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Please take a deep breath. You asked a question and got great answers. Please do not compare yourself to other people. You just had major surgery and are healing. You have lost weight, probably more than you would have on any diet, and your surgeon said you are doing fine. None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. We all experience periodic stalls and you are due for your first stall. Almost everyone experiences their first stall about three weeks post-op. Just follow your program. Focus on getting in all of your Protein and fluids, take your Vitamins and supplements as directed, and exercise when cleared. You are doing great. Embrace the Stall http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

It's so encouraging to read these posts. Everyone is doing well! I am exactly 8 months out today and am down 108 (31 of that was pre-op). Feel great and life is good! Losing has slowed waaaaay down - I'm lucky to lose 8 pounds in a month. And it's not steady; I'll stall for two or three weeks, then lose 3+ pounds in one week. Keep up the good work, everyone!!

many (most?) of us having our first major stall sometime during the first month after surgery. It's called the "three week stall" because it usually happens the third week, but not always. Mine was weeks 2 and 3. You may just be going into it early. Do a search on it - it happens to almost all of us.

Okay, I have to chime in! MEEE TOOOOOO!!!! My whole journey has been a big stall. I tend to get stuck for up to 4 weeks. But then there are these consecutive drops of one to three pounds. Overall I've been averaging about 10 lbs per month, like SleeveStalker above. I do notice that when I get my Proteins and liquids in I drop. For me usually that means getting a shake down because I'm one of those that still struggles with them. But without them I have trouble getting all my proteins in. So if I have more than 3 days where I am short on Protein, it's "get a shake down" time. I finally came to accept I am a little slower to loose BUT, inspite of the stalls, it's coming off AND way faster than before when I use to kill myself with excercise and food restriction only to loose 2 to 3 lbls in a month. So I'm just accepting these stinkin' stalls because overall I'm way ahead of the game. Hope we all get a drop in the scale soon!!!!! Even better, hope all our clothes fall right off our bodies :-)

Not everyone hits a stall. I lost just a few ounces but I consistently lost every week until 4 moths out when I gained a couple of ounces one week. After 5 moths out I had occasional weeks where I gained a few ounces, but I always lost the following week. I went into surgery with a huge muscle mass and I think it really helped. Post-op I did strength training three days a week and walked foe an lour two days a week till I hit goal. Lynda

Thank you ! I will definitely try to find ways to get in more calories. Solid foods still don’t sit right with me so maybe more soup it is and I’ll add a protein drink ! And I will definitely lookup the threee week stall thing ! I wasn’t eating as much because my body as it’s healing it’s not telling me it’s hungry ( I know I should be getting food in regardless) today is my three weeks and I know it’s not too late I’m starting today and getting in my calories !! Thank you so much so so so so much

So many people try starving themselves.....and shoot themselves firmly in the foot. Your body doesn't want to starve to death, and it has a ton of amazing defense mechanisms built in to prevent this from happening....evolutionary coping strategies created by famines and poor hunting season...give our bodies all sorts of hormonal strategies for adjusting metabolism to deal with starvation and NOT LOSE weight. But here's the thing...if your body adjusts your metabolism down to deal with starvation...when you eventually do eat a semi-normal diet someday...it's gonna be a problem. You have a chance to rebuild your metabolism here. You don't want a sluggish metabolism that has learned to cope and survive on 500 calories a day. You want a hot burning furnace that runs all systems at optimal levels and gives you a ton of energy for exercise, burning fat and building muscle....at normal calorie levels as soon as possible. (that is the focus of my group's research...we are encouraged to eat 1000-1200 calories as soon as possible....initial studies support that more calories sooner leads to more sustained weight loss at 5 years post surgery, I'm part of a larger study meant to confirm these results in a larger test group) Bariatrics is an emerging field and there are a lot of ideas about how patients should lose weight post surgically. Old school models are extremely calorie restrictive. There are a lot of folks out there who have lost well on very restrictive plans. Some who have regained, some who have not. Ultimately...there are a lot of ways up this mountain. But, to me...the research makes sense. I want a hot burning metabolism that runs on quality fuel and gives terrific performance. I started eating 1000 calories per day at three weeks. I eat 1200 per day now and am never hungry and have a ton of energy. My weight loss has been steady. (a couple stalls, but par for the course) Another tip....Look up "three week stall"....it's extremely common to hit a stall at three weeks.

well let me say this im in a stall so start pulling out your hair please!Your post made me come out of the shadows to tell you and others dont forget what things were like before wls or should i say 122lbs ago when you werent thinking about clean eating(congrats by the way)but for me i dont have a doctor i had to go out of the country and pay for this out of pocket so you darn right im going to be concerned when i see that my scale has moved up in the last three months,and its not fear for me its concern and the one thing i have to turn to is this forum to learn from others that have made it thru this.Because of this forum and other people who have hit stalls made it clear to me that i had to help my sleeve so i started drinking Protein shakes everyday for the last three weeks ive also incorperated walking every chance i get i started at two miles and now im at three miles,even if i get home at 11pm i go hit that track in the dark im just that determined ive also stopped drinking coffee and as we speak i havent had a cigarrette in seven days, dont get me wrong i am grateful for the 80lbs lost since 11-29-12 but i dont need to see a 4lb gain in the last three weeks and i do my best not to forget how i felt before surgey when i couldnt walk up my stairs without feeling like i was going to die or walk to the mailbox without my back hurting or when i couldnt bend over and tie my shoes,i remember taking a shower was a job becuase of all those hard to reach areas and look at me now walking three miles with no problem,or parking my riding mower and started using my push mower and let me not forget being able to feel my clothes bagging on me and being able to bend over and tie up my shoes so i need people on this forum to talk about things of all wls concern no matter how much its posted.even when im close to my goal weight i need to be more mindful when dealing with others who are struggling to get to where i am.I have a good friend thats complains about his weight everyday but still eats all the wrong foods that will only allow him to gain more and even thow i get tired of hearing his complaints and want to say to him "quit bitchin and do something about it" i dont i just remember that for the grace and mercy of God there goes i.So just think how many people are on this forum just like me that needs others to talk about there experiences with weight loss surgery good or bad. And again i didnt risk going to another country and putting my life on the line to gain weight hellllllllllll noooooooooo. '

^This. That's always been my advice too. Just keep following the doctor's plan. Don't "up your protein" or "lower your carbs". Just follow the plan. Our body's need the stall to catch up. Do I LIKE the stalls? No, but knowing they happen helps. I'm glad I read about the stall that usually happens around week 3. Mine lasted three weeks. Did I get upset? No, because I knew it would happen.

Thanks LilMsDiva, labwalker, Justwatchme, Rogofulm, esskay77 and Bandista – that’s my plan at present, and I hope your progress is going along too! I’m also keenly aware that the higher loss rate is this first year, and don’t want to feel like I’m wasting that high-burn time on stalls, since it’ll be harder as the months go by. I’m six months post-op, eating about 700 calories a day (70 gms Protein, no starchy carbs), alternating gym with jogging six days a week. My next post-op appt with the doctor is not under early December. A couple times earlier on I hit stalls and then when I upped my calories for a couple days and then dropped back down, that seemed to fix it and move my loss along again - but that's not helped this time, sadly. I agree about that subconscious chatter, and what a good term for it. I just wish I were more adept at ‘listening in’ on it and knowing what’s going on that keeps me here. My insurance doesn’t cover seeing a therapist unless I’m referred as depressed or some other malady, but I’m about to ask for a referral, (even though I’m feeling great psychologically in other respects) – just to see if I can get some professional help with figuring out if this has a significant emotional component to it. Until then—I’ll keep logging food, and YES – it does seem almost magical. Of course entering two Cookies and three Hershey’s kisses wasn’t much magical fun last night, but it sure motivates me NOT to eat them today!

I lost 14 pounds in my first week. Then it was 25 pounds total for the first three weeks. Then NOTHING for over two weeks. So yeah, don't get too comfy with the initial rapid weight loss. That first stall is brutal.

Gemmalicious, at three months out, why aren't you just eating regular food? Has your surgeon not OK'd it yet? By then I was eating pretty much anything...beef, chicken, seafood, pork, ham, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, Beans, corn, carrots, pita bread, nuts, avocados, edamame, you name it.... (No rice or pasta). I did, and still do, have a 40g protein/ 32 oz drink everyday to help know I'm reaching goals. I'm wondering if your stall is from lack of variety (your body needs more than just protein) and too low of calories. I stalled between weeks 6 and 10 because I was sick from another medication and could barely eat/drink. As soon as I felt better, I doubled my intake and lost 8 pounds in one week.

Week one: -3.1 Week two: -2.2 Week three: -2 Not jazzed about this at all. I see people at the same number of days out who have lost 20 or 30 pounds. How can you be bad at eating nothing? I have had no pin, nausea, or tiredness. I feel fine. everyone assured me I would lose weight. It's very depressing. This isn't a stall btw. This is "has not lost any significant amount of weight since surgery." I got 80 percent of my stomach excised and can't eat for less than a ten pound loss. Yippee.

This is not a STALL. It is how WLS bodies loses weight. You will not lose weight every week or sometimes not even for two or three weeks. Sometimes it might even be a month. It's all NORMAL. There is no need to worry. If you start eating foods that are not on your eating plan--then you need to worry. That would be the only time. The sleeve absolutely works if you work your sleeve. Your body knows what to do. Trust it!

Google "three week stall." That's all this is. Stay off of the scale, stick to your plan, and the weight will come off in its own time. Good luck!

The three week stall is fairly common. I know I am dreading my first stall.

I lost 36 pounds in the first 3 weeks, Then went into a stall for three weeks. It does slow down.

Yes, that's how my NUT defines it. I don't see it as harsh personally, and I honestly don't have an issue with a stall either. But, I might feel differently if I had a stall for three weeks. I am no longer weighing daily because I did have days where I went up a pound or two (discovered that sodium in beef jerkey really makes me retain water). No I weigh every Wednesday, so I had two weeks with not a pound loss but didn't sweat it. Measurements did change those two weeks and I'm doing everything correctly so I know I'll lose what I need to eventually. I'm also over 50 years of age, so I expect the weight to come off a little slower and I'm okay with that too.

I am coming up on 3 years post surgery... I am now only ONE pound away from goal. Talk about stalls. If you lose 10 pounds a month, that is heaven. There will be stalls and maybe lots of them for some of us. I understand we all want the fat off NOW! But if you had 85% of your stomach cut out, and are eating 700 cals a day... it will come off. Maybe sooner, maybe later... this is a good time to work on your mindset... this process is not over after you get the weight off, its just starting! You need to keep vigilant during maintenance as well. The three week stall is a bi**h, why would the body do that to us? It is swollen, it is hurt, it is losing its income drastically, it does not want you to die! Give it a break, it wont last forever.... and by the way, 3.9 pounds a week would NEVER be counted as a slow loser. You peeps will get there, in fact the time will fly. Some will lose faster than others, but it feels just as good to reach goal, at 6 months or 3 years. Relax a little.

Hi everyone! Happy I found a group of NJ folks I was sleeved 3/21 and am down 26 lbs including pre-op but I've been stalled for over three weeks now, Oy! I have an appointment with my doctor to see if there's anything I can do to get the stall moving again. Also, I want to know how many calories I'm suppose to be having a day at this point. Everyone's doctor seems to have a different plan. I've heard some say 800 and some say 1200, so I'll see what my doc has in mind.

The dreaded stalls. I went through a few of them myself. A family member who had surgery three weeks ago had one last week. It seems to be a universal thing with WLS patients.

Hello. I hope this will help you feel a bit more "normal" and in not so much despair? I am your same age (basically) and I live in WA state. I had my surgery two days before you, on the 17th of December. I am a RYGB patient. I started was 293 at home when I left for surgery....I returned home 48 hours later, UP 14 pounds (fluid and meds). So, I arrived home at 307. I did a three week liquid diet, then a three weeks soft foods, then a full food diet, which I am still on. On Tuesday coming up (the 11th, I will be 8 weeks post op). I weighed 269.1 when I woke up, peed, stood on scale nude, as I do every morning. I have been as low as 266 in the past few weeks, but I have been swinging back and forth for weeks in the high 260's. I am totally upset, irritated, frustrated and wanna scream. I too, DON'T GET IT. I am eating NO MORE than 800 calories. I am keeping my meals at 1/3 cup in total portion/volume. I aiming for 80 protein daily, hit it most days. I am NOW as of a few days ago really watching the carbs that I take in (Bbq sauce, stuff like that)...and I realized I have been eating TOO MANY carbs, right along with getting in ALL of my protein and yet staying below the 800 cals a day. I have only been some occasional walking and work out videos for the first 7 weeks post surgery. I am doing more of that in the past few days. I bought a Fit Bit-One device on Friday and that is helping me get my head in the game. I feel like I am a slow loser. I think going backwards two pounds is awful. I know this Bypass is ONLY a tool. However, I really thought that I would get more bang for the buck if you will. I don't get it. Regarding calories, back in week 4-5, I hit a 13 day stall...NO LOSS....I called the office talked to my dietician..went went over my food journal (I journal EVERYTHING)...she said that I was taking in too many calories, even though I was hitting the protein quantity....I was...I was eating almost 1200 daily, just as you've said! I lowered it down to the 800 max and bang...i lost a few pounds, daily....and got out of the 270's and entered the 260's...but now, here I sit....stalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllled. I get in all my water, I take all of my bariatric Vitamins and supplements as needed. I am working on getting better sleep (I am learning how SLEEP and quality SLEEP makes a huge difference in our weight loss). This info may make you madder, but my hope is that you will see you are NOT ALONE. I was glad to see your posting and I could not believe how EXACT we are on our situation. If you want to talk off of this tool, I can be reached at karijoa@aol.com. My name is Kari Jo

Hello. I stalled one week after surgery. The scale not only did not go down, but went up 2 pounds. I was eating and drinking everything I was suppose to. Two other people that I knew had surgery the same time as myself, their weight was coming off nicely. I went to my nutritionist after 3-1/2 weeks who told me I had stalled. I was doing everything right and it as going to be just fine. Needless to say, that didn't do a thing for me......AT ALL. I kept doing the right thing, I wanted to say the heck with this - it didn't work for me. ( Not even surgery ). That's what I though....NOT what I did. *** Even though my scale didn't budge, I was still loosing inches..?? Go figure. I couldn't exercise. I was either too sick or too week. However, I did go down from a size 26 pants to a 20. Yeah, that was the positive side. Another two weeks passed and my weight still had not changed, but after that..... (( My scale did move in the right direction )) YES !! I was on a 5 week stall. I didn't stall after the three week mark I kept hearing about. I stalled after one week for a grand total of 5 weeks. I was told that I my stall again in the future. When it happens again, I know that I'll face it much better than my first go-a-round. Sorry for the long post...I just wanted to say, it was scary and depressing, but it really did work out okay. I know it may not seem like it at the moment in your eyes, but it's going to work out GREAT for you as well. Good Luck !!

You're two weeks out from surgery? Stop worrying. Many of us put ON weight during our first week or surgery from the IV fluids as well as from general inflammation. Honestly, this is very, very normal. You will soon hit your three-week stall as well, so measure yourself, keep doing what you should do, and try to be as patient as possible. Easier said than done I know! I'm going through a slow period right now too and it's frustrating, but it's normal. If in a couple of months you haven't lost anything, you can get upset then maybe, not in a couple of weeks

that's actually really late for your first plateau - most people have their first one about three weeks after surgery! But like the others said, do nothing. Just stick to your plan and stay off the scale for a few days. Stalls usually last 1-3 weeks. If you stick to your plan, it'll break and you'll be on your way again. And like sillykitty said, this won't be your last one.