Why cant i loose weight?

Excited&Scared · Oct 16, 2021

Hi everyone. So need some helpful advice. I'm 5 months post op:
HW: 337
SW: 327
CW: 279
GW: 170

I've only lost a total 58 pounds in 5 month. At 3 month visit doc said weight loss wasn't great, but not horrible. He said I would loose the most the first 6 months post op. I do pretty good on the diet. Fairlife protein shake for breakfast, fat free Greek yogurt for snack, protein shake and steamed veggies for lunch (I run an ER so time for lunch is hard so do protein shack to get protein in me). Dinner is typically chicken breast, veggies, or sweet potatoe. Get less than 1000 calories a day, 60-90 gm protein, less than 100gm carbs, still to <20 gm fat daily normally.

I work really long hours in an incredibly stressful job. Sleep maybe 2 hrs then wake up, might get another hour or two. I also have an injury to my ankle to have been in a boot which makes exercise hard.

I lost a whole 2 pounds the entire month of September!!!! I lost the majority of my weight the first 6 weeks, then every single pound has been a fight to loose. I want my "tool" to work and I really am trying. I don't understand why the scale has been stuck for so long!!!!!

I know years ago my doc put me on Phentermine and had a trainer. I GAINED weight on it.

!I have to find a way to move the scale. Is it the stress level? The lack of sleep? Or am I just broken?

3momchaos · Oct 16, 2021

According to this chart you’re right on track. Which surgery did you have? Everyone loses at different rates, and it’s hard when we don’t think we’re losing as fast as we think we should. For a while try to concentrate on protein intake, water drinking, track your foods, and don’t worry about exercising outside of your normal daily activity. Sounds like you’re very active on the regular.

KarenWV · Oct 16, 2021

Hi E&S & welcome to this group. Congatulations on losing almost 60 lbs and keeping it off. Wow, you have done an amazing job so far!!! It sounds like you are doing great working within the program.

The idea of tracking what & how much you are eating, drinking, and moving might work for you. I am doing that even 3 months after my surgery to keep myself aware of everything I'm doing.

Are you getting enough water? Would you benefit from increasing your water intake, which might help kickstart your weight loss? This is not medical advice, and your bariatric team might have suggestions for you. Could you add some more movement bc you are already limited by your boot? Maybe leg lifts or marching while sitting down, or lifting your arms holding cans or weights? Again, check with your doctor, but increasing movement might rev up your metabolism.

Best of luck to you.

KarenWV · Oct 16, 2021

3momchaos said:
According to this chart you’re right on track. Which surgery did you have? Everyone loses at different rates, and it’s hard when we don’t think we’re losing as fast as we think we should. For a while try to concentrate on protein intake, water drinking, track your foods, and don’t worry about exercising outside of your normal daily activity. Sounds like you’re very active on the regular.
View attachment 4660

Thank you for posting this weight loss rate chart (again). This time I finally copied it down into my notebook. I fit right in with the average weight loss rate, which really boosts my confidence level at my 3 month post surgery timeline. Great timing for sharing this chart. ❤❤

Kathi_S · Oct 16, 2021

3momchaos said:
According to this chart you’re right on track. Which surgery did you have? Everyone loses at different rates, and it’s hard when we don’t think we’re losing as fast as we think we should. For a while try to concentrate on protein intake, water drinking, track your foods, and don’t worry about exercising outside of your normal daily activity. Sounds like you’re very active on the regular.
View attachment 4660

I really love this chart!

Elidh · Oct 16, 2021

It sounds like you’re doing fine. I’m a slow loser too. if you haven’t had a sleep study, you might want to. Poor sleep is associated with weight gain or poor weight loss.

missyinacage · Oct 17, 2021

You're doing fine and your tool is working. Since you run an ER, I am sure you already know that lack of sleep and excess stress can cause your body to not function at peak levels. Sleep is extremely important and I hope you find someway to get a few more hours in, ideally in one shot. As long as you continue using your tool, it will continue to work for you. It may take longer to get there than you would like but at least you're still heading in the right direction.

You can also try to mix up your food for a few weeks. Get more fat, fewer carbs. Not every body is the same. Some people respond better to different macro levels. My nutritionist recommended 30% protein, 35% fat, 35% carbs. Try changing breakfast or lunch to a slice of avocado or PB toast. It'll add some healthy fat and is quick and easy.

WazzuCoug · Oct 19, 2021

I would imagine the stress and lack of sleep are not doing you any favors. You are still progressing at a rate that is pretty normal, and if you continue to make good food choices, stay hydrated, and get some healthy movement as well, your body will respond positively, even if the numbers on the scale don't change as fast as you like. There are many other measures of success than the scale. It is obviously the one everybody wants to see drop quickly, but the reality is, our bodies are complex and the best thing we can do is feed and hydrate it right and step away from the scale a bit.

I would also do whatever you can to relax and de-stress. I know it is hard given what you do, but I suspect that cortisol is surging through your system these days, and it is a major fat burning inhibitor.

Lastly, you might consider wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for a couple of weeks to a month and see how your body responds to the foods you are eating. If you have a lot of glucose spikes or significant dips, that may be a signal that you need to make different food selections. Even foods considered "healthy" can have a different effect on one person as compared to the next. Wearing a CGM was one of the best things I did in my first year to really identify what foods were the best for me.