Scale NOT Moving

Hi all!

I am new to this site, but so happy to be a new member of this community!

I had VSG on 7/20/18. I started a pre-op diet on 7/1/18 and lost 20lbs. Since my surgery, I've lost an additional 22lbs. However, for the past month, I have lost 2lbs, 1lbs, 0lbs, 0lbs. I am REALLY starting to get worried and frustrated. Am I doing something wrong? I have currently just begun KETO (low carb) in hopes that that will help, too. Additionally, I barely move my bowls, so that doesn't help.

I am just worried that either I am doing something wrong and/or that my surgery wasn't successful?

Any and all advice is welcome!

THANK YOU!!!

what does s days menu look like for you?

Thank you all for your responses! It's so nice having people who understand and have some answers (suggestions?)

I think I might not be drinking enough water (I used to drink SO much water but after surgery it's become much harder to remember and to not feel so full right after)

As far as food goes a typical day looks like:

• Breakfast: Coffee with a smidge of Skim Milk and equal, 1 egg scrambled, 1T of low-fat Shredded Mozzarella -OR- 1/2 Cup low-fat Cottage Cheese
• Lunch: 1/4 Cup Tunafish with low-fat mayo and celery sticks -OR- 1/2 of Healthy Choice Power Bowl
• Dinner: 3 Small Turkey Meatballs with 1/4 Cup side of Spinach -OR- 1 Chicken Sausage Link with 1/2 Cup Broccoli

maybe I am doing it wrong? But I genuinely thought I was doing well with my food choices. Also, I've stated to think of doing Keto because I wanted to make smarter food choices (low carb) and hopefully find that I am more successful that way.

Thoughts?

LucyDono,

Your choices look really good. A stall is common for what procedure and where you are in the program..to get extra water in if you wake in night..keep a measured glass beside the bed and catch a few swallows.. every one adds up. count til midnight, then start new day.

I would tweak, it a little. I would add an extra egg for breakfast( or even half an egg) even if I needed to reduce the amounts of milk products. or veggie sticks... I would try to add at least one serving /ounce of meat to each meal. and increase water., by at least 10 oz a day.. protein increase+ water increase = better bowel habits, excretion of fats,and usually a break of a stall. . I would also add milk thistle to my morning supplements for at least 15 days of every month to keep the liver functioning at it's best. That is what you are depending on for excretion of the fats you are trying to loose. consider a one tablespoon of milk of magnesia,@ night, to begin movement and keep it going with a couple mini- doses a week. will boost magnesium levels.

First of all, a stall lasting a few weeks is perfectly normal.

But are you drinking enough water? You mentioned that you are constipated, which makes me suspect that you aren't getting enough water. I wasn't, and when I increased my fluid intake, my stall ended. Apparently water is a necessary part of the chemical equation for weight loss.

Thank you all for your responses! It's so nice having people who understand and have some answers (suggestions?)

I think I might not be drinking enough water (I used to drink SO much water but after surgery it's become much harder to remember and to not feel so full right after)

As far as food goes a typical day looks like:

• Breakfast: Coffee with a smidge of Skim Milk and equal, 1 egg scrambled, 1T of low-fat Shredded Mozzarella -OR- 1/2 Cup low-fat Cottage Cheese
• Lunch: 1/4 Cup Tunafish with low-fat mayo and celery sticks -OR- 1/2 of Healthy Choice Power Bowl
• Dinner: 3 Small Turkey Meatballs with 1/4 Cup side of Spinach -OR- 1 Chicken Sausage Link with 1/2 Cup Broccoli

maybe I am doing it wrong? But I genuinely thought I was doing well with my food choices. Also, I've stated to think of doing Keto because I wanted to make smarter food choices (low carb) and hopefully find that I am more successful that way.

Thoughts?

Stalls happen...a lot. Don't fret, keep on doing what you are supposed to do, get plenty of fluids, and the scale will start moving again. Measure yourself as well, you will find you may be losing inches even if not pounds. My very first stall at 3 weeks post op lasted 5 WEEKS...but then the weight fell off. I had several more stalls but just stuck to my guns and pushed through. You can, too!

Personally, I think it is too soon after surgery for you to start keto. Changing your eating plan is not the way to break a stall...persevering is. Keto this early out is nearly impossible, because the amount of calories you need to consume in fat makes it nearly impossible to get in your protein requirements as well, and protein is most important this early out. I waited until I was 5 months post op before I started keto, and even then it was hard. As few calories as we consume in the first few months, you should be using all of them for protein. And if you are eating more than 25% of your daily calories in protein, then you are not eating keto, just low carb...which is what our guideline are anyway.

High protein eating will cause constipation issues.

WARNING: TMI coming...

If you continue to try to do keto, you will have constipation issue unless you are eating enough fat. By enough I mean minimum 70% of your calories from fat. And you still may have issues. If you do (and believe me I'm speaking from experience!), a daily half dose of Miralax will help, and it does not hurt you to take it for prolong periods.

Another option is to add magnesium supplements to your daily regimen. Magnesium draws moisture into your intestines, and helps with constipation. You may have to play around with how much to take, but maximum recommended dosage is no more than 400mg per day. Personally, I take between 150-250mg daily...partly for the constipation, and partly because I am historically low on magnesium.

Thank you all for your responses! It's so nice having people who understand and have some answers (suggestions?)

I think I might not be drinking enough water (I used to drink SO much water but after surgery it's become much harder to remember and to not feel so full right after)

As far as food goes a typical day looks like:

• Breakfast: Coffee with a smidge of Skim Milk and equal, 1 egg scrambled, 1T of low-fat Shredded Mozzarella -OR- 1/2 Cup low-fat Cottage Cheese
• Lunch: 1/4 Cup Tunafish with low-fat mayo and celery sticks -OR- 1/2 of Healthy Choice Power Bowl
• Dinner: 3 Small Turkey Meatballs with 1/4 Cup side of Spinach -OR- 1 Chicken Sausage Link with 1/2 Cup Broccoli

maybe I am doing it wrong? But I genuinely thought I was doing well with my food choices. Also, I've stated to think of doing Keto because I wanted to make smarter food choices (low carb) and hopefully find that I am more successful that way.

Thoughts?

#1 is you HAVE to get in a minimum of 64 oz of fluids per day...it is critical you stay hydrated.

Your food choices look fine to me. They're definitely low carb, but not keto. Keto is high healthy fats, medium protein, very low carb, as well as no grains, no soy, no processed oils, no veggies that grow below the ground, no beans, and a bunch of other stuff. Your macros should be at least 70% of your calorie intake from healthy fat, 25% from protein, and 5% from carbs (max 20g carbs per day). Your low fat options are great for a post-op diet, which is typically high protein, low fat, low carb. That's great.

If your menu were keto, it would include heavy whipping cream in lieu of skim milk, full fat mozzarella or full fat cottage cheese, homemade mayo (commercial mayo is made with soybean oil, which is not keto), and lots of added butter! As you can see, that would increase your calorie intake significantly. Average calorie intake for most people during their weight loss period is 600-800 calories per day. Most people don't increase this until they begin maintenance.

Additionally, the Power Bowl would be out because they all have some sort of grain or beans in them, and you'd have to ensure your turkey meatballs didn't have any breadcrumbs as filler as well. Lots of stuff to watch when it comes to ingredients in keto eating.

Stick with what you're doing...it looks great and is just what you need right now.

What, exactly, are you eating? Give us an example of what a day of eating and drinking looks like for you?