Little to no weightloss

[annablack 1]

I am so fed up.

I am 10 weeks post op.

I didn’t lose any weight in the first 3 weeks. Very odd as it was liquid only.

Between weeks 4-7 I lost just over a stone.

Since week 7, and I am now nearly 11 weeks post op, I haven’t even lost 1lb.

I am not drinking calories, I am sticking to the NHS guidelines and my dietician. No slider foods. High Protein, low fat and hitting my fluid goals each day.

Literally feel like my last draw is gone.

I keep reading to trust to the process and I’ve carried on but weeks of no weightloss has no meant that I have started a Water only diet, fasting as it seems my body will not lose weight if I put any food in my body.

I have never felt so depressed or let down. I could understand if I was eating he wrong things, or eating too much, too little.

Wondering if it’s hormonal and that’s the reason I’ve struggled for years with weightloss and gaining

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[catwoman7 10,843]

one stone is 14 lbs. I don't know what your starting weight was, but 14 lbs actually isn't bad.

you're probably in a stall now. They happen to most of us every so often along our journeys. They typically last 1-3 weeks, but it's not unheard of for them to last longer than that.

I absolutely would NOT go on a water-only diet. You'll just end up with nutritional deficiences and a screwed-up metabolism. Stay on your program. Contact your clinic if you're worried and let them know what's going on - but honestly, I don't think anything is wrong.

[annablack 1]

It’s just a huge kick in the teeth. I would’ve thought around 4/5lb per week and should be on 3 stone weightloss by 11 weeks and I’m on 2 stone. It’s just not working for me.

[SuziDavis 544]

Fasting isn't going to help you to get on track. I hit a two month stall and the only thing that worked was actually carb loading for a weekend and then back to normal.

Everyone stalls out through the process, try increasing calories, more exercise, things like that. the stall happens because your body is ion shock, starving it won't help.

[SuziDavis 544]

53 minutes ago, annablack said:

It’s just a huge kick in the teeth. I would’ve thought around 4/5lb per week and should be on 3 stone weightloss by 11 weeks and I’m on 2 stone. It’s just not working for me.

How much were you losing in 11 weeks before surgery?

[annablack 1]

That should say I am on 1 stone and not 2 stone.

I do think it could be hormonal for me. I’ve called my GP today and going to request full screening of bloods to see if there is anything.

11 weeks prior to surgery, I wasn’t dieting so I wasn’t gaining or losing. I was eating very unhealthy though with wine and takeaways. Up until the pre op diet and I followed the plan they gave me which was Meal Replacement shakes for 2 weeks and lost 2lb only.

Thing is if I keep waiting for results, I’ll be here in weeks to come and still have no weight loss. I’ve given it 4 weeks and tried increasing calories and nothing it working.

Suppose I’m feeling utterly deflated and fed up.

[MelbaT 28]

Hi Anna, so sorry you're feeling defeated. I've been at a bit of a stall myself, which from advice on here and through my surgery team, say is normal. I did start adding in some good carbs as my body was telling me I should (not a "head hunger", but true hunger for them I'm still losing, but slowly. The good thing is that since adding back some carbs I feel better than I have since that %$#@! Pre-op liquid diet! The "brain fog" is gone too! Good luck to you! Also, I'm not sure how much weight you have to lose, but I've found and read that the "smaller" you are, the less likely you'll lose quickly...

[annablack 1]

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me.

I have 10 stone to lose.
My surgery weight was 21 stone 9lb and 11 weeks later I weight 20 stone 5lb. So really rubbish weigthloss in 11 weeks, with weeks of no losses.

I haven’t lost any weight in the last 4 weeks. I’m just seriously fed up.
I understand stalls happen and weightloss is different for everyone.
I took the no weightloss for the first 3 weeks and took it on the chin.
I then kept reading to trust the process which I have for the previous 4 weeks and still no weightloss.

I’m not living my life at all and haven’t been for years as the weight really affects my confidence. I’m not sure I can carry on for the next years to come if this weight doesn’t come off. Seems like it won’t and like my body has just adjusted to the new calories and storing it all. My only hope is fasting at this point. My last hope in all seriousness.

I'm really sorry you’re going through a stall at the moment. I will keep my fingers crossed it’s a short term stall for you and you’ll be back losing before you know it. It’s very deflating.

[Spinoza 1,125]

OK - breathe.

Weight loss isn't linear. Everyone - *EVERYONE* hits stalls regularly. They are part of the journey.

It seems to me from what you've said OP that you have lost 18lbs in 11 weeks since your surgery. Which is already amazing. Why are you calling that rubbish? 6 weeks post MY op I had lost 15lbs. But that turned out to be a tiny proportion of what I went on to lose in the next 18 months. I also had almost 10 stone to lose.

If you can focus on your long term goal it will be no time until you're there, or almost there. I wish you all the luck in the world. If you stick to the rules you've been given then you have every chance to achieve your goal weight. 😍

[Jeanniebug 472]

Stop. You're making yourself crazy. Get off the scale.

You can't eat 800 calories a day and not lose weight, eventually. It'll happen.

Your body is still healing from a very traumatic surgery. You're going to have swelling and Water retention for months. This is a normal and expected part of the process.

If you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, then you have nothing to worry about. You'll get there. It takes time for our metabolism to get the message.

Depriving your healing tissues of the Protein they need in order to heal, is not something that I would suggest. You could cause yourself more harm than good.

[mcipanda 121]

I understand your frustration. When I was about one week post op, I hit my first stall. ONE WEEK! I only had Water, some broth and that’s it. So why the heck wasn’t I losing weight?? To make matters worse, my hubby, who ate take out twice that week, lost three pounds. WHAT!? I was totally insulted… and I started to think it was my body again. Always trying to keep me fat. Years of struggle and here I am eating 400 cals a day and not losing anything??

One week later, a small movement. But every time I changed food stages, another stall. That was four stalls in six weeks. Very frustrating. I knew my BMR was 1400, so staying around 600-800 calories with high Protein and low carb would HAVE to work. It’s not the program as much as it is the science.

a couple things I’ve noticed…

1. If I’m sick or have an allergy episode, I will stall or even gain

2. if I drink Gatorade or artificial sweeteners of any kind, I will stall

3. if I don’t have regular daily bowel movements, I will stall. This one is so hard to deal with.

4. If I don’t get enough sleep, I will stall.

5. When I started eating higher protein than recommended (90 recommended, I have 110), I will lose. Even if the carbs go up slightly.

6. If I eat too many processed foods in a day, like Protein Bars, drinks or Snacks, I will stall.

7. If I don’t get enough pure water, I will stall.

You might have some sensitivities like these or others…. Really examen what you’re taking in, not just the calories and fat. It’s a puzzle you gotta figure out for yourself. It’s hard work. But I believe you can do it. Just vent and get back in there! 😃

[Not sure 48]

I don’t intend to sound insensitive but you stated you haven’t cheated once and have followed your plan, and you lost close to 20lbs. Great job by the way anyone else would love to have that much loss in such a short time. BUT fasting or Water diet is nowhere near anything in your program, is that not cheating or taking a shortcut. Unless you have a degree in nutrition follow what the experts suggest they have your best interest in mind. Best of luck on your journey.

[Arabesque 6,420]

Your surgery hasn’t failed. You have lost weight - yay! This is likely a stall as others have suggested. Stalls are very common. Almost everyone experiences them & they are an important part of your weight loss (it’s when your body pauses to reassess your new needs & resets digestive hormones, metabolic rate, etc.). They often last 1-3 weeks but for some they can be longer. The stall will break when your body is ready. Just stick to your plan & don’t stress your body more. And yes I know even with knowing this, stalls can still feel frustrating.

We all lose our weight at our own rate. There’s no wrong or right amount you have to lose each week. There are just averages which only give you a bit of an idea of what you might experience not what you definitely will. Being a slow loser doesn’t mean you won’t lose all your weight either. It just means it may take you a little longer & that’s okay too.

[CarolineLittle 90]

Big hugs.

Just remember, this isn't a sprint, it's a marathon.

Ignore the scales for a bit. Do you log your food? Really evaluate what you're eating. Not enough Protein? Too many carbs? Logging helps with that.

Like others said do not starve yourself. You need good nutrition more than ever now.

[annablack 1]

Thanks to everyone who has replied.
I spoke to the dietician today, who agreed my weigthloss is on the much slower side. I asked what my pre op weight was as I thought it was 21 stone 9 but it was 21 stone 4. This has really hit me hard.
After 3 weeks post off when I weighed myself and thinking I hadn’t lost any, I was actually 5lb heavier.
So really I have lost 14lb in 11 weeks.
It’s just not good enough and my mental health has taken a huge nose dive. I suffer from CPTSD and this really isn’t helping. 14lb in 11 weeks. It’s an absolute joke.

I can’t handle another week of looking at the scales and them staying the same.

The surgery just doesn’t work for some people and unfortunately I’m in that bracket. I can lose 14lb in 1-2 weeks with my previous methods and what made me gain weight after that was the dreaded cycle of habit and yo yo dieting. At least the surgery has given me the tool to not be able to go back to old habits.

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to reply to me. Thank you.

Good luck to everyone on your journeys x