Question:
Why can't I lose weight quicker?

I am despondent. I seem to not be able to lose weight easily. I am doing all the right things. I drink more than the recommended 64 oz. of water a day, I eat so much protein it's boring. I eat nearly no sugar or carbs at all. I am walking three times a week plus running after my two toddlers. I'm taking my vitamins, too. I am two months post-op as of tomorrow and I have only lost 35 lbs. What's going on? What am I doing wrong? I have read so many profiles and talked with so many other patients and I have yet to come across someone like myself who has lost so little in two months time. I'm feeling very down on myself and getting that "loser" feeling again. I don't mean to whine but I don't know what else to do. If I'm doing something wrong, I'd like to know what it is. Is my body so determined to hold on to this fat? Meanwhile, I question myself every minute of every day. Help!    — Talullah (posted on October 22, 1999)

October 21, 1999
Dear Lisa I was wondering if you are drinking protein drinks? There is a girl on the chat site who is post op and was losing a little slower than others. She called the doctor and he asked her what she was eating. She told him three protein drinks, which were 300 calories a piece, and other foods. Well the moral: She was getting too many calories. Those protein drinks can be high in calories. Especially if you are eating normal food too. She quite the drinks and is now dropping weight again. Good luck to you. I am seven weeks post op and just got off a 10 day plateau. It is depressing, but you will do it.
   — Laura L.

October 22, 1999
Hi lisa, I am 4 1/2 mo. My start wt. was 270lbs. I now have lost 54lbs, my wt loss is slow also. I think that the more you have to lose the faster it comes off. I would like to lose about 110 lbs I am 5'11", every 15 to 20 lbs I lose I stop losing for about 2 weeks then bingo it starts again. Dont worry with the restriction of food intake. You cant help but to loose wt. Dont worry or get discouraged it will come off remember it is going to take at least 12 to 18 mo. I was wondering what was your starting wt. and goal. If you want to chat my email address is [email protected] good luck and be patient. I know its hard. I live in Coarsegold out side of Fresno, there are alot of us around the area. juanita
   — juanita C.

October 22, 1999
I am now 9wks. post op RNY. At 8wks. I was down 40lbs. and my Dr. said that was great!. I count calories and keep them between 800 - 1000 per day. Lots of protein. This is forever so I know it will come off eventually. I have about 150lbs. to loss all total. Don't give up you will make it!!
   — Cheryl H.

October 22, 1999
Good morning, Lisa, I just read your post. I'm so very sorry that you are so desperate and miserable right now. I have quite a large support group and you are not alone in feeling like you aren't losing the weight fast enough. I think this is because of all the things we've tried pre-surgery and of course, we've all failed at those things. So now are we going to fail at this too. My doctor told me that usually his patients lose about 50 pounds in the first 3 months and then they lose about 10 pounds a month from then until they reach their "bodies" goal weight. If you have lost 35 pounds in 2 months I think you are doing great. Sure, there are some others who have lost more but take into account how much overall they had to lose. I have lost about 75 pounds to date and Nov. 6th will be my 6 month anniversay. Another support group member had surgery done about 3 weeks after I did and he's already lost 180+ pounds!! And that was as of 5 months out for him. But here's the trick to this - he weighed 615 pounds to start with and I weighed 370. Another fellow support group member lost 117 pounds in 6 months, but she had over 40 more pounds to lose than I did. So when these others tell you that they lost much more than 35 in 2, are they telling you the whole story? We are all different in how we deal with the surgery, deal with eating, and losing the weight. Please don't be harsh on yourself. It sounds like you are doing the right things, to me. Wish I was being so good. I don't excersise enough and eat way too much sweet. Oh, yea, you said that you eat a lot of protein. One of the ladies in my group (who's a bit of a profectionist, I might add. But she is at her goal and looks so good.)was taking way too much protein. We are asked to drink diet Carnation Instant Breakfast once or twice a day and she was drinking 4 or 5 of them a day. She was really upset when she didn't lose the weight. Could you be doing this? Like I said, I'm very sorry that you are feeling so low right now. I get the feeling that you are in a near panic over this and hope you can get away from that feeling. Hope you can cut yourself a little slack and get your mind back into the positive part of this journey. After all, 35 pounds of boxes of butter stacked up is quite a pile of fat!!! Your 35 pound loss is nothing to sneeze at. Be patient and try, try to love yourself through this. Okay? My prayers are with you always. Please feel welcome to e me anytime!!! Thinking of you, Linda
   — Linda P.

October 22, 1999
You're doing great! Don't beat yourself up you've lost 35 lbs in 2 months and that is a good healthy start!!! Continue to do everything you're doing ... if you lose 17 lbs a month ... in 10 months you'll have lost 170 lbs. We never think our weight loss is fast enough! But think on the positives, remember to do everything you've been told to do and it WILL pay off!!! I was 516 lbs when I started the process .. the weight comes off much faster at first if you're extremely overweight like I was ... if you're right at the 100 lbs or so overweight, the weightloss is a little slower, but steady. Keep up the good work!
   — Sherrie G.

October 22, 1999
At two months out I had lost right at 30 pounds. I am now just short of one year post-op and have lost 126 pounds. I wouldn't worry too much about not losing fast enough. It sounds to me like you're right on track.
   — dboat

January 11, 2000
Your body is tricked into thinking that you've been starving it so it puts you thru a non-loosing phase. Don't stress over this...just maybe change what you've been eating...do more veggies, no bread, more proteins...try increasing your exercise( walking rapidly is good..push yourself to walk further. You'll get over this hump eventually ...don't despair. My metabolism is real slow and I've been where you are...we all lose at different paces. Chin up and walk...walk walk!!!
   — Kathy A.

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