Hi! For those of you who are in a plateau a few weeks into surgery...exercise really helps!!! I lost 13 pounds the first week after surgery and then plateaued for a little over two weeks. A little over a week ago, I started walking. I've been walking every day, two miles a day and have lost another 3 pounds in five days! It is so nice to see the scale going down again! :eek: I'm just sharing this because I know how frustrated I was during my plateau! Don't give up guys! We can do this! :tongue2:

Thanks for that, so nice of you to share

I also recommend swimming :tongue2:

I have been walking 2.25 miles every single day at a pretty good pace (3.4-3.6 mph), and I can't get the scale to move for anything. I lost 7 the first week after surgery and now nothing. I change the incline and the speed on the treadmill to add variety. I am sweating and know my heart rate is up where it is supposed to be. I am so very frustrated right now. I get on the scale and just want to cry. :tongue2:

Thanks for posting this. I am 2.5 weeks post op and have also been at a plateau for 1.5 weeks. It is frustrating when you can really see how little you are eating and how much you are moving.

I actually just pushed my butt out to a new gym today that I joined. I started watching season 7 of the biggest loser on my iPod and was really inspired by the merits of hard work. I guess it was just today but I was watching the girl on the green team who lost 20lbs the first week and 1 pound only the 2nd week. It inspired me to keep looking at the big picture and just be so, so grateful I am not trying to eat the plaster off the walls now that I am banded like I always did before.

Slow and steady! Well talk to me in another week if I am still the same, as I am planning workouts every day this week to try to move the scale again! :tongue2:

You also must remember your weight will go up and down. And another thing is when you are eating such little amounts your body thinks you are trying to starve it so it's going to hang on it everything little bit it has. Thats why sometimes the scale won't move. I've heard of some people eating more calories for a day or two and then going back to what you were doing before. it gives your body a jump start. good luck :tongue2:

i totally agree with you, thanks for writing this, because there are so many out there that get frustrated and lose hope and all we need to do is get up and burn calories, either walking, dancing, lifting weights.....etc. any form of exercise is good!!! congrats and keep it up.:tongue2:

Thanks for the replies guys! The scale will start moving for those of you who are going through a plateau. I was so frustrated when the scale wasn't moving that I almost regretted having the surgery. I know that the weight isn't going to come off overnight, but it's nice to see the number on the scale dropping instead of climbing. Palmtreegirl, trust me when I say that if you are exercising and eating right, the scale will start moving. Just hang in there! I appreciate the suggestion Rose, but I don't know how to swim..very embarrassing! LOL Kim, you may have plateaued right now, but congrats on your 37 pound weight loss! :tongue2: That's awesome! Butterfly and Laura..thanks for the positive words! Good luck to all of you!!! :eek:

This is like one of my biggest fears...getting this surgery and the weight loss being extremely slow or I dont lose much at all...Im scheduled for surgery July 30th and this site helps me and I learn alot but some of the things I read makes me wonder if I even have this in me to accomplish want I want and need..Im selfpay too so it puts even more pressure on me to make this work...Im glad you guys wrote this and I know Im goin to be on here even more once I have the surgery!!!

Zumba ladies, Zumba!!!!! It's addictive and you will lose inches shaking your booties!!!!! You don't even feel the hour going by.. I have my whole office going to class 3 times a week!!!! Just moving my body for 60mins a day has made a huge impact!!!! Give it a try!!!! Most Ymca's have it.. or u can get it on DVD and do it in your home!

I'm about 3 weeks out now, and I hit a bit of a plateau during week 2. I began to exercise fairly vigorously at the end of week 2, and it's coming off again. This as I've upped my calories and moved on to real food (albeit soft foods).

I think it's so individual, so I can't say this is a recipe for success for everyone. But exercise is its own reward - it releases endorphins, it improves your mood, it really is something that I need and want to get in the habit of doing - not just to lose weight, but for the rest of my life.

Right now I'm just doing the elliptical machine, and pushing myself a little bit harder each time. I've upped my calories because I need the energy to exercise (and because I'm burning a lot of calories exercising).

It is very weird though, weight loss - there are times it just doesn't happen and then there are days where you feel like you've lost 4 lbs overnight. And it varies from person to person. I think the best advice I could give (to myself and others) is to trust the process, and invest in the process (eating well, exercising), then let the outcome take care of itself. In other words, don't check the scale too often! And don't let the short-term results dictate your mood or distract you from your long-term goals! :tongue2:

Not to sound negative or anything, but to those of you who have said you're on plateaus at 2.5 and 3 weeks post-op, please remember anyone under 6 weeks post-op can't really consider these plateaus as your dietary intake has changed significantly, you are running into issues from having IVs and your body is healing at this time, so you shouldn't really be focusing on losing during this time (I know, easier said then done). After the 4 to 6 weeks when you have clearance to exercise, progress your diet and start getting fills, that is when you start to focus on the actual loss. Anything you may lose during this initial time you need to be happy with and consider it a huge bonus/head start!!

That is the best advice I received from this board when I was a new bandster and wanted to pass it along for those who are feeling unsuccessful so early in the process.

Not to sound negative or anything, but to those of you who have said you're on plateaus at 2.5 and 3 weeks post-op, please remember anyone under 6 weeks post-op can't really consider these plateaus as your dietary intake has changed significantly, you are running into issues from having IVs and your body is healing at this time, so you shouldn't really be focusing on losing during this time (I know, easier said then done). After the 4 to 6 weeks when you have clearance to exercise, progress your diet and start getting fills, that is when you start to focus on the actual loss. Anything you may lose during this initial time you need to be happy with and consider it a huge bonus/head start!!

That is the best advice I received from this board when I was a new bandster and wanted to pass it along for those who are feeling unsuccessful so early in the process.

That's some good perspective there. I just re-read my message and realized that even as I preach "don't look at the scale" I've been really results-focused and not as process-focused. Damn mind, it plays tricks on me.:thumbup:

I think that's the funny thing about losing weight, or even the expectation of losing weight. Or maybe about the expectation of anything, I guess - but either way, that's great advice and much needed perspective on the subject of plateaus and also of healing and patience after surgery. Thanks!

First of all kpdgal..I LOVE bunnies too! LOL I have seven of them! :thumbup: Juliansmom, I know that weight loss may not be important during the first 6 weeks or so, but for me, psychologically, it's very important. There's nothing I can do about that. I got very depressed when I wasn't losing weight..I was working really hard to lose and nothing was happening. This was like mental torture. The doctors may tell you that weight loss isn't important during the first few weeks, but they are thrilled when you do lose the weight. I wish it didn't get me down, but it really did. I ended up getting rid of my scale..which did help me feel better. I get weighed at work every week. :smile:

Exercise makes all the difference, IMO. I finished the C25K in late May, and since I started it, my weight loss has been pretty consistent. My diet has been consistent also, but I do still go out with friends and go to restaurants on occasion. Exercise also relieves stress and helps clear the mind.