Dear All

I hope someone can provide me advice. I had my operation on Sept. 23. I have only had one call with my dietician and bariatric team. I lost 7 lbs since the operation in the first week but since then nothing. I do not eat carbs and in week 2 my dietician was already stating that I needed to increase carbs. I am gluten intolerant so she advised rice cakes. I workout 5 to 6 days a week alternating between cardio and weights. I have asked my bariatric team and they say that everything is fine. I am scared because my hunger and frustrations are growing. Any tips

What is your height and weight, and how many calories are you eating each day?

Share your macros with us and maybe we can advise you. Keep in touch with your dietician/nutritionist at the surgeon's office and track every single thing you put in your mouth, including liquids. Everyone goes through a Week 3 or 4 stall post-op, but having lost nothing since the first couple of weeks is very strange. If it continues, you might want to see your surgeon to discuss.

I am 5'9 about 180 meters. I weigh 258lbs about 117 kilos. I first ate about 400-500 calories post op but they told me to increase as I needed to intake 90 grams of protein per day and around 40 of fat and max 30 grams of carbs. I am now between 800-900 calories per day. Mostly from protein shakes or yogurt (80-90%) of my calorie intake. I work out every morning for 45 minutes (10 -15 minutes on the treadmill 2x a week) then weights or pilates. I also alternating treadmill which is high intensity running or jogging with cycling or cross trainer. My nutritionist says everything is as expected but the numbers are not going down at all.

Are you measuring yourself to see if you're losing inches? You may be gaining muscle as you lose fat and muscle is heavier than fat so you may actually be losing but the scale won't show you that due to the muscle gain... Also, I would personally lower your calorie intake. I was getting between 500-600 calories when I was 2 months out. And if they advised you to up your carb intake (my nutritionist did the same) make sure that the carbs are good carbs that you get from oatmeal, grains, fruits, veggies, beans, seeds, nuts, etc. and not from over processed crap. I was told rice cakes are bad carbs because they have no real nutritional value and don't really add anything to your diet (from the mouth of my nutritionist).

9 minutes ago, NovaLuna said:

Are you measuring yourself to see if you're losing inches? You may be gaining muscle as you lose fat and muscle is heavier than fat so you may actually be losing but the scale won't show you that due to the muscle gain... Also, I would personally lower your calorie intake. I was getting between 500-600 calories when I was 2 months out. And if they advised you to up your carb intake (my nutritionist did the same) make sure that the carbs are good carbs that you get from oatmeal, grains, fruits, veggies, Beans, seeds, nuts, etc. and not from over processed crap. I was told rice cakes are bad carbs because they have no real nutritional value and don't really add anything to your diet (from the mouth of my nutritionist).

Thank you this is what I thought. Please do not get me wrong. I love rice cakes but was thoroughly surprised when this was recommended. I will start measuring my body to track for changes but if I am honest I am scared I will never lose weight and that everyday I will get hungrier. I will speak with my nutritionist again next week but your input makes me feel as if I am not alone. May I ask at 2 months out what your required protein intake was and how close was your actual intake to this?

I'm 5'7" and have a protein requirement of 60 grams daily.

4 hours ago, NewWorldMe said:

Thank you this is what I thought. Please do not get me wrong. I love rice cakes but was thoroughly surprised when this was recommended. I will start measuring my body to track for changes but if I am honest I am scared I will never lose weight and that everyday I will get hungrier. I will speak with my nutritionist again next week but your input makes me feel as if I am not alone. May I ask at 2 months out what your required Protein intake was and how close was your actual intake to this?

Well, I had a different surgery than you so my required protein intake is different. My surgery has the highest protein requirement and I was told to always get at least 80g-100g of protein a day on average (though for men I believe it's 100g-120g). I usually get around 90g-95g though at two months out I was barely scraping by with 80g. I drink one 30g protein drink a day and then get a minimum of 50g of protein on my own. I'm almost 10 months out right now and it's not quite 3pm here right now and I've had my protein drink as well as an additional 54g of protein so I've already met my goal and haven't even eaten dinner yet. I take into account everything I put into my mouth since my protein goal would be impossible without doing so. And I ALWAYS have a protein shake. A lot of people try and attempt to do without, but it would stress me the hell out if I even tried so I always have a protein shake either in the morning or afternoon. I never actually tested it, but there is a theory that if you drink a protein shake first thing in the morning it curbs most of your hunger through the day. Like I said, I haven't tested it, but I've had a few people I work with give me this advice. My problem is that I have to take my thyroid meds in the morning and can't have calcium or vitamins within 4 hours of taking the pill so depending on when I wake up I can't drink the shake until 4 hours have passed. Sometimes I wake up at 5am and sometimes I wake up at 9am so it just depends. I woke up at 7am this morning so my protein shake was in the afternoon today. So yeah, I personally, can't test the theory as I've eaten before I drink the shake.

Edited November 21, 20205 yr by NovaLuna
Spelling.

9 hours ago, NovaLuna said:

Well, I had a different surgery than you so my required Protein intake is different. My surgery has the highest protein requirement and I was told to always get at least 80g-100g of protein a day on average (though for men I believe it's 100g-120g). I usually get around 90g-95g though at two months out I was barely scraping by with 80g. I drink one 30g Protein Drink a day and then get a minimum of 50g of protein on my own. I'm almost 10 months out right now and it's not quite 3pm here right now and I've had my protein drink as well as an additional 54g of protein so I've already met my goal and haven't even eaten dinner yet. I take into account everything I put into my mouth since my protein goal would be impossible without doing so. And I ALWAYS have a Protein Shake. A lot of people try and attempt to do without, but it would stress me the hell out if I even tried so I always have a protein shake either in the morning or afternoon. I never actually tested it, but there is a theory that if you drink a protein shake first thing in the morning it curbs most of your hunger through the day. Like I said, I haven't tested it, but I've had a few people I work with give me this advice. My problem is that I have to take my thyroid meds in the morning and can't have Calcium or Vitamins within 4 hours of taking the pill so depending on when I wake up I can't drink the shake until 4 hours have passed. Sometimes I wake up at 5am and sometimes I wake up at 9am so it just depends. I woke up at 7am this morning so my protein shake was in the afternoon today. So yeah, I personally, can't test the theory as I've eaten before I drink the shake.

Everyone is different-no matter the surgery. My age, body type, meds needed and other conditions will always be a factor.

It sounds like you are doing really well with what you are eating and drinking. I was wondering if you can ask your fitness expert about your exercise? I love my exercise and always have but was told by my trainer at the WL clinic that I was overdoing it. This can seem strange and I was really confused but she had me to alternate some of my exercises and how much I was doing daily in order for my body to respond more then up it as I go. She said your body can stall as it gets used to the exercise and it did help me. I also do something now that helps with my bike where I go as hard as I can for about 2 minutes then back down for the next minute or so and back up again (the time is up to you; as long as you are pushing for some time then easing off then pushing, etc).

You also have thyroid problems, I'm not familiar with that but it would definitely cause me to ask my Dr again (with a bit more insistence) if there can be a corrolation to your not having lost anything since week 1 and 2 of your surgery. If you are being monitored by your surgeon for post-op care, this is something that should have already been addressed by them for the lack of any forward movement. The week 3 and 4 stall and even other ones can definitely occur but some weight loss should have been showing up even at a slower rate.

In the end, and as always, talk with your Dr and after care providers. If they say it's fine, I would get persistent. And then don't worry, your body will get there. Hang in there.

On 11/21/2020 at 8:22 AM, NewWorldMe said:

Dear All

I hope someone can provide me advice. I had my operation on Sept. 23. I have only had one call with my dietician and bariatric team. I lost 7 lbs since the operation in the first week but since then nothing. I do not eat carbs and in week 2 my dietician was already stating that I needed to increase carbs. I am gluten intolerant so she advised rice cakes. I workout 5 to 6 days a week alternating between cardio and weights. I have asked my bariatric team and they say that everything is fine. I am scared because my hunger and frustrations are growing. Any tips

How are you doing now with weight loss? I’m trying to figure out what I should be doing. I had my surgery on Nov 19 (mini gastric bypass) and I have only lost 9 pounds. I am tracking 500-600 calories... sometimes less. I walk a lot. Not at the stage that I can do more than a lot of walking. Did you find you made changes or did it just start coming off?

30 minutes ago, TrueNorth1 said:

How are you doing now with weight loss? I’m trying to figure out what I should be doing. I had my surgery on Nov 19 (mini gastric bypass) and I have only lost 9 pounds. I am tracking 500-600 calories... sometimes less. I walk a lot. Not at the stage that I can do more than a lot of walking. Did you find you made changes or did it just start coming off?

Your starting weight was 189lb, its a fairly low start weight, 9lb is excellent for that, low start weight is going to have lower and slower weight loss even with weight loss surgery. You probably lost a few pounds in the pre-op stage as well.

You are not going to lose the higher weight losses in the first months that you see from people whose starting weights are significantly higher.

Nothing only about 9lb regardless of your start weight though, you are doing great.

19 minutes ago, Hop_Scotch said:

Your starting weight was 189lb, its a fairly low start weight, 9lb is excellent for that, low start weight is going to have lower and slower weight loss even with weight loss surgery. You probably lost a few pounds in the pre-op stage as well.

You are not going to lose the higher weight losses in the first months that you see from people whose starting weights are significantly higher.

Nothing only about 9lb regardless of your start weight though, you are doing great.

Thanks Hop Scotch. I guess logically it’s just not making sense to me. Low calories, low fat, exercise...you would think it would be falling off! Take surgery out of the equation....I’m still overweight and have weight to loose. At 500-600 calories you’d think the first 20 would come off fast. I understand when you get closer you your goal weight it will be slow. I’m not discouraged...I’m not going to stop what I am doing. I do feel healthy and good. I will say that I still feel a bit hungry after I eat sometimes. Just Thought if anyone else was finding a slower weight loss maybe they found some thing that helped speed it up a tad? wishful thinking I suppose.