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I found the most success (pre-op) when I combined diet with weight/resistance training. What about buying some dumbbells or kettlebells? You can find training programs online if you're not yet comfortable going to the gym (understandable!).

I had lapband surgery 11 years ago. After a thirty pound weight loss, I stopped losing and gained it back. Today I am exactly the same weight as I was when I had the surgery despite only being able to eat small meals. The lapband has been a complete disappointment in my case.

Honestly, I don’t mean to disappoint you but I don’t think they should do lapband surgeries any more. I had mine done 11 years ago. I lost about thirty pounds, my body adjusted to the lower calorie in take and I stopped losing. I was throwing up most of my meals because food kept getting stuck so how I managed to regain the weight is beyond me. Today I am exactly the same weight I was when I had my surgery. My diet during this time has been (on and off) low carb, (only thing that came close to working for me), combined with walking and kayaking. For awhile I had worked up to walking ten miles a day two times a week. That’s a four hour walk, two times a week. With two or three days of 1-2 hour walks. I was putting in the effort, tracking meals, carbs, calories, etc. just to maintain my weight. As soon as I let up, the pounds came on. If you have time left before surgery, research lapband success rate. I would strongly suggest a different type of surgery.

You're doing great!! I had surgery around the same time on 7/14 and I've only lost 20 pounds since surgery. The same exact situation, I lost a ton of weight the first week and 1/2, and then my stall hit the 2nd week up until week 4. I went to the gym and somehow I started losing again but veryyyy veryyyy slowly. I even got as low at 179 on Sunday, all for me to check again this morning and see that I gained 2 pounds. The process is so frustrating but like you said, knowing this is normal and seeing that a lot of successful people have gone through this stall/slow start really puts me at ease! I completely feel you in the heat. I'm not the biggest fan of exercise and definitely not in the burning sun so the first couple of weeks I started walking in the evening around 7:30/8 PM. Now, I'm doing the treadmills at the gym which is even better since they have the fans and I find myself actually enjoy it! Good luck on your journey, we got this!!

Definitely get the water up. It is counterintuitive to drink water and expect to lose weight but if you do not then your body will store the water and hold the weight. Same with vitamins and protein, you have to feed it those things or it will put you into a stall. Before I started with all this I hardly drank any water at all, only coffee. I find it helpful to carry water wherever I am and to constantly take little nips of it. They make cups that alarm or set off a light if you are really bad at it. It is a necessary evil though.

Calorie cycling sounds a little dangerous to me. Eating low calorie for some defined period then going crazy with high calorie seems risky. I would be afraid that would cause a roller coaster effect with the weight loss or force the body into stalls when it is confused by high calorie and low calorie periods. I am obviously not a dietician, but from what I have experienced, I am not sure it would work too well.

I can honestly say that I am SLACKING on my vitamins. I don't even have a good excuse. I have reminders on my phone and everything but for whatever reason, I forget to take them! Also water, I used to get in 64 oz + every day and since surgery, I'm somewhere in between 32- 48 daily. I have been working out more now that I got the green light so I hope to see more improvements with my body over the next couple of weeks. However, you're right. I've heard that those who didn't start out on the high end of weight tend to lose at a slower pace.

Don't be discouraged. Look for things to keep you encouraged like fitting into different clothing or other non scale things that show you that you are making improvements. Everyone is different. You are not really on the high end of weight so some may have more to lose or have more water weight that they lose at first that you may not have had. Water weight drops off quickly in the beginning so if you did not have that, it looks like you didn't lose as much, but effectively, you did. Try changing something...track your food on an app and BE HONEST with your entries. Don't use exercise calories saved as an excuse to eat more since you burned calories. If you stick to a 800 calorie diet AND burn exercise calories, SCIENCE will take over and you will lose weight faster. Also...ensure you are keeping your protein up and taking vitamins so you do not disturb your bodies balance.

Pretty good, you lost over 30% of your body weight in a short time. Pretty impressive.

Surgery Status: 6 weeks post-op tomorrow. Sx 7.14.2021 VSG Phase: Regular foods Highest known weight: 218 Surgery weight: 200 even. Current Weight: 182 This morning. I gained 3 pounds 😭 Inch loss: 3 inches off waist, 4 inches off lower belly (Fupa), 1 in off arms, 1 in off neck, NSV: Went from a size 18 to 14 in pants and XXL to XL in shirts !

Agreed! I had surgery 7.14.21, Surgery Weight was 200 and I'm juggling between 179 -182. I had my 1 month post-op appointment yesterday and my doctor seemed to think that's great!! As Eholmes said, we just need to trust the process as challenging as that could be.

Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. One of my favorite movie quotes (perhaps it is a direct quote from the short story)… anyhow… the change in one year can be so drastic (in a good way) it’s not even possible to imagine. I’m about 14 months out and it’s simply unreal. I had a reason to review security footage of my shop yesterday and I freaked out when I saw someone I didn’t recognize… it was me. That moment of “who the hell is that” didn’t last long, but I kept watching me walk around and move and it was just amazing to think that a year ago I was morbidly obese, now I’m healthy, off all my meds (except restless leg stuff which isn’t related to weight), sleep well, can get down on the ground to look under my car if I drop something, play basketball with my kids, take my shirt off when I swim in public (like the shirt ever fooled anyone anyway). It’s life changing and amazing and yes I wished I did it sooner (I’m 46) but I’m still just thrilled I did it at all. How many winters did I say “I’m going to lose weight so I can enjoy the summer” only to fail… how many class reunions did I avoid because I didn’t want to be seen as “oh look how big he got…” how many moments did I lose with my kids because I was too tired… surgery isn’t for everyone, but if you’re unhappy with the size you are, DO SOMETHING… surgery for me was a joke it was so easy… I’m lucky and I understand that… but it could be you too. One year… seemed like an eternity one year ago, but now feels like it was just a day ago I started this journey. I will never allow myself to go back. Never. It’s ok to hope. This is different.

I am so happy to see we are all doing better ... My only complication so far was diarrhea, it has been getting better I finally had a "normal" stools last week and I'm starting solid foods tomorrow. I am meeting my liquids and vitamins goals, and with the protein I'm close to the goal but I'm sure with solids it will be easier to get to the 6o grams. Surgery date: July 26th Highest weight: 245 Surgery weight: 233 Current weight: 212

I'm on my 4th week and I take 2 bites of whatever I'm having and stop for like 10 minutes or until I dont feel like my stomach is going to burst, and then I keep going. For example I cooked 2 scrambled eggs with tomatoes at about 4PM and now it's 8PM and I still haven't been able to finish it. I hate wasting food so I try to finish whatever I cook even if it takes a really long time because if I dont get enough proteins, I'll lose my muscle mass and the weight loss rate decreases because your body thinks you're starving yourself. It's soooooo annoying not to be able to finish my food in one go especially when it's so little, like not even a quarter of what I had pre-op. But I'm just thankful if I can finish my food, no matter how long it takes and keep the food down without throwing up. Do you guys still have to do this even months after the surgery? I'd like to be able to eat normally although not as much as my pre op days.

anxiety before surgeries (any surgery) is pretty common...I always freak out before any surgery I've had. And they've all gone off without a hitch. first, morbidity rates on weight loss surgeries are really low. It's 0.3% for bypass, even lower for sleeve (not sure the exact percentage for sleeve since I had the bypass - but sleeve is lower). So there's a 99.7% chance (or greater) that you're NOT going to die - and those are excellent odds! Even better than hip replacement surgeries, which people get all the time. Weight loss surgeries have improved tremendousy over the years and they're no longer the scary, risky things they used to be. They've really become pretty routine at this point. I don't think most surgeons use catheters for weight loss surgeries, because unless you have other issues going on in there that they have to deal with, the surgeries are short. My bypass took a little over an hour - sleeve surgeries are typically even shorter. I DID have a catheter for two of my plastic surgeries, but then I was under for over four hours with those. The catheter wasn't any big deal - but no, most of us don't have one for weight loss surgery. the surgery won't fail as long as you follow the rules and guidelines. It'll work like a charm. But you do need to get the binge eating under control, because that could sabotage your efforts. They'll probably have you meet with a psychologist prior to surgery (that's very common...), but you may want to continue meeting with a therapist even after that because the binge eating WILL hinder your results if you can't get on top of it. Many of us have worked with therapists and found it very helpful. I can't speak to the being too young part, since I had surgery at age 55 - but like others, my only regret is that I didn't have it sooner.

I felt the same way. Overweight in my teens, obese in my early adulthood, morbidly (or super morbidly) obese once I got into my 30s. And then suddenly normal weight once I hit my late 50s. It's definitely bizarre - but it'll happen if you really work the program!

the closer you are to a normal BMI, the tougher it is to take off weight. That's because you're already pretty much at an equilibrium (calories in - calories burned) when you're normal weight - or pretty close to it. The last 20 or so lbs are always a bear to take off for most people. My last 20 lbs took FOREVER to get off - and now, slight regains are as well. and it's not just us. I remember so many times sitting at Weight Watchers meetings when I was pre-op and super morbidly obese, rolling my eyes at these normal weight - or slightly overweight - women b**tching and moaning about how hard it was to lose 10 lbs. Yea right - try losing 100, people. Now I totally get it....

Hello all, My name is Jen. This is my first post and I hope to find some support within this community. I had my gastric sleeve procedure in July 2017 at 22 years old. I was 310 pounds before the two-week fast and was 291 pounds at the time of the surgery. After the surgery, I lost weight rapidly, I was down to 225 pounds by December of that same year. But then my weight loss decreased and for the past 2.5 years, I've been stuck at an average weight of 215 pounds. Since COVID started, I have actually gained weight and am now 235 lbs (not being able to go to the gym has sucked). At one point nearly 2 years after my surgery I had even gotten to 196 lbs, which was a 100-pound weight loss. I want to lose another 100 pounds to meet my goal weight range of 135-140 lbs, which would be a healthy weight for my height and build. But I need help. I have other factors that are making weight loss more difficult. I have PCOS which naturally makes weight loss difficult. I use birth control pills to help regulate the hormones that are affected by PCOS. I also have had bone and joint problems since I was a child. I've been trying to focus on my diet, but I must admit I have a giant sweet tooth and I am a picky eater. Pizza and candy are my banes. I'm also a graduate student who is under a ton of stress and has very limited personal time. This makes exercising and preparing meals difficult. Despite these complications, I don't eat out at all, nor do I order take-in. I have a treadmill that I walk or jog on for at least an hour each day, and I attend Zumba twice a weak (I'm not very good at it haha). I am not diabetic or pre-diabetic but I do have asthma. So, is anyone else in a similar situation that would like to build a little group? I've never had any weight loss support and I am hoping that by building a group, I can find more motivation and encouragement as I lose 100 more pounds. TLDR: 4 years since VSG surgery and I'm still not at goal weight, keep stalling or gaining weight. Need friends in similar situations for support, guidance, motivation, and encouragement.

When you've been morbidly obese or super morbidly obese (which was my case) for so long it's really hard to imagine a time when you'll be able to walk for more than 2 minutes and not get out of breath. It's hard to imagine going to the doctor and not having them IMMEDIATELY bring up your weight, even when it had absolutely nothing to do with why you were at the doctor in the first place. It's hard to wrap your head around going out in public and not having strangers gawking at you and judging you because of your size. I couldn't wrap my head around that at all because I had been obese for more than 20 years and super morbidly obese for half of that time. I was 32 when I had my surgery (I'm 34 now) so trying to wrap my head around NOT being obese was impossible. I didn't know what that would feel like, and I think a part of me thought that no matter how hard I tried I just wouldn't get there. But I did. I'm 19 months post op now and when I go to the doctor my weight is NEVER brought up unless I bring it up myself. I don't get stared at anymore for doing simple things like going grocery shopping. And, the best part is that I don't get out of breath from just walking. I had a lung function test done before surgery and my asthma was tested as 'severe'. My doctor had me recently do another lung function test and now my asthma is 'mild'. It's hard to imagine how things will be a year or two from now, but you have a lot to look forward to! I wish you the best on your journey!

Thank you so much for sharing, @Danpaul. Your experiences are what all of us will likely experience in some way at some stage. Yes, we are only human. Interestingly, Dr Matt Weiner did a video recently about making single easy changes to your diet just like you & your support group are implementing. In essence, he suggested about every month make a change - drop something from your diet or add something. A small change is always more achievable than a major overhaul. It resonated with me & I was so happy to read of your actual successful experience of making small changes to your diet & routines. Congrats on being almost back at your goal (happy) weight.

Can’t recall hearing of anyone’s metabolic rate being negatively affected after sleeve surgery. But we all react differently. My metabolic rate was practically non existent before surgery - decades of deliberately skipping meals. I struggled to lose anything on those very low calorie diets. After surgery it seemed like it was going 1000 miles an hour. I believe it’s settled a bit now in my third year (I’m not very active which would boost it more) but it is faster then what it was pre surgery & I happily eat 1200 calories a day to maintain my weight at my height & age. I would have put on weight if I ate that much before surgery - in fact I did. Now I eat regularly throughout the day & keep my protein high to feed my metabolism (three meals & about 4 snacks & all but one includes protein). While you’re losing, you’ll be increasing your caloric intake & including more & more nutrient dense foods. So though initially you’ll be consuming low calorie it’s for not the long term. If you think your metabolism has slowed when you get to goal or after, there are metabolic reset diets around. Dr Matthew Weiner’s A Pound of Cure comes to mind (book & you tube videos).

I'm four years into my surgery this month and here are the things that I've learned. At the beginning most will feel mixed emotions. Euphoric due to rapid weight loss, concern due to stalls and minor setbacks and trepidation due to looking at how others are doing and you feeling you're not doing enough. The one feeling we all have will be a renewed confidence in ourselves due to the fastest weight reduction you might have ever experienced. We attain our goal weight. We then transition into making wise food and lifestyle choices. No longer are we to eat the things that made us obese and unhealthy such as the three C's, Cookies, Cake and Candy. We will get more exercise. Maybe we park further from the building, maybe we join a gym, maybe we walk, run or work out. We are feeling great and we love our new selves. Next we work on maintaining the weight loss and our healthy lifestyle. One thing happens, we decide since we lost so much weight it couldn't hurt to visit our friends the three C's. If only for a short while and only in small amounts. Hey, why park so far? It's really cold/hot, I'll park closer. You're still feeling confident even if you gained only 10lbs of the 100 you lost. Hey, you're still down 90lbs. No problem, I can lose the 10lbs. I've lost far more than that after surgery. Then we realize, we are no longer weight loss super beings. We are just mere mortals who now have to work hard to lose the weight. Our bodies after time (usually after the one year mark) will not give us that rapid weight loss we once depended on. Here is when your determination and or lack of it will affect you for the rest of your life. We will all get back on a diet or healthier eating plan to lose the weight we gained. The majority will not succeed because it is not as easy it was when we first had surgery. Some will become complacent and throw up their hands and surrender. The weight will come back and the thoughts of a revision will come to our heads. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not allow for a do over. For a few they will overcome and work on shedding those pounds. They will succeed due to a variety of reasons such as a good support group, using the honeymoon period wisely and really making better lifestyle choices or simply losing one pound at a time instead of trying to lose all of it at one time. Since my surgery four years ago I had five friends and family members undergo the surgery. We ALL gained back some of the weight. Some were able to lose it and regain their healthy lifestyle. Some never were able to lose the weight and went back into the habit of eating for gratification. This is what I did. I originally got down on myself. How did I after three years let myself gain 10 lbs. I vowed to get it off. My 1st week I lost 1/2 a pound. I was devastated, how could this be? The next week I gained a pound. Why? I needed help!! My regular group meetings were cancelled due to covid so I lost valuable support there. I decided to call my family and friends who had the surgery. I spent hours talking to everyone, I told them about my struggles and they told me about theirs. We all came away with a few good ideas of what to do. First don't look to lose the WHOLE amount in one shot. It won't happen and it will derail you from succeeding. Set a goal of 1-2lbs per week. Don't worry that some friends or family might be losing more. We aren't in competition with them. Look at the little things. One friend said she stopped putting Crystal light or Mio in her water. She only drank plain ice water. It seemed to help her jump start her weight loss. Another friend said he started taking the stairs instead of the elevator. He climbs seven flights at least once a day. Another told me her husband who did not have the surgery brought snacks home and that she would eat them. She purged her home of the unhealthy snacks as she did right after her surgery. I started to implement these and other ideas and I have lost 5lbs in five weeks. I'm at the half way point to getting back to my goal weight. We are not super humans we need help and we need encouragement in order to succeed. There are a few on here who have done a tremendous job on their own and they are to be commended and emulated. For me, I need and I will take all the help I can get. Everyday is a struggle to be healthy. I told my surgeon that all this is happening after only four years, how do people succeed at maintaining the weight loss? He said sadly, the majority won't.

I really appreciate the feedback. It's really helpful in letting me know what I'm experiencing is completely normal for us all. So far I've lost about 40 pounds and for my own personal goal, I still have another 70 pounds to go. Some say they can see it in my face cuz it looks thinner, but to be honest, nobody really sees my body because I've been working remotely from home since the surgery and they only see me cuz video, so that's usually just from the shoulders (or boobs) up. Lol. But my family sees me and hasn't noticed much weight loss. It's discouraging.

Don’t be afraid to eat fruit. I was encouraged to add fruit to my diet when I was able - I think from about 3 months. Melons & berries became one of my snack alternatives. Fruit (& vegetables) were a source of the fructose & glucose my body needs as an energy source & an excellent source of essential vitamins & minerals. It helped a with my energy drops & random hypoglycaemic episodes. Its addition also helped me to work towards a balanced, nutrient rich diet. If fruit is on your diet give it a go if not, leave it until your dietician says it’s ok. As with all things portion size is important, include the calories (it’s the calories not the fruit that affects your weight loss) & whole fresh fruit not juice. Avoid dried too as we tend to eat a lot more dry fruit than we would fresh - a prune is one plum, a dried apricot is one small apricot or half a large.

Thank you so much for your reply @catwoman7 . You actually gave me more hope than my surgeon. He said I should only expect to lose about 50% of my excess weight. That was disappointing. A few years ago (3 to be exact), I maintained my weight between 200-215, and honestly, I looked pretty damn great! Then menopause came knockin and my metabolism took a noise dive! I put on about 85-90 lbs. In December 2020 I hit 298 and couldn't stand myself! Surgery day I weighed in @ 282 and that was on 7/17/21...& this morning I was @ 256. I'm hoping to get too about 175. That's a great weight for me, although from the weight chart inn the doc's offices it says for my build and being 5'7 I should be around 155 or 160 but my opinion is that is way too skinny for me. But I have some hopes now that I'll be able to hit my goal weight. I've just gotta keep doing what I'm doing and be patient.