Hi Everyone!! Happy Mother's Day.

Next week I will be 6 months post-op. To date, I have lost 70 pounds. I am very proud of that number, but majority of my weight loss happened within the first 4 months. For almost two months now, the scale has not moved. I try not to get discouraged, but its just SUCKS!!! What makes matters worse is that I am working out daily, which I started three months ago, and still, the most I continue to drop is about 5 months in a given month. Its just hard to hang in there. I eat a very clean diet, still sticking to the basics of the protein first, tons of H20, no sugar, and getting my sleep too. I eat very clean and healthy, and very careful about what I put in my body. But my body is just fighting me so much. I actually cried in bed like a big baby a month ago, because I forced myself not weight myself and just work out...and still, a week later, the numbers have stayed the same.

I need to know two things...first, WTF is happening (why me?), and second, is 70 pounds normal to lose, or is that small compared to what most can lose (I have 130 to lose altogether).


Thanks everyone! 

 I'm so sorry you're discouraged!  I have no advice to offer but want you to know that I'm sure someone on here will have some pointers.  Your success is wonderful thus far and hopefully after this stall you'll continue along!

Thank you for your kind words.

 You say you haven't lost anyting in two months, but then you say you lost 5lbs in a month.  I'm confused?

Losing between 5-10lbs a month at 6 months out is pretty normal.  That's 1-2lbs a week or so.  Not losing weight for one week is not a big stall, that's just a little pause.  If the scale is still going down each month, you're ok.

Now, if you really haven't lost anything for 2 months (like not a pound) you might want to ask your dr. about insulin resistance.

I'd also say, so back to measuring your food.  As you get near 6 months, you can eat a lot more than before.  Sometimes you have to be careful not to "stuff"  your sleeve, but just work on eating to satisfaction.  

Hi Erica,

I should clarify that yes, I actually stopped lossing the last month. Most of the weight was lost within the first four months, and between the fourth and fifth month I only lost 5 pounds and nothing last month. But thanks for the pointing out the insulin resistance thing, something that actually never crossed my mind. I have my six month follow-up next week and will discuss this.

 how many calories are you eating in a day?  it maybe too low maybe? abit high maybe?  it might be that your body is trying to hold on to everything your feeding it especially if your working out so much.    have your tried mixing it up a bit? like change your routine and change what your eating to try and trick your body into losing again??.

how about your sizes are they dropping?
you could just be in a real nasty plateau and need to break it ..?

it might be you need to go really low carb to get things moving if your not already  just to break out of it...

but  i think before we can really say you need to give us some more info... on what your eating as in low carb or not and how many calories..

hang in there
 

Hi,

Yes, I have noticed that even though I am not losing the weight on the scale, I have lost inches on my clothes, so thanks to everyone for putting that into prespective. I am on a really low carb diet, but I have a feeling from reading all the posts that I might be over doing it on the working out and should scale back and drink a lot more H20.

Thanks! 

Happy moms day!
I had surgery on 11/19/09 and have lost 70 lbs...I am thrilled...slow and steady wins the race!  I didnt gain it fast..so I'm thrilled to lose it slowly!  My skin is having a hard enough time rebounding...

It's a process....be patient and accept how YOUR body is reacting!
Kris

Hi Kris,

**Smile** Yes, I think that is the bigger lesson to learn in all of this, patience and accpetance for our own bodies. I had this goal to be below 200 within the first 6 months, and alas, its those 5 pounds standing between me and that goal. I guess I need to let go and be happy for how far I have come in just six months.


Thanks.

I am just over 6 months out and I too, lost most of my weight in the first 4 months.  Over the last 2 months I have lost only ~8 lbs.  BUT, I'll be the first to admit that I have begun to eat more (quantity and variety!)  So I know there are more calories going in than before!  I have increased my activity to compensate and I accept that my body is just taking it's time to reset itself and adjust to all of the changes.  I am okay with taking off the last 15 lbs much more slowly.

I can imagine it's frustrating when you still have a big chunk of weight to lose, BUT if you are doing ALL the right things, the weight WILL come off.  (Although, it can't hurt to check for insulin resistance in the meantime!)

Hi, thanks for the kind words. I have to remember how far I have come. Yes, its totally frustrating to work out so hard *daily* and still not see that scale move. But I know at some point I will lose again, its just scary to see the weight loss slow down this quickly post op you know.

For me at this point, it is all about calories, calories, calories. Eating clean is no longer enough. You may need to start counting and figure out exactly how many you can eat and still lose.

Will do, thanks! 

start measuring yourself, you said you started working out about three months ago, so you're probably gaining muscle and still losing fat, so you're subsituting fat for muscle, you will lose all your fat eventually, hang in there,

Hi, thanks for the encouragement. Yes, I definitely will have to start measuring myself, cuz I have noticed that even though the scale has not moved, my clothes are feeling a little big on me. So thats one thing to cheer me up. =)

I stalled at 2 months and stayed stalled for 2 months.  I had lost 50 lbs at that time.  During my stall, I lost inches.  Lots of inches.  I have started losing again, slowly.  During my stall, I did what a lot of people on here suggested:  up your protein, up your water intake, exercise.  You will start losing again and you will probably stall again too.  I know it ain't pretty, but it happens.  While you are in the stall, check your measurements or how your clothes are fitting.  As long as you can see some visible progress, everything is good.

Hi, it was actually reading your post that made me realize that yes, I have noticed some visible change in the way my clothes fit...so even though the scale has not moved, my clothes are getting a little big on me. I did not even think about that cuz I am committed to that scale and live by those numbers. I really want this surgery to work, and when the numbers stopped moving, all my fat fears came flooding back into my head. Especially since I am half way through my journey here. But yes, at least the effort I'm putting in at the gym is showing in the way my clothes fit me.

Kudos on the 70! A few thoughts from an old timer (2.5 yrs)...all or none of which could apply to you but all good things to evaluate when you hit a stall.
1- Keep a food diary for a week - measure everything you eat (bite it write it), including drinks of any kind. Review it yourself or take it to your nut or support group for review. You may have too little food or too many carbs (though you may know you eat clean, maybe its too much clean or your body is just used to it).
2- measure your inches. If you didn't do it in the beginning its not as easy to see the great progress - but usually drs do this so call and get a copy of yours. It is wonderful to do monthly.
3- shake up your routine. 6 months of the same workout, same foods, etc and your body is just adjusted to it. Trying a different exercise or new food routing may help jolt your body out of a plateau.
4- Water - nuff said? Increase it - if you drink 2 liters, do 3. If you do 3, well...you don't want to over do it, but evaluate if you're doing more coffee or tea (which can counteract the liquids)
5- Insulin - have your bloodwork done. Its true some people's body still fight against them. But its not always the case and the only way to know is to check w your dr. Same goes for thyroid.
6- Its a known fact that the further out we get, the slower the weight loss goes. Its just part of the process. A normal person should lose no more than 2 lbs a week on a normal diet in order to keep it off. We tend to be like 10 a week sometimes and so that makes our expectations higher! Its completely possible its just going to take longer. I know some people that had more than I did to lose that are on their 3rd year and still working at their own goal. It just depends where you start and where you will be happy.

Ok - I'll stop now - I'm sure there are other ways to shake your system, like the pouch test...its all about getting back to the basics if you have veered in any way. Portion, protein and water. Key!

Hi Danielle,

Thanks for the taking the time to write back a great feedback. I do appreciate your input, especially since you are a few years out. I think there is a little truth in each point you made. I might be not eating enough, working out too much, and making myself misery in the process. I do need to drink more water, especially cuz of the time I spend at the gym...and I noticied I am like massive thirty each morning when I get up. I have my 6 month check up next week, and had my blood work done two weeks ago, so I'm sure they will discuss it if insulin is an issue (but I will definitely bring it up).

Thanks! 

If you are working out daily, then you are likely building muscle.  A square inch of muscle weighs about three times what a square inch of fat weighs.

So, your workouts are in a sense slowing down your weight loss by building more and more heavier tissues.

There is no need to work out that hard to lose weight. 

You also, as others point out, say in one breath that you are not losing at all, then turn around and say that you are losing weight.  Which is it?  Are you losing slowly but steadily, or not losing anything at all?

70 pounds in 6 months is probably about average for most people. 

Have you lost size?  I would be willing to bet that you have.

You likely could speed this up, by examining what you are eating, reducing your workouts and perhaps increasing your fluid intake.

Personally, I have not "worked out" since the 1970's.  I walk for exercise, walk 3 miles at a time, 3 days a week.  That is more than enough exercise to lose weight (and now to maintain that weight loss).  It is not necessary to workout like a fiend, in order to maximize your weight loss.  In fact, this can actually slow you down if you overdo it.

Have you spoken with your surgeon or your nutritionist about what you are doing?  If not, you should. 

You say you are "eating clean". That doesn't mean much by itself.  Tell us what and how much you eat during an average day, and what and how much you drink.  That would allow us to better advise you.