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I had my "three-week stall" during weeks 2 and 3 - so yes, it could be it. If it goes on for more than two or three days, then yea - that's likely it. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale if it starts messing with your mind too much. It'll eventually break and you'll be on your way again...

Hi All, So for months I have been reading all of the posts on this board, rolling my eyes at the many three-week stall posts. I am 3 weeks tomorrow and I only lost about 1lb since last tuesday. I am anticipating that I won't lose much this week after being about 19lbs down since surgery! I just wanted to put out there that I am sympathetic to the stall thing. It is really hard especially the first time - you fear the weight loss will never pick up again. Funny, I don't remember this happening with the lap band for me in 2007...

btw - yes, you can absolutely stall after one week. My "three week stall" (which most of us experience) was weeks 2 & 3. Not a pound lost during those two weeks.

First, thank you to everyone that posted not only where they are but their personal struggles as well. It's a big deal to know that I am not alone here...I knew that, of course, but it's nice to really see it's true. So many things that were written really resonated with me and it was good to see the approaches you guys take. I suppose that right now I'm realizing that I am a horrible hypocrite. Yes, indeed, I am. I must be. I have posted multiple times over the past year about being happy with accomplishments we've made and not worrying about a number on the scale. And here I am, making myself insane in my own head because of a number on the scale. A number that, quite frankly, does very little to even impact how I look. I might not like my snug pants, but they're still a 5/6 and I'm still in a small. I have reassured my friends like coops over and over again that they're successes and here I am beating myself up like I'm a failure. Quite frankly, I'm being ridiculous. Not about wanting to keep on top of things and certainly not about wanting to perfect a way to slide back into loss when I need to. Certainly those are valuable things to learn because maintenance is the long haul and who knows what will happen as I get older and naturally tend to hang on to weight? (Even more than I already do, blech!) I am definitely dealing with some hormonal/emotional wackiness postpartum and where we live does not help. I need abundant sunshine to feel good - days on end of overcast gloominess really affect my mood. I also have a great deal of stress, partly just because of life and this feeling that we're hemorrhaging money lately but also because I try so hard to shape my future and stay on top of things and we have a lot going on. Additionally, crazy as it sounds but a book of poetry I recently read just crawled in my brain and reawakened so many old emotional feelings and really made me reflect on who I am and why. I've been worrying it in my brain for weeks now and I keep trying to find these things I can just "fix" so I'll be back to how I was feeling a few months ago. And let us not forget what sleep deprivation does to a body and mind! I keep wanting to Google things like, "When will this baby ever sleep?!" but I know that it will be at least another month or so before I'm able to get more rest. With all this, weight seems like it should be an easy target, but it's just not. Am I in a better emotional place than I was three years ago? Most assuredly. But it's kind of sad and puts a control freak like me on edge to realize that it's not all gone - that I still have some issues that need attention or work, or that might never go away. A big hallelujah for the fact that I am still fortunate enough to not be battling non-stop hunger or food obsession. But let's just say that when you're not paying attention, a real desire to eat does not have to be there to overindulge or mindlessly snack. I've gone totally off the rails the last few days, eating the sloppiest I have eaten at all since my surgery and after going back and logging all my calories to the best of my memory, I was disheartened to see that I'm eating 1,800 calories a day or more, mostly in junk slider foods. Foods that do not taste good to me, do not satisfy me and even make me sick. I've been having digestive issues all week and no wonder! You know, it's sad...really sad, because I am NOT EVEN HUNGRY. I am not eating for stress. I am eating JUST BECAUSE. Just because it's there and I can. I realized last week that I was a bit peckish for a sweet in the evening and we had nothing to suit what I was looking for (okay, junk, I admit it) in the entire house. So the next time I shopped I bought a bunch of junk! And you know what that stuff does even when you're not triggering cravings? It makes you feel like crap, I swear. Not just physically but mentally. I'm up one pound on the scale, too, and I'm lucky it's just one. Today, I am fasting. I feel good. Well, the sun is shining and I'm sure that helps. But that junk got packed up in a bag and sent to the office with my husband. Let his poor coworkers divide the stuff up, I don't want it in the house. I don't have to avoid those things forever, but right now is not the time to surround myself with it, either. I've gotten more than one email about doing the 5:2 thing and I might try it. I don't know. At first I was convinced that no way would I even consider another diet. But after reading about it, it's actually pretty close to how I ate in maintenance, when I easily maintained. I'd weigh daily and restrict when I needed, but mostly I ate what I wanted, within reason. I'm not sure if it would help me lose again, and honestly, I'm not sure if I just need to take a step back and stop thinking about my weight entirely. I'm sure some counseling would help because I feel like I've been on a roller coaster since a few months before I had the baby. It's unfortunate that it's just not a real option for me - having a counselor write in paperwork that I need regular counseling can red flag my husband's career, and never mind that it's not supposed to happen that way. It does, trust me. So what am I learning? Wherever I go, there I am. I do not get to escape myself and who I am, or my particular issues, just by changing my location or my body shape or my weight. I am still the same person, happier, yes, less weighed with baggage, yes, but still susceptible to depression or anxiety like I was before. It does no good to beat myself up over this, either, it just adds another stress I don't need. Maintenance is hard, and it is forever. I don't care how fast people get to goal. I don't care how they do it. The fact is that it is hard to stay there, forever, if you do not pay attention and keep yourself accountable. If I had avoided VST, gone off to my hermit hole and kept binging on junk for a few more weeks or months, I could easily find myself up twenty pounds and even more frustrated. We say this to newbies all the time, but it's true. I don't care how long you've tried to build good, new habits. The old ones are ingrained, comfortable and immediately gratifying. I can eat wonderfully for ten months straight, but give me a few days with the old foods and tack on some emotional struggles or some boredom and I'll slide right back into the habit of grabbing a snack here and a dessert there. Maintenance is the real battle and it makes things like the three week stall pale in comparison. It is ridiculous to pursue perfection. There is nothing wrong with pursuing a goal. And there is everything right about wanting to be a better person today than I was yesterday, to continually improve myself. But I have a problem with telling myself that I'll be happier, or feel more accomplished, or whatever, once I achieve "X" goal. That's B.S. Because I always have another goal or another reason to beat myself up waiting. I beat myself up for being fat. I was going to be totally happy when I got to 160 pounds and could wear a size 12 again. Then I exceeded that goal. Then it was the skin. I'll be happy once the skin is gone. No, I won't. Because then I'm going to beat myself up over my scars. Or over my lack of physical fitness. Or over the fact that I'm still not 100% over all of my emotional traumas. I'll always find a reason to defeat myself in my pursuit of perfection. The fact is, I need to learn how to love the skin I'm in and the person I am and I still struggle with this. If I tell myself, even whispering it in the most hidden part of my mind, that I'll love myself more when I reach a certain place, I am defeating myself. I am ensuring that I will never be totally happy and totally at peace. Anyway, I'm sorry for the long post. But if you haven't realized now that the way I work things out for myself is by writing them out, you haven't been paying attention! I appreciate all of the advice here. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. The first thing is to try and deal with some of what's bothering me, and I think that weight loss is secondary to that right now. I do want to get back on track, though, so I'm going to focus this week on eating properly again. Beyond that, the scale is going away. I can weigh once a week right now, and so long as I don't see an upward trend I will need to be happy with that. This is not a food issue or an exercise issue for me. This is entirely emotional, and everything I'm dealing with stems from that point. New methods to attack the weight loss are only going to help part of my issue, and it's the smallest part, I think. ~Cheri

Hey! I had the sleeve done 1/7/20. I’m official down 60 pounds! I did just come off a three week stall which was so frustrating, but then I lost 7 pounds in 4 days 😂 crazy how this works. I don’t get all my fluid, but I try to get close. Only food I’ve had a problem with are the greasy meats. Sausage, bacon, brats, etc. other than that things have been great!

your stall is actually late - most people have their first major stall around the three week mark (in fact, if you search this site for info on the "three week stall", you will find over 17,000 posts on it. And no, I am NOT kidding...) actually, I just decided to do the search for you. Here you go - 17,501 posts now! https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall

That is wonderful! I'm hoping to break a three week stall soon and join you.

yes. Probably 99% of us. I just searched this site for you on "the three week stall". There are literally 15,701 posts on this right now. This question is asked probably twice a week. Just stick to your program and the weight loss WILL start up again. I stalled during weeks 2 and 3 and once I hit week 4, I dropped like 6-8 lbs within two days . you'll experience occasional stalls throughout your whole journey - when you do, just stick to your plan and stay off the scale if you have to... https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall

Thanks for the advice guys. I refuse to let a stall break me and ruin my progress... just scares me to know it'll come. But you all have excellent advice. I guess I have a while before that three week stall being that I'm 5 days out from surgery. And it helps to know it may be quite a while before I have a really horrible one that takes a long time to break.

My first one was at three weeks. Stalls are like lovers. Your first will probably not be your last.

No I just came off a three week stall... I tried very hard to bump up protein , vitamins and water. I asked my NUT about this on Tuesday and she recommended increasing things not decreasing (excluding carbs fat sugars etc) Her options for me were more fiber, water exercise, sleep, protein etc. Hope this helps...

I am now 7 weeks 2 days postop. Before surgery I had a mini goal in mind: I wanted to lose the weight of my granddaughter. At the time she weighed 45 pounds (she's 6). I did not give myself a time limit because,, frankly, I was not sure how fast or slow the weight would come off this time. After the dreaded "three week stall," which, appropriately, lasted almost 3 weeks, I was not sure I would EVER reach this goal. I was wrong. I am now 45 pounds down. WOOT! Unfortunately, my granddaughter hit a growth spurt these past few months and she now weighs 49 pounds. Still, MY goal has been reached. I expect to lose another 4 pounds in the next week or 2 so then I will feel another small victory. Next actual mini goal: I want to weigh less than my husband, who is 220 pounds. I am within 5 pounds of what I weighed when we got married 10 years ago, so YAY! All these NSVs are what is keeping me motivated right now, and that is a wonderful feeling. Success is not always measured by the scale but for those times that it is, I am a happy loser!

The three week stall is real. It will pass and the scale will start moving again soon.

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...

I had never heard of the three-week stall, but I was so relieved to read about it....that is exactly what I am going through now....I love this board!

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 three week stall.... it happens to almost everyone keep you head up, and your yogurt down! Sleeved

It happens to almost everyone. Google "three week stall."

I can tell a difference for sure. Keep up the good work! I am on a three week stall. I just keep telling myself that it will pass but it's getting frustrating. I never eat above 750 calories. I am almost two months out and have only lost 26 pounds. Maybe I expect too much too soon but I feel like during this stall that my clothes are getting loser. You're pictures are encouraging because I can definitely tell a difference. Are these ictures taken during your stall period?

My surgery was Dec 19th. I was down 32 pounds from surgery diet, but I hit the dreaded three week stall the end of last week. Not only am I in a stall, but I am GAINING weight. This is so frustrating to me! I think it is probably water weight as I'm sure I was dehydrated before, but it really is discouraging. Did anyone else gain a few pounds in their stall?

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.

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...

I was told to up my calories as close as I could get to 1000 and more Protein after I did that my three week stall broke ! Sent from my iPad using VST

@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.