Hugs. Don't have any advice you don't already know but wanted you to know that I understand. I'm at a stall. I'm 4 weeks out today. It is so frustrating. And the fear is so real. Hang in there. I know this tool will work. Email me if you want to vent some more cause as we know the scale is not fair. Dianna

My first thought is where are you in your monthly cycle, and could it be water weight related to your cycle? Keep up with the protein, and water intake, and increase your exercise. Most of the old timers on the PA forum say that this means your weight is shifting around. I hope you are able to start losing soon. Hugs, Trish

OMG, I am pretty sure this happens to quite a few people. It's impossible for you to actually gain fat at this point, so it has to be water or something else. Don't stress about it. I've had a few days where my weight has gone up so now I only weigh myself once a week. If I do breakdown and weigh in between there I know to not stress about it if it shows something I don't like. Maybe I read the boards too much but I have read so many posts from people who have gone through this I know it's not a big deal. Everything will be OK.

Hi all. I've just spent a great deal of time on this board reading the messages and responding to some of them. I thought I would take some time to post a topic of my own to reassure some of you. A NEEDED thing to do is to quit worrying about some of the stuff you are thinking about. I can tell it's driving some of you crazy with worry and anxiety. YOU ARE OKAY and YOU CAN DO THIS! You *know* what you have to do: 1. Get enough protein 2. Exercise OFTEN--my doc recommended at least 5 times a week. 3. Take your recommended vitamins and supplements. 4. Keep hydrated. Now there are some other things you might want to do (Or, the things I have learned in the month since my surgery) 1. Stay off the scale if you can't handle weighing every day. Try to wean yourself from it. If you stall or gain, (both of which I have done) and it totally freaks you out, then maybe you need to weigh in only once a week, or every two weeks, or maybe even once a month! I know we are addicted to the scale, and I'm no exception--I weigh every day and keep a graph of my weight loss--but if weighing is causing us to stress or experience anxiety, then maybe we need to re-evaluate the place the scale has in our lives. We don't need the mental stress added to the physical stress our bodies are already enduring. 2. Give yourself mental and emotional kudos and pats on the back. You are doing well. I'm sure we all think, "Maybe I'm the one this surgery isn't going to work for" or something similar. Let me share with you *my* crazy thought. I actually thought that perhaps my surgeon didn't really perform the surgery on me. I didn't feel any different. (Except I could only drink about 1.5 oz in the hospital before I was stuffed.) But really, I entertained this idea, thinking that the so called "surgery" was going to fail me cuz he really didn't do it! Now, I really had to talk myself out of this one. (Message me for details.) We all think something like this, that the surgery is going to fail us. It WILL FAIL if WE FAIL to use it as the tool that it is. That means following the 4 "rules" above. 3. Don't compare your weight loss with someone else's. Our bodies are individual, and even our surgeries are individual, even tho they are all the same procedure. But give yourself a little slack...we are US, and we are going to lose in OUR way, not like anyone else. I had to really tell myself this one for a while. 4. Don't freak out about stalls/plateaus, or even weight gain. Our bodies have went through quite a bit of physical trauma from the surgery, then the rapid weight loss. We ARE going to stall, and maybe even gain a lb or two. I've done it. Like I said, if it's what you see on the scale that you can't handle, then wean from the scale. But if we plateau or gain, then we need to reason with our brains that our bodies are just adjusting. Give yourself gentle excuses, and be loving to YOU. We had this surgery not only for our loved ones, but for US. 5. Remember that when we are not losing pounds, we are probably losing inches. Do you measure? I'm not as obsessive about that, and I KNOW I've lost inches...I can tell by the way my clothes feel. I can tell by looking in the mirror. This is especially true if we exercise like we NEED to. I personally hate exercising, but I know I gotta do it, and when I decided to have this surgery I commited to doing what it takes to be successful. Have you made that commitment? But if you are worried, then measure weekly. That may be helpful and boost you all up. Umm...I think that's it. I hope I have not been harsh or long-winded. I only wrote this because of the major amounts of mental anguish I read on the board this morning. It made me sad to see many of you scared and worried, and feeling like you are failing, or will fail. Don't let yourself get into that mode of thinking! I love you all...you are all my August buddies, and I want us ALL to be successful. Let's do what it takes to achieve our dreams, and boost each other up along the way! Please feel free to email me anytime for an encouraging word. UTE_NDN

Hi. I'm doing about 2.5 to 3 miles uphill on the treadmill. I really make myself sweat and it sux. I hate exercising. But it's really helped. UTE_NDN