Stalling!

[Luana526 61]

I have read hundreds and hundreds of posts on here both before and after my surgery. I have read about the stalls. Of course it's bound to happen. I wonder when it will happen to me, I thought. After reading so many posts, I've gathered that everyone loses a lot of weight that first month (one woman was near tears because she only lost 22 pounds the first month!). "Oh, goody!," I thought. "I'll get to see the fruits of my labor right away!" Wrong. I am four weeks post op today, and I've lost 14 pounds since surgery--and all but two pounds were from the first week! I've lost one pound in the last three weeks. I don't even want to get on the scale because it's too depressing.

I had this surgery as a last resort because ever since I hit menopause, the weight simply would not come off, no matter how much I exercised and how closely I followed a weight loss plan. Even Weight Watchers stopped working for me despite accounting for every bite and every point. Before surgery, I told the psychologist that my only fear was that I would be the one patient out of a thousand that simply was not going to lose weight. I'd be the anamoly . . . I pictured the doctor shaking his head and saying, "I just don't know why it's not working for you." And here I am.

I'm following everything they've told me: eating Protein, drinking Protein, drinking Water, walking my treadmill. After all that, I lose one stinking pound in three weeks?? I'm eating 1/100th of what I was eating in a day. How is the scale not moving? How am I stuck at the same weight for three weeks? And if I'm stuck here, how on earth am I ever going to reach my goal? I can't even break 190! And before you tell me all about the shock that my body is in, how it thinks I'm starving, etc., I've had several close friends over the years with eating disorders and starvation seemed to make them waste away. The only thing my body should be doing is shedding pounds.

I'm so disgusted. I can't even throw in the towel and say, "Screw this! I'm going to eat half a pizza!" because I can't eat more than two bites of anything! Hence, the venting. No need to post about what a whiner I am. I already know it. I just needed to vent. It's in place of that pizza, you understand.

[Ava324 413]

The procedure is working. It's a process and your body is responding to the shock of it. The fluids you got during surgery could explain it alone. Glycogen plays a big role, and your body is working to mobilize fat for energy use: http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.php. During all of your frequent future and lengthy stalls, you may be losing inches instead. I found that I'd lose -> shrink -> lose -> shrink.

You're right. It is quite actually impossible to not to lose weight when you're complying with the post-op plan. The FitBit app, where I log my daily weight, graphs my progress. It isn't a straight and pretty line to goal. I've gained a few pounds back here and there. At first this made me panic. Then, I'd be happy by it! If I gained 2, I knew a quick 5lb loss was at the end of it. The human body is a very complex machine on a cellular level. No body is the same, and yours is just "doing it's thing". This journey is a long and emotional process. Your procedure is working and your body is processing.

If you take the steps to be successful, you will be. Period.

[Luana526 61]

Thanks, Ava. I appreciate the kind words. It does help. I'm just baffled and frustrated. And scared. You have had trememdous success, I see. Kudos to you! I hope to follow suit . . .

P.S. I have FitBit, too . . . love it!

Edited October 24, 2014 by Luana526

[HappygoSusan 296]

Of course you need to vent. You're going through MAJOR changes! Just realize that it is going to work. I would stay at the same weight for what seemed eternity. Pound by pound, and sometimes it was a single pound, it came off. Try staying off the scale for a while. As long as you're following your surgeons orders, you will be successful.

Susan

[Sleevarilla 169]

You've lost 14 pounds in a month. You lost how much a month with weight watchers? Or any other diet you've been on? 14 pounds is amazing, and you should be proud of that. So what if someone lost more than you did? You lost more than I did, and I'm not mad at you. I get the emotional upheaval, it's a lot to deal with ... but, you'll be fine. Why does everyone (but me, I never thought that for some reason) think that they will be the one person that fails at this? That baffles me.

[Thinkingthinner1109 485]

I get it too! I would be super upset, depressed and everything else under the dang sun! It will start to come off. Have you noticed losing inches? I had to out my scale away, I actually wanted to break it so it didn't tempt me. Hang in there there is no where else to go but down eating only two bites. But believe me I get it. And sometimes you just have to vent!

[amazon 579]

You'll be OK. I just had a long stall. It totally sucks and gets in your head.

Stick with your program and it WILL come off. My body fights to hold on to everything. I put on weight following WW the last time. And I've lost a bunch of weight with them before. But the last two times, my weight went up..and I was very strict on the plan. Welcome to the 50's I guess, sigh.

I don't know about you, but part of my reasoning for having the surgery was so I couldn't walk away from it. I mean, I could choose to eat poorly, but my days of stuffing myself are officially over.

If it takes me longer than others to drop the weight, not much I can do about it. One thing I've learned in this short time is that my body is going to do what it's going to do. Ultimately I'm not giving it any choice but to lose weight by following my plan.

Hope your stall breaks soon!

[Luana526 61]

Thanks, everyone, for the great responses. I will keep all these words of wisdom in mind while on my journey!

P.S. Yes, I lost waaay less weight on Weight Watchers, but the reason why I chose bariatric surgery is precisely because the other methods weren't working. So, yeah, I have high expectations. But as someone put it, once that weight is loss, it's not coming back. I know I have to concentrate on the direction of the scale, however slow it's moving.

[Hockey momma 3]

As I read your post, I looked to the left and saw your height and weight. I have found a ton of shorter women on here who have more difficulty with losing and in longer stalls.....myself included.

Height 5'2", weight before surgery 200 even. Weight after at 30 days post op (today) 179.

I'm doing everything right too, I walk at least 4 miles a day at work and stay as much on the diet as possible (I'm struggling with soft foods).

Vent away...just know in all honesty, I feel healthier. I feel different. The weight WILL come off, just not as soon as I'd like.

Instant results are desired although not a given.

Hang in there.

[sophie'sChoice 269]

I wished frustration burned calories don't you? LOL I'm glad you had a safe place to vent. I lost 17 lbs over the 6 months I had to do the insurance required monitored plan and then I lost a TON during my first month post surgery but mostly because I didn't have to do a pre surgery liquid diet. I'm at 7 months out now and although I'm happy with what I have accomplished I have found that even though I still have a LONG way to go and even though I'm doing everything right, I will go for a few weeks and not lose anything (even at over 300 lbs) and then I lose a few pounds...then I go a few weeks without losing....and the cycle repeats. I have learned to stay off the scale and just stay the course. To look at the other side of the coin...I have gone 7 months and not gained any weight! It's a big deal for me. One more interesting fact from my personal experience. It's during the dry spells of the scale not moving that I see the biggest changes in my body and how my clothes fit. Interesting huh? Hang in there and fight the good fight. You will get there. You will !!!

Edited October 24, 2014 by sophie'sChoice

[Ava324 413]

Just have to say again that it's a process. Your body will get there on its own time and in its own way. If you stick to your plan, it WILL get there.

[kimpossible67 608]

Look at the bright side...you could have gained 14 pounds! Grab 2 gallons of milk and go for a walk. Notice how heavy 14 pounds is.