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Sorry ahead of time, this is going to be a long post! Let's talk a bit about what causes stalls/plateaus: The most common reason for any stall (including the dreaded 3-week stall), is simply that you are retaining more water. There are a few reasons this happens, from hormonal shifts, tissue repair, illness, or changes due to glycogen vs. ketone metabolism. This post would be even longer if I spent too much time here, but suffice it to say that for many people (especially early in the process), they are just retaining water and not actually failing to lose fat. As you lose more weight, your overall metabolic rate will slow down. People sometimes think fat is not metabolically active, but that's not true. Losing fat means your metabolism slows down, even if you retain the same amount of muscle mass (which most people don't). This means that as you lose weight, it takes less effort to move or even just live, so the amount of calories you burn both during exercise and just living also drops quite a bit. On the intake side as you progress after bariatric surgery, you'll be able to eat more. This isn't a bad thing and is by design, but obviously you should be able to see the problem here. Your metabolism has slowed down and now you can eat more. This can lead to you basically eating as much as you're burning. When that happens, weight loss stops. Especially if you're not tracking intake closely by weighing and measuring your food, you can easily be eating a lot more than you think. Some studies have shown people underestimate caloric consumption by several hundred calories on average. This is more than enough to cause a stall. This one may be TMI for some, but you may simply be retaining more stool. Feeling constipated? That will definitely impact your weight. This is going to be hard for some people to hear, but I can tell you one thing it's not, and that's hormones. Yes, various hormonal processes negatively impact weight loss in a myriad of ways, but they don't overcome the basic fact that if you eat fewer calories than you are burning, you'll lose weight. What these hormones can do if they're out of whack, is bad things like slowing your metabolism even more, increasing your hunger, screwing with water weight, or even fooling you into thinking you're eating less than you are. So, that's all great, but what do we actually do if we're in a stall? Well, I think it depends on when it happens and how long it lasts: If it's early (a.k.a. the 3-week stall), just keep doing what you're doing and you should be fine. I know people don't like that advice, but as I said it's just water, so don't worry about it. Later on, especially if the stall is lasting longer than 2-3 weeks. that's when I think it's important that you look closely at what you are actually burning, as well as really tracking what you are eating. If you don't know your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate), you should. The closer you are to goal, the harder it is to get the balance right between intake and output to make sure you're not eating too much, so fixing this starts with knowing your RMR and accurate food logging. There's a lot of anecdotal advice thrown around about "ways to break a stall", but there seems to be little scientific evidence for any of it. It certainly won't hurt to try things like breaking up your routine in terms of diet or exercise, but just understand that this change may or may not have any impact. If it makes you feel better to be proactive, go for it. Longer term, there is one piece of solid advice that's backed up by lots of research: Even if you don't really like working out, do it anyway. Those WLS patients that make a regular habit of exercising for 45 minutes to an hour most days a week are significantly more likely to reach their goal and maintain the weight loss. (One caveat here: significantly changing your exercise routine can make you retain water and possibly even add muscle, so don't freak out if you see a stall or even a gain.) I'll take that exercise advice one step further and say you really should be doing some form of strength training. This is also backed up by lots of studies, but the great thing about strength training is that it makes your burn more calories even at rest (in other words, it increases your metabolic rate). There are lots of other benefits, but the metabolic benefit is the most germaine to the stall question. Those that do strength training are less likely to stall during weight loss and are more likely to reach and then maintain their goal weight long term.

Do you track your food intake? I would say if not, start there. If you are eating 1200 calories a day, try to cut it to 1100 a day. Not a huge amount but maybe enough to give your body a push to burn it. My Dietician says a lot that sometimes people aren't eating enough which will make you stall or gain. He will have people up their calories for a few weeks and then cut them back down to trick the metabolism. I honestly don't know if any of it works but these are things he has suggested in our support group.

Change your diet or your exercise. But not both. If you did that you wouldn’t know which thing worked 🤣 I usually eat a few more carbs or walk a little farther that week to break a weight range.

I’m at this exact weight and also at a stall

honestly, i just ate more. i was sub 800 calories when i reached goal (127 lbs at 7 months post op) i was also exercising like a fiend...but i was doing the same level if exercise during the last couple months of weight loss phase, so not sure how much of an effect this was on my appearance, all other things being equal. im 4 years post now and average about 1900-2000 cals a day, exercise levels now just a fraction of it once was, and weighed 119.4 this morning. and i look x times healthier than i did at 127 over three years ago. so go figure. 🤷🏻‍♀️ edited to add: full disclosure... i had plastics to address lose body skin at 14 months post op, so that def helped! i also am currently addicted to botox...but this addiction formed well after i had already joined the land of the living, looks wise. 😂 i mean, im 50 yrs old. my less than firm face is more likely due to to age than wls.

I am going to start Wegovy once insurance approves it. I am being monitored by a nurse practitioner through a medical weight loss program -- most of the people in the program are trying to lose weight to become eligible for bariatric surgery. But I am 8.5 years out and definitely struggling to reduce my caloric intake. I have been walking and doing vibration plate sessions multiple times a week. I have been trying to focus on eating high protein.

You are both right about research and changing habits. I have been working on both. I figure the more weight I lose before surgery the easier the surgery will be. So I think I have made peace with waiting. Its just I had it in my head that I could have it done in Feb. I just need to adjust my expectations and come back to reality. Im still losing weight and I will still have the surgery when it is supposed to happen.

So excited to be reading how everyone is doing! So far I have lost a total of about 32 lbs since my pre-op diet and I am 5 weeks out! The weight loss is MUCH slower than I anticipated and mentally that has been easier on me. I thought I would drop 20lbs a week or something but I have been losing about 5-6 lbs a week. My doctor wants me to lose a pound a day and I get pretty close but not quite there, which seems to be ok as well. I started working out again but the last week and a half my energy has been LOW. I went on a work trip and when I came back it seems like I could not recover. I think I am just going through some serious fatigue right now. I think it could be that I may not be getting enough water. I try SO HARD. I have lost track of the amount daily but have started counting again. This work is so hard and I just want to get to a place that it doesn't take that much space in my mind!

Hi Everyone! I'm feeling motivated to give an update on my pregnancy. At 17 weeks, I have determined that my nausea and discomfort after eating sweet foods is in fact dumping and not morning sickness. I was confused by this because I had not attempted to eat sweet foods prior to my positive pregnancy test - which I was already 7/8 weeks before the morning sickness that I was experiencing at night (minus sweets) registered as possible pregnancy. My surgery was March 8, 2022 and my LMP was July 11, 2022. So far, I have gained 7 pounds and I feel good about this number but I would be lying to you if there wasn't a mental aspect to seeing the scale moving in the opposite direction that I have worked so hard to get down. I understand this is mostly just baby and all that being pregnant entails - but it's still a battle field. For my last pregnancy, which ended in loss at 26 weeks, I had gained approximately 40lbs by this stage. I am listening to my body and eating when I need to eat. I'm surprised at how easy it has become for me to hit my protein goals, I guess I have just found what works for me. The calorie goals follow naturally if I hit my protein goals. I still have to be careful to not over indulge in unhealthy options or give in to my cravings when they occur. I realize that if I just eat something (preferably within my macros) when I'm feeling that craving, it usually removes the hunger and the craving at the same time. I still have great restriction and I'm thankful for that - though my eyes and head often have me order way too much when eating out. I always have left overs that I don't always eat after taking it home. My pregnancy is moving along with no issues so far (knock wood). I have experienced some much loathed constipation and as a result have been incorporating Metamucil throughout the day and a meager portion of high fiber cereal each morning to counter act this. The doctor said Milk of Mag was too strong to take. I'm still on daily iron which hasn't helped this issue one bit, but I'm sure is helping baby.

You lose weight more when you eat less; this is the only way it works. You can’t lose weight when only exercising, for sure. Do you watch your eating? Do you have a diet? Do you follow it? I think she is essential for losing weight. Exercise is good, and it shapes your body well. But it burns calories so slowly that it is not an efficient way of losing weight. I suggest you choose a good efficient diet and don’t do so much exercise if it had for you. More healthy suggestion for helping to lose weight here on Orlando Magazine

Yeah, being in a small community, one often has to go to "the city" to see specialists quicker or are more specialized. Some complain that their surgeon is scheduling months out, to which my response is, "do you want a surgeon who is just sitting around waiting for you to come in the door, or one who is in demand?" But for a check the box type of specialist sign off like this, I see little problem with jumping the line by going out of town to get a sooner appointment. The only down side is if you wind up needing recurring treatment from that specialist, then you need to either continue with one who is inconveniently located, or transfer care to the local guy with the waitlist. Either way, as cat suggests, waiting does have its benefits in being better prepared - I found that the extra time gave me the opportunity to work on changing my habits for the better in the long term - most of the dietary habits and disciplines that I evolved to while leading up to surgery stuck with me as things progressed post op - when I "cheated", I did so on things that were fundamentally healthy rather than just junk, and didn't have a significant transition from "weight loss" mode to "maintenance" mode.

I didn't see any excess skin ! her face was sagging .You have no idea how her health or weight was before surgery either .Fortunately I don't worry about how people look at me .I'm sorry you're not happy that I'm happy - but it won't keep me awake at night

1. You have no idea how her health was before her surgery. 2. your hair will most likely thin out as well, and then come back, it happens to the majority of us. 3. If her start weight was much higher than yours, she probably is happy to be healthy and less worried about the excess skin. 4. You should consider the way people might look at you...

Muscle weighs more than fat; you could be gaining muscle with the walking. Also, if you menstruate, your weight fluctuations can follow your cycle with retaining water, etc. I literally once gained two pounds from eating PICKLES because they made me retain water like you wouldn't believe.

Don't do what I did and invest a ton of money into clothes before you hit your goal weight...20-30 more pounds can make a huge difference on a smaller body, and now I have a whole box of clothes I bought at "in-between" sizes that are falling off of me. I went from a 3X to an XS in a year.

I have to be cleared by a pulmonologist prior to surgery. I called the office today to get an appointment and they said they will call me when the get to me on the very long list of people waiting for get appointments. They are scheduling appointments in to March now!!! I was really hoping to get my surgery done in Feb. I have a GI appointment in Jan. I thought that was bad. Im thinking about going to Phoenix to see if I can get into a pulmonologist sooner there. Flagstaff only has one Pulmonary Dr office. I know some of you have waited a really long time to get your sugeries done. Im anxious to get it done because I cant have my knee replacement until I lose weight. I really need that done ASAP. Oh well, patience was never my strong suit!!!

I went from size 26 to 18 and heading toward 16. I've been wearing a lot of leggings that are kind of form fitting so I won't have to buy much in the future. My issue is I'm a bit of a shopaholic so I don't know how long I'm going to last without buying something new while waiting to drop more weight. 😏

There are temporary side effects of losing larger amounts of weight like we do through this process. One is hair loss & some lose more or less than others. Another is looking drained, wan, tired or even gaunt. There are other individual things too. But most of these are temporary. Once our weight stabilises & our eating changes to include a broader range of foods & nutrient sources & our portion sizes increase these things change. Over time our hair regrowth is more noticeable & our remaining fat seemingly resettles. Well it did for me & my friends who also had the surgery. Around the time my weight loss had almost stopped, my uncle told my mother I looked like death. My hour glass shape had gone but I felt good in myself & very pleased with what I had achieved. Within a few months of my weight stabilising my curves returned (hello waist - though I still don’t have a butt). My uncle told me I looked great & others commented on my glowing, healthy skin. My hair was thickening as the length of the new growth was nearing that of my existing hair. A short time of not looking my best is nothing. Happily pay that price to feeling & looking how I do now which is way better than I have in forever. I don’t even really care about my saggy, loose skin - I’ve earned it - it’s a reminder of where I was & what I did to get where I am now.

For awhile I looked like a terminally ill patient but after a few months of maintenance, my hair (finally lol) and skin recovered. I feel better and look better at my current weight (lowest) than I did at my goal weight of 140 lbs. I agree with Ms. SSS said, I think it is just a temporary phenomenon of rapid weightloss. Btw, hair thins out regardless of size, it is the surgery itself, it can't be helped. It is not her fault. Her hair will grow back.

That's actually great to know! I hear adding muscle helps as well. What did you change while at your low weight to help the rapid weight loss appearance

my personal anecdote: i weigh less today than when i decided to stop losing weight. this decision to stop weight loss was because i thought i was getting too skinny at that time.. however....i look waaaaaaaay healthier (and hotter! lol) now than i did back then. back then i had thin hair, hallowed cheeks and eyes, and generally all around frail looking. A few months after hitting my lowest weight, i started the to perk up in the looks department. i think rapid weight loss really does a number to one's appearance...but i also think its only temporary (in my case at least, and quite a few others that i know of). further, even though i looked pretty gaunt back then, i still think/thought i was all that and a bag of chips.

That lady is still in a process, and so long as her doctor and team are on-board and guiding her, good for her. Someone else's happiness is no-one else's business. Consider how many people thought our obese bodies were disgusting and they'd "rather die" than look like us. Thinking the same of a skinny person is the exact same energy. Glad you're finding your happy place weight wise, but no need to be judging others on the way. We've all had our fill of that, surely?

My ideal weight is 145. I'm naturally curvy and at that weight I always looked sickly. My goal weight is 200. My secret goal is 170. I'd love to get there, but as long as I can hit 200 I'll be ecstatic. Some doctors really stress getting to the ideal/recommended weight. Others realize that's not always realistic for some, like me, and want us to get as low as we can while staying healthy and having a better lifestyle. My PCP and surgeon love my goal of 200 pounds. I'm already moving great, dropping sizes, and off all the meds I can get off of. My diabetes and high bp are gone. So I've already hit my health milestones. The goal weight and clothing size is more for me, and my doctors are good with it. Maybe that lady's doc is pushing for her to get to her recommended weight for her height. Who knows? But I think thin shaming is just as harmful as fat shaming. Nobody should be doing either one.

I did watch a video from a surgeon who said most obese people tend to look better when they weigh 15-20lbs more than their lowest goal weight. I've been thinking about that for a while because my goal is to be on the thinner side & this reminded me of that. This post does come off harsh & I feel a bit bad but I understand where you're coming from. I'm glad she's happy however!

My consultation was very simple/easy as my Dr was the one who brought up the surgery during an appointment about struggling with regular weight loss. We already knew I qualified. However the heavy stuff was in the 10 week class I was in (with Kaiser Permanente) they go over everything & anything! If you get the option to take classes, PLEASE take them, they are extremally helpful. My initial appointment was in May of this year & my surgery was 5 months later in Sept!