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ZanderMars

Member
Hey y'all,
I'm Zander. I am relatively new to the bariatric support system and hope I've come to the right place. I am in a bit of a mental pickle. My SW before surgery (VSG) was 302 and I'm 39 days post op and have only lost 15 lbs. This feels ridiculously slow compared to what everyone has told me to expect from friends to doctors. I feel like I'm failing. Any advice on how to get past this mental hurdle? Every doctor I talk to makes me feel like this is normal and ok but mentally... mentally it feels so much worse.
 
Hey Zander! Welcome!! Slow weight loss can be incredibly frustrating, and I’m sorry you’re dealing with that frustration. But you have to remember not to compare yourself to how quickly others lose weight. Your body and mind are still adjusting, even at 39 days out. How’s your protein and fluid intake? What are you eating? Do you track your intake? How much are you walking? I know, a million questions, but that’s what a lot of people would ask.
 
I echo 3momchaos! I would also suggest calling the nutritionist and going over what you are consuming and see if any changes can be made that might help. If you are doing everything as you should and still the scale isn't budging, then have patience. It will eventually move. Stalls are frustrating but do happen and your body may still be adjusting too. I had been in a stall about a month ago, so I know it can get you down but hang in there!!!
 
It is actually in normal range. Per what I was told 10-15 a month, men on the higher end of the range, women on the lower end typically. I am 2 months out and am at about 8 pounds a month. Bodies will lose at their own pace. Stress and frustrations are only going to add to it, also over weighing ourselves are not going to help that process.
 
You are perfectly on track. Some people lose slower than that, some people very fast, and others in between. Social media can be a bit misleading because you see a lot more people posting about their weight loss when it's going really good and not as much when it isn't. Everyone responds in their own way. Some people get there in 6-8 months, and some people get there in more than 24 months. Most of us are somewhere in between, and it's all normal.

I guarantee that if you follow your plan's guidelines and then continue to make good, healthy food choices, stay hydrated, maintain a calorie deficit and work in some resistance exercise, YOU WILL reach your goals! There will be stalls and slow weight loss here and there in your journey, but during that entire time, good things are happening in your body.

We aren't designed to lose weight, we are designed to protect it, and even though the surgery gives us a smaller stomach/pouch and some hormonal changes that give us a weapon against those biological roadblocks, it is still slower for some and faster for others.

Focus on eating the right things and staying hydrated. Step away from the scale and take measurements and then remeasure each month. Concentrate on continuing to develop a new relationship with food and good habits that will last the rest of your life after you reach your goals, no matter how long it takes.

Don't do anything extreme like reducing calories below recommendations or trying a fad diet like keto and avoid doing too much high intensity cardio. Those things will trigger your metabolism to slow down due to a starvation response. Stick to the diet guidelines and do resistance training to help maintain muscle mass, which also helps your metabolism. HIIT is a great option to do quick workouts that build muscle and get the heart rate up without spending tons of time exercising, and walking is great for overall health (but it doesn't do much for weight loss...exercise is overrated in this regard).

Don't get down on yourself or be concerned about how fast or slow it's going. I actually think slow is better in some ways because your body is adjusting little by little and you can really concentrate on building those new habits that will stick with you forever.

You'll be okay! Stick to it and have faith! You can totally be as successful as you want to be.
 
Oh, man do I understand that early mental struggle of "am I losing enough?". I think we all go through our own version of it. You absolutely ARE losing at a successful rate. I went 3 1/2 weeks without losing a single pound 2 weeks after surgery. I was a hot mess of insecurity. "Am I doing it wrong? Am I destined to fail? OMG! I AM destined to fail!!" Now, at almost 5 months out, I am (a little) calmer. I still only weigh myself every few weeks because the scale is not my friend. So, if you can, try to focus more on how your body feels and looks. There are going to be weeks that the scale shows nothing and yet your clothes are bigger. Or your bloodwork comes in and it's perfect. This journey is so much more than the number on the scale. You and your success are so much more than the number on the scale. It's so hard to remember that sometimes. Especially when that number has been almost the sole focus of how the world views us and how we view ourselves. You can and ARE doing this. Believe in your program and yourself. The numbers get there when they get there. And they DO get there.
 
Thank y'all so much for helping me through this! I am now 25.5 lbs down since 9-29 and have been feeling a lot better. I am a little tired of my surgeons office making me feel crazy bc it's not fast enough but every other medical professional I've spoken to says slow and steady is better overall. Anxiety is a lil bastard but I think it'll get better!
 
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