Question:
how do you deal with slow weight loss

i originally posted this question yesterday got a few responses but would like to hear more. i had my surgery on 8/16/01 starting weight 337 my weight is now bouncing between 295-296...i know im a slow loser....i try to get all my protein and water in and i walk everyday...i come to the message board every day i see some who've had surgery the same day or way after i had mine who've lost soo much more than me, yes i know everyone is different and not to compare but i think that its soo hard not to get depressed about my loss ...i fear i will be the one this surgery won't work for....i would love to hear from long term post ops ones who had dealt with a slow weight loss who've reached or are close to reaching goal....did you do anything in paticular to speed up your metabolism? eat or take any special suppliment or pill that helped kick start your metabolism? how did you deal with the slow loss? im currently premenstrual so i know basically i won't be losing since i'll be carrying water weight...just would love to hear how you deal with it...i thought at my starting weight i would be a fast loser guess i was wrong....all comments apprciated thanks    — [Anonymous] (posted on November 17, 2001)

November 17, 2001
I started at 407 (high, I know), and I had lost 60 lbs. in my first 6 weeks. I don't mean to worry you, but you might want to check with your surgeon to see if you have a staple line disruption or something like that which is causing you to have slow weight loss. I didn't exercise for the first three months and still managed to lose 100+ lbs. during that time. Now I'm 8 months out and still losing about 2 lbs. per week. I'm 75 lbs. from goal still, but very hopeful I will be a success.
   — Terissa R.

November 17, 2001
i originally posted the question and no i dont' think i have a staple line disruption...im not overeating and i get full off small amounts of food...so just to put that theory to rest...thanks for all responding to this question.
   — [Anonymous]

November 17, 2001
See your nutronist, but first start a food diary of everything you put in your mouth for at least a week. You might unknowlingly be drinking orange juice which has too much calories as sugar or something. The pros are there for us so make good use of them and let us know how it goes.
   — bob-haller

November 17, 2001
This question could have been posted by me. The date is different - my surgery was in September, but my loss has only been about 4 pound per week average. My starting weight was very close to yours. When I went to see my surgeon for my 6 week check-up, even he was surprised at how little I'd lost. He sent me to see the dietician. She said I'm doing the right things and making good food choices. She made a couple of suggestions, but basically reinforced that I was doing everything correctly. Since your name doesn't show, I can't check your profile. When I went to our support group meeting this week, my loss was so slow compared to some that I almost got up and walked out. The lady who had surgery two days before me had lost double what I had! Fortunately I was seated between two women who were close to my age and both said their loss had been slower than many others. I'm convinced from hearing them and comments in the Chat room that some of us who are older and have dieted more over the years have metabolism problems that contribute to the slower weight loss. Just keep doing the rights things and like someone else said - write down everything you put in your mouth. Add to that the time of day, approximate calorie content, fat content, and protien content. It can help you and your health care professionals see if there is anything that needs to be changed. Hang in there. I'm optimistic that when I get to 4, 5, or 6 months I won't have the long plateaus that some of the quick losers seem to have. Even if I do, I won't let it bother me, because I know there is no way I can maintain my current wieght on the caloric intake I have. My body may fight the loss, but in the end I will say good-bye to the excess weight forever!
   — [Anonymous]

November 17, 2001
I too was a slower loser. I was always about 10 pounds behind the average person. It's hard not to compare. I eventually got to my goal but a few months after others at the same rate. One thing that I heard is some people have a condtion called "insulin resistance" and my doc said that even with WLS, some people don't lose and are tested for this. They are put on a drug called Glucophage, which seems to start the weight loss again. Perhaps you can talk to your doc about this also. I know you have to eat to lose and keep a consitant low cal diet, so your body doesn't think it is starving and your metabolism slows. Plus, drinking tons of water. These are all sugestions, GOOD LUCK!
   — ZZ S.

November 18, 2001
I'm losing very slow...I had surgery 1/16/01 lap rny...what I have found with me, and this may be a good lesson for others that are getting ready for the surgery, is that I have lost 100 lbs since then but the last few months have been a snails pace(I mean like 5 lbs in the last 2 months). What I feel is going on with me is that nothing hurts to eat anymore, and yes I can only eat 1/2 to 3/4ths cup of anything at a time, but I'm hungry an hour later and I think I am nibbling to much between meals. Could you be eating more than you use to? I am going to give myself a break until Jan and if I haven't started up again then I am going back to my calorie checking and step up the exerise.
   — Debora H.