Will the scale ever move?!?

[elizabethp529 2]

Hey everyone,

I think I just need a bit of reassurance from you pros who've been doing this for longer.

I'm almost at day 45 since my surgery, and the scale has just stopped moving. I was right at 300 when I had my surgery (down almost 40 pounds by myself), and I lost about 25 pounds in two weeks afterward. I stopped losing weight, but I calmed myself (with the help of the advice on this board) that it was temporary, my body just needed time to adapt to that quick and much of a loss, that this was permanent and the weight would continue to come off. It's been about three weeks since then though, and the scale hasn't moved at all. I fluctuate between 275 and 270 and it's refusing to move any lower.

I think my clothes are getting better, and I am still losing inches, but the scale...the scale!!

I'm worried that I'm sabotaging myself somehow. Maybe I'm eating too much or too often, maybe I'm not getting enough Protein in, maybe I'm just doing it all wrong. At my last check-up, my surgeon told me to not live and die by the scale and I'm trying not to. I think I would be much more zen about it if I saw SOME change, even a little.

Anyone out there that can sympathize and tell me that I'm just acting silly and dramatic?

[SeriouslyChange 319]

You're being silly and dramatic...

But seriously.

Give us a sample of what you eat in a day.

I had surgery at 305. So I feel your pain.

I am proud to say that as much as I got depressed at first because I "wasn't losing fast enough" I have officially lost 120 pounds since surgery and it hasn't even been a year yet.

So chill

[elizabethp529 2]

Thank you for the kind words of support.

On a typical day I drink a muscle milk light (20g protein) and a greek yogurt (11 g) for Breakfast, have a snack of a Protein bar (20 g), eat some version of left overs from previous night's dinner for lunch and then for dinner it varies but is always some form of Protein like chicken or turkey sausage/kielbasa. I'm not eating a ton of veggies yet because they're still really hard on my pouch but i'm not eating a lot of bread or anything (except potatoes I guess). I feel like I'm getting in enough protein (but maybe not since I don't actually count after lunch) and I'm good about taking my Vitamins.

[elizabethp529 2]

I also worry that I'm eating too much at times, but my book says about 6-8 small meals a day and I'm not even doing that. I just feel like I'm eating ALL the time if I do, so I try to just do about 3 meals and a snack everyday.

[Heyher 581]

Get your fluids in. Then Protein.

Search in here for three week stall. Happens to a lot of people. Also keep in mind your body just underwent a major shock. It may need time to adjust. Don't just track success on the scale. Measure and track inches. Do monthly photos to compare. And also track your non scale victories.

[SeriouslyChange 319]

Are you using something like myfitnesspal to track calories?

Seems to me like you're doing great. I tend to go crazy with Proteins, plain tuna is my quick lazy snack, grilled chicken is a staple lol. I'm very plain with food, so a couple ounces of chicken alone is a great meal to me.

I don't eat much bread, rice, Pasta anymore either. And every once in a while I'll go veggie crazy, but I focus a lot on Protein.

Try using myfitnesspal and weighing your food and counting your calories. Because you're early out, it's not like you're going to binge on like 10oz of Protein in one sitting, but you'd be surprised how calories add up.

How's your exercise? Water? Do you chew chew chew and not over stuff yourself? No judgement, just wondering is all.

And don't worry about eating too much. Calorie wise, if they're small meals, it's fine. My coworkers joke all the time that I'm constantly "stuffing my face" but I'm more successful than they are about losing weight. They also know I've has surgery, so it's all in good fun

[SeriouslyChange 319]

Oh! And buy a tape measure and measure yourself. I thought it was hilarious that I wouldn't drop a pound, but my body was shrinking. You'd be surprised

There's also an app, see me get fit, that can track your weight and you can attach photos to it.

[Indigo1991 1,612]

First thing to do - don't panic. Stressing can stop weight loss (something to do with the chemicals it sends whistling round your body) so take deep breaths and relax.

45 days out makes it unlikely that you are eating too many calories (unless you are eating stuff you know you shouldn't be or grazing all day long). So, at this stage, don't agonise over calories and looking to find fault with yourself and what you are doing. Stalls happen, irrespective of what we do. Your body has been through a huge shock and change, it sometimes needs time to reflect and regroup. If you are losing inches, the scale will follow eventually.

I had a stall of just over four weeks and, despite wanting to change everything, I stuck to getting the right amount of Protein and Fluid in, exercising and resisting weighing myself every day, which was just torture every time the scale hadn't moved. So stick with getting enough Protein, drink what you've been told to and keep moving. It sometimes can feel like being sleeved is a battle of wills between you and your body but it isn't - it's a partnership and sometimes you can't make it go any quicker than it wants...

The weight loss will restart, just hang in there :-)))

[ItsMe2033 143]

Thank you for the kind words of support.

On a typical day I drink a muscle milk light (20g protein) and a greek yogurt (11 g) for Breakfast, have a snack of a Protein bar (20 g), eat some version of left overs from previous night's dinner for lunch and then for dinner it varies but is always some form of Protein like chicken or turkey sausage/kielbasa. I'm not eating a ton of veggies yet because they're still really hard on my pouch but i'm not eating a lot of bread or anything (except potatoes I guess). I feel like I'm getting in enough protein (but maybe not since I don't actually count after lunch) and I'm good about taking my Vitamins.

I'm only trying to help by pointing out the following things. There were several things in this post that concerned me. First, it would be good if you could post a log for a full day detailing everything that you actually ate in a day including portion size and calorie counts. There are a lot of vague items in the list above.

"but i'm not eating a lot of bread"

At this point for most surgeons plans you probably shouldn't be eating any bread at all. I don't know what your surgeon has said. Bread is almost all empty calories, and it can make a dough ball in your sleeve.

"(except potatoes I guess)"

At this point your intake of potatoes should be minimal. They are mostly empty calories with minimal nutritional value.

"I feel like I'm getting in enough protein (but maybe not since I don't actually count after lunch)"

Given your situation, I strongly suggest that you should count your protein all day long, and your calories as well.

At meals where you are eating potatoes, are you eating your protein first, then eating the potatoes afterward?

Are you eating any meals that do not have protein?

Unless you are eating just a ton of food, you will start losing again soon. The issues that I asked are important now, but they will be more important as you continue the journey. Right now, it's almost impossible to keep from losing weight for any length of time, but eating the protein first, and adequate protein consumption, and minimizing consumption of empty calories will determine if you ever get to your goal or not. Right now is the best time to establish good habits.

Also, I didn't see any mention of exercise in your post.

[stomlin75 161]

First, make sure you are getting all the Water in. I broke my stalls everytime at that stage with just making sure I drank all the Water.< /p>

Second, no potatoes. There is nothing about that potato that is giving you anything you need right now. Protein and veggies are your friends. The sooner you throw in stuff like potatoes, the easier it will be for you to eat slider foods that are high in carbs and your weight loss will stop. Take it from someone who did exactly what you are doing. You know why you are stalling out (beside it being a normal phenomenon), so get back on plan. It's a lot easier now than dealing with it later when your stomach can handle much more.

Wishing you all the best!!

[elizabethp529 2]

You guys are right, I need to just get rid of the carbs and bad things completely. For the record, my diet plan does allow bread and toast now, but you are right saying I need to avoid them. I always have a been a meat and potatoes girl so I need to just get rid of them. I got back in the habit when they were pretty much the only thing I could eat and not get sick but they've got to go now. I am exercising as well, walking about three days a week and doing some light weight training twice a week, but I do need to amp it up as well. I appreciate you all being so supportive but also doing some "tough love".

Thank you all so much. I appreciate your input.