What the heck happened?!

[alm18 11]

Hey everyone, I'm a newbie here. Just had my sleeve done on March 23rd! A little over a month past my 45th birthday - yay me! As much as I psyched myself out about the whole thing, recoup time, etc, I have to say it was a relatively easy recovery and just a tad over two weeks out, physically I feel great. Emotionally...? Feeling a bit discouraged. So like everyone else, I did my 5 day pre-op liquid diet...lost 5 lbs. On surgery day I was 300 and about a week and a half after surgery weighed 282. While I am very happy with that, as soon as I started re-introducing solid food - cottage cheese, baked fish, yogurt, etc (solid but soft foods) my weight ceased! The scale has not budged in 5 days and after weighing myself today I am UP 2 POUNDS. Huh??? I have followed what I should be eating/how much I should be eating, to the T. I've been exercising, getting my Water, etc. I should mention that I was self pay ((ouch)) so you can bet your Buns I will do absolutely nothing to go off track and mess this up! I have too much invested. Literally. I put my scale away and will not weigh myself again for at least a week or two if I can hold off that long. I've read about people losing so much in the first month or two and after two weeks I'm already hitting a stall? I'm trying not to let it get me down, but it really has taken the wind out of my sails. I'm wondering now why I did this, and if I will be the statistic ....the small percentage of people that it won't be successful for! Ugh. =( Has anybody else encountered this so early after surgery? Thoughts on why this happens, and if you have experienced it - is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Thank you in advance for your feedback!! Have a great day everyone.

[Elode 8,093]

Well stop for a min and think about it....you lived on liquids which by nature more than likely threw your body into starvation mode. That takes awhile to do. Now you've reintroduced foods. Your body being in starvation mode is going to grab onto that food and store it! You just starved it. It's the body's way of protecting itself from the next starvation. You can thank your caveman brothers for that! It's the bodies survival mode. You would be thankful for it had you really had the threat of starving to death. Anyway. You're also recovering. Give your body a chance to catch up. You knew you were having surgery, your body not so much. It's in shock! Give yourself time to adjust. Do what your plan says to do. Stay off the scale for awhile! You will drive yourself nuts! Just stay on the Drs plan. It will work. It takes time, lots of time. Breathe.......This coming from a chick that's been there. Check out those stats below. WINK!!!

[alm18 11]

Ahhh, thanks Elode! I appreciate your response. I hadn't thought of it that way, but it sure does make sense! The scale is put away and I will just keep moving forward and trust the process. It's just hard - mentally - when you see these great results then it just stone cold STOPS. But I can see why with all the drastic changes taking place. I will step back and take a deep breath now ..... inhale....aaaaaaand exhale. =)

[Elode 8,093]

@@alm18 That-a-girl!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. We all experience periodic stalls and almost everyone experiences their first stall at about three weeks post-op.

Learning to accept the process has really helped me to keep following my program no matter what the numbers on the scale say. Also, weighing infrequently is a great strategy if the numbers in the scale dictate your emotional state. Early out I only weighed at my doctor's appointments.

What I have found to be critical success factors for me:

Just follow your program.

Weigh, measure, and track your food.

Make sure you get in ALL of your Protein every day.

Make sure you get at least 64 oz. of Fluid every day.

Avoid starches, added sugars (especially high fructose corn syrup), and fried foods.

Take your Vitamins and supplements as directed.

Exercise when cleared.

Stay off the scale.

And, embrace the stall!

http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

[Kindle 8,667]

You are experiencing the famous 3 week stall. Do a search, there's probably 1,000 posts about it. Go to the link Inner Surfer Girl provided for a good explaination. Just keep doing what you're doing other than STAY OFF THE scale.

Your weight will fluctuate thoughout this process and if you aren't prepared to accept that then you are better off not weighing at all. You don't need a scale to lose weight. You only need to follow the plan. I don't even own a scale and I lost over 100% of my excess weight.

[alm18 11]

Thank you gals so much for taking the time to read my sad plea (lol) and respond. It means a lot and has really helped me to understand more what my body is going through. It's also hard when my family and friends cannot relate. They are very loving and supportive - but they don't understand the struggle. It's nice to have this forum as a sounding board and support as well. Have a great week ladies!!!

[RDub 57]

I stalled and didn't lose a pound from weeks 2-5. Very frustrating...I'd just had this major surgery and I was sure I was going to be the ONE person who didn't have any benefit from it!

[Frank69 157]

This journey is definitely a roller coaster ride. Don't dwell on the stalls and small setba ka that will happen. Do us on the great things that are happening and are coming your way stY do focused and diligent in the "fight" .

[elsa802 10]

Someone on my support group brought up a great statement during a stall discussion: your body structures like bones and veins and arteries also need to adjust as you lose weight. And during a stall your body is adjusting to your new weight. Just hang in there. The scale is only one measurement. There are many others.

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[Christinamo7 4,041]

When the scale doesn't move. or moves the WRONG way I have to look at my activity, food, Protein, fluids and then tell myself, look you are NOT eating enough to gain FAT. it's Water or poop or something else going on that adds that wee bit of weight and it will sort it's self out.

so that makes me feel better. it's fat loss I am after.

and then I get on with my program and try not to fuss about it until the next weigh in.

[mari81215 2]

I use to check the scale too after surgery like everyday my cousin told me to stop because that is very discouraging. Ever since I stopped people compliment me on how good I look and how much weight I've lost. I only weigh in when I go see my doctor and it's always good numbers thank god

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[jess9395 5,448]

The three week stall is NOTORIOUS!!!! Hits almost all of us between 2 & 4 weeks out.

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[LisaMergs 2,854]

Omg. The three week stall is a myth. A true stall lasts three weeks or MORE.

All your body is doing at three weeks is regrouping to the new way of living and making needed adjustments.

There is nothing to worry about if you're following plan to the letter.

You could literally sit on your arse for 4 months and if you follow plan you will lose.

Not saying this is the thing you should do, but that your body has no CHOICE but to give up the excess in The beginning IF YOU FOLLOW YOUR EATING PLAN.

You eat tacos and huge hoagies? Well, yeah, you're going to stall. Or gain.

But at 3 weeks? Nope. NOT A STALL

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[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Embrace the Stall

http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall