Five months post-op and two month stall

I need some advice.  I hope you all can help me.  I am five months post op as of Friday this week.  I started at 290, lost 15# liquid diet and now down to 224 so 66# loss.  I see so many people who have lost more but is this average for five months post-op RNY?  I have been on a stall for the past two months, well losing a few pounds but not much.  I post all my foods, drink all my water but exercise very little.  My food intake is about 1100 to 1200 daily.  I do not have any trouble eating anything..honestly.  Maybe I should.  I do get hungry and I eat but low calories, no calorie, fruit, protein, multi-grains, etc.  I get all my protein in as well....so how come I'm not losing????  I was exercising quite a bit before I took this job but haven't been able to exercise because I work 7am to 7pm and it takes 30 minutes to get to work so by time I get home, I'm exhausted.  I also work seven days a week.  This assignment will end early August and I've tried to do some exercise at 8pm but I go to bed at 9pm just to get through the week and I just couldn't.  Any advice would really be helpful.  I don't want to go through all this surgery and not lose my weight....I am really getting concerned.....any advice is welcome.

are you getting all your protien in?? you should be getting 60-80 grams minimum protien.  It looks like you are logging your food.  Remember the average weight loss is 3-5 pounds/week.  At 6 months they project you will have lost 50% of the weight you need to lose. So right now you are around 45% of the wieght you need to lose. Don't look at everybody's weight loss or it will bring you down. 


I would really look closely at what you are eating.  Make sure you are logging every bite.  I find that when I am not losing it is because I am eating something I shouldn't be eating!!

Hi Tamara,
Thanks for your reply.  I eat about 70 to 80 grams of protein a day depending on what I eat.  I drink at least 64 oz of water each day, I use myfitnesspal to log my food and I do log everything I put in my mouth whether I like it or not.  I don't eat junk food, I don't eat sweets, I do eat very healthy foods, fruit, greek yogurts, Healthy Choice meals, WW meals so I think I'm doing everything right.  I just don't know what else I need to do to keep this weight loss moving.  I don't see how I can eat 1100 to 1200 calories a day and not lose...just seems strange when I eat my protein, drink all my water...so frustrated...

1100-1200 calories per day seems a little bit high for someone at 5 months out, is this what your surgeon & nutritionist recommended for you? I would also recommend really trying to make time to get some exercise in at least a few times a week, even if it's just a walk around the block a few times - this will help. I think it is also important to remember that you will sometimes have plateaus and stalls EVEN when you are doing everything right...

I am about 6 months out and have lost 60 lbs since surgery - which averages to be about 10 lbs per month. While I've felt that it's been happening very slowly at times; my surgeon, nutritionist, pcp, and many on this board have re-assured me otherwise, that I'm doing very well.

There are many other factors that determine the rate at which one loses, besides just following the meal plan and getting the exercise in. Men tend to lose faster than women, "lightweights" tend to lose slower than those with more to lose, those who lose a lot of weight prior to surgery tend to lose slower after surgery, etc. Try not to compare yourself to others and keep the focus on doing what you need to do. The weight will come off!

Thanks Rlw...I really try not to compare myself but for the past two months with hardly losing anything, it's tough not too.  My nutritionist said to eat about 1100 calories/day.  Most of the time I eat about 1200.  I eat three meals a day and a couple of fruit snacks so my caloric intake is spread throughout the day beginning early in the morning to 8:30 at night when I get home to eat my dinner.

Can I ask how many calories you are supposed to eat/day?  Do you have any difficulties eating anything?  I have no problem with bread, meat, veggies, fruit or anything which is good I think. 

I was told 800-900 calories at around 6 months, then up it to 1000 -1200 calories around 12 months out, then Maintainence calories (based on BMR & Activity level) at around 18 months out There seems to be many different schools of thought on this though, depending on who you talk to.

I haven't had any difficulties eating anything over the past several months. Initially I had some instances where I ate too fast and suffered the consequence (food getting stuck, foamies, throwing up), but for the most part I've tolerated everything pretty well.

I do mainly protein meals with some veggies, then maybe one serving of fruit per day. I avoid sugar, processed foods and simple carbs, as well as limit my simple carbs.

I was told under 1000 calories a day for the 1st year. How many grams of carbs are you eating a day? If you are eating fruit and frozen meals in your day it maybe the carbs slowing down your weight loss. (My surgeon recommends limiting fruit to 1 serving a day during weight loss) Or it may just be your body adjusting to all the changes you have made. Can you post a daily menu here?

Hi Alice,

I actually spoke to my doctor about that and he said not to worry about the carbs but I was thinking my carb intake might be too high...I eat different things every day but keep my caloric intake about 1200 or less.  Myfitnesspal says I should eat 1300 based on what I weigh, my goal and my current physical lifestyle but the program doesn't allow for RNY surgery so I keep it to 1200.  I think I would have a problem eating less.  Maybe I just need to find or eat more protein which would keep me fuller and focus on lower carbs.  Please let me know your thoughts.  I appreciate any help I can get.

Here's one of my day's food intake:

Breakfast	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein
Jimmy Dean D-Lites - Canadian Bacon, Honey Wheat Muffin W/Egg White and Cheese, 1 english muffin sandwich	230	30	5	15
	230	30	5	15
Lunch
Healthy Choice Asian Inspired Cafe Steamers - General Tso's Spicy Chicken, 1 meal (306g)	300	53	3	15
	300	53	3	15
Dinner
Homemade - Pan Fried Chicken, 4 oz	245	9	10	28
Guerrero - 4 Inch Corn Tortillas - White, 1 tortillas	30	6	0	1
Daisy Brand - Lite Sour Cream, 2 tbsp	40	2	3	2
Homemade - Pico De Gallo, 0.5 cup	52	12	1	2
Copy to which date? Wednesday, June 1 Tuesday, May 31 Tomorrow Today Yesterday Friday, May 27 Thursday, May 26	367	29	14	33
Snacks
Bananas - Raw, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)	105	27	0	1
Jif - Creamy Peanut Butter, 2 tbsp	190	7	16	7
	295	34	16	8
Totals	1,192	146	38	71
Your Daily Goal	1,310	180	44	49
Remaining	118	34	6	-22

I would suggest eating much higher protein and less carbs and see if it makes a difference.  I aim for 80-100 grams of protein a day.  Do you do protein supplements at all?  I do a protein shake every morning and that helps a lot, I also aim to eat at least 20 grams of protein per meal.   I don't think the fruit is a problem but you are eating simple carbs with each meal and that can make you more hungry. I was also told (it drives me crazy how different all the surgeons are) that my calories for maintenance should be 1200-1500 depending on activity level that since we were MO our metabolisms are not the same as a person who has been thin.  Also how much water do you drink in a day?  I find I do much better if I get over 100ozs in a day.

But even stating all that-this is a process and not everyone reacts the same way---some people loose all their weight very quickly and stop loosing early, some people loose slow and steady for 18 months some people have looses and stalls all along the way and loose for 2 yrs.  We are all different.  Focus on being healthy and making positive changes not a number on the scale.

You know, my bariatric facility did not stress about carbs...they just said "go by protein first". Others got a hard number for their carbs and seemed to better than I.

I would say this may be slowing your loss down. My friend shared her bariatric guidelines with me and she was given no more than 30 carbs per meal. Other people that are doing low carb try to keep it under 50-60. I highly suggest lowering your carb count and seeing if it makes a difference. Why don't you try it for a few weeks and see if it helps.

Let us know!

Dawn