i am 4 weeks post op and lost 13lbs on the liquid diet and once i started eating food 3 weeks ago i haven't lost anything. i have played around with my calories going from 700 to 1000 and still nothing. am walking every day, getting all my water, protein, carbs etc. i would understand if i stalled for a week or so but to stall for 3 weeks seems like a long time. am being patient with it, but am just confused. also, i don't feel like i need a fill because i have pretty good restriction with nothing in my band. also, if i get it filled, my calories would drop WAY down and push me into starvation mode, wouldn't it?

Same here again - I have no idea what is going on! I see we have a similar amount of weight to lose which seems to be less than the average - I wonder if that has anything to do with it. But I am so frustrated. I go to see my doctor on the 14th. WHen you got your band did they give you a fill? Or is you band empty? I have 6 cc's in my band - thats what they filled me with when they put it in. I do feel little restriction but I think I could eat if I really wanted to.... so I am thinking I need another fill. But regardless of that Ive been following the diet and my diet is very strick, 1 shake for breakfast, 1 more lunch, a 90 calorie yogart and 3ox protein and 3oz veggie for dinner..... what has your doctor said?

i am 4 weeks post op and lost 13lbs on the liquid diet and once i started eating food 3 weeks ago i haven't lost anything. i have played around with my calories going from 700 to 1000 and still nothing. am walking every day, getting all my water, protein, carbs etc. i would get if i stalled for a week or so but to stall for 3 weeks seems like a long time. am being patient with it, but am just confused.

i got my band on 3/15. my dr said everyone is different and stalls happen. didn't say much else. the nutritionist said to play around with my calories, which i've been doing but hasn't helped. i haven't had a fill yet and may not need one for a while because i have pretty good restriction. to eat 900 cal a day, i have to try.

here's what i'm eating, if any old timers want to comment. i just added veggies, so i'm still working on adding those in. i need to eat Snacks or i get hungry. also, if i don't my calories are too low for the day.

breakfast:

1 poached egg and 2 oz of black Beans

snack:

low carb yogurt, 80 cal

lunch:

2 oz black beans and 3 oz chicken

snack:

baby bell cheese

dinner:

3 oz chicken and veggies

I am only one week post-op and don't get my first fill until 5/11/2011. Yes, I had some pasta with green beans and felt like I could have another serving. Now that really scares me, so I really have to watch it because I have no restrictions. I will not weigh myself until next Sunday to see if I've loss weight.

Pam, I stalled at weeks 2-5. Don't worry you'll start losing again

thanks. appreciate the encouragement and info.

During the first six weeks or so after surgery your body is still adjusting to its new situation. You aren't eating like you were in the old days, your behaviors are different now, and your body needs to sort things out to decide what is now "normal" for you and your new life. The postop weight you lost so fast was a combination of Water weight and fluids taken in during surgery. Once that excess weight is gone, your system needs time to settle down and focus on actually burning fat.

Be patient - after a few weeks of things settling down, your metabolism will regroup, and you'll start losing properly. That's when you should look closely at what you're eating, and how often. One major trick that helps me is to eat a few ounces of Protein every three to four hours, rather than a larger meal every six or eight hours. By keeping my blood sugars balanced and protein intake elevated, my body has no choice but to work on losing fat. It tales a bit of manipulation to determine what's normal for your body, but it works really well once you sort things out.

Good luck!

Dave

good info, thanks dave!

I agree with Dave on the frequent smaller meals of protein. Also, you can eat completely right and not lose anything sometimes. The rate of fat burning is different for everyone, and sometimes changing your eating habits and caloric intake is not enough to lose substantially. For some of us, we also have to incorporate proper water intake and exercise for the scale to move

What exactly is "stalling" and how can it be avoided, advice?

What exactly is "stalling" and how can it be avoided, advice?

Stalls are when you stop losing weight for a few weeks. It's usually due to your body readjusting and recomping. A lot of people stall when they move to normal foods, which is usually due to your body getting used to normal food intake again. Stalls can last a week or a few weeks. Your best bet is to wait it out, play around with your calories/exercise, and focus on the NSVs, such as losing inches.

Nothing you can do to avoid it. It's all part of the weight loss journey. Weight loss is not and will never be linear nor constant. Some weeks you'll lose nothing, some you'll lose 1/2lb, some weeks you'll lose 3lbs; it is never the same.

i am 4 weeks post op and lost 13lbs on the liquid diet and once i started eating food 3 weeks ago i haven't lost anything. i have played around with my calories going from 700 to 1000 and still nothing. am walking every day, getting all my Water, Protein, carbs etc. i would understand if i stalled for a week or so but to stall for 3 weeks seems like a long time. am being patient with it, but am just confused. also, i don't feel like i need a fill because i have pretty good restriction with nothing in my band. also, if i get it filled, my calories would drop WAY down and push me into starvation mode, wouldn't it?

1. Starvation mode doesn't exist, especially after a few days, so no, your body won't go into starvation mode. 2. I don't see a fill being the answer here. My advice is to be patient and realize you are only 4 weeks post-op. Do some searching/reading on the forums and you'll find that most people at the 4-7 week post-op phase are not losing. Why? Your body is healing; it's going to soak up whatever calories you give it. Weight loss isn't a main focus, and shouldn't be, until about week 6. Give yourself time to heal as opposed to changing even more factors when your body is recooping from an invasive surgery. Continue doing what you're doing and you will see results on the scale in time, especially if you are doing everything you say.

Also, if you are not measuring your food, start. Use a digital scale, not measuring cups. Good luck.

1. Starvation mode doesn't exist, especially after a few days, so no, your body won't go into starvation mode. 2. I don't see a fill being the answer here. My advice is to be patient and realize you are only 4 weeks post-op. Do some searching/reading on the forums and you'll find that most people at the 4-7 week post-op phase are not losing. Why? Your body is healing; it's going to soak up whatever calories you give it. Weight loss isn't a main focus, and shouldn't be, until about week 6. Give yourself time to heal as opposed to changing even more factors when your body is recooping from an invasive surgery. Continue doing what you're doing and you will see results on the scale in time, especially if you are doing everything you say.

Also, if you are not measuring your food, start. Use a digital scale, not measuring cups. Good luck.

great info, thanks! yeah, i've been tracking everything on fitday and using measuring cups but was wondering if a digital scale would be better. they're pretty cheap so i'll pick one up. thanks!

great info, thanks! yeah, i've been using measuring cups but was wondering if a digital scale would be better. they're pretty cheap so i'll pick one up. thanks!

Yes buy one, ASAP. You will be floored by how much a cup measures compared to a gram or ounce measurement. Measuring cups are unreliable for anything but liquids. I'll bet you're eating more calories than you think. I learned that when eating Peanut Butter. A tablespoon of peanut butter is NOT a true 'tablespoon' that you'd use to measure out a tablespoon of milk or something. My digital scale has been god-sent.

I stalled for about 4 weeks- lost a few pounds but really not much activity. Then all of a sudden last week- it's picked up. No change in my diet- the scale just started to move. Incredible since I have not had a fill and there is no saline in my band at all. I can go 4-6 hours between meals and when I do it, it's very small amount. And I hate to say it, but I have been so busy orienting for my new job- I haven't exercised. But since last week- I have lost 10 pounds. I am so glad to read these posts about stalling and unstalling. I was wondering what the heck happened.

Hautemama

I forgot to add that I was banded on Jan 11, 2011. Lost 25 pounds right away first 3-4 weeks because I was so ill after my surgery. But then, it just stalled- for about 4weeks- no real activity. Now at 3 months post op- I'm losing again- with no fill at all.