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It's better than normal, most people lose zero pounds the third week after surgery (seriously, search "three week stall" or "third week stall" and you will see). For most people, weight loss will pick up again after about a two week stall. However, also for most people, they don't see the kind of rapid 4-6 lbs per week after the first month. I would say that 2 - 3 lbs per week is much more in the normal range after the first month. And, as you say, there really is no normal. Focus on following your program as best you can and don't place so much focus on exactly how much you lose within a given time. It will only stress you out and make you miserable (because it never feels fast enough) when you should be experiencing an incredibly happy time in your life.

I hit my first stall during weeks 2 and 3 post-op. Then I dropped six pounds during week four. It's not uncommon at all (in fact, do a search for "three-week stall"). your body's going to do what it's going to do. Some people lose weight fast, others lose it slow and steady. So many things can affect it (I'm definitely a slow loser, but I've lost 153 lbs in total). Just stick to the plan and you will definitely lose!!!

I've seen you post a link for this thread many times, and I've just gone searching for it now that I've officially hit my "three week stall". I was hoping that I would be special but alas, here I am. I'm not worried about it, really. I know that what I've been (or haven't been) doing is a big factor. I guess this stall was the kick in the pants that I needed to really get serious about exercise/water/protein.

So, don't know if this will help or not...I also had a very, very slow metabolism. Diets that worked for everyone else just didn't work for me, no matter how religiously I weighed and logged every gram, or how hard or often I hit my Crossfit box. Low carb? Check. Weight training? Check. Massive calorie deficit? Check. Protein-sparing modified fast? Check. Moderate deficit? Check. Strict paleo? Check. Tried vegan? Check. Coaching? Cognitive behavioral therapy? Meal delivery? Integrative medical plan? Yes, yes, and yes. NOTHING WORKED. I had the sleeve done in early December, and discovered a couple of things: I have actually managed to lose some weight. More than I have in a long, long time. Enough to make my clothes fit better. I feel better. I'll be able to fit on roller coasters when King Island opens in a few months. Yay! I'm happy about this! HOWEVER: It's come off really, really slowly. Like, in two months, I've lost what a lot of people lose in the first 3-4 weeks. And my BMI was solidly over 40. I'm short. I had well over 100 lbs to lose. It's not like I was just on the edge of not qualifying. Weight stays put for a few days, bounces up, goes down a little, stops moving, rinse repeat. I didn't just hit a week three stall...I hit a two week stall, then a three week stall, then a four week stall, lost a little, lost a little, then another few days of stall. This is on 700 calories a day, walking 8000 - 10,000 steps, carbs below 30, drinking 60-70 ounces of Water, lots of Protein. ALSO: I have other medical crap going on. Shortly before surgery my new and brilliant GI specialist diagnosed me with a small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Short version, have probably had it for years, and it's wreaked havoc in my digestion and subsequently my endocrine system (hello thyroid!) Also, another specialist I've been seeing pointed out that my temperature has been dipping ever downward for the few months he's been looking at it. This means that my metabolism is screwed up. Apparently, my body, when presented with magnesium, has no clue what to do with it. So. To make a long story short, if you have metabolism issues, surgery MIGHT help resolve them. This, of course, depends on what they are. And even if you have metabolic problems and the surgery doesn't fix them (like my case), you CAN still lose weight. It won't be like everyone else's, and this is a huge, huge bummer. I'm also hungry on my tiny little portions. Yes, VSG gets rid of ghrelin production for the first few months. However, if your problem is leptin resistance, your brain will never get that message that you've had enough and you can stop eating. I don't know why everyone gets so fixated on ghrelin and think that that's the only hormone responsible for hunger. Makes me nuts...just like everyone who says that if you just follow the program or do X, Y, or Z (cut carbs, cut calories, drink more water, exercise in a particular way, do interpretive dance under the full moon, WHATEVER) it will work for you, because it worked for them. My advice...treat the weight like any other symptom of a disease state in your body. The surgery will help you manage that symptom, but if you're not looking for the root cause, it'll always be a THING you'll be dealing with. I don't know if I'll be able to correct whatever's causing my metabolism shutdown. It might be related to some MTHFR genetic mutations I tested for, in which case, we won't be able to fix it, but I will eventually figure out how to manage it. Or maybe once my intestine has healed from the SIBO (which appears to be gone, huzzah) things will get much better. Don't know. Weight MAY continue to be an issue post-sleeve...but I'm doing everything I can. I've got that going for me, even when I'm so frustrated I want to scream. Don't know if that helps or not...I really wrote a long post, didn't I?

Yes it is completely normal. Search for three week stall and you'll get lots of hits.

First I want to say that since my three week stall I have now lost more than ten lbs, so the stall for now is over. I think people should have the right to "freak" out if they want. You may say. that will not solve anything. That is not the point. The point is to acknowledge how you feel. This is important. Also, I do not think the mere mention of being disappointment about a stall is "freaking out". Anytime one strives for a goal and that goal is not achieved there is going to be disappointment. That is normal. To state over wise is false. So if you experience a stall cry about it, shout about it, throw something (preferably something that will not break), and so on. Then once you have had your moment pick yourself up off the floor and plan again. The journey we are on is going to have all kinds of feelings/emotions the best way to deal with it is to acknowledge it.

Well first off, welcome to the rest of your new life! With that statement comes a great number of changes, mental and physical. First, I would say you are eating too much, however, I too had issues soon after surgery. Do not get me wrong, I am just now 3.5 months post-op, but down 70 pounds. Weight loss is 'strange' after surgery, especially in the beginning. I really set the bar high, and decided long before surgery that I was committing to a complete lifestyle change, and I am living it today. As mentioned earlier in this post, tracking your food is very important. This is one of the three reasons I recommend a Fitbit to everyone, you can track your food/water/protein input with the Fitbit website (or MyFitnesspal.com), secondly, you can track your activity, and lastly and this is a biggie, you can see your heartrate. Why is this so important? One of the very early signs of dumping is Tachycardia, and elevated heart rate. So, you are chowing down on a new food and you start to feel a bit strange. Am I eating too fast? Am I going to dump? Does this not agree with me? A quick glance at your heart rate is a great tool to determine why you are feeling the way you are, and more importantly to prevent dumping. I have had three such incidents now, where I was juuuuuuust on the border of dumping, but I began to feel odd, checked my heart rate, saw it in the upper 80s' low 90's and realized I was about to dump. I stopped eating the suspect food and within 20 minutes I was fine. Why is food tracking so important? One word, accountability. I look at my food intake every day. I log every single thing that touches my lips. My weight loss never surprises me. I know when I was adding new foods, or ate 'heavy' foods and lowered my expectations for the week. Tracking with software allows you to see, how well or poorly you are doing in a given day, and to evaluate the prior day once it had concluded. HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE. Activity. Let's face it, weight loss is really as simple as burning more calories than you take in. You need to be able to determine how many calories are being burned and a Fitbit does a great job at this. No it is not perfect, but it is better than guessing. No matter how obese you may be, you can walk. I do. In fact, I am up to 8 miles, 5 days a week. I am a full time student, so I have the two hours to dedicate. Many do not. Track your activity, and HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE. Pro tips: -Do not drink 30 minutes before a meal and for 30 minutes after a meal. -NEVER eat while distracted. NO EATING IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION!!! Sit at the table, without distraction and slowly eat your food. FEEL what your body is telling you. Savor every bite. -Remember calories are not all created equal. I have gone to a rather extreme diet, but I like low carbing, I like the energy and the overall great feeling. Thus, I do not imbibe anything solid and white (fat free cheese is the lone exception), no Sugar, Flour, Rice, Pasta, Bread or Potatoes. There are only two things you are concerned with at this stage, really, two. Water intake and Protein. And your body will punish you for failing to take in enough. I shoot for 100g of high quality protein a day (not all Proteins are created equal, research PDCASS), and at least 80oz of water. -Calories, your mileage will vary, but I have found that I lose weight at the best rate when on active days I get in 1100-1300 calories and on inactive days 600-800 calories. I am never really hungry, and have to stick to a schedule to make sure I get enough calories in on any given day. -Milk, try Isopure in Fairlife milk. That is how I do it, in fact Fairlife milk is one of the many wonderful things I learned about here in these forums. Short story, it is lactose free, has twice the protein of regular milk and 1/2 the carbs. I use 2 measured ounces of whole milk in my coffee, and use the skim for everything else. It is much creamier than regular milk. The whole milk is more like cream, and the skim more like 2% milk. -These tips may or may not help you, they help me. -Fiber. Yes you need it, see the post about dealing with your new post op ass for more. I struggle with this, daily. In closing I would say, do not put your head in the sand. Hold yourself accountable for ALL your actions. It is the aggregate of all your actions that will determine what the scale has to say at the end of each week. You are nearly due for the 'dreaded three week stall'. It will pass. Do not let it get you down if it hits you. Seek counseling for food addiction. I am not a '12 step' kinda guy. I have to solve my own problems, but that is me. I think it is the Military in me, I do not like asking for help, I see it as a weakness. It is not, but as my ex mother in law was famously quoted, "Feelings are not facts". I FEEL like asking for help is a weakness, but my mind knows better. That is my issue to deal with. Best of luck. Post often. Keep us in the loop, there are a LOT of WONDERFUL people here.

Shopping at Sinking Boats 'R' Us again? When did you last average five pounds per week or, if we subtract the three-week stall, eight?

Four days ago I made three weeks post op and I think I am having the dreaded three week stall! I am the same 266. PTL that I did not gain which I think at this point would be hard to do, but staying the same is sad. I am eating as my dietitian and I work out five days a week for fifty minutes I just have to press through. I know, I know embrace the stall. Words of encouragement are welcomed.

my surgeon said going back to the pre-op diet (Protein shakes plus clear liquids) for a couple of days will sometimes get things going again. Haven't tried it since my only stall thus far has been the "three week stall". Since I'm over seven months out, he probably figured I was long overdue for one...

You lost over 30 pounds in two weeks, Celebrate that! It is early on in the game and as long as you are following rules you will be ok. The first month going from clears to full liquids to mushies etc poses a lot of changes to your body so give it time to adjust. I stalled after week two for over a week as well and thought, oh well, getting the three week stall out of the way early. Nope, hit another big stall a few weeks later. But things got moving again. I am now stuck at a previous set point and trying to just wait it out. I am doing what I need to be doing and have to trust that.

My "three-week stall" lasted two weeks. There's a woman on another forum I'm on who had one last 3.5 weeks - so yes, it can happen. As long as you're following your program, the stall will break soon...

people seem to have biggest drops the first month or two (other than during the infamous "three week stall".

I see you have 70+ posts here, so you've probably seen people talking about the three week stall, correct? It is real! Don't stress out. Keep following your plan and the weight will start dropping again. I know it is frustrating and freaky but it is also completely normal. Hang in there.

Maybe mix up your exercise routine, I stalled and changed around everything and then lost 5 pounds after a three week stall. Sometimes no matter what you do it will just take sometime for your mind and body to register all the changes.

I'm having the three week stall. Had great loss, 17 pounds in three weeks, and now, the stall. How many days does it last??

Nice to meet up guys! I was sleeved by Dr slayden in the st lukes group. And i agree......they really do prepare us well! I'm in that dreaded three weeks stall right now kinda frustrating

@@Mbain - embrace the stall - search thru BP for stall especially the infamous three week stall. YOU WILL STALL, it happens, breathe....

I know some of you post very helpful information about stalls. And it has really helped me but at the moment I'm feeling somewhat desperate and worried!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After over 30 years of trying to lose weight now that I have had surgery, I am 24 days post surgery and of those 24 days I have only gone down on the scale for six of those days in the beginning. I am so worried that this is not going to work or that I will not lose. I am following everything perfectly. I have read a lot about the three-week stall. My stall started on day 12 and has continued now until day 24. Mostly, when people lose weight they lose mostly in the beginning and then start tapering off. Is this really because of the surgery and how many of you have had such a long stall so early in the process? (I have tried to not get on the scale every day but I just can't keep away from it and it is really worrying having a two-week stall so early in the process. I am almost one months post surgery and have only lost 12 pounds eating tiny amounts of food every day. SORRY to bring up this subject again but for those of us going through it for the first time it is very daunting and depressing!!!

Hi everyone. I was sleeved on 9/30/15 at a weight of 205. I'm down to 173.8 as of this morning. Overall, I am pleased with the pace of my weight loss. I did encounter the dreaded three week stall (that lasted for nearly three weeks) but I'm out of it now. The first month after surgery was really easy to lose weight. The way of eating was new to me so it was different and easy to stick to. Over the past few weeks, I have grown tired of the same old things and have found myself trying things like bread, Pasta, and even Cheetos. I've not had any trouble from eating these foods. I think the only reason I'm continuing to lose weight is because of how little I am taking in. Even though my sleeve can tolerate bad foods, it can only tolerate a tiny amount of them. The problem is I don't want to continue like this. I want to be someone who eats lean meat and veggies but I can't picture that in my head. My mom let me eat badly from a very young age (she would go get me Mcdonalds if I didn't like what she made for dinner) so I feel like I am conditioned to only like the bad, processed, foods. I have tried many different types of vegetables and asparagus literally made me gag. I'm not trying to be dramatic but my taste buds just don't like the healthy stuff. The healthy things I DO like are few and far between. I need to find ways to eat healthy and actually like the taste of what I'm eating. I've heard many people say that you won't crave carbs once you're off them but that's not been the case for me. I'm still craving things that I haven't had for months. I'm hoping you all can give me some tips on how to get back on track. I need to "reset" my way of eating. I know that if I don't get a grip on this now, I will just gain all the weight back. I take my Vitamins religiously but I don't always get my 64 oz Water or 80 grams Protein in. Any tips for increasing this? My plan requires no Fluid 30 minutes before a meal or 30 minutes after a meal. Each meal is supposed to take 30 minutes so that's 90 minutes that I can't have water anytime I eat, whether it be a meal or a snack. I'm eating three meals per day and two Snacks so that's 5 times per day that I can't have any water for an hour and a half. I've found it incredible challenging to get all my water in with this type of restriction. Any tips are greatly appreciated.

So I am 3 weeks out from surgery and have read up enough on this site to realize that I am right in the middle of the dreaded "THREE WEEK STALL"!!!!! I am so thankful for all of you that have written about this because at least I know to expect it and to embrace it :-) But I am curious how long you have all stalled for? Currently I have been the same weight for one week. I hope it breaks soon and my weight starts going down. I know we are all different but I am just curious what the duration of the stalls have been you have experienced.

What you're going through is completely necessary and normal! Don't stress! It happened to most of us at the same time post surgery! Google "Three Week Stall" and it will explain everything. Like @@jane13 said, stay on course and embrace the stall! It's supposed to happen

@@rescue4_u welcome. it's kind of a known thing called the three week stall. embrace the Stall. search for stall. stay on course!

@@Smallfry06 You are right on time for the 'dreaded three week stall' try searching, there are a million posts about it. Stick to the program, and you will be fine. I know I hit the same stall at the same time. Now back to 3-4 pounds a week.

The three week stall I think is normal. Even if you aren't losing on the scale I bet you are still losing inches. I am almost 4 weeks out and have been extremely dizzy as well. Possibly maybe related to low blood pressure or low blood sugar? I wish this phase would pass. You're not alone!