Hope for those with stalled weight loss

Hi everyone! I was sooooo frustrated because my weight stalled for three weeks and like Elisa and Grouchetta I wondered what the heck is wrong with me, why was I losing so slowly? I talked to some RNY post ops 2 years out. They said everyone stalls, and it is natural for the weight loss to slow down. The weight will start coming off again they assured me. I tried to have faith, I increased my exercise a little, and my water, and protein, and decreased my carb intake, Still nada! No, damn weight loss! Then, I was told by my best friend, Alisa, "look Rebecca! You have lost a lot of weight already, and you feel better than you have in years, remember you did this for health reasons,,, so let your body be healthy and accept it, as it is!" So I decided to focus on being thankful for the success I have had so far, and to just leave it alone, and stop comparing myself with those who had already lost like an amazing 60 pounds, etc. already! I'm happy for them, but I didn't like the fact that I felt inadequate, competitive, and envious, instead of inspired. I needed to trust that my body knew what it was doing, even if I wasn't sure what exactly that was! When we weighed in May 1st, I weighed 217, and I had for 2 weeks at that point. Then I actually went up a pound to 218, and stayed there a week. Both OH Elisa and I have done this before, going up on the scale is miserable! I think it was the increased water, but my body needed that. Then I said, "Great when June comes I'll be the one who gained, aghhh!" I said, let it go. Remember to trust the process. Well, I got on the scale this morning and I weigh 210! Yes, you heard that right. After a 3 week stall I lost 8 pounds. It just happened. How things changed I can't say. but they did. So now I have lost 59 pounds total. I finally am out of my stall. I realize sometimes I lose slowly like a pound a week for a period of time, and then other times I lose nothing, and then drop a larger amount all at once, then stall again. Last time I stalled in Feb. for two weeks, and then I lost 7 pounds after that. So now instead of expecting to continue to have the number move, I will assume I'll be holding here for a while, or just be losing a pound a week again. The weight no matter how big or little is lost will end up the same in the end... off my body! I want to point something out I've been thinking for some time... we all had surgery in Feb., however mine was at the beginning of Feb. Many compare their weight loss on this forum with people who may have had surgery 3 weeks before them. Be careful about that! A lot can change in 3 weeks, as my stalling proves. Everyone really is is different, some the weight loss is slow and steady. Some stall, then drop, then stall again, like I said before. I may end up stalled now and not get to onederland for 2 months or more. So What! I haven't been this weight since 1993. We are all losing at rates that are ours alone. I know if weight loss happens too quickly hair loss and other complications occur, I never want to be bald and skinny! I can't get over how beautiful everyone is on this site, and everyone is so hard on themselves I mean Grouchetta, Elisa, Gosh, Sylvia for example you are all gorgeous, accept it! You were gorgeous at a size 24 or 28 and you are gorgeous now! If we compare with each other, lets compare that! We are all incredibly brave women on this site who took a chance in February and changed our lives forever, one pound at a time. Each pound, no matter how long or short a time it takes to come off is significant, every single one. I'm proud of all of us everyday, because we are in this together. Thanks for always being there when I need you most. "You are beautiful in every single way...." Much love, Rebecca

Thanks Rebecca... We all needed that, stalled or not ! So many times, since we are still kinda newbies with this whole WLS thing we want to look at others around us to see what kind of experiences or loss they are having... We can't do that ! We can't compare- as many times as we have all said that, we keep forgetting it ! How many of you have had to go buy new bras cuz the old ones were just falling off ? NOT ME ! I had to go get a couple of new ones cuz my old ones were OLD ****pt putting off buying new, thinking I would be getting a smaller size!) But exactly the same size !! I have lost 50 lbs and am still wearing the same darn bra size !! But I have gone down in pant and shirt sizes ! (okokok in some ways I am glad that I haven't gone totally flat chested YET but darn it would be nice to make that band size just a bit smaller !) Has anyone noticed that their shoes are getting too big ? Nope, not me but I have heard from others who can barely tighten their sneakers enough to keep them from falling off ! Those of us who had more to lose will lose faster at first just like any other kind of weight loss process. Those who they like to refer to as "light weights" will lose less weight in pounds but you need to look at the percentage of your loss, not just the scale losses ! We are learning as we go, and the great thing about this forum is that as one of us learns something new we are able to share info and insight so everyone can learn from our mistakes, lessons and research ! Most of us ( I honestly really truely believe this) had this surgery so we would be more healthy and not just so we would be able to walk down the beach in a thong ! Are you becoming more healthy ?? Can you walk abit further now than you could before WLS ? Can you climb a flight of stairs without getting out of breathe ? Make it thru 15 minutes of an excercise dvd where before we were done before the dvd even got put into the player ?! Look at the changes in your life, the improvements and savor each and every one of them . The weight is going to come off... We aren't all the same and that is a good thing ! It isn't going to happen the same way for each of us but it will happen !!

Thanks Rebecca and Terri C, I did need that. I'm officially February's slowest loser. I have been losing 2 pounds a week now for 8 weeks. I keep looking for those big jumps downward, but no deal. I have to look at the bright side! I had this surgery because it was so hard for me to lose weight. Doing all the things I'm doing now, I went months without losing ANYTHING. So I'm going to take my 2 pounds a week and be happy. The whole comparing just gets you down and I've noticed I've not been coming to the site as much because of it. One mystery to me is this.....I'm wearing the same panties I was wearing 55 pounds ago....how can that be??? they still tug up on one cheek too!! Go figure. Thanks guys, for the encouragement. Julie B

Julie you had me Don't get discouraged about the loss and stay away from the group ! It is times like that, when you are frustrated, mad, p'o'ed when you need us most (and also when we need you !!) Keep up the amazing work ! (Still giggling over the panty thing !) Have a wonderful day !

You will make it. Your doing great. love marie

Thank you Rebecca for posting this. I have been questioning my weightloss this past week, I gained 3lbs then I lost them plus 1 more. I kept questioning myself, as if I was doing something wrong. But like you said and I've heard many others say....we've lost a lot of weight and our bodies just need some time to adjust before it can lose anymore. I've never lost this much weight in such a short period of time and I'm so greatful for that. So I just have to keep looking at the big picture and stop worrying that I'll be stuck at 231lbs forever. I'm still amazed that I lost 53lbs in 11wks....I feel great! Thank you for reminding us how successful we have all been since our new beginning in February. I was beginning compare myself to the number on the scale instead of the true person I really am. Congratulations Rebecca on such great weightloss. You are an amazing person and your always here for such great support. Thank you, Sylvia

Awww, Rebecca, THANK YOU - LOVE BACK AT YA. Thank you for the WISE words and for the compliments [I will stifle the URGE to say me? beautiful? not now, not ever - - (see??? I'm learning how to take a compliment), LOL]. I keep thinking if I keep writing and saying and reminding myself that I did this to FEEL BETTER not to LOOK BETTER it will sink in. I've been thin before, and I've learned that being thin does not equal happiness or health ... this surgery, for me, was just part in the process of me accepting myself and my life for what it is and realizing that I have everything to live for and that I LOVE myself, warts and all. It may seem a bit odd to an outsider that I had to surgically alter my body to come to this discovery, but I know that the weight wasn't what was making me chose to be miserable. However, the weight, at my age, WAS making my life shorter and holding me back from making happy choices. So here I am. Yah, I am not skinny, I will likely never be. Sometimes I want to wallow in WHY I took such a drastic step for a measly few pounds ... but then I REMEMBER ... HEY, today I woke up after sleeping for 7+ hours straight [haven't slept for more than 3 hours at a time in YEARS - with meds!], I woke up with NO HEARTBURN because I didn't pig out right before bed, and because my GERD is gone, I didn't have a headache because I don't stop breathing in my sleep anymore, I don't have a sore throat and swollen glands from bingeing and purging, my feet don't ache because my heel spurs are getting better, I'm not dizzy from the dips and spikes in my blood sugar, in fact, my blood sugar is spot on! I didn't take a nap today - I didn't NEED to. I know my butt is clean cause I can reach it! The seatbelt in the car wasn't stretched to the limit. I didn't get out of breath running errands with hubby and my 3 year old. I sat on the floor to get her dressed and I got up again! ... I WOKE UP TODAY. I have given myself the chance to wake up tomorrow with the same hope, the same chance to chose happiness that I had today. I could probably come up with 60 other reasons why I am proud today and not one of them would be that I lost 60 pounds. We all have different reasons that lead us to this choice, this path, and you are SO RIGHT, even though our roads may be paved differently, WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. Each one of us is *more* significant than the 1750+ pounds we've lost since February ... and we are lucky to have the chance to remind each other of the good things, to commiserate in the not as good things, and be liked for who we are, now and 1750 pounds from now. Congratulations, Rebecca, on your terrific loss and the end of your stall!!! Thanks for sharing your journey with us! xosm

Thanks Rebecca for posting this & the compliments! I agree with everyone's thoughts & feelings--it makes much more sense when you guys write. Congrats on breaking your stall Elisa (I'm only 1.4 #s away from -50# woowoo!)

Thank you for your posts. I am starting to think that this is just the wait I'll be forever and to accept that. I've been the same weight for about 3 weeks now. You are right though, when you a lot at first, your body needs time to catch up...

Such serious subjects. I too get blue when I jump on that scale that doesn't move. Since it's just us girls in here I'll state something else. My scale wasn't moving for two weeks and then it jumped up two pounds (WTF)... but then I had my period and in two days afterwards 7 pound gone. So remeber that too... during certain times of the month you gain the water weight... and then you shed it. It is such a love hate relationship with that scale but we're all loosing. I'm more happy about the clothes sizes... I'm in a 16W from a 26W just 4 months ago. Laura 280/216/165 2/10/06-rny