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Read up here on the Three Week Stall. Almost everyone gets it and what you are doing is not wrong. Chill out and hang on tight, when people say this surgery is a roller coaster, they were not kidding. And think a minute here.. how could you stay the same forever n less than 700 calories a day? Worry will not make you lose faster.

Just had my appointment with my surgeon. Wont go back now for three months. Surg aug 15th. down 34 lbs to date. pre and post. Started at 278. Now 243. Whoops make that 35 lbs can't add. LOL Feeling good overall. Stated noticing that I get light headed here lately. So trying to get more fluids in. And fatigue is finally setting in as well. So we will see what this week has to hold. Was at a stall for two weeks. but that broke the end of the week. And dropped like 3-4 lbs at once. Will break down and buy me two sets of new scrubs for work when I hit the 40lb loss mark. So I wont be baggy britches. Trying to hold off a bit longer on clothes. Just dont want to spend to much money on clothes since will have to keep replacing. Although I am NOT complaining by no means. Heres to a great week to everyone. Im off to bed. Work the next four nights in ER.

Four more days and it will be two months since the time of my surgery. I am down sixty three pounds..I don't think that is bad at all. I was in a stall or so I thought that was what it was. Went almost two weeks without losing anything. I was getting really disappointed. Then, I weighed and had lost another six pounds. I was happy again. I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. Sometimes, I get constipated and think maybe that is what's wrong. I use to eat lots of veggies, but not, it is mostly protein. Then again, sometimes I thiink I am not going to make it to the restroom quick enough. It's a little strange but I guess it just takes getting use to. I have lost 63 pounds total since liquid diet before surgery. It will be two months on the 25th..I'm not too disappointed. I know I didn't put all the weight on over night and it will take time. Just get impatient sometimes thats all. I see how much everyone around me eats and I eat like three or four bites and thats it..just feels it should be a greater loss. I sometimes get this weird feeling, its not that I'm hungry, or indigestion, its just a weird like feeling. I can't really explain it, so I have gotten in the habit of carrying sunflower seeds around with me. I just suck on those. They have the flavored ones. It seems to help with the wanting food when I see others around me eating. That isn't all the time though, just some time. I know, I'm weird..right? lol ldpbell

I was in a stall or so I thought that was what it was. Went almost two weeks without losing anything. I was getting really disappointed. Then, I weighed and had lost another six pounds. I was happy again. I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. Sometimes, I get constipated and think maybe that is what's wrong. I use to eat lots of veggies, but not, it is mostly Protein. Then again, sometimes I thiink I am not going to make it to the restroom quick enough. It's a little strange but I guess it just takes getting use to. I have lost 63 pounds total since liquid diet before surgery. It will be two months on the 25th..I'm not too disappointed. I know I didn't put all the weight on over night and it will take time. Just get impatient sometimes thats all. I see how much everyone around me eats and I eat like three or four bites and thats it..just feels it should be a greater loss. I sometimes get this weird feeling, its not that I'm hungry, or indigestion, its just a weird like feeling. I can't really explain it, so I have gotten in the habit of carrying sunflower seeds around with me. I just suck on those. They have the flavored ones. It seems to help with the wanting food when I see others around me eating. That isn't all the time though, just some time. I know, I'm weird..right? lol ldpbell

I had my surgery on august 26th. Pre op I was 386 and down to 354 day of surgery and then down to 329 last week. I weighed yesterday and had gained four pounds. Sounds like everyone has a stall aound three weeks! I plan on starting the gym today!!

Interesting just found this on the web. Is It Really a Stall? A stall or plateau refers to an extended period of time during reducing efforts where there is no weight loss according to the scale AND no loss of inches according to the tape measure. So if you've been following your chosen low carb program to the letter, and it seems that the bathroom scales have become permanently stuck, take your measurements. Also notice if your clothes are getting looser, or if you can now fit into formerly tight garments. Chances are, you are continuing to lose FAT, but your body is adding lean muscle tissue, especially if you have been doing weight-training exercise as well. And muscle is less bulky than fat for the same amount of weight, so your body will be smaller and leaner. If this is the case, you haven't stalled at all; your body is just recomposing itself. This is why it's so important to record your body measurements at the very beginning, so you'll have a reference as you progress. Don't just measure chest, waist and hip. Other key areas to measure are neck, upper arm, thigh and calf. And yes, having some "skinny" clothes hanging around helps too. It's a great feeling to have a pair of jeans that previously wouldn't come past your knees to make their way up past your hips, then be able to do them up (with pliers, while lying flat), then be able to do them up while standing and be able to breathe at the same time .... and so on! It's normal for the body to go through adjustment periods while you're losing weight. A plateau lasting 3 or 4 weeks is no cause for alarm, nor is it a reason to QUIT. Check your measurements as noted above, and stick with your program. Low Carbing is about making permanent, lifelong changes; a few weeks is just a brief period in the rest of your life! One other thing to consider - are you within 5 to 10 lbs of your original goal weight? Following a low carb, hi-Protein WOE and exercising may have given you an increased muscle-to-fat ratio than you had previously. As noted above, muscle tissue weighs more than fat, but takes up less bulk. Maybe it's time to rethink your goal weight. You may already be there! Congratulations! Now you can focus your energies on maintaining your proper weight, instead of struggling to drop a few more pounds. Possible Causes Okay, 4 weeks have gone by, and there's been no weight or inches lost. This is definitely a stall. Here are a few things to consider, perhaps one or more of these factors may be the cause. 1. Carbohydrate level is too high - the number of carbs you can consume per day to continue to lose fat and weight varies from person to person. Some lucky individuals may be successful at 50 or more grams per day. Others are metabolically resistant, and must keep the carbs near Induction level for most of the Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) period. For Protein Power followers, this would mean staying at Phase 1 Intervention level until goal weight is achieved. 2. Hidden carbs - Carbohydrates can sneak into your food without you really noticing! A gram here and there; pretty soon they add up to an extra 10 or more grams a day that you may not realise you're eating. Herbs, spices, garlic, lemon juice, bottled salad dressing - these foods are not carb-free. Processed lunch and deli meats, bacon, ham and sausages often have added starch, crumbs, sugar, dextrose etc. Make sure you are accurately measuring the "known" carbs. A whole stalk of broccoli is more than 1/2 cup. And keep an eye on the coffee. It is not carb-free - a 6 oz cup of java has 0.8 carb grams. That's a small cup too. Add some cream, and a packet of sweetener, hmmm.... 3 or 4 mugs a day can add up to significant carbs. Also, beware of foods made in the US - their labelling laws allow manufacturers to list the carb count as zero if it's less than 1 gram, even if it's 0.99 gram! Get a good carb counter, and look up the foods you're eating. Keep an accurate food diary, and maybe you will spot a trend. Corrine Netzer's "Snacks. Protein is required by the body to provide the building blocks of all our muscles, organs, hormones, enzymes, etc..... if we do not consume the protein in our diet, the body will use the only available source - your muscle tissue - to get what it needs. Less muscle tissue further contributes to a slowed metabolism, and reduced fat-burning. So, eat up!! 4. Overeating - In general, it's not necessary to restrict or even count calories while following a low carb program. You should eat when you are hungry, and eat until you feel satiated. But don't go overboard; it's not a license to stuff yourself to the point of being OVERfull. Studies have shown that eating smaller but more frequent meals lead to more weight loss success than eating the same amount in 2 or 3 larger meals per day. Eat slowly, and chew your food thoroughly. Listen to your body, and learn to recognise when it says "enough". Overeating can sometimes be a consequence of meal-skipping as well. You are just so hungry when you do get around to eating, or you may feel you need to "make up" for the fact that you haven't eaten all day. It can really work against your weight loss efforts if you fast all day, thus forcing your body into slowed-metabolism "starvation" mode, then eat and eat all evening. This night-time eating will trigger the release of insulin, which will cause your body to make and STORE fat while you sleep. 5. Lack of Exercise - If you have not been exercising regularly, this may be a reason for your stall. Exeercise will boost your metabolism and burn fat. Exercise, especially weight-training, will build muscles, and muscles are more metabolically "active", thus will increase fat burning as well. If you have been exercising, and have hit a plateau, perhaps your body is signalling for you to change your routine. Increase the duration and/or the intensity. If you've been jogging or cycling only, try adding some weight-lifts to your workout - and vice-versa, if you've only been weight-training, you should add some aerobic activity as well. 6. Not Drinking Enough Water - Adipose tissue, ie. fat, is mobilized through a process called hydrolysis. As the word suggests, hydrolysis requires plenty of water. Insufficient amounts of water in your body will hinder effective breakdown of fat. If you're exercising, or if your environment is warm and/or dry, you need to drink more water. If you are in active ketosis, you need to drink more water to flush the ketones out of your system. How much is enough? A bare minimum recommendation is 64 Fluid oz (that's 8 - 8 oz glasses) of water a day. Some experts suggest you should divide your current weight in pounds by 2; this number is how many ounces you should drink each day, but no less than 64 oz. There is no disagreement on the need to drink sufficient amounts of fluids every day, but there are some arguments that it's not necessary to drink only plain water. If you choose to not drink large volumes of water, you should ensure that you are consuming adequate fluid in the form of calorie and carb-free liquids. Note that coffee is neither calorie nor carb free. Three small 6 oz cups of coffee yield 12 calories and 2.4 carb grams. Add in the cream and packets of sweetener .........hmmm. Teas and herbal teas are generally close to zero carb, as well as diet sodas and mineral waters. Be careful that some diet sodas contain citric acid as a flavouring, as this has been known to stall some folks. It's best to strive to drink as much plain water as possible; at least half of your day's intake, more if possible. 7. Medications - There are a number of medications that can and will hinder your weight loss. Most notable are diuretics ("fluid pills"), both prescription and over-the-counter types. These will initially seem to make you lose MORE weight, as you lose excess body fluid. But when you are in active ketosis the LACK of fluid will inhibit fat-burning. Many antidepressants cause weight gain as well. Steroids and hormones, such as cortisone, birth control pills and estrogens will cause weight gain. So too will some seizure medications. Unfortunately, medications that are intended to lower your cholesterol will inhibit the liver from converting fat to glycogen, thus decreased fat-burning. And insulin and many oral diabetic medication will decrease fat burning and increase fat storage. DO NOT STOP OR DECREASE YOUR MEDICATIONS WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S SUPERVISION AND FOLLOW-UP. 8. Food Allergy & Intolerances - A significant percentage of low carbers report that over-consumption of cheese and dairy products will put them in a stall quicker than anything else, even when the carbs are not "hidden" but are accounted for in the daily total. There is some suggestion it may be an intolerance or allergy to the casein protein in cow's milk dairy products. If you have been eating a lot of dairy foods lately, try cutting way back, or even eliminating altogether for a week or two, and see if this breaks the plateau. Food allergies and intolerances are difficult to pin down, but are known to trigger weight gain, fluid retention, sinus congestion, skin rashes, and digestive upsets, diarrhea etc. The most common food allergens are - wheat and wheat gluten, cow's milk dairy products, corn, soy and chicken egg whites. Again, try eliminating any or all of these from your diet for a few weeks. Then, add each food back gradually, and see if symptoms return and your weight stalls again. You may have to avoid the offending food permanently, although many people find that after a few months they may cautiously eat a small amount of the food once in a while, without adverse effect. Helpful Suggestions 1. Make sure you really are stalled. Take your body measurements with a tape. Check how your clothes fit. Try on a piece of clothing that was tight before you started low carbing. 2. Don't go hungry. Eat smaller more frequent meals, and make sure you have some protein with every meal and snack. Avoid going more than 5 hours without eating (except overnight, then make sure you have a protein-containing breakfast). 3. Don't restrict your calorie intake, it will just force your metabolism to slow down to "starvation mode". Increase the amount of protein and fat with your meals. Eat some cheese, fried pork rinds or a handful of nuts as a snack. Use good olive or flax oil on your salads. Use heavy cream and egg yolks to make sauces for fish, eggs and vegetables. 4. Bump up your exercise level. Increase the duration and/or the intensity. Change your routine. Add weight lifts if you are just doing aerobics. And if you're not exercising yet, get moving! 5. Avoid eating carbs before bedtime. This will trigger insulin, which will inhibit fat-burning while you sleep and in fact, will initiate fat STORAGE. 6. Drink more water and other zero-carb fluids to enhance fat hydrolysis, and to flush ketones. 7. Keep a diet diary. Record the time and amount of what you consume. No one else will ever see it, so be brutally honest. Get a good food counts resource, or at least a pocket-size carb gram counter. 8. There are several "Stall Buster" fasts that are popular and successful at jumpstarting the weight and fat-loss. They are meant to be temporary, not long term. Most popular is meat Fast . Again, it's just as it sounds, meat, meat and more meat, and not a heck of a lot else. A little fat or oil can be used to cook and dress the meat, but nothing else. And no coffee or tea. Water, water, water. 9. Some low carbers have used a thermogenic combination of herbs and medication known as an "ECA Stack". Thermogenic means it boosts metabolism and speeds up fat-burning. The E-C-A components are Ephedra, Caffeine and Aspirin. If you want to know more, click here . There is some controversy over the safety of ephedra, also known as ma huang. It's advisable to check with your doctor. Ephedra should not be used if you are pregnant or nursing, have high blood pressure or history of hear problems. Aspirin should be avoided if you have a known allergy, or if you are taking blood-thinners or have a history of stomach or intestinal ulcers.

I was sleeved 8/25 and have lost about 17lbs. I'm in the dreaded three week stall but I'm not letting it get to me. After so many years of dieting I am well aware the scale will move when it darn well wants to. lol I just started mushies last week and have been living on egg & tuna salad and ff refried beans. It's a lot easier for me to drink faster now but it still takes me forever to eat 1/4 cup. My energy level is back to normal except when I'm exercising. I can only do about 15 mins on my elliptical before I'm ready to fall over. I'm not getting all my protein in but I'm almost there. Fluids are harder for me. I guess the sleeved life is getting to be more normal.

Hi! First as many others will state on this forum, don't compare your weigh lose to everyone ele's, it will only serve to frustrate you. Everyone loses at a different pace. I only had to do a day before fast, so I'm can't be of any help there, but gaining weigh right after surgery is normal because they pump you full of liquids after surgery to keep you hydrated-- I left the hospital 5 lbs. Heavier. Also they fill your abdomen full of gas during surgery. The surgery is working and you will lose weigh but unlike many of us who think that the pounds will drop off in huge amounts and admittedly I was under that impression as well, it does not for the majority of us. From what i've read here and on other forums most are losing in spurts for example you may lose five pounds (or one) overnight or over the course of a couple of days and then nothing for a week or two or three. However, I go shopping in my closet and have found that I've lost inches as opposed to pounds as clothing fits that did not before, or is now too big. Chin up, this is a process that will take time to work. Focus on getting in your liquids, Proteins and start exercising as soon as your able to even when or if you hit a stall, just keeping doing what your supposed to do and before you know it you will be at goal. Good luck!

Need some help and advice, I have 5 weeks post op. VGS. I have lost 31 pounds in the first three weeks after surgery. Most of that was probably water weight that I was loaded with in the hospital. But since then (last two weeks) I have not lost a single pound. It seems that I have hit a stall of sorts. Did anyone out there have the same experience? I may be a scale watcher. Help frustrated and worried. Thanks

Hi Raquel, I was sleeved a day before you on July 27th, and I am experiencing the exact same thing. The first four weeks I lost about 20 lbs then for the past three weeks my weight goes up and down and have only lost about 5 lbs since. I have seen on this board that that is normal. I just hope this stall ends very soon. I know the frustration you must be feeling. Just know that you are not alone. I hope your stall ends soon. Good luck! Maria

Search the "three week stall" Almost everyone gets it... it is normal and you are not doing anything wrong. Mine lasted for 4 weeks!

Search for " three week stall" , you"ll find some great information out there. It is NORMAL and is usually followed by a good loss. It just goes to show that it is not just as simple as calories in vs calories burned. Our bodies are complicated machines.

tamareta, three weeks post op seems to be the most common first stall but there are no rules here. The body just goes into protective mode when IT needs to and then lets go when it finds that starvation isn't happening. Most people go through it from time to time and mostly we encourage each other that it gets better, stay the course.

At week three I had a three week stall. Then last week (week 12) I started another stall so far nothing is dropping. . My daughter and I did basically the same she is in the same stall as I am, her first one lasted 2 1/2 weeks and this one started a few days before mine. We both gained two lbs, we don' t like it but know it is temporary.

I just got over my three week stall and Liz is right, the scale wasn't moving but I was losing inches. I am glad for the stall cause I was a little scared losing two pounds a day. Congrats on your 53lbs. I can't wait to say the same, I am at week 4.

Last night at work was SO good for my ego. I had three different people at work tell me how great I looked. My Husband (God love him!) has always told me I look good, but rarely (?never?)has anyone else mentioned to me, out of the blue, how good I look. Last night at work. I had three different individuals come up to me and tell me they noticed how I had lost a lot of weight, and that they just had to tell me they thought I looked great. One of them was this tiny little doctor who can't weigh much over 100 pounds herself. She told me "not to overdo the weight loss thing"! Not that I will ever be as tiny as she is (she is only like 5 feet tall, and probably weighs all of 110!) When I told her I had another 35-40 pounds to lose she asked me "where? off your big toe?" Now my friends and co-workers, who know what I have done, have been very supportive. But these were people who didn't necessarily know that I had been sleeved, but just realized that I had lost a bunch of weight. All three of them told me how fantastic I looked. I had one of my new pair of shorts on when I went to work, and one of them told me that my legs looked absolutely great with my nice tan! I almost floated clear up to the ceiling I was so thrilled to hear somebody give me a compliment like that! In the future, every time I get discouraged about not losing fast enough, not being able to eat all I want to eat, every time I hit a stall, anything, I am going to replay that memory in my brain's DVD player to remind myself how great it is to look and feel good! I am going home for a ten day visit in about 2 1/2 weeks, and am hoping to loose a few more pounds before I go home. My husband is excited to see me. He has NEVER known me at this weight. I weighted around 200 when we met, got married, and all our married life (41 years!). So he can hardly wait to see me. I was just at the 200 mark when he left for home in August. He said he is going to get a sign that says "Kathy Warren" on it and hold it up when he picks me up at the airport, like limo drivers do when they are picking up someone they don't know, since he is convinced he won't know me! Funny Man! I am just a little over 180 now, and hope to be in the 170's by the time I fly home. And I can't wait to fly home. For years now I have HATED to fly, cause I had to ask for a seat belt extension (SO embarassing!), and then I sort of "spilled over" into the seats on either side of me, if I was in the middle seat. This time there should be NO "spill over"! And certainly no seat belt extension needed! The last few times I flew, I even went to far as to purchase a first class ticket, so that I would have the advantage of the larger seats and more room in First Class. Now I love to fly First Class, BUT it is so pricey! Am loving the savings that I am going to get by being able to fly economy, but of course, will miss the individual attention and service that comes with First Class! But I keep telling myself, I can fly home more often when it doesn't cost as much! Well, should close. I only slept four hours and then woke up. Am going to try and get back to sleep for a few more hours, as I have to work all night again tonight. Hope all you Post Op sleevers and potential sleevers are having a Great weekend. The weather here in the Central Valley of California is great. Hope you are all outside doing something special. Later........

Some never get this stall, but mine was 4 weeks long. How can you NOT lose weight eating only 300 calories a day? Thats the magic of the three week stall! It will start coming off again, I promise.. just keep up the good work. If you follow the docs rules.... you can search the three week stall here too for many stories.

I have been stalled for about three weeks now and it's killing me. I began to monitor my carbs and am keeping a food diary but I just want to start dropping the weight again!!!

I live here in Pensacola, Florida and we just had the joy of Tropical Storm Lee stalling out over us for the past three days. I am wondering if this low pressure weather could affect the band and make it feel tighter? I got a fill two weeks ago from 5.5cc up to 6.5 cc, and for the first 4 days seemed fine. On the 5th day, I could not hold anything down, including Water, but I chalked it up to nerves as I was going home that day for my sister's wedding. After day 5, things got better, and I was able to get food and fluids down, even though it was significantly more restricted. That brings us up to the last few days where it has gotten much more uncomfortable; fluids stay down fine, but most everything, including mushies, come back up. All of the sudden today, as the weather has started to return to normal, I can eat like a normal lap band patient again and fluids are not uncomfortable either. Could it be similar to the effect flying in an airplane has on the band? Just Curious? Surgery Day May 10, 2011 Weight at Surgery 457lbs Weight as of Today: 355lbs 4 fills @ May 4.5cc @ June .5cc @ July .5cc @ August 1cc

I got up this morning and tried to have my regular Protein shake and after one three sips "sleevie wonder" said NO! I tried a smoothie made with fruit and Water and it didn't taste good either. I made some Ginger Peach tea and was able to sip that just fine. I had some yogurt mid-morning and it sat just fine. Anyone else have this happen? (I've been on a stall for about a week, so I have been trying to up my protein intake but this isn't starting off so well.)

I did Optifast for six weeks before my surgery and lost about 30 pounds. I did three Meal Replacement shakes/bars a day and two cups of low starch vegies. It's a good way to kickstart your weight loss surgery journey and it also helps shrink the liver if you have a fatty liver, which makes the surgery easier. I have recently done Optifast again as my weight loss has stalled, and I've lost another 25 pounds. I think it's a great programme and after the first few days (which are tough, you can have headaches, fatigue) I found it easy. Good luck!!

Expect to be tired. I mean exhausted tired for the first two to three weeks post-op. Use every opportunity you can to nap and rebuild your energy. When you aren't napping, plan to be sipping constantly on either water or protein drinks. That's the best way to make sure you get in the required protein and water. Also, expect a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Embrace it and ride it out. Expect a "What the Hell have I done" Day. Mine was day five. I thought I had seriously screwed up and mourned the fact that there was no going back. Of course, today I am thrilled with my decision- but that day I was sure I had screwed up royally. Finally, expect to be dissappointed with weight loss in the first month. Despite learning everything we can it seems to never fail that everyone is upset with the three week stall and his/her weight loss. Lean on this forum when those days come- it helped me tremendously. Good Luck! Amanda

Hi Wondering1- I was also able to eat a larger amount of calories than others post-op. I remember being really concerned that the surgery had failed, that I was overdoing it, etc. On my doctors plan I was on a liquid diet the first two weeks and then could incorporate soft meats and foods starting week 3. On my plan, a grilled leg and mashed potatoes would have been allowed at day 15 as well. What I learned is that some us don't deal with as much swelling as others and therefore can eat more and some of us have longer stomachs which equal longer sleeves and the ability to eat slightly more (especially if you are tall). Of course, the bougie size can vary as well. I feel I have had great success and I have eaten from 800-1200 calories a day since the third week post-op.Of course those are generally "quality" calories and Protein dense foods. I would encourage you to follow all of your doctor's orders and when eating take your time, eat small quanities and really try to find that sense of "satisfied" rather than full. But, also know that there isn't anything wrong with you or your sleeve just because you appear able to consume more calories. I think you will also find that it is more difficult to consume a lot when you eat more dense foods like meats. You're doing great! Amanda PS I lost 14 the first three days and then didn't lose another pound until day 25. It's probably the dreaded three week stall that we all had to deal with. Just keep doing what you are supposed to and it will all work out. Promise.

Heather, Yes, it sucks. I was in exactly your position three months ago. I think it's more the norm than not. I lost 12.5 lbs the first week, 3 lbs the second week and then nothing. I didn't drop again for another week and a half. I had lost 43lbs in the three months prior to surgery. I couldn't understand. Most all of the people who were sleeved the same day as me had the same scenario. The best thing you can do is have someone hide the scale for you. Take your measurements (you really do lose inches when you are not losing pounds) and then don't worry about. I know that's easier said than done, but there is nothing you can do about it. The most important thing you CAN do about it is to make sure you get all of your Water, your Protein, keep your carbs low and take your Vitamins. Fast foward three months. I still stall about every third week but only for a week or less. I still average 10 lbs a month. I do the water, protein, and <30g of carbs a day. My surgeon assures me that I am losing at the perfect rate. He said that others that are losing much faster are probably losing muscle by not getting their protein in. Still, it's frustrating because I was losing faster before the surgery. It seems to be coming off so slowly; however, I realized this week, I have lost 85+ lbs in the last six months, and for the first time in my life, I have a tool that will help me keep it off. Hang in there. Remember, slow and steady wins the race everytime.

Hey everyone- I have been here making a post here and there but thought I would check in more formally and report my progress- August 9th was my three month surgeversary. I can report that I am absolutely thrilled with my sleeve! Today I was officially 65 pounds down- including my 2 week pre-op. Though sometimes I have felt like my loss has been on the slow side compared with others- somehow here I am three months later over half way to my goal! I have also found myself to be one who has to watch carbs to lose weight. I wish it was otherwise...but it isn't. Right now it looks like my sweet spot is around 40-45 carbs to keep losing- and I do net carbs. I probably could lose a bit more going to 30 but I need to also not feel tooooo deprived so I have decided o the 40-45- knowing that when stalls come, etc. I can cut back to get thing kick started. I also have weathered a vacation! I was worried- went to Kauai and Oahu for a family series of events which we photographed. I was scale-less, and also found it hard to keep up the things I do like clockwork here at home- like all the Protein, and the Water. I did my best, but I also let myself have more carbs in papaya and pineapple since I adore them and we were in Hawaii.I was active- in the water every day Net result was no loss- but no gain! In addition- I think I was pretty swollen with water in the humidity, and with flying, because I have lost 9 pounds in the nine days since coming home- woo hoo! My main motivation for getting the sleeve was that I had become a housebound near total invalid with nerve damage in my back, two really bad knees (tears in both) and fibromyalgia. Well, I can report my life has changed so much I can't believe it! I have tons of energy and I work out two hours a day- an hour of brisk walking and an hour of level III water aerobics. I still have a fair amount of pain, and some may be a fact of life- but I feel so incredible- I feel I have my life back! The sleeve is the best thing I ever did. Where are my Redvelvet peeps???? xoo