Still stalled - and hungry. Where's the magic weight loss i was promised?

[Seastars 175]

I was sleeved 6/22/16.

The first week I lost 3 pounds (okay, I thought, not great but maybe I'm still full of IV fluids).

The second week I lost 3 pounds. (Okay, I thought, at least I'm losing SOMETHING.)

The third week I really upped my exercise, hiking 4-7 miles per days. I lost 5 pounds. (I thought it would be more.)

The fourth week I lost one pound.

The fifth week I lost zero pounds.

I'm in the sixth week now and have lost zero pounds.

Other than the first couple of post-op days, I'm getting in ~125g Protein per day (spread across 5 meals), very low carb, between 800 and 1200 calories. (800 was when I was losing those first 3 weeks.) Plenty of cardio, rotating among different activities (biking, hiking etc). Started up weight training. Mostly hitting my Water goal.

Yet I'm not losing weight (or sizes). And I'm huuuungry, especially shortly after shakes or soft meals. A little weak and a lot cranky. Basically this feels like the same old diet I always do.

I'm emailed my clinic and they say a stall is normal, they are "pretty sure I'll lose weight by three months out," etc. But everyone in my support group, even the lower-BMIers, are dropping almost a pound per day. Versus me; I've lost only 12 pounds in almost 6 weeks.

Help. This is the most expensive diet I've ever done - I am self-pay - and it is one of the least successful so far. (In the month BEFORE my surgery, I lost 21 pounds. Yet with a sleeve, in even more time, I've lost only 12.)

[PRINCESS2218 56]

Sorry to hear about your weight loss story. I am having terrible times with my weight lost after surgery, also. The first week post op I lost 3lbs(doing nothing, just in pain), after that nothing. In order for me to lose weight, I MUST EXERCISE continuously everyday.

[Hiraeth 515]

I think this is just a normal stall. I think your body is trying to figure out what is going on. I've heard of people who weren't losing weight right off, and then BAM! ...weeks later, they were dropping the weight. Everyone is different. When you say hungry, do you mean craving, or do you mean hunger pangs in your stomach?

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,443]

Keep doing what you're supposed to do and things will shake themselves up. I gather from being at BP that stalls, even early in the process, are expected.

Question: Are you serious about having expected "magic" or is that a jest?

[KristenLe 5,979]

@@Seastars "Mostly hitting your Water goal" may be the issue. You need even more than 64ozs a day if you are exercising. Try increasing your water and see if that helps. I imagine it is extremely frustrating - hang in there!

[Djmohr 6,965]

I am not a sleeve patient but I know many of them. I am a bypass patient.

I can tell you that this process is absolutely not magic so if you were promised that, yikes. You will have to work hard and it sounds like you are already doing that.

I am a little shocked at how many calories you are eating this early out. As I said, I am a bypass patient and if I eat 1200 to 1300 calories I maintain and do not lose. If I am closer to 1000 calories, I lose consistently.

That being said, you are a lower BMI patient and I would not expect huge drops in weight. You will likely lose much slower than some. That is not a bad thing even though it feels that way. The slower you lose the better you work at building good long term habits.

You did not put on this weight overnight and it will not come off that way either. Also I would just say, this really is not a diet, it is a lifestyle and your body needs time to get used to it.

When is the last time you lost 3lbs per week? That is great progress and you should be very proud of it.

Other than my first 2 months I averaged between 5 and 10lbs per month. It took me 18 months to lose 151lbs and get to goal. The good news is, this is my new life and I have and my body has had time to adjust.

Please be patient and if it makes you crazy put the scale away and stick to your plan. You will get there!

Best of luck to all of you.

[Hiraeth 515]

I was also going to say that 1200 calories a day seems like a bit much, especially this soon. Ask your doctor if cutting some of those calories would be a good idea.

Edited August 1, 2016 by Hiraeth

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Embrace the Stall

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

[Seastars 175]

Sorry to hear about your weight loss story. I am having terrible times with my weight lost after surgery, also. The first week post op I lost 3lbs(doing nothing, just in pain), after that nothing. In order for me to lose weight, I MUST EXERCISE continuously everyday.

Before the surgery I was exercising daily anyway, but had learned that in order to lose I had to go nots (like, 3 hours cardio per day). I was really hoping to put that kind of obsession behind me.

I think this is just a normal stall. I think your body is trying to figure out what is going on. I've heard of people who weren't losing weight right off, and then BAM! ...weeks later, they were dropping the weight. Everyone is different. When you say hungry, do you mean craving, or do you mean hunger pangs in your stomach?

Hunger. Like, stomach cramping, a little gurgling, sometimes feeling a little light-headed and weak.

[Seastars 175]

Keep doing what you're supposed to do and things will shake themselves up. I gather from being at BP that stalls, even early in the process, are expected.

Question: Are you serious about having expected "magic" or is that a jest?

Of course that's a jest. But I didn't think I would have to go nuts with cardio, or feel (and ignore) hunger pangs, in order to lose. I thought it would be easier and more successful than other diets I'd tried.

[Seastars 175]

@@Seastars "Mostly hitting your Water goal" may be the issue. You need even more than 64ozs a day if you are exercising. Try increasing your Water and see if that helps. I imagine it is extremely frustrating - hang in there!

Oh, I totally agree. I always get 64oz "base," but hydrating enough when I'm outside working out to make up for the workout sweat loss, is difficult - especially because guzzling water doesn't work anymore, you know?

[Christinamo7 4,041]

when you are a lower BMI, you will loose more slowly. I would be tracking intake and exercise for a few days and speak to your team to ask them what is a good calorie deficit for you. I do not know from your activities if you would be helped with more or less food. some of your hunger feelings say yes you may need more food, or perhaps smaller amounts more often? and some make me think maybe a PPI. so that is certainly something your medical team can help sort out.

that being said, a stall where you are is perfectly normal, and your body is busy with the weight loss process even when the scale doesn't move. the times I can visibly see a difference in the mirror are during stalls.

[Seastars 175]

I am a little shocked at how many calories you are eating this early out. As I said, I am a bypass patient and if I eat 1200 to 1300 calories I maintain and do not lose. If I am closer to 1000 calories, I lose consistently.

....That's the calorie range my nutritionist prescribed based on my exercise level (which is pretty high). I was only at about 800 on the liquid diet, but once I could eat softs I could get more in. Nutritionist warned me never to go below 800, and if I'm doing my usual workouts to aim for 1200. No more than that, though.

When is the last time you lost 3lbs per week? That is great progress and you should be very proud of it.

...The month before surgery, I lost 21 pounds in 4 weeks. 3 pounds per week is pretty usual for me in my dieting phases (and then 1 pound per week regain).

[Seastars 175]

when you are a lower BMI, you will loose more slowly. I would be tracking intake and exercise for a few days and speak to your team to ask them what is a good calorie deficit for you. I do not know from your activities if you would be helped with more or less food. some of your hunger feelings say yes you may need more food, or perhaps smaller amounts more often? and some make me think maybe a PPI. so that is certainly something your medical team can help sort out.

that being said, a stall where you are is perfectly normal, and your body is busy with the weight loss process even when the scale doesn't move. the times I can visibly see a difference in the mirror are during stalls.

Oh, I track diligently (and did so for years before the surgery). My nutritionist based my calorie range recommendation on the workout level I did pre-surgery (which I resumed pretty quickly afterwards). I eat 5 small meals, per her recommendations.

What do you mean about the PPI? I do take a daily acid reducer (Rx), since surgery. I didn't need one before.

I do track clothing fit/inches and believe me, it's a real stall - I'm not losing inches or gaining muscle. Just stalled. Still in my same, pre-surgery-sized underwear, you know? Ugh.

[Seastars 175]

I was also going to say that 1200 calories a day seems like a bit much, especially this soon. Ask your doctor if cutting some of those calories would be a good idea.

That's the amount my NUT "prescribed" for me based on my exercise level (which is high). I checked in after surgery and she says to keep doing exactly what I'm doing and by three months they are "pretty sure" I'll see weight loss. But I know most people lose at their highest rate in the first month after surgery. The fact that I've slowed so much already scares me a lot.