Stalls - a reminder to never give up hope

Well the majority of last week I was in a stall - I even went up half a pound.  It was disturbing and I didn't say anything here because I knew it was normal.

Nevertheless it sucks when it happens.  I am posting to give a boost to any out there who are in a stall or haven't hit one yet.  DON"T GIVE UP HOPE!  Stalls are normal as your body adjusts.  for me it was a wake up call anyway to be more exacting with my program.  I started exercising a little more and drinking a little more water.

Now I have lost 4 pounds in 3 days time.  The stall broke and I am kicking fat ass once again!

So keep on your programs and don't despair it is normal - even if it sucks wind.

You are only 3 months post-op so you expect to lose weight rapidly.  However, there will be times when, even if you do everything right, your body will hold onto your weight for a few days as it adjusts to the changes in your phsyiology.  That is, expect occasional stalls;  they are just part of the process of losing weight.  Once you get to be about 6 months post op, you may want to consider weighing yourself only once a week.  You will continue to lose weight at about 2 lbs a week them ( based on where your beginning weight was) but you will not continue to lose 4 lbs a week and you should be ready for that gradual change. 

You're doing great so far.

Dan,
It took me some time to realize that this is not just about the weight loss. I but a lot of weight on how much I lost; tracking it daily. I even set goals fro m the start that were pretty aggressive. I found myself being more disillusioned when I did not meet those goals. Even more disturbing were the "no loss" weeks. I now look at his more as a change in my life and expect it to take time. I monitor my weight but don't panic. Add to that, lapband is slower. The #1 rule I learned was not to compare myself to others.
Tom

Thanks for this Dan...I am in a tiny bit of a stall, I guess...I am 10 days post Lap RNY, I have lost 18 lbs, but none the last two days...I have this irrational fear that I am not going to lose any more weight...crazy, eh? I am following the diet exactly as I should be, and my hunger is still pretty close to nil, but there's still this part in the back of my mind that says "you're stuck fat, no matter what."  Anyone here have any similar experiences during their first couple of weeks?

My doctor required a week-long liquid diet prior to surgery, with a limit of 20 grams of protein per day.  In that week, I lost 21 pounds.  I had the surgery and spent 2 days in the hospital, then came home to discover I had gained 15# in the hospital.  Boy, was I bummed.  But I just stuck to the program and followed it religiously.  Then the weight just started dropping off.  I know I am in the first stages and it will slow down, but my doctor told me at my first post-op visit that I could lose a pound a day and I have been.  Just hang in there, follow your directions, drink as much water as possible and it will happen for you.
Merlin

I know how you feel.  It really is a downer.  I am coming off of a three week stall.  I'm 7 weeks out and that is really discouraging.  My Nut told me it's normal for the body to readjust.  She told me to add more protein so the body can release me from this pattern.  It's helping I'm starting to slowly lose.  I did notice that I lost inches though.  I put on jeans today that I haven't been able to wear for years and they are loose.

Stalls are normal.  For me, I stalled out for about a week out of every month during the first six months, during which time I lost around 125 lbs.  Then the big mother hit me.  Stall of all stalls at 7  months.  Lasted 2 months.  Took me a while to figure out that the body was pissed at me and holding on to every dang pound.  So, I upped the water, tinkered with the calories, kept protein high, and finally kicked up the exercise. 

Long story short, the first 6 months of WLS are easy, take this time to learn how to eat right and find an exercise regimen that works for you.  You will lose weight regardless of how hard your body fights you. 

Then the hard work begins at 6 months, you HAVE to eat right and watch your portions (because as surprising as it may sound, you CAN consume a fairly decent quantity of food especially crappy food after 6 months, the pouch is no longer a runt at that point, but pretty much at its max size, won't stretch much more over time, but it can become desensitized over time, hence the lack of that fullness feeling that you feel early on after WLS).  Not to mention that at around 6 months, you also become tolerant of the dumping factor, hence no more deterrent to avoid bad foods. 

Combine all this with drinking lots of  fluids (for me 100+ ounces a day), and exercise 4-5 times a week, you can and will continue your weight loss until you hit goal.  Its imperative that you stay strict after the 6 month period is up (if your lucky, you may get an extra few months during the honeymoon phase), but I was not one of the lucky ones. 

My total weight loss to date is 153 lbs since surgery, and 182 overall.  I am pleased with my results but like most of the guys here, we all are in this to get the very most out of this surgery that we can.  We didnt have our guts rewired to not be successful.  So, that means we have to work hard, probably harder at this than most things we've done in our lives.   I've still got 75 lbs to go and I know its going to be tough, but I have the tools to  make it happen whereas before, without the pouch, it was too easy to binge eat and destroy any progress I had made. 

I guess what I'm saying is, stalls happen, enjoy the free ride while it last, then be prepared to work.  You'll do fine in the long run, and don't sweat the speed bumps along the way. 

Dalton