Feel like I must be doing something wrong

[snokb04 60]

I've seen 2 posts today that have me now wondering if I am not doing something right. One was someone just over 3 weeks out that has lost 26 pounds and someone 5weeks out that lost 40.

Week 1 I lost 11 pounds (which I know was most likely mostly fluid). Week 2 I lost 5 pounds. This week I've lost zero. So 21 days and I've only lost 16 pounds. Considering I weighed 346 the day of surgery, I feel like I should be losing faster because I am so heavy.

This makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm following my plan to the letter. Drinking my supplements, drinking my Water, eating 2 small Protein only meals (we aren't allowed fruits and vegetables until 2 mos postop) and doing activity.

Anybody else out there have slow weight loss right out of the gate?

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Edited May 6, 2016 by snokb04

[MrsKarenC2008 622]

Don't be so hard on yourself ! Any pound gone is a good pound gone! No matter how fast or slow it goes ...

We're all different ... we all lose differently and at different paces ...

How boring would the world be if we were all the same?!

And you said you're 21 days out? Well of course! The dreaded 3 week stall !

We all go through it ....

As they say ... This too shall pass ...

YOU will rock this!

Be Blessed!!

[KristenLe 5,980]

@@snokb04 You are hitting a 3 week stall. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/351046-embrace-the-stall/

You really can't compare weight loss of others. There's so much to consider - and what you consider "slow" is really not all that slow. 16 lbs in 3 weeks - that's great! Don't be discouraged! Be sure to meet your Protein goals and Water goals and exercise and you will be successful! From your stats - you've already lost before surgery and that plays alot into how much you lose after surgery as well.

[FrankyG 1,450]

There are probably a couple hundred posts saying the same thing as you on this forum.

You are hitting the first of many stalls. Weight loss is not steady. You have lost a great amount in "only" 3 weeks.Honestly, when was the last time you heard anyone lose 16 pounds in three weeks that hadn't had surgery? And even those posting greater/faster losses, they will also hit stalls eventually. Some folks lose fast, some slow, some lots in the beginning...

Read this:

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/351046-embrace-the-stall/

Edited May 6, 2016 by FrankiesGirl

[Talaria 50]

I'm at exactly 16 lbs 3 weeks post-op without the scale budging in two weeks

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[Babbs 14,681]

Broken record time.

How much someone loses depends on many factors. Gender (men lose SO MUCH FASTER) age, starting BMI, muscle mass, activity level, etc...you are absolutely not doing anything wrong. Your body is pretty much steering the ship right now, not you. Later down the road? Yeah, it will be all you. But not for a while.

Here is why stalls happen at around 3-6 weeks out. It's science:

A "stall" a few weeks after surgery is not uncommon, and here's why.

Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs. of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when a patient is not getting in enough food, the body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. Then when 2 lbs. of glycogen is used a patient will also lose 8 lbs. of Water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs. that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

However, when the body stays in a caloric deficit state the body starts to realize that this is not a short-term problem. Then the body starts mobilizing fat from adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But the body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. As it puts back the 2 lbs. of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs. of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though the patient might still be losing energy content to their body, the weight will not go down or it might even gain for a while as the retention of water dissolves the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.

[B_D 54]

I've seen 2 posts today that have me now wondering if I am not doing something right. One was someone just over 3 weeks out that has lost 26 pounds and someone 5weeks out that lost 40.

Week 1 I lost 11 pounds (which I know was most likely mostly fluid). Week 2 I lost 5 pounds. This week I've lost zero. So 21 days and I've only lost 16 pounds. Considering I weighed 346 the day of surgery, I feel like I should be losing faster because I am so heavy.

This makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm following my plan to the letter. Drinking my supplements, drinking my Water, eating 2 small Protein only meals (we aren't allowed fruits and vegetables until 2 mos postop) and doing activity.

Anybody else out there have slow weight loss right out of the gate?

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[B_D 54]

@@snokb04 I am also seeming to be a slow loser and feel like I am doing something wrong but I am following the plan. I weighed more than my surgery date for 6 days then I finally started losing. Just 7 1/2 lbs since the actual surgery and 19 1/2 since the start of the 2 week liquid diet. Some are losing 15 in just a week and I am baffled. I suppose everyone is just different. :/

[snokb04 60]

@@Babbs That explanation makes so much sense. Thank you!

Thanks to the rest of you for your replies as well....I'll just keep plugging along, doing what I'm doing and hope next week there is a loss.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

I lost 22 pounds pre-op and gained back 12 pounds in the hospital, from IV fluids. It took me two weeks to lose that, and then I hit that dreaded third week stall, for two whole weeks. Then my weight started to come off.

Be patient. It's an aggravating process, but a year from now you will be in a much better condition. Just think of this journey as the perfect opportunity to re-invent yourself. You are finding out that weight loss surgery is by no means an easy way out. Each pound loss is a well-earned victory.

[ssflbelle 829]

Something else to take into consideration is that some people say they lost xx number of pounds since surgery yet they are counting pre-diet plan weight loss as since surgery. Be sure to look at their profile for the surgery weight if it is even available. So many of these profiles have no information at all.

As far as losing slowly. 16 pounds in 3 weeks is a good weight loss. I am 3 months and 10 days post op and have lost 39 pounds and had 3 stalls since my surgery lasting as long as 4 weeks sometimes. This latest one is going on 3 weeks. I weigh again on Sunday and hope I am finally down. If not there isn't much that I can do except staying true to the things I have learned over the past months.

[sja 38]

I'm with you! It's a struggle. I have not been doing everything to the letter. I cannot eat fried or greasy, or too sugary, too dry, too doughy, or too cheesy foods. But I have found I'm able to have a couple cocktails and an occasional ice cream bar. I'm just over 8 weeks out and am only down about 26lbs. I haven't lost anything for a whole month. I figure it IS my fault, but it's hard watching others who do not follow the diet or any of the rules, and they continue to lose. We are all different! I'm down a total of 40lbs and keep telling myself that's more than I have lost on my own in a very, very long time. Trying to practice patience!

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[heidikat72 935]

@@Babbs - I think I have a girl crush on you. Thank you for the scientific explanation. Seriously. I love having the actual science behind it.

[Levita 50]

I've seen 2 posts today that have me now wondering if I am not doing something right. One was someone just over 3 weeks out that has lost 26 pounds and someone 5weeks out that lost 40.

Week 1 I lost 11 pounds (which I know was most likely mostly fluid). Week 2 I lost 5 pounds. This week I've lost zero. So 21 days and I've only lost 16 pounds. Considering I weighed 346 the day of surgery, I feel like I should be losing faster because I am so heavy.

This makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm following my plan to the letter. Drinking my supplements, drinking my Water, eating 2 small Protein only meals (we aren't allowed fruits and vegetables until 2 mos postop) and doing activity.

Anybody else out there have slow weight loss right out of the gate?

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Its called the week3 stall? Theres a forum on it...ur not the only one. It will start to go down be patient

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