Need help - Stalled for three weeks!

I had my VSG on October 8th and was doing really well up until three weeks ago. I have been the same weight for three weeks. Is this supposed to happen? I am following the diet from my doctor, taking my vitamins as directed and I am still not showing any weight loss! I'm considering going back on liquids for a week just to try and jump start weight loss. I've read in the forum that this happens a couple weeks after surgery but I haven't seen anything relating to a couple of months after. I've lost 37 pounds since October 8th and am becoming very discouraged. I have at least 100 more to go. Suggestions? Need help please!

3 week stalls DO happen and can happen any time AND they are super frustrating! Have you noticed if your body size is going down? You can have fat loss but still be hanging on to fluid. The fluid will eventually release.  Did you happen to start exercise a few weeks ago?  That can cause water gain, too.  

But, wondering about your food intake is reasonable.  OH members smarter than me would love to give your menu a lookover.   Posting a day or two of meals would be helpful.  Do you weigh your food and log it into something like MFP?  What about fluids, are you getting all of your water in?

I really don't think you need to go back to liquids.  I found that so miserable!  If you are eating less than what you need, you WILL lose weight -- it really doesn't matter if you are getting it from liquids or food.  

Shel

Thank you - I appreciate your support and your suggestions. It feels like I'm losing weight by my scale says otherwise.  The first few weeks after surgery I was keeping a check list (complete with clip board.. lol) of vitamins and the required surgery diet. I would check off every vitamin, ounces of water and protein shakes recommended. It was a lot to do and I should probably get back to that. I also can't exercise - need two knee replacements. I didn't mind the liquid diet however I miss crunchy foods like crackers. Its a challenge for sure and its frustrating to see a lot of progress and then it just stops. 

I think further down you said that maybe you need to go back to weighing food.  YOU ARE RIGHT! I have some pretty impressive skills in eyeballing weights but given the opportunity I know that portion size increases because I am human and that is what humans do.  Especially obese humans.  

So, put that structured side of you to good use and weigh your food.  It takes me just a few minutes a day on myfitnesspal so if it takes longer than that for you maybe you are overtracking somewhere else that you can give up.  Or, maybe you need an easier way to track. (I am pretty structured and your clipboard scares me.)

 It you track, you can use your records to either reassure yourself that all is well or to decide to rethink your strategy.  

Have you checked out parmesan crisps for crunch?  People make their own but I am lazy and just buy them.  They have a nice crunch and are made out of cheese.   But, be careful, cheese is a slider food for me!

Keep positive and follow your eating plan :) I too am having a stall. I started weighing and measuring  everything.  Then recording it. It really helped  me. I had actually  increased my portion sizes (oops)

God luck and stay positive!  

Thanks for your reply and support. I followed a checklist the first few weeks after surgery. Keeping structured works for me. I should get back to that routine. I "eyeball" portions ager weighing them the first few times. It is possible that Im going over my portions. I also have a difficult time waiting to drink after eating. Although I don't eat more than what I've portioned, I feel dehydrated if I can't drink water or Crystal light when eating. (I know its mind over matter).

I had the 3-4 week stall. It finally broke and started seeing the scale move again. Just keep at it and follow your plan! measure and make sure you are getting your protein (I upped mine to 150 gr) and all of your water and more. I started using an app that reminds me every hour to make sure I am drinking.

Hang in there I know it is frustrating but it will break

Tink

Your weight loss pattern may simply be shifting. In my case (which is also very common) it went like this: 

• First two weeks nice loss
• 3 week stall
• Fluctuations up and down due to water loss/gain, but otherwise fairly consistent loss
• Changed over to a stair-step pattern until goal

The stair step pattern meant that I would stay on plan, but show now weight loss for up to 3 weeks, and then within a period of 2 or 3 days I would drop 10 pounds or so. Consequently, when you look at my monthly numbers in my signatures, most of those months the weight loss happened in only a 2-3 day window. If I remember correctly this started either in month 3 or 4. You can read my blog as it went over what was happening each month post op (starting in 12/11).

With that said, take a moment to reflect. Are you logging and weight everything you eat? If not, it is so utterly possible to be taking in more calories than what you realize. Try keeping up with measurements, since when the scale tends to be stuck you may likely be losing inches.