5 weeks post-op slow weight loss

[fitgal2021 11]

Hi guys,

I had my surgery March 17th, so I’m at the 5 weeks mark. I lost 22 pounds total, but in the three weeks alone I lost 6 pounds only. Is this normal? I’m not drinking or eating my calories, my food is completely on point and I’m beginning to worry. Last two weeks I lost only 2.5 pounds.

[Hop_Scotch 1,630]

You have a lowish start weight by the looks - 206lb or 206lb+ 22lb? Not sure which, but either way, with a lowish start weight your 22lb loss is pretty good...it isn't low or slow. Lowish start weights generally results in lower losses even with weight loss surgery.

Seems to me that you are doing great!

[newyorklady20 97]

2 hours ago, fitgal2021 said:

Hi guys,

I had my surgery March 17th, so I’m at the 5 weeks mark. I lost 22 pounds total, but in the three weeks alone I lost 6 pounds only. Is this normal? I’m not drinking or eating my calories, my food is completely on point and I’m beginning to worry. Last two weeks I lost only 2.5 pounds.

I'm glad that I found your post because that's exactly what I'm here browsing about today! I had sleeve surgery on 3/30 and lost 15 pounds pre op and have lost about 17 post. So I have definitely lost a substantial amount of weight, but I am stalling out big time. I lost for about 2 weeks after surgery but since then I think I have only lost about 3 pounds. I am also always so hungry! I fight it and try to eat more Protein and stick to my portions, but I'm feeling kind of defeated. I know that this isn't a fix and is just a tool, but I'm not sure if its a tool that works if I'm still hungry and am not losing any weight!

I'm debating going back on a liquid diet next week just to try to bring things back to basics, but I'm sort of at a loss right now. I know that plateaus and stalls are normal, but I've basically been stalled out for about 2 weeks now. And that's half of my post op time.

[catwoman7 11,212]

You're losing faster than I did.

unless you're the size of someone on "My 600 lb Life", average range for first month's lost seems to be about 15-25 lbs. Of course, you will always find people who lose more or less than that, but they're the exception. You are doing just fine.

[catwoman7 11,212]

28 minutes ago, newyorklady20 said:

I'm debating going back on a liquid diet next week just to try to bring things back to basics, but I'm sort of at a loss right now. I know that plateaus and stalls are normal, but I've basically been stalled out for about 2 weeks now. And that's half of my post op time.

No - do not go back to a liquid diet. Stick to your plan. You are in the infamous "three-week stall" that probably over 90% of us experience. Stick to your plan and stay off your scale if you have to. It WILL break. Always does. You will have other stalls along your journey - just stick to your guns. Don't get back into "diet mentality" by trying to starve it away. Just stick to your plan.

P.S. Stalls typically last 1-3 weeks. You are just fine.

Edited April 23, 2021 by catwoman7

[fitgal2021 11]

Guys you just made me feel so much better, THANK YOU! My starting weight was around 230lbs, and it feels great to lose 22 pounds, but it just made me wonder if I'll ever be able to get to 130lbs - 120lbs. Thanks a lot to all of you again, this community is awesome ❤️

[catwoman7 11,212]

1 hour ago, fitgal2021 said:

Guys you just made me feel so much better, THANK YOU! My starting weight was around 230lbs, and it feels great to lose 22 pounds, but it just made me wonder if I'll ever be able to get to 130lbs - 120lbs. Thanks a lot to all of you again, this community is awesome ❤️

you should be able to get there if you work really hard at it. There are a number of us on here who've made it to a normal BMI. The statistics for making it that far are 10-15%, so it's not easy, but it's definitely possible.

[Jnfinney 526]

@fitgal2021 our stats are pretty similar (height and weight) and I had my sleeve done 1 day before you. I was 217 on the day of surgery this past Monday I was 198, so I've only lost 19 lbs since surgery, but I feel good about it because that is a lot of weight in a month. I expect my progress to slow even more since I was on the "smaller" side to begin with. I've had the same concerns as you though - how the heck will I ever make it to 140 lbs!?! But as long as I keep losing, I will trust the process, I'm just so used to getting so much weight off and then it won't budge so I give up... but now with surgery as a tool I'm hoping to keep my eating in check no matter what.

[pcanevazzi 2]

On 04/23/2021 at 07:47, newyorklady20 said:

I'm glad that I found your post because that's exactly what I'm here browsing about today! I had sleeve surgery on 3/30 and lost 15 pounds pre op and have lost about 17 post. So I have definitely lost a substantial amount of weight, but I am stalling out big time. I lost for about 2 weeks after surgery but since then I think I have only lost about 3 pounds. I am also always so hungry! I fight it and try to eat more Protein and stick to my portions, but I'm feeling kind of defeated. I know that this isn't a fix and is just a tool, but I'm not sure if its a tool that works if I'm still hungry and am not losing any weight!

I'm debating going back on a liquid diet next week just to try to bring things back to basics, but I'm sort of at a loss right now. I know that plateaus and stalls are normal, but I've basically been stalled out for about 2 weeks now. And that's half of my post op time.

I’m at the same point. Surgery on 3/30. Lost 15 prepped and 17 since surgery. My sw was 300 and I’m 5’8”. I feel like I should be losing faster because I see people who have lost 100 lbs in 4-5 months. At this rate, I feel like I’m not going to get there. I’m trying not to compare myself but it’s hard not to because everyone talks about how well they are doing.

[catwoman7 11,212]

1 minute ago, pcanevazzi said:

I’m at the same point. Surgery on 3/30. Lost 15 prepped and 17 since surgery. My sw was 300 and I’m 5’8”. I feel like I should be losing faster because I see people who have lost 100 lbs in 4-5 months. At this rate, I feel like I’m not going to get there. I’m trying not to compare myself but it’s hard not to because everyone talks about how well they are doing.

almost nobody loses 100 lbs in 4-5 months. Unless they're the size of people on "My 600 lb Life", they would be rare exception. For most people, it takes a year, give or take, to lose that much.

I started out heavier than you. I lost 16 lbs the whole first month, so much less than you. And as you can see in my stats, I ended up losing over 200 lbs (took 20 months). Your level of commitment plays a MUCH greater role in your ultimate success than your rate of weight loss does. Besides, rate of weight loss depends on so many factors, most of which (like age, gender, genetics, metabolic rate) you have little - or no - control over. The two things you DO have control over are how closely you follow your program and your activity level. If you do well with those, you WILL lose a significant amount of weight, whether fast or slow.

[Jaelzion 1,127]

1 hour ago, catwoman7 said:

Your level of commitment plays a MUCH greater role in your ultimate success than your rate of weight loss does. Besides, rate of weight loss depends on so many factors, most of which (like age, gender, genetics, metabolic rate) you have little - or no - control over.

Agreed. It took me almost two years to lose 129 pounds. I was never a rapid loser and toward the end it slowed down considerably. But over time, even a slow loss adds up if you stick to it.

[fitgal2021 11]

On 4/23/2021 at 6:01 PM, Jnfinney said:

@fitgal2021 our stats are pretty similar (height and weight) and I had my sleeve done 1 day before you. I was 217 on the day of surgery this past Monday I was 198, so I've only lost 19 lbs since surgery, but I feel good about it because that is a lot of weight in a month. I expect my progress to slow even more since I was on the "smaller" side to begin with. I've had the same concerns as you though - how the heck will I ever make it to 140 lbs!?! But as long as I keep losing, I will trust the process, I'm just so used to getting so much weight off and then it won't budge so I give up... but now with surgery as a tool I'm hoping to keep my eating in check no matter what.

We really do have the same stats lol. I'm just worried that I'll lose a certain amount of weight, but not as much as I want to. I know it sounds childish, but I won't be 100% satisfied if, let's say, I get to 160lbs and won't go down from that. 140lb is like a minimum weight loss achievement for me.

[Pumpkindarlin 2]

On 4/23/2021 at 9:01 AM, Jnfinney said:

@fitgal2021 our stats are pretty similar (height and weight) and I had my sleeve done 1 day before you. I was 217 on the day of surgery this past Monday I was 198, so I've only lost 19 lbs since surgery, but I feel good about it because that is a lot of weight in a month. I expect my progress to slow even more since I was on the "smaller" side to begin with. I've had the same concerns as you though - how the heck will I ever make it to 140 lbs!?! But as long as I keep losing, I will trust the process, I'm just so used to getting so much weight off and then it won't budge so I give up... but now with surgery as a tool I'm hoping to keep my eating in check no matter what.

Same with me! I have been small my whole life. Around 125 to 140 in that range up and down. I would usually gain a lot of weight with each child and then I would lose it pretty easily with some effort of course. Well, I had a hysterectomy and ever since then I gained over 100 pounds! I tried everything to get it off and it did not work. This time the Weight would not budge no matter what I did.So when I heard about surgery I was so excited! I started at 256. I am five weeks out now I am 227 I have only lost 20 pounds in a little over a month. It makes me sad because I have been doing everything right. I lost about 10 pounds on the liquid diet before surgery but since surgery only about 20 pounds. I have been stalled since the second week. I sure hope it gets better because this is depressing.

[Jnfinney 526]

It will get better. I stalled for about 3 weeks and then lost 3 pounds in a week. Just keep working hard and you’ll get the results.

[GingersnapMI 29]

I'm calling my issue "the six-week stall". I'm 7.5 weeks post-op and have lost 27 pounds since surgery on May 11... most of that loss was during the first 5 weeks. In that last two weeks, I've only lost two pounds. 😞

But I shall persevere!