Question:
I'm a new post-op and very discouraged. Help?
I am 4 weeks post-op and am very discouraged today. My weight loss was great the first week then not too good week two and three and this morning I weighed for this week and I've gained 2 pounds. (I only weigh once a week). My net loss for 3 weeks is 4 pounds this early in the game. I didn't think that every pound would be a struggle at this point. Closer to goal, yes, but in the begining? I understand that we all go through plateaus and I am sure this is a classic example, but that still doesn't make me feel better. I have been fine with the slower weight loss until today. It hasn't bothered me. My thoughts are this - "Have I put my body through hell for a pound a week?" THat gets me through my first year window not losing half what I should. I know it is early in the game, but the first month of any diet has always dropped the weight off, quicker than this I might add. I lost more the first month at Weight Watchers. I'm sorry to have a pity party, but you guys truly understand. I will say (THANK GOD) this is my first bout of discouragement/depression/crying since I had surgery. This from someone who has battled intense depression for 15 years. Anyway, thanks for listening to my complaining. By the way, I'm following my doctors orders to a "T". — Denise B. (posted on September 16, 2003)
September 16, 2003
It's very easy to get discouraged in the beginning. After going through
major surgery, we want instant results. I know I did. My weight loss was
very slow for the first 4 months (at least it felt slow to me). I learned
early on not to focus on the scale. I began to focus more on changing
habits and how I felt and how clothes were fitting. In my first 4 months,
I lost less than 50 pounds. In my second 3 months, I lost more than 50
pounds. So although my weight loss started out slow, once my body
adjusted to all the changes, it really sped up and it has remained
consistent. I learned that emotionally, I can only handle stepping on the
scale every couple of weeks to a month. All the slow drops and plateaus
were just getting to me, but after a month, I always experience a
significant drop in weight. It really helps. In 7 months I have lost 100
pounds and gone down 5 sizes. I'm happy with where I'm at now.
— Janet S.
September 16, 2003
I recall hitting a plateau at 2.5 weeks out (which lasted a couple of
weeks), at which point I ditched the scale and resolved not to get on it
more than once a month. I also remember thinking that I lost faster on
Weight Watchers.<P>But the most important difference with surgery, at
least at that point, was that the pouch, if used properly, will keep you
from regaining the weight you lose. *That's* what made it different from
Weight Watchers, for me. The pace of my weight loss picked up and I never
knew about plateaus (at least, not weekly ones) after that because I was
pretty good about staying off the scale for weeks at a time until I got
close to goal. Meanwhile, I focused on improving my exercise habits
(tracking how much faster or longer I could do an activity), and on
tracking my food and changing my eating habits (on
fitday.com).<P>Once you have this surgery, you really want the weight
GONE, and pressures build when you truly can hardly eat or drink, and many
folks around you are losing lots faster than you are. But try to think in
the long term. It's not about how fast you lose it (How'd that Weight
Watchers thing work out, by the way? I regained 130 pounds on that plan,
myself!). It's about keeping the weight OFF this time, using your new tool
to build make those lifestyles changes STICK that we could never make stick
before. For what it's worth, everybody goes through this. Hang in there!
— Suzy C.
September 16, 2003
Don't worry, it's just your body going "WTF??!?" One thing I
noticed was that each time I hit a plateu, it was at a weight I had been at
for a long time. The longer I had been stuck at a weight, the longer the
plateau. It's like my body had a memory of it, and resisted. 230 took a
while for me. Maybe that's whats going on. I know it's discouraging but
chin up, it WON'T last.
— Cara F.
September 16, 2003
denise..i know what your going through...i know it seems frustrating but
what your not thinking of is that you are a lightweight like i am which
means you dont have a tremendous amout to lose so for us it goes
slower..once you are able to excersize you will see a much better number on
your scale...hang in there and keep the faith..
— weezel333
September 16, 2003
i have been using this site for over a year now and i have read many many
profiles(all wonderful by the way) and i started to see a pattern. if you
go and look at 50 profiles you will notice the average lose the first month
is about 25-30 pounds. now with that being said, i also noticed that some
loose it really fast in the begining and then feel like they are in a
plateau, the others lose really slow little by little , but at the end of
the month everybody ends up the same. also another weight marker i found
was the 4 month point...some people lost quickly to get to that point and
others might of had the month before be really slow, but there was still
about the same amount of weight lost. alot of people don't see the
"big picture" because they are not at the same point of lose
during each month that someone else is, but it doesn't mean that at the end
of 12 months you will have lost any less than them. that's my story and i'm
stickin' to it! good luck
— franbvan
September 16, 2003
Please don't think you're alone. I'll be 4 weeks out this Friday and the
scale has been stuck on 317 for me. I started out at 340 so it's
frustrating but I'm trying not to be scale obsessed. The tough part is
that I wasn't scale obsessed then everyone kept asking how much weight I've
lost and I looked. I have one friend in particular that is driving me
crazy. I keep telling him to leave me alone about the scale because he's
making my obsess. I'm going to try and do what the other's have said and
try to think about the long term.
— Morna B.
September 17, 2003
Hi, dont feel discouraged, just do yourself a favor and "DONT"
get on that scale but maybe every 3 or 4 weeks. I had my procedure the 15
of july 03 and am down 70 lbs, however we are all diff and been told us men
lose it faster at the start. I was on nothing but liquids (9oz a day) for
the first 4 to 5 weeks and I think that is why i lost so quickly. All I can
say is the best measure of my weight loss has been my baggy clothes. Best
of luck and never give up
— DANNY C.
September 18, 2003
Boy, do I know how you feel. I'm 10 days out from surgery and have only
lost 1 lb. since the actual surgery day. If I use my weight from the pre-op
appt. then I am down 6 lbs.(from the lovely preps the two days before
surgery). My post-op was today and they told me not to worry, within 6 wks
or so, everyone seems to be somewhere in the same range. Good Luck!!
— Angela Q.
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