Search the Community

Three week stall? Search the forum it's all around here. Body is in shock and trying regroup. Did not loose a pound on 3rd week postop. Staying off the scale helps if you can. Easier said than done. I'm exactly where you are. I'm 14 down. You will break through! :-)

I just hot the three week stall. I'm down 29 lbs and couldn't wait to say I am down 30! Well, that may not happen right away. But I am so relieved to know that a "3 week stall" is actually a thing that others go through too. If I didn't know about this ahead of time I'm sure I would be really hard on myself...and I don't want that kind of negativity when I'm working so hard at this!

I had the three week stall as well and I am now 3 months out and it was the only time that I have stalled. I wish my doctor would have given me a heads up so I didn't panic. A good reason why this board/forum is great to be a part of. You will be fine. ~LA

8 weeks and 30lbs! Congrats. Yes congrats! You need to be proud of that. I'm at the dreaded two/three week stall and hope to hit 30 by the eight week mark! I've never been able to drink plain water. Briefly after surgery cuz I was so dang thirsty but not without mio or something. Fluids for me are Soup, sf Jello is my friend, Popsicles, Luke warm vanilla roobios tea (tazo) and flavored water. It's an alllll day affair though to get it all in. My protein is mainly still from 1 scoop of whey tech protein with 4oz of water. 24g and only one sugar. First thing in AM and again in Late afternoon. The rest comes from a greek yogurt, soup, eggbeater, etc...but I can choke down two shakes knowing I'm getting in 8oz of Fluid and 48g of protein.

It is very common. It is called the three week stall. As long as you follow the plan (protein, liquids and exercise when u are able), the stall will break. It can be frustrating so if it really bothers you, stay off the scale for a week or two. There will be many more stalls along the way. Good luck!

To was feeling the same way at that time. I found I had to simply push through that fog and get going. I started working out using the elliptical and treadmill for 20 minutes a day. I found within a couple of weeks that I could do more and began increasing my workout time. I ended up at an hour a day and then got into a three week stall. I was told I needed to eat more and back down my exercise to 30 minutes every other day until the stall broke. Now I exercise every other day for a total of 40 minutes. I do a fat burn on the elliptical and add muscle endurance to that workout as mine has that feature. I also use the treadmill and do a cardio workout for about 20 minutes. By the way I excercise in the am when I have the most energy. I drink a premier Protein shake which has 30 grams of protein every morning. I work out shortly after I drink my shake. After my workout I have a yogurt with high protein granola. It is replenishing after a workout. I have been very consistently successful with this routine. I also noticed when I first started it was very hard for me to walk up my stairs leading into the lower level where my equipment is. Now, I can literally run up my stairs and I feel fantastic!

I'm 6 weeks out and my first week I lost nothing then I lost 25lbs in the next 2 weeks. Then of course I got the dreaded three week stall. It doesn't come in a continuous flow

I guess I look at my overweight being that I was always more willing to take the easy route and that led me to more weight gain. Even at my thinnest, I was still looking for an easy way to cheat the system. My cheating and falling for the easy way led me to gaining even more weight over the years. I will be honest and tell you, I am also one who chose not to tell many people about my WLS. I chose only a few people I knew would hold me accountable as well as give me positive feedback on choices I make for my new life ahead of me. I have a very encouraging group of honest friends and family that I trust will not share my journey, as for the rest, I will not lie, I will tell them I have decided to make better food choices and exercise more! You are right! There are so many people that will snub their noses at you for the mere fact of thinking of having a WLS, but the way I look at it is "It's not taking the easy way out"! I once read a book with a terrific truth to those who say by having WLS you are just taking the easy route. NO, there is nothing easy about preperation for the surgery, having the surgery, nor life after the surgery. I can say there are times that because we eat less and have been encouraged to exercise more the weight will come off faster but there isn't anything easy about it. The book made a suggestive: When there is negative feedback, or derrogotory comments, remind those by asking; "Do you still go out back and beat your laundry with rocks to wash?" "Do you have still hand wash all your dishes?" "Do you still hang your clothes out to dry?" I am quite positive the answer to at least two of these questions is NO. Well, does that mean they took the easy route out? NO, they found a more efficeint way to wash clothes and dishes so they aren't slaves to chores, they found help. Well, we found a way to help us not be victim to food addiction with a little help! Honestly, I chose to weed out the negative people in my life. I do not like to be involved with people like that! I think they are just envious. What we choose to do with our bodies is our choice, nobody else matters!!! As far as me, I am in my three week stall and I dislike it! I thought I would shed the weight faster, and I did the first two weeks, and then there is this nice hill to climb, "Three Week Stall". I've read much about it and I will do all I can to stay motivated and positive about moving through and climbing up out of the valley! I want to be on the top of the mountain, not in the foothills!! =) Wishing you a fast next few months!! Keep in touch! Christie

Its the Dreaded Three Week Stall (See? So common it even has a name!) Miss Mac says it best. Stalls are like lovers. Your first won't be your last.

I am feeling great! I know it's still early in the post-op phase, but I still haven't found a reason to be anything but grateful for my VSG. I am healing well and wearing jeans again. I have been a little crazy with the scale hoping for a huge weight loss number. I think 22.5 pounds is a pretty good start! I am thinking I am about to hit the dreadful three week stall and not looking forward to it, but I think I have made my mind up to stay away from the scale and maybe do a little measuring. I don't have to be ONE with the scale all the time!!! RIGHT? Actually, I am now down 23.4 pounds since my surgery date and that is working with me! I have started my work out schedule and actually have enjoyed getting up and working out (mildly). I am still a little slow on the walking, no brisk, fast paced, hard core walking yet, but I know that will come in time! I think I am most happiest about finally being able to eat again (chew, chew, chew) and not having to sip my meals! That sure was hard, but looking back, it seemed time went so fast! I wish anyone thinking about one of the surgeries, doing one of the surgeries, or has already done one of the surgeries the best of luck in every aspect of this great life! twenty15

My surgery was 10 days ago. I seem to be stuck at the same weight for the past 3 days. I was wondering if the weight I lost on the 2 week Opti-fast liquid diet plus the weight lost during my first week home would make for a 3 week stall. Has anyone experienced this so early after surgery? I know it's still early but could use some encouragement. And I want to make sure I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm eating between 500 - 650 calories a day. I've so far not experienced dumping. I even had 1/2 cup of pureed split pea Soup last night for dinner. The only thing different so far is that my pouch doesn't like cold Water. It definitely has to be room temperature.

Ditto, three week stall, it's your body adjusting to all the changes. Mine lasted 2 weeks, but haven't hit any since.

Use the search engine here or even just Google "three week stall" -- you'll see, what you are going through is almost universal. Virtually everyone pauses in their weight loss somewhere around the third week out. You are right on track. Keep following your program and put the scale away for at least the next few weeks or it will make you crazy. Relax, you are normal!

My three week stall is over!! I wanted to cry like a two year old I had lost 16 lbs and then bam was stuck. I thought I was the exception I was gonna be fat forever. I was weighing myself multiple times during the day. Heck my scale said gained two pounds. Well today I'm back to loosing. And I know it's over!!

Hey everyone! Have enjoyed reading all of your posts. I am 57 and had my surgery on New Years Eve. I love the idea of out with the old in with the new. Last Wednesday I began week 3 and apparently have hit the three week stall. I am religiously getting in my liquids, keeping calories below 500 and using my elliptical trainer as much as possible... I have serious back problems which make exercise a bit difficult. I have read this is common but is there anything to break the stall?

Alrighty. It's been 4 days without seeing much change on the scale. I've stalked the bulletin boards enough to have read about the mysterious 3 week stall but didn't expect it at 2.... At first I thought it was because things weren't moving through and miralax and prune juice assured me that wasn't the problem. I started looking for more "sciency" reasons other than some magic weight loss elf taking the 3rd week off. This is the best sciency reason I could find. I found this http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/the-three-week-stall.743/ - A nice lady named Diana Cox wrote that: A "stall" at this point is inevitable, and here is why. Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a sabertooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.

Many of us have slow spots or stalls. The one at 2-3 weeks has a name! "the three week stall" look it up. You may have slow weeks or weeks where you lose nothing, and are doing everything right. I lost pretty slow... I didnt get to goal for 3 years! But the speed of loss is not the prize, the end results are. Just keep with it and try not to stress. You are only at the very beginning of the journey... it lasts a lifetime!

yea I'm three weeks stalling as well

I'm finally feeling better and thus caring about the scale again. I'm going to make an effort to get my protein in and liquids too. Hope it works, a three week stall is too much.

I'm. Three weeks out today...scale isn't moving. Is it the dreaded three week stall? I'm struggling getting in the protein and water requirements. I'm walking thru the ligament pain...I am 1 pound away from losing that horrible 3 in my weight....it just....won't .....move!!! Any advice welcome!

Hi Yes. I've been stuck for a while but there's still changes (lost inches). It started (stopped?) at three months. I don't particularly focus on calories. Just my Protein goal. But I am usually around 800 cal a day, 80 grams of protein, and 40 carbs. Hard to know what will kick start the weight loss again. If you search the site about the three week stall, there are plenty of suggestions. Just keep the faith and stick to your plan. It will break. :-)

Guys, guys, guys .... Search here and google for "three week stall." It's common. Happens to almost everyone. And no, don't change anything. Just do what you're supposed to be doing now.

I'm 8 mths post op. I never had the three week stall. I'm having an 8 th month stall, almost 2 weeks. Frustrating!!!

It's so common it even has a name! "The Dreaded Three Week Stall" Most everyone goes through it, and everyone gets through it! There is a sub forum called "Don't Sweat the Stall Stuff" you might want to check out. No fear! Keep doing what your doing and you'll get through it in a week or two...

I lost 18 pounds in my first two weeks after surgery. Then came the infamous "three-week stall." When your body begins to understand it isn't getting as much food as you used to give it and it goes into a bit of starvation mode...leftover from our caveman days when the next meal might be far away. Don't fret when a stall occurs. They'll happen more than once before you hit your goal. Had surgery August 27, now down 53 pounds. Am in another stall now, sitting at the same weight 3 weeks, but I'm working out, I keep going down in clothes sizes, I'm feeling good, I've changed my eating choices and eating habits for the better...I'm happy.