So Frustrated......i Know This Is Just Part Of The Deal But Still....

[JayhawkJess33 25]

I am happy with my decision to have the surgery and I am pretty happy with the total amount of lbs/inches I have lost. However, I am very frustrated with my current rate of loss. I had a teeny little mini-stall at 2 weeks postop and broke on through it within about 4 days (so I'm not sure I could really call it a stall). Now I am 5 weeks out and haven't lost (actually have gained) ANYTHING in almost 2 weeks. Maybe this is more my stall than the first one was? I am working really hard to get in my calories and Protein and getting in all my fluids. I go to the gym every morning at 530 for 45 minutes to an hour.

I know this is probably my body adjusting and getting used to the new lifestyle but it is so disheartening. Can some of you tell me what a typical day's food is like for you as well as exercise? I'm trying so hard and have just gotten started - I didn't think it would get this difficult to take off the lbs. this soon....would love any tips or encouragement!

[Anakin Jay 39]

Well, I'm only 3 months out, but I can tell you that that's pretty much how weight loss goes for me. I won't lose anything for two or 3 weeks, then I'll drop 5-10 almost over night... that's pretty much been the pattern since surgery.

I imagine it's probably my body just adjusting... it seems like the weights I get stuck at are the weights I've spent the most time at in my life... this past stall was the *worst* ( at one point I even gained a few pounds) and that was the weight I had been at for about 3 years.. I just finally moved past it yesterday.

a few things:

are you actively tracking *all* of your calories, and are you discussing the results with a nutrionist? Pre-op I was eating 3500'sh calories a day... post op I was eating 1300-1500 and I got scolded by my doctor that it was too much. He said 500-750 cals / day max... and I honestly find it hard to eat that little.. but I feel like it has been helping.

Watch your sodium intake, I know when I eat a lot of salty stuff I gain a few Water pounds... if you're gaining Water pounds as you're losing real pounds it might seem like a stall.

Are you weight lifting? If you're going to the gym every morning and building muscle, you might just be gaining muscle weight around the same pace you lose fat weight. Are you tracking your measurements? That's the real deal.

Hope that helps!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

myfitnesspal.com ~ username: dorrierobles2003 this is a great source to look at what I have eaten and great history.

[JayhawkJess33 25]

VERY good points! Thanks! I am really glad to know I'm not the only one this seems to happen to

You are SPOT ON with the comment about the weights you stall at being the weights you have stayed at for longer periods of time in the past. I am currently stalled at the lower end of where I have been a few times over the past few years and its like my body is just hanging on, not wanting to break past that.

I am tracking every single thing I put in my mouth on myfitnesspal.com - I have a guide from my nutritionist on calorie/protein intake, etc.... I have the opposite problem as it sounds like you do. I have struggled to get in enough calories for my body not to go into starvation mode and I first thought that was the problem, but even when I manage to get in my "minimum" number of calories, I'm still not losing. Probably just my body trying to adjust I suppose. My nut told me I should not go below 900 calories or I won't lose - well yesterday was the first day since surgery that I actually manage to get over 900 calories and 72 g of Protein. I felt like my carbs were too high though.

The sodium thing is something I hadn't considered and may be a factor - its so hard to balance it all at the same time! I stepped on the scale this morning and had gone up about 2 1/2 lbs. so that does suggest Water retention so this is a very real possibility.

I haven't done any weight lifting as of yet. I am rotating between treadmill, elliptical and recumbent bike right now.

I have taken my measurements twice since surgery - the first time they went down dramatically when I was still losing fast and the second time was last week and there was only a small difference. I'm still happy with that but you know how it wears on you to know you are working so hard and paid all this money and it FEELS like you aren't getting anywhere at the moment.......

Thank you VERY much for the post - it was a great help and pointed out things I hadn't thought of! Exactly why I love this board!

[JayhawkJess33 25]

Thanks Dorrie!!! I will definitely check it out - I appreciate you sharing!

[favoredone 590]

Dorrie, it's funny how different our bodies are!! When I eat less than 900 calories, I don't lose a POUND!! Lately I've been trying my hardest to get in at least 1000 calories daily and I've been losing at least .5 per day...

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

BTW ~ This is going to be a life time struggle for us so I figure I will just sit back and enjoy the ride. You are going to lose your weight and there will be stalls and the further out you get, weight loss slows down. So this is nothing that anyone can control. For me it's been a lot easier to handle it this way. You are doing great! This is a life long journey now.

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

favordone ~ I have read and also heard from my NUT to up my calories to increase weight loss. I have tried but always seem to hit around the 900 calorie mark. Part of me is afraid to increase too much for fear of gaining. I know that this is irrational. However, when I do increase to 1000 calories, I feel stuffed. Let's do an experiment. I will work especially hard for at least 1 week to increase my calorie intake to 1000 to 1200 and see if I can loose at least .5 lb. I will let you know the if it works or not. Thanks favordone.

[Anakin Jay 39]

My doc said that by removing the part of the stomach that produces ghrellin, our bodies are incapable of going into starvation mode, and that all you need to worry about is making sure you're getting in enough Vitamins, Calcium, etc... per day.

Sometimes the differences about vsg between doctors is scary to me.. ><

[JayhawkJess33 25]

favoredone - that is interesting! I am anxious to try and figure out where my body's "happy calorie number" is! Thanks for sharing yours! It really is interesting, isn't it??

That is really interesting Jay! I would love to believe that actually because I stress about it! ha Most days if I don't really try, I get in around 500-600 calories and feel good with that mostly. But then I think about what the nut said and I start stressing about how to get in enough to keep losing.

Dorrie, I think you are totally right - its a lifelong journey and I will get there.......It's just hard in the moment. I think I fully realized it would slow way down after a while - I just didn't expect it to happen so soon. But I also know I am trying/working hard so it should happen. I irrationally sometimes think that I will just stay where I am now and my body won't let me lose any more but I know that is silly.

Thanks so much for the encouragement

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Jayhawk you are absolutely right. We all have this struggle in the beginning. I know I did, but now realize I hated that struggle bc I reflected back in the beginning when I wasn't so focused and the weight just fell off. When I started weighing everyday and the weight stopped falling off, I was so frustrated and I decided after some time to just live life for today and just know that the weight will come up. Now having said that, I also believe that we have to be proactive and eat healthy and exercise.

However, now is a time for you to sit back and take notice of how your cloths fit you in the AM in comparison to how they fit in the PM. I know that I would put on my slacks for work and they would fit but then by the PM they would be really loose. That was amazing for me. This will happen to others also. I love losing inchs. LOL

[randalljohn 22]

thanks for mentioning "My Fitness Pal"-- this is going to be an awesome tool. I was concerned that I was eating too much, but this is showing me exactly where I am in regard to calories and Protein. Everyone should use this -- especially in the first few months after surgery.

[Lissa 2,631]

Hi Jess! Our restriction is pretty tight to start with, so it will take awhile to be able to get in the calories they recommend. It will happen, though. I'm lissa912 on MFP if you want to add me.

Lissa

[kayte819 95]

I also feel like a slow loser sometimes because my weight will stay the same for weeks. It can be discouraging but.I try to remember that.it.took years to get that heavy & will take time to lose it. In the past I've had some luck breaking my stalls by upping my carbs a bit. Everyone is different so hang in there!

If you want to add me on mfp my user name is Kayte819