This surgery is bullshit...

[Jaelzion 1,123]

Everyone has covered the mental aspects, so I won't repeat. But I'm curious...

1. Do you feel restriction when you eat? At six weeks out, it should be very apparent. What happens if you overeat?

2. What kind of food are you eating? Are you following an eating plan? Or just eating whatever?

3. Do you eat meals? Graze? Both? What is your style of eating?

4. Are you hungry all the time? Or do you eat out of boredom, as a coping mechanism, etc?

The folks on this site are super-knowlegeable and might be able to help you figure out what's going on if you provide more information.

[goodmanje 15]

To those with encouraging words I appreciate it. Those of you who are sitting on your high horse saying “all you have to do is put in the work” can check their ego. Why didn’t you put in the work instead of having surgery? Because you were just as much a lazy slob as me. Nobody who has had this procedure should be judgemental but we’ve got some on here talking like they are Olympic athletes or something. I have been following the advise of my physician. I don’t write everything down but I’m only eating low calorie food. I never drink anything with calories, never eat out…. I don’t even eat what the rest of my family has for meals. I’ve always got my own food to eat. And I’m not losing weight…… like I said, I don’t know what else to do.

[ColieCallwell 128]

There is a Baritastic app that is very easy to use to track your calories. You can scan items or manually add them. Super quick super easy just go to your App Store and search Baritastic you will find it. I’ve watched my 600 pound life and it seems that they do not loose weight or start to regain when they eat to high of calories or wrong food. Like mashed potatoes and gravy etc. remember high Protein low carb. (Maybe try watching a few episodes you glean a lot of insight and information from it) I would try to get in with your nutritionist after you have logged your food for a week if you still are not loosing. Remember the surgery is just a tool not a miracle! Good luck!

I watch 600 lb Life, too and glean a lot of insight from it - especially the psychology behind overeating. To the OP, you could be overeating and just don't know it. Or eating the wrong things. 50 calories of sugar vs. 50 calories of Protein does two very different things to your body. I use My Fitness Pal and also watch my macros (protein, carbs and fat). Maybe try tracking your intake for a few days and see what you're eating. Like all the experts say, the surgery isn't a magic pill, it's a tool to lose weight. You still have to change your eating habits and lifestyle for it to work.

Sent from my SM-N976V using BariatricPal mobile app

[Jaelzion 1,123]

49 minutes ago, goodmanje said:

I have been following the advise of my physician. I don’t write everything down but I’m only eating low calorie food. I never drink anything with calories, never eat out…. I don’t even eat what the rest of my family has for meals. I’ve always got my own food to eat. And I’m not losing weight…… like I said, I don’t know what else to do.

@goodmanje, if you're just wanting to vent because you're angry and upset, that's fine. We've all been there at some time or other in our lives. But if you are interested in help with troubleshooting what's going on, you'll have to engage with us and provide more specific information. Like post an example of what you eat on an average day. And you have to be willing to change - for instance, you can't just say "I'm not a disciplined person". Losing weight requires discipline with or without surgery. There are lots of food tracking apps out there and you may not be able to figure this out without making use of one of them.

[Lifestyle Changer 49]

On 11/28/2021 at 9:31 AM, goodmanje said:

I had gastric sleeve surgery on July 21st. Over the first six weeks I lost 30lbs. I haven't lost a single pound since then..... My doctor keeps saying I need to keep my daily calorie intake to 800 or less to lose weight. I haven't been logging everything but I think I'm staying around that number... I'm not a very disciplined person so keeping track of that every day usually doesn't happen. I'm super frustrated and getting depressed over this. If I was able to lose weight by sticking to a very strict diet and exercise program I would have done that a long time ago and never had the surgery. I had a big part of my stomach removed for nothing.... Anybody else out there who can't lose weight even after weight loss surgery? I don't know what to do....

Husky mama mentioned using the Baritastic app. I’ve been using this app since I started the required weight loss program prior to my surgery. BTW my gastric sleeve surgery was 11/01/21. I love using this app. I found out there is a timer. My nutritionist suggested that when eating there should be at least 20 seconds between each bite. That means put your fork down and chew your bites thoroughly then swallow. There are exceptions to the rule with foods such as scrambled eggs, yogurt etc. With that said this will help slow down your eating. The question is are you eating too fast and finishing your meals in less than 20 to 30 minutes. If you have a scale go back and start weighing your food again. Finally if your weighing yourself everyday day you’re not going to see changes. Pick a specific day and time to weigh yourself. Then weigh yourself once a week on the that specific day you chose and you may see some progress. I wish you the best and please don’t give up. You’ve gotten a lot of good advice and I hope you will read them use these to help you succeed with your weight loss. Keep us updated on your progress as all of us want to continue to support you. 🙏🙏🙏

[vikingbeast 985]

You may be one of the unlucky ones whose hunger doesn't go away with surgery.

And I will say that your surgeon's idea that you must stay on 800 cal a day to lose weight flies in the face of scienc. Stand back, I'm going to use MATH!

If you were maintaining your (heavy) weight by eating, say, 3500 calories a day, then that's your maintenance for that weight. So now, if you are eating 800 calories, you are in a deficit of 2700 calories a day, which means you'd lose three quarters of a pound per day on average. If you're eating 1200 calories, you're in a deficit of 2300 calories a day, which means you'd lose two thirds of a pound per day on average.

Yes, different macros (protein, carbs, fat, alcohol) do work differently in your body, but ultimately your body is bound, like everyone's, to the calories in-calories out equation.

I suspect what happened to you is twofold:

1. You're in a lengthy stall (search up "three-week stall", it happens to almost all of us, it's incredibly frustrating, it's not always at 3 weeks, and it can last a month for some people). It's because your body has depleted its glycogen and is probably somewhat dehydrated (it's hard to drink enough right after surgery), and your Fluid balance is adjusting itself.

2. You're frustrated and not tracking what you eat. Unfortunately, this is something that has to be done. You can't fix your diet if you don't know what your diet is. And that means, at least for me, pre-prepping meals and weighing things out. I just pop a tray in the microwave a few times a day and have it all specced out. I use MyMacros+ for tracking. One of the big culprits is cooking oil/fat. How many people measure the oil they put in a pan to cook their, say, chicken breast? Nobody except bariatric patients—everyone else just sploops some oil in a pan until it looks right. I actually have a bar jigger on the counter so I can measure in 1/2 ounces and full ounces.

Track your food. Literally track your food. If you find you're not losing weight on 800 cal a day, spend a week eating 1000 cal a day to see if it'll shock your system. I am at about 1400-1500 cal a day a little short of three months post-op, because I work physical work and am very active (gym, running, hiking, etc.) and need the calories to be able to function. But I still track each and every day.

The surgery isn't bullshit. If it were possible to just severely restrict calories without it, nobody would get the surgery. But there are thousands of people here, myself included, who found success with the surgery that wouldn't have been possible without it.

[Lisa LoVuolo 63]

Sorry to hear things have been rough. Tracking calories does not work for me, I’ve learned from other eating plans that it makes me obsessive, and is not sustainable for me.
Perhaps talking with a nutritionist about what you are eating each day might help? I follow the rules of 60 or more grams of Protein each day, no added sugar, 5 g or less fat per serving, and eat until I am satisfied. No more. During the work week, I eat the same thing every day from Breakfast until afternoon snack. Dinners are healthy and usually involve some form of chicken or turkey. I know this might not work for everyone, but it makes it easy for me and my weight loss has been great.
Ultimately, each person is different, and what works for me and my program may not work best for you. I hope you find something that works for you, and allows you to use your new tool to the fullest!

I use smart balance chicken turkey quinoa brown rice ect and use a small plate and always use a small plate

Sent from my octopus using BariatricPal mobile app

[mtoney13 0]

I’d you struggle with changing habits, which I do, the band worked great. By getting regular fills, the restriction stays and you cannot over eat, even if you don’t eat the right foods.

[greenwitch17 19]

On 11/28/2021 at 06:31, goodmanje said:

I had gastric sleeve surgery on July 21st. Over the first six weeks I lost 30lbs. I haven't lost a single pound since then..... My doctor keeps saying I need to keep my daily calorie intake to 800 or less to lose weight. I haven't been logging everything but I think I'm staying around that number... I'm not a very disciplined person so keeping track of that every day usually doesn't happen. I'm super frustrated and getting depressed over this. If I was able to lose weight by sticking to a very strict diet and exercise program I would have done that a long time ago and never had the surgery. I had a big part of my stomach removed for nothing.... Anybody else out there who can't lose weight even after weight loss surgery? I don't know what to do....

I’m sorry but this negativity is so off putting to your success. You need to do the work and surgery is only ever a TOOL. You should not be assuming it’ll magically work for you but also this should have been explicitly told to you by your care team prior to surgery. I haven’t gotten my surgery yet but I’ve already had every care practitioner emphasize that it’s a tool and I have to actually work for results. The way it’s different than just calorie restriction/exercise is that the surgery limits the amount you can eat and it also removes the part of the stomach that has the hunger hormones. This makes it actually possible to calorie restrict and exercise without the ability to binge or feel super hungry. If someone tried to do 800 calories a day without surgery they would feel like they are completely starving. Listen to your doctor. Seek a therapist. This is a safe space but also the negativity in your comments has been awful. You need to work on yourself and how you treat others too. Healing and weight loss are best friends, it takes a LOT of work.

[Lisa LoVuolo 63]

Everyone has covered the mental aspects, so I won't repeat. But I'm curious...
1. Do you feel restriction when you eat? At six weeks out, it should be very apparent. What happens if you overeat?
2. What kind of food are you eating? Are you following an eating plan? Or just eating whatever?
3. Do you eat meals? Graze? Both? What is your style of eating?
4. Are you hungry all the time? Or do you eat out of boredom, as a coping mechanism, etc?
The folks on this site are super-knowlegeable and might be able to help you figure out what's going on if you provide more information.

I get bored alot and my ears are ringing lots I know not to overeat and you get brain fog

Sent from my octopus using BariatricPal mobile app

[ForMyOhana 63]

Seek out a counselor and dietitian. They can help you. Log everything. Stick to the plan and it will work.

[Esi 179]

On 11/28/2021 at 8:37 PM, KarrinnaP said:

What may work for another won’t necessarily work for you and no doctors don’t always know what they’re doing. My doctor didn’t even tell me about so many things that I eventually learned on my own or even on here talking to others.

Good point. My doctor was excellent with the actual surgery. However, most of what I learned about how to succeed, I learned from the nutritionist. And, being on this forum has been great ongoing support, with additional ideas from those who have been there.

[Esi 179]

5 hours ago, greenwitch17 said:

The way it’s different than just calorie restriction/exercise is that the surgery limits the amount you can eat and it also removes the part of the stomach that has the hunger hormones. This makes it actually possible to calorie restrict and exercise without the ability to binge or feel super hungry. If someone tried to do 800 calories a day without surgery they would feel like they are completely starving.

This! How this tool makes it much less painful to lose weight. Hard to ignore feeling hungry.

[Arabesque 6,466]

I’m sorry you feel this was the worst decision for you & you’re angry. And it doesn’t work for absolutely everyone - sometimes for genetic or physiological reasons, sometimes for psychological reasons. But if you can honestly look in the mirror & say yes I’m making changes to what I eat, I’m choosing low fat, low sugar & low carb foods, I’m eating differently to how I ate before, I’m eating smaller portions, I’m following my surgeon’s plan & my dietician’s recommendations, maybe you are one of the unlucky few for which surgery doesn’t work.

The average weight loss after bariatric surgery at about the 5yr point is around 65% of the weight you had to lose to put you in the healthy bmi range. Some lose more. Some lose less. Complacency, lifestyle, health issues, age, gender, genetics, personal choice, etc. all play a part in how much you will lose & then the weight at which you happily maintain. So odds are you won’t lose & keep off all the weight you need (or want) to lose in the long term but odds are you will weigh less than you do when you started.

If you buy a gym membership & never go, you won’t get any healthier, or stronger or fitter. Weight loss surgery is the same. If you don’t take advantage of the tool nothing changes. The amount of success you have is directly in proportion to the amount of effort you put in to making the long term changes.

Like most (all) of us I’ve lost & regained hundreds of pounds over the years. Tried every diet, & exercise program. This time, I took advantage of the benefits the surgery afforded me in the beginning. I used the tool. I did a lot of research & changed how & what I ate. Put new habits into place. Came to understand why I was eating & worked out how I could manage those drives. I did & continue to do the work. If I didn’t consciously make those changes & continue to work at it every day, I’d be very near my highest weight again. That’s what always happened in the past: I dieted, lost weight, then would return to my old eating habits & food choices & would start to regain within days.

I ate little to begin after my surgery: less than 300 calories. I was healing (all those sutures & staples holding my tummy together) plus no appetite & no real interest in food. But my calories increased as did my portion sizes over the weeks & months. I eat about 1300 calories to maintain but I’m shorter than you, likely older than you, not very active, female & have a small frame. But before surgery I could barely maintain my obese weight eating 1300 or fewer calories a day & I regularly skipped meals for decades. My metabolism was shot. I eat regularly now, eat more nutritionally dense food & eat more often then I’ve ever done before. I haven’t been this weight since I was 12 yrs old. I feel great.

[No thanks 12]

7 hours ago, greenwitch17 said:

I’m sorry but this negativity is so off putting to your success. You need to do the work and surgery is only ever a TOOL. You should not be assuming it’ll magically work for you but also this should have been explicitly told to you by your care team prior to surgery. I haven’t gotten my surgery yet but I’ve already had every care practitioner emphasize that it’s a tool and I have to actually work for results. The way it’s different than just calorie restriction/exercise is that the surgery limits the amount you can eat and it also removes the part of the stomach that has the hunger hormones. This makes it actually possible to calorie restrict and exercise without the ability to binge or feel super hungry. If someone tried to do 800 calories a day without surgery they would feel like they are completely starving. Listen to your doctor. Seek a therapist. This is a safe space but also the negativity in your comments has been awful. You need to work on yourself and how you treat others too. Healing and weight loss are best friends, it takes a LOT of work.

This is her post and she’s venting. She’s not wrong. She comes on here for answers and possibly some support because even though a lot of people have success, some don’t and it’s frustrating to have a surgery such as this, see others making goals and she’s stuck. So have some compassion. You didn’t even have to comment did you. You did not even have the surgery yet. You be nice yourself.