Weight loss first few weeks

Hi Everyone

I had RNY 4 weeks ago and have only lost 13 pounds.  Is this normal? I was wondering what the normal weight loss is during the first weeks after surgery?

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Heather

Hi Heather!  Everybody reacts to surgery in their own unique way. Some drop lots of weight right away...others drop slowly but steadily.  If you are following your doctor's protocol as prescribed, getting your water, excercise  and vitamins in daily...you're body will lose the weight at its own speed.  It does no good comparing yourself to anybody else...it will just frustrate you and give your mind a chance to play with your psychie.

What I love about this ride? There is NO NORMAL LOL  Be honest and digilant with your food protocol...the weight will come off...be patient. We didn't get into the condition we were at before surgery over nite...the weight won't come off over nite either.   If you need a 'feel-good' moment? Ask yourself...when was the last time you lost 13lbs in a month???? ;-)  I'd say you are doing Fantabulous!  Keep up the hard work!
Nancy aka Sunray

Hi Heather,

There isn't anything that is "normal".  What is normal for you may not be normal for any other person.  We are all individuals with different needs.

What you must look at is what are you doing?  What are eating exactly?  Are you following your surgeons protocal exactly as it was laid out for you? Are you drinking your water and getting in your protein? How much in total do you need to lose?  The less you have to lose, the slower you will lose.  Have you started to do some walking for exercise?  Have you taken your measurments?  Quite often, the scale sits at what people think is a stall, but when they take their measurments, they see they are losing inches and then all of a sudden the scale has a major drop. Are you on any types of medications that could slow your weight loss?  What does your surgeon say about your weight loss?

As you can see, there are many factors that enter into how much you lose.  But again, do not compare yourself to anyone else's weight loss because you will set yourself up for disappointment if you do.  Some people are just naturally slow losers.  But in the end, slow and steady wins the race.

Good luck.
Stephanie

Hi Heather. 

I am 10 weeks further out than you and am a slow and steady person, in everything.  Slow and steady weight loss, and im more of an endurance exerciser - slow and steady, am conservative that way too in many other aspects of my life. 

If it helps any, I too have been working on coming to terms with the fact that this is my life now.. not my today (I mean, today is pretty great relatively speaking) but I need to know that what I am doing now will be sustainable habits for the long term to help me achieve and maintain my goal of a healthy weight for the rest of my life. 

Sometimes I feel like my life truly just started over... and its all pretty great.  Try to forget about the instant gratification of anything... in my case that's what got me into this mess... that and self medicating with food.

The minute you start comparing yourself to anyone else is the minute you will set yourself up for all kinds of disappointments... I knew going in that this wasn't a quick fix and I had mentally prepared for the very worst, expected a little better, and things are actually going better than I could have imagined - but again... only when I consider my success as mine alone. Its still hard sometimes when I feel like things aren't happening fast enough and can really put the mood and confidence in the dumper.  I wrote an affirmation on my blog about this very thing - when I was feeling particularly low and comparing myself to others - it helped at the time tremendously, and I refer to it often to remind myself that my journey is exclusive to me!

All the best to you!!! Keep on truckin.. and have faith in your body and the fact that we now have the tool that will help us eventually achieve our weight loss goals with a little hard work and perserverence! 

Heather,

I can't add too much to what everyone has already said, you've been given great and honest answers... everyone is totally different.

Work hard to reframe that this is a way of life now, it's not a quick fix.  You want to practice for the time when the honeymoon period is over and make those changes now.  Remember it takes time to make "new" habits.

Good luck and welcome to the Cali board!

Hugs,
Barb