6 Months Post Op & Weight Loss has STOPPED!?

I am 6 months post-op and my weight loss has come to a screeching halt! Any suggestions on what I can do??  My highest weight was 268.  Surgery weight 257.6.  Current weight 187.  I was losing 2 lbs per week up until the past 4 weeks.  Now I am just losing and gaining the same 4-5 lbs.  It is beyond frustrating!!! 

I currently eat 600-800 calories daily, over 100g protein, less than 40g carbs & less than 15g sugar.  No caffeine / 80+ oz water per day.

I did start going to the gym 2-3 days / week a few weeks back, which coincides with this lovely stall...  I'm so frustrated & finding it harder and harder to stay focused when I'm not getting results.  I do measure- and not seeing inches changing either.  This week I had a FOUR POUND gain!  However, last week I lost 3.5.  The yo yo is killing me!

ANY SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!!!

Thanks!!

Wendy

when you first start exercising  your muscles  can retain extra water till they get used to being used  

My therapist has challenged me to remove the word "gain" from my vocabulary for these types of situations. If you are following your plan then there is no scientific way that you truly gained 4 lbs of fat in 1 week. Instead, you are experiencing "normal weight fluctuation". You can probably imagine how much I rolled my eyes at my therapist when he said it. 

I am 1 week into my first "weight fluctuation" and I'm doing okay with it... not completely at ease, but ok. I freely admit that I don't know how I will be if this lasts 4 weeks though! One of the things that I do keep telling myself is that I have lost 75 lbs and I think my body just needs a little bit to catch up and make sure I'm really serious :)

I have no idea if any of this will help you or not but I do understand what you are going though. You are definitely not alone. 

Me too!  I'm 6 months post op, was losing great for the first 5.5 months and now I'm not losing at all.  I'm not gaining more than a pound, but I haven't lost more than that pound either.  I eat more carbs and sugar than you, so maybe that is my problem.  I also starting working out a few weeks back so maybe it is water retention.  I wish you luck!  And if you find the answer, let me know!

I just hit 6 months on the 6th of this month and mine has really slowed down as well. I started exercising 3 months ago and I stalled right around then as well. This time I think it's because I am getting close to my goal weight. I started at 216, surgery weight was 205 and I actually just broke 150lbs., but I had to increase my exercise to at least 4 miles of very slow jogging a day to finally break this last stall. The last 2 months have been very slow but I think it will be that way the closer you get to goal.

If this is the first time your weight loss has stopped I'm very surprised.  Stalls like this are common all the way down to your goal.  They last a couple weeks and kick back in again.  I swear a day of reckless abandon worked wonderfully for me and kicked my metabolism into gear again. 

I also recommend trying on some new clothes.  I would always discover I'd dropped a size or three when I stalled, so I made this a happy occasion.

At four and a half months I went through a one month stall.  I was trying to be prepared for it.  I had read so many stories of other people going through it.  It sucks but it will end and down you will go again.

I jumped started it a little by eating super clean for 3 or 4 days.  Eating only egg white omelets with spinach, baked lemon sole and grilled chicken breast and plenty of water.  By the end of that week (according to my scale) I dropped five lbs.  It's been slow and sure ever since.

My nutritionist wanted me to eat 1000-1200 calories. When I reached 1000 I started to lose again. 

Relax Wendy - you are not gaining weight and I would bet anything you are losing fat even though it's not showing up on the scale.  Whenever you start a new exercise program your muscles get really sore and will retain TONS of water.  And it typically won't release all tha****er for a good 4-6 weeks.  And this if you're consistent...if you start and stop the exercise then it extends the "stall".  

At this point in your journey the scale is the WORST indicator of fat loss (which is what we care about).  Keep your measurements or a smaller pair of pants as the REAL indicator of how well you are doing.  

The one thing I would suggest:  seriously increase your water intake, especially since you're exercising.  You should be shooting for at least 80-100 oz. per day.  

Thanks everyone! I cut processed foods out and upped my water. And waited. And the scale is moving again!!! Yay!!!