn't a race, this is the rest of my life. So slow and steady does it. I have taken other peoples advice and found some flavoured waters that agree with me, so I have a change from squashes which is great as I was getting really bored with them. The other night my husband had steak with all the trimmings, and I had a small piece of his steak (2 x 1 inch) with a fried egg. I ate all the steak (which was so lovely and juicy) and the yolk of the egg and I was full up. Hooray. I love the fact that these small amounts of food are more than enough. I am also delighted that I am able to eat everything I try. My sleeve is so well behaved, and good to me. :wub: I am still keeping up with the daily walking and the step every other day and feel quite proud of myself that I am doing it. Usually, if I am not losing I get bored or fed up and quit for a while. My step work is improving and I am thinking of moving on to the harder stuff soon. (At the moment I just repeat the easy stuff about 10 times.) I may leave it a bit longer though as I know how long it took me to feel okish about the easy stuff. I still don't like my feet leaving the floor, but I guess it is getting easier. I have a dr's appointment for my first proper check up since my op next week, so will let you all know how that goes. Hopefully I will be able to report a bit more weightloss, but if not, nevermind.(perhaps I should change my name to tortoise!) Best wishes to everyone Phoenix