Grrrrrrrr.......

I am just over 4months out and have been the same weight for 5 weeks .  It moves up or down .5 to 1 pound and that is it!!!
It is so frustrating!! I havd had other stalls but nothing this long.
I track everything !! I don't see how we can be eating such low calories and carbs and  NOT be losing..
I have had a bad cold/ sinus thing for the last month also, not sure if that has anything to do with it.
Just need to vent to people who understand..
I live with 3 normal weight people and while my husband is very supportive when I am going off about this he says the same as I did above "I don't see how you can NOT be losing with eating such a small amount" I say I don't get it either...
Any suggestions would be greatly appreiciated!!!
Julie

Hi Julie,

I am only 2 months out and I have had 3 stalls already 1 1/2 - 2 weeks each.  What I keep reading, and what has worked for me is to change either the pattern of what I eat in a day, or add some extra calories, basically just change something for a day.  This worked during my last stall.  2 days and I was down 1.5 pounds.

Jane

 rather then try to eat more (which seems to be defeating our purpose of loosing weight and just increasing my hunger for several days afterwards) I try to walk on the treadmill more to push through the stalls.  Good luck to you!

 Everyone has a different recipe for breaking stalls.  I usually go back to shakes for a while.  The nurse who leads my support group says she used an increase in water and exercise to break stalls.

Since my 12 week mark, I have entered a sair step patter, I will lose a coupe of days the hold steady a couple of days.  Stalls seem to happen to me when something changes in my body, i.e. a medication change or such.  Last night I pushed myself on a workout before dinner, had a great NSV, and woke up this morning to not only find myself not having lost a thing but actually gained a pound.  That pound could be anything water, waste material in the bowel, or just the scale being grumpy.  Eventually it will come back off and some of its siblings with it!

When I asked my surgeon at my 3 month visit, he mentioned that everyone has stalls.  Sometimes the body just needs to take a break and catch up.  His advice was just stay on plan, don't go over 600 cal a day and it will come off.

How much do you work out?
How much water are you getting in per day?
Are you eating real protein or getting most of your protein from shakes/bars?
Have you had your labs checked recently?

Here's some things that have worked for me.

*64 oz of water a day is the MINIMUM. For every 1/2 of strenuous work/exercise you should add 8 oz of water. I find that if I don't get at least 10 glasses (80 oz) minimum per day, I don't lose.

*Try changing your workout routine. Do it backwards - if you usually end with pushups, start with them for a few days. Add in a walk. Walk an extra mile. Walk a mile less. Our bodies are always trying to find a comfort zone and it can help with weight loss if we don't let them. Just keep it simple.

*Real protein is really important for me. When I get most of my protein from shakes, I stall. Just like our bodies can only handle a certain amount of vitamins at one time, our bodies can only process a certain amount of protein and other nutrients at one time. That's why we eat meals throughout the day. So, a protein shake with 30 grams of protein sounds great, but if your body can only process 15 grams of that shake, the rest is wasted. That said, when you need a shake, drink one. I get 80+ grams of protein a day and have since 2 month post-op and I keep my carbs under 30. I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks. I allow for one protein bar because I love it - the rest is real protein. I keep my calories under 900 (I workout hard, so I go a little higher than the 600-800 calories a day that some people on the forum suggest. It's what works for me.)

*With a stall that long, I would suggest you get your labs taken and make sure there isn't something going on with your thyroid etc. It will also give you a chance to speak with a doc and you might get some more ideas.

Good luck, I hope the stall breaks soon.

From reading the previous responses, it is clear that everyone is different in what works for them in bouncing back from a stall. I know how you feel, I stalled for nearly 3 weeks. 5 weeks? I can only imagine your pain.

Like the others here, I did CHANGE something. I was averaging 450-500 cals a day, so I upped it by allowing a small protein snack in between meals, instead of a Nectar drink. I had only one Nectar drink, and at night before bed. I changed my workout - quit the elliptical and instead briskly walked at work, daily. I also did what others in the forum have recommended before - PUSHED (literally) that darn H20. That meant walking around with a water bottle in hand. That was harder than anything.

These changes seem to have worked, as the stall broke, but today I am back to my regular plan. Hopefully, a few changes will work again if *knock on wood* the stall happens again.

good luck!

All my labs are great. I am on thyroid meds have been for years.
Could up exercise , but have been so sick with this cold I don't have the energy yet.
I eat all REAL protien no shakes and get 80-100 grms.
Drink 80-100oz. water.
Calories under 900 usually 800
Carbs 40 or under.
Thanks for all your tips!!
Julie

Sounds like you are doing all the right things.

Sometimes it doesn't take much of a change. I'm a big believer in adding 1 or 2 more cups of water.  It's a *relatively* easy thing to do. You might also try eating some meats you don't have too often or add in another veggie per day. Maybe when you start feeling up to working out again, you 'll see some progress.

But, if you are coming off a cold, your body needs time to get better.

Stalls are frustrating as hell.

IMO, you're doing everything right.

I hope you feel better and break the stall soon.

Hi,
When I went to Weigh****chers and I had a stall. They would tell me to make sure to eat all the food groups, add more calories. It worked. Our bodies get use to one set of calories. Shock your body and add some more calories, healthy food, Always change your exercise routeen, because your body gets use to that also if you do the same exercise. Low carb. Just my 2 cents worth.

God Bless
Evie

You migh****ch your salt intake also. If I eat too much salty foods I completely stop all weight loss and sometimes will gain.
Good luck with all of these suggestions.