8 Weeks Out - Slow Scale Movement!

[BABEwiththePOWER 16]

I know we're not supposed to compare our weightloss to one another's, but I can't help but feel like a 35lb loss since my surgery on April 19th, isn't really stellar. I had hoped, based on what I'd seen others go through, to be down by about 50 by now. I know I'm losing inches, but silly me, I forgot to measure myself on the day of surgery... but I was a 20/22 the day of surgery, and I just bought a 14 dress on Friday that fits great. That's a big deal, I know, but for some reason, I can't Celebrate without that reaffirmation from the scale.

I did hit a 3 week stall around week 4, and then it picked up again, slowly, but at least started losing again. I need to get to the gym more, but with 2 kiddos under 4 at home, it doesn't come too easily. I can probably also do better with the calorie counting. The last week or two I stopped tracking my calories, but I also really don't eat much. I make sure to take all my Vitamins, get my Water and Protein in, but after that, I just take a couple bites at each meal. Maybe I should start tracking again, but I read a post a while back that has really stuck in my brain - it talked about how the poster lost weight with VSG, but slowly- because they ate whatever they wanted, just less of it. This was to avoid the "diet mentality" and the aftermath of what happens when the dieting/deprivation phase ends. I really think all of my past failures with diets were for that reason exactly. I would be all crazy for a week or two, then quit because it was too drastic, and not just a simple lifestyle choice. I know we should take advantage of the first six months post op because we have the opportunity to lose the most weight then, and I don't want to fail, but I'm at a loss for how to feel right now.

Sorry, long post, just needed to vent I guess.

[VJSlim 156]

I'm on the slower side too. I only had a 33lb loss at end of 2nd month. But I'm really happy with the way things are progressing. I know I'll get to goal sooner or later.

I know it can be frustrating during longer stalls, but that is mostly when I shed inches faster. So that works well for me too LOL!

You're doing great! Dont worry!

[BABEwiththePOWER 16]

Thanks for the encouragement VJslim- it's nice to know I'm not the only one with slow "scale loss" but steady inch loss. I know I'll get to goal someday, but I also still feel like this will be another failed diet attempt... And keeping the faith is hard when you don't have numbers to show you you're on the right track...maybe I'm just being sensitive and pms-ing

[Star1221 270]

I had the exact same problem as you. Slow moving scale. Surgery date I was 256. I am now 220. But I also lost inches and like you 3 weeks with no weight loss. But we will make it. Just have to keep with it.

[shellbell33081 115]

i was sleeved april 20th and have lost 34lbs. i haven't lost that many inches though. going from a 20-22 to a 14 is amazing! congrats!!

[MyGastricSleeveLife 180]

I know it's hard, but you need to stop comparing to others & just compare you to you. Look at how far you've come. I'm 5 weeks out now & have lost 19.6 lbs since surgery (32.2 lbs in 7 weeks with pre-op). I have never before lost that much in 5 or 7 weeks!! I've also lost 15+ inches (haven't measured for this week yet). I also focus on all my non-scale victories. There are so many things I'm enjoying more now that I was 30 lbs ago! If you check out my blog - http://mygastricsleevelife.blogspot.com/ - you can check out a post I did about "my new four-letter word 'compare'" & other posts about NSVs & the scale. I'm sure you get a workout with your kids & are more active than you think too! Please just focus on your own successes! I'm not saying you can't be supportive to others, but don't make other people's successes get you down!! You have your own successes to rejoice in!

[Supersweetums 1,164]

Please do not compare yourself to others. Everyone loses differently, and people that are heavier lose it faster in the beginning as well. It just gets depressing if you start comparing. Try to look at it in perspective...do you think you would have ever lost 35lbs and 6-8 dress sizes in just 7 weeks!! You are doing amazing!

It has taken me 18 months to reach my goal, and I couldn't be happier. It was slow going, but I just steadily lost little by little. And I know that I would have never lost 81lbs in 18 months on my own. I know because I had done it before, once losing 83lbs, once losing 70lbs. It took me over 2 years both times, and extreme dieting and extreme exercise to get there. With my sleeve as a tool, I can live my life fairly normally and still lose. I am like you, when I had my surgery done, my children were 14 months and 3 years. I find it hard to fit in exercise, so I aim for 2-3 times per week if I can, and I stay very active with my children.

This is your own journey, so Celebrate the amazing success that you have had!

[BABEwiththePOWER 16]

Thanks everyone for your support and perspective. I know I need to stay positive and focus on the good...I think I just suffer from the "nothing's ever good enough" syndrome I am working on that, and on being grateful for my new found life.

I think another part of it may be that I still feel the need to justify my decision to have VSG to my friends and family...and for some reason, I feel like that comes from the number on the scale. It's especially hard when my mom, who's very overweight, asks me whenever she sees me how much I've lost- like it's some proof one way or the other to whether I should have had the surgery.

As I write this, I realize that I need to give myself a break. I did this for me, not my mom, not my husband, not my friends...so I should remember that.

Thanks for letting me vent...again

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

I really think all of my past failures

Hey BABE

we are never failures as long as we did our best.

past is over with, nothing you can do to change it, .... the future is ahead of you, so thats what you should be dealing with.

You are doing fine - things take time - you will get there

best of luck in your future

kathy

[Gastricsleeve4me 186]

Your weight loss seems really normal for your starting weight!! Right on track. I scoured the boards and vlogs before my surgery to try to set some expectations. I also started at 250. For that weight (and my height... 5'7") it seemed highly typical to go 20-25lbs the first month then 10 ls a month thereafter (until somewhere around month 6-12 where things became harder). Everyone is totally different, and this is obviously anecdotal, but again and again it was what I was seeing (certainly with outliers!) I'd love to hit 50 lbs maybe 4-5 months in. The higher the weight, the faster it comes off, so don't dismay! I'm not immune to comparing (obviously) but never do it unless it's someone with a similar starting weight and height. Good luck!

[WhoozisAnyway 176]

I was 254 at surgery on 4/9, and just today hit 234. -20 at ten weeks out and -40 total. I won't lie, it has been frustrating. However, I stopped weighing every day for my own sanity and try not to weigh more than once a week. My pattern seems to be no loss for 2-3 weeks at a time, then lose a couple of lbs quickly and back to a stall. I'm 1/3 of the way to goal. Like you, I also forgot to take measurements, but I've gone from 2X/22-24 to L/18 (T/B). Just wore a size 14 bathing suit yesterday. I'm eating right, exercising well and bloodwork all came back great, so I try to ignore the little voice in my head that complains its not coming off fast enough. Hang in there, you are doing great.

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