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you're in the "three week stall". Almost everyone has it - do a search for it on this site

Thank you, PdxMan. Not only have I long enjoyed your posts, your perspective and the fact that I feel that like me, you try to balance genuinely helping people with convincing them to help themselves, but I guess I needed validation from an actual vet that's been here a long time, too. As for Nicolanz's response that seems to infer (oh so politely) that I should leave VST since I don't want to play by the exact same set of nicey nice rules she feels should run the site, I find that incredibly offensive, regardless of how you delicately worded the notion. I get on VST mostly to help other people. I've only posted a handful of posts in over three years asking for help...and sadly? I got very few responses each time. But it's draining to log on and see I have seven messages and six of them are questions that are currently being addressed or people asking me to do their research for them. Why? Because I DO care, and I DO want to help people and I feel an obligation to respond to everyone that takes the time to message me, even when I have more important things to do or I've already tackled the topic a dozen times. As people that do converse with me via PM know, I do my best to give the same (wordy) thoughtful and helpful responses when the question is something I have actual experience with or feel I can help with, and to date, I've ignored only ONE PM I've gotten...and it was a bizarre one asking me to do things that have nothing to do with VST. If I scare people off or make them insecure about PMing me, odds are good those are exactly the people with exactly the questions I didn't want to answer. And as this is a community that numbers in the THOUSANDS, I have every confidence that they'll be able to ask the question of someone more approachable that can answer the same questions with a smile on their face after several years. When you've spent more than three years here repeating yourself over and over again, come back and revisit this conversation and I'm sure your perspective will have changed. I love VST. I got very little feedback the few times I reached out while I was working towards goal, but I try to give back because of how that felt. But I am sick to death of the constant nicey-nice police patrolling every post out there dictating how exactly people are required to respond or ask questions here. I am not deliberately rude or offensive and I give really thoughtful responses that clearly take a lot of time. If my personal pet peeve is that people can afford the time to send a PM or make a post about a question, but not the time to actually see if it's already been answered seven million times before - sometimes the very same day they post! - well, that's understandable to those of us that have actually been here a while. Frankly, this is the very same lack of ownership and responsibility that bothers me about the entire process - people that don't want to do the work to make the most of their sleeve are here in abundance, too. They want the easy way. And that often translates into what I call (and try to avoid answering) "lazy posts" that address things discussed and beaten to death here. I promise - a thread about the three week stall is just as relevant if it's ten days old or a year old. I avoid a huge majority of posts nowadays just to avoid the frustration this brings. But then those posts wind up in my PM box, and that's why I very nicely and politely asked for advice, from EXPERIENCED VETS, on how they deal with the same thing. If I have to weed through and avoid posts, people can do the same thing if my posts offend them. There's a block button for a reason. I don't think there's a good reason to use it and never have, but if it makes people have the kumbaya experience they long for on the VST site, it will certainly help them out. To the vets that took the time to respond with thoughtful responses that actually address what I asked, I appreciate that. And Amytug - great idea, and one I'm definitely considering. ~Cheri

I also had the three week stall. As well as a couple others along the way so don’t be discouraged if this isn’t the only one. I am almost 8 months out now and while the loss has slowed I am still losing. Just stick to your plan and the weight will just start dropping again.

happens to about 90% of us. If you do a search on this site for the "three week stall" (yes, it's so common it even has a name), you will find over 17,000 posts on it. And no, I am NOT kidding. just stick to your plan and stay off the scale for a few days - and know that it will eventually break and you'll be on your way again. It usually lasts 1-3 weeks.

How are all the August surgery people doing?I have hit that rite-of-passage otherwise known as the three week stall. I am doing well, but still have that left incision area pain, sometimes even just sitting... Thought that would be gone by now.

^^^ I can't believe I didn't catch that! I just re-read the OP's message and ...yep!...right on time for the infamous three-week stall!

I'll echo what the other said, and add that you probably had the typical "three week stall" during this period of time. You probably didn't lose anything for a couple of weeks. Most of us went through that. Stalls suck, but they are more prevalent than periods of loss post-op (at least in my experience). The key is to keep to your plan, especially during these frustrating periods. The weight will come off, and you will get where you want to be. Good luck!

Three week stall is very normal!! Everyone gets it

Just wanted to give you guys an update. The weight loss has started up again. At the time I wrote this I was 308. I am now 294. I also drank some Smooth Move tea. The three week stall is real! For those going through it just be patient stick to your plan and don’t give up!

you're probably in the infamous three-week stall, as a couple of others suggested. Those typically last 1-3 weeks. Nothing you can do other than stick to your plan and stay off the scale if you need to. As long as you follow your surgeon's plan, the weight loss WILL start up again. as for worrying that you're eating too much, stick to what you're supposed to eat. You likely had some nerves cut during surgery, so your stomach isn't talking to your brain just yet. Thus, you're unlikely to experience a "full" feeling for awhile. Also, for many of us, "full" feels different than it did before surgery, and it can take awhile to recognize the new "full" cues. So you need to follow your plan rather than your brain for awhile. Weigh/measure and log your food - and stick to the plan.

The scale hasn't moved for four whole days?! This is a joke thread, right? Girlfriend, you are clearly not someone who can handle weighing every day. You need to get rid of your scales. BTW, you DO know about the three-week stall, don't you? If not, google it. It's all over the damn place.

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?

Hang in there folks, we have been told about these stalls we would have along the way but when it finally happens to you, it really is a bummer. Two or three week stalls are so emotional for all of us. Thank the good Lord we have each other for support. I have come to the conclusion the CARBS are on my worst enemy list.

@MelanatedQueen It's totally the three-week stall. Your body is rebalancing its fluid levels and stuff. While there's some variation (hello, hormones...), generally the rule is CICO (calories in calories out). If you're eating 500 cal a day, there is no way you're not going to lose weight. Even if you're very petite, your body requires a certain number of calories just to exist, and 500 is below that number. If you get through another three weeks without moving, talk to your surgeon, but nearly everyone breaks that stall in a week or two.

It has been 43 days since my surgery (Dec. 16, 2019) and I have only lost 22 lbs. Had the three week stall and since then I have only lost 2 lbs. It is driving me nuts. Keeping my calories around 600-700 and started working out twice a week. No change in clothes fitting either. My start weight was 96 kg and I am now at 86 kg. first week was when I lost the most weight. I hope it starts to move soon, been reading all these forums and I haven't seen anyone in my situation.

I have been in a three week stall and wondering about it myself. I do, however, think that I am losing waist line, so I'm keeping a tape measure in the bedroom to check. I feel much stronger now that I'm walking and working more. I am over the post-op weakness that plagued me earlier. I am comfortable with my diet - 12 to 16 oz. of high protein foods and a protein shake a day. I feel that I should drink more water to kick the weight loss elves into production. We will see.

Have you looked up "Three week stall"? Many people have a stretch of time where they do not lose weight. It does not mean they are doing anything wrong. The body needs time to catch up, and the three week stall is part of that. Are you writing down everything you eat? Do that, even if you are not eating on plan. This at least keeps you accountable for what is going down the hatch. You may not be eating too many calories... but pleas be careful about eating rough foods, foods that swell up, foods that over extend the tiny tummy. You don't want to bust a stitch. I have trouble with water too.. I tell myself whats up with that! How hard is it to get in enough water...still I struggle. Congratulations on your weight loss, I think you are doing great. 22 pounds in a month? When is the last time you did that!? Its takes time to lose the weight. The part of this sleeve process that is the hardest is the maintenance part after a year or three... keep working on getting strategies in place that you can take with you into the future. Exercise that you LIKE. Snack strategies, keep a log of what you eat even if you are off plan....Maintain consciousness. drink your water. I'm there with you on that one...

Right there with you, my surgery sister. I had a three-week stall and it made me insane. Then this week—WHOOOOOOSH. Three pounds practically overnight. Now, obviously there's something going on in there. I have a theory that the Epsom salt bath I took after a physically intense day reduced some inflammation, but who knows.

re: weight loss, You usually come home from the hospital weighing more than you did when you went in because they pump you full of fluids during your surgery. It takes a few days to get all that water out of your system. Secondly, almost everyone has their first stall right out of the gate - as in within the first month. They call it "the three week stall" because it's usually the third week out, but not always. Mine was weeks 2 and 3. Once I hit week four, it broke and I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. Just keep following your program and the weight will start coming off. I should add that not everyone drops 30 lbs the first month - in fact, I've been hanging around bariatric sites long enough to know that that seems to be the exception rather than the rule. I lost 16 lbs the first month. I was a slow loser practically the whole time and ended up losing over 200 lbs. Just stick with your program and it'll happen - whether fast or slow!

Google three week stall. This will be the first of many stalls throughout your journey. My entire post-op weight loss journey was a series of stalls. (In fact the time period of stalls were more than the time period of loss in number of days...)

Don't worry! A three week stall is perfectly normal. It's very common (search this forum, there are many, many threads on this). It sounds like you are off to a great start! Awesome that you are already exercising! I

You are sabotaging yourself by reverting back to liquids and lowering your calories. You're putting your body into starvation mode and teaching it how to survive on less and less calories. This is unhealthy and certainly not conducive to weightloss and especially long term maintenance. Not sure what kind of expectations you had, but 9 pounds in one month is a good rate of loss. Plus you are right about where most people experience the infamous "three week stall". Do a search and you will find hundreds of posts on it. Totally normal and part of the process, as is gaining a few pounds along the way. You say you drink water till you're nauseous. How much are you drinking? It should be 1/2 your body weight in ounces. If you are having a hard time with water (I couldn't drink plain water for over 6 months), you can try herbal tea, sports drinks, water flavor drops, infused water, milk, or any other non carbonated, low cal beverage. How about protein? Every program is different, but 80+ g/day works for me. just stick with the program and stay off the scale for a month if you need to. Gauge your progress with NSVs and how your clothes fit.

You would have to be very large portions very frequently over a prolonged period of time to stretch your tummy. And certainly if you had stretched your tummy this close to your surgery you would have had issues with torn stitches/staples & you’d know about it. How much have you lost since your surgery? How much were you expecting to lose at four weeks? A lot of people have very unreal expectations of how much weight they should be losing based upon programs like My 600lb Life. They lose large amounts of weight because they had large amounts to lose to begin. In my first 4 weeks I’d lost about 8kg (about 17lbs). This was a pretty reasonable amount for my height, weight, age & gender. Have you experienced the three weeks stall (though it can happen at week 2, 3, or 4)? With a stall, which is extremely common, you may not lose for anywhere from a week to 3 weeks. It’s just your body coming to terms with all the changes. You will start to lose again & you will likely experience stalls again as you lose. Ask your medical team for portion size recommendations. Most recommend 1/4 to 1/3 cup to begin but there are variations. Some are given caloric goals. Personally, it would take me three days to eat 2 scrambled eggs so three meals but some can eat more. I still think you should be eating a wider variety of foods to get a broader range of nutrients. Sweet potatoes are very low in protein. Are you meeting your daily protein goals? Are you tracking the caloric & nutritional content or your food?

I am a little over 4 months post op and my nutritionist said that I should be eating 1200 calories a day. I actually was not eating enough and found when I upped to 1200 a day I started losing again. She said that our bodies are really not intended to function long term on the lower calories. If you had a three week stall, I would strongly consider taking a couple of weeks and trying to experiment with your calories and find a level of calories that your body likes. Mine likes to get around 1200-1400 and I lose about 0.8 every day that I hit that target, of course if I go over, then it doesn't but if I have a really low day in the 800 range, I also gain. I know that this is not what a lot will say, but I find that it works well for me and I wanted my lifestyle to be something i could maintain forever and I know that I could never last long term eating 800 calories a day. I intend to eat 1200-1400 per day for the rest of my life with the occasional day that will go over that.

Im two weeks three days after surgery. I've been the same weight the last two days. Ive been losing a pound a day since surgery. I was hoping to keep losing until exactly three weeks but i guess not lol. So the dreaded three week stall is here early. Hope it doesn't last long. How are the other November sleevers doing with the stall? li d