anyone else feel stuck?

[scootergirl 118]

The good news is that I am down ~65 pounds in six months. Yippee! Alas, I have been bouncing around on the same ~five pounds since Thanksgiving. I have upped my exercise and tried to keep my total calorie intake to about 1000 calories per day. I aim for ~60g protein/day but often fall short. Has anyone else found themselves in a severe (more than two months and no real weight change) stall this early after surgery? My % weight loss is ~21% of my highest weight (65 pounds/313 pounds). My excess weight is ~145 pounds (highest weight - desired weight = 313 - 170). This means I have lost ~45% of my excess weight (65 pounds/145 pounds). Are these numbers the explanation for why I am stuck? I have read that most folks lose ~60% of their excess weight. Does anyone know what the average of %-of-pounds-lost is for us sleevers?

[NMJG 1,266]

Hi Scooter,

We are both August sleevers. I've slowed way down, barely a pound a week loss now and I'm under 1000 calories a day. i exercise every day. I am on weight training to build strength up, so I guess that is affecting it, too. My doctor said % of excess weight lost is a big determinant of continued loss. So, the closer you are to goal, the slower it goes. If I remember right, I think 60% excess weight lost at 6 months is average.

I've lost 57 lbs. out of 86 excess weight. That's 66% at six months. I'm *almost* at BMI below 25, which is "normal."

I really want to get these last pounds off tho. I'm considering maintaining on my weight training instead of progressing to see if I can get back to serious fat loss. Frustrating.

[Teachamy 1,042]

Good luck with this. I am a slow loser, and I feel a bit of your frustration!

Edited February 4, 2014 by Teachamy

[BigGirlPanties 957]

Stalls are common...don't give up... I just added a Protein Shake every day as I learned I was not taking in enough... I have lost 1 pound since I started on Saturday (need to update ticker)... so we shall see how this helps overall...

everyone is different and your success is quite good... compare yourself to yourself and not others! When was the last time you lost this amount of weight in that amount of time? If you are like me, NEVER!

[Sassy Pants1 186]

I was told, on average, people will lose between 65%-70% of their excess weight. During my psych eval, I was asked if I would be okay with that.

[BKLYNgal87 503]

I have been stalled over a month, so I feel your frustration completely. For me, it's become especially hard the closer to goal I get. I think all of our bodies go through periods of plateau. The severity and length of said plateaus just depend on the individual. You have lost quite a lot of weight in 6 months, and have a lot to be proud of. Keep mixing up your food and exercise routines and the scale will start moving downward again, you'll see. I agree with the folks above about 65-70% being normal excess weight loss for bariatric patients. I've lost nearly 80% of my excess weight, and I have my sleeve and my determination to thank for that . You will get there with perseverance and patience!

Edited February 4, 2014 by BKLYNgal87

[Carlotta1 401]

Don't let statistics or percentages get in your way. Say to yourself "I will reach my goal .it may take longer than expected..but I will get there no matter wha" . It may help to increase your intensity of exercise or length of exercise routine ..a good work out is when sweat is dripping . Get in your Protein. Even up it a bit so that u take in less carbs and fat for your 1000 calories per day. You can do it. Look what u have accomplished so far. You r in command of your destination .. Not percentages , not statistics.

[lilbearzmom 584]

Try eating more. Try 1200 calories rather than 1000. I lost the majority of my weight eating 1200-1500/day. I am almost 14 months post op and still losing.

[scootergirl 118]

Thanks for the suggestion, lilbearzmom. I had not heard that eating a bit more can be helpful. How careful were you with your Protein intake? Congrats on your long-running success. You are an inspiration to me.

[lilbearzmom 584]

Thanks for the suggestion, lilbearzmom. I had not heard that eating a bit more can be helpful. How careful were you with your Protein intake? Congrats on your long-running success. You are an inspiration to me.

Looks like you have done quite well yourself! All along I have been afraid of wrecking my metabolism by eating at too much of a deficit. Honestly, I think the more you lose, the more you need to eat. As an obese person, your body does OK at extreme calorie deficits due to having so much extra energy to burn in the form of fat. As you lose that fat, you should eat more (although still at a deficit) to keep healthy as well as continue to lose weight. Also, your hunger tends to return somewhat (at 14 months out, it's not nearly like it was pre-surgey, but it's still there), and extreme calorie restriction might lead to overeating.

Sorry, this got long. LOL Good luck, you are on the right track!