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A single pound of fat is roughly 3500kcal. So unless you ate 10,500kcal OVER your baseline intake, there is absolutely no way that is true weight gain. It could be water weight, hormonal changes, bowel movement issues, etc. There are dozens of factors that impact weight and might be reflected on the scale. Additionally, the more you lose and closer you get to a healthy weight, the more likely you are to see those fluctuations as the week to week loss slows down. Keep sticking to your plan and doing exactly what you're doing and you absolutely will see the scale move again. And congrats, 90lbs is amazing!

I’m almost 6 months post-op and lost over 90lbs. I haven’t had any major stalls in my weight loss but I just weighed myself and saw I gained 3lbs. Is this normal? I’ve been following everything I need to so I’m confused

I am interested in finding out if those here with RA noticed less severe disease activity after losing their weight. Supposedly losing weight helps reduce the inflammation in your body that causes disease activity to be more severe. I was diagnosed with RA nearly 18 years ago, and got a Lap Band in 2013. I lost some weight but never got anywhere near goal, and then developed reflux, so my BS started discussing revision, but I was nervous about revising to bypass due to my occasional need for steroids... I was on pantoprazole twice daily for a few years for the reflux, and then I developed a kidney stone from overuse of PPI's, so it was at that point I decided that it was time to remove the band, so it was removed this past April. I'm looking at revising to RNY, as my BS says the sleeve wouldn't work for me since I had reflux with my band. My Rheumy is 100% on board with revising to RNY, she says she thinks my condition will markedly improve due to less inflammation in my body. So I've stopped the celebrex and now I'm using CBD oil daily for pain to see if I can live forever like this. Rheumy says if I do need steroids in the future after RNY, she would opt for a single injection vs a medrol dose pack like I've had in the past. I'm most curious to find out if those on the post op side have seen improvements in their conditions. It would help me to decide whether or not to go forth with the revision. Thanks in advance!

I am not joining WW waist of my $. I am an emotional eater which is never really addressed when having WLS. Overeaters anonymous is helping me change my mindset, it’s free and it’s working. You can attend on zoom and there are meetings 24/7/365. Best thing I ever did. Was sleeved in 2018. And after 4 months my hunger came back. Only list 80 lbs from the 165 my dr thought I would. So his disappointment lead to mine as well. I just joined OA and it’s not a weight loss club it deals with reasons why we eat overeat etc… free and best thing I ever done. They have group meetings for Bariatric people a few days a week but I attend a meeting every day. It’s amazing how better I feel about myself, less shame, less guilt and the scale is starting to move slowly but it is moving. In the right direction. If you feel you have mind work to do , or are an emotional eater try overeaters anonymous. It’s world wide

I unfortunately don't have any input to your question, but I just want to say it sounds like your body already decided this was the right weight for you. Don't feel like you don't deserve your plastics, you've done great to keep such a large loss off!

Thank you all for the thought out replies, I truly appreciate it. I understand that I shouldn't have taken the cheap route, but I didn't have 25k laying around to get the surgery done in the U.S. With that said, I talked to a few friends who used the same surgeon within the last year or so and they all said great things about him and they averaged close to 1 pounds lost per day for the first 60 days. That definitely was what lured me in since I've been trying to lose weight for almost a decade now and I always rebound. For the record, I don't have heartburn. He just prescribed it to me "in case" I get heartburn in the morning or at night. It's just a preventative. My second phase is week 3 and 4, and it involves a "Full fluid" diet; basically a clear liquid diet but I do get to have some other things like sugar substitutes, fat free yoghurt, fat free custard, and fat free creamy soups (no chunks). I also got a visit from him and the nutritionist post-op where they explained what kind of lifestyle changes I have to make now that it's done (chewing a lot, exercice more regularly, portion control, etc.) so it's not like they're completely irresponsible; it's just that they don't see it as a major op and told me that as long as I don't cheat and follow through with all phases, I would be good. It's easy for us Americans to judge their actions, but at the end of the day I did it in a country where the medical field is more advanced than what we have and I truly believe that we make it difficult because insurance companies wanna bill you the most for everything and obesity + overconsumption is seen as benefitial to the economy. Pureed food is for week 5 and 6. This is where I get to have some protein, 45-50grams a day split up between 6 small meals(1 boiled egg, 1 cup of fat free milk, 30grams of soft cheese or low fat cheese, 1 can of tuna in water drained). Weeks 7 and 8 is soft foods and then after 2 months its solid foods but maximum of 8 spoonfuls per meal. I guess I should just go ahead and say that I did it in Israel, so if you have any doubts on the quality of healthcare over there; know that it's in the top 10 whereas the US is in the bottom 48. I hope this works out well, will keep you updated! Sent from my SM-N970U using BariatricPal mobile app

My doctor warned me about that before I left the hospital. He said to not weigh until day 4 then weigh daily, and report any two pound gain to the office before my first check up

I did not drink a single protein shake because they were all so disgusting! At my 2 week follow up, my surgeon told me that he didn’t want me drinking protein shakes, which was a weight lifted. He said as long as I was staying hydrated he was happy. I was on clear liquids for 3 days, full liquids one week, puréed one week, soft one week, and normal diet after that.

Congratulations on your sleeve. First I’m going to address the issue of Protein. In the beginning Protein is super important. It helps heal, Hair loss, muscle building, skin elasticity, etc. My full liquid diet consisted of 3 Protein Shakes a day with a list of other fluids in between my shakes. My surgery center let me know it was imperative that I got in at least 3 protein shakes a day. I went home with a 30 day supply of Bariatric Fusion protein power and Vitamins. Along with prescription for nausea and pain. So not having any protein for two week properly isn’t a good thing. They also gave me a list of approved bariatric protein shakes and powders so I can order more once I ran out of what they sent me home with. Now to address the negative, I don’t recommend anyone go abroad or go for a cheaper version. I actually feel sad for you because we went to a place that didn’t give you the correct information to be successful in the long run. This surgery is about so much more than have someone reputable to cut into you. It’s good to have a surgery team to be there for you before and after the surgery and to let you up for success. Everyone’s situation is different. Your starting weight was like mine in the 200s, so I didn’t have to undergo some of the things that others have. I must mention the I had RNY and not sleeve. There are a couple of things that I see that I know my surgery center in the US would have caught. Assuming you had heart burn before your surgery, RNY would have been the way to go instead. Also I started my surgery journey in August and I had my surgery in November in the US. During the months leading up to surgery, I was taught a new way of eating not only food choices, but also how to chew, eat slower, and take smaller bites. Most of all how to get used to not drinking for 30-45 minutes after eating. This was the hardest habit to break. Lol!!!! This made it easier for after surgery. I was also accustomed to ending this new way. I had several tests done just to ensure I was healthy enough handle the anesthesia. During the coarse of these tests it was discovered that I had sleep apnea and an irregular heart beat. Had I gone aboard and settled for a cheaper option, I could have died one the table because the anesthesiologist not know of these issues and we hadn’t worked to correct them as much as possible before hand. I had to work with a psychiatrist to work through my emotional eating. Now I turn to prayer or journaling instead of a bowl of ice cream and potato chips. So I said all that to say, YES you need protein. And to discourage anyone from taking a short cut or cheaper option. As you can see you can easily be given misinformation or left without the necessary info and tools to be successful after the surgery. Best wishes 💛💛💛💛

Congratulations on your sleeve. First I’m going to address the issue of protein. In the beginning Protein is super important. It helps heal, hair loss, muscle building, skin elasticity, etc. My full liquid diet consisted of 3 protein shakes a day with a list of other fluids in between my shakes. My surgery center let me know it was imperative that I got in at least 3 protein shakes a day. I went home with a 30 day supply of bariatric fusion protein power and vitamins. Along with prescription for nausea and pain. So not having any protein for two week properly isn’t a good thing. They also gave me a list of approved bariatric protein shakes and powders so I can order more once I ran out of what they sent me home with. Now to address the negative, I don’t recommend anyone go abroad or go for a cheaper version. I actually feel sad for you because we went to a place that didn’t give you the correct information to be successful in the long run. This surgery is about so much more than have someone reputable to cut into you. It’s good to have a surgery team to be there for you before and after the surgery and to let you up for success. Everyone’s situation is different. Your starting weight was like mine in the 200s, so I didn’t have to undergo some of the things that others have. I must mention the I had RNY and not sleeve. There are a couple of things that I see that I know my surgery center in the US would have caught. Assuming you had heart burn before your surgery, RNY would have been the way to go instead. Also I started my surgery journey in August and I had my surgery in November in the US. During the months leading up to surgery, I was taught a new way of eating not only food choices, but also how to chew, eat slower, and take smaller bites. This made it easier for after surgery. I was also accustomed to ending this new way. I had several tests done just to ensure I was healthy enough handle the anesthesia. During the coarse of these tests it was discovered that I had sleep apnea and an irregular heart beat. Had I gone aboard and settled for a cheaper option, I could have died one the table because the anesthesiologist not know of these issues and we hadn’t worked to correct them as much as possible before hand. I had to work with a psychiatrist to work through my emotional eating. Now I turn to prayer or journaling instead of a bowl of ice cream and potato chips. So I said all that to say, YES you need protein. And to discourage anyone from taking a short cut or cheaper option. As you can see you can easily be given misinformation or left without the necessary info and tools to be successful after the surgery. Best wishes 💛💛💛💛

Hi! Has anyone had a panniculectomy while still being quite overweight? I was sleeved in 2012. I was 368 lbs when I had my surgery and have maintained a 130 pound loss. In spite of trying relentlessly I was never able to get even close to my goal weight (menopause, knee replacement, etc.). But my life is about 10,000 times better!! I have lots of skin and have been approved for a breast reduction and panniculectomy, but in between those two areas I have that damn menopausal spare tire. I never had that even at 368! I tried to get a plastic surgeon to do an abdominoplasty but my BMI is too high. So I’m kind of freaking out, imagining that I’m going to have a smaller bust, no belly, but some big floppy spare tire hanging over my waist band. The surgeon doing the panniculectomy is a weight loss and general surgeon, so he’s not going to spend any time trying to make it look good. Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks!

Congrats! I feel what you're saying. Before my surgery my diet for the 11 days prior consisted of 4 protein shakes a day and 4, 1 cup serving of non starchy vegetables. NO MEAT! Then after surgery my diet was 2 weeks FULL LIQUIDS, followed by 1 week PUREE, and 2 weeks SOFT FOODS, then finally normal foods. So yeah, between the 11 days pre-op and two weeks post of of liquid, that was almost 4 weeks of nothing but liquids (but for the veggies in the pre-op stage). The protein came mostly from the shakes in those stages. It seems almost impossible but it works. I was so happy when the puree stage came. LOL And YES, protein is VERY important!! Not only to keep you losing weight but also to help you not lose so much hair or at least to shorten to hair loss phase. I recently, and inadvertently, put myself in a month and a half long stall because I was so inconstant with protein and ingesting LESS than the recommenced amounts of it (plus a few other things I was doing wrong as far as my macros goes). So again, YES, protein IS important for many reasons.

I love cruises but shore excursions have always been difficult for me due my weight. I took a cane and a rollator on my last cruise (to Alaska), but I still had to sit out some outings. My first bucket list item is already booked: a solo 6-week-long trip four months after surgery. The trip includes two trans-Atlantic crossings by ship and two weeks touring England. Bucket list 2: I want to be as fit as possible so that I can WALK on the excursions. I'm already building endurance by swimming up to 1/2 mile 2-3 times a week. I'm hopeful that the weight loss will enable me to walk a mile or two without pain or shortness of breath. My third bucket list item will be to buy a new wardrobe that will fit my new body. The fourth thing on my bucket list to figure out how to pay for all this!

I think this is the standard nowadays, and a lot of studies show it gives great weight loss while reducing malnutrition issues, so that sounds perfect Thanks for the well wishes. If the stupid rash would just leave so I could start counting down to getting out. I miss the gym (yeah, me, missing the gym. I also don't know who the h*ll I am ).

Okay, I had my sleeve done on Wednesday the 15th and I still feel like crap. I had my pre-op tests done on the 13th (full body scan, blood test, and routing checkup with the surgeon) and went into op around 8am that Wednesday. I know the time frame is weird, but considering the fact that the surgeon does 2 to 3 bariatrics surgeries a day (popular guy), I felt pretty comfortable doing it. I wanna start off by saying, I'm quite amused at the level of "attention" and pre-reqs that is required in the U.S. It is super unnecessary, a sleeve is probably one of the easiest major surgeries that can be performed. I actually felt sad for the people that had to undergo years of testing and check ups and even liver operations just to be able to do it. Don't waste your money and time on that and just find a reputable surgeon abroad who will most likely do it at 1/10th of the cost while being much more experienced with it (I was treated like a client/customer whenever I conuslted a doctor in the U.S. rather than a patient). Now that I got all the negativity towards the American healthcare system, I want to ask a few things about my current diet. For the most part, most post-op diets are similar but I don't understand how some people go hard on protein during the 1st phase when my diet doesn't involve any protein until the 5th week. First 14 days is clear liquids, and the nutritionist/surgeon literally just advised me to drink white grape or apple juice (peeled,strained, added water, no added sugars), broth water (no fat, no seasonings, bleh), and herbal drinks (no caffeine). How the heck is my body supposed to stay alive on what I suppose is basically nutrient weak foods? I'm still alive obviously, but I don't see how I won't be turned into a skeletal frame by the end of the 2nd week on this diet? I asked my doc "am I gonna be alive to even enjoy solid foods in a couple of months if I stick to this diet?", to which he replied "don't worry buddy, trust the process".(okay he didn't actually say that, but it was something among the lines of it'll be okay if you stick to it). I mean I trust the process, but I don't really trust the science behind it. Why do some people have the luxury of being allowed to eat SF Jello, ice pops, protein shakes, puddings, etc. just a few days after surgery when my diet is so harsh? How is not having any protein over 2 weeks a good thing? I had a natural weight loss journey before (300 to 185) and it involved a LOT of protein and little to no carbs/sugar + high fat for muscle building, so this just sounds so alien to me. Not sure if this helps, but I'm a 28 y/o male, current weight 258 ideal 170. I was prescribed anti-heartburn meds, pain meds, and blood thinners as well as a weekly dose of B-12. Sent from my SM-N970U using BariatricPal mobile app

I lost 34 lbs the first 30 days, 27 lbs the next 30, for a total of 61 lbs in 60 days. It's a great sign as early weight loss - with the MGB at least - does seem to indicate a great long-term result.

Had my mini gastric bypass on Nov 19th. As of today I am down 29 lbs. Is that average? Almost seems excessive. A pound a day…

Don't freak out. Seriously, it will be okay. If you look up "three week stall" on BariatricPal, you will find almost 20,000 posts about it. It happens a LOT. And it's nothing you're doing wrong—it is literally your body rebalancing itself (particularly fluids) after a traumatic surgery. It will break. Mine did—it came late and lasted about a week and a half and suddenly WHOOOOOSH went the scale. I had all the same worries and made a post here and everything. It WILL break. You will continue to lose weight! And once you're fully on solid foods you'll feel the restriction.

Thank you all for talking to me. I have been getting my water in and mostly all the protein. I have not lost anymore weight in 5 days. Actually it says I gained a pound. I'm trying not to be depressed. I feel like I'm doing everything wrong now Sent from my SM-A716U using BariatricPal mobile app

probably not a physical issue (like a stricture) since you're not having a problem digesting. I know for the first five months or so, I was never hungry and had pretty much zero interest in food. Eating became a chore. Could it be something like that? I actually liked being that way and wished it would have gone on longer since it was so easy to lose weight when I really didn't like food and had no interest in eating. however, if you're concerned, contact your clinic - esp if you think there's something going on other than loss of interest in food (which isn't uncommon when you're early out from surgery)

Zoe don’t be too hard on yourself. In a month I have managed to eat every single thing they have told me to avoid. I just do not eat much of it. While I used to destroy a carton of ice cream, I was completely fine with a few bites. One slice of pizza at my favorite restaurant doesn’t kill me. I am full and feel like I deserve the reward after a long week. I don’t look at these things as failing. I look at them as adjusting to my new life. It is not realistic to think that I am going to live the rest of my life avoiding everything on the very large naughty list. The naughty list is things that I eat less of. No longer an entire large pizza. Now a slice. No longer an entire box of Chips Ahoy. Now three with some skim fairlife milk. And I am still losing my 2 to 3 pounds a week which my doctor says is healthy weight loss. Some days I don’t get enough protein. Other days I get extra. There is nothing magic that happens at midnight that resets your nutritional needs. If I average out enough protein a week I am happy. There is a support group here in Miami which is helpful because you get to hear first hand from people a year and later post op how they eventually fell into a routine and now most people seem to not think of their surgery as a burden like I feel it is now. I keep reminding myself that this is a lifetime lifestyle surgery and not a quick fix. Losing 100 pounds in 2 months would be very satisfying but is not healthy for your organs or your healing. I do get jealous of the people who can eat whatever they want. Some of my favorite foods do not sit well at all with me. Eggs are still a no for me. Shrimp is death. My favorite chips and the spicy salsa at my Mexican restaurant had my drenched in sweat on the curb trying not to vomit in the gutter while my friends frantically went for the car. We never even got to order the meal. My surgeon for my 30 day follow up said that with time I will be able to enjoy small amounts of all these things again and to just continue to proceed cautiously. He is pleased with my weight loss and my healing and that is all you can ask for.

Rather than going back to your surgeon maybe try a dietian. 800 cal is way to low. Try my fitness pal app i was like you didnt want to track etc but its easy with this app. Maybe get your surgeon to look for underlying causes for your lack of weight loss. Blood tests etc.

Does anyone else feel like they’re failing at this? I can’t seem to get enough fluids or protein. Nothing seems to be bothering me diet-wise (just started phase 3), but still can’t seem to get the hang of it. Then, tonight I had like a 1/5th piece of veggie pizza. Of course I feel super guilty and like I’ve ruined myself or something, which I doubt is the case, but still. I have eaten what feels like nothing but lunch meat and protein shakes, a few little bits of grilled chicken. Had a few little broccoli florets and nothing is kicking back. I keep waiting for some sort of recourse, and I guess I’m lucky??? But trying to make just healthier choices, chewing super well, etc. I think unflavored protein powder may have to become my new best friend over these next few weeks, maybe longer. I can’t eat very much at all, unsurprisingly, and that makes it difficult to get adequate protein. I actually don’t even know where I’m going with this. I just feel like I’m doing it wrong and ruining everything. First week post op I lost an obscene amount of weight, but I don’t feel like I look any different. I want to keep momentum and keep losing, but also do things sustainably so that I can stick with it. is anyone else struggling to find a good rhythm? I can’t be alone in this, right?

Several people have mentioned that at this point 800 cal/day is too low, your body is probably in starvation mode. Try to increase to 1000 cal/day, same type of food but slightly larger portions. This will help you feel fuller while hopefully kickstarting your metabolism again. Drink a LOT between meals to fill up your stomach too (but wait at least 30 minutes after eating before drinking anything). I personally hate drinking water so I drink lots and lots of crystal light lemonade. It has almost no calories and is still 99.99% water. Try supplementing your breakfast with a protein shake. That will help you reach your protein goals while also filling you up. I drink one Premier Protein every single morning after breakfast (Chocolate flavor!) It feels like I'm treating myself and I'm adding 30 grams of protein every day. That usually keeps me satisfied until lunch. You said you're logging now - are you also weighing your foods? If not, you are likely grossly underestimating your portion sizes. My wife made a chicken stir-fry for dinner tonight and I decided to have some - I weighed out 4.5 oz into a bowl and it looked like a VERY small portion - she was shocked when I told her how much it was, it was actually a little more than I've been eating lately (3-4 oz per meal). It was actually really filling though, but if I just eyeballed it I almost definitely would have eaten too much and not even realized it. The "surgery is a tool" can mean several things. For some (most?) it provides an automatic restriction so that you physically can't eat as much as you used to without getting sick. For those who had gastric bypass, it also provides an incentive for what you're eating to be healthy in order to avoid dumping syndrome. Bypass patients also get the benefit of malabsorption. For others, it's the knowledge that you underwent major permanent surgery as a last ditch effort to get healthy and that can help change your mindset about eating. I'm in the position to have gone through both major weight loss surgeries. I had the sleeve in December 2016 and lost about 120 pounds in about six months. I was a regular on the forums here, I tracked every single bite (my personal recommendation is My Fitness Pal - I also weighed myself every morning (which is not always recommended) and took a full body photo with the app once a week to see my progress), Then I had some personal/profession issues which screwed up my schedule and my mindset and slowly began to gain weight back. I stopped tracking, stopped eating healthy, and all of a sudden a few years later I realized I had regained almost all of the pre-surgery weight. I was depressed, upset, embarrassed, ashamed, but I decided to do something about it and I went back to my doctor (I had stopped going to appointments too) and he said I was a good candidate for revision surgery to gastric bypass. It's been just over 4 weeks since that surgery and I'm down 36 pounds so far - not losing as quickly as the first surgery, but still losing. I still track religiously, and follow the meal plan exactly the way it was given to me (first month, soft high-protein foods with no fruits and veggies, no sugar, no bread, pasta, etc.), just starting my second month by adding some veggies to every meal. I had a couple of brief stalls but I kept with the program and they went away. I've been slowly increasing my daily calories and that has helped as well (still below 1000 most days but I've gone as high as 1200). In order to feel like I'm not depriving myself of sweets, I have one or sometimes two containers of sugar-free chocolate and vanilla swirl Jello every day. Last time after a few months I added a small portion of Halo Top ice cream as a daily dessert - very low calories, low or no carbs, and delicious. It's important not to feel that you're depriving yourself. Another thing to look at is your sleep - are you getting enough sleep? When I get a good night's sleep I lose about a pound over night. The times when I don't get enough sleep are the days I notice a stall or even a slight increase in weight. Given your starting weight is there a chance you have sleep apnea? I was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago and started using a CPAP, my sleeping improved dramatically. Ultimately, the surgery is not a magic bullet, although when things are going well it can seem like magic, but that happens when you put in the work. It's not bullshit, or useless, it has helped many many people who have tried everything else (myself included). You said you lost 30 lbs so far, that's great! That's 30 lbs you probably wouldn't have lost without the surgery. Now you have to figure out how to kickstart the rest of your journey. To summarize, here's what I would do if I were in your place: 1 - Increase your calories - same healthy foods for larger portions 2 - Increase your protein - add a protein shake after breakfast if necessary (wait 30 minutes after eating first) 3 - Increase your liquid intake - drink water if you enjoy it, or mix up some crystal light lemonade or something similar, drink ALL THE TIME 4 - Get a good night's sleep 5 - Keep tracking everything - make sure you WEIGH everything you eat, never eyeball. You can get a basic food scale for 10 bucks 6 - Don't give up! I know it's frustrating but based on your posts you're in a tough headspace right now. If you keep going on about how the surgery is bullshit, useless, etc. it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Good luck!

I wasn’t given a caloric goal at any stage either only portion size: 1/4 cup to 1/3 to 1/2 etc. as I was able & protein & fluid goals. I did random calorie checks for my own information. I was eating less than 300 calories in that first month & about 900 by my 6 months & goal & eating about a cup of food but it did depend on what I was eating (like about a cup of protein & vegetables but only one egg). Honestly I couldn’t eat anymore than I did & I was fortunate I wasn’t ever really hungry for more than a than a year. I eat about 1300 to maintain at my weight now but I’m not very active, not very tall, have a smaller frame & am in my mid 50s so my caloric needs were & are different. You’re not tall either so that may influence your caloric recommendations. Worth asking your dietician about factors like these that may influence your caloric needs. They may not even suggest a caloric goal until you’re much further out.