According to my weight on spark people and the diet plan that have set for me there, it says that I should eat between 2300 and 2600 calories per day to loose weight.  I have seen similar numbers at other places as well, like Weigh****chers for how many points I would be allowed per day and whatnot.

Now that I have had surgery, I cant eat hardly anything like I used to and couldn't get anywhere near 2600 calories even if I tried.  So, if I'm eating between 600 and 1,000 calories a day post op, then why am I not loosing weight?  This is the second stall I've hit and I'm only 30 days post op tomorrow.  In fact, I showed a 2 lb GAIN on the scale this morning!  

How can this be?!  Is it even possible to gain weight while your eating such little volumes of food?  I've read all the posts about stalls and whatnot but I just don't see how I can gain 2 lbs eating the tiny bit of food that I do.  My metabolism is slow I know, but I know it burns more then 1,000 calories a day just doing nothing.  So I should be loosing weight.  So frustrated....

Are you getting all of your fluid in? I've heard people here say that not drinking enough can make you lose slower.

Yeah I am drinking.  While I'm off work I am sitting at the computer most of the time with a drink next to me so I would say I am getting enough fluid.

Your weight will not come off in a straight line, it will step its way down.  It was not uncommon for me to gain a pound or two only to lose five in the next few days.  I would "stall" for a week or two and then lose seven pounds in one week.  This is not an uncommon way to lose.  Hang in there, your calories seem just right to me, and I would not increase calories.  Read the research behind the whole "starvation diet mode" before you try to eat more, I bet it will dissuade you.

It's not technically a stall until you have not lost a single pound on the scale or inch from your body for a solid 14+ days. Plus, you just had a major surgery. Your body is still processing all the stuff out of it from surgery. Your body has been traumatized, stress, and you being upset/stressing over the scale not dropping magically every day is not helping. None of us got fat overnight, none of us get skinny overnight. BREATHE. Keep following your program, push fluids, and move more. There is no guarantee that you will see a drop every day or even every week. But, you will lose weight. AND, my weight bounces sometimes as much as 5lbs a day, you can't gain 2lbs of fat overnight, it's water retention and your weight will bounce around daily. I am/was a self-admitted scale ***** I weighed upwards of 7 times a day. I saw ups, downs, and standstills daily, but I always had a loss be it pounds or inches. Some weeks, I'd lose 5lbs, some weeks, I'd only lose 1lb. Even at over 2.5 years out, I have to drink calories to get in over 2000 calories, or eat straight sweets. So, there is no way, I could ever hit those "goals" set my calorie trackers set for NORMAL people who need to lose. We aren't normal or we would have never had 85% of our stomachs removed. Stay on task, and just know that it works as long as you follow the guidelines.

Here's a great explanation of what is going on:
http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

Weight Loss Stall or Plateau

A weight loss stall or plateau is an extended period of time during reducing efforts where is there is no weight loss according to the scale and no loss of inches according to the tape measure. This is why it is so important to take your body measurements before surgery, so you'll have a reference as your weight loss progresses post-op. We suggest you take measurements of your chest, waist and hip, neck, upper arm, thigh and calf.

Be aware it is very common for your weight loss to "stall" shortly after surgery. Diana explains the reason for this below.

The Inevitable Stall

By Diana C.

A "stall" a few weeks out is inevitable, and here's why.

Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a saber tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.

Breathe, and fuggedaboudit for a few days.

What You Can Do About a Stall or Plateau

If you are experiencing a post-op weight loss stall or plateau further out there are a few possible causes. First, check that are you really in a stall. If the scale has stopped moving you may be losing inches, so check your measurements.

Too Many Carbs?
Carbohydrates can start sneaking into your foods without you being aware of how quickly they are adding up. For more information on carbs, see our section on Carbohydrates. If you are struggling with your weight loss you may want to examine your daily carb count. You can try to keep your carbs under 50g a day and see if that makes a difference in your weight loss. Do not eat carbs before bedtime as it triggers insulin and initiates fat storage. There are some great web site resources you can use to keep track of what you are eating.

Fit Day
Spark People - If you join Spark People also join the DS group.
The Daily Plate
Calorie King

For more tips on keeping a food journal see the Personal Nutrition Guide.

Eating Enough?
If you are under-eating or go more than 4-5 hours without eating, your body will shift into fasting mode, slow your metabolism and conserve your stored energy (fat). This can contribute to a weight loss stall or plateau. Make sure you are eating small meals or small snacks throughout the day and also ensure you meet your daily protein requirements. Try eating some protein with every meal or snack. For more information on protein requirements see our section on Protein.

Drinking Enough?
An adequate level of water in your body aids in the effective breakdown of fat. The daily minimum recommendation is 64 fluid oz of water a day. If you are in ketosis you will need to drink even more water to ensure the ketones are flushed out of your system. You may also need more than the minimum amount of water if you are exercising or live in a warmer or dry environment.

Exercising?
Exercise can increase your metabolism and burn fat. Strength training will build muscles and will boost fat burning. In a stall you can try increasing your volume of exercise or changing up your routine to overcome a weight loss stall or plateau. If you have been doing mainly aerobic activity, try doing a bit of strength training, and if you have been doing mainly strength training, try an aerobic work-out.
 

The High Fat - High Calorie Stall Buster

Many DSers swear by the fat/calorie shock as an effective weight loss stall or plateau buster. Having a day of higher fat and calorie eating followed by a returning to consistent low carb eating can sometimes "shock" your body back into weight loss mode.

That is good information.  I do appreciate it.  It is just upsetting to hear that "most weight loss occurs in the first 6 months before it starts to slow down greatly."  While I'm off work from the surgery for the next 5 weeks I just want to get the most out of my time that I can.  I have a lot of weight to loose and I see where other people have lost 100 - 150+ lbs in 6 months.  I know I shouldn't compare myself to other people but I just want to get the most out of my sleeve as I can.  It's not easy, as I'm sure you know, to see a gain in weight.  Thanks for your words of wisdom .. it did help.

It made me go walk 1 mile on the treadmill LOL!

Maybe we should try to schedule a meetup and walk for the MD folks like in Centennial Park in Columbia or something?  Maybe it could become a regular walking/hiking group?  What do you think?

It sounds like it could be a possiblity, though I live in Baltimore so that would be a good bit of gas to drive out to Columbia on a regular basis.  Maybe once in a while it wouldnt be too bad :)

Me and my husband r in Laurel, let me know if u guys ever put sumthing together... we would deff. try to join in!

Yeah that would be awesome if we could get a bunch of us together for walks and/or get togethers once in a while.

It might help us.