Can this be right?

I had vertical sleeve surgery 11 days ago.  I started at 305 lbs. but dropped 10 during the pre-op phase and 10 more since surgery.  I know that is astounding and I can't believe I am "complaining" about this, but...I weigh myself every day and have noticed a gain of several ounces for a couple of days and then a drop of a couple of ounces for a few days.  I am living off of two premium protein shakes (for a grand total of 320 calories) and water for now.  How can I not be losing weight??  I'm trying not to get discouraged but any words of comfort and wisdom would be appreciated.

Weight loss is not usually a straight trajectory from the top left of the weight loss chart down to the bottom right. For most people it usually looks like a staircase, thus the term "stair step loser". You lose a few and then stay the same. Lose a few more, then stay the same for a while. This pattern repeats for most people all the way to goal. 

I guarantee that if you are only taking in 320 calories a day plus your 64 oz of water, you will lose weight. Don't second guess the process and start to flip out when the scale doesn't move as you think it should. Every body loses weight at its own pace. As long as you are sticking to a proven plan, you will end up at goal. 

 Some great advice I got from others on this forum was to stop weighing myself every day. Don't focus on the number, focus on your overall health improving. If you stick to the plan, your weight will drop undoubtedly. 

With that said, send me your scale! I'm starting up a collection for a really neat skeet shooting idea I just got haha!

I'm on week4 post op and going through the same thing. Man is it frustrating! I just keep on keeping on. I can tell a difference in my clothes though and how I am feeling. That darn scale will move someday. I'm keeping on plan and keeping up with exercise!

We got this!

Tink

Lock your scale in a closet and don't let it back out until you're at least two months post-op. No one will accuse you of scale cruelty. If anything, that scale is being cruel to you.

If you're taking in 320 calories a day, there's no way you can't be losing fat. Weight measurement this early out tends to distort what's really going on.

psychoticparrot

Thanks to all for the replies.  I'm going to take your advice and ditch the scale for a while and just hang in there!

The reason for this and all future fluctuations in your weight (when you are eating on plan) can b summed up in two words:  Water retention.  

A half-gallon of water weighs 4 lbs. and our bodies will retain water over the silliest things: flying, illness, sore muscles, lack of sleep...the list goes on.  

Never, ever sweat the daily fluctuations - it will drive you INSANE!  Check to see that the trajectory of weight is heading downward at the end of each month.  That's what counts.  

P.S. And the closer you get to maintenance, even those monthly losses will become quite small.  

Thats exactly what I thought. Then all of a sudden it just happened, 4, 5, even 6 lbs a day for a week or so. Then nothing for a week or so.

Then it takes off again. Its been a rollercoaster for me. Stalls were all followed by tremendous weightloss, and there were many.

Trust your plan, watch your progress on an average basis, stay away from that damn scale.

Your body is still freaking out, when it gets caught up with the new normal, youll be so surprised at the results.

Dont sweat the stalls, they are part of the process. Right now, you should be thinking like a cave man, protien, protien, protien. Its an all day affair at first. I never counted anything but protien and water for the first 6 months.

Stick very close to those two numbers, whatever your surgeon or nut recommends , and you cant "not" loose the pounds.

My last stall lasted nearly 2 1/2 months, but its over now, 10 lbs in 2 weeks. Im over the honeymoon stage but still slowly shedding weight.

Relax, stay the course, and keep yourself excited about the process . Itll happen, I promise.

I LOVE MY SLEEVE!

Rod