Weight Loss Frustration

[Supersweetums 1,164]

I was sleeved on November 29th, and I am feeling a little frustrated with the weight loss. In my second week, I lost 17 lbs, which is amazing! But since then, I have only lost a total of 4 more pounds. So in the last 3 weeks, I have only lost 4 lbs. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy to have lost 21 lbs in the last 5 weeks, but I thought I would lose more. I was hoping for 2-3 lbs a week, and so far I am lucky if I lose 1 lb a week. I have just started solids, I think I getting in my fluids fairly well. I know I am a little short on my Protein, maybe 40g a day instead of the 70g that I am suppose to be getting. Anyone else have this experience?? I paid for my surgery myself, and part of me feels that I made a mistake and put my family $10K into debt.

[myrori 55]

My initial weight loss has been slow also. I have lost 21 pounds in 5 weeks and I thought it would be more like 40. When you don't have a much to lose it seems to be that you don't get those big numbers at first. Be patient and it will start coming off.

[coops 1,790]

Supersweettums,

First;y, congratulations on your weight lose to date. That weight has gone and is gone forever.

You are still in the early days and your body is still wondering what has happened to it as it enters the final stage of healing. I know it is frustrating, 'cos I was in the same boat... I stall for 3 weeks at 2 1/2 weeks post op, I was also self pay and I agree... it was an awful time and one of doubt.

I have now accepted that I am a slow loser and it does continue to get me down ... I weigh every day and in one way it is wrong 'cos those numbers dictate my mood... I am trying not to but... I am about 6mths out now and my average weight loss per week is 1.9lb! Not fantastic but ok. I just have to keep plodding along and wait for my body to let go of the flab!

Just be kind to yourself, follow your post op diet guidelines and it will come off!

=]

[drysdale 0]

I was sleeved on the 7th and have lost 16 lbs. I have a total of 72 lbs to lose, so I think that is a win. Try and look at the percentage you have lost. I've lost about 20% of my excess weight. There are 2 things that I have noticed about getting sleeved and this board.

It seems that the less you have to lose the slower you will lose. I'm not sure why, but that seems to be the case. People who have more to lose tend to lose more right off the bat.

Also, the WLS diet is heavy Protein and very Atkin's Diet like. The Atkin's Diet is high protein/low carbs and throws your body into ketosis. All this means it that your body uses fat for energy. When you are in ketosis (there are urine strips you can purchase at the drugstore if you want to know), you can lose between 2-4 lbs a week. The Atkin's Diet limits you initially to only 20 grams of carbs per day.

So, yes, everyone is different. Low calories can stall a weight loss, but it will get going again. I'm not sure what you are eating, but I would limit your carbs and keep your liquids up. It might help.

[iegal 460]

Hello Super;

Wow - I think you weight loss is tremendous! I am going to repeat good advice already provided. First some people loose weight slowly, but remember the weight is GONE. I too was a self pay for VSG but double your amount as I did my surgery in the US. Worth every penny I spent.

My advice? Cut out the carbs - you have a window of great opportunity for the first six months, or so I am told by my surgeon. Create new habits. First of all you should be careful of what you eat right now so early out. Up your protien - eat eggs, greek yogurt, protien shakes as you are still healing. Try canned tuna fish or soft fish. Eliminate potatoes, rice, bread while you are loosing weight. I put the items back into my diet during the holidays...and my weight loss this entire month is around 5 pounds. Yippee I lost weight, but not like I was when watching what I eat.. I am limiting carbs (as I eat a half a biscuit with gravy) starting tomorrow again so I can reach goal (over 70 lbs) by my six month checkup. Up your Protein also to at least 60 grms. Take your Multivitamins which include a b complex suppliment for B Vitamins (B12 is important).

Once you are maintaining - you can have a few chips, bread or potatoes as part of your regular meals...but not while loosing weight.

Lastly - are you excercising? Walk, walk, walk. Amazing how much easier it is to move now. Get resitance bands (TJ MaXX has cheap) and go to YouTube to follow some easy moves for home. Those few extra burn of calories will make a difference. Muscle burns more calories than fat and you need to burn the fat. No need to go crazy (I hate the gym) but now I go to walk the treadmill or elipse. Wish I was like LilDiva and moved 45 minutes a day. Love her!

Keep your spirits up. You are not a failure, nor is your surgery. You did not gain the weight in a month, nor will you loose it all in a month.

No regrets...I love my sleeve!

[Supersweetums 1,164]

Thanks for all the information and encouragement everyone! I am new to the boards, and I love how everyone is so supportive. I am cleared for exercise now, and I definitely am going to start. I am trying to up my Protein by drinking 2 Protein Shakes a day. I still am in the early stages of solids, so I haven't been eating very much in a day. The diet I was given is for 70g protein and 40 g carbs in a day. I think I might start jotting down what I eat and see how I am doing for calories and carbs. The weight loss is still painfully slow at the moment, so I am hoping if I up my protein and start exercising, that it will pick up again.

[pumpkin07 32]

By 3 to 4 mos you should lose half of your excess weight. Almost everyone does.

Your body seems to go into shock and tries to hold onto weight, but then suddenly you'll drop a bunch. I am maintaining now I guess after 11 mos, every once in a while I'll lose a few lbs but I'm fairly satisfied with the remainder of my weight coming off during the next year (I'm almost 11 mos out). I am not dieting or exercising but now I am finally walking. I notice when I walk a lot it helps. But I didn't do that and still lost weight, but necessarily every day or every week. But you'll be surprised how it comes off. Don't be discouraged!!

Don't worry about the money. You will save that 10k back on food/drink eventually. What I spend has totally changed over time, even if I eat at home or eat at a nice restaurant or eat junk food. For instance if I go to Taco Bell (rare) I spend $1.06 on a crunchy taco compared to $6 a year ago. If I go to a steak restaurant I generally share with my son who is 3 something decent and save about $15-$25 per meal. I don't buy drinks out hardly at all and my mainstay is Iced Tea and Koolaid made very weak for like 15 cents a glass which is generally once a day. I bought a few cups that I like and tend to bring drinks with me. I even stopped buying drinks from restaurants now bc I usually can't drink them anyway and take them to go and I can easily bring that from home. I use the little pouches and pour into 20 oz of Water but I don't pour it all bc I don't like a strong sugar taste. I drink coffee from home, I hate Starbucks now. I go to Whataburger and get the Jr Burger meal and split with my 3 yo son, etc. You will see even your family grocery bill will go way down bc you will use less food. I used to eat out a lot spontaneously and now it just isn't as tempting bc I get full fast so sort of the wasted restaurant bills are gone. If we do go out I usually bring leftovers and my older son eats them and that saves me money and cooking. I am a sunflower seed freak (Lance brand has lower salt and better nuts) and I usually eat a package a day which is like 50 cents and adds some good things to my diet especially Fiber. We eat a lot of eggs and Beans, and that is cheap. I prefer my own salsa, so that is cheaper. I don't buy nearly as many prepared items bc they tend to satisfy me less than just eating simple leaner foods. I think I save gosh, probably $75-200 a week on food / restaurants to be honest bc I used to go out more. I also try more new recipes now which is something I never did before. I take the time to find restaurant coupons on restaurant.com or buy gift cards where you get 20% back - so that is a savings and something I never had the control to focus on bc I was so focused on eating eating eating. So when we do go out I have more control and don't tend to overspend. The sleeve sort of GRADUALLY reigned me in and changed my habits and I definitely run a more economical budget.

Clothing bills honestly are about the same bc now, 11 mos out, bc I can go to Kohl's and buy cute things for cheap with coupons, etc. And my size isn't changing much now. Even if you need a nice outfit once you are smaller you can spend less. But I confess I buy more belts and jewelry/accessories now that I'm smaller. But even that is slowly down as I've built up some basics that I wear again and again.

At first after surgery it is expensive bc you are buying lots of supplements (look for sales and order samples first which I did not do) and you will have to replace all underwear, shoes, clothes, bras, lingerie, etc. My friend shops Goodwill bc she is still losing.

I wasted money initially on supplements and shakes that I later gave away. I tried so many things that I didn't like. That is what I'd do differently - I didn't know you could get samples and I just tried a lot of stuff that I didn't like over time trying to get my Protein in.

The important thing is to lose the weight and listen to everyone's advice here. But after a while you'll see there is a cost savings having this sleeve. I could write for hours if I thought about all the ways I save money not eating empty calories, etc.