113 days post op

Hi All. It has been around 113 days (just shy of 4 months) since I had surgery and I am down 67 pounds. Lately I am struggling. The scale is creeping down slower than it ever has. I am smaller than I have been in 10 years, which is fantastic. But mentally, I am beating myself up. I had/have so much weight to lose. I wanted to lose 100 lbs in the first six months.

My doctors indicated that after 6 months my weight loss will all but halt and I needed to lose as much as possible in the first six months. 20 lbs a month was my target based on what they said should lose for my height/weight/age and I am not hitting that anymore. I am off target by about 10 pounds.

They also indicate I need to be under 800 calories a day, but when I eat that low, my weight loss completely stops. I am beginning not to trust my doctors which is scary. They should know better than anyone but when I don't hit at least 1,000 calories, my body feels weak and I am dead tired, I can't think at work and I just want to nap. But trusting them, I have pushed myself to meet that calorie goal - and it has taken me 3 weeks to lose 2 pounds. I know I am very impatient, but I my goal is still so far away, I am questioning my ability to actually reach it, with the slow progress I have had in the last month. Should I trust my body over my doctor and increase my calories?

I also find old habits creeping in - skipping meals to try to force a drop in the scale the next day, carb cycling, intermittent fasting - basically anything to push through the stall and jumpstart my metabolism.

I can't decide if my woes are just my impatience or if I am truly going to continue to see my weight loss crawl like this.

I was never told to count calories. just protein first, then veggies, then good carbs if room. I have no clue how many calories I eat. Do you do that at every meal? Along with all the don't drink with meals and take your vitamins?

67 pounds in 3 months is a HUGE amount of weight! Celebrate your accomplishment! I bet you feel and look so much better. I wouldn't try any crazy things to start to lose, I'd just stick to how we were taught to eat and exercise. You may be experiencing a stall, your body is trying to catch up. I have found that the more you obsess about food and your weight the worse it gets. They have actually done studies that have proven this true. Try to just eat how you were taught and see how it goes. Maybe stay off the scale for a month, knowing you're doing what you should food and exercise wise. Best of luck to you!

After a sleeve, the weight loss in unpredictable.

Not one doctor could tell you when you should lose what.

My surgeon's prediction was that I could lose 50 kgs in total (after reading the equivalent of my DEXA scan), but said it was going to be hard with my metabolism and my complicated health history.
I lost it in two years. Some of his patients lost it in 9 months..but some of my meds do make me gain weight and I had to use it sometimes.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Sometime I was not losing for two months and at first was surprised. But Staying positive and doing everything to reach your goal will help.
After one month I was supposed to eat 1000 calories...could never do it (strong nausea) but I think we do our best and the result will come.
Take it easy!
Take care

67 pounds in 4 months is fabulous! Celebrate this achievement.
Everyone loses at different rates. I didn't stop until I was 16 months out and my surgeon suggested that it could take up to 18 months. My surgeon also never once gave me a goal weight and my body has just decided where it wants to be.
I am only just averaging 900-1000 calories a day - I do count them and keep a diary of my eating habits. :-)
I walk most days for at least 45 mins and I go to a yoga class once a week - but that is all the exercise I do. I can't contemplate a gym at all!
Hang in there.

PS I just looked at my weight loss log (yes, I keep one of these too!) and at 4 months I was down 68 pounds - so pretty much on track with where you are. I've lost a total of 137 pounds now.

6 months is if you don't stick to the diet and don't get any exercise. 12-18 months if you do both. Too few calories will cause a stall. If you want to stop something to lose weight better drop carbs altogether. Eat protein and veggies until you are full. You are doing fine.

Dottie! You are doing just fine so take a breath. I lost for 10 months with no issues. I had to actually attempt to stop my weight loss at that point. As for when you start to slow down, that is common and it does not mean you will stop losing. Just keep plugging along. I had less to lose than you and I lost with no issues. Another thing, you can't stay at 800 forever. I know that when I started to stall or slow down it was because I was eating too little. As soon as I would up my intake I would start losing again. Most surgeons will tell you to count protein and fluids but not calories but every surgeon is different. The first rule of sleeve surgery is that every surgeon has different rules. No two people are exactly alike. You will continue to be successful. The best thing to do is kick those negative thoughts and be your own success story!! YOU GOT THIS DOTTIE!!!

Congrats on your 67 pounds, that is great!
This stall is normal and can be expected.
Just do the best you can, proteins, healthy carbs like veggies, drink your water and especially: take your vitamins.
I was considered a slow looser, although I never experienced a stall.
Don't let anyone make you crazy.
I could not eat 1000 cals by three months, heck, not even at six or nine months.
I think I did 1000-ish cals when I was over 1 year out and now at more than two years, I eat around 1500 to maintain.
When you start stuffing your face at three months out, I think there will be a genuine risk that you are going to eat too much over time.
In this case I would say ignore your doctor.
We've all been there and done that.
Use your honeymoon period to the fullest, you will not get another one.
How was your blood work?

Thanks all. I figured I was just being impatient and I am happy to see that my progress seems to be on par with others. My doctor is definitely calorie obsessed and constantly tells me to keep the calories down. Right now I can basically only eat protein and very, very little veggie carbs so I know I am doing the right things. I think stalls are the hardest part of this whole experience. No matter how many times I tell myself the stall is temporary and I will lose again, I keep thinking - "this is it. This is when I stop losing weight, its over for me".

I tell you, the mental battles are way harder than the physical ones! I hope by the end of this whole journey, my relationship with both food and the scale is completely different. Constantly thinking about both is too stressful

My doctor told me yesterday that my progress is great and that his estimate before was just an estimate so not to beat myself up. He does want me to lose 19 pounds between now and my next appt (May 28) - so that is my new goal I guess! Lets see if I can make it!