The dreaded PLATEAU

Well, I am nearly 9 months post op....in 11 more days.  I have not lost any weight for 6 weeks!  I have lost a few inches and people tell me they can see that I've "lost"....Ugh!  That darned scale!  I have not been very consistent with exercise and am working on that now.  I have upped and then decreased my calories....NOTHING!  I am finally able to get in 64+ ounces of water a day.  I really struggled with the water intake after surgery!  Really beginning to enjoy water again and how it feels to truly be hydrated!

Any advice on getting this plateau to break.  I am averaging about 1000 calories a day,  I usually have one 700-800 calorie day, and one 12-1300 calorie day.  My doctor wants me at 1000 to 1200 now.  I am 5'3, currently weigh 158-160....bounces up and down sometimes a little higher...as high as 164....this morning 159.  I am averaging about 60-90 grams of protein a day.  I do average about 60-100 carbs daily.  If I go below 60, I get mush brain and as a nurse practitioner, I can't have that!  I have been more lax on the carbs recently (in the last 1-2 weeks), but not too bad.

Thanks for any help.
I can give you a food log if that would be helpful.....just let me know.

When you increased your calories was it through protein?  Not foods with a few proteins in them but PROTEIN.   I never go below 110g of Protein per day and that's not even counting Protein in food.

Are your carbs coming from good carbs like fruit and vegetables?  I've found that even eating one day of "bad" carbs will add a pound on.  Foods like bread, pasta, rice, etc. cause me to swell which shows up on the scales.

I never really stalled.  When I slowed down around 5 months, I started over 100g of protein a day and 30g of carbs, good carbs only.  I eat 4 meals a day plus my protein drinks so I am always eating or drinking something.  I haven't had any negative reactions to low carbs because my protein level has been so high.  Most days I am around 150g with food and suppliments. 

You might want to also join us on Miles and Menus and see if you get some help there.

Thanks for the words of wisdom.  I increased my calories mainly with protein from food.  I have had an aversion to the protein shake, so am researching the lemon tea I saw on the menu board you all have here.  I'm thinking it must be pretty palatable since several folks are using it several times a day.  Is this tea part of your water intake?  I struggle to get in the water....but am doing so much better in recent weeks.

I will pay more attention to my carbs!  Hopefully the help you all give me here will do the trick!

All your liquid, protein or not, counts.  You can get samples of lemon tea and others from Vitalady.  Seems like folks either love or hate Lemon tea.  My new favorite is caribean cooler with a crystal light mango peach stick and 40oz of water.  Lots of fluid and flavor and it isn't chocolate or vanilla which I get tired of really quickly.

I hit my biggest stall in Aug 2011...I lost the same three lbs from Aug until Feb 2012...LONG time to stall...then without changing anything I lost 6 more lbs. (I also wasn't losing any inches either).

Then I had jaw surgery...lost another 8/10 the first week after surgery. I am back up 3 lbs from my lowest but still down 5 lbs from the day before my jaw surgery.

Count your protein and fluids first, carbs second and calories LAST!

Liz

I'm about 10 months post op, and I need a certain level of carbs or I get hypoglycemia (mushy brain and then some!). I know it's hard to eat some but not too many carbs. 

You might try some exercise.  I think that really helps.  Right now we're eating about the same level - I'm working on bumping up my calories - I'm generally around 1100 unless I get into the carbs.

You might try posting on Menus and Miles to see if Roz has any suggestions on your daily menus.  She has lots of experience.

Good luck!!!

On June 18, 2012 at 7:01 PM Pacific Time, Eliza55 wrote: I'm about 10 months post op, and I need a certain level of carbs or I get hypoglycemia (mushy brain and then some!). I know it's hard to eat some but not too many carbs. 


I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions for the OP, because I'm going through something similar.  But I'm glad I read your reply, because I was about to post about this problem.

When I go totally Low-Carb, I end up with dips in my blood sugar (50-low 60 range).  So I struggle to balance low carb, with the need to shove sugar, any sugar and lots of it, in my mouth to counteract the hypoglycemia. An awful way to feel, for sure! ( I was diabetic before surgery, fyi.)  I've done low-carb in the past (pre-surgery) with no problems that I can remember.  Well, I may remember a couple of instances, but for the most part, loved low-carb because I actually felt "normal".

Might be time to buy a new tube of glucose tabs...lol.

I was just looking at your stats....and we are quite similar.  I had surgery 2 days after you.  Our weight is very close as well....I am currently 157-158 although I have days where I retain water and will be as high as 164 and then down again in a day or two. 

I did not have diabetes, but I do get hypoglycemic at times.  Funny how now, If I eat something with bad carbs  ie: frozen yogurt (not a bad choice but not a good one either), I will get a high spike in my sugar and then a very rapid crash with BG in the 60's....I feel dizzy, light headed, sweaty and like I could nearly pass out.  So I am somewhat careful with carbs....Just strange to me how it is only some carbs that make me feel this way.

I got fewer carbs yesterday and did OK, and am shooting for  a few less carbs today.  Gonna try to wean myself slowly and see if I can avoid the mush brain.

How neat...we ARE quite similar!  Your post caught my eye, because for the last 3-4 months I've kind of been at a standstill with weight loss.  The first couple of months were justified, because we moved and with all that hassel, nutrition was not a priority and I wasn't eating "good for me" food at all.

Finally, though, I got my act together and started eating right again, and started exercising with the Couch 2 5k Program, about 7 weeks ago. I actually hadn't been exercising much at all up to that point.  Always had good intentions, but....

SO, you would think those changes would be enough to start losing again, but the scale hasn't moved much at all. The running program isn't strenuous but it's more than what I WAS doing, right?  I've been teetering between 159 and 161. I've just started to incorporate some strength training on my off days.

Oh, well.  It is what it is, I guess.  I'm just going to keep doing what I know I should be doing and the scale will catch up eventually.   Honestly, I am content (to some extent) where I am weight-wise so there's not that urgency to lose, lose, lose.  That's not to say that I don't WANT to lose another 20-25, but I'm finally at the point that looking in the mirror is not so bad,  you know? :)  I didn't have surgery to stop 20 pounds from goal, though!

And the hypoglycemia, it sucks!  I'm not ever sure when it's going to hit.  I try very hard not to eat "bad" carbs in the morning, because I feel like that's an invitation for it to happen for sure!  I'm sure it has to do with the glycemic index of foods, so I at least try to eat some protein if I'm eating something sugary.

Good luck to you!!!