Help me through this...

I am stuck at the same weight again this week. That makes 3 weeks now. I have upped my water intake, upped my protein, and changed and upped my exercise routine. I know this is a plateau and they happen but I have this little voice that keeps saying, "see thats it, this isn't going to work for you either." I'm trying soooooo hard to be rational but am scared to death. I can't stay at this weight for the rest of my life. I still have 98 lbs. to lose. Yes I feel better, have a better quality of life, look better but its not enough. Please don't tell me to stop weighing every week. That is not an option for me. Beside myself, Christie

Christie, I know how frustrating this is for you. I stayed the same weight for three weeks a few weeks ago and I freaked out too. I didn't do anything different, but the weight loss started back up again good as ever all by itself. I'm sure if you just wait it out and keep doing what you know is right, it'll start back up again. But if you really want to be doing something about it... I can't offer you any advice that I know for a fact will work, but what someone suggested to me (just before my weight loss started back up again, so I didn't get a chance to try it) was to go on a liquid meal replacement diet (full liquid/high protein) for a couple of days. They said this might "shock" my body back into dropping the pounds. I have no idea if it works to break a plateau, but I thought I'd pass it along to you. Anyway, I'm convinced that plateaus are why I failed at every diet I ever tried. I clearly remember doing everything right and then getting to a point that I either stopped losing weight or gained some back and thinking, "It's not working. I'm trying harder than I've ever tried before, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do, and it's not working. Forget this." And I'd go back to my old ways and regain it all. At least with WLS, I don't have that option! Not to the same extent, anyway. If this were a "diet," I would have given up a dozen times already. I wouldn't worry that the surgery isn't working for you or that your weight loss is over already. I've never heard of anyone stopping for good within the first six months after surgery. It gets harder after your pouch regains its elasticity ("stretches"), which shouldn't have happened yet. I believe it usually happens toward the end of the first year post-op. But this is all from one relatively new post-op to another. Do you go to your state's message board? You might send the same question to the California board and see what some long-term posties have to say. If you don't get answers from them, try Texas. It's a very active and helpful board--you can tell them I invited you as a "guest." Good luck, and keep us posted! ---- Leslie 5'3" 282/210/135

I can SO relate to what you're going through. Today it's been 3 weeks since I've shed even half a pound. However, on the up side, I've been getting so many compliments from people saying, "I can't believe how much weight you've lost these last few weeks!" I was told once that during a plateau that your body changes inches while the scale refuses to budge. For now, I've sworn off weighing daily and try to only weigh in on Mondays. My plan is to just keep doing what I need to (protein, fluids, etc.) and let my tool work. So far it hasn't let me down. Hang in there.... try ignoring the scale. Amy -64 pounds

Hi Christie, I have had this happen too, now I just relax because I know a big drop is coming. I slowed down something awful in september and could not understand what happened (my sleep apnea doc suggested I drop my calories by 10% so I tried to shave 100 calories off my daily amount). I had no sooner done that when my scale showed a loss of 15 pounds ( I believe my body just needed a rest and I KNOW I was losing inches..my rings and shoes got real loose just before my scale started cooperating). When I looked over my wt loss at monthly increments I discovered I have been losing 25 pounds per month, which is amazing to me. Maybe you should step back and look at you monthly loss and not be so hung up on the weekly weighin. And remember the scale weighs everything, water,muscle,fat .... the air in your lungs Hang in there,

Christie - I was at a stall for a month and dropped 10 pounds within two weeks. I know it is hard, you just need to hang in there and it WILL come off. You are doing wonderful, don't give up on yourself, we ALL believe in you too And I can't stop weighing either, I do it all the time - so I know how THAT is Aimée 300/245/175/145