6 months out + 6 week stall = many doubts

I am officially 6 months out and officially stalled.  Yes I am thrilled with my weight loss of over 60 pounds but really worried this may be the end of the road for the scale moving.  I am charting every bite, 80-100 ounces of water and protein.  I have never missed my vitamins.  I exercise every day.  I did the pouch test and completely broke the diet for a week and tried to SHOCK my metabolism.  I have had blood work down and they have checked my thyroid.  I went back on metformin for my PCOS.  I changed the workout patterns.  I ate at different intervals.  Basically I am out of ideas. 

Oddly I am still around 220 pounds and people actually comment that I have to be close to goal.  Heck I have barley made it half way.  That scares me as maybe I am perceived to be heavy the rest of my life.  I really want to get it going again.  I still am limited to the amounts I can eat.  My sleeve was made with a 32 French. 


Most days I am still thrilled with my progress but now I am starting to doubt my ability to be normal sized ever in my life.  If my body can maintain then I very well could be done.  Not looking for sympathy here.  I just needed to vent and get my frustration out.  I really am working the emotional aspect and trying not to give into my urge to eat.  I am so proud of everyone else but have a hard time coming here at times because I get feelings of failure in a huge hurry.  I am not giving up just hoping that body will start to cooperate. 

 this has been an issue for me as well and i have read a lot and heard from people who say that this is normal between 6-8 months but just to stick with it an doing what you are doing. i also recommend that you work out if you havent already. you will be fine! stay positive!!

I hear you,  i am almost 10 months out and i've only lost 74lbs?  but although i try to be good i'm not as good as i should be.   I noticed i was stuck at 180 for a couple of months,  they were bad months,  suffered a very great loss and got thrown completly off course.  But then i got down to 170,  stuck there for a couple of months,  now i'm struggling again.  I think we have set points  i think my body likes being here,  and i like it here a whole lot better and am thankful.   But i'm not done and neither are you.   Its so true that this is a journey.   We won't all get there at the same side,  or the same way,  but we will get there.   i know i need to shock myself back into losing mode,  i'm thinking exercise might really help.  I don't do a lot of that,  i walk twice a day but i need to work with my dumbells more.  So anyway,  i just wanted to say hi,  and you're not alone.   We are all on the path together.   You must feel better and look better i know i do.  So think about all the good things and the things yet to come.   We will get there  :o) Jeani

Thanks for the kind words.  Just have a sense of failure in my head tonight.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better. 

Hi There,
 I just wanted to write ya and tell ya...I so totally feel you. I have been at a super long stall and was wondering what in the world is wrong. I too had done the pouch test, they are checking my thyroid as we speak and the docs are suggesting that after the test results come back they will discuss  putting me back on metformin. I log everything I even consider putting into my mouth and after viewing my logs my nutrition is  suggesting adding more fat into my diet. the nutritionist also suggested that I get into a body pod. He wants to see exactly where I am losing, where I need to lose and even how I may go about losing it.  Because the scale hasn't been moving....I am willing to try anything.
I regularly work out and now that the weather is nice, I even managed to put in an hour or so of yard work into my day.
I hope that for both of our sakes, the stall will end soon. I've been told to stick with it, and just look forward to the one-year surgiversary. I guess until then, I will just have to keep taking the measurements and stay off of the scale.
I would like to wish you best wishes, and encouraging thoughts....because no matter what it takes we will get there!!!

Keep the faith my friend and continue to work your sleeve. It takes a little longer for some than others (although I think you're doing GREAT(.

I too had doubts along the road...will this be IT? A lot. Eventually, it all came off and even more.

Hang in there! Eat based on your new sleeve and goals. You're on your way to complete success!

I thinks it's normal as time goes by to have longer stalls...I could be wrong but I've seen it many times here. I to have been in an extremely long stall but like Jeani I'm probably not as on plan as I should be. I too am happy where I am but would still like to lose another 20 or so pounds and believe I will do it but it may take me a while longer than anticipated.

I totally understand.  It is so hard to doom ourselves. Just know (this is what I am telling myself) that I am in no way eating as much as before, so I have to be losing weight even slowly.  With that said, as we get closer to goal....or even the high end of the goal....does that mean I have to work harder at it....sure.  And I am willing to do that.  But it is frustrating when we are not even close to goal.  I can't believe that 196 is it.  So....let's just stay postive and encourage each other.  I know this isn't it for me.  And really, if it takes 1.5 or 2 years to hit my goal.  I am fine with that too.  Good luck

My weight loss slowed down at 6 months post-op and I noticed I had less restriction. I reviewed what I was eating (I track my food on myfitnesspal.com) and realized the bulk of my protein was coming from soft sources like protein shakes, cheese, Greek yogurt, beans.

I changed to dense protein, mainly tender beef and seafood, and saw my weight loss resume and felt a lot of restriction. Dense protein fills you up with a small amount and keeps you full longer. I can eat 8 oz. of Lentil soup with no problem but 4 oz. of steak fills me right up.

Limiting my carbs to less than 40 grams per day was also instrumental for my continued weight loss. When my carbs got too high my weight loss slowed.

Review what you are eating and make appropriate adjustments. Cut out slider foods like bread, rice, potato, chips, carbs in general. You can eat slider foods all day long and feel no restriction.

Dense protein and regular physical activity were responsible for me reaching my weight loss goal and maintaining.

Good luck,
George

Thanks again to all of you.  I am totally on dense protein...mainly beef as I have an abundance of home raised.     But I do chicken, turkey, pork and seafood too.  The restriction is not gone and I can fill it in no time.  Thinking that my body is just that metabolically efficient and I will need to give my self lots of time.   Just was hoping to change the body furnace for once.  Trying hard not to loose my faith but really am trying to stay positive.