Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Plateaus and weight gain



Recommended Posts

Hi I am only 3 weeks out and getting concerned. The scale dropped like lightening the first 8 days. Since then it's barely moved and in the last 3 days I've gained. Is that normal? I am following everything to the letter so I'm not sure where and if I'm actually falling short. Please help :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or more. But don't worry -- after that, the weight will start falling off if you stick to your program. If you're interested, here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again like crazy!

(Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just came out of my first stall. It started about a week and a half after surgery and lasted for 2 full weeks. The good news is that it does end and you will start losing again.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

WOW! I am having the same exact issue!!! I was sleeved on 9/17 my HW is 423 in June, then surgery was 9/17 sw was 383 and the first week I was down to 372 and then for three weeks NOTHING

I have been at 365 for the past three weeks just not moving at all....I called my NUT and she said she is very impressed with my food choices and asked me to just keep doing what I am doing.

I have one shake a day in the am and I blend a banana and some spinach with a premier vanilla shake and add two tbls of ground flax seed and that is around like 340 calories and it takes me a good hour to drink it all then so she said to try to eat every couple of hours and hit around 1000 calories with my 112 grams of Protein...but since I am not hungry and I just forget to eat.. so she said I needed to get my calories up there and then I will see some loss.

she explained that I was just too low on calories for so long that my body went into a starvation mode and is just holding all it can.

they say we will break out of this but WHEN??? lol its kinda scary going through all this and NOT losing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey Rach,

Take a look at the article I linked to above. It will explain what really happens around weeks 3-5. I'm 17 weeks out, and still only consume 700-900 calories a day. My doc says that's normal. I get 70-90 grams of Protein and drink 72+ ounces of Fluid each day. Along with my Multi-Vitamin and calcium-plus-D chews, that's supposed to be all I need. Your situation may be different. Each doc and nut has a different opinion of what's the best way to go. And it may depend on your starting place. Good luck on your journey! It's so worth it!!!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started a stall at 10 days post-op. Isn't this too early? I'm a low BMI and I'm scared I won't lose weight!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a brief stall that early too but it passed. My BMI was 39 before surgery. I've since gotten through two stalls about 3-4 days long. I'm 5 weeks out today.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Don't freak! Stalls happen to different people at different times. "Most people" have it around weeks 3-5, but if it happens early, maybe you'll get past it more quickly too. Trust your gut *LOL*. You'll be fine, and the weight will start falling off soon.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×