Question:
My weight loss has really slowed down.....
I am 9 weeks post op today and have only lost 35 pounds. I am becoming disheartened because I do not seem to be losing weight. I do have a tough time with getting my water in, could that be the problem? I have been doing well staying away from carbs, but it seems like the times I do slip, maybe once a week, I lose weight after. My surgeon specifically told me to eat NO carbs and only 1/2 oz protein/vegs/fruit at each meal. I don't skip meals, I wish I felt like exercising more, but I am getting better. I haven't let a potato cross my lips in over a month, but sometimes slip and have a tortilla chip or a cracker or two. I eat protein first, then veggies. I do sometimes overeat some, but not often and when I do usually end up throwing up. What I am wanting to know is, is this all caused by my not getting my water in and not exercising? My surgeon got onto me at my 6 week post-op appointment for not losing at least 6-7 pounds a week. I had lost 15 prior to surgery, per his requirements, and am also wondering if this plateau is somehow a result of that. I am losing inches, but I just feel like I am not doing something right because I am not dropping 6-7 pounds a week as my surgeon would like. By the way, I also take thyroid, anyone else in this same position? — Diana M. (posted on May 2, 2002)
May 2, 2002
Your dr sounds too tough to me...You are doing fine, averaging 4lbs a week.
That's 2X as fast as WW, LA Weight Loss, etc. can promise in the
"real world". Keep up the good work!
— rebeccamayhew
May 2, 2002
Let me say first that all doctor's are different and you should try to
follow your doctor's post-op plan as best you can. I assume when you say NO
carbs you mean simple carbs like potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, etc. I eat
very few simple carbs.
Now, I will say that at my 10 week checkup, I asked my surgeon how many
calories I should be getting per day and he responded that I needed between
1,000 and 1,400 - I was getting 500 at the most. He told me that if I
didn't up the calories I would stop losing. I still don't hit the 1,000
mark as often as I should, but I have improved. I have a protein bar (19g
protein) for breakfast every day and have fish, a Lean Cuisine or something
like that for lunch and on workdays, usually have cottage cheese for
dinner. I have three high protein snacks every day also - I have an ounce
of jerky morning and afternoon and have either fruit and peanut butter or
some roasted peanuts in the evening. I always have protein if I have a
snack. Most days, I get from 50-70g of protein and at least 64 ounces of
water and/or Crystal Lite. At 10 weeks post-op I had lost 66 pounds; just
before my 4 month anniversary, I had lost 84. I am now 5 months post-op
and will weigh when I see my doctor Monday.
I hope this helps you - the protein and water are very important.
— Patty_Butler
May 2, 2002
Hmm...someone posted something related to this on our support group. She
was not losing as fast as she and the doctor would have thought, and
apparently, it could be becuase of the thyroid meds. she was taking. She
was taking them at the same time as her vitamins, and there are two
vitamins that really decrease the absorbtion of thyroid medication. SO her
doc. suggested that she take the thyroid meds at a different time..perhaps
4 hrs before the vitamins. Just a suggestion!
— Sarah P.
May 2, 2002
"What I am wanting to know is, is this all caused by my not getting my
water in and not exercising?" I would say off the top of my head,
YES. However, like someone else posted - it could be anything. But until
you can rule out the TWO MOST IMPORTANT KEYS to weight loss (which is
exercise and water) then you cannot start to blame any medications or
anything else.... Change your water intake, and start exercising, and see
if that works?! Was Doc getting on you because of weight loss or not
exercising/drinking your water?
— Karen R.
May 2, 2002
Sorry, I guess I was typing so fast I was not specific enough earlier. I
appreciate all the comments, even the ones that are a little terse. First,
I do exercise and drink water, I meant simply that I have trouble getting
it all in. Second, the thyroid comment was an invitation for those with the
same thyroid problems to give their input on whether or not their weight
loss had slowed so soon after surgery, it certainly wasn't in any way an
excuse for slower weight loss. My surgeon said no carbs and meant no carbs,
even complex carbs. My stomach pouch is smaller than the norm, so I am to
only eat 1/2 of a 1 oz medicine cup of food at a time. I eat 3 to 4 times a
day, protein, veggies and occasionally fruit. I also try and drink at least
two protein shakes a day. Because my pouch is so small, it is very hard for
me to drink water, but I manage at least 50 oz a day minimum and can't ever
seem to get in the 80 oz which is the high range of what my surgeon
prefers. I am still having a lot of trouble with fatigue, so exercising
isn't a daily thing for me. I do try however. I understand the importance
of exercise and water, but still am too tired to motivate myself to do it
on a daily basis.
— Diana M.
May 2, 2002
1/2 of a medicine cup is only 15 cc of food! I was only in that
neighborhood the first 2 weeks! I have kept the food intake down quite a
bit over the last 4 months, and my weight loss has slowed considerably...my
doctor says that I am in "starvation mode" and I am losing muscle
instead of fat. I am now eating 3 small meals a day (1/2 cup or 4 ounces)
and sometimes a cup of food...depends on the consistency. I also have two
small snacks each day. So I think I would touch base with your doctor
again and verify that you are eating enough. Did you have the RNY
procedure...I am told that the stomach size is pretty much standard, give
or take no more than 5 cc, so you might want to ask about that too! Good
luck and I hope everything works out for you! Your weight loss isn't all
that bad! What was your starting weight and height?
— Susan B.
May 2, 2002
Absolutely no carbs at all just doesn't sound right to me. You must have
had the micropouch, because I am 8 weeks post-op and can confortable eat
3-4 oz at a meal and loosing 5-8 lbs a week (total of 62). I would almost
wonder if you are not eating enough food. Are you feeling full? If your
body goes into starvation mode, it will actually try to hold on to every lb
it can and make you very tired/not feel like doing anything. Only 1/2 oz of
food at a meal just sounds to extreme to me.
— Dell H.
May 2, 2002
I have the Micropouch, so mine is SUPER small, but I try to get in soup at
least once a day for some nutrition since I can generally eat 3/4 cup of
soup versus 1oz of protein. If you "starve" yourself, you'll lose
slower. I eat 6 times a day! Also, if you don't drink enough water in a
phase of rapid weight loss you will be slower to lose and generally not
feel so swell because the water flushes the toxins released by the fat
cells...get that junk out!! Try crystal light, sugar free kool aid, water
with lemon, water with lime, sugar free hot chocolate...and remember if you
eat soup you can count that as your liquid intake too!
— Paula Prichard
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