Frustrated a bit

[LaLaJ13 24]

My surgery date was April 3, 2017. I'm at the end of my 11th week and I've only lost 48lbs, but for the last week I've been going back and forth between 1.5lbs and 2lbs. I feel as though I've hit another stall. Unfortunately, I've also been dealing with an injury where my hip was pulled out of place and I've been unable to walk my normal 5 to 6 miles. I'm frustrated a bit. I also feel so limited with what is acceptable to eat that at times I don't wish to eat at all. I see how much others have lost and I am amazed. I'm just wishing I could lose so much so fast, but everyone is different I see. I'm told you have to eat to lose, that is beginning to be a challenge. I don't know.

HW: 346

SW: 304

CW: 258

GW: 200

[Introversion 1,876]

When's the last time you lost 16 pounds per month via diet and exercise alone? I'm going to guess the answer is "never." You're still doing great.

At three months out I'd lost a whopping 33.5 pounds. Not everyone's a fast responder to bariatric surgery. What matters is that I eventually reached my goal weight and have managed to maintain it.

Comparing yourself to the super-responders is an exercise in futility. It's actually our genetics that determines how fast we respond to bariatric surgery, at least during the honeymoon period. Those with two favorable markers on chromosome 15 are going to be the rapid losers.

Good luck to you.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Introversion

[LaLaJ13 24]

When's the last time you lost 16 pounds per month via diet and exercise alone? I'm going to guess the answer is "never." You're still doing great.
At three months out I'd lost a whopping 33.5 pounds. Not everyone's a fast responder to bariatric surgery. What matters is that I eventually reached my goal weight and have managed to maintain it.
Comparing yourself to the super-responders is an exercise in futility. It's actually our genetics that determines how fast we respond to bariatric surgery, at least during the honeymoon period. Those with two favorable markers on chromosome 15 are going to be the rapid losers.
Good luck to you. [emoji4]

Thank you for that! I understand and it makes a lot of sense. Plus, you're right... I've never lost 16 pounds a month on any diet. I know that it's not good to compare myself to others, I welcome the reminder. I'm very happy for you and your success! I will meet my goal and so will you! I'll work through my stall and keep it pushin'.

Thank you fellow sleeved!

[Katie Struthers 29]

I keep telling myself that slow and steady wins the race. Maybe I'll have less loose skin, etc. if I lose slower. I don't know, I always try to look at the positive side of stuff, even though I get down sometimes too.

[hopekate 85]

My surgery was April 3rd, too. I've lost 39 pounds since surgery. I think you are doing great! I keep telling myself that slow loss may help my skin not sag (I don't know if that's true or not). It makes me feel better anyway [emoji4]

I have been in a stall for three weeks. It's weird though because my measurements are changing despite the stuck numbers on the scale. It's like the scale takes forever to catch up to my changing body.

I wish you luck[emoji256]

HW: 277

SW: 240

CW: 201

GW: 140

[LittleLizzieLilliput 919]

What do you mean "Only lost 48lbs"??? I think you have some readjusting to do on your expectations. You need to understand what our bodies are going through, the changes, the healing, etc. And you are BARELY on the road of this journey!!! lol!

So, my FIRST thing to say to you is to congratulate yourself on how well you've done, on all the hard work and dedication. Also you need to give yourself a HUGE hug. Cause man are you doing great!!

My Second thing to say to you is that plateaus and stalls are going to be constant. In fact you will have more time in a stall than you will losing weight. I don't like calling them stalls. I call them Pauses. Cause your body is still working hard, it's healing, trying to build muscle, it's confused and just getting to a place of balance again after have most of an organ removed.

My Third thing to say to is this...try to enjoy this process as much as you can. You lost 48 pounds man!!! WOO HOO! That's fantastic. You've basically lost a 6 year old from your body. lol! You need to enjoy these things. Below is a post from a thread in May. So many people responded to me and it helped them so I try to paste it in threads I think it can still help. Good luck and please try to enjoy so much of this and give yourself a break. You are doing AMAZING!

Quote

My surgery was 10/10/16, I've had more stalls than active weight loss weeks. Yet here I am in a size 14 about to move to a size 12. They aren't stalls, I call them Pauses. Nothing's stopped, your body is still working, you have done so much to it, it needs a little time. The first 6-12 weeks are about recovery and healing. You will lose weight but your body is also in shock, it will retain Water, be swollen, sore and need time.

But then it will happen again and you won't have a good reason. You will be following all the protocols and you will be walking and drinking your Water and hitting your Protein goals and yet you will hit another Pause. You need to be mentally prepared for that. It's not all a down slope.

So to prepare you need to do a few things:

• Measure yourself, your head (yes, you lose weight there) your neck - super satisfying to watch it shrink, your biceps, your forearms, your writs, hell - measure your fingers too and your palm, your breast, under your breasts, your waist, your hips, your thighs, etc. All the way to your toes.
  • Then do that about once every few weeks or so.
  • And then when you hit another plateau you pull out that sheet and measure yourself again and see that your body is still changing and evolving. The scale does not tell the whole story.
• When I get discouraged I like to take a few moments and feel the changes in my body. I run my hands along my feet and ankles, my calves and knees. I feel the bones and muscle revealing themselves. I wrap my fingers around my wrist and feel how much smaller they are now. I run my hands along my forearms on the outside and feel my bones up to my elbow. I run my hands along my collar bones, revel in the fact I have them now! I continue on up my neck, circling it with my hands to feel how small it is now and then along my jaw bone, a bone I haven't seen in decades. I take these moments and remind myself how great this is and how great I'm doing even if I don't believe it in that moment.
• I move. When I'm discouraged I now move. I used to eat. Now I want to remind myself how much easier it is to move. So I go for a very vigorous walk, I put on the happiest, bounciest, fasted rhythmed music I have and get to steppin! Blast that brain with some oxygen, sun, music and endorphins.

There are going to be MANY pauses and stalls and plateaus. It's our job to prepare your coping tools and mechanisms so that you can self-sooth and re-motivate without need for food or a serious mental adjustment. Before I let myself get that far I use these methods. They work for me, you will find what works for you hopefully. Good luck and congratulations!!!

[SleevyNicks 20]

I'm in a similar situation. My surgery was March 28 and I've lost 45 lbs. (I stopped saying "only" because of this forum!). It can be very discouraging.

Like the other people who have commented, I focus on the positives to slow weight loss, like no skin sagging. I also haven't lost a strand of hair - don't know if it's related. Either way, I know if we just stick to it and keep eating right and exercising, this weight will have no other choice but to come off. Hang in there! You're not alone!

[LaLaJ13 24]

I keep telling myself that slow and steady wins the race. Maybe I'll have less loose skin, etc. if I lose slower. I don't know, I always try to look at the positive side of stuff, even though I get down sometimes too.

I understand what you mean. After reading all of the responses, I am working on being more realistic about my weight loss. I have done very well and I shouldn't beat myself up about it. After I wrote this, out of nowhere I just dropped 11lbs! It literally just fell off. This is all very unpredictable.

Good luck to us all!

[LaLaJ13 24]

I'm in a similar situation. My surgery was March 28 and I've lost 45 lbs. (I stopped saying "only" because of this forum!). It can be very discouraging.
Like the other people who have commented, I focus on the positives to slow weight loss, like no skin sagging. I also haven't lost a strand of hair - don't know if it's related. Either way, I know if we just stick to it and keep eating right and exercising, this weight will have no other choice but to come off. Hang in there! You're not alone!

Thank you! I'm hanging in there for sure. Since writing this, I've noticed that now my hair is beginning to shed a little and I dropped an additional 11lbs out of nowhere. Staying steady!

Good luck to you!

[LaLaJ13 24]

What do you mean "Only lost 48lbs"??? I think you have some readjusting to do on your expectations. You need to understand what our bodies are going through, the changes, the healing, etc. And you are BARELY on the road of this journey!!! lol!

So, my FIRST thing to say to you is to congratulate yourself on how well you've done, on all the hard work and dedication. Also you need to give yourself a HUGE hug. Cause man are you doing great!!

My Second thing to say to you is that plateaus and stalls are going to be constant. In fact you will have more time in a stall than you will losing weight. I don't like calling them stalls. I call them Pauses. Cause your body is still working hard, it's healing, trying to build muscle, it's confused and just getting to a place of balance again after have most of an organ removed.

My Third thing to say to is this...try to enjoy this process as much as you can. You lost 48 pounds man!!! WOO HOO! That's fantastic. You've basically lost a 6 year old from your body. lol! You need to enjoy these things. Below is a post from a thread in May. So many people responded to me and it helped them so I try to paste it in threads I think it can still help. Good luck and please try to enjoy so much of this and give yourself a break. You are doing AMAZING!

My surgery was 10/10/16, I've had more stalls than active weight loss weeks. Yet here I am in a size 14 about to move to a size 12. They aren't stalls, I call them Pauses. Nothing's stopped, your body is still working, you have done so much to it, it needs a little time. The first 6-12 weeks are about recovery and healing. You will lose weight but your body is also in shock, it will retain Water, be swollen, sore and need time.

But then it will happen again and you won't have a good reason. You will be following all the protocols and you will be walking and drinking your Water and hitting your Protein goals and yet you will hit another Pause. You need to be mentally prepared for that. It's not all a down slope.

So to prepare you need to do a few things:

• Measure yourself, your head (yes, you lose weight there) your neck - super satisfying to watch it shrink, your biceps, your forearms, your writs, hell - measure your fingers too and your palm, your breast, under your breasts, your waist, your hips, your thighs, etc. All the way to your toes.
  • Then do that about once every few weeks or so.
  • And then when you hit another plateau you pull out that sheet and measure yourself again and see that your body is still changing and evolving. The scale does not tell the whole story.
• When I get discouraged I like to take a few moments and feel the changes in my body. I run my hands along my feet and ankles, my calves and knees. I feel the bones and muscle revealing themselves. I wrap my fingers around my wrist and feel how much smaller they are now. I run my hands along my forearms on the outside and feel my bones up to my elbow. I run my hands along my collar bones, revel in the fact I have them now! I continue on up my neck, circling it with my hands to feel how small it is now and then along my jaw bone, a bone I haven't seen in decades. I take these moments and remind myself how great this is and how great I'm doing even if I don't believe it in that moment.
• I move. When I'm discouraged I now move. I used to eat. Now I want to remind myself how much easier it is to move. So I go for a very vigorous walk, I put on the happiest, bounciest, fasted rhythmed music I have and get to steppin! Blast that brain with some oxygen, sun, music and endorphins.

There are going to be MANY pauses and stalls and plateaus. It's our job to prepare your coping tools and mechanisms so that you can self-sooth and re-motivate without need for food or a serious mental adjustment. Before I let myself get that far I use these methods. They work for me, you will find what works for you hopefully. Good luck and congratulations!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This was extremely helpful! I am doing better with being realistic and not comparing myself to anyone else. I'm doing well! :-) I find that it's also a visual thing with me. I do not see myself as others currently do. I had to step back to take a glance and I love what I see.

[LaLaJ13 24]

My surgery was April 3rd, too. I've lost 39 pounds since surgery. I think you are doing great! I keep telling myself that slow loss may help my skin not sag (I don't know if that's true or not). It makes me feel better anyway [emoji4]
I have been in a stall for three weeks. It's weird though because my measurements are changing despite the stuck numbers on the scale. It's like the scale takes forever to catch up to my changing body.
I wish you luck[emoji256]
HW: 277
SW: 240
CW: 201
GW: 140

I feel the same way at times! Congratulations, you're doing wonderful!