*Slow weight loss, please help me!*

I'm not sure what's wrong with me...but my weight loss is practically not moving and I'm only 3 months out (and -55lbs). I am just feeling like I'm never gonna get to goal. I'm having a hard time with letting go of all my carbs...although I've reduced them drastically. I try to eat healthy, but I live on campus at my college and eat dining hall food everyday. I try to make good choices, and I usually do, but there's always that occassional scoop of ice cream...and I walk all the time...for at least 15-30min-3-5 times a day (I walk to work, class, dinner, etc.) everyday. It's still a challenege for me to get in all my water and protein....which is why my hair is falling out...but anyways. Can ANYONE PLEASE explain this to me? It seems like I only lose weight when my period ends...that's the only time in the entire month that I will lose a chunk of weight. *sigh* It sucks that I'm still fat. I hate this so much. Please help me.

I just looked at your profile and it looks like your BMI was just 37.7 before surgery, so I'm guessing you don't have that much to lose overall. The amount you have lost already is great. We all get to the "I want it to happen NOW" stage, but as we get closer to goal, the weight seems to "hang tough." I feel like I'm losing pretty well now, but I still have about 200 lbs to lose, so I probably won't slow down for awhile (at least I hope not!!). Try to make sure you are getting enough calories, water and protein (have you tried fitday.com? it's free), then try to cut down on the "extra" treats. I haven't tried anything like ice cream yet, but I understand there are a lot of low sugar/low carb ones that are very good. Concentrate on the basics for a few days and see how it goes!! Good luck. Ann in Duluth

37.7 is my POST-op BMI. Haha, I wish that was my pre-op BMI. I have tried fitday.com before, but haven't used it recently. I appreciate all your imput! Thanks! ~Meggan

You are doing great. I had only lost 45 lbs at 3 months out, now here I sit 19 months later and I am down 175 lbs, it just takes time! Did it drive me crazy??? Yes!!! But on the bright side, I exercised and never tested the bad stuff because I did not want me to be the reason I was losing so slowly, and the truth is that I did everything right and still my body lost weight slow! So hang in there and you will be fine, oh yeah my bmi the day of surgery was 51.6, so no I was not a "lightweight"! Hazel 325/150/???

Hi Meggan, What you are going through is pretty normal! Everyone's body is different. You will lose weight differently from anyone else. I hit a major stop (not a plateau according to my dr as I was losing inches) in weight loss at 5 weeks out. I lost 40 lbs in the 3 weeks after surgery. I had a kdney stone attack at 5 weeks out and the weight loss slowed to only 3 lbs over the next 2 1/2 months. But that is when I lost an incredible amount of inches. So while the scale did not move, my body size was. I also find that the week after my period ends is when I will show a weight loss. Nothing all month then bam 5- 7 lbs gone. Do you weigh every day? Stick with whatever program you dr has you on and eventually you will get there. Remeber also you did not gain all the weight overnight it won't come off overnight. At 9 months out I am down 123 since surgery! It was very hard during that 2 1/2 months but it is so worth it now. Keep your chin up!! Marie

You sound just like me! I have lost40 pounds - will be 11 weeks out next tuesday. I kept worrying in the back of my mind that this might just not work for me. But it keeps coming off - just slowly. The best thing to do is to read of others who lost slow at first - they all seemed to get it all off, so I guess it will happen for me too. I have 100 more to lose.... yikes! I guess once you get to this point, you are just ready to be shed of all of it. L

You will cross many hills and valleys during your wls journey. If you think about it, 18 pounds a month is not a slow loser. Yes, some lose faster but they are the exceptions. I've noticed many of the fast losers are people who spend a lot of time exercising. More of us lose slower, but we get there in time. Someone sent this quote to me months ago when I complained about losing slow. "It doesn't matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop" Confucious. I have lost 151 pounds (58 pre-op, 93 post-op) and still have another 60 pounds to lose. I am living proof that even if you are a slow loser you will get there eventually by sticking to the program. I will cross the finish line at goal one of these days. One thing you can count on is nothing will go exactly as you planned. You won't lose weight every week, the area you want to lose first will probably be the last place you lose weight, comparing yourself to fast losers is only going to drive you nuts, etc. You aren't the first person I've heard say they only lost weight the week after their period. Our bodies are in control and getting stressed out is only going to make us less likely to lose weight. Maybe you should only weigh every 30 days, then you will be happy with your weight loss for the month. It took me 7 months, but I've finally decided to allow my body to be in control while I sit back and enjoy the rewards of a thinner body. Staying stressed out isn't healthy and isn't helping me to lose weight. My responsibility is to stick to my food/exercise/water plan. As long as I do that my body will have to give up the weight at some point. Best of luck for your continued success along your wls journey.