Question:
I'm 23 days postop and stopped losing! Why?

I lost 22 pounds but haven't lost in days. I know I'm not eating too much and I am exercising 20 minutes on the treadmill which I'm increasing everyday. Yesterday I made sure to concentrate on proteins and water. I haven't been hungry since I had this surgery and thought maybe my body was hanging on for starvation reasons. This morning my scale showed I gained a pound. This is very frustrating! Any suggestions on what I can do to get going again?    — Candace F. (posted on February 9, 2002)

February 9, 2002
First thig id like to say, THe two who posted before me should be ashamed of themselves! Be kind not sarcastic. Second thing, I think you shopuld hang in there. Your body is adjusting and you should be past this soon. Keepup the exercising and youll do great!
   — [Anonymous]

February 9, 2002
I posted a response to a similar question the other day. I think you are suffering from the same affliction I was - Scale Obsession! The first 3 months I was on that scale everyday and freaking out when it didn't move. My surgeon told me that I should only weigh myself once a month otherwise I would feel bad and go into old "depression behavior". ONCE A MONTH?! WAS HE CRAZY?!! Well I knew he had a point and I have made a compromise, I weigh myself once a week (okay smetimes twice) and I almost always see a loss of several pounds. I know it sounds impossible at this early stage, but give yourself sometime. By the way I gained 10 pounds with my period and TOTALLY FREAKED!! Of course, I forgot that that could happen because as I'm sure you can relate too, I never noticed before as I avoided the scale like the plague. If you are close to "That Time" you will definitly plateau. Don't fret you are doing great.
   — Danielle M.

February 9, 2002
22 pounds in 23 days is 1 pound a day. I think that is great! I lost 23 pounds in my first month and each month it got less, but eventually got to my goal. I am a person that weighs myself once a week, the same scale, place and time. If you are doing any of that differently you can have so many different readings. You need to eat to lose, your right, your body will think it's starving and hold everything. I think we panic because we all failed when we "dieted" and we aren't used to success. It will come!!
   — ZZ S.

February 9, 2002
Candace- I am almost 5 weeks post-op and I lost 17 lbs the first 2 weeks and then only 5 the next 2 weeks. My doctor was very pleased with my 22 lb loss. He recommended not weighing more than once a week because it is normal for our weight to go up and down daily and it is to easy to focus on the scale and get depressed. He says the weight will come off and we have little control over the time it takes so we should just relax and follow the plan and exercise and it will work just fine. I hope this helps some, hide the scale if you have to I just might do that. Good luck! Vicki Mize
   — vmize

February 9, 2002
candace, I have to agree with Danielle on this one. I think that after surgery, some of us contract the "too much scale" disease. The first few months I must have weighed myself 3 times a day..obsessive is NOT the word...there was no word for it I guess. As time went on, I learned that once every 3 days was fine and then once a week. After the first year, I was lucky to weigh myself every two weeks. I am now back to weighing myself every day but that is only because I have been losing weight this past month and I don't want to and can't afford to. I've been sick so I am trying to gain which is NOT working but oh well. Now I am compulsive about losing a pound...don't want to see the scale go down. What I am saying is that you are normal but, that it gets better and that weighing yourself every day will only make you nuts in the end. I wish you good luck and hope that the scale becomes your best friend cause it tells you what you want to see...Hugs
   — Barbara H.

February 9, 2002
Dear Candace, I did the exact same thing! I wen't from losing a pound a day to nothing in days! So I took everyone's advice and I stopped weighing every day and started weighing every Saturday morning and I am now 5 weeks and 3 days post op and down 34 pds! It did slow down for me, but 3-4 pds. a week is still awesome! So dont worry and just keep doing what your doing you will be fine. Sincerely Roshelle.
   — roshelle P.

February 9, 2002
Candace, I am pre-op so I might not know what I'm talking about, but I thought I'd share with you what I just read in the WLS book (by Barbara Thompson.) She said that it is normal to stop losing during some point in the initial months because your body goes into "starvation mode." She says that keeping up with the H2O and protein are very important, and that it will pass. So, keep up the good work, and one day you'll be surprised! :o)
   — Lauren C.

February 9, 2002
Thanks for all the supportive comments. I'm going to try to put away the scale and just weigh first thing Thursday which was my surgery day. I'll keep concentrating on water and protein. Though I was liking a pound a day I'd be at goal before Memorial day. I knew it wasn't likely but enjoyable to think about.
   — Candace F.