Question:
I have seen this question before surgery and thought it was crazy
but now I too am experiencing it. I am almost 4 weeks post op and am very happy with my overall weight loss. But! for the past 12 days I have lost exactly 1 pound. Based on the theory of calories in - calories out = weight loss I should be losing at least a couple of pounds a week so this makes no sense to me, can someone explain it to me. If 1 pound a week is it then I am wondering why I did this because I can easily achieve a pound every 10 days without surgery. I eat 2 oz of food 3 times a day (70% protien,30% veggies)plus a protien snack in the evening that is about an ounce. I also drink at least 64 ounces of water. Can someone help me understand this? — brindledanes (posted on January 7, 2009)
January 6, 2009
LOL Now now, if you could easily have achieved this without surgery, why
didn't you? Seriously, all--and I mean ALL--diets go through periods of
plataeus. Your body is adjusting to the sudden change in amount of calorie
intake, etc. The reason why surgery is a tool is because it helps a person
MAINTAIN that restricted intake/absorbsion beyond the point your normal
willpower could. In other words, we can all go on crash diets for a few
days, but ultimately most people cave in and start eating wrong again, and
all that progress is lost; the surgery carries you PAST that point--or at
least it should. Keep doing what you're doing, use exercise to give it that
boost, and you'll suddenly see a drop gain. It came in spurts for me, and
still does. I'm now past my initial goal of 100 lbs, and hit 134 this
morning. You can do it.
— suezahn4me
January 6, 2009
Hi, I had RYN July16th, 113 pounds with 25 of this prior. At times it does
go slow. It is frustrating but does add up I feel that we could have
possibly lost a pound a week before but could we keep it off. Even a pound
I never see the scale go up. I mostly wanted to say to hang in their it
will pick up. If u are weighing every day stop it will drive u crazy. I
stopped weighing at home and now do it at a friends about every 2 weeks and
I feel much better knowing the scale is not calling me. LOL
I wish u the best hang in their and you will just melt away even in inches.
Tammi
— Tammi Sandoval
January 7, 2009
I agree with the previous writers as well. I had my surgery in August and
have lost 76 pounds. I only lost 1 pound over Christmas and New Years, and
that's okay. You have the rest of your life to do this. Take it easy and
it will come. Definitely DO NOT weight yourself every day. Don't be
overly concentrating on pounds off. Do your clothes feel looser? Do you
feel better physicially? It all works together and you need to be patient.
It will come honey. Congrats on deciding to join the losers bench!
— katiecakes
January 7, 2009
Sometimes water is held more than other times and it weighs a lot; muscle
and fat weigh different amounts so that affects it, sometimes the body
thinks it has to conserve itself for a little while - until you convince it
otherwise! Don't worry, it will keep coming off if you are following
guidelines.
— nofrogs29
January 7, 2009
Unfortunately our bodies are unpredictable. If we were all guaranteed 1lb
per week, we'd be in heaven. 4 weeks = 30 days, your body is still holding
on for dear life. It switches in to survival mode and until it feels safe
enough to let go of the excess, it won't. Unless you're in a big hurry, you
have plenty of time to take the weight off. It doesn't mean you're doing
anything wrong, just be patient. :)
— bariatricdivalatina
January 7, 2009
There is no easy or cut and dry explanation about weight loss and how the
body works...ESPECIALLY once you've altered the entire digestion system! We
are all different and all a very very complex machine...and if you have no
idea how it functions before surgery...you can't imagine how weird it is
after! LOL I've been studying nutrition on my own for YEARS! and I am still
baffled by how it works at times...One thing you must realize is that you
are in starvation mode basically the first several month...At first, your
body is in shock...going from probably 3000-5000 calories a day for MO
people...to suddenly 400-600 calories...It has no choice but to drop
enormous amounts of pounds because that's what happens when you starve!
But then, your body switches into survival mode as it believes you are
starving....and after a about a month it learns to store fat from very
little calories. (stalls and plateaus)..As you go on, you begin to eat a
little more and it continues to drop as you go...but Every once in awhile
it holds onto the weight as long as it can...you'll be burning inches but
not releasing the fat as quickly...Gotta drink water to help flush it out
faster! Be patient...It's a normal process that we all go thru after WLS.
Give yourself a year...and be thankful that your body works to help you
survive...In times of true starvation this stall would buy you time to find
food before you die! Get out the tape measure! You are still losing!
— .Anita R.
January 7, 2009
You are in a plateau. All diets reach these. You will be fine just don't
get discouraged. You didn't gain all your weight at once so of course you
aren't going to lose it all at once. Try some simple exercise and that may
help mentally and physically.
Good luck and God Bless,
vinnigirl, RN
t
— vinnigirl
January 7, 2009
Sorry to hear you are having problems with your weight loss, but if your
calorie intake is below 800 calories, your body will go into a protect
mode,it lives off the fat and muscle....you might want to try increasing
your calorie intake and vary your selection of foods. also, when you do
lose a lot of weight fast, your body needs time to catch up with the
loss...hang in there, be patient, and you will succeed. Farmgirl58
— Farmgirl58
January 7, 2009
You might want to see your nutritionist and re-evaluate your diet. If you
don't get enough protein and calories, your weightloss will be slower. Try
to stay as active as possible and walk as much as you can. You might also
want to consider increasing your level of activity or changing to a
different form of excersize. Good luck.
— maria09elena
January 7, 2009
As most others have said, it is VERY common to hit a plateau every once in
a while. Many people hit a plateau at about three weeks out, so it is
"normal". The one thing that I noticed that you (or the others)
didn't mention is, exercise?? Are you walking?? That is the first exercise
you should try so that you are not hurting yourself.
A leisurely stroll (in the wonderfully freezing weather!! LOL) will do
wonders for you. In a couple of weeks, you can either join a gym (YMCA?) or
find other means of exercise. As with most "diets" or weight loss
attempts, exercise is very important. Start slow though so that you don't
hurt yourself and then work your way up, this will also help to get rid of
some of the excess skin that you will have, if you still have elasticity in
your skin. I know that I, personally, HATE exercise!
However, my surgery is in two weeks and I have resigned myself to the fact
that it is a necessary "evil"!! Good luck to you, I am SURE that
you will start to lose again as long as you stick to eating properly and
"NO CHEATING" (I say this with tongue in cheek as I know how hard
it can be to stick to a specific eating pattern!! LOL).
Again, best of luck to you!
— anitak
January 7, 2009
I had surgery September 5, and after 3 months had a stall for about 1 1/2
weeks, then started dropping again. It is normal - for all the reasons
everyone else already stated! This past month has been the most difficult
for me (just after my 3rd month). I continued to eat right during the
holidays (which was amazing to me!), but didn't lose a pound. On top of
that, we were inundated with snow (nearly 80 inches in just 3 weeks!), so
all I did was shovel. I actually gained 3 pounds! That was so
frustrating, and I know if I hadn't had this surgery I would have been
binging! I am so glad I have this "tool" to help me out here.
Luckily, I have been taking my measurements at least every 2 weeks (usually
weekly), and found that I was losing inches - in fact I lost an inch around
each upper arm and I'm sure it was from shoveling. I also picked up my
exercise and then started a water aerobics class as well. In just 1 week I
have dropped 7 lbs. So pick up your exercise, take your measurements, and
stay off the scale. The measurements don't lie! Keep up the good work -
you are doing great!
— Wendy M.
January 7, 2009
I am there with you. I am 5 weeks post op and lost 16 pounds in the first 9
days and NOTHING for 3 weeks until yesterday and now I lost another 3. So I
do believe in the "plateau stage" I didnt want to think it could
happen to me exspecially only 2 weeks out of surgery but it did. Just stick
to it and know that we didnt only do the surgery for the weightloss but for
the health aspect of it too. It will happen just keep the positive outlook
and lean on us for support. Good luck to you.
— mother2mykids
January 7, 2009
Hi there! My friend, her mother, her daughter & husband, & myself
all had the lap RNY. We noticed in that first year, when we did not eat
ENOUGH, we would not loose. If we had a day where we thought, "man, I
ate a LOT", the next day we had lost a cpuple of pounds. (Now, a
"lot" is obviously not the same as it was before surgery! LOL!)
You do have to try to get enough nutrition. :0D Wishing you the best and a
fantastic loosing 2009 !!!
— MAG
January 8, 2009
Hi, Cathy. I think most of us have been there. I think I saw on the message
board a remark about us not being textbooks. This is so true. At two weeks
or so out, I stalled, too, and didn't seem to lose anything for about 10
days. The 11th day or so, though, I stepped on the scale and had lost 11
pounds! I can't account for how that worked, but it was true. (Wish it
would happen now; I am exactly a year out yesterday). Remember, all
references talk in averages, which means you have to look at things over
time. If we take the two weeks I talked about into mind, then I would have
averaged a 5.5 lbs. loss over the two weeks. I'll take that.
— jujuprof
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