I have lost 22lbs since surgery 3 1/2 weeks ago, but the scale is refusing to

move. I really am only eating between 500/600 calories daily, I haven't went to the bathroom but only once since surgery. I want the scale to move, any ideas out there?

Thanks

Up your calorie intake.

Well if you are concerned about going to the bathroom go get some milk of magnesia and take it. works wonders and usually withing 30 mins to 6 hrs. also you aren't eating enough calories. how many grams of protein are you getting per day? your body thinks you are starving it so it's went into feast or famon and so it's storing everything you eat. are you on mushies or sold food? what do you normally eat in a day?

Try to up your calories to say 800, see if that helps. I don't believe in the starvation mode stuff but, eating so little for too long will stall you. Everyone has different caloric needs. Some lose eating 800-900 calories while others can eat 1500 and still lose.

Up your calories a bit and see what happens. Though it sounds crazy, especially as we're trying to get the scale to go down, we have to eat to lose.

I think you need to up your calories. Are you on mushies now? If so you should really be having BMs. During this phase I was adding Unflavored Benefiber to everything (soup, protein shakes, cottage cheese, yoghurt). I bought a big container at Costco that lasted me 3 months. Check out

Calories per Day Calculator - BizCalcs.com you can get an idea of how many calories it takes to just keep the "lights" on (heart, circulation, brain).

Are you drinking enough Water? Are you walking? Both of these things will help with digestion, AND weight loss.

And, I agree with the others on both points, you are not getting enough calories and MOM is a lifesaver! You are still healing. Please, be patient with your body. The weight loss will come.

You have lost a bunch of weight very quickly! Great job. You RAWK! I did the same thing ... so when 3 days went by with no change on the scale, I was frusterated. I went to the Mayo Clinic's website and searched for "weightloss pleatu." It really helped me to understand why the weight first fell off ... then not so much. Everyone says "Water loss in the beginning ... blah blah blah ..." but this explains medically what happens and it makes sense.

You really can't lose more than 2-3 lbs a week in fat. What that feels like is DAYS of starving with no weightloss. SUCKS! Since you RAWKED it the first 3 weeks, your honeymoon phase of rapid weightloss is over, BUT you will still continue to lose 2-3 lbs a week. My guess is that what you say "no weight loss" what you mean is, it's been DAYS since no weightloss, not weeks. It will come off. You can not eat 600-800 calories a day and not lose weight ... you are burning more calories than you are eating.

HANG IN THERE! Congrats on your success so far.

- Randi in Cali

Oh ... one more thing ... as to not slow down your metabolism, you need to be exercising. Your calories are low so your body wants to hoard them. I am walking at least 30 min a day. I don't have to walk 10 miles and burn a ton of calories as I am eating 700-800 a day. I am just exercising enough to keep my metabolism going.

I've seen a few researchers saying that if you are eating less then 1000 calories a day you have a harder time losing weight, sometimes even gaining. I believe your body is telling you to 'feed me'

I agree you should in theory be losing weight, but definitely up your activity level if you've plateaued. This is an interesting factual piece of info for ya:

Starvation Mode is a state in which the body is responding to prolonged periods of low caloric intake levels. During short periods of caloric abstinence, the human body will burn primarily free fatty acids from body fat stores. After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source.[1] Ordinarily, the body responds to reduced caloric intake by burning fat reserves first, and only consumes muscle and other tissues when those reserves are exhausted.[2] Specifically, the body burns fat after first exhausting the contents of the digestive tract along with glycogen reserves stored in muscle and liver cells.[3] After prolonged periods of starvation, the body will utilize the Proteins within muscle tissue as a fuel source. People who practice fasting on a regular basis, such as those adhering to caloric restricted diets, can prime their bodies to abstain from food without burning lean tissue.[4]. Resistance training (such as weight lifting) can also prevent the loss of muscle mass while a person is caloric restricted.

I just have to agree with everyone.

600-800 calories is probably too low body goes into starvation mode

Also if you started at the gym muscle weighs more then fat

Get Water, water, water

Doing this, make sure you are getting enough Protein or you will start getting sick. You can start loosing your hair and get gall stones. Weight loss after the first two to three weeks should drop off a great deal, 1-2lbs a week. Some have more then that, others less.

In two weeks I lost 10lbs and the doctor said that was great, so 22 in three weeks, none of that preop is awesome.

"I haven't went to the bathroom but only once since surgery"

You had surgery 3.5 weeks ago with only one BM???????? This is not good, either there is a serious problem or you might take a 10 pound poop one of these days.

Ask your doctor about the lack of movement.

"I haven't went to the bathroom but only once since surgery"

You had surgery 3.5 weeks ago with only one BM???????? This is not good, either there is a serious problem or you might take a 10 pound poop one of these days.

Ask your doctor about the lack of movement.

More like a thirty pound poop, once in three weeks? I don't see how that is possible! It sounds to me like she is full of it! Well I guess if she has only had one poop in three weeks SHE is full of it!

Wow, that is the first thing I noticed when I read the original thread - 1bm?

I could partially relate though - it took me 4 days once to finally take one extra strength laxative. Now it has been 5 and I just jugged half a bottle of magnesium something and sitting like a duck

More important then the starvation mode factor you are entering malnutrition with such limited calories, this is evident with the lack of BM as well.

It doesn't sound like you are eating enough or the right things. you need to be getting 60-80 grams of protein in. If you are still on mushies, make a nice big pot of chicken veggie soup (no potatoes) and put it though the blender. 500-600 calories is like starving your body. Also, 23 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks is alot.

I am also having a hard time getting in enough quality calories and originally was not even making 600 a day. At that point there were even a couple days that I gained a pound a day. After much positive feedback through this forum, I did two important things 1) I upped my calories and now get in 700-800 a day and 2) I stopped getting on the scale every day (which was making me carzy) and now just get on once a week. Since I attempt to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day I feel better with a little more calories.

Regarding the BM...I had heard from many people that constipation is common. Years ago I found a herbal tea (called "Dieter's Tea") which I know GNC carries, that has senna in it and I would have a cup of it after dinner. At about 3 weeks post op I started drinking a cup of this tea in the evenings. It does not make me have a BM every day, but when I do, it is easy to pass.