No weight loss at all- ever?!?

I need some reassurance I think. My doc told me at my 2 week post-op that everything was fine, that I shouldn't worry, and that I should weigh weekly instead of daily. They also suggested measuring inches lost too.

So here is some background... I started last May (over a year ago) on Victoza. My weight then (and my max weight) was 330 lbs (5ft5in tall). On the Victoza I lost about 110lbs. Then I did my 2 week preop diet and lost another 10lbs. So my day of surgery starting weight was 209 lbs.

At the end of August I had an uneventful, uncomplicated gastric bypass. I went home from the hospital the next day, and by day 3 post op was back on my bike, day 4 the elliptical, and day 5 went back to work. Now I do 45 minutes on the elliptical 6 days a week at a vigorous pace (my speed is in the 40s to start but the second half I maintain in the 50s on the max incline for the full 45 minutes). I try to ride my bike on the weekend anywhere from 30-40 miles at a time but at an easier pace of 10-12 mph. This adds up to 2000-2500 calories at a time according to my fitness tracking app just for the biking! During the week if I have spare time or am bored I get on the exercycle for 45 minutes in addition to the elliptical. My surgeon okayed exercise when I was discharged.

As far as eating goes I have followed my surgeon's plan to the letter. Started with liquids, then added in protein. Now I am at a strict 3 meals a day. 2oz or 1/4 cup lean protein followed by 2 oz veg or fruit. This week I am still doing soft fork mashable foods. I am also told to drink 2 protein shakes daily. I haven't thrown up since surgery, and I haven't had any trouble tolerating anything. I have eaten everything I have served myself, but nothing more. I have not cheated once. I am staying hydrated (camelbak helped with this for my bike rides!) And avoiding liquids 30 minutes before and after meals. I have double checked everything I am eating to make sure there are no hidden calories and I have re-read the labels of all of my protein shakes (all under 200 cal).

Here is the problem: I haven't lost weight. I am 3 weeks out. I didn't "drop weight right after and now I am stalled". I just haven't lost weight at all yet. Finally this week the day after a big bike ride with a ton of grueling hills, I did drop 2 lbs. So you could say I lost 2 lbs in 3 weeks... But I don't feel that 3 hours of exercise should be necessary for weight loss after gastric bypass!

I am terribly concerned. I thought everybody lost some weight in the first month unless they truly were noncompliant with the diet. I get that at my weight I don't have as much to lose as many of you do. I do understand that the fastest weight loss occurs in the first month post-op. I feel like this whole thing is a failure and it is a struggle to stick with the diet when I am not seeing results. I also don't get the physics of how it is possible to not lose weight given my physical activity and calorie intake. I considered fluid balance but at this point I would need a ton of edema to even out expected weight loss and I have none. I have thought about muscle weight, but I actually am no stronger than before and I used to go 12-14 mph on my bike. I am slower now. My clothes are not fitting looser. I did need to buy new clothes after the preop liquid diet and that 10lbs... So I think I would recognize it if I were losing weight.

I don't understand how I can eat less than 1000 calories a day and exercise and not lose weight. Yeah sure for a week or 2 your body can do anything, but 3 weeks straight isn't possible. I even considered if my protein shakes were mislabeled... But I drink 5 different brands so they can't all be mispackaged right?

I feel I am very qualified to understand weight loss due to my prior successes, but I ate more than double what I am currently eating when I was losing my first hundred before surgery. I am planning on contacting my surgeon next week at the 1 month mark if no better. I just know they will accuse me of not following the food plan! I also don't want to bug them since I was told just a week ago that things were fine.

I am grateful to have such an easy recovery but wish for some weight loss. Any advice or ideas? Am I in trouble? I did some snooping around and some searching and I have seen a ton written about 3 week stalls but nothing about people who didn't lose any weight. All the journal articles only discuss failures in terms of 1 year post-op. I need help. Comments are appreciated. Thanks for sticking with me through the long post.

Your vigorous exercise may actually be causing you to build muscle and retain water. Just an idea--hard to say for sure. Maybe try an experimental rest week?

You will likely lose much slower since you are starting at a lower weight, as you already stated.

I can't believe that you are able to do all the exercise at only 3 weeks out and your surgeon allows it. I wasn't allowed to do more than slowly walk on the treadmill for the first month.

The only things I can think of is the large amount you lost before the surgery and then all the exercise you are doing. Have you talked to your surgeon about this? I wouldn't wait for the month visit.

First off - RELAX/CHILL. You just had major surgery and your body is adjusting. Also are you still taking Victoza? If not - you do know that people lose a lot of water on those drugs via the mechanism to rid your body of the sugar. So you may be experiencing rebound from that, or your body healing or the ..... Just follow the program and don't weigh yourself every few hours. A month from now you'll be laughing, but not if you don't relax. Nothing is broken and many even have a stall after a couple of weeks. That will all pass in a short time. Good luck. Are you in a support group of WLS patients or in therapy? If not - talking to like minded people can help.

I have to agree with Lady G. I had to re-read your post. You've lost a lot of weight pre-op, and you do a tremendous amount of exercise for this early out. To the point where quite honestly it looks like you may be harming your insides. My surgeon clears most patients for exercise at 4 to 6 weeks. WEEKS, not days.

Please consider calling your surgeon's office and make sure they understand your activity level this early out.

First, congrats on going from 330 to 209 lbs before gastric bypass surgery. That means you will get to your goal weight sooner.

Weight loss happens in the kitchen not the gym.

Sounds like your diet is fine but share some sample days menu and one or more of the vets will provide feedback. A lot of bariatric programs give poor nutritional advice and recommend things like applesauce, mashed potatoes, and crackers, which aren't conducive to weight loss.

All the exercise you're doing could very well be having an impact on the scale. Increasingly, research is being published which suggests exercising won't help us lose as much weight as most people think. I recommend you don't spend time trying to calculate how many calories you're burning as that info is notoriously inaccurate. Instead, work out for your cardiac/joint/mental health and not because it will accelerate your weight loss as it probably won't. Where exercise is important is during maintenance mode, where it can help you maintain your weight loss.

Interesting article on this topic:

https://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise- myth-burn-calories

Interesting that your program allows that type of exercise so quickly. I wasn't allowed to vacuum for 8 weeks. As I was a single homeowner when I had my surgery, I can distinctly recall stressing out that I needed to mow my lawn but it wasn't advised. I would imagine that the excessive (obsessive?) amount of exercise this early out is interfering with your body's attempt at healing after major surgery.

We became friends on that lawn mowing thread!!!!! A good day xoxo

We did! It was a good day.

Wait. I thought mowing the lawn was a ephemism.