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Your story seems similar to mine, no adverse moments in my journey with the exception of a three week stall and constipation issues. I have actually only lost 13 lbs in 5 weeks. :-) I'm looking foward to my 6 week follow up appointment next week and a real weigh in at the Dr's. I hope our journeys continue uneventful.

At about three months out....I had a three week stall. I was pulling my hair out (and it was coming out, believe me...lol) trying everything to kick my weight loss into gear again. Barely eating 1000 calories (I typically eat 1200), exercising like a maniac, being stupid and listening to bad advice in desperation.... starvation, cutting my healthy carbs, all sorts of stupid...I did it...and got no where. STUCK. For three freaking weeks. Finally gave up, said, feck this...and went back to my regular healthy carb based 1200 calorie Mayo Clinic Diet. Figured I'd either eventually lose weight, or just maintain my loss, call it a day... and feel sane again. Started losing again slow and steady. Did I mention slow? LOL...but steady...and I felt terrific. I'm at the end of my weight loss phase these days...which is evidence that even the most flawed dieters can be successful if they don't give up! You can be an absolute screw up....and as long as you wake up each day and make an effort....and move your habits just an inch or two in the right direction every day...you'll get there. You really will. Be patient with yourself. Love yourself. Let little screw ups go and move on...they're not world ending. Focus on permanent habits. Try for good change EVERY day. Let the little **** go. It's not worth torturing yourself and throwing in the towel over. We don't have to be perfect. I have gotten extremely comfortable with my forever diet...no more crazed desperation, no more rushing shite, no more frantic yaya.... just lots of really good healthy food, lots of exercise I enjoy....and 75 or so naughty calories a day. A livable, healthy, balance. (for me) So...this week, I thought I really blew it... Cause I had a McD's ice cream cone after the fireworks with the fam, I ate half a veggie burger at Burger King on Tuesday with my bestie after my tattoo (with the bun and some of my bestie's fries!), ate a ton of awesome treats at our pool party...though it was all pretty dang healthy:) And....ok, I'll be honest...was kinda relaxed about my food journal. Hubby and kiddo were around and it was vacation...so I relaxed a little. So, I'm thinkin...well crap...it's not gonna be pretty this week. Stepped on the scale and lo and behold....I lost a little over two pounds...in one week...which this far out is freaking incredible!!! ( I started thinking about the walking I did at the air show and fireworks, and all the pool party prep and swimming, lawn mowing, gardening, pulling weeds for party...and yep...I worked that two pounds off my butt pretty easily given the extra hours of exercise) That said? Isn't it nuts how you can work so hard and get no where...and relax a little and make awesome progress sometime? Sometimes it feels like we're at the mercy of a sick joke. LOLOLOLOL! I will never understand how the weight loss Gods work. They are a cruel, twisted, unpredictable race of beings. Hoping everyone's having a terrific summer:)

I would give it a couple of years before resorting, or going back to, any of these fad diets. One of the greatest strengths of your WLS is that it works well irrespective the diet that you use, so there is no need to jump into one of these diets to try to "improve" your weight loss. As long as you are getting adequate protein to maintain your muscle mass (which at 65 g for an average to shorter woman, you are), and your caloric intake is low enough to provide the caloric deficit needed for burn your stored fat, you will lose. Two of the things that have been shown time and again over the decades to torpedo WLS results is consuming empty calories (calories with little or no nutrition tied to it, i.e. junk food) and drinking your calories, both of which you would be doing by adding that junk to your protein drink. You don't want your calories at a "normal" level - you want them at a deficit (though not ridiculously low - where you are at with 5-600 at this stage is just fine as that is very common at this point for successful patients. Keeping your calories "normal" is how we all got here needing WLS. As noted above, search for "three week stall" as that is very common in these circles no matter what diet is used - it is part of the normal physiological response to the sudden caloric deficit that you now have. That you may not have lost much immediately after surgery is likely just part of the normal water weight fluctuations that occur around surgery time, and if you lost a fair amount of weight before surgery, then you already have lost that big slug of water weight that we all lose when we start one of these programs - particularly if you were playing keto games then, which only accentuates that water weight loss (only to gain it back when you stop.) In short, adding empty calories isn't going to "boost your metabolism", but is a good way to inhibit your long term progress. The best long term results that I have seen over the years is to take this opportunity to learn how to eat a normal, healthy human diet balancing meats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains that that are associated with good long term weight control rather than the diet of the day, which is a good way to help ensure regain once diet fatigue sets in, or it goes out of style and a new latest diet has to be found.

You're experiencing the infamous Three Week Stall (do a search in this forum for more info). It usually starts the third or fourth week after surgery. It's normal, and nothing to be worried about, although it's hard not to think about it. Your body is trying to adjust and heal. It can last 2-3 weeks, or did for me, but you'll soon break out and be on your way again try not to stress. Your body will experience many of these little down periods where it needs to rest from loss and readjust. The scale may not show loss, but you will almost always see the inches fall away. I suggest taking measurements as a secondary way to track progress. Sent from my Nexus 6P using the BariatricPal App

The reason you're on soft and pureed foods, is because your staple line is red raw and still not healed. You have a MAJOR wound in one of your MAJOR organs. Although you might think you're all good in the hood, you could be doing yourselves some damage. They don't (on average) tell you to wait for 6 weeks just to be pains in the bum. Its for your safety. The three week stall is well documented. Also, and more importantly, so are the risks of jumping ahead of your eating plan. Please be sensible.

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

I was prepared for the three week stall. I have read numerous threads about it and know it happens to everyone. I weigh myself once every few days, sometimes up to five days. I last weighed myself on Saturday. I was 270. This morning, I am 271.4. I am still on a liquid diet, getting about 75 to 80 grams of Protein. I drink about 50 ounces of Fluid, working to get to 64 ounces. My goal is to have a lymphatic massage to release toxins and detox. Is weight gain also normal during the stall? Sent from my SM-G360T using the BariatricPal App

Completely normal. So normal, it even has a name: "The Dreaded Three Week Stall". Keep trying to find soft proteins you can tolerate, get all your liquids in, and it will pass. Most all of us have gone through it! Hang in there!

Hi! I’ve read so much about the three week stall, so I’m not really going to talk about how annoying and frustrating that can be... because it sure is. I’m so nervous to ask my question. So, I started puréed foods Monday. Per the NUT, that includes scrambled eggs, no-fat refried beans, etc. I feel that I can eat more than I should. I can eat an entire scrambled egg with a little (0.3-0.4 oz) low-fat cheese or 3-4 oz of refried beans/yogurt in one sitting. I feel like that is a huge amount! I eat slow, chew (even though it’s soft/puréed), and have never felt nauseated. Per my NUT, I’m supposed to eating 3 meals per day and drinking two snack protein shakes. I’ve been meeting my water requirement and am getting 500-600 calories a day. Is this too much for me only being (almost) 3 weeks out? I’m sure there will hopefully be more restriction once I get to more solid type foods, but I’m just so nervous. The NUT told me not to worry about calories at this stage and just focus on protein/water intake. But what can I say, I like to worry.. Thanks for your help!

I felt much the same as you did at 4 weeks out -- and don't forget the oft-mentioned "three week stall" which I got about the 4th week. Sounds like you may be there yourself. Your body is learning to live on many fewer calories so you'll have a lack of energy/stamina for a while. I'm just over 5 months out now and feel great -- I started going to exercise classes at about 6 or 8 weeks and had enough energy to do OK but it has gotten better over time. Worrying makes you feel worse too!

Conduct a search of the terms "three-week stall," "third week stall" and "3 week stall." Yes, this phenomenon is so common it has a name. Most sleevers stall sometime between the second and fourth week post-op. Now, here's the hard part: stay off the scale for a few weeks and allow your body to sort out the trauma it's been through. Always expecting a daily or weekly loss is unrealistic. Post-sleeve weight loss happens in a non-linear, unpredictable manner: we lose a few pounds, hold onto some, then stall and plateau and even gain water weight at times before losing again. Be patient with the process. Good luck to you.

Hi there I just wanted to check and see how everyone is doing. I have about 25 more pounds to goal. I am not as strict with myself as I should be ... Just broke a three week stall. Down over 120 lbs now... Labs ok Vitamin d low, every thing else ok Flabby skin on arms, thighs, belly. But oh well flap on!! I still can't eat a lot, and my acid reflux can be a beast. Nexium once day helps Still have at least one Protein shake a day...struggling with Water The journey continues.

she's only three weeks out - it's the infamous three-week stall. Pretty much everyone has that. Best thing to do is just stay the course - and stay off the scale 🙂

Yes, I believe I'm in the dreaded three week stall, so I'm putting that out there. I'm frustrated. But really, I am eating very little and I feel like if I ate what I am eating now before I had the surgery, I'd be losing weight pound over pound. Now, I'm staying the same day after day. My husband is eating low carb and the weight is falling off of him. I'm eating low carb and very little calories and it's just sticking to me. I know people will tell me the weight will come off, but I'm so frustrated right now because I'm dealing with the side effects of surgery (terrible potty issues) and not seeing any of the good things to come of it yet. I lost 10 lbs on the pre-op diet and 10 lbs since surgery, but only when I was on the liquid diet. Once I added real food, even this little amount, the weight loss stopped immediately. If I was going to stay fat, I would have been happier being fat and able to eat and potty.

not sure why you're complaining - I think we'd all love an easy recovery! (and many of us do have them). It sounds like you're progressing normally. No reason to go back to protein shakes only if you're not having any issues. almost everyone has their first major stall during the first month or so after surgery. We even have a name for it - "the three-week stall" (because it's usually the third week, but not always. It can be the second week or the fifth week). It'll last for 1-3 weeks. Just stick to your program and it WILL break. You will likely hit a few of these on your journey. I had a very easy recovery and was able to progress quickly, like you. I ended up losing all of my excess weight. So you're fine.

I am sort of looking forward to the three week stall, in a weird way. That means I am three weeks out from surgery. My body is really healing and adjusting. I am ready for that. I start week three next Monday. ( Meaning it is two weeks post op- starting the third) I have only lost about 10lbs since surgery, but I am down 43lbs from my highest weight so I am still happy. Just taking it all one day at a time. I am following orders best I can. Each day it gets a bit easier. One day I will have a "normal" day (the new normal) and it will probably shock me. So ride out the stall and keep on keeping on!!!

Let's see, a few things: 1. You may have a few uncomfortable days when you're wondering what you got yourself into. Don't worry, it gets better quickly. 2. Being "full" will feel different after surgery and you'll want to learn to recognize that feeling quickly. Overeating or eating too fast after surgery makes you REALLY miserable. 3. You'll only be able to eat a tiny amount at first. Just getting enough water and protein in will be tough. Don't worry, you'll be able to eat more soon. 4. Stick as closely as you can to the eating plan your bariatric team gives you. 5. About a month after surgery, you might stop losing weight. It happens to almost everyone and it's called the "three-week stall" here on the forum. Don't worry, you'll start losing again. 6. Don't buy a lot of clothes as you start losing weight. You'll be blowing through sizes really quickly. Just get a few inexpensive pieces until you know what size you are eventually going to be. 7. Don't compare your progress to other people. We have a different metabolism, dieting history, lifestyle, etc. Some people will lose faster than you and some slower. It's all good. 8. You will definitely reach a point when you can have your favorite foods again, although likely in small portions and not very often. Some things might taste different after surgery. Just a few tips! Hope all goes well with your surgery. 🤗

I just got back from my three month follow up with my surgeon's office. The APRN was amazed that I lost an average of two pounds week! More than two of those weeks was on 7 day cruise and all inclusive land tour. I ate good, and had a few drinks. Avoided the dinner rolls and other carbs, but there was some cheating. I hit the fitness center on the ship for five of the seven days--that was a good 4000 calories burned! I sampled some bad foods, but I didn't over indulge. A small nibble of the deserts kept me happy. In the past I would have gained several pounds, but I held my own--I see a three week "stall" on my weight charts, which is fine by me. No gain is good! I'm back on the diet plan, and hitting the health club at least 6 days a week. It all pays off, and the band makes it easier. The APRN wanted me back in three months, and I mentioned that I was under Medicare and they don't pay for follow up for surgery... no problem, "I want you back in three months for a follow up." She also asked if I wanted a fill, and I didn't think it was needed, but she said to call anytime if I changed my mind. That is the benefit of being treated by a good surgical group. I may actually hit my personal goal sometime in 2015. For now, life is good. I hope the honeymoon with the band lasts.

It would be useful if you filled in your profile: weight and height, helps with context to some questions/posts. I wouldn't say it was slow either, 6kilos in three weeks is good, you are doing great. Your body has been through a surgery, there is swelling and inflammation, its healing. If you read through a lot of the posts here or use the search link for stalls you would see that stalls are a common factor in weight loss surgery even in the first few weeks. The infamous three week stall that can happen at two or four weeks too, for some people the first stall may last a short time for others it can be a few weeks. There will be other stalls along the way. If you lost a lost of weight pre surgery in the pre op diet, this typically lessens the weight loss in the immediate post op phase as you've already lost all the bloat and fluid retention.

I was a self-pay patient (my insurance would not provide any coverage due to my BMI being too low to meet their criteria), so I took on the responsibility of educating myself about the surgery prior to having it. I did not attend any classes, have any counseling, or meet with my surgical team in advance, but still felt reasonably equipped with knowledge and confident on the day of surgery. Several reputable bariatric centers - like Stanford, UCLA, and the Mayo Clinic - have information and instructions they provide to their patients available online. I read through it all, as well as published studies in journals and articles, and also found the videos of a bariatric surgeon named Dr. Matthew Wiener who posts on YouTube to be very helpful. I gleaned valuable information from online forums, too, so I was prepared for the "dreaded three week stall" and other common experiences. 1. Did your team discuss your post surgical diet with you in detail before your surgery? No. I received an email with a PDF of the post-surgical diet, and instructions for the 48-hour pre-op preparation diet in advance, but did not discuss it. Had I felt the need to, I could have contacted the surgeon's nutritionist prior to surgery. 2. Did your nurses go over your immediate diet with you in your hospital room? No, but I met with the surgeon's nutritionist the day after the surgery. 3. Were all stages of your diet given to you in written form? Did you understand when to start each stage? Yes, and yes. 4. Did anyone ever tell you not to eat or drink more than a certain number of ounces per hour? I most clearly remember Dr. Weiner's advice on his videos about being careful to avoid having too much liquid at once, but in the month post-op I really could not have tolerated copious amounts anyway. On my instructions it said "sip, sip, sip" to emphasize that you shouldn't guzzle back liquids. 5. Did anyone ever tell you what could happen to you if you ate foods that you weren't approved for yet? It's on all the information bariatric centers and my own surgeon's office provided, but what really captured my attention was reading on this forum about the horrible experiences people had when they ate solid food too soon. That was the best motivation to not deviate from the post-op dietary instructions. I also learned from my own body. It wasn't ready yet to advance, so I stayed on liquids and then soft foods for a little longer than the timeline given. 6. Were you allowed to order a meal in the hospital, and if so, what did it consist of? No. I was brought Gatorade and then broth. I was not at a hospital; I was at a clinic specifically for bariatric surgery, so they did not provide typical meals. 7. Did you have a clear understanding that the surgery was permanent? Yes. ---- I know doctors are all different and we all go to different groups that handle information differently....I just wondered how well these basics were covered for you. Did you feel well prepared to monitor your own Fluid and nutrition after surgery? ----- I made sure the basics were covered and felt prepared. -----Is a lack of basic instructions a common thing? ----- I think basic instructions are commonly provided, but we're all unique learners and have our own level of incentive to remember and follow instructions. I am grateful I didn't have to attend classes because I preferred getting the information on my own and making sure I was familiar with it, but that was a personal preference.

I would phrase it much more nicely now that I'm not feeling as frustrated, but everything in my rant about ridiculous expectations applies here. 1) Surgery hurts, be prepared for discomfort. 2) Losing weight doesn't happen overnight, so please try not to weigh daily post op or you'll make yourself insane. It should take a lot less time to reach goal than it took to pack on enough pounds to need surgery, but it doesn't all fall off in just a few months, so try to be patient. Also, I'd add that it's important to scrap any expectations about the pace you'll lose before you even have surgery. You'll lose at the pace your body sets, and it's unlikely that you can affect that pace much. 3) Eating will be a challenge for a while. You'll lack energy until you can eat. You might feel like you're "hungry" when you're stuck on a liquid diet. This will all pass eventually and it's normal. 4) PPI, PPI, PPI. Take one. Be proactive. Lots of "hungry" folks just need better acid control. 5) Remember that the sleeve will help you lose weight, but only you can choose to overcome whatever obstacles or issues in your life made you obese in the first place. It's fully possible to graze and binge post op if you want to, so you have to keep that in mind and work on those issues right out of the gate if you want an easy time in maintenance. VST is here for support and advice. Joining a group of people sleeved at the same time will be beneficial as they'll be right where you are in your journey. You shouldn't be afraid to ask questions or look for support, but remember that every question you have has also likely been asked before, so don't be afraid to search out old threads, too. Trust me - the three week stall was the same for us sleeved years ago as it is for folks sleeved last month. Don't miss out on a wealth of useful information that's out there because you might only get two or three quick replies to a question if it's a common one, but you'll have hundreds of answers to choose from if you go searching. Most of all, good luck. I do not regret my surgery at all, even if the journey took a bit longer than I thought it would and had it's moments of frustration for me. Do the work and you get to enjoy the results for a lifetime. ~Cheri

It's the three week stall....happens more often then not. Mine lasted about 4 weeks, then finally the scale started moving. Don't worry! This will pass, and you will start losing again.

My stats are dang close to yours as well... 5'6.5" SW/Surgery Weight: 271 (no pre op diet) Surgery Date 12/2 Current weight: 188 Goal: 150ish I run three days a week and do power yoga or pilates 2/3 days. Have even thinking of adding a personal trainer as well. I typically get 540-700 cals a day usually, 60-75g Protein and 64oz+ of Water. I have had three stalls so far...the three week stall, one about a month ago and one now. I totally hear you!!!! To get out of my last stall I tried upping my calories which many advised and nada. I went back to Protein Shakes only for two days and bang! Out of the stall. Tried that this time and no such luck. Thinking about trying to up them for a few days and trying to get 800-1000. Would love to hear what worked for others too!

Frustrating but normal, the three week stall or atleast signifigant slow down happens to most. If you can put away that scale it really is good advice, not something I've been able to do but good advice. It really helps to not watch the fluctuations that happen in a day based on what your wearing, how much water you've had, etc. You will keep losing! Be patient, keep following the rules and you will get there.

A quick question -- do you both know about the three-week stall? I only ask because many people who've had surgery have never heard of it. If not, read this: http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html#.Uqj2GfRDtzY