I had surgery in September last year. At my last Dr visit I was informed I was behind by about 20% that was 3 months ago and I am still not losing weight like everything says I should. I joined a support group on facebook back when I had surgery and I can't seem to get any help with this other than "you're losing based on what your body says." So I've joined the site and thought maybe I could get some advice here.

Here's the deal. I exercise 4-7 days a week. I walk 3 miles a day and swim for at least an hour 2-5 days a week. I eat an average of 600 calories a day. I am not allowed protein shakes (Dr discourages the use of liquid calories including protein shakes) I lose maybe 3-5 lbs a week. No more, it hasn't been more than that since about 2 months after surgery. I don't eat carbs often, an average meal is a business card sized piece of meat and 2 tbs of veggies, breakfast might be an egg and half a piece of whole grain bread. So, I am on my calorie/food schedule. What I noticed the last couple of months is the week before and during my period I lose nothing. I gain 5lbs-ish because water retention then I lose that and if it's a good month I lose 1-2lbs afterward. So I spend half the month with no weight loss.

I've been told by that same FB support group that I am not eating enough, my surgeons office said I was doing well at 600 calories a day, as long as it's below 1k they don't seem to care. I am now nearly at the year mark and already losing slower than some people at the 18 month mark.

What I am wondering is, has anyone else had this issue, and/or would you recommend I seeing a nutritionist/dietitian or possibly seeing a different surgeon's office. Mine seems to go through the lab work, ask what I am eating, then telling me I am not at goal and asks me what I am doing. There has been no suggestions only that I am doing as I am supposed to and basically shrugging at why I am not losing weight.

At almost a year post op I would say 600 calories isn't enough. You need to up your protein to the 100gr or more range, stay low carb, and drink plenty of water or zero calorie beverages. You don't mention how much water your drinking. Exercise will do little for your weight loss. It's good for your health but weight loss is all about calories in and calories out. 3 - 5 lb loss in a week is nothing to sneer at. Equates to 12 - 20 lbs a month. You wouldn't be able to do that without your tool. Are you weighing, measuring and tracking everything you eat? Avoid bread, pasta, potatos, rice - they will slow your weight loss down. Protein first and then non-starchy veg if you have room. If you aren't weighing your food and tracking it in an app like MFP you might be surprised at the amount you are actually eating.

ETA - you don't mention what your current weight is or how much you have lost, are you near your goal? Weight loss slows as we get closer to goal. As I said, up the protein and water, it should help.

Oh I am sorry lol I drink the 64oz of 0 calorie liquids a day or more so I meet the amount. Also, I am not near my goal at all which is the problem. I was at 34% of excess weightloss in May and I've only lost another 15 lbs or so. I started at 411lbs on day of surgery and I am at 305lbs which means at this point I am indeed losing about as well as one does once the weightloss slows down.

This is the issue I am having. I also plateau at least every other month so since May I lost nothing the rest of May and half of June and the 15 lbs I lost was in the last month. This has been happening every other month or so, I wouldn't mind but I am also only down from a size 34 to a size 24 and I haven't gone down another pants size in the last 3 months which means I am not losing inches either.

There's no reason to up your calories... sorry OP, but there's not. You can hit your protein goals and stay well under 1000 calories, easily if you choose correctly with your proteins.

Losing 3-5 lbs a week seems like a great loss to me, but depending on your starting point it might feel too slow.

I am not one that believes we should "eat our exercise" calories, but at the same time there are building blocks of health that our body can only get from our diet. These building blocks include the vitamins and minerals you're probably taking already, plus some level of fat, and the big one PROTEIN.

If you're exercising, your body is burning calories it's pulling from your diet (600) plus your body (we want it to burn fat). If you're stressing your body by working out HARD, your body will need to repair the damage and to do that it needs protein. There's a very good chance that without the added protein most of us get from protein shakes, you just aren't getting enough in to off-set your exercise requirements.

Most of my knowledge is from pre-WLS, some is from these forums and I'm a newb so take this with a grain of salt!

My assumptions are that you are

1. Tracking every single item that goes in your mouth, from the butter on green beans to the tums you take for stomach upset.
2. Logging all exercise not for calorie tracking but so you can see how long you worked out and how often

My newb advice:

• Increase your protein through the incorporation of high protein, low carb foods like canned tuna, canned salmon, eggs, rotisserie chicken, baked fish like tilapia and salmon, etc... so that you always have 100g in your diet. If you can't get them in from meat, use a high quality whey isolate protein powder mixed with plain yogurt.
• Allow your calories to increase up towards 1000-1200 but keep carbs to 100g or less. Rather than having a slice of whole wheat toast, try to keep your carbs coming from plain yogurt, brightly colored veggies and, sparingly, some fresh fruit like apples or berries.
• Make sure you have dense protein first thing in the morning and right after a work out. After a workout is when I generally allow myself to down a 12oz. can of Pure Protein chocolate shake which provides 30g of protein while also helping with my hydration. If your doctor is firm on the ban on protein drinks, mix unflavored whey isolate with regular low fat milk for a post work out drink. It's not delicious but it's drinkable.
• Always weigh/measure your food out before you eat - you may be making some logging errors.

Good luck and let us now how you're doing!

The protein could be the problem honestly. The diet I was given limits meat to 2oz a meal (business card size) and 0 protein shakes because they contain calories because they don't want you to drink your calories. I tried to add a tbs of peanut butter for at least some protein but peanuts and peanut butter now hurt my pouch.

The diet I was given says to limit dairy extremely and to watch which kinds of dairy, not allowed cottage cheese, yogurt and soft dairy items and very little cheese skim milk only and very little because again liquid calories. This is where my issue is I think. Limiting everything as much as this diet tells me I am having a problem even reaching 1000 calories when I have also been told no snacks. I can have 3 small meals a day and IF I have to have a snack it should be a boiled egg, a small piece of meat as examples.

I log my exercise in mapmyfitness and my food diary is in myfitnesspal so I am already doing those. It yells at me every day because I am under their 1200 calorie daily suggestion haha. I don't use the bariatric apps because the food list they have is very limited and it's easier when the food is already in the database

The diet your physician is providing to you seems to be unusually restrictive. You might want to consider getting a second opinion. Or you might want to consider going rouge for a month or two and see how it works for you. At the end of the day, we are the ones who have to live with our success or failure, not the doctor or the NUT.

Research research research, get a second and or third opinion, then make your best choice!

I think I was wondering just how bad it would be to stop following his diet and go with one of the others from the bariatric websites. It really is very restrictive.

No dairy if at all

Nothing crunchy or crumbly

No liquid calories whi*****ludes Protein shakes (those were actually cut out week 2 when soft foods were added.

Very little fruit

examples for breakfast: half a grilled ham and cheese on Whole Grain bread, or 1 egg and 1 slice of Whole Grain bread

Examples for lunch are the same for dinner. 1/2 cup of veggies and 2 oz of meat.

I still can't eat a half a cup of veggies and the meat. I eat the meat and about 2-4 tbs of veggies, unless it's salad which I guess for whatever reason is lighter.

Snacks if I have any are small bits of what I can have for meals. So, a small piece of meat, some baby carrots, or celery

Thanks for the disclaimer that your advice is from a newb. 1000 calories and 100g carbs are FAR too high for some people during the loss phase, so this isn't great advice.

Hi- I am 3 years post op and successfully maintained UNTIL I chopped my pinky off and couldnt exercise.

My hand surgeon and hand therapist recommended that I not limit my calories and eat well (i.e. healthily) so that I could heal. I followed their directions quite well and gained 12 lbs. I am now not at goal.

So far, I have managed 2.2 lbs of the 12 I gained. So I hear you.

First, I eat more than 2 oz of protein at every meal. I eat around steak, chicken breast, salmon-all about the size of the palm of my hand. Like from bottom of fingers to wrist. It is a big chunk.

Secondly, I dont limit my non-starchy vegetables. I eat those with my meal after i finish my protein...and as snacks. Cucumbers are my best friends. Same with those cherub tomatoes.

Third-change up your exercise and its intensity. Body's get trained and efficient for fitness routines. I watch the personal trainers at the gym and they are always changing a routine (wiht totally different exercises) about every 2 months. So now, instead of walking. You start walking/jogging. Try running/jogging for one minute then walk for 4 minutes. Repeat this cycle for 4 miles (your body probably ahs gotten used to 3). Instead of swimming try the stationary bike or go cycling with friends.

Fourth- lift weights and/or use resistance tube. Muscle burns more calories than fat. BUild your muscle build your calorie burn

Fifth-carbs arent your friend-they are empty calories. Rice, pasta, crackers, chips, bread...even though they are fortified aren't doing anything for you. If you miss sweet, try a few strawberries or other berries. Nothing sweeter than berries or an apple or pear. Pineapple is not low glycemic and is very sugary.

Sixth-cut the salt where you can...unless you take up running long distances in hot weather..then you need your salt...but that period weight bump up is water retention and hormones.

7th-do you poop daily? If what goes in, doesn't come out...then you wont see those encouraging small losses throughout the week. Those constant little losses keep me motivated.

Good luck