Search the Community

I am 8 years out from my gastric sleeve. I have gained 35 pounds. I need to get this off! My lowest weight after surgery was 155. Now I’m 190. It’s gotta go. I am retired now so I’m not as active as when I was working. I have back issues and can’t do a lot of exercising. I have been going to line dancing 1 day a week and I can tolerate that pretty well. Give me some tips how to jump start my weight loss again!

I’m 4 weeks post op VSG (3/13/23). Have lost 20lbs, just dropped into the 180’s for the first time in 7 years. My abdominal wall healing has taken longer than expected, so I haven’t been able to move as much as I’d like. Goal is to reach 170 by the time I visit my parents in late June. I’m learning just how finicky my body really is. Makes me feel less crazy about all the years of trying to lose and keep weight off….Not enough protein? STALL. Not enough fluid? STALL. Injured? STALL. Drink stuff with fake sweetener? You guess it…STALL! Lol 😂 ah well, I love this body anyway. Keeps things interesting if not downright insane and who wants to be normal anyway? 😛

i've pretty much been below goal weight since reaching it. i guess you could say i fluctuate, but it happens below goal. i stabilized in the 110-115 lbs range for about a year or two once into maintenance. but the past couple years i mostly live in the 115-120 range. though the past couple months i've ventured above 120 more often than i would like so im keeping an eye on it! (i still weigh myself every day)

I was a slow loser I had my surgery in March of 2020. I could eat what ever I wanted to right after surgery. Which confused me. Don't freak out. I thought right after surgery I would lose all this weight and My medical issues would just go away. I was wrong. My first year I only lost about 50 pounds. It wasn't until I got my mindset on point was when more weight would come off Trust me your stomach is about the size of your fist. Just try and get your protein in first. Don't obsess over everything. It will hurt you mentally. So water protein and veggies. And walking 🚶‍♂️ My doctor's off was no help for me actually i really never had any follow-up with them which bummed me out. But I just kept doing my thing. Don't be hard on yourself. Everyone is different. I would try not to do the snacks, even the sugar free ones. And watching the carbs, your body need the good carbs. It wasn't until I was way past the 6 month mark that more weight started to come off. I used to get upset when I saw/heard/read about people who lost 100 in 6 months. Crazy. I was too hard on myself and that was also part of my problem. I started at 250 and really it wasn't until I was well into a year when more weight would start to come ff But that was me. So. Protein water and movement. There is is book out there Bariatric Mindset. I know your not a few months in. Please do not start to get upset. You will be surprised how your bodies react to stuff. You have to have a better understanding/relationship with food. It took me a long time to finally get it. It took years to get where you started at it will take time to get to where your going. Yes you should be losing a bit more than what you said. Be honest with yourself and really be accountable for what you choose to eat. No you won't stretch you new stomach out. It's all about better choices now. Read read read and get your water protein in first. You can do this. We are so hard on ourselves. Please don't be. As long as you don't have any pain. Just keep moving along. It will happen. Be honest with yourself and maybe start logging your food. You would be surprised at what you see. Like I said I started at 250 pounds and 3 years later I sit between 130-140 We are all different. Much love to you on your journey you can do this.

Well done and good job keeping the weight in check. It is always good to hear from old-timers. I noticed you are below you goal weight. Was it always this way or does your weight fluctuate up and down?

I think it's natural to temporarily feel a little light headed no matter what extreme diet one may be on. Low calories can do that to a person. I had a friend who was on a liquid diet for months and she fainted every now and then. She did not have WLS. She was in one of those medical liquid diets. I have low BP since my weight loss but it was fine when I was 160 but after I got down under 120 lbs is when it happened. The doctors do not seem overly concerned, told me to drink coffee and tea, and add some salt to my food... Etc. I don't ever feel dizzy or uncomfortable. When I was over 300 lbs I often felt dizzy, unwell and always uncomfortable. I, too, am so thankful for WLS.

Sure. First, the "everyone is different" caveat lol (different starting weight, different genes... Etc) But to your question, I lost ~16 my first month, and ~9 lbs my second and third month. Then 6 to 8 lbs a month till goal. Then after goal, while trying to figure out my maintenance level I lost 4 to 5 lbs a month for the next 5 months, then 1 to 2 lbs for a few more.

I don't know about Ozempic but your surgeon may be going by the recent studies that showed that starting WLS patients on pharmocologic agents after surgery stopped future weight gain. Studies show that half of the patients gain back a third of their weight back, and the medication prevented it. I think it's really up to the individual. I know for myself that I don't want to take any thing (not even "natural" otc appetite suppressants because then I would have to rely on it instead of figuring out the real reason behind me wanting to eat) but if my weight does creep up, I might consider it. I don't know. My fear of being over 300 lbs again has always been a good motivator.

I think your body is really confused. You had major surgery and probably didn’t eat much the first couple weeks, then started eating heavier than you should and sugar as well. The body probably latched into the sugar and carbs to replenish stores and turned the rest to fat (explains the gain). Then you go back on track and your body needs to adjust again, but after losing some pounds you’re eating less often (so your metabolism machine is slower) and still having sugar even if it’s a small amount. Your body is really smart. After going through trauma, it’s going to try to stabilize. Here’s what I do know… you still have time to get yourself back on the right path. You will need all your fluids (sugar free), the protein prescribed by your plan, very low carbs and all of your vitamins. If you don’t at least do these things, you’ll probably remain frustrated and stuck. It’ll take a jolt and consistency to recover. I believe you can do it because you already got this far. Dealing with our emotions and food is not easy, but it is possible. I’m pretty sure everyone here would pat you on the back and tell you to get back in the ring, don’t be so hard on yourself and stay focused. You’ve still got time to turn it around! You can do this. Sending you all kinds of encouragement! 🌈😊

I noticed that immediately after a long stall, the weight loss was significant. As if my body was making up for the lost time. Good luck

Congrats. Mine has been three months and counting. I'm wondering if this is it for me. If I'm going to be one of those people who fail at everything, including weight loss surgery.

I totally understand what you are going through, and I'm with you in the frustration. I'm 8 months from surgery and I've stalled for the last three months. I've only lost around 20 kilos (44 pounds) and I'm still 15 kilos or 33 pounds from healthy weight. I can't believe this is all the result I will get from a very costly and difficult surgery. I'm halfway there, and I don't know how to jumpstart my weight loss. It seems to make little difference what I eat. I don't eat a lot. A typical day for me is 8-900 calories. I went on a week long trip this Easter and decided to eat whatever. I still didn't eat a lot at every meal, because I get full really easily, but I ate regular food and didn't write down calories. I normally use myfitnesspal, but skipped it this week. The result? I still weigh the same as I did three months ago. Now I've gone back to low carb and I've gained 100 grams. During my vacation, I walked a lot. Didn't make any difference. I haven't exercised as much as I wanted to, because I've had repeated injury, but I still try to move as much as possible. And I cannot fast during the week, because it makes me so tired and cranky, and I need energy for working with difficult teenagers. I'm at a loss what to do.

if you're sticking to your clinic's food plan, then it's a stall. Most of us do experience our first one sometime within the first month or so after surgery, so no, it's not too early. HOWEVER, if you are eating too much, then you need to get back on track. It'll never be easier to lose weight than it will these next few months. This is the opportunity of a lifetime to lose a huge amount of weight, so you don't want to blow it.

One of the reasons I had surgery was to get off medication’s. In my opinion, this stuff is just poison. The side effects are considerable and the weight loss temporary as you will regain once you go off the medication.

to your question: i lost 22 lbs first month after surgery, and 17 lbs the second month. after that it was roughly 10lbs per month until goal. lost a few more lbs while i figured out how to eat "normally" again, gained back a few, lost, gained the same few lbs, etc. today am still sitting below goal weight (i had surgery 4.5 yrs ago. but keep in mind i was 235 at start. lost 11 or so lbs during 2-wk pre-op, and am barely 5'2" tall. its may or may not be ur experience. but one thing for sure, stick with ur program and we all end up in the same place eventually. good luck! ❤️

I had my surgery Feb. 28, so it's almost been two months. A week after surgery my weight was 212 and i have barely moved since. At first, I thought I was holding weight because I hadn't had a regular bowel movement. Nope, not the problem. Then I thought it was because I started eating too heavy too soon; which was definitely part of the case because I had gained four pounds, almost five pounds back. But then I got back on track and lost the five pounds, plus two extra. But since then, for about the past two, almost three weeks, my weight has been sitting between 209 and 211. I've stayed on track and have been sticking to low carb, high protein meals. Any snacks I have are sugar free and so are the drinks; either sugar free or low sugar. I haven't gone off track until last night for Easter. I had a small plate of food within my limits, but ate a dessert that was high in sugar. I know it's bad that I had sugar at all, but I am proud of the self control I did have with not over eating/eating too much. I listened to my new stomach and stopped when I felt myself getting full; which is something I am still getting used to and figuring out. I have been struggling financially, unexpectedly, after having the surgery so I haven't been able to meal prep and buy all the foods and snacks I need to stay on track and not give in to temptations. And seeing as how I don't know when this financial struggle is going to get better, I don't know what to do about staying up on nutrition. Besides Easter, I've found it easier to barely eat anything at all, than to risk eating badly again. I am supposed to be eating 4-6 small meals a day to make sure I'm getting nutrients and proteins in, but it's more like I eat 2, MAYBE three times a day, high protein meals, just to get close to protein goals. Even though I am proud of the little restraint i had, I am still ashamed that I ate badly in the first place and that I wasn't strong enough to fight cravings. Which is definitely still a real thing after surgery. But I am really scared and concerned that I caused my surgery to fail because of the first time I went off track. Did I? I think I am in a stall. Is it possible to stall this early? What do I do? By going off track did I cause my sleeve not to work anymore? If not, how do I get back to dropping the weight like before? I know the "honeymoon phase" of dropping weight goes on for about a year to a year and a half, but did I cut it short by not staying on track and eating things I shouldn't have. I really need to know and I really need some guidance. My doctor's office is really busy and they haven't been the best getting back to me unless I have an appointment.

You didn't mention your biological sex but that is important here; some womens' bodies are not capable of "bulking up" the way a man's would because we have less testosterone which also encourages muscle growth, and it's also possible that you are gaining muscle but it doesn't look the way you expect it to. I'm sure the activity you're doing is good for you one way or another.

We just got back from Barranquilla and have only good things to say about Dr. Jimenez and his fellow docs and staff who helped our daughter, a 16 year old. The surgeon as over 15 years of experience as a bariatric specialist and is himself a gastric sleeve patient. His assistant surgeon has a daughter who had the surgery when she was a teenager. And he has handled many other teenagers from the US as well as Colombia. His other staff doctor has had the surgery as well and done very well (7 months out). She handles the protocol/nutrition and questions, along with standard follow ups, at least one week, one month and several months thereafter. These we do virtually, but we plan to fly down for a follow up visit in 3 months. Our local hospital in Raleigh has a weight loss clinic for teens and they signed us up for local post-surgical care as well. We are very lucky to have them and to have found this nice group of skilled physicians in Colombia. He has very reasonable charges and no hidden or additional fees, no "selling," just good medical care in a top flight, modern hospital setting.

some information: I'm 24 73kg/160,9lbs 179cm/5'10. So I had my surgery around August of 2019. I lost around 50Kg from than till now but I don't wanne lose any more. I started going to the gym last week but before that I also did 3-4 month at home training because I didn't wanne go to the gym before i could at least do something. (stupid to think like that but yeah...) My arms looked like twigs and still do but at least there is a some muscle to see compared to 4 months ago. All the information I find online regarding gaining muscle is all about "eat big to get big" but that's the thing i can't eat big, like probably most of you guys. I have been drinking protein shakes 2X a day protein bars... and other food that contain protein to at least get as much as I can let's say around 80g of protein But I don't see much progress (counting the 4 month workouts at home) and I don't know if I should just trust what I’m doing now or change something... Sorry about my writing, I would say sorry about my English but even in my langue I write with many spelling mistakes.

Thank God for this question and advice because I have been going crazy! I added in veggies and poultry during puree period and gas and bloating is back!! Weight loss stall broke one day and I lost a lb abut then gained it back the next day!!😫

I would be... definitely questioning that. 115 pounds down in 6 months is a huge loss, so you're doing really well as it is. Stay on track, and you'll lose that 60lbs in another 6 just fine without needing a drug that increases nausea and makes you not hungry. I sincerely hope it's not the new normal! If you were struggling with a return to bingeing or overeating and you were gaining, then maybe I could see the reason? But if you're doing fine, which you seem to be, then I'm scratching my head.

I had the sleeve don in 2010. I was lacto ovo vegetarian the whole time. I lost slowly for the first two rears, then started to gain. I employed 5-2 semi fasting program and lost to goal (90lbs) by year three. I maintained for less than a year, then slowly started to gain until around 2019 when i platoued at 20 lbs under my initial weight. Around that time i was diagnosed with breast cancer. I went to a “surviver clinic” run by my medical plan(Kaiser). They recommended i go whole food plant based to reduce most causes of premature death. I was motivated. That was 4 years ago. I am currently down 35 pounds from my high. I wish i had done this insted of surgery, because whole food plant based relies on eating a lot of food to work. I can eat quite abit now… i guess my stomach has stretched out quite a bit, but i still cant eat as much as i could before surgery. Check out nutritionfacts.org for lots of current research on nutrition, weight loss and health.

Yes, frustrating, but as everyone has said stalls are common. They are also an important part of your weight loss. It’s the time your body takes to respond to the stress of your weight loss & reset itself to your lower weight & needs like certain hormones & your metabolism. I used to think of them as your body taking a breath, a timeout, shutting the door and saying I don’t want to talk to anyone just like you may at a stressful time. I recommend the videos by Dr Matthew Weiner & Dr John Pilcher. Very helpful on a wide range of topics.

Eh, I operate fairly independently. Not sure id call it brave or just taking matters into my own hands. Insurance would cover, but I was borderline and was told not to lose any weight while i went thru process of 3-4 months to get approved. I said screw that and went to Mexico three weeks later for the same price as my out of pocket would have been. I could NOT carry that weight any longer. Plus, the kids can pretty much care for themselves- I dont have to actually carry anyone like i did after breast reduction after my second kid. The ex husband was pretty useless to help back then, so I see doing it alone as an improvement. No one to complain about it or worry with wringing hands over nothing . Plus, I hate to say it but my body is invisible to the kids- they are too worried about themselves- as teens do.

Sometimes our bodies just decide to hold onto where we are right now. I am 12 years out. I had a wonderful Birthday week - and then some celebrations .... and a trip to Disneyland and ate meals out. I literally gained 5 pounds in a week. Shrug. I went back to what I do.. high protein, low to no processed carbs, lots of fruit and veggies, yogurt, cheese, nuts.... and for the first week and a half....nothing. the 5 lb weight just sat there. I ignored it. Two weeks, nothing, three weeks.... finally this week... it all came off. I did NOTHING different. It just happens that way (for me, at least) sometimes. It WILL come off. Give your body time. Losing weight quickly as we do in the first year is traumatic to our bodies. If your body shuts down, there may be a reason. I always figure my body is telling me that food is limited and we are having a famine ..... I explain to myself that this is not pre-history. I have a freezer and a stove and food. Eventually it will Happen.