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.)

@@Seastars

This is just food for thought (pardon the pun). When you are speaking of carbs, I get the impression you are taking about whole grains mostly.

Good carbs like Beans, legumes, vegetables and even fruit are a good part of a low carb diet. My nut has said from the beginning that I must included veggies and fruit daily so she had me follow this simple rule. 2 bites of Protein for every 1 bite of good carbs like veggies or fruit.

I would not be afraid of using beans and legumes as part of your diet while losing. I would worry about adding whole grains just yet because you are in the lose phase.

Again, this is just my opinion and you may already be eating veggies and some fruit. I just wanted to ensure that low carb doesn't mean no carb.

I lost 151lbs eating meat & cheese Proteins, veggies and fruit over a period of 18 months. Now, I lost slower because I had restrictions after having 4 surgeries in a year but I did it with a 2 bites of protein to every 1 bite of good carbs. I stayed away from Pasta, bread, cereals, rice and sweets. I allowed potatoes once or twice per week max.

I still drink one 30gram Protein shake a day because I struggle to get enough. I believe a still have a really good restriction. I am lucky if I can get 2 oz of dense protein.

@@Seastars

This is just food for thought (pardon the pun). When you are speaking of carbs, I get the impression you are taking about whole grains mostly.

Good carbs like Beans, legumes, vegetables and even fruit are a good part of a low carb diet. My nut has said from the beginning that I must included veggies and fruit daily so she had me follow this simple rule. 2 bites of Protein for every 1 bite of good carbs like veggies or fruit.

I would not be afraid of using beans and legumes as part of your diet while losing. I would worry about adding whole grains just yet because you are in the lose phase.

Again, this is just my opinion and you may already be eating veggies and some fruit. I just wanted to ensure that low carb doesn't mean no carb.

I lost 151lbs eating meat & cheese Proteins, veggies and fruit over a period of 18 months. Now, I lost slower because I had restrictions after having 4 surgeries in a year but I did it with a 2 bites of protein to every 1 bite of good carbs. I stayed away from Pasta, bread, cereals, rice and sweets. I allowed potatoes once or twice per week max.

I still drink one 30gram protein shake a day because I struggle to get enough. I believe a still have a really good restriction. I am lucky if I can get 2 oz of dense protein.

Thanks, DJ. By "carbs" I am talking about ALL carbs (other than nonsoluble fiber) - anything with calories. My dietician has different rules for me than yours does for you, sounds like. I am definitely supposed to keep ALL carbs - including fruit and legumes, my former staples - reduced very low. Basically I can get a small amount of either one in a day if I don't have any carbs at all for a couple of meals. Definitely no more than once a day, and frankly, even once a day gets me pretty high in calories. Carbs add up fast 10 almonds are 1/4 carbs (and 1/2 fat), for instance - not a good protein source. People may talk about fruit and legumes being "good carbs" but I am supposed to keep them very reduced because they are still carbs, regardless of micronutrients attached. They still have non-protein calories, so they are not good for me.

Of course I'm not supposed to eat ANY pasta, potatoes, grains, sweets, junk. I did cheat & have small amounts of pasta a couple of times, brown rice once (in sushi), small amount of quinoa yesterday, but those are all treats. Technically they are all off-limits.

I'm allowed/encouraged to eat green veggies but only after I've finished all my protein portion at a meal.

@@Djmohr I just read your weight ticker and saw that you went past your goal! Congrats to you, ma'am! <3

@@Hiraeth

Thank YOU!

Congratulations on the 21 pounds that you lost pre-op.

Weight loss post-op will vary by several factors such as type of surgery, and how heavy you were originally prior to surgery.

I had RNY gastric bypass, I lost my weight quickly. I leveled off after about 7 months. Many sleeve patients lose weight at a slower pace but get to the same level of weight loss after 2 years. So the rate of weight loss is a little like mixing apples and oranges between the two procedures.

Also the amount of weight loss will vary by your initial weight. A person in the 400 pound initial range will drop significantly more weight than someone starting at around 200 pounds.

The three most important elements after weight loss surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved through meal volume control.

After my gastric bypass surgery, I was restricted to 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount [3 meals per day] of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore I had to rely on supplements such as Protein shakes.

I understand that the surgeon's directions on some programs will vary from one doctor to another. But I wonder if the post-op program that you are following might be in part the cause of your slow weight loss. You are eating FIVE MEALS a day. You are consuming 1200 calories a day. [At 8 weeks into the program, I was consuming about half of that amount or less.]

When I look over the directions for patients with gastric sleeve from my surgeon, it reads:

Three 2 ounce full liquid meals for the first four weeks.

Drink 64-80 ounces of Water or low calorie liquids daily.

75-90 grams of protein is required following surgery.

Off hand I think you are consuming too many calories per day even with your extensive exercise program. When I was young, I decided to lose some weight by upping my exercise routine. Over a few weeks I built myself up to 10 miles of walking per day. But instead of losing weight I gained weight. I was replacing my fat cells with muscles and muscles weigh more.

A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat.

I think what people mean when they make the comparison between muscle and fat is that a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. Of course a pound is a pound is a pound.

@@pr_pitbullgrl

This last weekend I made homemade skinny enchiladas. I had 3/4 of one for dinner with fresh tomato, black olives and a dab of sour cream.

I had one for lunch the next day and it was fine. I barely ate 1/2 one yesterday for lunch and I had terrible pain in my chest right where my pouch is. I think I ate it too fast and that is usually what happens.

The only food I am near giving up, is eggs by themselves because no matter what I get sick from them.

Recipe please?

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My team had said that the first month you lose the most weight and then the loss percentage reduces. I just found this to support that general rule:

Findings in the October-December 2013 issue of the "Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons" suggested that people having sleeve gastrectomy lost more of their excess weight in the first few months after surgery. In this study of 100 patients, on average, subjects lost about 18 percent of their excess weight in the first month. Average weight loss by the end of 6 months was 50 percent of the excess body weight, and by the end of the first year, they had lost about 63 percent of their excess weight.

(And by that average percentage, I'm doing ok - I lost 24% of my excess weight in the first month.)

@@Seastars With regard to the hunger you're feeling, when you follow up with your team about the ppi you're taking, maybe you can also look into taking a probiotic. The one I take is a pre and probiotic and really helps with gut health. I take one in the morning and then take my ppi when I get home from work. I'm not a doctor but it might help you.

@@Clarevoyant

Super simple - pick your favorite spice rub - I used a jarred one that I made some time ago and I only remember it had :Cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Rub your ribs! I mean your baby back ribs with seasonings of your choice. If you don't like a rub, just used some salt and pepper.

Cut the ribs into 2 or 3 pieces.

Place 1 cup of liquid in pot. I used chicken stock but would have used apple juice had I had it on hand.

Place the trivet that comes with the pot in and place ribs in standing up

Seal the lid, switch the thingy to sealing, press manual and I would add 5 more minutes. It will start at 30, mine were fall of the bone tender but we like them when they literally fall apart. 35 minutes should do that. If you like them a little less fall apart use the 30 minutes.

Once the pot does its thing you can either use quick release or wait until the pot releases the steam by itself.

Start either your broiler or grill.

Slather ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and place in grill or broiler for 10 to 15 minutes until BBQ sauce Carmelizes.

Homemade peach BBQ sauce:

2 peaches, cut into small chunks

1 shallot , diced

1 to 2 cloves garlic chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup ketchup

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt & pepper

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In medium saucepan melt butter and sauté shallot until it is near crispy, add garlic and sauté without burning for 1 minute more.

Then add ketchup and all spices and bring to a boil.

Turn heat down and add Worcestershire and lemon and simmer for 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. I added another tablespoon of brown sugar because I like how it Carmelizes.

I wouldn't expect a lower BMI patient to lose 18% in the first month, not pure fat, anyway. For me, that would have been 31 pounds, and there is no way in hell I got close to that number. My BMI was 34 at surgery. Everybody is different, but that is still a lot of weight to lose in one month. I am losing steadily now, thankfully, but I sure had a slower start. I don't expect any certain result by any certain date, because it makes me crazy trying meet a predetermined expectation. I am just allowing my body to take care of itself while I eat the right things and get my exercise. And of course--protein and water!!

I wouldn't expect a lower BMI patient to lose 18% in the first month, not pure fat, anyway. For me, that would have been 31 pounds, and there is no way in hell I got close to that number. My BMI was 34 at surgery. Everybody is different, but that is still a lot of weight to lose in one month. I am losing steadily now, thankfully, but I sure had a slower start. I don't expect any certain result by any certain date, because it makes me crazy trying meet a predetermined expectation. I am just allowing my body to take care of itself while I eat the right things and get my exercise. And of course--Protein and water!!

The percentage is of excess weight, not overall weight. Your ticker suggests you had 95# excess weight. On average, a person with your stats would lose about 18# in the first month with the sleeve.

You're right! I never was a math whiz, haha!! Thanks for the clarification

@@Seastars With regard to the hunger you're feeling, when you follow up with your team about the ppi you're taking, maybe you can also look into taking a probiotic. The one I take is a pre and probiotic and really helps with gut health. I take one in the morning and then take my ppi when I get home from work. I'm not a doctor but it might help you.

Yup, I take a double dose of Probiotics every evening. But I think you are on to something about my acid reducer not being strong enough - and the resulting acid activity resembling hunger pangs. Very glad for that pointer (cuz I really dislike feeling hungry). Will ask my clinician when I see her on Monday.

@@Clarevoyant

Super simple - pick your favorite spice rub - I used a jarred one that I made some time ago and I only remember it had :Cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Rub your ribs! I mean your baby back ribs with seasonings of your choice. If you don't like a rub, just used some salt and pepper.

Cut the ribs into 2 or 3 pieces.

Place 1 cup of liquid in pot. I used chicken stock but would have used apple juice had I had it on hand.

Place the trivet that comes with the pot in and place ribs in standing up

Seal the lid, switch the thingy to sealing, press manual and I would add 5 more minutes. It will start at 30, mine were fall of the bone tender but we like them when they literally fall apart. 35 minutes should do that. If you like them a little less fall apart use the 30 minutes.

Once the pot does its thing you can either use quick release or wait until the pot releases the steam by itself.

Start either your broiler or grill.

Slather ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and place in grill or broiler for 10 to 15 minutes until BBQ sauce Carmelizes.

Homemade peach BBQ sauce:

2 peaches, cut into small chunks

1 shallot , diced

1 to 2 cloves garlic chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup ketchup

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt & pepper

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In medium saucepan melt butter and sauté shallot until it is near crispy, add garlic and sauté without burning for 1 minute more.

Then add ketchup and all spices and bring to a boil.

Turn heat down and add Worcestershire and lemon and simmer for 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. I added another tablespoon of brown sugar because I like how it Carmelizes.

Thx! Sounds delish!

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