Only 37 pounds in 4 months- what am I doing wrong? Please help-

[Finding Erika 61]

Hi everyone-

I'm really just at a loss for what to do. I have been hanging around on these boards for the past 4 months since surgery but only posted a few times. I keep hoping to find someone else that is having the "I'm not losing enough weight" problem that I'm having.

I started at 240 a year ago and went into surgery at 226 pounds on December 6, 2016. I'm 4 months post-op and have only lost 37 pounds. After month 1 I was down 19 pounds- and I was thrilled. However, after months 2, 3, and 4 I'm only down 12, 2, and now 4 pounds, respectively. I've only lost 6 pounds in 2 months! So basically when I started to eat real food (or more than an average of 600 calories a day) the weight loss stopped.

I did have a problem at 7 weeks post-op where my gallbladder flared up and I was hospitalized for a few days. I then had it removed at 8 weeks. Since then I stopped losing. I've been cleared for exercise for the past month and since then I've been increasing my walking to now where I can walk 40 minutes at around 3.3 mph and not die- lol. I walk 2-3 times a week, stretch and do yoga 2 other days of the week.

I'm definitely getting in my Protein (around 90g per day) and I make my Fluid goal of 64oz- sometimes more but usually right at that because too much fluids make me nauseous. I'm eating fat-free cottage cheese with 1oz of no-sugar-added peaches for Breakfast. Then lunch is usually a tuna pouch with 6-8 rice crackers and a tsp of olive oil mayo. dinner is some sort of stir fry (maybe a tsp of sesame oil) or a piece of chicken breast and broccoli. In between the meals I'm drinking a Premiere Protein Shake each time.

My program says to only 2oz per meal until 6 months. Isn't this pretty small compared to everyone else? I'm trying to stick with that but I'm still pretty hungry and so I go back and eventually eat about 4 oz when all is said and done.

I'm drinking Powerade Zero, Unjury Chicken Soup sometimes in place of one of the Protein Shakes, and sugar-free hot chocolate in the morning- 1 cup. All of these foods are on my "allowed" lists from my doctor so I don't know what is going on - except that I'm eating 4 oz at each meal instead of 2.

I have PCOS and have always found it impossible not to gain weight. Is this why I'm not able to lose it? Am I doing something wrong? Not doing enough?

Please help- I'm starting to get pretty down and feel like maybe I should just resign myself to always weighing 189 even though I should weight more like 130-

[Lauren PB 19]

Oh man, it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I hope it isnt PCOs related. I have PCOs too and my surgeon usually symptoms decrease as you lose weight. One of the biggest reasons of me doing the sleeve is to eventually be able to get pregnant, along with getting healthy. My starting was 285 and down to 249. My presurgical weight loss was 20 lbs on shakes for 2 weeks. Now going into my 3rd week after surgery an extra 16 lbs down, but yesterday went up a lb and maintaining today. It is scaring crap out of me. I'd die to be 189 lol. My goal is 170 at the moment, but just to get below 200 would be a dream. What does your surgeon say? I hear some people lose very little some months and then all of a sudden woosh it come off. I hope it is true for the both of us. I am not in this for 36 lbs. I am in this for over 100 lbs. I do also notice the lighter we start not as much weight flies off us. Like for me I lost 36 lbs so far but was much bigger than my friend who only lost 20 lbs at this pt. (PS this friend is now 130 lbs down 254 lbs, now 124 in a yr) so don't give up!!! My other friend was 309 and weight flew off her so much faster than me. So I guess the lower we get the harder it is. For my height at 5'4 I should be around 130 also, but I will be so so happy if and when I make below the 200 mark. Talk to your surgeon and see what he says. Might have suggestions. Hang in there. ♡

[Joules007 26]

I feel your pain! On the day of my bypass surgery on 13th December 2016, I weighed in at 223 (fully clothed) today I weighed in (fully clothed) at 180 pounds! I'm hoping that the slower the weight loss the healthier and better & to lessen the chances of saggy skin...

[Finding Erika 61]

Thank you Lauren- it's so sweet of you to reply I'm so sorry you have the PCOS stuff too- good news for you is that I had my son with no problems (he's now 16- yikes! How did THAT happen?!)- and although we suffered 4 miscarriages before I was diagnosed, we put me on met form in and the 6th time it worked like a charm! We ended up having a crazy pregnancy but it had nothing to do with the PCOS - and our daughter is now 9 1/2! She's healthy and sweet as can be- so you will have babies- I just WILL happen- you have to have faith -
Now I don't have the hirsituism. I never had the hyperandrogenism with the excess hairs- I'm a really fair redhead- and my cycles have always been generally normal. They found my PCOS because of the pearly "bag of pearls" appearance of my ovary during routine sonograms during my miscarriages. Then we found my insulin resistance and my cholesterol started to go wacky. But I'm telling you the Metformin has saved my life! To not did it give me our daughter but it stopped me from gaining as fast as I was.
And you're right about weight taking longer to fall off the lower your weight is. I guess that's just what we have to accept but I think 6 pounds in 2 months is ridiculous. Like you I didn't go into this for 37 pounds- I needed to lose 100 pounds.
I really hope it's going to happen like you said where you don't lose for a few months and then it all comes off in a whoosh! I keep praying- hard! Like all day! My rosary is starting to fall apart .
But you're doing great! At 3 weeks out and having lost 16 pounds- especially after losing 20 pounds before your surgery! You're ROCKING IT! Those who lose a ton before surgery end up not losing a much the first few months- so way to go!
And PLEASE- ask your friend who lost the 124 pounds in a year how she did it! How much did she eat, how often, how much Protein, Water, exercise? Ok- sorry- I'm just full of questions!
Keep doing what your doing- you're already wildly successful- go Lauren, GO!
Keep us posted!

[Finding Erika 61]

Joules- we sound very much like surgery twins! That's what I've been trying to tell myself too- that maybe it's just healthier to lose slowly - less skin sagging and more chance to keep our muscles from atrophying too quickly- keep your chin up! You're DOING this! You're making it! Be PROUD of how far you've come!
Can you tell me. What your program is like? How many oz are you out uploaded to eat and how often? How much Protein and Water are you supposed to take in? How much exercise are you doing? I'm just trying to see where I can improve-
Thank you for replying and the support- I so need this

[GBLady41 393]

My nutritionist said that when you start upping your activity, you need to up your fluids and watch your carb intake. So 64oz may not be enough. I had mini gastric bypass on 12/12/16, and almost 4 months later I am down almost 60 lbs. My surgery weight was 247 lbs and I now weigh 192.6 lbs. I also have PCOS, and besides my excess hair still being a problem and a few hot flashes, I have much more energy and can do so much more (no more fits of fatigue). I also decided to not continue taking the metformin my endocrinologist had me on, because I wanted to really give my body a chance to recover from the surgery, and so far my test results have been perfectly normal. I'm not sure at this point if I will start taking metformin again.

I have learned that anytime I bump up my activity, I lose less weight until I also up my Fluid intake. Now I'm aiming for 126 oz of fluids. I am currently taking in 118 oz, and up until this week, I was losing at least 3 lbs a week.

Try to take in more fluids and watch your carb intake and see if that helps.

[catwoman7 10,986]

you're what we call a "lightweight" - you're going to lose a lot slower than someone who started off at 400 lbs. If you're carb sensitive, cut back on those (peaches, rice crackers) and focus on mainly Protein and non-starchy vegetables. Otherwise, just stay the course...

[Lauren PB 19]

Hey, so my friend is super extreme strict. Instead of having premiere shakes as Snacks she uses one to replace a meal like Breakfast, lunch is a salad with no dressing or small amount of olive oil, snacks in betweem maybe a clemetine or a small Protein Bar, dinner is usually fish of "high quality" she says like blackened salmon with fresh spinach or sea bass and she will only eat about 4 ounces of the fish and a little of the veggie. Also does capers and asparagus depending on the meal. And a late night snack would be a few slices of cucumber. Lots of Water throughout the day and if she gets tired of plain water she adds crystal light. She is like carb free. She walks and does the elliptical sometimrs, but not crazy exercise. She is to the extreme with a lot.

I feel you are doing amazing and I pray to become as light as you one day and have a baby too ♡

[blondie66 271]

At 4 months out that's a lot of food and fluids. My experience I could only eat about 1 or 3 bites of Protein at 4 months. Mainly had Protein Shakes and bars. My experience around 10 pounds a month for first year some months more some less. Weight loss started to slow around 9 months. I was never able to get a lot of Fluid in until I was a year out from surgery. Make sure you're drinking 30 mins after your meal and stick to 3 meals 2 small Snacks. Also Vitamin D helps and cutting back on carbs.

[Finding Erika 61]

Hi JBLady
Thanks for the reply- I will definitely be upping my Fluid intake now that you said this- congrats on your huge loss! You're amazing! I guess I will have to cut out all carbs to -besides veggies - I'm really happy for you that the PCOS symptoms are lessening- that's awesome! Hopefully they will continue to go away-
Thanks for the input- I'm learning a ton from my peers here-

[Finding Erika 61]

Catwoman- thanks for putting it right out there- that's what I really need- I am carb sensitive so I don't know why I would think that I wouldn't be after surgery- duh, Erika! [emoji5] Maybe because my NUT said not to worry about fruits and veggies- even oatmeal, brown rice, Pasta and sweet potatoes are all ok- albeit we're supposed to eat our Protein first- but these are all supposedly ok-
I'm going to have to cut them out completely though- thank you for the encouragement -

[maggieO 33]

As tweaks you could loose the crackers and peaches. Are you tracking your food? Are you tracking carb count also how much Protein are you getting from food vs the shakes? Your good choices look pretty good overall though... could just be a stall. Keep doing what your doing and things will keep going down, even if painfully slow

[Finding Erika 61]

Blondie -thanks for writing back Do you really think that's a lot of food? Wow- I'm really confused then- I thought most people were eating 3- 4oz meals plus 2 Protein Shakes in between- maybe I misunderstood what I've been reading on these boards- if it is too much the. That would explain it and I'll have to cut back-
Also- did you have the nausea problem with big amounts of fluids? Is that why you couldn't get them all in at this point? I wonder if people use Zofran for this kind of nausea- just an idea- thinking out loud-

[Finding Erika 61]

Hey Lauren- wow! Your friend is a rock star! How many calories is she taking in? Does she even get in all of her Proteins? I'm so impressed with her! I think I could totally do her diet- the thing is that I guess I'm an "all or nothing" kind of girl with my food addiction- is anyone else like this?
It was much easier in the beginning when I could only eat very little and it was a small menu to choose from- but now - (I mean I know we have a still small menu but) we have more choices that can get us/me in to trouble. I have to just get into the "nothing" way of thinking I suppose- lol - and that's fine if that's what I have to do- but it feels like before a little but where you never really knew what you were doing with a diet-
But I'm going to just get back to basics- probably have to really increase my fluids- ick! And not have the rice crackers I was having with my lunch- but that's ok- we'll all make it through -
And yes! You WILL be 189 pounds before you know it AND you will be way lower than that soon afterwards- just keep on following your plan- it will all come together

[Finding Erika 61]

Maggie- thanks for the encouragement I'm quitting the peaches and rice crackers as of tomorrow- I already packed my lunch and Breakfast without them! I really hope it is just a stall-
I am tracking everything that goes into my mouth on MFP- and my Protein is around 90g a day (60 from 2 Premiere Protein shakes) so I guess my food is 30g?
We were never told to watch carbs or calories- sounds insane now that I see everyone else it doing so- so can you tell me how much you we're supposed to be having at 4 months out? I looked back and my carbs are averaging around 50g a day- depending on how many veggies I eat- is that high? By the way- Where does everyone get these guidelines? From their individual surgeon? Or another magical site somewhere I haven't found yet? [emoji12]
Wow! What a whole new world we're living now- it's wildly exhausting but so freeing at the same time- I'm just afraid of going back to that old life- it was dark and lonely- just sad- I know everyone understands this- so when I stopped losing like I should I kind of freaked out- (maybe just a little bit- [emoji39]) because I'm so afraid of the old life-
So thank you everyone for responding and listening- what a wonderful group I've found here - I am very lucky -