Question:
Why am I gaining a pound a day ?

I am almost six months post-op and so far I have lost 93 pounds I started out at 445 and on friday when I got on my scales I weighed 352. I weighed yesterday and my weight was 355. This morning my weight was 357. This really upsets me I know it's not PMS weight because MY period went off on Sunday night. I did have one alcholic beverage and a small portion of pie and cake and a piece of chocolate here and there over the last five days but I have been back on track every since tuesday so why is my weight going up? I am getting all my water in. I can't afford to gain any weight back. My life was becoming really unbearable it is really hard trying to walk, work, and just do normal everyday things when your only 4"11 and weighing 445 lbs. Please give me some advice I just feel like crying today. I am already a real slow loser and not that I am not thankful for the 93 lbs I have lost because everyday I thank God for this wonderful tool and the BTC. It's just that I still have 150-160 pounds that I want to lose and I don't need to be regaining any weight that I have already lost.    — Dana J. (posted on December 27, 2001)

December 26, 2001
Dana...are you doing the protein supplements? Try 2 shakes a day in addition to your food for a couple weeks and I think that will jumpstart your loss. If you are doing the supps, then did you know you need .8 grams of protein for every 2.2 pounds? Anyway...I wouldn't be concerned about the fluctuation in weight unless you see it go up and stay up and continue to go up for a couple weeks. That would indicate something wrong. But a pound or 2 fluctuation is normal. Good luck and God Bless!
   — Kimberly L.

December 27, 2001
Dana - bless your heart! I really relate...I fight the same three pounds or so all the time...it's up and down up and down...then I go down from there three pounds....geesh. I am a TOTALLY slow loser (5+ months post op/70 lbs -- want to lose 50 more) and get frustrated, too, when the scale doesn't cooperate. I was down t 217.5 a few days ago - then up to 218 and 218.5...blah, blah. Two things have been helping me, physically - and one thing "mentally." Physically: I am eating more protein, it seems to help the weight loss keep moving down (as someone already posted). Although I do take supplements, I found that I needed the actual "food" in my stomach, too, to do the trick. So I've been eating turkey and fish. Second, upping my water. I drink a lot of water anyway, but with the holidays I've been eating salty foods (like yesterday I ate enough peanuts to bring Dumbo down!!)...so I'm retaining water...and the best cure - more water! Mentally, since I'm still in my "losing" window (and insist on weighing myself every day even though every one says not to), I consider my "weight" the lowest weight I've seen on the scale post-surgery...anything above that is temporary and I (try to) ignore it. So, if you asked me my present weight, I would say 217.5 (even though my scale said 218.5 this morning). It's strange, I know, but it helps me not obsess about the scale!! Best of luck to you. Open RNY 7/17/01.
   — blee01

December 27, 2001
I am sorry that you are going through this. Any type of setback can really send you into a tailspin! I have a couple of questions: 1) Are you exercising? If you are building muscle, it will weigh more than fat. 2) Did you eat more salt over the holidays? That can make you retain water. 3) Are you measuring regularly? Sometimes although the scales say different we are still "losing."<p>It doesn't sound like you are doing anything to cause "bad" weight gain. It is probably temporary. Just put the scale away for a while and keep eating and keep active. Your body cannot support itself at that weight on what you eat. You WILL lose more weight!
   — ctyst

December 27, 2001
Dana just a thought have you started taking any new medications lately. Last month my PCP prescribed Vioxx for me and overnight I gained 4 pds for the life of me I could not figure out why I gained then I read the warnings for the meds and it showed unexplained weight gain well let me tell you I stopped it immediately and about 4 days later I lost the 4 plus another. Like I said just a thought...Good luck.
   — susan V.

December 27, 2001
I can relate to this! I started out at 370 and quickly lost 150lbs. but I couldn't lose anymore weight no matter how hard I tried. I got a bit discouraged and decided that if 220 was the best I could do, I could live with that. Actually, I was quite happy with that. I ate right and drank my water and did some exersizing but in a year, I had gained 30lbs. I was frantic and didn't know what I was doing wrong. Then I wrote down everything I ate and drank for a three day period. I was totally honest with myself and when I was it all in black and white, I immediately saw the problem. I'd gone back to my old eating patterns. I deluded my self into thinking that because I was only eating small amounts, it was ok...no harms was bein done. Two cookies here....a couple of bites of pie there... a slice of pizza now and then. It all added up to a 30lb. weight gain in a year. I started following most...not all of the rules in "Pouch Rules For Dummies" and I actually started losing weight again. It's only a pound a week but it feels terrifc because I am in control once again. Also for the first time in years, I really think that I can get down to my personal goal weight of 185. I've lost ten pounds in the last ten weeks and at that rate I think I can reach my goal by next Christmas. What a Christmas present that will be! You don't want regain any of the weight you've worked so hard to lose and I'm sure you want to lose more. It's more difficult for some of us and we have to work harder and longer at it. We also have to be very honest with ourselves. I'm rooting for you! If I can get back to basics and start losing again after several years, then you can too. Good luck!
   — [Anonymous]