I am almost 5 months out. On Thanksgiving I calculated all my foods online so that I could partake but not go overboard. Yes, my carbs were high that day, but my overall calorie count was only 20 or so higher than normal.

I am up two pounds.

I'm so depressed about this. How is this possible? In 5 months I have had stalls and maybe a 1/4 lb wavering before a drop, but never a gain. Two pounds. I work out 5 days a week; 20 minutes elliptical, a complete weights circuit. Don't tell me to up the exercise, my circumstances and time capacity barely allow for this much.

At 5 months out I should have lost 100 pounds. I have been so faithful, a model patient, and this is how I am rewarded. What is wrong with my body that it is the freak that refuses to lose weight.

I wouldn't start beating myself up too fast. I bet those 2 pounds will disappear quickly once all the food is out of your system!

Please don't be depressed. We are often our hardest critic. Focus on your 5 months of success and not one day where your body decided to latch on to every calorie!

Keep us posted. Those 2 pounds will be gone in no time!

Smile : )

I am almost 5 months out. On Thanksgiving I calculated all my foods online so that I could partake but not go overboard. Yes, my carbs were high that day, but my overall calorie count was only 20 or so higher than normal.

I am up two pounds.

I'm so depressed about this. How is this possible? In 5 months I have had stalls and maybe a 1/4 lb wavering before a drop, but never a gain. Two pounds. I work out 5 days a week; 20 minutes elliptical, a complete weights circuit. Don't tell me to up the exercise, my circumstances and time capacity barely allow for this much.

At 5 months out I should have lost 100 pounds. I have been so faithful, a model patient, and this is how I am rewarded. What is wrong with my body that it is the freak that refuses to lose weight.

Globetrotter, I would bet a large chunk of money that it's water weight. A lot of the food we eat on Thanksgiving is saltier (think brined turkey, gravy, etc.) than you might normally eat. Try low sodium for a few days and see what happens. I know it's frustrating, but I don't think you are doing anything wrong, so try not to stress too much! <hugs>

Our weight fluctuates every day. Stress can affect it, too much salt can affect it, not enough Water and a million other things. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are doing fine and doing what you should be doing and the weight will continue to come off.

As for being five months out and you should be 100 pounds down by now, where did you get that from? Everyone loses at a different pace, and 100 pounds in five months is a lot of weight to lose in a very short amount of time. Don't judge your weight loss based on anyone elses, everyone's body, metabolism, etc., works differently.

You are doing great!

So what are your starting and current weights, again? 100 lbs in 5 months sounds....intense.

So what are your starting and current weights, again? 100 lbs in 5 months sounds....intense.

Day of surgery I was 294, today I am 235.8 and 20 weeks post-op. Surgery was 14 July. The first 20 pounds were dropped in the first 2 weeks so it has taken me almost 4 months to drop about 35 pounds. My surgeon said I would drop 75 pounds by the end of the 3rd month.

It's just that, if I am only losing a pound a week - and that is only happening with intensive exercise and diet vigilance - then there was no reason to have the surgery, and I spent all that money FOR NOTHING.

The last time I dieted (long before surgery)I worked out with a trainer twice a day 6 days a week and weighed and charted every morsel that went in my mouth. I lost a pound a week. No f***ing difference. I put in a moderate/intense workout 5 days a week, eat 800 carefully logged calories a day, less than 30 grams of carbs, and lots of Water and Vitamins. I lose a pound a week. It's devastating. And before anyone suggests it, yes I have done all the things we do to "shake" up the loss; changed calories higher, changed them lower, changed up the exercise, drank more water, diversified the foods, etc etc etc etc.

Hiya globetrotter...

I am in a similar position to you and I understand how frustrating it is. My weight loss isn't 'amazing' (it is good for me and there is a part of me that feels guilty when I complain) but I also think that I should have lost more too. I was sleeved 3rd July and was hoping to be at least 168 for christmas, but that doesn't look like it will happen now!

I had pneumonia in Oct and since then my body has been cruel to me,,, I gained a load! Managed to lose it plus another 3lb and that is it... I have tried all the stuff you have mentioned and am starting to feel down about it now too. I am trying to stay positive but it is hard... and I 'feel' fat again... weird?

I also find it hard not to compare my self with others on here who have lost a lot more than me... and who are of similar stats to me...

I suppose we just have to keep going and fight our cruel bodies all the way to slimville!

I guess I'm just shocked; we sleevers are so fond of saying "it's physically impossible not to lose weight when you work your sleeve, blah blah blah". Yet, here I am. A model patient, doing everything I am supposed to, not losing weight. Protein, carbs, fat, calories, exercise, water, supplements - all textbook. And in my opinion, losing 1 pound 3 weeks ago and none since, does not qualify as weight loss in my book. It's miserable.

The last time I dieted (long before surgery)I worked out with a trainer twice a day 6 days a week and weighed and charted every morsel that went in my mouth. I lost a pound a week. No f***ing difference. I put in a moderate/intense workout 5 days a week, eat 800 carefully logged calories a day, less than 30 grams of carbs, and lots of Water and Vitamins. I lose a pound a week. It's devastating. And before anyone suggests it, yes I have done all the things we do to "shake" up the loss; changed calories higher, changed them lower, changed up the exercise, drank more water, diversified the foods, etc etc etc etc.

How many calories were you eating when you lost a pound per week (before surgery)? Maybe you should go back to that range now. I still think 800 is too little, I think your body is in starvation mode and won't let go of the weight. VSG is only altering our stomach's not our metabolism's.

How many calories were you eating when you lost a pound per week (before surgery)? Maybe you should go back to that range now. I still think 800 is too little, I think your body is in starvation mode and won't let go of the weight. VSG is only altering our stomach's not our metabolism's.

I sincerely apologize if it sounds like I'm taking out my frustrations on you good folks, but, ahhhh! I've had it up to here with people claiming I must be in "starvation mode". My surgeon wants me on 600 calories and the last time I believed in the whole starvation mode stuff I went up to 800. After that first week on 800 my weight loss slowed down even more. Now I'm at a g** d*** standstill. No, I take that back, I'm not at a standstill - I'M GAINING WEIGHT. Yes, I am genuinely gaining weight.. Those 2 pounds that were supposed to be Water weight or the result of too much thanksgiving turkey? Haven't gone away.

So I'm F***ING MISERABLE. I'M F***ING GAINING WEIGHT. At 750-800 calories a day, 25-40 carbs, and 70+ grams Protein, I am gaining weight. 30 minutes of elliptical and a full rotation of weight machines, and I am gaining weight. I'm thinking of going back to my surgeon's recommendation of 600 calories. I haven't lost any weight in a month. I'm so freaked out, it's not even funny. And I can't go to my NUT about this, she's one of those people that no matter what you tell her you're doing, you're not doing the right thing. It won't occur to her to think that maybe something else is going on or that her sainted and holy calorie regimen isn't right for me. My surgeon has done a bunk so no help there. Feel very alone and without professional guidance.

I am almost 5 months out. On Thanksgiving I calculated all my foods online so that I could partake but not go overboard. Yes, my carbs were high that day, but my overall calorie count was only 20 or so higher than normal.

I am up two pounds.

I'm so depressed about this. How is this possible? In 5 months I have had stalls and maybe a 1/4 lb wavering before a drop, but never a gain. Two pounds. I work out 5 days a week; 20 minutes elliptical, a complete weights circuit. Don't tell me to up the exercise, my circumstances and time capacity barely allow for this much.

At 5 months out I should have lost 100 pounds. I have been so faithful, a model patient, and this is how I am rewarded. What is wrong with my body that it is the freak that refuses to lose weight.

I am usually on the obesity help.com forum and the majority of people who give advice about stalls in weight loss advise the people to add a Protein shake or up the calories. I think you should try 1000 calories per day for a while and see how that works or at least add a Protein Shake. I know I can't lose on 800 calories per day for very long. I have to eat 1000 to 1100 per day to lose. You might be like me.

Sharon

((((globetrotter))))) Sorry youre going thru this. I know you track your food intake, go back and look if there is something you may have added since your weight gain. I have read someone was tracking everything except coffee creamer and that was the culprit for her. She thought because it wasnt much-she didnt track it daily- but it was enough, when she stopped it, the wt loss started again. Another thought- could it be related to menstration? Just a thought...

((((globetrotter))))) Sorry youre going thru this. I know you track your food intake, go back and look if there is something you may have added since your weight gain. I have read someone was tracking everything except coffee creamer and that was the culprit for her. She thought because it wasnt much-she didnt track it daily- but it was enough, when she stopped it, the wt loss started again. Another thought- could it be related to menstration? Just a thought...

I track EVERYthing that goes in my mouth - everything. (BTW - coffee creamer, 10 calories). I would love to blame this on my cycle but considering that I haven't lost any weight in 3 weeks it's not the cycle.

Can you get tested for insulin resistance? Look that up because it's more common and often goes undiagnosed.

Honestly, I think 600 calories is ridiculous for your amount of activity. I was practically sedentary, and steadily lost with 600-800 calories a day.

I know you are frustrated, but your body is also reacting to your stress. Ever heard of cortisol? It can effect your metabolism(decreased thyroid levels), it can cause fat to deposit in our abdomen, and a whole slew of other things. If you're constantly stressing about the scale, your body is not going to release the weight. I know you don't want to hear that, and it doesn't seem supportive, but I personally think you need to toss the scale for a couple of weeks, and feed your body.

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm

http://www.cortisol.com/the_cortisol_stress_connection.php

You're retaining Water, your body is holding on to everything, every ounce you put it in, and you are in major starvation mode with your activity level. You can not expect to continue to lose 5-10lbs a week, it's just not possible. I only lost on average 17lbs a month for 6months, and I was practically sedentary for the first 3.5-4 months. So, there is NO way in the world you are going to lose with your activity level on that low caloric intake. I lost around 35-37lbs the first month, dropped 80lbs the first 4 months, and then it took another 2.5 months to drop 30 pounds only after increasing calories and carbs to compensate for my weight training and one hardcore day of cardio.

Can you get tested for insulin resistance? Look that up because it's more common and often goes undiagnosed.

Honestly, I think 600 calories is ridiculous for your amount of activity. I was practically sedentary, and steadily lost with 600-800 calories a day.

I know you are frustrated, but your body is also reacting to your stress. Ever heard of cortisol? It can effect your metabolism(decreased thyroid levels), it can cause fat to deposit in our abdomen, and a whole slew of other things. If you're constantly stressing about the scale, your body is not going to release the weight. I know you don't want to hear that, and it doesn't seem supportive, but I personally think you need to toss the scale for a couple of weeks, and feed your body.

http://stress.about..../a/cortisol.htm

http://www.cortisol...._connection.php

You're retaining Water, your body is holding on to everything, every ounce you put it in, and you are in major starvation mode with your activity level. You can not expect to continue to lose 5-10lbs a week, it's just not possible. I only lost on average 17lbs a month for 6months, and I was practically sedentary for the first 3.5-4 months. So, there is NO way in the world you are going to lose with your activity level on that low caloric intake. I lost around 35-37lbs the first month, dropped 80lbs the first 4 months, and then it took another 2.5 months to drop 30 pounds only after increasing calories and carbs to compensate for my weight training and one hardcore day of cardio.

That's a really good idea Tiff, getting checked for insulin resistance. I'll see if they can do that out here. I try not to stress too much, I take hot showers, listen to good music while on the elliptical, listen to classical while at my desk, get 8 hours sleep. I've decided that I have to do something drastic - I'm going to eat 1000 calories for the next 3 days and see what happens. They will be clean calories - low carb Protein shakes and bars added to my regular foods. I will also up my carbs to 50 grams a day rather than in the teens. According to my BMR if I want to lose 2 pounds a week I should be taking in 1800 calories, well that's not possible unless I was doing IV nutrition so my compromise is 1000. That's 300 calories more than my average so it's still a big difference. I'm also going to space the food out into 5 little meals instead of 3. Let's see what happens!

That's a really good idea Tiff, getting checked for insulin resistance. I'll see if they can do that out here. I try not to stress too much, I take hot showers, listen to good music while on the elliptical, listen to classical while at my desk, get 8 hours sleep. I've decided that I have to do something drastic - I'm going to eat 1000 calories for the next 3 days and see what happens. They will be clean calories - low carb protein shakes and bars added to my regular foods. I will also up my carbs to 50 grams a day rather than in the teens. According to my BMR if I want to lose 2 pounds a week I should be taking in 1800 calories, well that's not possible unless I was doing IV nutrition so my compromise is 1000. That's 300 calories more than my average so it's still a big difference. I'm also going to space the food out into 5 little meals instead of 3. Let's see what happens!

I'm glad you're going to try doing near 1000 cal, that might shake things up. That formula that I mentioned in some other thread about your Basic Metabolic Rate minus 500 or 1000 cal to lose 1 or 2 pounds per week is supposedly for normal people on diets not post surgery, for us it's different because of the size of our stomach, etc.Plus these things don't always work mathematically as those of us who have had weight problems well know!

I was diagnosed with insuline resistance a few years ago, which is a type of "pre-diabetes", it was when I was at one of my highest weights, the endocrinologist gave me a diet (low carbs high proteins) I didn't lose that much weight but most of the symptoms dissappeared, the doctor had said at the time that I might have to go on pills, so that was one of the reasons that I decided to have this surgery.

Good luck for the next few days