Question:
not loseing soooooooo sad

hi i had gastic bypass on april 21 08 and i was loseing till 2 months ago and i havent lost sinse i have lost 75lbs i went to see surgion 2 wks ago they said up my protein and exercise so i did and i gained 3lbs last wk im so depressed about it i need help i dont wont to stop loseing i still have 93lbs to lose please someone help    — nana46 (posted on November 8, 2008)

November 8, 2008
When you exercise more than you use to, you can gain muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. That is what is getting to me right now. I had lap band 4-16-08 and I am down 65 pounds and lots of inches but in the past week, I gained two pounds back because I increased my exercise program. I thought I was eating too much but I know I can't but that is when I was told by the nutritionist that it was muscle, it made me feel better in one respect but in looking at the scale all I could think of was my weight being two pounds heavier. I know that the scales is a tool and I shouldn't get onto it but I did and I tell myself it LIES. Good luck. Oh, I have 95 pounds to lose now.
   — dyates2948

November 8, 2008
You have done so great in the past six months! You need to allow your body to adjust to the changes you have already made. The other response regarding muscle being built now with the increase exercise is right on. Muscle does weigh more. Instead of just using the scale, monitor your inches. Also make sure you keep following the four golden rules: Eat your protein first Drink water No Grazing Exercise Be patient....It did not all some on overnight....it won't come off overnight. You are awesome!!!!! Zola
   — ZLander

November 8, 2008
ummmmm, I disagree with the first poster about muscle weighing more than fat. Think of this - one pound of muscle weighs exactly the same as one pound of fat. It is just that fat takes up more volume than muscle. Consider the amount of calories that you are taking in compared to how many calories you are expending. Is your body hoarding calories because you are burning too many? Make sure you are feeding your body with the right amount of calories and fluids.
   — ChristineB

November 8, 2008
It is true that in plateaus, the body is making those very important adjustments it needs to do. However, 2 months is a long time not to lose weight. I would highly recommend you beginning journaling everything you put into your mouth and see if there are any answers in the numbers. Perhaps you are taking in more sugar or carbs than you really thought you were. Maybe too much sodium which could make you retain water. If possible, weigh on a scale like Tania that tells you how much of your weight is skeleton, muscle, fat, water, etc. which helps me a lot. Sometimes I will have lost a few pounds of fat, but gained some in water. It really helps me to make sense of what is going on. Remember, losing fat is what's important for us. I would also recommend an appointment with the surgeon and the dietician and see what they think. Focus on your protein and veggies, water, vitamins and exercise and you will get there. Be patient and cut yourself some slack. Best of luck, Dawn Vickers
   — DawnVic

November 9, 2008
Now might be a great time to have a heart to heart with your surgeon/nutritionist and request a full work up of labs to include your thyroid. 2 mos is a long time to not lose weight, so for whatever reason your body is stuck and you need to kick start your metabolism...In simple terms: Your body gets used to the way you eat and exercise and it tries to maintain your weight and kinda goes on cruise control because your habits are predictable enough... If you kick up the calories for a day by say 300-500 calories...JUST one day every 2 or 3 weeks (use protein when possible, as it burns hotter, therefore faster than carbs) your body will say "hey, I have fuel to burn and it will begin to burn again....(just make sure you don't do this often....just once or twice a month) When you are just trying to maintain, complex carbs are fine and letting your body maintain is good too...but to lose, you have to wake up your metabolism sometimes. Journaling your food intake is a GREAT way to see where you might want to cut back too. You might be eating more calories than you realise...I know I was stunned when I began journaling my food intake. I had NO idea how many calories are hidden in foods with creamy sauces and cheeses. Especially food you eat out. When I make food at home, I KNOW what goes in it and I eat very lean...When I go out is when I panic because I have eaten out and then got home and looked up the calories and stats of the food I just ate out and almost had a cow when I saw the calories! I eat several meals a day at about 200-300 calories per meal. And eating out with a seemingly low cal meal is often 800-1000 or more calories! That is almost my entire days worth of cals in ONE MEAL! I ate a slice of pizza at Costco one day and did a google search for "Costco Pizza Nutritional Info" and one slice came out to be about 700-800 cals and 28 g of fat...75g cholesterol! But what was more shocking is that it was a better choice than the Chicken Ceaser Salad at 650-750 cals and 40 g fat and 145 g cholesterol! So start REALLY looking at what you are eating....and then find ways to make it leaner and healthier. And NO I do not eat Costco pizza often...Just once a year if that! It does have some serious grams of protein too! I make my own pizzas on low carb wraps/tortillas with turkey pepperoni at home..MUCH leaner and low cal!
   — .Anita R.

November 9, 2008
I agree with the caloric intake theory. You have to be putting out more than you take in to lose. Roughly 1600 calories equals 1 pound, if i am remembering correctly. Muscle does weigh more than fat...for example..a 2 inch block of muscle vs a 2inch block of fat. ..But my Doctor said it takes a long time to build the muscle up..think of body builders..they don't look that way after just a few months..it takes a long long time to achieve true muscle growth. Anyway, keep track of your eating, don't snack, and drink plenty of fluids. You've lost a great deal already and thats great!! Just don't give up. It isn't over yet!!! hugs, Kim
   — gpcmist

November 10, 2008
I feel your pain! I had my bypass in late August and promptly lost 50 lbs. Then I went more than 3 weeks and didn't lose an ounce - even gained on some days! I upped my exercise, my protein, make sure I had my water in each day - nothing. Then a week ago Sunday, I got up and stood in front of my scale and said, "You better change for the better or I SWEAR I will throw you up against the wall!" I had lost two pounds! Smart scale! LOL! Seriously, what made the change? Who knows? I have since lost 11 pounds and now have lost a total of 61 lbs. But my BODY changed the most during those three weeks - I lost a ton of inches. Your body really does have to catch up. I don't understand it, but it happens. So keep doing what you do. You know if you are cheating and I doubt you are since you care enough to write for help. My doctor did say I might have been doing too many carbs in addition to my protein - small baked potatoes, beans, etc. which I thought was good because it was protein, but he pointed out that it also turns to sugar. So I changed to more broccoli, squash, zucchini, asparagus, salads, which I love anyway. It's just that sometimes it is sooo easy to stick that tiny potato in the microwave and eat a few bites along with your protein! So stick with the program, keep exercising and drinking your water and getting that protein in and it will happen. And as a last resort - THREATEN YOUR SCALE!!!
   — sstarkes