What To Do If You're Worried That Your Weight Loss Is Too Slow

Have you ever worried that your weight loss is too slow and that you’re not progressing fast enough after your surgery? Have you been on a Weight Loss Surgery forum or heard stories of rapid transformation and are scared that this isn’t happening for you and that you’re not going to get the results that you want?  

You certainly wouldn’t be alone to feel like this. We have many clients at Fresh Start who have shared the same concern and today we want to talk about what to do if you feel this way.

Firstly, it’s really, really important to remember that everyone’s situation is different and there are many factors involved here - different starting weights, different types of surgery, different metabolisms, different hormones, different muscle masses, different ages, different health conditions, different medications, different lifestyles, different genetics and different stress levels, just to name a few. 

People also lose weight at different speeds and at different times on their journey. Someone might lose weight rapidly but then slow down, someone might lose weight slowly initially but this might go on for a long time. Weight loss is also never linear and it’s normal to plateau or to gain weight at various points. 

It’s also really important to remember that for everyone who you see is doing ‘better’ than you - there will absolutely be many, many people who are progressing at the same pace or slower than you.

So this is not about how much weight you lose in the initial few weeks or months compared to others, it’s about how you manage your weight for the long term. We all know the story about the tortoise and the hare and slow initial progress doesn’t have to mean that the long term results aren’t great! 

Now it’s okay to look at the results of people who are doing really well if this inspires you and encourages you to take more action. If however you spend time focusing on the results of other people and this just makes you feel bad then this is probably not a good use of your time. Instead it’s likely to lead to a loss of motivation and this can impact your results further.

So the number one step to take is to stop comparing your progress to others and instead focus on you own journey and what you personally can do to support your surgery.  Channel your focus into taking responsibility and getting your lifestyle right and keep on showing up each day to create positive change.  

Here are some extra steps to take:

• Keep on focussing on what you want to achieve and why you want to get there. It’s essential to have a clear goal of what you want to achieve to keep you on track and to keep you motivated to create change (read more on this essential step here);

• Keep on following the plan given to you by your dietitian. You’ve been given expert, individualised advice. Are you sticking to the principles e.g. eating slowly and mindfully, avoiding highly-processed foods and having protein at every meal?

• Keep on staying hydrated and taking your supplements;

• Keep on going back to your dietitian and surgeon for regular follow-up appointments;

• Keep on attending webinars and support groups to stay motivated;

• Keep on moving your body regularly. Easy rhythmical movement like walking or bike riding is particularly effective. If you’ve been cleared to do so by your doctor, also incorporate some resistance training into your week as this will raise your metabolism;

• Keep on improving your sleep quality and quantity (aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep on a regular basis) as this controls key appetite hormones in the body and has a strong impact on weight management and will power;

• If you’ve started to eat foods emotionally again then keep on experimenting with different ways to change your state that don’t involve food;

• Keep on reducing bad stress in your life (which can lead to increased appetite and weight gain) and practice stress reduction techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation, yoga and tai chi; and

• Keep on creating more balance in your life and doing things that help make you happy so that you stay motivated and emotionally nourished.

Remember the surgery doesn’t work in isolation, it’s just a tool and you have a huge amount of ability to influence and support the results of your surgery. What really matters is your ability to keep on creating lifestyle changes that support your personal journey. Be patient, keep focusing on the long-term destination and every small action and step that you can take to help get there!