Not even 3 weeks out and I can eat pretty much anything ...

My journey is a long one: 2004 Lapband, 2010 Sleeve, and less than 3 weeks ago Hiatal Hernia repair and gastric bypass due to prior surgeries.

I feel I can eat everything and I'm less than 3 weeks out of surgery. My weight also stopped coming off. I started at a lower weight - 225 when I had my consultation and 210 on the day of surgery and currently 203.

I'm a bit frustrated because I have been doing this rollercoaster for years now and feel that because I have already eaten lower calories for years, losing weight (I want to drop about 40 more pounds) is virtually impossible.

How much of "nearly everything" are you eating? What reaction are you expecting? I'm only 5 months out so far from an expert but I have had very minimal "bad" reactions from anything I've eaten. Is it that you're not feeling restriction yet or something else? I didn't feel restriction much until I was off purees/soft foods -- from what I understand that's because the softer foods just Aren't as dense AND because immediately post op, the the nerves are still healing so you just don't feel things yet.

Re-read the title you chose to post and then ask yourself if maybe-just maybe that is why your weight also stopped coming off. Now, personally, one reason I had the surgery was so I could maintain a low calorie intake for however long it would take to lose the weight without going totally bonkers.

Perhaps you are at cross purposes as regards WLS, and that is what is generating the frustration. Feeling like you "can eat everything" and practicing "roller coaster" eating behaviors certainly will make weight loss "virtually impossible". You are correct in that thinking, but...

It doesn't have to be that way, and you can experience success. Let the surgery do what it was meant to do...Your function in this is to make the choice to -choose to work daily-for as long as it takes-until you make your goal. Protein forward-hydrate, avoid refined carbs and sugars that have no nutritional value-

If you want to "drop about 40 more pounds" then choose well, act accordingly, and practice perseverance. I'm rooting for you. You can do this!

All because you can doesn't mean you should. Surgery does not override the power of your choice. Choose not to test the limits.

Weigh, measure and track every bite you eat. If you eat everything, you will not lose weight.

If this is difficult for you, perhaps you should start seeing a therapist. Surgery is not magic.

Good luck.

You guys are awesome! Yes, you are right, "Just because I can, I should't" and I never thought about the insides still being numb. I have been tracking everything I eat. I fluctuate between 700 - 1100 calories a day. I wonder ... does my body absorb all those calories or are some just 'bypassed'?

Honestly, I went to a hospital that had all these meetings and classes before the surgery but the info I really need now was not covered it seems.

Just some perspective, at nearly 3 months out, I am only eating between 400 and 600 calories a day. Most stay below 800 calories a day throughout their whole weight loss phase, even years out. I would 100% eat fewer calories if I were you (in the nicest possible way, I'm not trying to be mean, it's just we're given horrible advice by the nutritionists and I think a lot of people don't realize how few calories we should actually be eating).

Also, I could eat everything and anything a 3 weeks too, still can as a matter of fact lol chocolate, pizza, fast food, I can eat it all. But yes, the "just because you can doesn't mean you should" is a life long rule we have to follow. Most people are eventually able to eat this stuff after a while, but we got the benefit of being able to eat it earlier on and therefore learn early how to control it and hopefully avoid some of the regain later down the line :)

Best of luck to you! I hope everything goes great.

not positive, but that seems like a really high caloric intake for someone who is so early in the post op stage.

Maybe that is something to ask your WLS center about .

I'm four years out and maintain on 1100 calories a day. If you want to drop weight, you need to go lower calories.

First,

I had a WLS that is no longer done, an open abdominal invasive and extensive surgery. Just FYI.I had that 2 decades ago, it was all available to me at the time. I have no regrets because it gave me the tool I need to control my intake. I count protein and carbs and not calories.( fat intake is low due to surgery i had.) The ball is in my court.

Now you have the tool you need for your own weight loss story. You are still writing it. How you use that tool is up to you.

I would increase my protein to around 90-110 grams a day, decrease carbs consistently below 50, and occassionally to 30 ( 3x a week). Increase protein with shakes, protein waters, things less dense. You want your overall calorie intake to come to around 500-600 until you get to goal. Now is the golden opportunity for your best and fastest loss. Weight loss decades later can come, but is much harder... not only in metobolic changes but activities can become harder with arthritis and other problems that may increase because of our abuse of our joins, etc...

Add more activity slowly and steady. Choose something you enjoy that will be a reward for you.. go for a walk at the park, do an outside activity, and add these to your regime.