Question:
ANYONE HIT PLATEAUS CONTINUOUSLY
I AM 10 WEEKS OUT AND HAVE CONTSTANT PLATEAUS SINCE MY FIRST WEEK! I HAVE LOST ONLY 42 POUNDS SO FAR, IT IS VERY DISCOURAGING, SINCE FRIENDS WHO HAD THE SURGERY AT THE SAME TIME ARE LOSING MUCH FASTER. I TRY TO TAKE IN MY PROTEIN, WATER, ETC., BUT MY WEIGHT STAYS THE SAME FOR WEEKS AND THEN I MIGHT ONLY DROP A POUND OR TWO. IT SEEMS INSANE, I CAN'T EAT MORE THAN A FEW BITES AT A TIME. I TRY NOT TO EAT MORE THAN THREE TIMES A DAY, PER MY DR'S ADVICE. HE JUMPED MY CASE AT MY 7 WEEK CHECKUP, SUGGESTING A LONGER BYPASS, I WAS MORTIFIED. I WENT TO A WIEGHT LOSS CLINIC AND LOST 105 PDS BEFORE AND LOST AT LEAST 3 PDS A WEEK EATING TONS MORE, SO I AM JUST BAFFLED. HELP! — kimberly S. (posted on March 12, 2002)
March 12, 2002
Hello...1st of all, look at the big picture...40lbs. in 10 weeks = 4lbs. a
week which is 2X as fast as the "recommended" 2lbs. per week, so
that's great. I am not post op, so I wouldn't profess to give advice, but
if I did I would tell you: #1 - most important, don't compare yourself to
others, everybody looses at different weights; #2 - don't be a slave to the
scale (too discouraging!); #3 - measure your successes in different ways
besides the weight loss...are you in a smaller size (or two)? Are you
feeling more energetic, vital, healthy? #3 - check your protein and
fluids, are you getting enough of both in? #4 - are you moving around? You
know, that dirty word...EXERCISING! #5 - Look closely at your eating
patterns...are you getting ENOUGH calories in, so that your body isn't
starving on itself? These are just a few of the ideas I've read about on
this site...keep you chin up, try not to get discouraged and KNOW THAT YOU
WILL BE A SUCCESS! Good luck...
— rebeccamayhew
March 12, 2002
Kimberly...I am in the same boat. Check out my profile. It is just making
me crazy that I will go 2 weeks and then only drop 2-3 lbs. My surgeon got
on to me and said that I worry too much and should just be grateful that I
am loosing. I AM grateful for the weight that I've lost but I feel that I'm
working pretty darned hard for the weight that I've lost!<p>
I try to look at the big picture but it is <b>REALLY</b>
frustrating to be working my butt off and not see more results! I do water
aerobics 4-5 times a week. I am staying true to my diet and not cheating
with sweets or grazing. I get in all my water and protein. I am having
trouble adding variety to my diet with out throwing up so I am mainly
sticking with the soft food diet. Anything with bread makes me toss
everytime so I stay away from that. I'm about 3 months post-op and 57 lbs
down. I keep gaining and loosing the same 3 lbs!<p>
I wish I had an answer for you...and if you arrive at one PLEASE let me
know!!! I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone in this
loosing pattern.
— Barbi B.
March 12, 2002
girl we are riding the same boat i have plateaus every time i blink my
eyes....and whats more fusterating is when i lose i gain as well
grrrrrr....i know what u are feeling.
— Deanna Wise
March 12, 2002
Rate of weight loss is dependent on SO many factors. Those of us who are
"older" will lose weight more slowly because our metabolic rates
are slightly lower, regardless of the amount of exercise that we do.
Females will lose weight more slowly than males for the same reason, and
especially when we are post-menopausal. Previous dieting history will
effect the rate of weight loss....those folks who have yo-yoed for years
will also lose much more slowly and plateau more often. I am two years
post-op, and an at goal, but arrived there more slowly than many of my
"brothers and sisters" in this process. The best advice I can
offer is to have faith in the surgery, follow the dietary regimen
(including adequate protein and water intake), exercise faithfully, put
your scales in the closet, and stop comparing your weight loss to anyone
else's. For weeks post-op, I became a "scale junkie". I was
weighing several times a day, naked and clothed, before and after going to
the bathroom, etc.... The only thing that that accomplished was to make me
a crazy person. I put the scales away and only weighed once a month, on my
new "birth"day.....then each weighing experience was a pleasant
and positive surprise. I stopped focusing on "pounds" and
realized that even when the scales weren't moving, the inches were! I was
one of those folks who was just sure that although others were happily
reaching their goals, I surely could never expect to do so. Well, I have
"arrived" and life is good....it will be for you too! Best
wishes!
— Diana T.
March 13, 2002
Try the Atkins diet. You can get a copy of the book at your local
bookstore. It talks about plateaus, and what you can do to break thru them.
The diet is mainly low carb & hi-protien.
— Sherry S.
March 16, 2002
Well! I've just read all the answers to your question and I guess we can
both see that we're not alone! I'm in the same boat. 9 1/2 weeks out and
50# loss but I'm on my 2nd plateau--this one's lasted about 10 days. But
the last time this happened, I lost 6# the next week after the plateau
broke. So, maybe.....
— Jo N.
August 10, 2002
I also have hit many plateaus after I lost 40 lbs. At first I knew it was
because I was eating sugar free ice cream, which I have stopped. But the
weight comes off slow now even though I starting walking. I know I am
doing everything right so I am trying to be patient and lose at my own
pace. Two friends that have had open RNY and have lost over 100 lbs. have
encouraged me and said "Don't worry it will come off". Don't be
discouraged, it will come off.
— Jean B.
August 13, 2002
Dang plateaus! What bugs me is that I went for 4 or 5 days without losing
a pound. Monday morning I weighed myself and had lost 3.2 pounds in 1 day
and I was so excited! Then this morning I weighed myself again (I know I
shouldn't weigh every day but I couldn't help myself) and I had gained back
2 of those pounds. Grrrrrrr!!!!! What's that all about? Anyway, you
should see the little weight loss graph on my FitDay.com page. It goes
downwards like a staircase and then every 2 weeks or so it goes up a pound
(or 2). Very strange.
— Jennifer A.
August 20, 2002
I only lose a pound or two every week or so. I have not in 2 1/2 months
ever lost more than 2 or 3 lbs. at a time. Been told I am a "slow
loser" Duh! I guess so. It is so discouraging when you hear other
big losses. I guess we have to accept what does come off, but the price
sure is high for the low results.
— Georgia H.
October 27, 2002
Hey Kimberly...I posted to you question back in March. I just wanted to
touch base with you and repost to this thread so people could understand
their weightloss pattern. I am now 10 months out and have lost 115lbs.
Through the whole process I lost in spurts and jumps. I am still the queen
of plateaus. I have another 20 lbs that I would like to loose but it is
coming off at a crawl now. The bottom line is that it is a frustrating
process that I am so thankful to have gone through. Plateaus are a part of
it. I hope you are doing well and have lost a bunch! Maybe you'll come
back to this thread and let us know how you're doing...Barbi
— Barbi B.
March 31, 2003
In answer to your plateau question - I'm in the same boat as you right
now. I hit a plateau at week 7. Didnt lose for 2 weeks. Went on vacation
to So. California and literally lost one pound per day. Now I come home and
I'm stalled again. I keep going up and down a pound. It is depressing but
I focus more on how I have changed more than the number. Remember that the
number doesn't define your personality or your character - it's just a
number. Try upping your workouts to a full 20 minutes of sweating and
increased heart beats. Start making your body a fuel burning machine. You
may have to do 2 video tapes of areobics per day to jump start your body
back to where it is losing again. Keep a food journal of everything you
are eating and MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE EVERYTHING! Then you can sit down
with your dietician and review it.
Good Luck - Let us know how you are doing.
Meg
[email protected]
— Meg T.
May 3, 2003
Hi, I was so glad to read all these responses!! I am 8 1/2 weeks post-op
and I have lost 45 pounds, but I haven't really lost much in the last 4
weeks!! It is driving me nuts!!! I am sticking to diet, and everything
else.... I am very grateful for the weight that I have lost, but after
seeing it come off so quickly in the beginning, and then to have it slow
down, is sooo frustrating!! I knew about the plateaus, but wasn't expecting
to hit one until I was MONTHS into it, not WEEKS!! Anyway, it's nice to
know I am not alone and that it will come off, eventually!!
— Paige M.
May 18, 2003
HI, I am 10 weeks post-op too and have lost 45lbs., about 4 weeks ago, I
hit a plateatu!! I keep losing and gaining the same 2lbs!! It is driving me
absolutely NUTS!! So far, everyone I have talked to says, "it happens,
it's natural" that it will break and I'll start losing again!! It's
hard to believe! I knew that there would be plateatus along the way, but I
never thought it would happen so early on!! I try all that you are trying
too, the water, the protein, the exercise!! I just dont get it and am very
bummed about it! I guess the good thing is, knowing that this is not just
happening to me!! If you find something that works, please let me know!!
I'll do the same! All we can do, is hang in there!!
— Paige M.
August 1, 2003
I feel your pain. I am 9 weeks out as of yesterday (7/30/03) and have only
lost 33 pounds if you include the 17 pounds of fluid I gained while in the
hospital then it would be 50. But, I too feel like I am not moving down
very fast. It is frustrating!!
— Anastacha B.
August 1, 2003
"I feel your pain", as the saying goes! Try not to compare this
with your other weightloss attempts or your friends'. Everyone's journey
is unique. I don't 'believe' in plateaus. I honestly think that plateaus
are a distructive way of looking at your weight loss. I believe that your
body looses weight as IT want's to, not as YOU want it to. I would much
prefer that I loose 3 pounds a week to the alternative of no weight for 2
weeks, then 6 lbs one week. It's perfectly NORMAL to loose nothing for a
few weeks. You body rests, it re-adjusts, it fights to keep that fat. If
you keep up good habits, loss will continue on, irregularly though it may
be. Here's what I suggest. (Of course- this is my humble opinion!)now
don't fall over- cause here it comes....and this is radical....Stop getting
on the scale. The scale is not your friend. Commit to weighing yourself
once a month on the anniversary of your surgery. And finally, have FAITH
in your surgery. KNOW that if you stick to good habits, the weight is
coming off, period. This SIMPLE thing saved me the severe heartache of
'plateaus' Now that I'm close to goal (30 lbs away! so close- yet so far)
I find myself obsessing with the scale- and guess what- It's NOT helping
me! Do I need to know that the first two or three weeks of the month I
loose nothing when the last wek of the month I loose 10 lbs? NO I DO NOT.
The end result is the same. I've lost 10 lbs in a month. That, my friend,
is the long and short of it. Best of luck to you, no matter what you
decide. Lisa C- 8 mos post op open RNY -120 lbs.
— LMCLILLY
March 21, 2005
I have yet to have my surgery so really I'm just speaking from other
peoples experiences. One thing everyone forgets is that exercising makes
you gain muscle, muscle weighs more than fat. So you might not be losing on
the scale but in your clothing you could be. I would bypass the scale
invest in a tape measurer. Have someone help you take your measurements and
go by that not the scale. You are I am sure losing inches and perhaps just
not noticing it. Another thing is which I can speak of from experience, is
did you lose 10 lbs or even less before your operation every month? I know
its only 42lbs to you, but wow I would kill to lose that in 10 weeks!! It
might not be as much as others who have had the surgery, but it is surely
more than those who didn't. 10lbs or near that is a good start a month. And
if you read through all the profiles you will see some people did lose slow
but nearly all I have seen eventually hit that 100 lbs mark just took them
a little longer. Don't get upset your doing so good!! Had you not had the
surgery you might of never lost what you already have.
— lorie_nicole
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